Pokémon TCG Pocket: Dustox and Magmar 160-Damage Deck Guide

To deal 160 damage for a single Energy in Pokémon TCG Pocket, use Team Rocket’s Magmar to inflict Special Conditions on the defending Pokémon, retreat Magmar to the Bench, and attack with Dustox. Dustox’s low-cost attack scales up against afflicted targets, allowing non-ex Pokémon to take two-prize knockouts against heavy frontliners like Mewtwo ex and Charizard ex.

Core Strategy: The Magmar-to-Dustox Combo

The deck operates as a two-piece offensive engine centered on status scaling and efficient prize trading:

1. Apply Special Conditions: Send Team Rocket’s Magmar into the Active Spot to inflict Burn and Poison. Poison deals steady chip damage during Pokémon Checkup, while Burn forces coin flips and adds passive damage between turns.
2. Pivot the Active Spot: Play X Speed or pay Magmar's retreat cost to move it to the Bench once the opponent is afflicted.
3. Strike with Dustox: Move an evolved Dustox into the Active Spot. With just one Energy attached, Dustox hits for 160 damage against a status-burdened target. Combined with the passive chip damage from Burn and Poison, the sequence crosses the 170–180 HP threshold required to knock out most Stage 2 and ex threats.

Because neither Magmar nor Dustox is an ex card, your opponent earns only a single prize card when defeating them, while you take two prizes whenever Dustox knocks out an opposing ex Pokémon.

Recommended Deck List

This build relies on a three-stage evolution line alongside search and switching items to pivot smoothly between Magmar and Dustox.

Turn Progression and Match Flow

• Turns 1–2 (Setup): If going second, push Magmar into the Active Spot and attach an Energy to threaten an early status attack. If starting with Wurmple, bench Magmar immediately and keep Wurmple active until your backline is established. Save your switching tools rather than expending them on Turn 1.
• Turns 3–4 (Evolution and Attack): Evolve through Cascoon into Dustox on the Bench. Once Magmar applies Burn and Poison, play X Speed or manually pay Magmar's retreat cost, promote Dustox, attach one Energy, and declare your attack.
• Mid-to-Late Game (Resource Management): Because Dustox requires only one Energy to attack, immediately begin attaching spare Energy to a backup Wurmple or secondary attacker on your Bench. If the active Dustox falls, having another line ready prevents your board state from collapsing.

Counterplays and Failure Points

• Evolution Cleanses: An opponent removes Special Conditions immediately upon evolving their Active Pokémon. When facing decks that evolve quickly, hold Magmar back until the opponent has already committed their evolved form to the Active Spot.
• Bench Sniping: Aggressive fast-setup decks featuring Pokémon such as Starmie ex or Articuno ex can knock out Wurmple and Cascoon before they reach Stage 2. Against high-tempo water decks, avoid benching Wurmple until you hold Cascoon and draw cards to evolve across consecutive turns.
• Retreat Stalls: If Magmar remains stuck in the Active Spot without switching cards or Energy to retreat, your offensive momentum stops. Always reserve at least one X Speed or Switch in hand rather than playing it prematurely.