Pokémon TCG Pocket: Every Space-Time Smackdown Ex Card Ranked
Pokémon TCG Pocket's new Space-Time Smackdown set includes a number of powerful and brilliant Pokémon ex cards that you'll want in your collection. The new TCG Pocket expansion adds over 150 new cards to the game, as well as over 50 new alternate art cards. While the biggest addition in the set are Pokémon Tool cards, which can be attached to specific Pokémon to add certain effects or benefits, most players will be looking at the new Pokémon ex cards, which usually form the backbone of new decks.
In addition to having powerful attacks and abilities, Pokémon ex cards also have the most alternate art cards in the game. Every Pokémon ex card in Space-Time Smackdown has at least three versions, including a full art card and either a Special Illustration Rare card or an Immersive Art card. Palkia ex and Dialga ex both have Gold Art cards as well. Taking both raw power and gorgeous looks into account, some Pokémon ex cards in Space-Time Smackdown stand out as must-haves.
10 Mismagius Ex
Psychic-Type Pokémon
Mismagius ex is probably the weakest Pokémon ex card in Space-Time Smackdown. While Magical Delusion deals 70 damage for only two Psychic-type Energy, it unfortunately feels underpowered for a Stage 1 Pokémon that's also a Pokémon ex card. Of course, Magical Delusion also causes Confusion, a new condition to Pokémon TCG Pocket. Unfortunately, Confusion is the weakest attack, as players can still retreat a Confused Pokemon, and they have a 50% chance of successfully using their attack.
Although Mismagius is known for causing misfortune, its Special Illustration Rare card shows another aspect of the Ghost-type Pokémon. The card shows Mismagius looking on at a couple in love, while flower petals form a heart shape in the air. This art, illustrated by Kuroimori, represents the Pokémon's ability to cast love spells, which is why people desperately search for the Pokémon in the wild.
9 Dialga ex
Steel-Type Pokémon
Although Dialga ex is one of the faces of Space-Time Smackdown, this Legendary Pokémon has a disappointingly weak set of cards. While Dialga ex comes with two attacks, neither are impressive. Metallic Turbo deals only 30 damage but pulls two Steel Energy from the Energy Zone and puts them on a Benched Pokémon. Meanwhile, Heavy Impact deals 100 damage but costs four energy (two Steel Energy and two Colorless Energy) to use. Metallic Turbo might seem like a decent energy accelerator, but the fact that it requires two energy to use limits it compared to other Pokémon with similar abilities.
Although Dialga has its own immersive art card, the animation for the card is surprisingly milquetoast. The artwork shows Dialga standing over a desert as it eventually becomes a lake bed. As the Pokémon is associated with the passage of time, the animation makes a lot of sense, but it's not nearly as dynamic or interesting as the other immersive art cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket.
8 Lickilicky Ex
Normal-Type Pokémon
Lickilicky's amazing Special Illustration Rare card can't save it from a mediocre and costly attack. This Stage 1 Pokémon comes with Licking Fury, an attack that deals a minimum of 100 damage. Players also flip a coin until a tail appears and add 40 more damage for every head they got. The potential to go on a major coin flip streak might seem impressive, but Celebi ex/Serperior is a lot more consistent with its damage output at the cost of less energy.
Although Lickilicky ex's attack might be underwhelming, its Special Illustration Rare card is one of the set's standouts. The artwork by Jerky shows Lickilicky enjoying some Berries from the top of a building, using its extremely long tongue to collect berries from a truck several stories below. It's a great card that perfectly captures the Pokémon's personality, making Lickilicky ex a great chase card.
7 Gallade Ex
Fighting-type Pokémon
Gallade ex could be a potent counter to some decks, but it's too early to tell. Although Gallade ex is a Fighting-type Pokémon, it's the second stage of a Psychic-type Pokémon line. That could end up hurting the Pokémon's usefulness, although Space-Time Smackdown includes versions of Ralts and Kirlia with moves that use Colorless Energy. Gallade ex has great HP with 170 HP and an attack that deals extra damage for every energy attached to the opponent's Active Pokémon. When faced with a Pokémon that uses four energy, Gallade ex can deal 150 HP of damage for just two energy.
Ultimately, Gallade ex will live or die based on its opponent. Against decks that use a lot of energy or against Pikachu ex, Gallade ex will be a fantastic counter. However, it's still a Stage 2 Pokémon, which means that it won't be particularly potent until later in matches. That might hurt its usefulness, although it just depends on how it's used.
The Special Illustration Rare card by Takumi Wada shows Gallade contemplating its own strength while standing in a shallow body of water. It's a fantastic representation of Gallade's warrior spirit, but it's a bit of a letdown that Gallade doesn't do much but either fight or contemplate its warrior spirit.
6 Yanmega Ex
Grass-Type Pokémon
Grass-type decks saw a major boost with the addition of Celebi ex, but it's doubtful that Yanmega ex will have the same impact on Pokémon TCG Pocket. Yanmega's sole Air Slash attack deals 120 damage but requires a random Energy discard. While 120 damage can knock off many weaker Pokémon ex cards, the energy discard means that players will need to have an energy accelerator of some kind to prevent a deck with Yanmega ex in it from stalling out.
