Mega Altaria ex is one of the strongest decks in Pokemon TCG Pocket right now, known for its bench-scaling attack that can hit huge numbers while staying surprisingly resilient thanks to healing and draw support. This Stage Two Psychic attacker from the Mega Rising expansion excels in ranked play by quickly filling the bench, turning Mega Harmony's base 130 damage into 220 or more against a full bench. Players appreciate its straightforward setup, making it strong for mid-tier climbing and solid enough for tournament top eights, as recent regionals have shown Pokemon TCG Pocket Items.
The deck typically runs two Mega Altaria ex as the main attackers, supported by two Swablu to evolve quickly with Rare Candy or naturally. Sylveon ex and Eevee provide early draw with Happy Ribbon, helping you find your pieces on the first turn, while Indeedee ex offers healing to stall trades. A single Altaria can counter Pom-Pom Oricorio decks, and tech choices like Jirachi or Sableye give extra searching or disruption. This 20-card core balances aggression with sustainability without relying too heavily on luck.
Trainers help the deck run smoothly. Professor's Research and Poke Ball make sure you hit evolutions and energies on time, Lisia or May provide basic searches, and Cyrus or Mars can disrupt opponent benches. Items like Giant Cape protect Mega Altaria's 190 HP, and Rocky Helmet punishes decks that rely on contact damage. Energy is mostly Psychic, with some Colorless for retreat flexibility.
Gameplay starts by using Eevee into Sylveon ex for draw, setting up Swablu on the bench and ramping energy. Promote Mega Altaria ex by turn two or three and use your bench to pump damage, with each benched Pokemon adding 30 to Mega Harmony. Against Steel-heavy decks, you can reposition threats with Sabrina or swap to regular Altaria. Healing from Indeedee ex and Pokemon Center Lady helps manage chip damage. The deck does well in longer games, punishing greedy benches while tools like Red Card disrupt opponent hands.
Weaknesses are mainly fast Steel decks or Oricorio locks that stop ex attackers, but tech cards can counter most matchups. Pom-Pom Oricorio can block damage, so quick swaps or bench snipes are key. Lightning types like Zapdos variants apply spread pressure, but Mega Altaria's scaling keeps it competitive. It generally outperforms Mega Gyarados and Blaziken, especially after Mega Rising updates improved Psychic consistency.
To build the deck, players focus on packs like Mega Altaria for the star and Swablu, Eevee Grove for Sylveon, and Promo-A for draw cards. Free-to-play players can grind events or shop deals, while others open packs in bulk. Recent meta trends favor it over Giratina spam because Mega Altaria's healing stalls control decks. Variants exist, but Beebom/Game8 hybrids dominate leaderboards with optimized ratios Pokemon TCG Pocket Items buy.
Mega Altaria ex is a flexible, powerful deck for January 2026 ranked play. Its bench-scaling damage, solid healing, and consistent draws make it easy to pilot yet hard to counter, securing its place as a must-build deck for players chasing top ranks in the current meta.