Pokémon TCG Pocket players, the Ruler of the Skies major expansion (B4 set) is finally upon us! This has been the most hyped set in a long time, and rightfully so, with titans like Mega Rayquaza and Mega Metagross taking the mic. Not to mention, every single artwork in this set is absolutely gorgeous!
But does this set blend style with substance? In other words, do the EX cards make the right noise, with both Megas and regular ones in the mix?
Let’s check out how the EX cards from the Ruler of the Skies set perform in the ever-evolving Pokémon TCG Pocket meta!
Starting this analysis is none other than the star of the Ruler of the Skies, Mega Rayquaza EX. It is a Dragon type, which instantly raises some eyebrows regarding its viability. After all, Dragon Pokémon have always struggled in TCG Pocket due to their multi-Energy needs.
Mega Rayquaza EX requires 
and 
Energies, and discards all that Energy when it attacks. Based on the number of Energies attached to it, it does 50 DMG for each.
So basically, Mega Rayquaza EX needs as much of and Energies as possible to do 50 DMG for each, but this is enabled by discarding that many Energies. So:
- You need to farm enough Energy for Mega Rayquaza EX
- Possibly equip it with Energies in the very next turn to make it attack
- In a meta filled with bulky Mega Evolutions and the fact that Mega Rayquaza EX cannot afford to be KO’d, you need to ideally use it late game to fire off higher damage figures
Sounds awful, but you’ll have to look at two new cards from this set that make this Legendary work beautifully!
With Dragonair on the Bench, an Active Mega Rayquaza EX can get an Energy for free. This effect stacks, so 2x Dragonair on the Bench equals two Energy. Now, you need a minimum of 1x and 1x Energy for Mega Ray to function, and the rest of these Energies can come in any type and any numbers. Now, assuming that Dragonair and your turn both give the same type of Energy (say, ), you can take advantage of the Rainbow Cave Stadium to hopefully change the type to instead. Once Mega Rayquaza attacks, you can restore at least 3 Energies using 2x Dragonair and Rainbow Cave, assuming that at least one of these yields a different Energy type.
Of course, this works even when Mega Rayquaza is used early on, provided you get these two cards early as well. But your best-case scenario against the Mega Evolution meta is a Mega Rayquaza EX brimming with loads of Energy, establishing it as a great late-game sweeper. So, you’ll need a stall to do the weight-lifting before you’re all set to unleash Mega Ray. Fulfilling that role to much success is Drampa from this very set.
A respectable 100 HP and Colorless Energy make this a reliable lead for your draconic entourage. Note that Drampa also discards a random Energy, but Dragonair has got its back.
Now, the burning question… is Mega Rayquaza EX among the top in the meta? The answer is a disappointing NO. Look, it is good, and can win your battles out of the blue once it’s set up well. But it’s too niche a Pokémon to justify usage in Ranked matches. You need to set up Dragonair from Dratini, ideally avoid getting bricked with the same type of Energies, and also make it work if you draw Mega Ray Ex before Dratini or Drampa. Mega Rayquaza itself isn’t particularly bulky, and even with a Giant Cape, it’s only 200 HP.
It’s an ultra specific Pokémon that works in some situations but fails miserably if it’s not blessed (no pun intended) by Dragonair’s presence and ability.
Make a beeline for Vespiquen EX, one of the stronger Pokémon from Ruler of the Skies. For only 2x 
Energy, it deals 70 DMG, and if you’re able to discard a Grass-type Basic from the Bench, you inflict an impressive 140 DMG!
There are several viable options for Grass Basics, such as Pheromosa, Kartana, or Teal Mask Ogerpon EX. One cool trick you can pull via Vespiquen EX is discarding a Cyrus-able Pokémon from your Bench, making the dreaded Supporter virtually useless for the opponent. Add the fact that Grass types in Pokémon TCG Pocket enjoy a lot of support, including Erika, Leaf Cape, and Fragrant Forest, and we have got ourselves a solid EX card. The 2x Energy retreat cost is a bit of a bother, so starting with Pheromosa or Kartana is preferred.
Typhlosion is the first Johto starter to get the EX treatment in Pokémon TCG Pocket, and its debut is, umm, decent.
The Energy requirement isn’t really the issue. With Magby, Flame Patch, and the new Wally Supporter in tow, you can get the tank filled in two turns. The problem is that 110 DMG is bad, and the Energy discarding tech not being guaranteed makes it awkward.
