Giratina ex has revolutionized the early game in Pokémon TCG Pocket by turning the once dreaded disadvantage of going first into a strategic advantage. With its unique ability to accelerate Psychic Energy attachment-even at the cost of ending your turn-this Legendary Pokémon ex reshapes the battlefield, enabling powerful combos and aggressive plays right from the start. Discover how Giratina ex decks are dominating the meta and redefining what it means to take the first move in Pokémon TCG Pocket.
Introduced in the Shining Revelry expansion, the new Giratina ex card appears to have an ability that is specifically tailored for people who go first. As far as new cards go, Giratina ex is one of the more interesting Pokémon added in the recent expansion. So here is why Giratina ex decks could become one of the stronger decks at the moment in Pokémon TCG Pocket.
Why use a Giratina ex deck in Pokémon TCG Pocket
Giratina ex decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket are highly valued because they effectively address the common disadvantage of going first, which normally restricts energy attachment. Giratina ex’s ability, Broken-Space Bellow, allows players to attach an extra Psychic Energy immediately, accelerating setup and turning a typical early-game weakness into a strategic advantage. With 150 HP and a powerful attack, Chaotic Impact, Giratina ex can deal significant damage to many meta-relevant Pokémon, making it a formidable contender. The deck’s synergy with key Supporter cards and other Pokémon like Darkrai ex enhances its versatility and pressure on opponents, allowing for dynamic and efficient gameplay. This combination makes Giratina ex decks simple to use yet highly effective in ranked battles, positioning them as a top-tier choice in the current meta.
Giratina ex is a basic psychic-type Pokémon that has 150 HP and a retreat cost of two. Its ability, Broken-Space Bellow, allows you to take attach a bonus psychic energy to Giratina ex. Once you use this ability, though, your turn immediately ends. Giratina ex has one attack, Chaotic Impact, that deals 130 damage, but also does 20 damage to Giratina ex. You need to attach four energy to Giratina ex to use it.
Broken-Space Bellow is fantastic if you go first in a battle. Just play it Giratina ex right away and use its ability to attach an additional energy on, turning a curse into a blessing.
Chaotic Impact is strong enough to clear through many basic, early evolution Pokémon. If you pair Giratina ex with a Rocky Helmet, Druddigon, or Darkrai ex, it can easily threaten heavy hitters like Arceus ex or Dialga ex. Those three cards can help you shave off just enough HP so that Giratina ex can clear through the remaining HP (so they are all great additions if you want to build a deck).
Trainer cards like Poké Ball can help you fish your Giratina ex out of your deck more quickly while Giant Cape can help you mitigate some of the recoil damage. Otherwise, other standard support cards like Leaf and Cyruswill be your friend here.
The flip side of using a Giratina ex deck is that it could be a drag if you aren’t able to play a Giratina ex early in the game. Broken-Space Bellow doesn’t allow you to attack, so it’s less than optimal if you’re at a point in the battle when you need to be dealing damage consistently. (Also, losing 20 damage per attack isn’t always the safest strategy when there are so many other strong cards out there.)
How does Giratina ex turn the tide of going first in Pokémon TCG Pocket
Giratina ex transforms the disadvantage of going first in Pokémon TCG Pocket by using its ability, Broken-Space Bellow, to attach a bonus Psychic Energy to itself immediately-even though this ends the turn. This unique mechanic allows players to start powering up Giratina ex from turn one, bypassing the usual restriction that prevents energy attachment when going first. With 150 HP and a powerful attack, Giratina ex can quickly build momentum, forcing opponents to face a strong threat early on and effectively turning the traditional first-turn weakness into a strategic advantage.
How does Broken-Space Bellow give me an advantage when I go first
Broken-Space Bellow gives you an advantage when you go first in Pokémon TCG Pocket by allowing Giratina ex to attach a Psychic Energy card to itself immediately, even though this ends your turn. Normally, players going first cannot attach energy on their opening turn, which slows down their ability to power up Pokémon. Giratina ex’s ability bypasses this restriction, letting you start building energy right away and accelerating your offensive setup. This early energy attachment means Giratina ex can threaten your opponent sooner, effectively turning the usual drawback of going first into a tactical edge.
