Best Infernape ex Pokémon TCG Pocket deck build list

If you’re on the hunt for a powerful Fire-type deck in Pokémon TCG Pocket, you need to take this Infernape ex list out for a spin. Featuring new gems from Space-Time Smackdown, this deck is explosively fun to play.

Below, you’ll find the best Infernape ex deck list in Pocket, along with a breakdown of how to get all the cards you’ll need, the strengths and weaknesses of the deck, and popular variants of the list that are worth experimenting with.

Best Infernape ex Pocket deck list

This Pocket deck list only features four Pokémon, with the bulk of the other slots focusing purely on getting the heavy-hitting Infernape ex and Moltres ex into the action as quickly as possible.

The majority of the cards come from the newest expansion set, Space-Time Smackdown, so newer players may struggle to pick up this list if they don’t have many Pack Hourglasses to spare.

The resource investment is worth the effort, though, as these cards are immensely viable and can be used in other decks.

Card	Card Name	Card Number	Quantity	Set	Source
	Chimchar	27/155	Two	Space-Time Smackdown	Obtained via Space-Time Smackdown booster packs or by spending Pack Points.
	Monferno	28/155	Two	Space-Time Smackdown	Obtained via Space-Time Smackdown booster packs or by spending Pack Points.
	Infernape ex	29/155	Two	Space-Time Smackdown	Obtained via Space-Time Smackdown booster packs or by spending Pack Points.
	Moltres ex	47/226	Two	Genetic Apex	Obtained via Genetic Apex booster packs or by spending Pack Points.
	Poké Ball	5/P-A	Two	Promo-A	Obtained by spending Shop Tickets.
	Dawn	154/155	Two	Space-Time Smackdown	Obtained via Space-Time Smackdown booster packs or by spending Pack Points.
	Professor’s Research	7/P-A	Two	Promo-A	Obtained by spending Shop Tickets.
	X Speed	2/P-A	Two	Promo-A	Obtained by spending Shop Tickets.
	Mars	155/155	Two	Space-Time Smackdown	Obtained via Space-Time Smackdown booster packs or by spending Pack Points.
	Giant Cape	147/155	One	Space-Time Smackdown	Obtained via Space-Time Smackdown booster packs or by spending Pack Points.
	Cyrus	150/155	One	Space-Time Smackdown	Obtained via Space-Time Smackdown booster packs or by spending Pack Points.

The aim of the game here is to get Infernape ex into play as quickly as possible with two Fire Energy Tokens ready to go so it can use Flare Blitz. The other key Pokémon in the deck is Moltres ex, which acts as a secondary source of damage and Energy boost.

Other than the Infernape ex line and Moltres ex, there are no other critters in this list. Instead, plenty of Trainers, Items, and Pokémon Tools fill up the rest of the slots to help move Infernape ex into position with ease.

It’s a relatively simple list, especially when compared to other popular picks like Dialga ex or Scolipede Weezing, but once you nail the rotation, it feels fantastic to play.

If you’re hoping to experiment with this Infernape ex list and add new cards into the mix, there are plenty of variants kicking around that are worth looking at.

Some popular inclusions for alternate Infernape ex deck lists are:

• The Arcanine ex line as an additional source of damage and tankiness, usually swapping in for Moltres ex
• Blue for extra survivability, especially in the earlier stages of the game
• Giratina and Spiritomb for Bench sniping, extra damage, and easy movement
• Mew ex for its Genome Hacking attack, opening up the field for more damage options
• Sabrina for a more disruptive playstyle alongside Cyrus
• Pokémon Communication for a slightly RNG-dependent source of draw power

If you don’t have a Moltres ex or you’re limited on how many Infernape ex cards you’ve got to work with, experimenting with any of the variants above could help you find the perfect variant to suit your needs.

How the Infernape ex deck works

With its Flare Blitz attack, Infernape ex is the foundational piece in this deck list. It’s a simple yet effective card, with a high HP pool of 170 and no Retreat Cost for easy movement. The key is to get it Energized and in position, then out of harm’s way to rinse and repeat.

The Chimchar and Monferno cards in the list don’t offer much value—although Monferno’s 30-damage Fire Punch can be handy in the early game against Grass-types—so it’s best to get them evolved as quickly as you can.

Moltres ex is a secondary damage dealer and support ‘mon in this list, with Inferno Dance being its primary selling point. Inferno Dance allows for up to three Fire Energy to be moved to Benched critters, provided you get lucky with coin flips.

Heat Blast is a little expensive, but 70 damage is nothing to sneeze at as it can two-shot a fair amount of opponents, especially with a type advantage.

Alongside this fiery bunch, there are plenty of Trainers, Items, and Pokémon Tools. There’s a decent level of Energy movement available in this deck thanks to Dawn allowing you to move an Energy Token from a Benched ‘mon to the Active.

The addition of X Speed may seem strange considering that Infernape ex has no Retreat Cost, but we put two copies in to help the other Pokémon move out of the way if needed.

One of the key ways an opponent can disrupt is to get rid of Monferno, so this helps mitigate that factor. We experimented with adding Leaf in, but seeing as the Retreat Costs are so small in this deck, it felt like an unnecessary use of a Trainer.

Two copies of Mars and a single copy of Cyrus help to throw chaos into the mix, with the former causing an opponent to shuffle their hand back into their deck and draw for remaining points—essentially a stronger Red Card—and the latter dragging injured opponents back onto the field.

The Giant Cape Pokémon Tool helps to avoid Knock Outs on higher-ticket Pokémon, while Poké Ball and Professor’s Research help with necessary draw power. Some lists may suggest Pokémon Communication here, but we found that to be slightly too unreliable.

Strengths and Weaknesses

In terms of sheer damage output, this Infernape ex Pocket list is a beast. 140 damage can easily Knock Out a slew of Pokémon from highly-competitive decks, especially Grass-types like Celebi ex and Serperior. Despite the double Energy tax, it’s also exceptionally cheap.

Infernape ex and Moltres ex are nicely tanky, with 170 HP and 140 HP respectively. While opponents may target Chimchar and Monferno, they’ll be hard pressed to one-shot either of the ex cards without some exceptional power of their own.

There are plenty of Grass-type decks doing the rounds in the competitive scene, thanks to Space-Time Smackdown. This deck has a natural type advantage against decks like Celebi ex, Exeggutor ex, and Yanmega ex, making it a fun deck to take to online tournaments.

There’s also plenty of utility on offer from the non-Pokémon cards in the list. One advantage of running a deck with a low critter count is that you have plenty of space to pack in Items, Pokémon Tools, and Trainers to help aid your strategy.

There are a few issues to consider with the Infernape ex deck, though. Being a purely Fire-type deck means that it can struggle severely against Water-type decks, especially those with quick set-ups like Starmie ex or those with high damage output like Gyarados ex.

Additionally, misplaying a turn where you should’ve set up the next Flare Blitz can be a lose condition. This deck requires strong Energy Token management, and if you miss a step in-between your attacking turns, your opponent can easily out speed you.

Relying on two evolutions to get Infernape ex into play does put you at risk of Bench sniping. Chimchar and Monferno don’t have much HP, with 60 and 80 respectively, so if an opponent has Benched damage available, they can prevent you from getting Infernape ex up.

That being said, this deck still feels exceptionally strong, especially since the release of the new expansion set. If you’ve got a couple of Infernape ex cards available after ripping booster packs, take this list into your next match and see if you like the playstyle.