Pokémon Pocket's newest set has only been available for one day, but fans have already found the new Queen Bee of the meta. Well, technically it's a Queen Mosquito, as Buzzwole EX seems to be the new deck to watch for competitive players.
On its own, Buzzwole EX is far from the best Pokémon card in the mobile TCG. Its three-energy Big Beat attack deals an enticing 120 damage, but it comes with a caveat. During your next turn, this Pokémon can't use Big Beat. Bummer.
Fortunately, the new Pokémon set is practically begging players to find a loophole. The answer to all Buzzwole's problems is Celesteela and its Ultra Thrusters ability. This means that, once during your turn, you can switch your active Ultra Beast with one of your benched Ultra Beasts. Since Buzzwole is also an Ultra Beast and being benched nullifies the restriction of Big Beat, this allows you to constantly swap the mosquito in and out, attacking with the big guns every turn.
The deck is further strengthened by a few more Ultra Beasts. Pheremosa is a must-have for its Jump Blues attack, which deals 20 damage to the active Pokémon and 20 damage to one of your opponent's benched Pokémon.
Kartana also offers excellent value for energy, as its Thrash Metal attack costs just one grass energy and deals 40 damage. Both are strong early-game candidates that can be swapped in and out of play with ease thanks to Celesteela.
As for Trainers, Lusamine can be a great asset, as it can attach two random energy from your discard pile to one of your Ultra Beasts, meaning you can set up that energy-heavy Big Beat attack quickly. Cyrus is also a surefire inclusion, given that you plan to regularly hit benched Pokémon with damage.
Given that this is the newest Pokémon set for Pocket, there's not enough data to confirm whether Buzzwole EX will truly dominate. However, early tournaments show a lot of promise for the beefy bug boi. Buzzwole decks placed third and fourth in an Umbreon League tournament from May 29, and it won a Saga League EX Pocket Royale on the same day.
For more on Extradimensional Crisis, here are our top five cards to watch. Or, for more on Pokémon, here are the priciest rare Pokémon cards ever sold. We're also keen to hear what deck you're playing in Pocket, so join us in the Wargamer Discord for a chat.