Donphan ex Deck
0.1% of the meta · Updated September 8, 2026
Signature card
Donphan ex
Shiny Super Rare
Strengths
- At full power Gigantic Press hits 110 damage from a Stage 1, achieving 2HKO on all ex Pokemon with favorable energy efficiency.
- Lucario provides a non-ex secondary attacker, letting you score 1-point KOs without putting Donphan ex's 2-point loss condition at risk.
- Aerodactyl ex from Old Amber gives the deck an early game attacking option that requires no evolution and hits the field immediately.
Weaknesses
- Donphan ex is an ex; a KO scores the opponent 2 points, putting them one KO from winning the game.ex KO
- Gigantic Press requires 3 Fighting Energy to hit full damage; early turns with fewer energy deal only 50, which loses badly to any opposing attacker.Tempo
- Miraidon ex, Terapagos ex, and Koraidon ex all counter the deck's energy-stacking plan by dealing heavy damage before Donphan ex charges.Matchup
Top Tournament Deck Lists
#5 — Elvazu
Lagoon Serenity Format Pop Up (5 USD) · 5W-2L-1T
#10 — 𝗕𝗔𝗗𝗗𝗜𝗘| keeks
Lagoon Serenity Format (FA Choice Prize) · 5W-2L
#29 — DevastazioneH88
🐸FrogEX JaggerGrimm's Cup • 50 USD [2/3]🐸 · 5W-3L
Est. 301 packs to collect all core cardsdetails
Core Cards
Key Moves & Abilities
Strategy Guide
Auto-generatedDonphan ex uses Gigantic Press to deal 50 damage base, jumping to 110 damage when at least 2 extra Fighting Energy are attached, making it a high-damage Stage 1 ex that rewards energy stacking. The win condition is powering up Donphan ex quickly with Fighting Energy and trading favorably against non-fighting-resistant decks.
Start with Phanpy and use Poké Ball to secure it early, then draw into Donphan ex through Professor's Research and Copycat. Training Area helps accelerate Fighting Energy attachment each turn, and Old Amber or Aerodactyl ex can apply early pressure while Donphan ex charges on the bench. Lucario provides a second fighting-type threat that does not cost Donphan ex's ex-rule vulnerability, giving the deck a 1-point attacker option. Once Donphan ex has at least 3 Fighting Energy, Gigantic Press hits 110 — a strong 2HKO on all ex Pokemon — and Rocky Helmet or Heavy Helmet punishes opponents who attack into it. Pokémon Center Lady and Big Malasada keep Donphan ex alive across multiple swings.
Damage Math
Gigantic Press with fewer than 3 total Fighting Energy
50 base (condition not met) = 50
Below the threshold; avoid attacking until 3 Energy are attached
Gigantic Press with 3+ Fighting Energy (2 extra)
50 base + 60 = 110
Full damage; 2HKO on all ex Pokemon, 1HKO on most non-ex
How to Play
Stack Energy Before Attacking
Gigantic Press at base 50 damage loses every trade. Never attack with Donphan ex before at least 3 Fighting Energy are attached. Use Lucario or Aerodactyl ex as your Active while Phanpy evolves and charges on the bench. Training Area accelerates the energy count and Sightseer plus Professor's Research find it quickly. A charged Donphan ex on its first swing justifies the patience.
Protect Donphan ex with Healing and Helmets
Once Donphan ex is active and swinging for 110, keep it alive with Pokémon Center Lady, Big Malasada, and Rocky Helmet or Heavy Helmet. Rocky Helmet deals return damage each time the opponent attacks Donphan ex, applying passive chip damage. Cyrus forces the opponent's best attacker out of the Active spot to extend Donphan ex's lifespan.
How to Beat This Deck
Attack Before 3 Energy Attach
Donphan ex hits for only 50 damage until it has 2 extra Fighting Energy. Aggressive decks that force a trade before turn 3-4 put Donphan ex in a losing damage race at base output. Scoring 1-2 points on the evolution line or early Donphan ex turns before it reaches full power denies the 110-damage turns that make it dangerous.
Use Sabrina to Pull Donphan ex Forward Early
If Donphan ex is charging on the bench, Sabrina forces it into the Active spot before it has 3 Energy attached, locking it into 50-damage attacks or forcing the opponent to use their turn retreating. This tempo loss disrupts the entire energy-stack plan and opens a window to score 2 points on a sub-powered Donphan ex.
KO Lucario to Remove the Non-ex Shield
Lucario is the deck's primary non-ex blocker, forcing the opponent to think twice before sending in their ex attacker. KO Lucario first to remove this point-buffer — it costs you only 1 point but forces Donphan ex to step up sooner, potentially before it is fully charged. This collapses the deck's tempo plan and exposes the 2-point ex-rule target.
Common Substitutions
Early pressure attacker
- Aerodactyl ex:Revived via Old Amber; appears in top build as an immediate fighting-adjacent threat before Donphan ex is charged
- Lucario:Core non-ex attacker in 71.15% of lists; protects Donphan ex's ex-rule vulnerability in early exchanges
Matchups
Threats — Weak Against
Based on type weakness analysis of core cards. View full matchup matrix →