Pokémon TCG: 10 Strongest Stage 2 Pokémon, Ranked

In the game, although the current format enclosed within features robust fundamental Pokémon, the essence of the game revolves around transforming smaller Pokémon into stronger ones capable of dominating the game. Stage 2 Pokémon are integral to this process and serve as primary attackers for diverse decks. These cards may necessitate a longer setup time during a match, but the reward is substantial, making it advantageous for these decks to take the necessary setup time. However, these strategies can be complex to execute, so players must stay vigilant about their setup and devise countermeasures against potential disruptions.

In many competitive decks, certain Stage 2 Pokémon are frequently encountered, as they excel in the current, more gradual gameplay style. Pokémon like Gardevoir ex and Dragapult ex typically require multiple turns to establish themselves, but their ability to utilize strong support cards such as Budew allows them to gradually evolve without fear of immediate attack. Essentially, Stage 2 Pokémon capitalize on a fundamental aspect of the game by enabling players to adapt their strategies over time, making them among the most engaging cards in the game.

Control Mixed With Burst Options

In their present setup, numerous players have tinkered with strategies to throw off the prize trade and complicate their opponents’ swift victory in the game. Yet, these decks sometimes struggle to inflict damage efficiently, limiting their use in most formats. However, one specific Stage 2 One-Prizer stands out as a potent rogue deck choice due to Feraligatr’s impressive versatility and capacity to handle some of the highest HP Pokémon in the game.

Feraligatr’s Torrential Heart skill boosts the power of its Giant Wave attack substantially, but what truly stands out is the five damage markers it sets on itself. If players have two Munkidori cards in play, they can strategically move these damage markers, enabling the deck to surpass the damage limit set by many One-Prize-centric decks.

A Powerful Damage Ability

Some decks may deal less damage compared to others, yet they compensate with extensive usefulness throughout the game. These decks often come equipped with exceptional draw mechanisms to offset their lower damage output. However, a Dusknoir-based strategy effectively counters this low damage output, as these cards possess strong abilities that can enable a single attack to knock out an opponent’s Pokémon, thanks to their powerful capabilities.

In simpler terms, Dusknoir possesses the Cursed Blast skill, enabling players to knock out their own Dusknoir while placing 13 damage markers on any of their opponent’s active Pokémon or Pokémon sitting on the bench. This unique feature empowers various Stage 2 decks to interfere with the opponent’s bench and claim more than two prize cards in a single turn, making these strategies among the game’s most potent and dominant.

Recovering Discarded Resources

Energy acceleration is typically associated with the fundamental skills of Pokémon, and it plays a crucial role in the mechanics of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. However, one Stage 2 Pokémon in the format possesses a potent ability to attach energy from the discard pile to any Pokémon on the playing field.

Blaziken ex possesses the ability Seething Spirit, enabling players to attach a basic energy card from their discard pile to any Pokémon on the field. This is particularly beneficial for attackers requiring just two energy cards to attack. Although Blaziken ex isn’t commonly used in competitive matches, its energy-boosting feature makes it a versatile choice across various strategies.

A Flurry of Grass-Type Attackers

In the world of Pokémon Trading Card Game, burst damage decks are frequently known as high-speed or opening move strategies. These decks aim to establish themselves and launch attacks in the very first turn if they’re playing second. This is possible due to their consistent attackers that can be utilized early on in matches. Yet, some burst decks develop a formidable game board over time and rely on it for the remainder of the match until victory is achieved. One such deck is Hydrapple, a robust Grass-type deck capable of dishing out massive damage while simultaneously speeding up energy placement.

Hydrapple EX is a Pokémon with substantial health points that’s extremely tough to defeat. It also enables players to attach a Grass energy card from their hand to any Pokémon on the playing field, healing 30 damage from the Pokémon it’s connected to. Hydrapple does 30 damage plus an additional 30 damage for every Grass-type energy card present on the board, which makes it highly effective in combination with Teal Mask Ogerpon EX at taking out other powerful opponents. In summary, Hydrapple EX is a fantastic choice for off-meta decks, and its diverse array of attackers makes it an engaging deck to play with.

Sending Cards From the Deck to the Discard Pile

In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, playing Mill decks is often a challenging experience due to the fact that the alternate win condition is seldom met in many matches. Moreover, these strategies tend to underperform in the current game environment because they lack effectiveness. However, there’s one strategy in the game that can mill cards using its first attack, but it also has the ability to disrupt the opponent’s bench if it manages to accumulate enough energy throughout the match.

