Pokemon TCG Pocket (PTCGP)

Best Donphan ex Decks and Card List

Pokemon TCG Pocket (PTCGP) Walkthrough Team

Last updated on: November 6, 2025 09:37 PM

★ Mega Rising (B1) introduces the Mega Evolutions!
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Pokemon TGC Pocket - Donphan ex Best Deck Build and How to Play

This guide will show you how to build some of the strongest Donphan ex Decks. We'll cover the best Donphan ex Deck builds, how to use them, as well how to beat Donphan ex Decks, and more!

The decks on this page reflect the meta around the Secluded Springs Expansion.

List of Contents

Best Donphan ex Decks
Donphan ex Deck Strategy Guide
How to Beat Donphan ex Decks
Related Guides

Best Donphan ex Decks

Donphan ex Deck Variants	Strengths and Weaknesses
Donphan ex and Lucario Deck [★ Best ★]	Strengths: • Donphan ex can deal 50 damage with one Energy. • Both Pokemon in the deck can be set up quickly. Weaknesses: • Donphan ex relies on other cards to boost its damage. • Donphan ex needs more Energy to deal higher damage.
Donphan ex and Rampardos Deck [★ New ★]	Strengths: • All Pokemon in the deck are Energy-efficient. • Donphan ex can have access to a high-damage Flail by using Memory Light. Weaknesses: • Donphan ex relies on other cards and being damaged to increase its attacking power. • No reliable way to search for your Fossils besides drawing into them.

Donphan ex and Lucario Deck

Hitmonlee ×1	Marshadow ×1	Riolu ×2	Lucario ×2
Phanpy ×2	Donphan ex ×2	Sabrina ×1	Giant Cape ×1
Cyrus ×1	Red ×1	Guzma ×1	Silver ×1
Poke Ball ×2	Professor's Research ×2
Energy Used

Donphan ex is this deck's main attacker. It can attack and deal 50 damage for only one Energy as soon as it evolves. It can increase its damage by having more Energy attached, as well as having other cards such as Lucario and Red to support it.

Hitmonlee can be used as an early-game attacker if the player doesn't have Phanpy in their starting hand. Meanwhile, Marshadow functions as an effective secondary attacker after one of the player's other Pokemon has been knocked out.

Expansions	Cards to Get and Packs to Open
Genetic Apex (A1)	Hitmonlee x 1 (Mewtwo Pack) Sabrina x 1 (Charizard Pack)
Mythical Island (A1a)	Marshadow x 1 (Mew Pack)
Spacetime Smackdown (A2)	Riolu x 2 (Dialga Pack) Lucario x 2 (Dialga Pack) Giant Cape x 1 (Dialga Pack) Cyrus x 1 (Palkia Pack)
Triumphant Light (A2a)	Phanpy x 2 (Arceus Pack)
Shining Revelry (A2b)	Red x 1 (Shiny Charizard Pack)
Celestial Guardians	Guzma x 1 (Lunala Pack)
Extradimensional Crisis	No cards needed from this expansion.
Eevee Grove	No cards needed from this expansion.
Wisdom of Sky and Sea	Donphan ex x 2 (Ho-Oh Pack) Silver x 1 (Ho-Oh Pack)
Secluded Springs	No cards needed from this expansion.
Mega Rising	No cards needed from this expansion.
Promo-A	Poke Ball x 2 (Promo-A Pack) Professor's Research x 2 (Promo-A Pack)

Donphan ex and Rampardos Deck

Cranidos ×1	Rampardos ×2	Donphan ex ×2	Phanpy ×2
Leaf ×1	Skull Fossil ×2	Cyrus ×1	Mars ×1
Iono ×1	Rare Candy ×2	Memory Light ×2	Poke Ball ×1
Professor's Research ×2
Energy Used

This deck uses Donphan ex as an early-game attacker while Rampardos is set up on the Bench. Once Rampardos is ready, it can switch in to the Active Spot and act as a finisher.

Attaching Memory Light to Donphan ex gives it the ability to use Flail. This can be used as a higher damage option if it has taken a lot of damage or if it has less than 3 Energy.

