Mega Steelix EX & Indeedee EX Deck Guide

Strategy Overview

Mega Steelix ex Indeedee ex is a durable Metal control deck built around one main objective: establish Mega Steelix ex, make it as difficult as possible to knock out, and force the opponent to spend more turns and more resources on every prize than you do. Unlike aggressive decks that try to take knockouts as quickly as possible, Mega Steelix ex Indeedee ex is comfortable playing a slower game. Its main attacker does not need to defeat every opposing Pokémon in one hit. Instead, it wants to survive repeated attacks, heal meaningful damage every turn, reduce incoming damage through multiple defensive effects, and eventually win through superior prize trades. Mega Steelix ex is the centerpiece of the deck. It evolves from Onix, has 220 HP, and uses Adamantine Rolling for 120 damage. Adamantine Rolling requires four Energy, including two Metal Energy and two Colorless Energy. After Mega Steelix ex attacks, it takes 20 less damage from attacks during the opponent’s following turn and has no Weakness during that same period. That effect is what makes Mega Steelix ex different from most large attackers. It is not only bulky because of its printed HP. It also becomes harder to damage after it attacks. Normally, Mega Steelix ex has a Fire Weakness. After Adamantine Rolling, however, that Weakness is removed until the end of the opponent’s next turn. This means Fire decks cannot simply rely on the normal Weakness bonus to remove Mega Steelix ex after it has attacked. That defensive timing is extremely important and should influence when you choose to attack. The goal is usually to get Mega Steelix ex active as soon as it has enough Energy and enough protection. Once it has attacked with Adamantine Rolling, the opponent needs to deal with a 220-HP Mega Evolution Pokémon that is taking 20 less damage and no longer has a Weakness for that turn cycle. However, Mega Steelix ex does have one major downside: it requires four Energy. This is where Brock becomes essential. Brock lets you take a Fighting Energy from the Energy Zone and attach it to one of your Onix. In this deck, Onix is the relevant target. Brock gives Mega Steelix ex an indirect Energy acceleration route because the Fighting Energy can be attached before Onix evolves. A strong Brock sequence looks like this: Start with Onix in play. Use Brock to attach a Fighting Energy from the Energy Zone to Onix. Attach another Energy manually during the same turn. Continue attaching Energy over following turns. Evolve into Mega Steelix ex once Onix has enough Energy or is close to attacking. The deck plays multiple Brock copies because you want to find it early. Brock cannot be used after Onix has evolved into Mega Steelix ex, so timing matters a lot. Do not evolve too early if you still need Brock acceleration and have no other way to reach four Energy quickly. Since Brock is a Supporter, you can only use one Brock per turn. The second copy is not there to create two Energy attachments in one turn. It is there to improve consistency and give you another chance to use the effect across multiple turns. Onix is not an exciting attacker, but it plays an important role before evolution. Its Dig attack can deal damage and may prevent damage on a favorable coin flip, which can sometimes buy one extra turn while you prepare Mega Steelix ex. More often, though, Onix is simply the Energy platform that Brock needs. Indeedee ex is the second core Pokémon in the deck. Its Watch Over Ability lets you heal 20 damage from your Active Pokémon once during your turn. This is extremely valuable because Mega Steelix ex wants to remain Active for multiple turns. Indeedee ex turns Mega Steelix ex from a large attacker into a sustained defensive wall. If Mega Steelix ex takes damage but survives, Indeedee ex removes 20 damage before you even use other healing cards. Over several turns, that constant recovery adds up quickly. The best Mega Steelix ex turns often follow this sequence: Begin the turn with Mega Steelix ex damaged but still Active. Use Indeedee ex to heal 20 damage. Use a healing Item or Supporter only if it changes the knockout math. Attack with Adamantine Rolling. Reduce the opponent’s next attack by 20 damage. Return to the following turn with Mega Steelix ex still alive and ready to heal again. This repeated sustain pattern is extremely frustrating for opponents. They may need two attacks to bring Mega Steelix ex close to knockout range, only for you to heal enough damage that a third or fourth attack becomes necessary. Pokémon Center Lady is another important part of the sustain package. It heals 30 damage from one Pokémon and removes a Special Condition. This is especially useful against Sleep, Poison, Burn, and other status effects that could stop Mega Steelix ex from attacking. Steel Apron is one of the deck’s strongest defensive Tools. It reduces damage taken by the attached Pokémon and prevents that Pokémon from being affected by Special Conditions. This makes Steel Apron especially valuable on Mega Steelix ex in a format where status effects can otherwise interrupt a slow, four-Energy attacker. Heavy Helmet is the other key Tool. It reduces incoming damage when attached to a Pokémon with a Retreat Cost of three or more. Mega Steelix ex has a Retreat Cost of four, which means it qualifies perfectly. The defensive stacking can become extremely powerful: Adamantine Rolling reduces attack damage by 20. Heavy Helmet can reduce attack damage by another 20. Steel Apron can reduce attack damage again while protecting from Special Conditions. Indeedee ex heals 20 damage once during your turn. Pokémon Center Lady can heal 30 damage and remove Special Conditions. Lucky Ice Pop can create repeated healing when coin flips go your way. This does not mean Mega Steelix ex is impossible to knock out. Opponents can still use high-damage attackers, board manipulation, healing denial, or multiple attackers. But it does mean that the opponent must plan around your defensive layers instead of simply attacking into Mega Steelix ex normally. Lucky Ice Pop is particularly annoying in this deck because it can heal 20 damage from your Active Pokémon and may return to your hand on a favorable coin flip. If it returns, you can potentially use it again in a later turn. The card is not reliable enough to build your entire game plan around, but it is extremely strong when it extends Mega Steelix ex’s survival by one extra turn. Starting Plains is the deck’s Stadium card. It gives every Basic Pokémon in play additional HP. This is especially useful during the setup stage because Onix and Indeedee ex become harder to remove before Mega Steelix ex is online. However, Starting Plains affects both players. The opponent’s Basic Pokémon also gain extra HP. This means you should consider the matchup before playing it. It is strongest against decks that are trying to remove your Onix or Indeedee ex early. It is less attractive when the opponent relies heavily on Basic attackers that benefit even more from the extra HP. Cyrus is the deck’s main offensive control card. Mega Steelix ex deals 120 damage, which is strong but not always enough to remove every large attacker in one hit. Cyrus helps you choose better prize targets by bringing a damaged Bench Pokémon into the Active Spot. This is especially important in slower games. You do not always need to attack the biggest opposing Pokémon. Sometimes the cleanest route is to damage a target, let it retreat, then use Cyrus to pull it back Active and finish it with Adamantine Rolling. Professor’s Research and Copycat provide the draw support needed to find Brock, Onix, Mega Steelix ex, Tools, Energy, and healing cards. Professor’s Research is best when you need multiple specific pieces immediately. Copycat can be stronger when the opponent has a large hand and you need a more explosive refresh. Overall, Mega Steelix ex Indeedee ex is a resource-management deck. The most important decisions are not always about which attack to use. They are about when to evolve, when to use Brock, when to attach a Tool, when to heal, and when to accept damage because your defensive loop can recover it later.