You can’t use Wally and Will in the same turn. Moreover, with Fire type stalwarts like Mega Charizard X and Y, and Mega Blaziken around, why would you even think about running Typhlosion EX in those sweaty Ranked battles? To be fair, this card will be forgotten in the very next meta. Press F to pay respects to Typhlosion.
Milotic EX ushered in a rejuvenated interest in Water types, and with the Wallace Supporter, players slowly started bringing Mega Gyarados EX to the forefront. The Ruler of the Skies set has now introduced a new apex predator right from the depths of TCG Pocket: Mega Sharpedo EX.
For just 1x 
Energy, this Stage 1 Pokémon (easily evolved via Wallace) dishes out an incredible 70 DMG! That’s not all, as it also ramps up 1 of your Benched mons by supplying it with Energy!
You see where this is going? Pair it with Mega Gyarados EX, and you have a scary deck all set to wreak havoc in the meta. Being Stage 1, you can also up its HP to a neat 210 using the Elegant Cape Tool. There’s Irida for healing support, but there’s also a new Stadium that further boosts the Water type’s charm.
The Soothing Shore Stadium card heals 20 DMG every turn as long as you (and the opponent) have any Energy attached to the Pokémon in question. And another tremendous quality in Mega Sharpedo EX is its 0 retreat cost.
There’s another superb strategy you can apply with Mega Sharpedo EX, pairing it with the Gyarados from Wisdom of Sea and Sky. This particular Gary discards any of your Benched Water types and does 40 more DMG for each Pokémon you discard this way (in addition to 20 DMG). As such, if your Mega Sharpedo EX is ever in a soup, this Gyarados can rescue it. Obviously, pair this one with Mega Gyarados and keep it for those tense occasions.
Another fearsome combo is with Chien-Pao EX. Overall, Mega Sharpedo is undoubtedly the top EX from this set, and is sure to create a Jaws-esque panic in Ranked matches!
250 HP?! 280 HP with Elegant Cape? Say hello to Wailord EX, the bulkiest Pokémon in TCG Pocket, and one of the four that can survive a direct hit from Mega Charizard Y EX (the others being Mega Steelix, Mega Venusaur, and Mega Metagross, all with certain conditions).
While Mega Sharpedo EX pairs with Mega Gyarados EX to form a destructive duo, Wailord EX joins the dance floor with Milotic EX, taking advantage of the latter’s Energy gains, and also inviting Mythical Island Vaporeon to transfer all that Energy to Wailord. You can also stick an Indeedee EX for healing, making Wailord EX fucntion like a fortress.
However, unlike Mega Sharpedo, Wailord isn’t all that of a hot topic due to its low damage output at such a high Energy cost. You can run a Wailord EX deck for fun or to spice up your battles, but it is not recommended to use it for the Ranked mode.
Rotom EX is a quirky card that relies on Items being discarded to achieve serious damage output. It should ideally be run with 10+ Items to obtain a respectable damage output, and you even need to discard them! Also, it’s only 120 HP. It’s more of a meme attacker, but hey, it does have its applications. Basically, you need to include Items that can be used anytime, such as Poké Ball, Red Card, Hand Scope, X Speed, Prank Spinner, Hitting Hammer, Pokédex, and Rotom Dex (mostly 2x copies). Use these with 1x Rotom EX and 2x Smeargle (Fantastical Parade), whose ability lets you look at a random Supporter from your opponent’s hand, and use the effect of that Supporter as the effect of its ability as long as it’s Active.
What this means is that you use the opponent’s Copycat or Professor’s Research to draw your cards in that turn, and since this doesn’t count as a Supporter for your turn, you can play your own Copycat/Professpr’s Research to draw more cards. And what are most of the cards in this Smeargle | Rotom EX | Smeargle deck? That’s right, Items that you can use instantly. For other Trainers, you’ll obviously have a couple of Copycats, and for good synergy, include the Hiking Trail Stadium.
Of course, you can also use Fossils to easily discard and up the damage numbers even more. Yes, indeed, go with 2x Rotom EX, maybe an Oricorio, and as many Items as possible!
