Gallade Ex - The Underrated Meta Breaker

Gallade Ex is emerging as a strong Tier 2 deck, countering the overwhelming presence of Giratina/Darkrai and Gyarados decks in the meta. Combining the raw strength of basic Fighting Pokémon with Gallade’s devastating finishing moves, this deck can close out games that others may struggle with.

Why Play Gallade Ex?

If you’re looking for a deck that applies early pressure while setting up for a powerful late-game finish with Marshadow or Gallade, this one’s for you. It’s also relatively easy to play, making it a good choice for beginners.

Keep in Mind:

Evolving into Gallade Ex can be tricky if you don’t find Ralts, Kirlia, or Gallade in time.

✅ Strengths

• Solid counter to Arceus Ex
• High damage output with minimal energy requirements
• Hitmonlee enables powerful bench-targeting plays

❌ Weaknesses

• Stage 2 evolution line makes it less consistent
• Vulnerable to bench swaps due to lower HP

Game Plan

Early Game:

Your ideal starter is Hitmonlee apply pressure to the opponent's bench Pokemon. Meanwhile, start searching for Marshadow or, ideally, Ralts to begin evolving into Gallade Ex. 

Pro Tip: Sometimes, starting with Ralts in the active spot is okay. If you go first and find the entire evolution line, you can quickly gain board control and overwhelm your opponent before they can react.

Mid Game: 

By now, you should have Marshadow or another Hitmonlee in play in case your starter gets knocked out. You should continue to apply pressure while evolving into Kirlia, bringing you one step closer to your primary win con — Gallade Ex.

Late Game:

At this stage, Gallade Ex should be ready to take the lead. A well-timed attack should win you the game. If not, ensure Gallade Ex stays healthy to finish the game with the next swing. 

Key Card Roles & Highlights

• Hitmonlee — Disrupter and bench attacker
• Gallade Ex — Main attacker and game finisher
• Iono — Great for refreshing your hand when looking for key pieces
• Marshadow — Mid-game attacker and secondary win condition
• Pokémon Communication — A potential option in this deck for finding your key evolution pieces

Tech Options & Variants

Struggling with energy management? Consider swapping Mars and/or Cyrus for X Speed.

Not a fan of Hitmonlee? You could play Sudowoodo instead, but this weakens the deck against a wider range of matchups. While it’s a meta-dependent choice, Hitmonlee has consistently proven to be the better option.

Final Thoughts: Mastering the Deck

This deck is simple yet powerful. The main challenge lies in choosing the right targets for Hitmonlee, but once you master that, the deck becomes highly efficient. As long as you can find the necessary pieces to evolve into Gallade Ex, you’ll be in a strong position to win games consistently.

Deck Status:

🏆 Tier 2 — Tournament Proven
✅ Strengths: Low energy requirement, high damage output
⚠️ Weaknesses: Can struggle to evolve into Gallade