Gameplay Video

Early Game

The early game is almost entirely about Onix and Brock. Your highest priority is getting Onix into play. Without Onix, you cannot use Brock, and without Brock, reaching the four-Energy Adamantine Rolling requirement becomes much slower. Use Poké Ball early if you need Onix. If you already have Onix, prioritize finding Brock, Mega Steelix ex, or Indeedee ex depending on your hand. Do not evolve into Mega Steelix ex too quickly. Ask whether Brock can still provide another Energy attachment first. Once Onix has evolved, Brock becomes dead in this deck. Indeedee ex is an important Bench Pokémon to establish before Mega Steelix ex begins taking serious damage. Its healing does not need Energy and creates long-term value from the moment it enters play. Starting Plains can be useful early when you expect your Onix or Indeedee ex to be targeted. The extra HP can buy the time needed to evolve safely.

Mid Game

The mid game begins once Mega Steelix ex has enough Energy to attack. Your first Adamantine Rolling turn is important because it activates the card’s defensive protection. Ideally, Mega Steelix ex should attack only when it can survive the opponent’s response and continue generating value next turn. Attach Heavy Helmet or Steel Apron before a key defensive turn when possible. Heavy Helmet is strongest when you expect the opponent to attack Mega Steelix ex directly. Steel Apron is especially strong against decks that rely on Special Conditions or repeated chip damage. Use Indeedee ex every turn that Mega Steelix ex has damage. Even 20 healing can change whether the opponent needs one attack, two attacks, or three attacks to finish Mega Steelix ex. Avoid wasting Pokémon Center Lady too early. Save it for a turn where healing 30 damage prevents a knockout, removes an important Special Condition, or lets Mega Steelix ex attack again.

Late Game

The late game is about winning the prize race through endurance. By this point, the opponent may have committed several attacks into Mega Steelix ex. Use your healing cards carefully and count exactly how much damage remains after each defensive modifier. Cyrus is often your best closing Supporter. Pull up a damaged Bench target rather than always attacking the opponent’s healthiest Active Pokémon. Lucky Ice Pop becomes more valuable in the late game because every 20 healing can change the opponent’s final knockout math. A favorable coin flip can create a major swing, especially when Mega Steelix ex is close to being knocked out. If Mega Steelix ex is too damaged to survive another turn even after healing, consider whether you can still force the opponent into an awkward prize trade. Your goal is not necessarily to preserve every card. Your goal is to make the opponent spend more attacks taking three points from Mega Steelix ex than you need to take your remaining prizes.