Rayquaza ex Drop Event cards decks Pokémon TCG Pocket strategies and counters

Soar into the Pokémon TCG Pocket’s most electrifying challenge yet-the Rayquaza ex Drop Event. For a limited time, players can battle through tiers of AI opponents to snag the legendary Rayquaza ex and a suite of exclusive promo cards, all while unlocking powerful deck strategies that could reshape the meta. Ready to claim your dragon and dominate the event? Here’s every card you can win, plus the best decks to conquer the skies.

The event – which started on Wednesday, April 30, and will run through Tuesday, May 13 – offers a chance to get promo cards like Rayquaza ex, Rayquaza, and Farfetch’d. The drop event is one of two events where players can currently earn a Rayquaza ex card, though if you’re looking for the full-art version, see our guide on how to get a free full-art Rayquaza ex.

This Pokémon TCG Pocket guide will go over all Rayquaza ex Drop Event promo cards and give you some ideas on the best cards to counter the Rayquaza ex decks you’ll be facing in the event.

All ’Rayquaza ex Drop Event’ promo cards list

The Rayquaza ex Drop Event in Pokémon TCG Pocket features five exclusive promo cards, each obtainable from Promo Pack A Series Vol. 7 earned by winning solo battles during the event. The lineup includes two brand-new cards-Rayquaza ex and Rayquaza-and three alternate art reprints: Farfetch’d, Exeggcute, and Froakie. Rayquaza ex is a powerful Colorless-type ex Pokémon with 140 HP and the Draco Meteor attack, while the regular Rayquaza offers a high-damage Spiral Rush attack. The remaining promos-Farfetch’d, Exeggcute, and Froakie-feature unique artwork and serve as solid additions for collectors or newer players catching up on older sets. Each promo card is marked with a special stamp to denote its event exclusivity.

There are five promo cards you can earn through the Rayquaza ex Drop Event. Here they all are:

• Exeggcute is a basic grass-type card with 50 HP and a retreat cost of one energy. It can use the move, Growth Spurt, and it allows the player to take a grass energy and attach it to Exeggcute.
• Froakie is a basic water-type card with 60 HP and a retreat cost of one energy. It can use the attack Flop. It requires one energy to use and it does 10 damage.
• Farfetch’d is a basic type card with 60 HP and a retreat cost of one energy. It can use the attack Leek Slap, which does 40 damage and requires one energy to use.
• Rayquaza is a basic colorless card with 100 HP and a retreat cost of one. It can use one attack, Spiral Rush. It requires four energy to use and does 70 base damage. It can do 30 more damage if you flip a coin and you get heads.
• Rayquaza ex is a basic colorless type that has 140 HP and a retreat cost of two energy. It can use the move Draco Meteor. This attacks chooses one of your opponent’s Pokémon at random four times and does 40 damage each time a Pokémon is chosen.

How to get all ’Rayquaza ex Drop Event’ cards

To collect all the ’Rayquaza ex Drop Event’ cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket, you need to participate in the event battles from April 30 to May 13, 2025. Each time you complete a battle, you have a chance to earn a Promo Pack A Series Vol. 7, which contains one of the five exclusive promo cards: Rayquaza ex, Rayquaza, Exeggcute, Froakie, or Farfetch’d. These promo packs are random rewards for winning battles, with higher drop rates on harder difficulties-Expert difficulty guarantees a promo pack, while Advanced offers about an 80% chance. Event stamina is required for each battle and regenerates over time, but you can also use Event Hourglasses to play more frequently. Keep playing and winning battles, especially on Expert, to maximize your chances of obtaining all five cards before the event ends.

You earn cards by opening cards from Promo Pack A Series Vol. 7. These packs contain one promo card per pack and have a pink wrapper exterior. You earn them by completing the battles in the “Gible Drop Event.” One battle requires one token of Event Stamina, which recharges passively over time or can be replenished with Event Hourglass.

You aren’t guaranteed to win a promo pack for each battle challenge you win: The promo card packs are listed in the game as a “chance reward” for every single battle. However, in AELGAMES’s experience, we had a much higher chance of earning one from finishing battles on the “Expert” difficulty. In fact, it rewarded us with a promo pack every time we beat the bot on that level.

Best decks for the ’Rayquaza ex Drop Event’

For the ‘Rayquaza ex Drop Event’ in Pokémon TCG Pocket, the best decks to use are those that exploit the event’s AI decks’ weakness to Lightning-type attacks. The Pikachu ex deck stands out as the top choice, capable of overwhelming both beginner and expert opponents with its aggressive strategy and high damage output. Even if you don’t draw Pikachu ex early, other Lightning-type decks featuring Zapdos ex or Pachirisu ex are highly effective, letting you quickly knock out key threats like Manaphy and Greninja before the AI can set up its powerful Rayquaza ex.

There are four difficulty levels in the Rayquaza ex Drop Event: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert. The deck-building advice below will set you up to tackle the Expert difficulty, so you can breeze through the easier difficulties using the advice below.

The decks in the Rayquaza ex Drop Event feature decks that use cards that are weak to lighting type attacks like Rayquaza and Greninja. As a result, you will want to focus on building lighting-type decks for this challenge.

