Mega Starmie ex

What Mega Starmie ex looks like when you open the box

Across the 101 lists we counted, this deck runs 13 to 21 Pokémon, 25 to 39 Trainers and 6 to 14 Energy. Its attacks are paid for in Water.

On results pages and on stream you will see it written « mega-starmie-ex ». Every card named in that label turns up in the tables below, which is what makes it a fair name for the deck.

Look at the Energy: 6 to 14 out of 60, when half the 126 decks we track run 11 or more. This one is lean. It lives on cheap attacks and leans on Trainers to find the right Energy at the right moment rather than stockpiling it.

It sets up fast. Mega Starmie ex is a Stage 1 Pokémon: a Basic, one evolution on top, and you are attacking. Two cards instead of three. You lose fewer turns building, and you rebuild much more easily when an early knockout lands on you.

Look at the Trainers: 25 to 39 cards out of 60, against a median of 31 across the 126 decks we track. Inside that, 7 to 19 Supporters, and the rule there is strict — one a turn, even if you are holding three. The 10 to 22 Items you can play all of in the same turn. It also brings up to 4 Stadiums, and 88 of the 126 decks we track bring that many or more. Only one Stadium sits on the table at a time: the one you play sends the one already there to the discard pile.

What Tools and Stadiums do — the two Trainer families we skipped here — and why the Energy count says so much: how to read a deck list.

How Mega Starmie ex actually wins

Mega Starmie ex attacks with Nebula Beam for 210. It needs 3 Colorless Energy attached, and it has 330 HP. And the number is not everything the card says. There is one more line printed under the attack, and it is the one everybody skips: "This attack's damage isn't affected by Weakness or Resistance, or by any effects on your opponent's Active Pokémon."

The cost of Nebula Beam decides your first few turns. You only get to attach one Energy a turn, and that attack asks for 3. On your own attachments alone, your first real swing lands on turn 3. We have not found anything in this list that attaches Energy faster than that, so plan on holding out for 2 turns before you swing. Those turns still get played: you fill your Bench, you build your lines, and you keep something back to rebuild with when your attacker falls.

Energy is not your only clock. Staryu has to climb a step before it becomes Mega Starmie ex, and an evolution asleep at the bottom of your deck does you no good at all. The list has that covered. Hilda, which the list runs 2 of, goes into your deck for an evolution. Careful, though: only 97 of the 101 lists bring it, so it is a choice, and players are still arguing about it.

Here is the detail that quietly loses games. To pull Mega Starmie ex back to the Bench you have to discard 2 Energy attached to it. Retreating does not cost you your turn, you can step back and still swing right after. What it costs you is the 2 Energy you spent 2 turns attaching, and you start that climb again from nothing. Pack a card that moves it for free, or send it up knowing it stays up.

Mega Starmie ex is a Mega Evolution ex, and that is the most expensive rule in the game: your opponent takes 3 Prize cards instead of one the turn it goes down. They need 6 to win the game, so 2 well-placed knockouts on that card beat you, where it would take 6 knockouts anywhere else on your Bench.

The attackers in the deck's core, with their best attack, its cost and their Weakness

Pokémon	HP	Attack	Damage	Cost	Weakness	Retreat
Close Mega Starmie exStage 1	330	Nebula Beam	210		Lightning ×2	2
Close StaryuBasic	70	Water Gun	20		Lightning ×2	1

The core: the 4 cards every list runs

These 4 cards appear in all 101 lists, without a single exception. That is 13 of the 60 slots. The other 47 are decided player by player.

Look at how those 13 slots break down: 7 Trainers, 6 Pokémon, 0 Energy. Trainers outweigh everything else put together, which is the mark of a deck that goes and fetches its cards rather than waiting to draw them.

4 of those 4 cards do not sit at the same count from list to list: Mega Starmie ex (2 to 4), Staryu (2 to 4) and Buddy-Buddy Poffin (3 to 4), plus 1 more. Add those spreads up and you get 8 copies the 101 lists do not agree on, inside the core itself.

What "3 to 4" means in the copies column, what the "TWM 130" code under each name is for, and why we count dozens of lists instead of one: how to read a deck list.

The cards present in every list counted, with the number of copies

Copies	Card	Printing	Kind	Rotation
2–4	Close Mega Starmie ex	POR 21	Pokémon	stays
2–4	Close Staryu	POR 20	Pokémon	stays
3–4	Close Buddy-Buddy Poffin	TEF 144	Trainer	leaves
1–4	Close Boss's Orders	MEG 114	Trainer	stays

The 110 cards that change from list to list

110 cards fight over the 47 slots that are left: 11 above three lists in four, 82 below one in four, and the percentage on each row says how many players took it.

