Best Pikachu ex Counters in Pokémon Pocket
Effective and Budget-Friendly Ways to Tackle the Pikachu ex Meta
The current Pokémon Pocket metagame reveals that Pikachu ex decks face a tough challenge against the powerful Mewtwo ex and Gyarados ex setups. However, for those looking for budget-friendly options or alternatives to these high-cost counters, there are several strong duos that can effectively neutralize Pikachu ex. Here’s a rundown of three powerful counter duos in Pokémon Pocket that don’t rely on the big-ticket cards but can still help you take down Pikachu ex.
1. Tauros & Farfetch’d: Versatile (Yet Deadly) Pals
Potential DMG: 160
The Tauros from the Mythical Island expansion is one of the top anti-meta picks, and for good reason. When playing against an ex Pokémon, Tauros gets an extra 80 damage, bringing its total damage output to 120. This allows Tauros to take down Pikachu ex in a single hit, provided you’ve had time to build up its energy (it requires three Colorless Energy to get going).
To help balance Tauros’ slower setup, pair it with Farfetch’d. While Farfetch'd is vulnerable to Lightning-type moves and may get knocked out quickly, its ability to deal 40 damage with just one Colorless Energy makes it an ideal early-game play. The combination of Tauros’ late-game punch and Farfetch’d’s early-game utility provides a solid counter to the Pikachu ex deck.
2. Primeape & Mankey (P-A): The Anti-Pikachu SWAT Team
Potential DMG: 170
The release of P-A Mankey was a game-changer for Pikachu ex decks, disrupting their dominance for a time. P-A Mankey’s synergy with Genetic Apex's Primeape makes it a powerful counter, as P-A Mankey’s self-damaging ability triggers Primeape's revenge move, which deals 100 damage if Primeape has already taken damage.
Primeape is notorious for its vengeful nature—when damaged, it deals 100 damage instead of its standard 40. Typically, your opponent could strategize to knock out Mankey or Primeape before they triggered their revenge moves. However, P-A Mankey’s ability allows you to deal enough damage to trigger Primeape’s ultimate attack. With Fighting-type Pokémon exploiting Pikachu ex’s weakness, you can easily hit for 120 damage and knock out Pikachu ex in a single blow.
3. Marshadow & Hitmonlee: The Most Meta Tech Duo
Potential DMG: 170
After the rise of Druddigon and Golem in Pokémon Pocket, players quickly realized the disruptive power of the Marshadow-Hitmonlee combo. This pairing is especially effective against the Gyarados ex meta due to its ability to snipe the opponent’s Bench before they can evolve their Pokémon. However, the Marshadow-Hitmonlee duo also works as a strong counter to Pikachu ex decks.
Because Pikachu ex is weak to Fighting-type Pokémon, both Marshadow and Hitmonlee gain a +20 damage boost to their attacks. This pushes their damage output to 120 for Marshadow and 50 for Hitmonlee. While you’re sniping Pikachu ex’s Bench with Hitmonlee, you can build up Marshadow on your own Bench. Once Hitmonlee is taken out, you can switch to Marshadow and easily finish off the Pikachu ex. With the Marshadow-Hitmonlee combo, you can keep up the pressure and make Pikachu ex's weakness work in your favor.
Conclusion
While Pikachu ex decks can be formidable in Pokémon Pocket, they are not unbeatable. By utilizing budget-friendly counter duos like Tauros & Farfetch'd, Primeape & P-A Mankey, or Marshadow & Hitmonlee, you can take down Pikachu ex without relying on the more expensive Mewtwo ex or Gyarados ex decks. Whether you're building an anti-meta strategy or simply want a more cost-effective team, these duos provide powerful and efficient ways to counter Pikachu ex’s strengths.