This Deck Can Beat (Almost) Anything — Charizard ex Matchup Guide

Hello everyone! Love it or hate it, [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] once again finds itself in a position to be one of the best decks in the format. Charizard placed first and second at the recent Stuttgart Regionals, and often achieves other high placements at other major tournaments as well. If you are a competitor in the Surging Sparks format, Charizard needs to be on your radar.

For all the Charizard players, or those considering the deck, I’ve decided to put together a matchup guide for today’s article. Unlike [card name=”Regidrago VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card], which has to be a highly adaptable deck due to the variance in its random draws, Charizard has access to stable search options. [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card] enables consistent lines and game plans, and perfectly supports Charizard, which is a ridiculously broken card with numbers that are just too big. I won’t spend much time on the actual deck list, as Charizard lists have mostly stabilized and see relatively few variations. One such outlier was the [card name=”PokéStop” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] build that placed second, which I do not recommend. The first place list from Stuttgart is basically optimized, and I consider it the gold standard for Charizard decks in the current format. This is the list:

[decklist name=”Stuttgart Charizard” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Charizard ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”234″][pokemon amt=”19″]2x [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”234″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Charmeleon” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Charmander” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”20″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Dusclops” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”19″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Duskull” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”18″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”225″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Pidgey” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”207″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Cleffa” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”202″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Radiant Charizard” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”20″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lumineon V” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG39″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Rotom V” set=”Lost Origin” no=”177″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Fezandipiti ex” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”38″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”36″]4x [card name=”Arven” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”235″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”269″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”189″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor Turo’s Scenario” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”257″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Briar” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”171″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Thorton” set=”Lost Origin” no=”195″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Poffin” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”223″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”256″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”186″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”255″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”264″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”276″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Night Stretcher” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”251″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Unfair Stamp” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”165″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Defiance Band” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”169″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Forest Seal Stone” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Collapsed Stadium” set=”Lost Origin” no=”215″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”5″]5x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”284″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

The only deviation I personally advise is cutting a [card name=”Duskull” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card] for the sixth copy of Fire Energy. I briefly discussed my thoughts on Charizard lists in my last article, so I won’t go into too much detail here. The sixth Fire Energy provides this deck with more power and flexibility, as well as additional outs to use [card name=”Cleffa” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”202″ c=”name”][/card] on turn 1. The second Duskull isn’t bad, and you’ll wish for it when Duskull is Prized. It’s possible that another card like [card name=”Briar” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”132″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Collapsed Stadium” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Night Stretcher” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] is the better cut. Nonetheless, the deck can play fine without Duskull when it has to, and you don’t even need it in every matchup. I greatly enjoyed playing six Fire Energy at LAIC.

Another option is to include [card name=”Canceling Cologne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card], which shores up matchups against annoying nonsense decks like [card name=”Snorlax” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Cornerstone Mask Ogerpon ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Iron Thorns ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. I myself couldn’t say for sure if this card is worth including, though I did play it at LAIC. I’ll leave it up to you.

General Tips

Charizard ex is a deck that doesn’t mind going first or second. Of course, going second allows you to stabilize with [card name=”Arven” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”249″ c=”name”][/card] before your opponent gets to attack, and you might even get to use Cleffa. However, going first gives you potential for a faster Pidgeot ex, which can protect [card name=”Pidgey” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”207″ c=”name”][/card] from getting KO’d. Going in blind, I choose to go first, but I prefer going second against aggressive decks that can punish you for going first.

The biggest and most common mistake I see from Charizard players is tunneling in on aggression. Sure, this deck can attack on turn 2, and sometimes an aggressive line is the best one. However, Charizard is a deck that plays very well from behind, and is capable of building awesome combos and checkmates. However, without Pidgeot, you are gambling on Charizard alone to carry you, which it won’t. This deck relies on Pidgeot to function, so I almost always prioritize setting it up on turn 2 instead of Charizard. Randomly swinging for 180 damage isn’t even that good in most situations. If my Pidgey is endangered in any capacity before it evolves, I will not hesitate to put down a second Pidgey to ensure that I get Pidgeot set up. The second Pidgey is more of a priority in some matchups than others, and we’ll get to that.

