The Mythical Island expansion for Pokemon TCG Pocket has been out for just under a week and, already, the 80 new cards introduced with the game’s first Themed Booster Set are making waves across the meta. Celebi ex and Serperior are transforming Grass from a slow, tanky stall archetype into a fast, aggressive type capable of keeping up with Pikachu ex, whereas Mew ex is enhancing the capabilities of decks all across the format, but the most impactful new Pokemon may be a surprise to some. Despite being slept on in the early days of Mythical Island’s launch, Gyarados ex has risen from the depths to become one of the most oppressive and dominant decks in the entire format.
Thanks to its monstrous balance of high HP and high damage, Gyarados ex has easily become the core of a brutal new mono-Water deck which can rival meta mainstays like Mewtwo ex and Pikachu ex and challenge up-and-coming decks like Celebi ex. With some of the highest damage in the game paired with a ridiculously high health pool, Gyarados can tank the toughest hits and OHKO most Pokemon in PTCGP while remaining incredibly flexible and not reliant on coinflips. Pair that with some super powerful supporting Pokemon, including one of the best defensive Pokemon introduced with Mythical Island, and you have a force of nature.
Here’s how to build and play the Gyarados ex deck in Pokemon TCG Pocket.
If you’d like to read some other PTCGP content, including our deck guides for Celebi ex and Mewtwo ex, you can find more here on KeenGamer:
- Pokemon TCG Pocket | Celebi ex Deck Guide
- Pokémon TCG Pocket | Pikachu EX Deck Guide
- Pokémon TCG Pocket | Mewtwo EX Deck Guide
- Pokémon TCG Pocket | Articuno EX Deck Guide
- Pokemon TCG Pocket | Best Mythical Island Cards for Battling and Deck Building
Pokemon TCG Pocket
Pokemon TCG Pocket Gyarados ex Deck List
Gyarados ex is a mono-Water deck and it’s one of the strongest and most consistent decks in the format, surpassing the hype of Celebi ex in only a matter of days. Thanks to a hearty mix of high HP and high damage paired with some incredible supporting cards which can ensure that Gyarados ex reliably hits the field at full power, the Gyarados ex deck is a monstrous show of force. If you’re able to get Gyarados ex onto the field, there is very little which can stand in your way. If you’re sick of coin flips and want a consistent deck that can stand up against the likes of Mewtwo ex, Celebi ex, and more, this is the deck for you.
Firstly, here are the essential cards which are required to make the Gyarados ex deck work as intended in Pokemon TCG Pocket. While the essential Pokemon in this deck are all from the new Mythical Island expansion, a lot of the Trainer cards are from Genetic Apex, the first PTCGP expansion, so keep that in mind when putting together your decklist.
- Magikarp x2 (Mythical Island A1a 017)
- Gyarados ex x2 (Mythical Island A1a 018)
- Druddigon x2 (Mythical Island A1a 056)
- Poke Ball x2 (Promo-A 005)
- Misty x2 (Genetic Apex A1 220)
- Leaf x2 (Mythical Island A1a 068)
- Professor’s Research x2 (Promo-A 007)
Gyarados ex Essential Cards
Next, here are some non-essential cards that you’ll want to consider including. While these cards won’t alter the main strategy of the Gyarados ex deck, they will provide you with more options or additional strategies which can be used to supplement and support the main part of the deck. When it comes to optional Pokemon, pick one (Articuno, Greninja, or Vaporeon) and go from there: don’t overload your deck with too many Pokemon as it will make getting Gyarados ex much harder and limit how many Supporters and Item cards you can hold.