The most agreed on first: Lillie's Determination at 98 %, Water Energy at 97 % and Hilda at 96 %, plus 8 more above 75 %. Add those to the core and you have the common build.

The dividing line runs through Switch, at 50 %: 51 of 101 players took it, 50 put something else there. The ones who run it bring 2 copies. Right at the bottom of the table, Dudunsparce (23 lists out of 101) and Judge (23 lists out of 101).

Why a card at 45 % is not a bad card, and what order to buy all this in: how to read a deck list.

The cards some lists run and others don't, most common first

Lists running it	Card	Copies	Printing	Kind
98 %99/101	Close Lillie's Determination	2–4	MEG 119	Trainer
97 %98/101	Water Energy	1–11	MEE 3	Energy
96 %97/101	Close Hilda	1–4	WHT 84	Trainer
92 %93/101	Close Wally's Compassion	1–4	MEG 132	Trainer
92 %93/101	Close Ultra Ball	1–4	MEG 131	Trainer
90 %91/101	Close Ignition Energy	1–4	WHT 86	Energy
86 %87/101	Close Mega Froslass ex	1–4	ASC 47	Pokémon
86 %87/101	Close Snorunt	1–4	ASC 46	Pokémon
85 %86/101	Close Salvatore	1–4	TEF 160	Trainer
80 %81/101	Close Poké Pad	2–4	POR 81	Trainer
78 %79/101	Close Meowth ex	1–3	POR 62	Pokémon
74 %75/101	Close Bubbly Water Energy	1–4	CRI 84	Energy
71 %72/101	Close Night Stretcher	1–4	ASC 196	Trainer
63 %64/101	Close Battle Cage	1–3	PFL 85	Trainer
56 %57/101	Close Xerosic's Machinations	1	SFA 64	Trainer
55 %56/101	Close Team Rocket's Petrel	1–2	DRI 176	Trainer
51 %52/101	Close Pokégear 3.0	1–4	SVI 186	Trainer
51 %52/101	Close Hero's Cape	1	TEF 152	Trainer
50 %51/101	Close Switch	1–3	MEG 130	Trainer
46 %46/101	Close Fezandipiti ex	1–2	ASC 142	Pokémon
46 %46/101	Close Special Red Card	1–2	CRI 82	Trainer
44 %44/101	Close Shaymin	1	DRI 10	Pokémon
44 %44/101	Close Mega Signal	1–3	MEG 121	Trainer
43 %43/101	Close Drakloak	1–3	TWM 129	Pokémon
43 %43/101	Close Dreepy	1–3	TWM 128	Pokémon
34 %34/101	Close Budew	1–2	ASC 16	Pokémon
27 %27/101	Close Air Balloon	1–2	ASC 181	Trainer
26 %26/101	Close Legacy Energy	1	TWM 167	Energy
23 %23/101	Close Dudunsparce	2–4	TEF 129	Pokémon
23 %23/101	Close Judge	1–2	POR 76	Trainer
22 %22/101	Close Surfing Beach	1–3	MEG 129	Trainer
19 %19/101	Darkness Energy	1–3	MEE 7	Energy
18 %18/101	Close Dunsparce	1–4	JTG 120	Pokémon
18 %18/101	Close Munkidori	1–3	TWM 95	Pokémon
18 %18/101	Close Patrat	1	CRI 70	Pokémon
17 %17/101	Close Risky Ruins	1–3	MEG 127	Trainer
17 %17/101	Close Energy Search	1–4	POR 72	Trainer
15 %15/101	Close Tool Scrapper	1–2	ASC 212	Trainer
13 %13/101	Close Scoop Up Cyclone	1	TWM 162	Trainer
12 %12/101	Close Mew ex	1–4	30C 66	Pokémon
12 %12/101	Close Psyduck	1	ASC 39	Pokémon
11 %11/101	Close Crispin	1–3	SCR 133	Trainer
10 %10/101	Close Latias ex	1	SSP 76	Pokémon
9 %9/101	Close Dunsparce	1–3	TEF 128	Pokémon
9 %9/101	Close Dark Bell	2–3	PBL 75	Trainer
8 %8/101	Close Team Rocket's Watchtower	1–3	DRI 180	Trainer
6 %6/101	Close Froslass	1	TWM 53	Pokémon
6 %6/101	Close Colress's Tenacity	1–2	SFA 57	Trainer
6 %6/101	Close Handheld Fan	1–2	TWM 150	Trainer
5 %5/101	Close Dudunsparce ex	1	JTG 121	Pokémon
5 %5/101	Close Fan Rotom	1	SCR 118	Pokémon
