The quirky Team Rocket’s Ambition set has taken over Pokémon TCG Pocket, bringing a bunch of fun cards revolving around the villainous yet beloved group led by a sassy Boss. There’s a ton of cool artwork and a handful of EX cards, as in any minor expansion, but these are all evil EX Pokémon, boasting the “Team Rocket’s…” prefix.
With no Megas and only the Team Rocket tag backing them up, can these wind up being relevant in the meta? Let’s find out.
Note that Team Rocket’s Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres EX cards are essentially “evil” versions of their counterparts in the Genetic Apex set.
Uno.
Let’s kick things off with Team Rocket’s Articuno EX. Compared to the OG Genetic Apex Articuno EX, this evil twin has 10 less HP, but the second, 3x 
Energy attack deals an astounding 130 DMG instead of 80 DMG. However, while GA (Genetic Apex) Articuno did 10 DMG to each of your opponent’s Benched Pokémon, the TR (Team Rocket’s) Articuno does 20 DMG to each of YOUR Benched Pokémon (hence, the evil twin).
Now, this is theoretically a problem, as you end up preparing a buffet for the opponent’s Cyrus. However, with the Soothin Shore Stadium, you can heal that 20 DMG provided the Benched mons have any Energy attached (which isn’t always the case).
So, maybe go with the infamous Articuno EX | 18 Trainer deck where you don’t have a Bench to worry about? This works occasionally only, as TR Articuno EX has relatively low HP, and unless Misty works wonders, you are not promised to do much until you gather 3x Energy. Needless to say, you’re pretty defenseless against the Mega Evolutions.
Ultimately, Team Rocket’s Articuno EX can spice up your battles and bring in some wins here and there, but with powerful Water Pokémon such as Chein-Pao, Suicune, Milotic, and Mega Sharpedo, this EX won’t be missed.
Dos.
In the original Genetic Apex Legendary Bird trio, Zapdos EX was the worst. The evil twins flip the switch with violent electricity, as Team Rocket’s Zapdos EX is easily the best of Team Rocket’s Ambition trident!
Though 10 less HP (again) than GA Zapdos and requiring 2x 
Energy to start hitting, TR Zapdos EX hits a confirmed 90 DMG to the opponent’s Active Pokémon as well as 50 DMG to one of their Benched Pokémon that has damage on it. That’s actually when you consider that Genetic Apex Greninja from your Bench can snipe any of theirs for 20 DMG, paving the way for an additional 50 DMG from TR Zapdos EX. That’s 70 DMG, and 90 DMG if you managed to get another Greninja onboard!
Combine TR Zapdos and Greninja with Oricorio (hello EX) and Trainers like Electric Generator (Item) and Electrical Cord (Tool), and you have free current flowing through your battlefield. This can also be paired with Miraidon EX for a more shocking (no pun intended) setup.
That said, it is quite frail, and even though it’s arguably the best of the Team Rocket Legendary Birds, it is not overall a needle mover.
Tres.
The Genetic Apex Moltres EX is the only Bird from the OG trio that continues to be used today, famously pairing with Mega Charizard Y and Mega Charizard X, nourishing them with much-needed 
Energy. Unlike that stalwart, Team Rocket’s Moltres EX selfishly takes all that Energy for itself!
Now, the TR Moltres is built to be an attacker itself and does function with Charmeleon and Victini, but why would you do so when:
- The output is only 130 DMG
- It discards a Energy after attacking
- You can dish out a whopping 250 DMG from Mega Charizard Y for the same Energy
- If coin flips don’t turn out well for Team Rocket’s Moltres EX, Mega Sharpedo EX will start making a meal out of you
As such, the TR Moltres seems unnecessary, an irony compared to the Genetic Apex set.
I’ve repeatedly used the term “evil” for the new Legendary Birds, and I wasn’t wrong. But if you want to see true evil, it’s Team Rocket’s Slowking EX. For each card you have in your hand, it does 20 DMG. That’s not all, as its ability (Evil Inspiration) draws a card when Slowking is Active. In other words, if you end up drawing 10 cards (the max limit for a hand), you end up doing 200 DMG for only 2 Energy.
Of course, the odds of drawing up to 10 cards in your hand are quite low, and with Professor’s Research and perhaps Sylveon EX on the Bench, you can do around 140-160 DMG.
All this sounds fine and dandy until you realize that there are downsides to this card.
- It only has 130 HP (160 HP with Elegant Cape). With the prevalence of Field Blower and a meta full of Mega Evolutions, you are walking on thin ice
- It just crashes against Darkness types, one of the strongest and most common types in combat
- Not to mention, with those huge hands, you’ll be giving your opponent stronger Copycats, making survival extremely difficult
- Finally, if your opponent uses Mars, you are, at best, left with an output of only 60 DMG. If you are one left away from victory, it’s even worse, as you do only 20 DMG lol
In the end, Team Rocket’s Slowking is a fancy card that has its moments but is extremely unreliable in today’s meta.