- Articuno x1 (Genetic Apex A1 083)
- Froakie x2 (Genetic Apex A1 087) + Frogadier x2 (Genetic Apex A1 088) + Greninja x2 (Genetic Apex A1 089)
- Eevee x2 (Mythical Island A1a 061) + Vaporeon x2 (Mythical Island A1a 019)
- Potion x2 (Promo-A 001)
- Giovanni x1 (Genetic Apex A1 223)
- Sabrina x2 (Genetic Apex A1 225)
Non-Essential Cards
Card Breakdown
Gyarados ex
The ace of this deck, and arguably the entire Mythical Island expansion, is Gyarados ex. When the new expansion first launched, many saw Gyarados ex as the worst ex in the Pokemon TCG Pocket and even a downgrade to its Genetic Apex counterpart. Skip to a week later and Gyarados ex has gone on to place first in several major tournaments and is wreaking havoc across the meta. It is the highest HP Stage 1 Pokemon in the game at 180 HP and its only damaging move, Rampaging Whirlpool, deals 140 damage while stripping one Energy from a random Pokemon on the field.
Gyarados ex’s major strength and what’s keeping it afloat in a sea of ultra-aggressive Pokemon is how balanced it is. While there are Pokemon who hit harder (Mewtwo ex, Celebi ex, etc.) and Pokemon who have higher HP and mitigation (Venusaur ex, Golem, etc.), Gyarados ex is one of the only Pokemon with a very high amount of both. Not much can survive against a 140 damage attack, especially one which randomly strips Energy and comes from a Pokemon which can tank almost every attack in the game. The only moves which reasonably OHKO Gyarados ex are Charizard ex’s Crimson Storm, four coin flips on Celebi ex’s Powerful Blossom and Zapdos ex’s Thundering Hurricane, and Exeggutor’s Psychic, four Pokemon that Gyarados ex is adept at countering.
However, despite Gyarados ex’s immense strength, you cannot ignore its glaring weaknesses, mainly the fact that Gyarados ex is tied to the weakest Pokemon in the entire game, Magikarp. It doesn’t matter how strong Gyarados is if it never hits the field because of Magikarp’s low HP and worthless attacks. Unless you get Gyarados ex early and can evolve Magikarp, it won’t matter if you have a Druddigon up because the opponent will just Sabrina and leave you dead in the water. And, even if you get Gyarados early, Rampaging Whirlpool requires a ton of Energy, meaning up to four turns setting up or a lucky Misty. Once Gyarados ex gets going it’s nigh unstoppable, but getting there takes some time.
Gyarados ex, Bulky Sweeper
Druddigon
Gyarados ex is only as viable as it is thanks to the help of an unlikely ally, Druddigon. This is the only new Dragon-type card to be introduced with Mythical Island and, fortunately, it is also one of the best, securing a spot as an incredibly powerful wall in a wide variety of decks ranging from Golem decks to Scolipede decks to, of course, Gyarados ex decks. With 100 HP, Druddigon is a strong Basic Pokemon but far from impressive, especially when you need two kinds of Energy to pull off Dragon Claw, its only attack. What makes Druddigon oppressive, though, is Rough Skin, its Ability which makes opponents take 20 damage when they attack this Pokemon while it’s in the Active.
As a Basic Pokemon, Druddigon serves as the perfect wall for protecting squishy little Magikarp. 100 HP can tank the vast majority of attacks in the early rounds, allowing you to safely build up Magikarp on the Bench without fear of repercussions (except for Sabrina, of course). Additionally, because of Rough Skin, your opponent will have to make risky decisions if they want to get Druddigon out of the way: either they take the 20 damage from hitting it, which can often be enough to tip the scales, or they leave Druddigon alone, letting you continue to build up Magikarp safe and sound. Druddigon’s chip damage can even make up the difference on Pokemon like Mewtwo ex, letting Gyarados ex OHKO them.
The obvious downside to Druddigon is that it’s just a wall. Without any Fire Energy in your deck, Drudigon cannot use Dragon Claw under any circumstance, meaning that you don’t want to waste Energy on it. However, that means that it’ll be tricky to pay off its 2 Energy Retreat Cost without using Leaf or X-Speed: if you get caught out without those cards in your hand, Druddigon is a free point, even if you have Gyarados ex ready. This isn’t always a bad thing – that chip damage could be a lifesaver, after all – but it is something you need to consider and keep in mind when playing it.
