Mega Latios EX headlines its very own Drop event in Pokémon TCG Pocket, whilst featuring other cool Promos for players to grab. Mega Evolution EX cards are generally very dominant, so how does this one fare in the blazing hot meta of today? And what about the other Promos?
Here’s our crackdown on every Promo available in the Mega Latios EX Drop Event.
The Mega Latios EX Promo is a completely new Mega Evolution EX card. Charmeleon and Genesect are alternate art reprints, while Onix and Hawlucha are altogether new cards. All of them have stamps to mark them as Promo cards..
Mega Latios EX
Dragon types are challenging to use in Pokémon TCG Pocket, and sadly, Mega Latios EX is no different, having a very one-dimensional mode of play.
In fact, the best Mega Latios EX deck is the one you face in the Expert level of solo battles in the Drop event. Mega Latios EX is part of a 
and 
Energy combo arrangement consisting of Swanna and Mantyke.
Mantyke offers free Energy to Ducklett/Swanna, who then attacks with 60 DMG for 2x Colorless Energy, and then, on attacking, it transfers all its gained Energy to a Pokémon on the Bench (Mega Latios EX).
By this time, you should have ideally devoted at least one Energy to Mega Latios EX, and once you have 2x and 1x Energies, hit the opponent for 160 DMG.
This could have been an amazing card had it not discarded all three Energies after its attack.
160 DMG is not enough to OHKO any of the top Megas in TCG Pocket, and Pokémon like Mega Charizard Y EX, Mega Venusaur EX, and obviously, Mega Absol EX with its super-effective damage can annihilate Mega Latios EX.
Of course, being backed by Darkrai EX and a couple of Cyrus and Sabrina can play spoilsport for the Swanna and Mega Latios EX Energy transfer tactics.
Dragon types need to get rid of ‘side effects’ like discarding all Energy post attacks to have a chance in the game. But then again, that’s how most Dragons are in TCG of they stick to the 
typing. Alas!
Genesect
Metal has been one of the most consistently good types since the debut of Dialga EX in Space-Time Smackdown. Almost every set since then has featured a 
Pokémon that gets some play, despite being outshone by more popular picks.
Genesect is pretty neat, actually. Getting 3x Energy as such is no big deal, and when you have Dialga EX to supply you 2x free Energy, you get your way.
Now, Genesect essentially does 70 DMG for 3x Energy, and each Energy corresponds to 20 DMG (while starting from a default of 10 DMG). So, having 4x Energy is 90 DMG, and so on.
This can help Genesect steamroll if Dialga EX uses Metallic Turbo even twice, amounting to 150 DMG from Genesect. This is basically 4x Energy from two Metallic Turbo (80 DMG) + 3x turns Energy (60 DMG) + 10 DMG default = 150 DMG.
The problems:
- Dialga EX takes a lot of damage in the process, even if it uses protective Trainer cards like Steel Apron, Adaman, Potions, and healing. This makes Dialga EX susceptible to Cyrus once you withdraw it to bring out Genesect.
- Genesect itself has only 110 HP (130 HP with Giant Cape). This makes it an easy KO for many Pokémon.
In the era of Mega Evolutions, this Dialga EX | Genesect combo turns out rather underwhelming. If this Genesect had debuted in pre-Mega sets, this duo could have been meta.
Onix
This article is titled “How to use…” but when you look at this Onix, I’d just say “Don’t use.” Look, Mega Steelix EX is neat, and all Onix needs to do is chill on the Bench and evolve into Mega Steelix EX ASAP coz this thing is hideous.
3 Energy and only 90 DMG from a 100 HP Pokémon? Oh… wait, that’s not the worst part! You flip a coin, and if it’s tails, this attack does nothing?! I might puke.
Hawlucha
Hawlucha is not a bad card at all. It’s a good Basic card to start with in Fighting-type decks (although Sudowoodo would be better, although niche). A heads from a coin flip doing 70 DMG is cool, and can give you an early edge over your opponent.
The thing is, Fighting types are mostly out of fashion, and for those viable decks having Rampardos, Garchomp EX, or the like… this Hawlucha doesn’t add anything of value.
In simple words, no one is going to remember this card.
Charmeleon
We finally arrive at the most useful card from this Drop event, and also a Pokémon that’s going to enjoy widespread usage going forward: Charmeleon.
This one’s special as Crimson Blaze has been focused on making Stage 1 cards viable (read Ivysaur and Charmeleon).
Charmeleon uses its Ignition ability to grant the Active Pokémon (which can be itself) a free 
Energy. This effect adds up, so two Charmeleon in play give two Energy. But unlike Ivysaur, which has 100 HP (130 HP with Leaf Cape), Charmeleon can be 100 HP at max (with Giant Cape), and more importantly, Mega Charizard Y requires 4 Energy to attack, which Charmeleon immediately cannot fulfill (unlike Ivysaur | Mega Venusaur EX).
As such, Charmeleon is best kept on the Bench to collect Energy and, in the meantime, use its Energy grant to fire up a stall like Moltres EX or Entei EX in the Active Spot.
Once it becomes a Mega Charizard Y EX, it’s lights out for the opposition as you watch the Pokémon TCG Pocket world burn!
Happy collecting and battling, Pokémon TCG Pocket-ers!
