Pokémon TCG: Standard - Which Dragapult EX List Should You Play?

Dragapult ex PRE 73 has been dominant for the last 3 new sets, and possibly has the best attack in Standard. "Phantom Dive" deals 200 damage to the opponent's Active Pokémon and lets you put 6 damage counters on their Benched Pokémon so you can Knock them Out later on. This essentially means you can end the game in 3 attacks, which is great, but you can also use this Pokémon in many other ways. In fact, you can use Dragapult ex in many types of lists, each with their own style and different matchups!

Tord Reklev is arguably the best player in the scene right now, and he prefers "pure" lists. As for Stéphane Ivanoff, he prefers more card draw and ways to handle difficult matchups. Each of the many players who enjoy this list has a different goal and, as such, plays a different Dragapult ex build. Understanding that is the key to mastering this Pokémon.

"Straight Pult" is the simplest version, and also the most consistent. However, it is incredibly difficult to pilot as well.

This deck doesn't use Duskull PRE 35 and Dusknoir PRE 37 as aggressive attackers, and also can't really attach energies to Pokémon if not with Neo Upper Energy TEF 162. So, with this list, you must keep an eye on your energies turn after turn, and, preferably, put at least 2 Drakloak PRE 72 on your Bench to draw cards.

In most cases, this version falls behind in the first few turns, and only plays its combos in later turns. That's how it turns the game back around, but also doesn't let your opponent answer it. And it's why playing so much card draw and making this list as consistent as possible is critical: in the most important turns, we need 3 cards or more to play, such as Counter Catcher sv4 160, Iono sv4pt5 80, and Jamming Tower TWM 153, for instance.

Another important thing to consider is that, in the hands of an experienced player, this list can win nearly all matches in the current meta. In the hands of a beginner, however, occasionally seeing yourself 2 to 3 Prize cards behind can make you quite anxious, and this, in turn, can easily cost you the game. So, you must keep a cool head as you play.

When you play this list, you can't head into the game without a clear plan because, if you do, you'll most definitely lose. Try not to make any big mistakes, and you'll win consistently. That's why so many professional players enjoy this version.

Furthermore, this version has a clear weakness, which other versions addressed. The matchup against Gardevoir ex sv4pt5 29 is extremely unfavorable, and losing a game out of nowhere simply because of a single Lillie's Clefairy ex JTG 56 equipped with a Bravery Charm sv2 173 can be quite depressing.

As you can imagine from its name, Draga Dusk uses Duskull PRE 35, Dusclops PRE 36, and Dusknoir PRE 37 to deal a lot of damage alongside "Phantom Dive". This version is more aggressive, but it also requires a bit more skill because of "Cursed Blast". This ability will give your opponent extra Prize cards, even though it will let you deal more damage as well. In any case, falling behind in the Prize card race also enables plays with Counter Catcher, and these will be great with the other combos in this list.

This version is a bit less predictable and linear, so skilled players can easily take it to the next level. At the same time, though, it is less consistent because it plays more basic Pokémon and also relies too much on Buddy-Buddy Poffin PRE 101. We also have to stress that this version is slightly favored against other versions because it deals more damage overall, so you'll easily be able to Knock Out Drakloaks.

Furthermore, this deck punishes other evolution archetypes, so these already good matchups become even better, and the Gardevoir EX matchup is a bit less unfavorable as well (though it is still unfavorable by a large margin). The matchup against Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex DRI 136 actually becomes worse, considering Duskull only has 60 HP, and is easily Knocked Out.

Now, this version is quite different from the other ones: Draga Zard is fast and plays lots of energy support, but it is less consistent. "Infernal Reign" lets you attach energies to any Dragapult you want to attack with, and Charizard ex sv4pt5 54 is a real threat from the midgame onward. Please note that this list only plays basic Fire energies, so you'll have to use Luminous Energy sv2 191 on your Drakloaks.

One of the issues this list struggles with is Arven sv1 166, which, in a Budew PRE 4 meta, is a much weaker supporter. Nonetheless, this card is still useful in this list, as it goes really well with Technical Machine: Evolution sv4 178. This tool, in turn, makes up for the two evolution lines in this deck.

The last card that found space next to Dragapult ex is Charizard ex sv4pt5 54, which is quite rewarding. It is great because it is a Darkness Pokémon and easily Knocks Out Gardevoir ex sv4pt5 29 because of its weakness to its type. At the same time, it has a lot of HP, so Lillie's Clefairy ex JTG 56 can't easily Knock it Out.

Ivanoff, who plays the list above, is eccentric and enjoys attacking the meta with unusual strategies. Until the last big tournament, he was the only one playing an experimental list with N's Zoroark ex JTG 98. That's why the community still doesn't know which matchups are good for this list, and how you should use it properly.

Zoroark is a great attacker against Gardevoir ex. It also enables Munkidori PRE 44's ability because it uses Darkness energies. At the same time, Munkidori's own ability, "Trade", also makes this deck more consistent, as it draws more cards. Considering this list uses so many different cards, Arven sv1 166 is a natural supporter pick because it draws specific cards, such as our ACE SPEC, Sparkling Crystal PRE 129.

This list is super fun to pilot because it draws a lot of cards. However, it also punishes players that can't think 2 or 3 turns ahead.

Dragapult EX is here to stay. Its evolution line is powerful, as is its attack. I don't believe I can pinpoint which version above is the best one without a shadow of a doubt. Each version shines in its own way, particularly if you use it in the right meta.

What do you think of it? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!