Pokémon TCG Pocket: The Strongest Donphan-Ex Deck Building Guide | Top Strategies and Recommended Card Builds

I. Introduction

In Pokémon TCG Pocket, building a powerful deck isn't just about stacking high-attack cards; it also requires strategy, energy management, and tactical thinking. With the release of the "Sea and Sky Wisdom" expansion, over 200 new cards have arrived, and among them, Donphan-Ex (Big Head Monster-Ex) has become a hot topic among players.

This card not only boasts a solid health pool but also deals high damage continuously without sacrificing energy. If you're looking for a Fighting-type deck that's both stable and explosive, Donphan-Ex is your best choice. This article will provide a detailed analysis of Donphan-Ex's card characteristics, weaknesses, and two top-tier deck builds to help you dominate the battle.

II. Donphan EX Card Introduction

Card Attributes:

Category: Stage 1 (Evolves from Phanpy)

Type: Fighting

HP (Health Points): 160

Weakness: Grass (Takes +20 Damage)

Retreat Cost: 3 (Requires 3 Any Energy)

Major Moves:

Massive Smash: Base Damage 50, with 2 additional Fighting Energy, total damage increases to 110.

Key Strengths:

High HP, making it durable among Tier 1 Pokémon.

Attacks without wasting Energy, allowing for sustained damage.

Fighting counters common decks like Electric and Dark.

Major Disadvantages:

Slow to play (requires placing Phanpy and evolving it).

Very weak against Grass, potentially putting it at a disadvantage against Grass-focused decks.

High Retreat Cost, making it susceptible to opponent control.

III. Donphan-ex Build Strategies

To maximize Donphan-ex's potential, three key issues need to be addressed:

Quick Evolution: Reduce the time it takes to evolve from Phanpy to Donphan-ex.

Energy Acceleration: Add 3 Fighting Energy to it as quickly as possible.

Damage Boost: Combine with other cards to increase its damage, allowing it to knock out most Pokémon with a single hit.

Based on these principles, we recommend two top-tier decks:

Deck 1: Lucario Damage Boost

Key Strategy: Leverage Lucario's "Fighting Trainer" ability to boost the damage of all Fighting-type Pokémon on your team. Each Lucario grants an additional +20 damage, and two Lucarios add a combined +40 damage, instantly increasing Donphan-ex's base damage of 110 to 150.

Recommended Card Build:

Phanpy (Baby Elephant) x2

Donphan ex x2

Riolu (Riolu) x2

Lucario (Chrono Brawl) x2

Hitmonlee (Killer Lee) x1

Susanoo x1

Professor's Research x2 (Fast Card Draw)

Pokeball x2 (Retrieve Required Pokémon)

Lyra x2 (Quick Swap)

Loki Helmet x1 (Increases Durability)

Red x2 (Damage Amplifier)

Pokémon Center Lady x1 (Health Restore)

Strategy Analysis:

Use Hitmonlee or Susanoo to hold the opponent back in the early game, buying time for evolution.

In the mid-game, ensure two Lucarios are on the bench to provide additional damage bonuses to all Fighting-types.

When Donphan ex has 3 Fighting Energy equipped, swap it in with Lyra to instantly deliver a steady 150 HP of damage.

Use Red at crucial moments to further boost your damage and achieve a one-hit kill.

Deck 2: Rampardos Burst-Rush Attack

Key Strategy: Leverage Rampardos' high burst and low energy cost to suppress the opponent's unevolved Pokémon in the early game, while allowing Donphan ex to take over the battle in the late game.

Recommended Card Build:

Phanpy x2

Donphan ex x2

Skull Fossil x2

Rampardos x2

Professor's Research x2

Pokémon Balls x2

Lyra x2

Red x1

Rare Candy x2 (Directly evolves Skull Fossil to Rampardos)

Pokémon Center Lady x1

Cyrus x1 (Restricts the opponent's position switching)

Red Card x1 (Disrupts the opponent's hand)

Strategy Analysis:

Prioritize placing Phanpy and Skull Fossil at the start.

Use Rare Candy to quickly evolve Skull Fossil to Rampardos, leveraging its high attack power to clear the board.

Donphan-ex is a mid-to-late game powerhouse, consistently dishing out 110+ damage and wiping out the game.

Cyrus combined with Lyra can force vulnerable Pokémon onto the field, resulting in instant kills.

IV. Countering Donphan-ex's Weaknesses

Even though Donphan-ex is powerful, it's important to consider the opponent's potential countermeasures:

Grass-type counters: Add non-Fighting-type Pokémon (such as Fire or Steel) to your deck to counter them.

High Retreat Cost: Use cards like Lyra and Trade Rope to flexibly switch positions.

Slow Start: Use Fast Evolution Items, Rare Candies, and Professor's Research to accelerate your deck order.

V. Practical Skills

Energy Management: Ensure Donphan-ex always has energy to attack, and avoid wasting Fighting Energy on unnecessary Pokémon.

Mid-game Burst: Ensure Lucario or Rampardos are in place before bringing Donphan-ex on the field to achieve instant suppression.

Keep your swap cards: When playing against control decks, swap cards are crucial for maintaining tempo.

Flexibly switch your damage-dealing core: Don't be rigidly focused on Donphan ex. In counter-game situations, you can rely on your off-hitter to win the game.

VI. Conclusion

In Pokémon TCG Pocket, Donphan ex has become a mainstay of Fighting decks with its high durability, stable damage output, and low energy requirements. Whether you're playing with Lucario's damage-amplifying build or Rampardos' burst-and-rush build, you'll be able to excel in ranked matches.

The key lies in: proper energy allocation + rapid evolution + damage-amplifying. Mastering these three principles will ensure your Donphan ex maintains its power and becomes a nightmare for your opponents.

If you're missing key cards, consider obtaining additional cards through official channels to quickly assemble your strongest deck.