• If you just want a generally strong deck, you could use a deck based on Giratina ex or the new Alolan Raichu ex introduced in Celestial Guardians.
• If you want to clear the battle tasks and avoid using ex or other rare cards, we completed this challenge with a pretty straightforward deck that used Magnezone evolutionary line (with the Magneton from Genetic Apex Pikachu) and Electrode from Genetic Apex Pikachu. Both of these cards, which are more common, are strong enough to take on Greninja, Rayquaza, and Rayquaza ex.
• Pokémon Tool cards be indispensable in challenges like these. In particular, we found that the Rocky Helmet was a useful card. It allowed us to chip away and clear away a bunch of Froakie and other cards before the computer was able to set up anything too strong. Additionally, Giant Cape can beef up the HP of your basic Pokémon.

How can I build the ultimate Rayquaza ex deck for this event

Building the Ultimate Rayquaza ex Deck for the Drop Event

Key Principles

• Focus on fast Energy acceleration to power up Rayquaza ex’s high-cost attacks.

• Support Rayquaza ex with Pokémon that can help set up your board, heal, or accelerate Energy.

• Include Trainer cards for consistency, healing, and tactical advantage.

Top Deck Variants

1. Rayquaza ex + Palkia ex (Best Overall)

• Core Pokémon: Rayquaza ex ×2, Palkia ex ×2, Manaphy ×2

• Key Trainers: Irida (for healing and setup), Sabrina (board control), Leaf, Giant Cape (HP boost), Cyrus, Mars, Professor’s Research, Poké Ball

• Strategy: Use Manaphy’s Oceanic Gift to accelerate Energy onto Rayquaza ex and Palkia ex. Palkia ex can attack for just one Energy, buying time to build up Rayquaza ex. Irida provides healing, while Giant Cape increases survivability. Sabrina and Cyrus offer control options.

2. Rayquaza ex + Giratina ex

• Core Pokémon: Rayquaza ex ×1, Giratina ex ×2

• Key Trainers: Sabrina ×2, Leaf ×2, Giant Cape ×2, Cyrus, Dawn, Mars, Pokémon Center Lady, Red, Potion, Poké Ball, Professor’s Research

• Strategy: Giratina ex offers an alternative heavy hitter. This deck is less reliant on discarding Energy compared to Mewtwo ex builds, allowing Rayquaza ex to use Draco Meteor repeatedly.

3. Passimian ex + Rayquaza ex

• Core Pokémon: Rayquaza ex, Passimian ex

• Strategy: Lead with Passimian ex to ramp up Energy. When Passimian is knocked out, transfer its Energy to Rayquaza ex for a powerful comeback. This combo is praised for its synergy and resilience against forced switches.

General Tips for the Event

• Many event decks are vulnerable to Lightning-type attacks, so consider including Lightning attackers or techs if you’re struggling.

• Tool cards like Rocky Helmet (chip damage) and Giant Cape (HP boost) are valuable for surviving longer and softening up threats.

• If you lack rare cards, a Magnezone evolutionary line (with Magneton Genetic Apex and Pikachu) is a solid budget option that can still handle Rayquaza ex and Greninja.

Sample Deck List (Rayquaza ex + Palkia ex Variant)

• 2× Rayquaza ex

• 2× Palkia ex

• 2× Manaphy

• 2× Irida

• 2× Leaf

• 2× Giant Cape

• 1× Sabrina

• 1× Cyrus

• 2× Mars

• 2× Professor’s Research

• 2× Poké Ball

• (Add Water and other necessary Energy cards)

Summary Table: Rayquaza ex Deck Variants

For the ultimate Rayquaza ex deck, prioritize Energy acceleration, survivability, and consistency-then unleash Draco Meteor to dominate the event’s toughest battles.

What are the key cards to include for a strong Rayquaza ex deck in this event

Key Cards for a Strong Rayquaza ex Deck in the Drop Event

Essential Pokémon

• Rayquaza ex: The centerpiece, with 140 HP and the powerful Draco Meteor attack, capable of spreading 160 damage across four random targets for a big swing.

• Passimian ex: Excellent for early- to mid-game attacking and, when knocked out, can transfer its energy to Rayquaza ex, setting up for a strong finish.

• Manaphy and Greninja: Useful for energy acceleration and bench sniping, helping Rayquaza ex get powered up quickly and disrupt opponents.

Top Trainer and Support Cards

• Giant Cape: Increases HP of your Pokémon, helping Rayquaza ex and others survive longer against powerful attacks.

• Rocky Helmet: Deals chip damage to attackers, softening up threats for Draco Meteor to finish off.

• Professor’s Research: Provides crucial draw power for consistency and finding needed cards quickly.

• Poke Ball: Helps search out key Pokémon like Rayquaza ex and support options.

• Mars and Cyrus: Disruption and control, making it harder for opponents to set up or recover.

• Leaf: Healing support, keeping Rayquaza ex and other attackers in play longer.

• Ilima: Strong draw support, especially effective in decks built for consistency.

Alternative and Tech Options

• Arceus ex: Offers consistent damage with a lower attack cost, providing backup if Rayquaza ex is not ready.

• Magnezone line: A budget-friendly alternative that can still handle Rayquaza ex and other threats if you lack rare cards.

Summary Table

Including these cards will give your Rayquaza ex deck the power, consistency, and resilience needed to excel in the event.