The best Mega Blaziken ex deck at the moment combines it with Entei ex: 2x Torchic, 1x Blaziken, 2x Mega Blaziken ex, 2x Entei ex, a deck of Rare Candy to jump between evolutions, and a deck of Flame Patch to keep its energy flowing. It does 120 for only 2x Fire energy, making it one of the best hitters in Pokémon TCG Pocket for its cost. The problem is that it discards every energy after the attack, and Mega Blaziken ex is subject to the 3-point knockout rule, meaning play it and get a single knockout and your opponent wins! This is the decklist, two alternative builds, and what you do to ruin games with this deck.
Table of Contents
What you’re actually building around
There are, in fact, two factors which determine how you play Mega Blaziken ex, and practically every card in a decent list ultimately stems from just one of the two.
First, Mega Blaziken discards a Fire Energy each time you use it. For 120 damage for two energy, without a way to recover your energy, you have no firepower after three or four turns and are just passing your turns.
Second, Mega Blaziken ex has 210 HP, which seems like enough, but because of the 3-point rule, one KO on it ends the game, no matter what the score is all over on the other six cards. This provides a different feel for the attack. It’s not just a protection of a Pokémon; it’s a protection of the game.
Each build below approaches those two problems a little differently.
The standard build: Mega Blaziken ex + Entei ex
This is the most tested and the recommended starting point if you are new to the deck.
Pokémon (8)
- 2x Torchic (Mega Rising)
- 1x Blaziken (Mega Rising)
- 2x Mega Blaziken ex (Mega Rising)
- 2x Entei ex (Secluded Springs)
Trainers (8)
- 2x Professor’s Research
- 1x May
- 1x Cyrus
- 1x Mars
- 1x Lillie
- 1x Sabrina
- 2x Poké Ball
- 2x Flame Patch
- 2x Rare Candy
Energy (4)
- 4x Fire Energy
How to play it:
- Open with Entei ex in the active spot. Legendary Pulse lets you draw an extra card each turn, which is why this list is so good at getting Rare Candy on the table.
- Use Rare Candy to evolve Torchic directly into Mega Blaziken ex, omitting Combusken.
- Attack with Mega Burning, which does 120 damage, and use Flame Patch on your next turn to put a Fire energy that has been discarded onto your Active Pokémon.
- Leave the non-ex Blaziken on the bench as well; it’s a perfect answer to Pom-Pom Oricorio, which can otherwise serve as a stall strategy, making it impossible for you to damage ex attackers.
That is just really simple energy math: attack, discard a single energy, Flame Patch retrieves one. When you do it in that order every turn, you can’t actually run out of energy.
Variant: Castform (Sunny Form) for early pressure
This version drops Entei ex completely and leans more toward T2-3 (tempo, not draw cards). Castform (Sunny Form) offers a discounted attacker; use it to chip damage and hit burn, as Mega B. ex isn’t “There” a turn or two later.
Trade the 2x Entei ex for 2x Castform (Sunny Form), and include Mesagoza and Hiking Trail as Stadium support, and Copycat to draw more cards (which is simply a replacement for what Entei is doing). The obvious trade-off is fewer ex pokémon on the table, which is going to make you more susceptible to an OTK attack. Still, you will also lose the pending benefit of Entei to card advantage every turn.
This is probably a little more reliable against decks that are too slow to punish you for your early-game Castform attacks, but a lot worse against decks designed to snipe off your bench low-HP Pokémon.
Variant: Heatmor + Furfrou for bench control
If you frequently see decks with large numbers of cheap support Pokémon, baby evolutions, or out-of-HP utility attackers, this variation can help you clear them out of the way. Heatmor knocks out inefficient bench targets, Cyrus sends the opponent’s best Pokémon out of play immediately after, and Furfrou, along with Rocky Helmet, sharply penalizes them for attacking your bench anyway.
Mega Blaziken ex is just as devastating in this deck as it is in the last one. Here, it’s just giving you additional turns to establish yourself without feeling pressured, and it also gives you a way to combat decks that outlast you instead of either racing or using slow damage approaches.
Where players actually lose with this deck
Pre-moting Mega Blaziken ex too soon. If you’re not holding or have not yet prepared for Flame Patch and you attack on the turn before promotion, you are potentially wasting your next turn of play. Better to wait than promote unquestioningly.
Heads up on the AOE order of attack: should Flame Patch be used on the next turn? First, use attack, then Flame Patch. The other way around loses you a turn that you can’t recover from.
Going too far in a knockout. A Mega Blaziken ex sitting comfortably in KO range is a recipe for disaster, period. Have your regular Blaziken or Castform prepared to take the risk instead of opening up your Mega to counterattack.
No plans for Pom-Pom Oricorio. Its Safeguard ability prevents damage from ex Pokémon exclusively. Without a non-ex attacker somewhere in your list, this one matchup can virtually end the deck.
Is Mega Blaziken ex good for beginners?
The idea is simple enough: attack! Fast, and then sit back and replenish with Flame Patch, but the deck is unforgiving for errors due to the instant-loss condition associated with the 3-point rule. If you’re willing to reassess your losses and alter your strategy for promoting each turn, then this is a solid deck to start on. If you’d prefer to spend less time balancing the knife edge of the 3-point Rule and more time enjoying yourself, then a semi-slower deck with less to lose each turn will be more forgiving.
FAQ
Would I need to use Entei ex to operate this deck?
No. But it is the most consistent draw engine for the archetype, so I use it; however, neither the Castform nor the Heatmor builds above requires it.
What if I want to run a certain number of Flame Patch?
Three is the norm for just about every competitive list. One is the absolute minimum for the energy loop to work reliably (and consistently enough to win you games reliably).
What is the use of the non-ex Blaziken?
It helps you beat Pom-Pom Oricorio and other cards that penalize ex attackers in particular. It also provides a safer attacking option on turns where promoting your Mega would result in a loss due to Aegislash-X.
Can I add any other ex-attackers to the deck?
Yes, some lists run in Blacephalon ex or Greninja for a little more range against certain matchups. But remember that each ex Pokémon you add to your board slightly increases your risk of a 3-mark kill.
Where can I actually choose a variability?
If you are unfamiliar with the deck, begin with the Entei ex build, as it is the most lenient and best-documented. Next, play the Castform version if you are having trouble keeping up with slower decks and need more early game pressure, or the Heatmor version if bench-snagging and small support Pokémon are frustrating you.
Searching for other possibilities in this meta? Our article on the top Pokémon TCG Pocket decks explains what else is viable at this moment. If Fire attackers don’t appeal to you, the Mega Altaria ex deck guide provides a good paradigm with an almost opposite approach. Meanwhile, if you are still exploring the Mega Rising set, check out the Deluxe Pack EX card list.
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