Expansions	Cards to Get and Packs to Open
Genetic Apex (A1)	No cards needed from this expansion.
Mythical Island (A1a)	Leaf x 1 (Mew Pack)
Spacetime Smackdown (A2)	Cranidos x 1 (Dialga Pack) Rampardos x 2 (Dialga Pack) Skull Fossil x 2 (Dialga Pack) Cyrus x 1 (Palkia Pack) Mars x 1 (Palkia Pack)
Triumphant Light (A2a)	No cards needed from this expansion.
Shining Revelry (A2b)	Iono x 1 (Shiny Charizard Pack)
Celestial Guardians	Rare Candy x 2 (Any Pack)
Extradimensional Crisis	No cards needed from this expansion.
Eevee Grove	No cards needed from this expansion.
Wisdom of Sky and Sea	Donphan ex x 2 (Ho-Oh Pack)
Secluded Springs	Phanpy x 2 (Suicune Pack) Memory Light x 2 (Suicune Pack)
Mega Rising	No cards needed from this expansion.
Promo-A	Poke Ball x 1 (Promo-A Pack) Professor's Research x 2 (Promo-A Pack)

Donphan ex Deck Strategy Guide

Use Donphan ex in the Early Game

Donphan ex can exert pressure early with Gigantic Press, as it only costs 1 Energy. It is best to take advantage of this and attack aggressively in the early game.

Increase Donphan ex's Damage

Gigantic Press can only deal up to 110 damage by itself. Using cards such as Lucario and Red can increase its damage, allowing Donphan ex to score vital KOs.

How to Beat Donphan ex Decks

Prevent or Remove Damage Boosts

Donphan ex relies on other cards to boost its damage output, so it is best to prevent or remove them. Sabrina or Cyrus can bring Lucario to the Active Spot, making it easier to knock them out.

Cards like Gengar ex can be useful in preventing damage boosts from Supporters such as Red or Giovanni.

Energy Denial

Gigantic Press deals more damage once Donphan ex has 3 or more Energy attached. You may use cards such as Team Rocket Grunt or Guzzlord ex to remove its Energy and prevent it from dealing more damage.

Pokemon TCG Pocket Related Guides

Decks

Best Meta Decks Tier List

Mega Rising Decks

Top Decks in the Meta

Tier
Mega Altaria ex and Chingling Deck	Greninja ex and Suicune ex Deck	Mega Absol ex and Hydreigon Deck	-
Tier
Mega Blaziken ex and Heatmor Deck	Pom-Pom Oricorio and Magnezone Deck	Decidueye ex Deck	-
Tier
Mega Absol ex and Pom-Pom Oricorio Deck	Mega Absol ex and Weezing Deck	Hydreigon Deck	Espeon ex and Indeedee ex Deck
Tier
Mega Blaziken ex and Entei ex Deck	Mega Gyarados ex and Milotic Deck	Indeedee ex and Giratina ex Deck	Luxray Deck
Pom-Pom Oricorio and Greninja Deck	Giratina ex and Darkrai ex Deck	Guzzlord ex and Naganadel Deck	-
Tier
Mega Pinsir ex and Leafeon ex Deck	Mega Ampharos ex and Raikou ex Deck	Hitmonchan ex and Lucario Deck	Jolteon ex and Jolteon Deck
Tapu Koko ex and Pom-Pom Oricorio Deck	SR Pikachu ex and Pom-Pom Oricorio Deck	Crobat and Arceus ex Deck	Goodra and Indeedee ex Deck
Tier
Rapidash ex and Ninetales Deck	Tauros ex and Hydreigon Deck	Whimsicott ex and Meowscarada Deck	Dragalge ex and Nihilego Deck
Golurk Deck	Aegislash and Togedemaru Deck	Mega Pidgeot ex and Raikou ex Deck	-