Druddigon, Scaly Wall
Misty and Leaf
Alongside draw support cards like Professor’s Research and Poke Ball, there are two key Supporters who need to be in every copy of the Gyarados ex deck. The first is Misty and she’s an essential Energy Battery for Gyarados ex that can turn your slow ace Pokemon into an early-game sweeper. Then there’s Leaf, a new retreat support card which you can use to support Druddigon and ensure that Gyarados ex can hit the field when it needs to.
Misty’s role in this deck should be fairly easy to understand. Like with most offensive Water Pokemon in Pokemon TCG Pocket, Gyarados ex’s main attack costs a hefty 4 Energy to use. In most situations, this means four rounds of quaking on the Bench, hoping that your opponent doesn’t have Sabrina or a Pidgeot. With Misty, though, you can cut down on Gyarados’ set-up time significantly: even a single Energy gained from Misty is perfect and can accelerate your strategy. Alternatively, Misty can also be used to power up your backup Pokemon like Articuno or Vaporeon if Gyarados ex is already built. You’ll need to get lucky to get the most value out of Misty, of course, but the risk is well worth the reward.
Meanwhile, Leaf is mainly here to help with Druddigon. While Druddigon is perfect for holding the frontline thanks to Rough Skin, it can be tricky to get off the field thanks to its 2 Energy Retreat Cost. You don’t want to waste Energy on Druddigon but, eventually, you’ll need to Bench it to bring up Gyarados ex, leaving you in a sticky situation. Well, with Leaf, you get to bring it off the field for free, allowing Druddigon to perform its role as an Energy-less meat shield perfectly. Leaf also lets you keep in Druddigon for longer, giving you more opportunities to deal counter damage and soften up opponents for Gyarados’ Rampaging Whirlpool.
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- Misty, Water Energy Battery
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- Leaf, Retreat Support
Articuno, Greninja, or Vaporeon
While it is possible to run just Gyarados ex and Druddigon and succeed, having an extra Water Pokemon will go a long way in helping you win consistently as you won’t be relying solely on getting Magikarp and Gyarados. Fortunately, Water is one of the most flexible types in PTCGP, especially with the Pokemon introduced in Mythical Island. Whether you want more direct offensive power, chip damage to the Bench, or a solid attacker with a good amount of utility, you have a lot of options with the Gyarados ex deck being as open as it is.
The top three contenders for the coveted role are Articuno, Greninja, and Vaporeon.
- Articuno is a solid backup attacker you can confidently build up before or after Gyarados ex takes the field, especially with the aid of Misty. It deals decent damage and can Paralyze the opponent, giving you additional time to prepare or stall. However, it does need a lot of Energy to get going, Energy which could be used on Magikarp or Gyarados ex, so you’ll need to be mindful of when to build it and when to let it go.
- Greninja gives you another way to deal chip damage without needing Energy using its Ability (just like Druddigon) which can prove crucial for taking out bulkier targets like Mewtwo ex, Charizard ex, or even an opposing Gyarados ex. Of course, the main downside is that Greninja is a Stage 2 Pokemon, meaning that 6 of your 20 cards will be dedicated to this Pokemon line, space which could be used for additional Items or Supporters.
- Vaporeon is likely the safest and most flexible partner for Gyarados ex thanks to Wash Out. With this Ability in play, you can build up Eevee and Vaporeon, giving you a decent offensive front if you need it, without wasting that Energy as it can just be moved onto Gyarados when it takes the field. You could pair Vaporeon with another Water-type like Starmie ex or Articuno ex but, even on its own, it can prove very powerful and a great partner for Gyarados ex.
