Dragonite ex Guide (Decks, Strategies, Stats)

Pokemon TCG Pocket has added another Dragon-type card, and this time it’s a familiar face: Dragonite ex. This version seems to be a powered-up take on the regular Dragonite from the original Genetic Apex set. That earlier card had a rocky, on-and-off presence in the metagame. Now, many players are curious about how its ex variant will perform.

Spoiler alert: Dragonite ex is a good card. But as veteran players know, “good” isn’t enough. Pokemon TCG Pocket‘s metagame only rewards the very best. For this new Dragon-type to make its mark, it must outshine the top picks from the previous expansion. It also needs to hold its own against the new contenders from the Eevee Grove set. And honestly, that feels like a tall order for Dragonite ex.

Here’s a realistic take on the new Dragonite ex card: it’s a solid pick against slower decks, the closest we’ve come to a viable Dragon card, and it’s genuinely fun to play. If that’s enough to spark your interest, this guide has you covered. It walks you through building the best Dragonite ex deck, breaks down its top strategies, and offers a look at how it might perform in the current meta.

Dragonite ex is the second Dragon-type ex card in Pokemon TCG Pocket, following Ultra Necrozma ex from the Ultra Beast Drop Event. It’s also the second most powerful Pokemon in the game, just behind the top-tier A1 Charizard ex.

Without HP boosters in play, Dragonite ex’s Giga Impact can one-shot every Pokemon except Venusaur ex. That kind of power comes with a trade-off, though—the move can only be used every other turn.

The attack restriction isn’t Dragonite ex’s only drawback. Its Energy cost is also clunky. One Water, one Lightning, and one Colorless Energy are needed to get it going, which makes the build-up RNG-reliant.

The Best Dragonite ex Decks

Pokemon TCG Pocket‘s Eevee Grove set just dropped, so it’s still too soon to call the top decks. That said, two deck shells already look like a great fit for the new Dragonite ex: one built around the tanky Snorlax ex, and another using the handy Fossils. Here’s how to build both.

Dragonite ex & Snorlax

• Deck Energy: Water-Lightning (Dual)
• Deck Strategy: Stall

The new Snorlax ex pairs perfectly with Dragonite ex. It’s a tanky card that can stall opponents, giving Dragonite ex time to build. Plus, it works well with Supporter Ilima, who removes Snorlax ex’s retreat cost, making it a flexible wall for stalling.

Dragonite ex & Fossils

• Deck Energy: Water-Lightning (Dual)
• Deck Strategy: Discarding

Fossils fit perfectly with Dragonite ex decks. They’re a great way to reactivate the Dragon-type Pokemon. You retreat Dragonite ex into a Fossil, discard the Fossil from the Active Spot, then bring Dragonite ex back in. This reset removes the restriction on the Giga Impact move.

How to Play Dragonite ex Effectively

Best Strategies for Each Decklist

Right now, most Dragonite ex decks focus on either a stall or discard strategy. Snorlax ex is the top pick for stalling, while Fossil cards handle most of the discarding.

How to ‘Stall’ with Snorlax ex

1. Ideally, start with Snorlax ex.
2. If you don’t have it, open with Dratini and switch to Snorlax ex as soon as you can.
3. Buff your active Snorlax ex with Pokemon Tools like Leftovers or Rocky Helmet. The goal is to make it tougher or deal chip damage.
4. Meanwhile, build up Dragonite ex on the Bench.
5. Wait for the opponent to damage your Snorlax ex.
6. Use Ilima to return the damaged Snorlax ex to your hand.
7. Activate Dragonite ex and attack.
8. Place Snorlax ex back on the Bench.
9. Use Leaf to retreat Dragonite ex and switch it with Snorlax ex if needed.
10. Repeat steps five to seven to deal another 180 damage.

Once you’ve set up one or two Dragonite ex, you can also invest in Snorlax ex, as it deals a solid 130 damage.

How to ‘Discard’ with Fossils

1. Open with Dratini.
2. Attach Zone Energy to Dratini to attack as soon as possible.
3. Build a second Dragonite ex line on the Bench.
4. Fill the other two Bench spots with Fossils.
5. After attacking with Dragonite ex, use Leaf to retreat into one of the Fossils.
6. Discard the activated Fossil and bring Dragonite ex back in.
7. Deal another 180 damage and repeat with the other Fossil on the Bench.

You can have more than two Fossil cards in the deck.

How to Build the Best Dragonite ex Deck

The Main Challenges and How to Solve Them

Dragonite ex has three drawbacks: 1) it needs a dual-type Energy setup, 2) it’s a Stage Two Pokemon, and 3) it can’t attack two turns in a row. To build the best Dragonite ex deck, you’ll need to minimize these limitations.

Here’s how to handle these opportunity costs:

Preventing Energy Brick

Be sure to build your Dragonite ex deck with dual Energy. This ensures you can consistently generate both Water and Lightning Energy. If you prefer a single Energy type, include Pokemon that can generate the other Energy for you.

Manaphy provides Water Energy. If you include it in your deck, set your Zone Energy to Lightning for better consistency. Zeraora can generate Lightning Energy. But its ability isn’t always reliable. If you add Zeraora, keep the dual-Energy setup and use the Pokemon as an Energy accelerator, not a main Energy source.

Minimize Bricks

Dragonite ex is a Stage Two Pokemon, and like all Stage Twos, its decks are prone to having bricks. Bricks are cards you cannot play or exploit due to inconsistent draws. For example, you may have Dratini on the field but be missing Dragonair or Dragonite ex in your hand; that’s a brick.

To reduce the chance of having bricks, add Rare Candy to your deck. It effectively doubles your Dragonair count. You can also include one copy of the non-ex Dragonite from the Genetic Apex set. That way, if you don’t draw the ex version, you still have a reliable attacker.

Outsmarting Attack Limitation

Dragonite ex’s biggest drawback is its attack restriction. After you strike, your opponent gets two chances to counterattack. In other words, you can only use Giga Impact every other turn. However, there are ways to work around this limitation.

The best strategy is “retreat and reactivate.” Cards like Fossils, Snorlax, and Snorlax ex let you bench a Pokemon and bring it back in the same turn. To build a functional Dragonite ex deck, you need to include cards that support this approach.

An Analysis of Dragonite ex Decks

Will They Become Meta?

Dragonite ex is definitely an S-tier card in the Eevee Grove era. The big question is whether it can hold up as the metagame shifts. Looking at past PvP eras, few high-RNG decks have lasted long. Dragonite ex will likely join the group of “good, but not consistent enough” cards.

Maybe soon we’ll see more reliable ways to generate dual Energy. Or new Trainer cards could make Dragonite ex—and similar cards—much more viable. But for now, this new Dragon-type ex has a slim chance of sticking around long. Its hold on the throne is fragile.

Dragonite ex will likely stay meta-relevant during the Eevee Grove era’s early days. Its main rivals are Sylveon ex and Flareon ex, two of the strongest Eeveelutions in the set. Early meta reports also show that while Dragonite ex might not top the PvP rankings, it will remain a key player.