Summary
AlthoughPokemon TCG Pocket’s Triumphant Light set is the second smallest in the game after Mythical Island, it dramatically changed the deckbuilding meta thanks to some incredibly strong cards - several of which are also “splashable” in many decks. An example isLeafeon Ex inPokemon TCG Pocket, which can be played in traditional Grass decks alongside Celebi Ex, but it can also shine in hybrid decks that use Water energy from Manaphy or Misty to then reap the benefits when Irida is played. However, what is considered the strongest card in Triumphant Light is Arceus Ex, which can easily disrupt many opposing decks and take the win.
One of the most consistent and powerful combos is with Dialga Ex, as it can use Metallic Turbo to generate Energy for Arceus Ex while it’s safe on the bench, only for Arceus Ex to come into play later and sweep with its attack that can deal up to 130 damage in one go without drawbacks. Players do need to build their bench inPokemon TCG Pocketfor this to work, but it’s a small requirement. Much like Arceus Ex, there is one Mythical Island card that was starting to see play recently for similar reasons, but it’s far less effective than the god Pokemon.
Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Arceus Ex Steals The Spotlight From Pidgeot Ex
Arceus Ex decks inPokemon TCG Pocketare all the rage thanks to Ultimate Force, which deals 70 damage plus another 20 for each Pokemon on the user’s bench, up to 130. This is eerily similar to Pidgeot Ex’s Scattering Cyclone attack, which also requires three Energy of any type and deals 80 damage plus another 20 for each Pokemon on the bench, up to 140 in this case. One may wonder why Pidgeot Ex is not gaining much traction whereas Arceus Ex is considered OP, and there is one clear reason.
WhileMythical Island’s Pidgeot Exhas 170 HP, which is incredibly powerful in the current meta, its biggest drawback is that it’s a Stage 2 critter, meaning players need both Pidgey and Pidgeotto first. This makes Pidgeot Ex not only much less consistent in terms of how often it can be ready after a Metallic Turbo or two from Dialga Ex, for example, but also takes up much more space in the deck. For every Arceus Ex, players would need a Pidgey, Pidgeotto, and Pidgeot Ex, tripling the required slots for the deck to work.
Why Arceus Ex is Better Than Pidgeot Ex in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Instead, the current Arceus Ex decks leave more room for extra bench Pokemon to deal maximum damage with Ultimate Force, and then they can also run more Trainer cards to help take the win. A good example is how a Pidgeot Ex may not have room for Dawn, whereas one can run Sky Support Shaymin and retreat Dialga Ex for 1 Energy after one Metallic Turbo, only to then use Ultimate Force on that same turn with Dawn getting the third Energy from the bench. This can be a surprising yet deadly combo, andmetaPokemon TCG Pocketdecksneed to adapt to deal with it.
Likewise, several Arceus Ex decks run one copy ofPokemon TCG Pocket’s Giovanni, which makes all attacks deal 10 more damage, making Ultimate Force capable of one-shotting an opposing Arceus Ex provided it’s not affected by Giant Cape. For all these reasons, Pidgeot Ex never had much of a place in the meta despite having better stats and a stronger version of Ultimate Force for its attack, and it’s unlikely that it will see a resurgence considering the ease of use of Arceus Ex. It remains to be seen whether the game will make changes to Pidgeot Ex or even the way Stage 2 Pokemon behave, but for now, Arceus Ex is a more effective version of its predecessor from Mythical Island.