No matter which Water type you choose to add to your deck, you’ll be giving yourself more options for engagements. One of Gyarados ex’s biggest flaws is that it relies so heavily on getting Gyarados ex early: if you’re stuck with a Magikarp for three or four turns, it doesn’t matter how much damage your Druddigon can soak up. These three Pokemon give you another way out or additional strategies which you can use to compliment Gyarados ex’s playstyle.
Vaporeon, Greninja, or Articuno
How to Play Gyarados ex
The ideal start for a Gyarados ex is to play Druddigon into the Active and have Magikarp on the Bench as soon as possible. While Druddigon won’t be attacking anything (it can’t, you don’t have any Fire Energy in your deck), it will still prove extremely bothersome for your opponents because of Rough Skin: they’ll have to decide whether they want to attack Druddigon and tank that 20 counter damage or leave you alone, both of which are very beneficial to you. While Druddigon is up at the front being your wall, you can steadily begin building up Magikarp and, because Druddigon doesn’t need any Energy to do its job, you can focus all of your efforts on fueling Magikarp.
Eventually, you’ll get Gyarados ex and be able to use Leaf to retreat Druddigon and bring up your ace. Once Gyarados ex hits the field, the match is essentially over. Only a small handful of Pokemon can survive Rampaging Whirlpool’s 140 damage and there are even fewer who can both tank the hit and deal considerable damage back. In most situations, Gyarados ex will overwhelm and take out your opponent’s ace in one or two hits, leaving them scrambling for another way out, which gives you time to sweep through the rest of their deck. While it may take a while to get there, the payoffs are immense.
In the current meta, Gyarados ex is a strong contender to most of the top-ranking decks. For hyper-aggressive and high-damage decks like Celebi ex and Mewtwo ex, Gyarados’ high HP paired with its massive damage will prove a tall wall to overcome: Gyarados can KO Celebi ex in a single hit and can even OHKO Mewtwo ex with help from Giovanni or Druddigon. Where Gyarados will struggle is against Pokemon with excessive healing or damage mitigation, such as Venusaur ex or Mythical Island Golem. These Pokemon have the HP and mitigation to survive multiple Rampaging Whirlpools and have enough damage to threaten Gyarados ex over two turns. Fortunately, these decks are relatively rare at the moment, letting Gyarados stay king for a while longer.
Gyarados ex Deck
The Gyarados ex deck has a few prominent strengths over other decks in Pokemon TCG Pocket:
- Unparalleled strength and bulk, with enough HP to survive even the toughest attacks and the damage output to wipe out most threats in a single hit. While there are Pokemon with higher HP pools or higher damage attacks, none come close to the balanced lethality of Gyarados ex.
- Extremely flexible deck structure ensures you can tailor the Gyarados ex deck to your liking. Whether you want more consistency, damage, speed, or an entire alternative backup strategy built, the Gyarados ex deck has enough empty space to give you those options.
- Misty can transform Gyarados ex into an early-game monster. If you get lucky with Misty and get the Energy you need for a turn two or three Rampaging Whirlpool, there’s essentially nothing that can stand in your way as all of Gyarados’ major threats (Mewtwo ex, Charizard ex, Zapdos ex) require more than three Energy to begin their assault.
Meanwhile, there are several major flaws and weaknesses of the deck that you need to consider when taking it into the live game:
- Very dependent on evolving Magikarp early. If you’re unlucky and get caught out with just Magikarp on the field with no Druddigon or Gyarados ex in sight, you may as well concede then because Magikarp’s pitiful 30 HP won’t be protecting you against anything.
- Can be quite slow to set up if the cards don’t go in your favour. Even if you get Druddigon and Magikarp up quickly, it will still take you four rounds to get to Rampaging Whirlpool, giving your opponent time to either take out your Magikarp with Sabrina or whittle down your wall.
- Most of the big plays rely on lucky Misty flips. Like with the Articuno ex deck, Misty is your greatest ally and your worst enemy, with early Misty plays deciding entire games in a single coin flip.
Evolve and Dominate
That was how to make the Gyarados ex deck in Pokemon TCG Pocket.