On the plus side, Yanmega ex only uses Colorless Energy, which means it might have some unexpected synergies as an off-type in some decks, such as buffing Mewtwo ex decks. It's also capable of knocking out both Weavile ex and Darkrai ex, which looks like they could become dominant in the game. This card will likely see a bit of use solely because of its ability to quickly handle those two cards.
Meanwhile, Yanmega ex's Special Illustration Rare card is one of the more static of the set. The Pokémon is shown resting on a tree in the sunset in a piece illustrated by Mina Nakai. The art is very tranquil, but doesn't have the same energy as many of the other cards in the set.
5 Pachirisu ex
Electric-Type Pokémon
Pachirisu ex offers an alternative to Pikachu ex decks, although it requires a Pokémon Tool to be effective. With 120 HP and an attack that requires two Electric-type Energy to use, Pachirisu ex seems like a carbon copy of Pikachu ex. However, its Sparking Gadget attack only deals 40 damage unless Pachirisu has a Pokémon Tool attached. Even with the Pokémon Tool, Pachirisu ex maxes out at 80 damage, making it less effective than Pikachu.
However, some of the Pokémon Tools could make Pachirisu a bit more effective than Pikachu ex depending on the situation. A Royal Cape could increase Pachirisu ex's HP, while Rocky Helmet deals damage every time Pachirisu is attacked. Also, Pachirisu ex's attack strength isn't dependent on having Electric-type Pokémon on the bench, which might be more advantageous in some situations.
Nurikabe illustrated Pachirisu ex's Special Illustration Rare card, showing a scurry of Pachirisu in some tree branches. Because the focus is on the sparking Pachirisu at the forefront of the card, it's easy to miss that there are four other Pokémon on the card in the background.
4 Palkia ex
Water-Type Pokémon
With a better Immersive Art card and a devastating attack that hits the opponent's entire team of Pokémon, Palkia ex looks to be the best Legendary Pokémon in Space-Time Smackdown. Water-type decks are incredibly strong already, with Gyarados ex rampaging through the metagame. Palkia ex makes Water-type decks even stronger with its Dimensional Storm dealing 150 damage along with 20 damage to every Pokémon on an opponent's deck.
The cost to Dimensional Storm is discarding three Energy, which means that players may not use Dimensional Storm more than once or twice per game. However, Palkia is basically a more powerful Articuno ex card and should see a bunch of play immediately in its place. Palkia's Immersive Art card features Palkia standing in an M.C. Escher-inspired maze of stairs. The artwork is amazing, with Palkia depicted in a striking sketch-like art style.
3 Weavile Ex
Dark-Type Pokémon
Weavile ex is one of two new Dark-type Pokémon in Space-Time Smackdown that should combine to form a potent duo. Weavile's Scratching Nails attack deals 30 damage to an undamaged Pokémon and 70 Pokémon to a Pokémon with damage on it. While this might seem like an underwhelming attack at first, the fact that it only needs one Darkness Energy means that it will be immediately effective, no matter what the situation.
Weavile's Special Illustration Rare card, which shows a group of Weavile hiding in the trees as a Swinub trudges in the snow, is also excellent. With a sinister glint in Weavile's eyes, it's almost certain that Swinub is going to meet a terrible fate. It's always a nice change of pace to see Pokémon cards that imply horrific violence, and Weavile's card might be the most dangerous yet.
2 Infernape Ex
Fire-Type Pokémon
Infernape wears its Wukong inspirations on its sleeve in its newest card. The Stage 2 Fire Pokémon continues a familiar theme for Fire-type Pokémon, with Flare Blitz dealing 140 damage but at the cost of discarding all Fire Energy attached to the Pokémon. The fact that Flare Blitz only requires two Fire Energy to use makes this Pokémon an intriguing alternative to Charizard ex.
The best thing about Infernape ex is its Special Illustration Rare card. The card shows Infernape riding on a flaming rock, likely coming from a volcano. The art is clearly meant to evoke Wukong/Son Goku, the famed Monkey King that Infernape was inspired by. The cloud is actually a representation of Wukong's ability to travel thousands of miles with a single leap, although Infernape clearly decided to surf an explosive rock instead.
1 Darkrai Ex
Dark-Type Pokémon
The top Pokémon ex card in Space-Time Smackdown (at least for now) is Darkrai ex. Darkrai ex has a potent Nightmare Aura ability that deals 20 damage whenever Darkrai has a Darkness Energy attached to it from the player's Energy Zone. This ability doesn't have a limit of one use per turn, so there future sets could lead to Darkrai dealing a lot of damage from the bench if Dark-type Pokémon ever get an Energy Accelerator.
Even without an Energy Accelerator, Darkrai ex pairs perfectly with Weavile ex. Darkrai ex's ability ensures that whatever Pokémon is in the Active Spot has damage on it, which in turn increases Weavile's damage output. The two Pokémon pair up perfectly, making them a dangerous combination as Space-Time Smackdown launches. Darkrai ex's Special Illustration Rare is also fantastically dark, with the Pokémon shown terrorizing a young boy in his bedroom. It's hauntingly great art, one of the best in Pokémon TCG Pocket so far.

Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket
- Released
- October 30, 2024
- Developer(s)
- DeNA, Creatures Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- The Pokemon Company
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Pokemon
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