In simpler terms, Hydreigon ex’s initial move, Crashing Heatbutt, inflicts 200 damage on the opposing Pokemon and removes the top three cards from their deck. Its second attack, Obsidian, has a significant impact as it can disrupt the setup of other Stage 2 decks. In summary, Hydreigon ex requires a substantial amount of energy to use its strongest attack, but if played quickly, the benefit is substantial.

An Incredible Attack Adds Consistency

As a dedicated Pokémon fan, I’ve noticed that some iconic characters tend to get underpowered cards, but Greninja has been an exception – it’s consistently been equipped with top-tier cards across various formats. Although Radiant Greninja was rotated out on April 11th, the current format still boasts a remarkably consistent Greninja, as Greninja ex serves a multi-role purpose. It can function both as a primary and a supporting attacker in numerous Water-type decks.

When Greninja EX uses its first attack, it deals 170 damage to the opponent’s active Pokemon and lets you pick any card from your deck to add to your hand. Its second attack, however, only does 120 damage split among two of the opponent’s Pokemon, without considering weakness or resistance. This versatility makes Greninja EX a valuable addition in Water-type decks, ranking it as one of the top Stage 2 Pokemons at present.

A Consistency Card With Added Utility

Many decks often require additional support systems to perform optimally as they need to compensate for their shortcomings by incorporating some level of usefulness to locate the cards they need during a game. While certain decks possess these support systems within their deck due to potent Stage 1 cards, others must seek external help and discover alternative supportive engines. Fortunately, Pidgeot ex is an exceptionally strong choice that can be integrated into numerous decks, and its usefulness is scarcely rivaled.

Pidgeot EX boasts the Quick Search ability, enabling players to instantly grab any card from their deck and place it in their hand. This feature can frequently decide games if a player urgently needs Boss’s Orders or Iono to secure victory or extend the game for another turn. Additionally, being free from retreat costs makes Pidgeot EX an ideal pick for the active position after a Pokémon has been defeated.

Massive Late Game Damage

In the present setup, it’s almost essential for a strategy to recover after losing several key cards during a game, as fast-paced decks such as Raging Bolt possess multiple methods of seizing prize cards before the Stage 2 cards can be effectively established. Fortunately, certain decks exhibit an exceptional knack for bouncing back even when they are significantly behind, and the Charizard ex deck is designed to execute this challenging task exceptionally well.

Charizard EX’s special ability lets players attach up to three Fire Energy cards from their deck to any of their Pokemon as they wish, making it simple to prepare multiple attackers quickly. However, this strategy may not be effective early on since its base damage is just 180. As the opponent loses prize cards, though, Charizard EX becomes more damaging, potentially shifting the course of a game significantly. In fact, over the past two years, Charizard EX has been one of the most widely used strategies and remains one of the top Stage 2 cards in the game.

Amazing Energy Acceleration Allows For Versatile Attackers to Thrive

Over the past year, I’ve found Gardevoir ex to be a force to reckon with on the battlefield. However, as players adjust to the April 11 rotation and tinker with fresh support systems, its gameplay has seen quite a shift over the last few months. Despite speeding up its tempo by incorporating more Rare Candies, it still maintains the familiar playstyle I’ve grown accustomed to. This card is simply incredible at empowering other Psychic-type attackers, giving them the edge they need to dominate the game.

Gardevoir’s skill enables players to add any number of Psychic Energy cards from the discard pile to any Psychic-type Pokemon on the field, at the expense of inflicting 20 damage points on them. The role of Drifloon and Scream Tail becomes significant here, as these damage counters are advantageous because they help single-prize Pokemon like them overpower two-prize Pokemon more easily. This feature aids the strategy by disrupting the prize trade.

Efficient Damage Distribution

In the current game format, Dragapult EX is unquestionably the strongest deck, and it’s expected to remain so after the release of “Destined Rivals” towards the end of May. The strategy’s efficiency stems from the Drakloak draw engine, while its attack requires just two energy. Moreover, Dragapult EX boasts one of the most potent attacks in the game, allowing it to dominate games and claim multiple prize cards in a single turn.

In simpler terms, when Dragapult EX uses its Phantom Dive attack, it deals 200 damage to the current Pokemon and lets you add six damage markers to any of your opponent’s benched Pokemons at your discretion. This move becomes particularly advantageous if your deck includes numerous Pokemons with 210 HP, as placing those damage counters would bring them closer to being knocked out if Dragapult EX ever takes the active spot. Essentially, Dragapult EX is a very powerful deck, especially when used strategically, making it the strongest Stage 2 Pokemon in the current game format.

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2025-06-02 04:18