The Pokémon TCG set Mask of Change released in Japan on April 26, 2024 and while we’re still in its release week, one Pokémon card from this set is standing out head and shoulders above the rest. Dragapult ex is seeing an enormous amount of play, and achieved incredible results in the first days after the set’s release – a sign that it may come to dominate the meta very soon.
Competitive Pokémon tracker site Limitless TCG shows deck after deck winning local Japanese city league tournaments with this powerful Pokémon card. It’s a clear sign that Pokémon decks running Dragapult are going to be a force to be reckoned with when Twilight Masquerade comes out for the trading card game’s English-speaking audience on May 26.
What’s so great about Dragapult ex? Well, 320 HP puts it among the highest HP Pokémon cards, and its lack of a weakness and low retreat cost are a nice bonus. The main attack looks a little underwhelming at first, at just 200 damage. But what’s really great about it (aside from its low energy cost) is that it lets you put 6 damage counters onto benched Pokémon in any way that you like.
Players are combining this power with tricks like the Pokémon trainer card TM: Devolution to secure a KO, and absolutely wreck their opponents’ game plans.
What kinds of Dragapult ex decks are people playing? Well, some are using Dragapult alongside Xatu, relying on the latter to draw cards and put psychic energy onto the dragon-type Pokémon.
Others are playing the dragon with Charizard ex, one of the best Charizard Pokémon cards ever released. Which makes sense: why play one of the best Pokémon cards out there when you could play two of them? In this case, Charizard ex’s ability can power up its own attack and leave one extra fire energy to go onto Dragapult.
It does seem like at least a part of the card’s success was down to hype, as Dragapult ex is no longer winning every other city league tournament. Still, it’s in the top three or four of pretty much all of them, and is clearly an instant competitor.
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