With the arrival of the new Triumphant Light set in Pokemon TCG Pocket, competitive play is buzzing with excitement over several standout cards that are quickly becoming staples in top-tier decks. Players gearing up for the upcoming ranked matches and the new Emblem Event—where elite status requires five straight victories—are exploring creative card combinations to dominate the meta or outsmart it with surprise strategies. Notably, Arceus Ex has emerged as a powerhouse in this expansion, boasting a formidable attack that can deliver up to 130 damage in one blow. Yet, there’s a notable vulnerability: an uncommon card, A2a, offers a clever way to counter it.
Despite being a modest set with just 75 cards, Triumphant Light delivers a pack full of impactful options, including standouts like Leafeon Ex, Irida, and Shaymin with its Sky Support. Nevertheless, Arceus Ex is turning heads for its adaptability—capable of unleashing attacks using any Energy type, provided three are attached. Decks centered around cards like Dialga Ex are seeing even greater success with Arceus Ex in play, prompting players to devise strategies to counter it. Surprisingly, this includes the unlikely challenger, the uncommon Sudowoodo.
Interestingly, despite Sudowoodo’s notorious challenges with water in gameplay, its latest incarnation in Triumphant Light is making waves in Pokemon TCG Pocket’s competitive scene. This can be attributed to its Fighting Headbutt attack, which only requires a single Energy and deals 20 damage—plus an extra 30 if the opponent’s Pokemon is an Ex card. With Arceus Ex’s weakness to Fighting-type attacks, Sudowoodo delivers a striking 70 damage per attack for only one Energy, positioning it as a formidable counter to Arceus Ex and other Ex cards prevalent in the meta.
Moreover, a Lucario Fighting deck in Pokemon TCG Pocket can elevate Sudowoodo’s potential even further. Lucario’s ability, Fighting Coach, gives all Fighting-type Pokemon an additional 20 damage per attack. If you have two Lucario on your bench and Sudowoodo in the active role, it can inflict up to 90 damage on any Ex Pokemon—prior to accounting for weaknesses and additional buffs, such as those from Giovanni. In an ideal setup, a fully boosted Sudowoodo could deliver a staggering 120 damage to Arceus Ex, and equipping it with a Rocky Helmet ensures a KO should Arceus Ex retaliate.
Certainly, while this scenario maximizes Sudowoodo’s potential, simply being able to deal 70 damage for one Energy against top meta cards is nothing short of impressive. However, Sudowoodo’s Grass-type weakness makes it vulnerable to threats like the new Leafeon Ex and Celebi Ex decks, where Leafeon Ex can take it out with a single Solar Beam, and Celebi Ex’s success depends on favorable coin-flips. Yet, given the predominance of Ex cards in the current meta, Sudowoodo still has plenty of opportunities to shine.
Even with just a single Lucario on the bench, Sudowoodo can efficiently dispatch most Ex cards in two hits, and its ability to deal 50 damage right from the first turn (if opponents go first) makes it a powerful asset in any Fighting deck. While its inclusion in decks with multiple Energy types is currently constrained, the Fighting-type strategy is enjoying a strong position at present. As ranked matches introduce fresh dynamics to Pokemon TCG Pocket, Sudowoodo could well play a central role in the evolving meta landscape.