Most of the time, this deck is happy to aggressively utilize its two-Prize support Pokemon without regard to the consequences. Usually, this is worth it because you simply win the game with the help of those Pokemon. However, there are some games where you must be careful with what Pokemon you put into play. Some situations require diligence, and you can cut off your opponent’s win conditions by simply not having targets in play. In general, these situations occur when you are more than one Prize behind. Charizard can utilize its massive HP to pose an obstacle for taking Prize cards, since most Pokemon can’t one-shot it. You don’t want to convenience your opponent by allowing them to ignore the Charizard entirely and still win.

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Another common mistake players make is not getting value from the [card name=”Radiant Charizard” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”11″ c=”name”][/card] after your opponent takes two Prize cards. This is especially true if you haven’t yet taken any Prizes, Radiant Charizard is often going to be your best option. Sure, it’s a bit committal on Fire Energy, but it poses a huge threat and has potential to skew the Prize trade back into your favor. Combined with disruption from [card name=”Unfair Stamp” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”264″ c=”name”][/card], Radiant Charizard does exactly what it needs to as an early- to mid-game attacker. Of course, make sure to still attach an Energy onto Charizard ex so that you can attack right away if Radiant Charizard gets KO’d, otherwise the whole exercise is pointless!

Vs. Regidrago VSTAR

[cardimg name=”Regidrago V” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”184″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This is one of [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”234″ c=”name”][/card]’s most interesting matchups and it is a somewhat difficult one. That said, the [card name=”Regidrago VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] matchup is close and sometimes it even feels favored. Overall, I think this matchup is about 45-55 in Regidrago’s favor. I’ve found a very high correlation in wins with games setting up [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”221″ c=”name”][/card]. Or perhaps it’s more accurate to state the inverse: If you don’t set up Pidgeot, it’s almost impossible to win. As such, you want to go first against Regidrago. If your hand is decent, you can set up Pidgeot before they even have a chance to snipe it with [card name=”Dragapult ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”200″ c=”name”][/card]’s Phantom Dive. When going second, consider playing two Pidgey if a Phantom Dive seems imminent. Even if they get the Phantom Dive, you still have another Pidgey left. It’s difficult for them to have the entire combo plus a gust effect on turn 2, and if they do, at least they probably had to extend a lot to do so.

If the Regidrago player ever makes the critical error of using their VSTAR Power too early, you can punish them with Unfair Stamp. If they have [card name=”Mew ex” set=”151″ no=”151″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Fezandipiti ex” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card], that will often be your first target, as you may not be able to one-shot the VSTAR yet, and you want to take out their draw power so they cannot recover off Unfair Stamp. If they use [card name=”Kyurem” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”47″ c=”name”][/card] to wipe your board on turn 2, do not panic! You are fine. Just play Unfair Stamp and try to set your guys back up. In general, using Unfair Stamp after their first KO is pretty good.

A common response to their first two-Prize turn (if they attack with Regidrago VSTAR) is actually Radiant Charizard with [card name=”Defiance Band” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card]. If you’re able to make this play happen, you should almost always go for it. This does lots of things. Of course, it one-shots the Regidrago, which applies a lot of pressure and greatly inconveniences them. Not only does it even the Prize count, but it makes it very difficult for Regidrago to win the trade, as they have to deal with this Radiant Charizard, and you shouldn’t have any Benched Pokemon with 60 HP at this point. If you do have a 60 HP on your Bench, they can simply use Phantom Dive to attack your Radiant Charizard for another two Prizes. You never want to let them do this. You may want to prepare to move the Radiant Charizard if they do nothing. Hard retreat plus [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] to take another two Prizes with Charizard ex is the ideal outcome. If you can’t take another two Prizes, doing nothing isn’t the end of the world.

If they use [card name=”Cleffa” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”202″ c=”name”][/card], this opens a few lines. There’s the option to KO Cleffa, then KO a two-Prize Pokemon, and then use [card name=”Briar” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card] to win. If Cleffa is on the Bench and you somehow set up a [card name=”Dusclops” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”19″ c=”name”][/card], you can take a two-Prize KO, and then use Dusclops plus Briar for your remaining Prizes. They will usually be on even Prizes, so Briar can be played in most games. Of course, it’s irrelevant if they do not use Cleffa.

