Deep dive into the Twilight Masquerade Set's must have Pokemon Card Dragapult ex
- James
- Jun 5, 2024
- 3 min read
With the extra short Temporal Forces format coming to an end it now leaves a lot of us saddened as it was one of the most enjoyable and intriguing formats in recent memory.
The Twilight Masquerade format is now in full swing, with the North America International Championships just around the corner. Even though it only feels like the Temporal Forces season only just begun, we're already nearing its end! The new set is undeniably impressive. If you somehow didn't fancy the Temporal Forces format, the new Twilight Masquerade is bound to mix things up.
Looking over at Japan's results, we now have data from one Champions League and several City Leagues, and one thing is crystal clear: Dragapult ex is a force to be reckoned with.
Let's delve into why this card is so impactful and how it's shaping the current meta.
Dragapult ex boasts immense power due to several reasons. Firstly, it's a challenge to take down with its 320 HP, Bench protection, and crucially, no Weakness. It's akin to Charizard ex in terms of resilience. This makes it quite the tank, almost immune to conventional counters.
Its second attack, while having a somewhat tricky Energy cost consisting of a Psychic and a Fire Energy, delivers a solid 200 damage while spreading six damage counters among your opponent's Benched Pokémon in any way you choose. The spreading effect is potent, serving as a damage modifier. While many Pokémon ex can endure a hit for 200 damage, the spread effect enables two consecutive hits along with a Boss's Orders play to swiftly eliminate two Pokémon in the 210-260 damage range, essentially one-shotting both. Moreover, this spread damage can efficiently take down numerous small Pokémon, obstructing the progress of evolution-based decks from establishing themselves.
Now we can not forget the Stage 1 card in the deck: Drakloak. Drakloak features a draw Ability akin to Pidgeotto’s Air Mail from Team Up, adding to the consistency of the already robust Dragapult ex deck.
Dragapult is overly dominant and can create a toxic environment. Its spread damage and resilience may lead to a metagame overly centred around countering Dragapult, stripping away the diverse landscape Temporal Forces offered. The deck's simplicity diminishes the element of skill in many games, as success often hinges on setting up multiple Dragapult rather than strategic play.
There are diverse ways to play Dragapult. One intriguing build involves Arven, Technical Machine: Evolution, and Xatu, akin to Charizard ex / Pidgeot ex, emphasizing consistency and reliability. Xatu enhances the deck's synergy, offering additional draw power and Energy acceleration. Another variant utilizes the Lost Zone engine, leveraging Mirage Gate for Dragapult and additional strong attackers like Sableye and Cramorant. This build fosters creativity and versatility. Alternatively, pairing Dragapult with Charizard ex sacrifices some consistency for the option of Charizard's power and Energy acceleration, covering Dragapult's weaknesses and providing a potent nuke option.
Despite its strengths, Dragapult has vulnerabilities. It can be slow to set up, and most Pokémon besides Dragapult have low HP, leaving the deck susceptible to fast decks capable of taking multiple Prize cards. The Japanese meta has adapted to Dragapult's dominance, with a resurgence of decks such as Miraidon ex, Lugia VSTAR, and Gardevoir ex designed to counter it. Miraidon's speed and access to Iron Hands, Lugia's defensive capabilities against spread damage, and Gardevoir's healing and sniping abilities make them formidable contenders against Dragapult. Twilight Masquerade Pokemon Set must have Dragapult ex will saught after to stengthen and modernise many decks with the new season.
As decks like Charizard ex and Chien-Pao ex struggle against Dragapult, the meta continues to evolve in response to this powerful card. As the season develops lets continue to see how players develop counters and strategies with Dragapult and the new Twilight Masquerade set.
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