5 %5/101	Close Jamming Tower	1–2	TWM 153	Trainer
4 %4/101	Close Team Rocket's Crobat ex	2–3	DRI 122	Pokémon
4 %4/101	Close Team Rocket's Golbat	3	DRI 121	Pokémon
4 %4/101	Close Team Rocket's Zubat	3	DRI 120	Pokémon
4 %4/101	Close Buneary	1–2	PFL 83	Pokémon
4 %4/101	Close Mega Lopunny ex	1–2	PFL 84	Pokémon
4 %4/101	Close Crushing Hammer	2–4	POR 71	Trainer
4 %4/101	Close Gravity Mountain	1–2	SSP 177	Trainer
4 %4/101	Close Mist Energy	1–3	TEF 161	Energy
3 %3/101	Close Amaura	1	POR 23	Pokémon
3 %3/101	Close Aurorus	1–2	POR 24	Pokémon
3 %3/101	Close Lillie's Clefairy ex	1	JTG 56	Pokémon
3 %3/101	Close Antique Sail Fossil	1–2	POR 69	Trainer
3 %3/101	Close Fossil Quarry	1	PBL 76	Trainer
3 %3/101	Close Misty's Vitality	1	PBL 80	Trainer
3 %3/101	Close Secret Box	1	TWM 163	Trainer
2 %2/101	Close Chien-Pao	1	SSP 56	Pokémon
2 %2/101	Close Dragonair	1	ASC 151	Pokémon
2 %2/101	Close Dratini	1	ASC 150	Pokémon
2 %2/101	Close Glalie	1	TWM 52	Pokémon
2 %2/101	Close Moltres	1	PFL 14	Pokémon
2 %2/101	Close Team Rocket's Sneasel	1	DRI 128	Pokémon
2 %2/101	Close Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex	1	TWM 64	Pokémon
2 %2/101	Close Dawn	1–2	PFL 87	Trainer
2 %2/101	Close Rare Candy	2	MEG 125	Trainer
2 %2/101	Close Enhanced Hammer	1	TWM 148	Trainer
2 %2/101	Close Hand Trimmer	1	TEF 150	Trainer
2 %2/101	Close Hyper Aroma	1	TWM 152	Trainer
2 %2/101	Close Lana's Aid	1	TWM 155	Trainer
2 %2/101	Close Lucian	1	TWM 157	Trainer
2 %2/101	Close Team Rocket's Energy	3–4	DRI 182	Energy
2 %2/101	Fire Energy	1	MEE 2	Energy
2 %2/101	Close Neo Upper Energy	1	TEF 162	Energy
1 %1/101	Close Dusclops	2	PRE 36	Pokémon
1 %1/101	Close Duskull	2	PRE 35	Pokémon
1 %1/101	Close Hisuian Zorua	2	30C 122	Pokémon
1 %1/101	Close Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex	1	TWM 141	Pokémon
1 %1/101	Close Dragapult ex	1	TWM 130	Pokémon
1 %1/101	Close Hisuian Zoroark	1	30C 123	Pokémon
1 %1/101	Close Rabsca	1	TEF 24	Pokémon
1 %1/101	Close Rellor	1	DRI 24	Pokémon
1 %1/101	Close Team Rocket's Mimikyu	1	DRI 87	Pokémon
1 %1/101	Close Yveltal	1	MEG 88	Pokémon
1 %1/101	Close Pokémon Catcher	3	POR 82	Trainer
1 %1/101	Close Roto-Stick	2	PRE 127	Trainer
1 %1/101	Close Black Belt's Training	1	JTG 143	Trainer
1 %1/101	Close Cyrano	1	SSP 170	Trainer
1 %1/101	Close Energy Retrieval	1	SVI 171	Trainer
1 %1/101	Close Energy Switch	1	MEG 115	Trainer
1 %1/101	Close Great Haul Net	1	CRI 78	Trainer
1 %1/101	Close Kieran	1	TWM 154	Trainer
1 %1/101	Close Larry's Skill	1	PRE 115	Trainer
1 %1/101	Close Lucky Helmet	1	TWM 158	Trainer
1 %1/101	Close Prime Catcher	1	TEF 157	Trainer
1 %1/101	Close Rosa's Encouragement	1	POR 84	Trainer
1 %1/101	Close Surfer	1	SSP 187	Trainer
1 %1/101	Close Enriching Energy	1	SSP 191	Energy
1 %1/101	Close Prism Energy	1	ASC 216	Energy
1 %1/101	Psychic Energy	1	MEE 5	Energy

The most common Mega Starmie ex list, all 60 cards

Here they are in full, ready to build. 13 slots come from the core, the cards all 101 lists run. The remaining 47 come from the table just above, working down it: the cards the most players chose, each at its most common copy count, until the total lands on 60.