In any case, since you’re discarding loads of Item cards and even drawing Rotom EX early, you amass huge damage figures for your Rotom EX, capable of punishing even Mega Evolutions. For the Smeagle deck, do remember that you might not draw Rotom EX in time, and Smeargle gets KO’d, giving your opponent the win. That’s why the exclusive Rotom EX deck (only with it or alongside 1x Oricorio) is often stronger. At the end of the day, this is a fun deck that translates to maximum disruption, and as such, is often successful against the titans of the meta. Try out this EX!
PS: You can add Oricorio to make this deck more threatening!
The Pulsing Aura set instilled a new lease of life into Fighting types of Pokémon TCG Pocket, and after Mega Lucario, we have another formidable attacker in the form of Mega Gallade EX.
Notice how its Energy requirement calls for 2x Colorless Energies? Well, Wally is back to the job here, delivering a free Energy and helping you set up Mega Gallade in just 2 turns. And since Wally is a Supporter, you deal a total of 150 DMG!
So twice, you are definitely doing 150 DMG. The best part is that you have another Supporter who elevates Fighting types: Korrina. Pair her with the Arena of Antiquity Stadium card, and you’re doing some serious damage to your opponents!
Not to mention, Suicune EX helps with Greninja EX’s drawing. There’s Irida to help with healing. So overall, Greninja EX is neat and does its best when paired with something like Suicune EX. Regular Greninja is still superior, taking out Oricorio and also sniping the Bench regularly. Keep in mind that:
- Mega Gallade EX with Wally: 150 DMG
- Mega Gallade EX with Wally + Arena of Antiquity: 170 DMG against EX Pokémon
- Mega Gallade EX with Korrina: 180 DMG against EX Pokémon
- Mega Gallade EX with Korrina and Arena of Antiquity: 200 DMG against EX Pokémon
Also, Fighting Coach Lucario (from Space-Time Smackdown) adds another 20 DMG, and it stacks, making it +40 DMG from two such Lucario on the Bench. Mega Gallade EX is sure to be among the premier Fighting types in the game.
The utility of Hoopa EX primarily stems from the 1x 
Energy attack, which can OHKO Babies and also deal 20 DMG to 1 of your opponent’s Benched Pokémon. The 3x Energy attack isn’t too reasonable when good ol’ Darkrai EX does that role better.
You can arm Hoopa EX with a Tool like Poison Barb and have Nihilego at the back, or you can also opt for the new Tool, Deceptive Needle, that does 10 chip damage to the opponent’s Active Spot at the end of every turn. If you’re worried about the 2x Energy retreat cost, just pair Hoopa EX with the dreaded Hydreigon, and create chaos. In fact, Deceptive Needle of Hydreigon helps it grab some juicy break points, including the win against Miraidon EX.
You can also consider fitting in Bombirdier in Hoopa EX decks, and include the likes of Mega Absol EX and Darkrai EX. There’s honestly a lot of possibilities with the Darkness type, and Hoopa EX is a decent addition to the meta.
Time for one of the most hyped Pokémon in this set, the iconic Mega Metagross EX! Yes, with Metaal Core Barrier Tool, it can tank a Mega Charizard Y EX hit and live to tell the tale. That said, having Colorless Energy in its requirement makes this Pseudo Legendary another beneficiary of Wally, gathering the necessary Energy in just 2 turns.
But did you notice that it does 10 more damage for each 
Energy? So, pair it with Orthworm or even Dialga EX in a Metal deck with Wally in tow. Even with one use of Wally, it does 120 DMG, and with more Energy granted from the Stall (Orthworm or Dialga EX), you can increase your damage output. This is a solid Pokémon with a smoother Energy pathway than Typhlosion, and can certainly win you matches as long as you use the right set of Supporter cards to keep it healthy.
No surprises here, but Swanna EX is another member of the Wally squad, and quite simplistic to be honest. You use Wally to raise Swanna in 2 turns, then use the Skyla Supporter card to switch in something from the Bench.
Being Colorless and with Wally and Skyla joining hands, you can actually run some fun decks, be it Water, Grass, or literally anything you want. However, it’s more of a usable filler EX, and not a meta-relevant Pokémon.
Ruler of the Skies is a nice set, excelling in artwork but not so much in the EX cards department. Mega Sharpedo EX and Vespiquen EX will dominate decks built on this expansion, and the surge in Dragon types will definitely be seen. The Trainer cards are an interesting bunch, though, and Stadium cards will definitely become a mainstay now, in case players didn’t adopt them earlier.
Happy collecting and battling, Pokémon TCG Pocket-ers!