Move aside, Legendary Birds, Team Rocket’s Raticate EX is actually a good card, if not amazing. And this has nothing to do with its damage or HP, but its ability, Thieving Scissors, via which you can get rid of an Energy from your opponent’s Active Pokémon and have it for Raticate!
Being Colorless, you can experiment a lot with TR Raticate EX, but there’s one pairing that can spell doom for any opposition. Let me just show it to you:
After Alolan Ninetales EX attacks, the opponent’s Active Pokémon can’t take any Energy the next turn. If you evolved Raticate EX on the Bench in the turn that Alolan Ninetales attacked, it will end up being extremely short of Energy and become a sitting duck! Meanwhile, you can just give the next turn’s Energy to Raticate and have it attack as well. Notice how Team Rocket’s Raticate has zero retreat cost as well!
To make your deck crazier, add the Team Rocket Grunt Supporter to possibly get an instant win because your opponent would rage-quit.
Funny how a Supporter from Shining Revelry based on Team Rocket (the irony!) finds usage alongside a Team Rocket’s Pokémon EX! Raticate EX will find usage in various decks, and this Alolan Ninetales EX Water deck is probably just the tip of the iceberg, but definitely the sharpest!
Saved the best for last! Dear reader, we have finally arrived at what is undoubtedly the best EX card from the Team Rocket’s Ambition set: Team Rocket’s Weezing EX!
Famously used by James from Team Rocket, this Pokémon’s EX variant induces not one, not two, but three Status conditions on the opponent, aside from dealing 60 DMG when it’s Active. When it evolves, it Poisons and Burns, resulting in a loss of 30 HP at the end of each turn unless it’s healed or withdrawn. TR Weezing EX does this whether it’s Benched or Active, but when it’s Active, it also Confuses the opponent!
As a result, your opponent is not just losing 30 HP (which it continues to do); it is also unable to attack if the coin flip results in tails!
Combine Team Rocket’s Weezing with good ol’ Darkrai EX (chip damage), Guzzlord EX (w/Lusamine), and Bombirdier or Leaf (easier retreats), and you have a powerful force of the Darkness! Of course, add the Team Rocket Grunt Supporter and the Deceptive Needle Tool for more pressure.
Note that Team Rocket’s Weezing’s attack + Poison + Burn, Darkrai EX’s chip damage, and the Deceptive Needle add up to a whopping 60 + 10 + 20 + 20 + 10 = 120 DMG in all (not necessarily together), making it a harrowing experience for your opponent’s Active Pokémon.
If you think this isn’t crazy enough, check out the new Magmar and Team Rocket’s Master Plan Supporter from this ambitious set:
Magmar does 50 DMG for each Special Condition your opponent’s Active Pokémon is affected with, for only 1 Colorless Energy. Let’s check out the lineup of conditions we can come up with:
- Team Rocket’s Weezing EX evolved on the Bench induces Poison and Burn, resulting in 50*2 = 100 DMG
- Using Team Rocket’s Master Plan adds Confusion, adding another 50 DMG.
- Magmar itself does 10 DMG
This setup alone does 160 DMG for only 1 Energy! If you also use the new BabyHappiny on your first turn, you add another 20 DMG when Magmar attacks next turn, resulting in 180 DMG! Sheer insanity.
You’ll be surprised that aside from the 180 DMG above, you can add more possibilities.
- Happiny in the Active Spot, armed with Poison Barb. You go first, you do 10 DMG and reserve a 20 DMG future hit next turn. You go second, still do 10 DMG and reserve the 20 DMG for next turn, but opponent is not poisoned
- In your second turn, give Energy to Magmar. Happiny will most likely be KO’d, but only after dealing 10 + 20 DMG, and also poisoning the opponent thanks to Poison Barb
- Bring Magmar to the forefront, evolve Team Rocket’s Weezing on the Bench, use Team Rocket’s Master Plan, and give this turn’s Energy to Darkrai EX for 20 chip damage
- Now Magmar attacks. 100 DMG (TR Weezing’s ability) + 50 DMG (Master Plan) + 20 DMG (Darkrai EX) + at least 10 DMG or at best, 20 DMG (aftershock from Happiny) + 10 (Poison Barb) + 10 DMG (Magmar’s attack) = 210 to 220 DMG for only 1 Energy!
The best part is that even when you lose Magmar, the opponent gets only 1 point. This Magmar is literally fire and makes Team Rocket’s Weezing EX all the more special because it gets 100 DMG from its ability.
In almost all my past EX analysis articles, one recurring theme is seeing Darkness types excelling with every new set. Team Rocket’s Weezing EX is another feather in the Dark cap, and we’re seated!
Even without Mega Evolutions, the Team Rocket’s Ambition set has turned out to be really interesting. Funnily enough, this is mainly because of the team’s Slowking, Raticate, and Weezing EX cards… not the Legendary Birds, which are the headliners of this expansion. Guess Team Rocket did pull a fast one on us, eh?
As always, happy collecting and battling, Pokémon TCG Pocket-ers!