This list is nobody's list in particular. It takes, slot by slot, what the most people played, under the guardrails a judge would hold you to: never more than four copies of a card, and one ACE SPEC. Behind the core it took 24 more cards to reach 60. The whole thing comes to 14 Pokémon, 38 Trainers and 8 Energy.

One thing to know before you build it: the 101 lists we counted are all from players who came in the top twenty of their tournament. Nobody publishes the lists of the players who lost. So what you have in front of you is what the players finishing near the top bring most often.

The text under the table is the one the game expects: copy it, paste it into the deck manager, and the list builds itself.

Why we only read lists from players who came in the top twenty of their tournament, and what that changes about every percentage on this page: how to read a deck list.

Pokémon: 14
3 Mega Starmie ex POR 21
3 Staryu POR 20
2 Mega Froslass ex ASC 47
2 Snorunt ASC 46
1 Meowth ex POR 62
1 Fezandipiti ex ASC 142
1 Shaymin DRI 10
1 Drakloak TWM 129

Trainer: 38
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144
3 Boss's Orders MEG 114
3 Lillie's Determination MEG 119
2 Hilda WHT 84
4 Wally's Compassion MEG 132
3 Ultra Ball MEG 131
1 Salvatore TEF 160
4 Poké Pad POR 81
2 Night Stretcher ASC 196
3 Battle Cage PFL 85
1 Xerosic's Machinations SFA 64
1 Team Rocket's Petrel DRI 176
2 Pokégear 3.0 SVI 186
1 Hero's Cape TEF 152
2 Switch MEG 130
1 Special Red Card CRI 82
1 Mega Signal MEG 121

Energy: 8
4 Water Energy MEE 3
3 Ignition Energy WHT 86
1 Bubbly Water Energy CRI 84

Total Cards: 60

Which decks beat Mega Starmie ex at tournaments

Here is how Mega Starmie ex did against every other deck at tournaments. Real games, real players sitting across the table from each other, and the platform those tournaments run on counts them one by one. All of them were played after 30th Celebration became legal for tournaments, and we read the table on 23 October 2026.

The format matters more than people think. When the next set lands, decks get rebuilt around the new cards, and a matchup that leaned one way can swing the other. What you are reading holds for today's format.

We start with the opponent that gives you the most trouble, because that is where the work is before your next tournament. The further down the list you go, the better it goes for you.

Always look at the number of games next to the score. Six wins out of ten happens on its own, even with a middling deck: it is the same as flipping six heads in ten tries. Six hundred out of a thousand, and luck has nothing to do with it. Below 100 games we show nothing at all, because at that count half the matchups look like they lean one way when they lean nowhere.

Against Dragapult ex: over 111 games, 44 won and 63 lost. 4 ended with no winner.

How many different cards Mega Starmie ex needs, and how long it will last

You need 114 different cards to cover every version of this deck, 4 of which nobody argues about. The rest is where lists differ from one another, and that is where you have room to choose.

100 of these 101 lists bring an ACE SPEC, and that is where they part ways: 52 took Hero's Cape, 26 took Legacy Energy and 13 took Scoop Up Cyclone. The flex table shows you all 8. You are allowed ONE ACE SPEC card in your whole deck, so a single copy covers it whatever it costs. New to this deck? Take Hero's Cape and watch what the others do with theirs before you switch.

Then there is time. 1 of the 4 core cards carries the letter H, the one that goes at the next rotation: Buddy-Buddy Poffin. The core table marks it. In copies, that is 4 of the 13 slots the core fills. Which day it lands, we do not know yet.

What Mega Starmie ex struggles against

The attackers in this deck are Weak to Lightning, so they take DOUBLE damage from that type. 9 of the 126 decks we track attack in exactly that type.

Concretely, here is what is waiting for you: Mega Manectric ex / Eelektrik, Eelektrik and Iono's Bellibolt ex, plus 6 more decks. The table below takes them one at a time, and those are the lists you practise against first before an event.

This table counts one thing, Weakness, and that comes to 9 decks out of the 126 we track. The other 117 do not attack into yours, and this table says nothing about them. You will still run into them.

Going the other way, your attackers are Water, and 13 of the decks we track have an attacker Weak to one of those: Dragapult ex / Blaziken ex, Ethan's Typhlosion and Ceruledge ex, among others. That is you doubling, for once. Second half of the table.