Putting [card name=”Duskull” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card] down is sometimes good and sometimes bad. If you can evolve it out of Phantom Dive range before they get a chance to snipe it, or if they would rather snipe Pidgey instead, you can get away with an early Duskull, and have additional options thanks to that. However, playing Duskull down in the mid- to late-game is a huge liability, as it gives them something to snipe. This lets them take a two-Prize turn against your Radiant Charizard, or even a three-Prize turn if you have [card name=”Rotom V” set=”Lost Origin” no=”177″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Lumineon V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] on the board, which bypasses Briar. For the same reason, you don’t want extra Charmander lying around, because they can spread damage onto them and have a snipe target for later. Two Charmander is generally best, as the first evolves into Charizard right away, and the other one can evolve into [card name=”Charmeleon” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] at some point. You don’t want an extra Charmander that might not be able to evolve in the foreseeable future. All that said, don’t hyperfixate on the Cleffa lines if Cleffa is in play. Sometimes simplicity is best. Keep an open mind and be adaptable.

There are some annoying aspects of this matchup, such as [card name=”Jamming Tower” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”153″ c=”name”][/card] and the fact that [card name=”Teal Mask Ogerpon ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”211″ c=”name”][/card] one-shots Charizard ex. There isn’t much you can do about that. [card name=”Collapsed Stadium” set=”Lost Origin” no=”215″ c=”name”][/card] can bump Jamming Tower, but it’s hard to find. Removing Rotom V in the late-game can be very useful, as it quickly becomes a liability. Don’t sacrifice Charizard to their Ogerpon unless you are getting some good value from it, such as taking two Prizes when you’re on pace to win. If you’re behind by two Prizes, attacking with Charizard ex is just feeding them another two Prizes. Try using Radiant Charizard instead. Even if you don’t have Defiance Band, taking a two Prize KO with a single-Prize Pokemon (and Counter Catcher) is just fine.

Vs. Mirror

This is the matchup where the second Duskull, and [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] in general, is most impactful. This matchup can be a headache, and typically revolves around the combo play of Dusclops, Counter Catcher, and Unfair Stamp. The player who takes the first KO potentially allows the opponent to KO their Pidgeot ex and use Unfair Stamp on them. However, taking a fast KO is generally still good. The reason being is that the opponent won’t have the full combo right away, so you can just get a Prize lead and be far enough ahead to close things out even when they do get the combo. Fezandipiti ex is extremely strong in this matchup so that you can still draw some cards when Pidgeot gets KO’d.

[cardimg name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”225″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

If your opponent is the aggressor, try to KO their Pidgeot and use Unfair Stamp. Sometimes you can even KO their Pidgeot as your first KO if you have Dusclops, Counter Catcher, and Defiance Band. There are some situations when you’re behind and need to limit liabilities in play. This can be difficult if your opponent has Duskull, since Dusknoir lets them one-shot Charizard ex. Duskull isn’t always your main target, but it definitely is sometimes. Situations where your opponent won’t be able to take a two-Prize KO without Duskull present a good opportunity to snipe it down.

Boss’s Orders is extremely valuable in this matchup, and you may need one to close out the game. Defiance Band is often relevant as well, and it can play in a variety of situations. I wouldn’t say there’s any one situation where you always need Defiance Band, just try and find a spot to use it for value. You can even KO Pidgeot with Radiant Charizard, but this usually isn’t the best option in a given situation, and you typically won’t use Radiant Charizard early in this matchup.

Collapsed Stadium and [card name=”Professor Turo’s Scenario” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card] are also useful for removing liabilities, which is often relevant. Charizard likes to pick off the likes of Rotom V for easy Prizes, but there’s a significant difficulty increase in KO’ing a two-Prize Basic Pokemon as opposed to one of the bigger Pokemon ex. Finally, if you’re about to go to three Prizes remaining, see if you can set up a Dusknoir and Briar play to close out the game on the following turn. If you’re able to accomplish this, you can win games way too quickly before your opponent has a chance to. By merely threatening it, your opponent has to expend a Boss’s Orders or Dusknoir to take out your Duskull, which is still fine. They cannot reliably play around Briar if you have access to Dusknoir.

This matchup is very difficult to play correctly. The most important thing is to be aware of what your opponent can do with their current board. Try not to leave yourself overly vulnerable to any one play, and exploit their weak spots by targeting key Pokemon, making it difficult for them to take Prize cards, or simply blitzing Prize cards. Boss’s Orders is your most important resource, but don’t be afraid to use them for value, and try to always have Duskull on your board.