List of All Decks

Core Expansion	Decks
(B1)	・Aegislash ・Dragalge ex ・Greninja ex ・Golurk ・Goodra ・Hitmonchan ex ・Hydreigon ・Indeedee ex ・Jolteon ex ・Luxray ・Mega Absol ex ・Mega Altaria ex ・Mega Ampharos ex ・Mega Blaziken ex ・Mega Gyarados ex ・Mega Pidgeot ex ・Mega Pinsir ex ・Melmetal ex ・Rapidash ex ・Tauros ex ・Whimsicott ex
(A4a)	・Altaria ・Celebi ・Dugtrio ・Entei ex ・Galarian Cursola ・Jumpluff ex ・Latios ・Miltank ・Poliwrath ex ・Raikou ex ・Slowking ・SS Eelektross ・Suicune ex ・Zoroark
(A4)	・Crobat ex ・Donphan ex ・Espeon ex ・Ho-oh ex ・Kingdra ex ・Lanturn ex ・Lugia ex ・Magcargo ・Raikou ・Scizor ・Shuckle ex ・Skarmory ex ・Steelix ・Umbreon ex ・WSS Gyarados ・WSS Tyranitar ・Xatu
(A3b)	・Alcremie ・Dragonite ex ・Espeon ・Flareon ex ・Glaceon ・Jolteon ・Leafeon ・Primarina ex ・Slurpuff ・Snorlax ex ・Sylveon ex ・Umbreon ・Vaporeon
(A3a)	・Alolan Dugtrio ex ・Blacephalon ・Buzzwole ex ・Guzzlord ex ・Lycanroc ex ・Naganadel ・Nihilego ・Pheromosa ・Shiinotic ・Silvally ・Stoutland ・Tapu Koko ex ・Ultra Necrozma ex
(A3)	・Alolan Muk ex ・Alolan Ninetales ・Alolan Raichu ex ・Araquanid ・Banette ・Crabominable ex ・Decidueye ex ・Dhelmise ex ・Incineroar ex ・Kommo-o ・Lunala ex ・Mimikyu ・Passimian ex ・Pom-Pom Oricorio ・Rayquaza ex ・Solgaleo ex ・Tsareena ・Turtonator ・Vikavolt ・Wishiwashi ex
(A2b)	・Beedrill ex ・Bibarel ex ・Dondozo ・Gholdengo ・Giratina ex ・Lucario ex ・Meowscarada ・Paldean Clodsire ex ・Pawmot ・SR Charizard ex ・SR Pikachu ex ・Tinkaton ex ・Wugtrio ex
(A2a)	・Abomasnow ・Arceus ex ・Bronzong ・Carnivine ・Crobat ・Donphan ・Garchomp ex ・Gengar ・Glaceon ex ・Heatran ・Houndoom ・Leafeon ex ・Origin Forme Palkia ・Probopass ex ・Snorlax ・Staraptor ・TL Tyranitar
(A2)	・Bastiodon ・Darkrai ex ・Dialga ex ・Empoleon ・Gallade ex ・Garchomp ・Infernape ex ・Lickilicky ex ・Lucario ・Luxray ・Magnezone ・Mesprit ・Mismagius ex ・Pachirisu ex ・Palkia ex ・Porygon-Z ・Rampardos ・Rhyperior ・Togekiss ・Torterra ・Weavile ex ・Yanmega ex
(A1a)	・Aerodactyl ex ・Celebi ex ・Golem ・Gyarados ex ・Mew ex ・Pidgeot ex ・Scolipede
(A1)	・Aerodactyl ・Alakazam ・Arbok ・Arcanine ex ・Articuno ・Articuno ex ・Blastoise ・Blastoise ex ・Centiskorch ・Charizard ・Dragonite ・Exeggutor ex ・Frosmoth ・GA Charizard ex ・GA Gyarados ・GA Pikachu ex ・Gengar ex ・Greninja ・Kabutops ・Kingler ・Lapras ex ・Machamp ex ・Marowak ex ・Melmetal ・Mewtwo ex ・Moltres ex ・Ninetales ・Omastar ・Pidgeot ・Poliwrath ・Primeape ・Raichu ・Starmie ex ・Venusaur ・Venusaur ex ・Weezing ・Wigglytuff ex ・Zapdos ・Zapdos ex

Best Rental Deck Tier List

Deck-Building Guides and Lists

Lists of Decks by Type
Best F2P Beginner Decks	Best Non-ex Decks
Which ex Starter Deck Should You Get?	List of Rental Decks
Best 18 Trainers Decks	Best Trainerless Decks for Solo Battle Missions
List of Meme or Troll Decks	List of Ultra Beast Decks
Best Eeveelution Decks	Best Baby Pokemon Decks
Deck-Building Guides
Deck Building Guide	How Rental Decks Work
Staple Cards for Decks	-
Deck Analyses
Deck Matchup Statistics	10 Match Tests vs Pikachu ex Deck - Statistics

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Mega Altaria ex	Indeedee ex	Greninja ex	Mega Blaziken ex
Mega Absol ex	Mega Gyarados ex	Hydreigon	Jolteon ex
Mega Ampharos ex	Melmetal ex	Luxray	Goodra
Mega Pinsir ex	Hitmonchan ex	Dragalge ex	Whimsicott ex
Rapidash ex	Tauros ex	Golurk	Mega Pidgeot ex

Best Donphan ex Decks and Card List

Best Donphan ex Decks

Donphan ex and Lucario Deck

Donphan ex and Rampardos Deck

Donphan ex Deck Strategy Guide

Use Donphan ex in the Early Game

Increase Donphan ex's Damage

How to Beat Donphan ex Decks

Prevent or Remove Damage Boosts

Energy Denial

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