Rampardos ex in Pokémon TCG Pocket: Best Deck Builds and Strategy

Rampardos ex is the purest glass cannon in Pokémon TCG Pocket. This Fighting-type ex from Space-Time Smackdown trades survivability for one of the highest single-hit damage outputs in the game, making it a terrifying tempo option in Fighting decks. In this guide we cover the best Rampardos ex deck builds, the cheap attackers that hold the line while it charges, and the matchups where it shines in the August 2026 meta.

Why Rampardos ex Is Worth Building Around

Rampardos ex hits harder per Energy than almost any other card in the format. Its Berserker attack deals 130 damage, and with a Lucario on the bench that becomes 150 — clean one-shot range for most ex Pokémon and every non-ex in the game. The catch is a 160 HP pool and the standard ex drawback of giving up two Prize cards. Rampardos ex is a timing card: bring it online at the right moment and it steals games; bring it out too early and it hands your opponent an easy two Prizes.

Rampardos ex Card Breakdown

Best Partners for Rampardos ex

• Lucario: the +20 Fighting damage Ability is essential — it pushes Berserker to 150 and turns every hit into a knockout.
• Hitmonlee: applies early bench pressure while Cranidos evolves, keeping your opponent from setting up freely.
• Marshadow: punishes knockouts with a cheap 100-damage revenge hit if Rampardos ex goes down.
• Sudowoodo: a low-cost attacker that keeps the pressure on against basic-heavy decks.
• Machamp ex: an optional second finisher if you want a sturdier backup plan.

Best Rampardos ex Deck List

This 20-card list is built for speed: cheap attackers open the game, and Rampardos ex closes it out before your opponent can answer.

Swap Sudowoodo for Machamp ex if you prefer a heavier backup plan, but the extra basics keep the early game much more consistent.

How to Play Rampardos ex: Tempo and Board Control

Open with Hitmonlee or Sudowoodo and keep Cranidos on the bench with Energy attached. Rampardos ex should come online around turn three or four with a 130-damage swing that immediately flips the game. Trade aggressively once it is active: at 160 HP it survives one hit from most non-ex attackers, so a two-hit trade usually ends in your favor. Save Marshadow for the revenge play after Rampardos ex falls.

Key Matchups

• vs Grass decks: the danger matchup — Grass weakness means a single super-effective attack can remove Rampardos ex before it swings. Keep Cranidos off the active spot and time your Evolution carefully.
• vs Water decks (Palkia ex, Gyarados ex): favorable — Berserker out-damages their setup and reaches one-shot range with Lucario on the bench.
• vs Dark decks (Weavile ex): favorable — Fighting’s type advantage and your damage output force them to trade into a losing battle.
• vs Colorless decks (Snorlax, Pidgeot ex): solid — 130 to 150 damage cuts through their HP pools faster than they can respond.

Final Tips

• Keep Cranidos safe on the bench — Rampardos ex is only useful if it survives to evolve.
• Do not evolve early against Grass decks; wait for a turn where your opponent cannot answer the 130-damage swing.
• Use Sabrina to force fragile setup Pokémon into the active spot before you attack.
• Accept that Rampardos ex gives up two Prizes — plan the trade so you take more than you give.

For more Fighting builds, see our top Fighting-type decks guide and the Machamp ex deck guide. Check the August 2026 meta tier list to see how Rampardos ex fits the current format.