Paldean Clodsire ex Deck
0.0% of the meta · Updated September 8, 2026
Signature card
Paldean Clodsire ex
Shiny Super Rare
Strengths
- Venoshock hits 120 damage against a poisoned target, 2HKOing or 1HKOing most non-ex and ex Pokemon reliably.
- Poison Barb passively inflicts poison without requiring an attack, meaning Clodsire ex can deal full Venoshock damage from the first offensive turn.
- Nihilego on the bench provides an alternative threat source, preventing the opponent from freely ignoring your bench.
Weaknesses
- Paldean Clodsire ex is an ex — a KO scores 2 points for the opponent, swinging the match toward their victory almost immediately.ex KO
- At retreat cost 3, Clodsire ex is extremely difficult to retreat without X Speed; getting trapped in the active spot by a bad matchup is dangerous.Deckbuilding
- Venoshock is only 60 damage without poison; if poison is removed or the opponent avoids it, damage output halves entirely.Consistency
- Unfavorable against Gengar ex, Mega Kangaskhan ex, and Decidueye ex — decks that either resist poison or outrace the setup.Matchup
Top Tournament Deck Lists
#2 — MikeDaOgTaku
Lagoon Serenity Format (OAK FA Prize) · 7W-2L
#2 — FrogEX | Atomiix
Pop-up Draft #2 · 6W-3L
#25 — [𝐓𝐌] PoKeBoM
Highlight’s🔥Blazing Inferno🔥#9|ANY FA + $$ · 5W-3L
Est. 541 packs to collect all core cardsdetails
Core Cards
Key Moves & Abilities
Strategy Guide
Auto-generatedPaldean Clodsire ex is a Stage 2 darkness attacker that pairs Venoshock with a poison-inflicting support suite to deal 120 damage against poisoned targets. The win condition is poisoning the opponent's active Pokemon, then landing Venoshock for a massive swing that scores 2 points when Clodsire ex finishes an ex target.
Start by getting Poipole and Paldean Wooper into play — Poke Ball finds either Basic. Use Poison Barb and the Naganadel line to inflict poison on the opponent's active Pokemon before Clodsire ex is ready. Once Paldean Clodsire ex evolves via natural draw or Rare Candy, it attacks for 120 damage against a poisoned target. Cyrus and X Speed give you pivot options, and Protective Poncho shields your own Pokemon from poison blowback or opposing condition abuse.
Damage Math
Venoshock vs. non-poisoned target
base 60 + 0 bonus = 60
Deals half damage without poison; avoid using before inflicting poison
Venoshock vs. poisoned target
base 60 + poison condition bonus 60 = 120
Full damage output; achievable when Poison Barb or Naganadel has poisoned the active
How to Play
Inflict poison before attacking with Venoshock
Paldean Clodsire ex only deals 120 damage when the opponent's active Pokemon is poisoned. Use Poison Barb early to automate poison on contact, or rely on the Naganadel line for active poison delivery. Always confirm poison is on the target before committing to Venoshock to maximize damage output.
Manage the high retreat cost with X Speed and Cyrus
Clodsire ex has a retreat cost of 3, making it nearly immovable without trainer support. X Speed reduces retreat cost by 1 for the turn, offering a partial solution. Cyrus can force a switch on both sides, repositioning a damaged Clodsire ex to the bench and bringing in a fresh threat — critical for extending your offensive pressure.
How to Beat This Deck
Remove or prevent poison to neutralize Venoshock
Clodsire ex's damage output drops to 60 without poison active. Any Pokemon with a self-cure effect, or trainer cards that cure status conditions, strip the poison bonus and force your opponent to reapply it. Keeping the active Pokemon healthy halves their attack's effectiveness every turn.
Apply early aggression to delay the evolution line
Paldean Clodsire ex is a Stage 2 that starts from Paldean Wooper. Targeting Paldean Wooper before Rare Candy lands forces the opponent to draw into Clodsire ex naturally, buying multiple turns. An aggressive opener that scores an early point also puts the Clodsire player in immediate must-KO territory.
Target Nihilego to eliminate bench support
Nihilego serves as an alternate attacker or support threat. Eliminating it from the bench removes a point-scoring option and strips the opponent of backup pressure, forcing all their resources into protecting the single Clodsire ex line and making their plan one-dimensional.
Common Substitutions
Poison delivery
- Poison Barb:Attaches to your active Pokemon; poisons the opponent's active on contact — the most consistent poison engine in the deck.
- Naganadel:Evolved from Poipole; provides an active poison application route independent of Poison Barb.
Retreat and pivot support
- X Speed:Reduces retreat cost by 1 for the turn; the minimum tool for moving Clodsire ex's 3-cost retreat.
Matchups
Threats — Weak Against
Based on type weakness analysis of core cards. View full matchup matrix →