Charizard ex in Pokémon TCG Pocket: Best Fire Deck Builds and Strategy

Charizard ex is the hardest-hitting Fire attacker in Pokémon TCG Pocket. With a massive HP pool and the 200-damage Crimson Storm attack, it can flatten virtually any Pokémon in the game in one hit — including most ex cards. The catch is that Crimson Storm requires four Energy and forces you to discard two Fire Energy afterward, so Charizard ex decks are all about one thing: ramping Fire Energy as fast as possible. When built correctly, this deck is one of the most explosive and satisfying in the entire game.

Charizard ex Stats: The 200-Damage Nuke

Charizard ex is a Stage 2 Pokémon with 180 HP and a 200-damage attack, the highest single-attack number in the early format. It one-shots basically everything, including bulky ex Pokémon like Mewtwo ex and Pikachu ex. Its weakness to Water is real, but in practice you can often out-speed Water decks by attacking first. The real limitation is Energy: four Energy to attack, with two discarded afterward, which means you need a dedicated ramp engine rather than slow manual attachment.

The Moltres ex Engine: Fueling the Dragon

Moltres ex exists to solve Charizard ex’s Energy problem. Its Inferno Dance attack costs a single Fire Energy and lets you flip three coins, attaching Fire Energy from your discard pile to your Benched Pokémon for every heads. A good sequence of flips can fully charge Charizard ex on the bench by turn three or four. Because Inferno Dance pulls from the discard pile, you can also discard Energy freely to make room in your Energy Zone, then recycle it later with another Moltres ex turn.

Best Charizard ex Deck List

Here is the standard competitive build that consistently reaches the late game with a fully charged Charizard ex:

• 2x Charizard ex — your finisher and main win condition
• 2x Charmander, 2x Charmeleon — evolution line
• 2x Moltres ex — the Energy ramp engine
• 2x Professor’s Research — draw power
• 2x Poké Ball — find your basics early
• 2x Sabrina — control the opponent’s Active slot
• 2x Potion — keep Moltres ex alive long enough to ramp twice
• 1x X Speed — escape when Moltres ex has done its job

How to Play: When to Strike

Open with Moltres ex and attach Energy to it first. Use Inferno Dance as soon as possible to load Charmander and Charmeleon on the bench with Fire Energy, evolving toward Charizard ex every turn. Once Charizard ex is evolved and has four Energy attached, promote it to the Active spot and fire Crimson Storm. After the attack discards two Energy, either retreat to Moltres ex for another round of Inferno Dance or use your second Charizard ex as a fresh attacker. Patience is key: this deck is weaker in the first three turns and nearly unstoppable from turn five onward.

Key Matchups: Best and Worst

Charizard ex farms slower decks that need several turns to set up, and it out-damages every mirror match by a wide margin. Water-type decks are the biggest threat: Blastoise ex and Articuno ex builds can exploit your Water weakness and knock out Moltres ex before the ramp engine gets going. Fast Fighting and Lightning aggro decks can also pressure you early. Against those, prioritize evolving to Charizard ex rather than wasting turns on Inferno Dance flips — one clean Crimson Storm usually turns the game around.

Alternative Builds: Budget and Hybrid Options

If you do not own two Moltres ex, the Blaine deck offers a fast, budget-friendly Fire alternative, and you can pair a single Moltres ex with Rapidash for early pressure. Some players also run Infernape ex as a secondary attacker that punishes opponents who leave low-HP Pokémon on the bench. For more on the Fire side of the format, check out our Moltres ex deck guide and the latest meta tier list to see where Charizard ex currently sits.