Vs. Raging Bolt ex

This matchup is significantly more simple than the above two. Your win condition is to go for a 2-2-2 Prize trade before your opponent can. Do not be afraid to put Pokemon like [card name=”Rotom V” set=”Lost Origin” no=”177″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”221″ c=”name”][/card] onto your Bench. Although they are liabilities, they help you do whatever you want. When you can do whatever you want, you are favored to win this matchup. If your opponent only takes one Prize and you have the response, you basically just win.

When your opponent gets the first two Prize cards, don’t panic—this happens often. Respond with [card name=”Radiant Charizard” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card]. Try to pair [card name=”Unfair Stamp” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”264″ c=”name”][/card] to KO their [card name=”Fezandipiti ex” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card], or use Unfair Stamp when they don’t have Fezandipiti. A lot of Unfair Stamp’s power is wasted if you let them keep Fezandipiti on their board for free.

You will typically need to use your Counter Catcher early to get around [card name=”Raging Bolt ex ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”208″ c=”name”][/card] if it has a [card name=”Bravery Charm” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”175″ c=”name”][/card] attached. If they take one Prize, [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”234″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”Defiance Band” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card] attached KO’s a non-Bravery Charm Raging Bolt, so you can save Counter Catcher there. Beyond this instance, you won’t need Defiance Band. Most Raging Bolt lists don’t play [card name=”Briar” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card] anymore (because it’s bad), but if they do, you can easily play around it by using Radiant Charizard and hand disruption, and by not leaving two Energy on Charizard ex.

If you have an opportunity to KO their only Raging Bolt with an Energy attached, this can be strong because it forces them to use [card name=”Professor Sada’s Vitality” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”256″ c=”name”][/card] on the following turn. This is helpful because the matchup forces Raging Bolt to constantly gust two-Prize Pokemon. If you cut off the option for Boss’s Orders, you make things more difficult for them. This doesn’t always come up because Radiant Charizard cannot KO a Raging Bolt with Bravery Charm attached, and you are often attacking with Radiant Charizard. You may be thinking that [card name=”Lost Vacuum” set=”Lost Origin” no=”217″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Jamming Tower” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”153″ c=”name”][/card] would be good for this matchup. You would be right, but this matchup is already favored and straightforward. I would consider those cards to be wasted deck spots, and space is already super tight as it is.

Vs. Miraidon ex

[cardimg name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”248″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This matchup is somewhat similar to Raging Bolt ex, but they have a bit more variety in things they can do, and thus you have more to look out for. [card name=”Magneton” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”59″ c=”name”][/card] basically lets them do whatever they want, but if they use it, you can win with a Briar play. When Magneton is live, be aware of a [card name=”Raichu V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”45″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] play out of nowhere. If Iron Hands is set up, it is logical for you to KO it, as they can just use Boss’s Orders and Amp You Very Much for more Prize cards if the Hands is left alone.

Knocking Out whichever Pokemon has the most Energy is good because of the Raichu V threat, whereas targeting Fezandipiti ex is also strong because of Unfair Stamp disruption. If you’re ahead in the 2-2-2 Prize trade, you basically can’t lose. You want to stabilize as much as possible so that you won’t whiff an attack. However, you usually will be behind. Just like with Raging Bolt, attack with Radiant Charizard if they take the first two Prizes. It’s annoying for them to deal with, especially if you don’t have any liabilities on the Bench. Attacking with Charizard ex when you’re behind is also fine if it doesn’t look like they can get a Raichu response KO, or if they will lose to Briar if they do. This requires some analysis of the current board state. It can sometimes be difficult for them to piece together the Raichu KO on Charizard ex.

Pidgeot ex is not a high priority in this matchup. [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”243″ c=”name”][/card] does not play hand disruption, and they can easily snipe off the Pidgeot for two Prizes. Pidgeot is sometimes useful, but it just depends on the situation. You won’t get as much value from it since it dies so easily, and it is a liability, so this is the one matchup where you won’t always go for it. This is one of Charizard’s better matchups overall, but it’s still very possible to lose due to their fast aggression and pressure.

That’s all I have for today. I know this meta is fairly diverse, but hopefully this provided some insight against all of the most popular threats at the top of the meta. Thanks for reading!

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