Starmie ex Greninja Deck Guide

Strategy Overview

Starmie ex Greninja is a Water tempo deck built around one of the cleanest and most efficient attack patterns in Pokémon TCG Pocket. The main attacker is Starmie ex. It evolves from Staryu, has 130 HP, no Retreat Cost, and can use Hydro Splash for 90 damage with two Water Energy. That combination is the foundation of the deck. Starmie ex does not need a complicated setup, does not need three or four Energy, and does not become trapped in the Active Spot after attacking. The zero Retreat Cost is just as important as the 90 damage. Many decks lose momentum when the wrong Pokémon starts Active, when a damaged attacker needs to leave the board, or when a support Pokémon is forced into the front. Starmie ex avoids many of those problems. It can attack, retreat for free, move to the Bench, and return later without losing Energy. That makes Starmie ex a highly flexible attacker. The second core Pokémon is Greninja. Greninja evolves from Froakie and has Water Shuriken, an Ability that can be used once during your turn to deal 20 damage to any one of your opponent’s Pokémon. The damage can go to the Active Pokémon or to the Bench. This is what gives the deck its strategic depth. Starmie ex provides clean front-line damage. Greninja provides chip damage wherever it matters most. Together, they create a simple but effective damage pattern: Starmie ex attacks the opponent’s Active Pokémon for 90 damage. Greninja places 20 damage on the Active Pokémon or a Bench target. Cyrus can pull a damaged Bench Pokémon Active later. Sabrina can force awkward positioning and disrupt the opponent’s planned attack sequence. This means Starmie ex Greninja is not only trying to take direct knockouts. It is trying to create multiple damaged targets and force the opponent to make inefficient retreat decisions. For example, Greninja can place 20 damage on a low-HP Bench Pokémon while Starmie ex pressures the Active Pokémon. The opponent may then have to choose between protecting their damaged Bench Pokémon, continuing to develop their main attacker, or using a retreat that wastes Energy. That kind of pressure is especially useful against decks that rely on fragile Basic Pokémon, evolution setup lines, Baby Pokémon, or Bench-based support. Greninja is usually not your main Active attacker. Its Mist Slash attack can deal 60 damage, but the main reason it is included is Water Shuriken. You generally want Greninja on the Bench, where it can safely provide 20 damage each turn while Starmie ex takes the Active Spot. The deck’s strongest turns often come when two Greninja are in play. One Water Shuriken per turn is useful. Two Water Shuriken activations can create 40 spread damage before Starmie ex even attacks. That can push targets into range of Hydro Splash, create Cyrus knockout turns, or remove small Pokémon that the opponent expected to keep safe on the Bench. However, the deck should not force two Greninja every game. Greninja is a Stage 2 Pokémon. It requires Froakie, an evolution line, or Rare Candy. Building too many Stage 2 lines too early can make the deck inconsistent. In many games, one Greninja plus one Starmie ex is enough to establish a solid plan. Rare Candy is therefore one of the most important Trainers in the list. Rare Candy can let Froakie evolve directly into Greninja, skipping the normal middle evolution step. This gives the deck a faster route to Water Shuriken and can surprise opponents who assume they have another turn to remove Froakie. Use Rare Candy when Greninja can immediately create meaningful value. A Greninja that comes into play when Starmie ex is already attacking can often change the knockout math immediately. A Greninja that enters play too early without a developed board may become an easy target. Starmie ex should usually be your first priority. Staryu is a Basic Pokémon, and Starmie ex is only a Stage 1. That makes it much easier to establish than Greninja. In most opening hands, you want to bench Staryu early, attach Water Energy, and evolve into Starmie ex as quickly as possible. Once Starmie ex is Active, it can apply pressure immediately. Ninety damage for two Energy is a very important number. It can threaten many Basic Pokémon, punish unfinished evolution lines, and force opponents to react before their own setup is complete. Its free retreat also means you can safely switch to another Starmie ex or move a damaged Starmie ex out of danger. The main weakness is its HP. At 130 HP, Starmie ex is not a bulky ex Pokémon. It can be removed quickly by stronger attackers, damage modifiers, or a well-timed opposing setup. That is why the deck needs to use tempo rather than trying to trade damage indefinitely. Irida helps improve those trades. Irida can heal 40 damage from each of your Water Pokémon that has Water Energy attached. In this deck, that can affect multiple important Pokémon at once: Starmie ex in the Active Spot, Greninja on the Bench, another Starmie ex preparing to attack, or a damaged Froakie that needs to survive one more turn. Irida is strongest when the opponent narrowly misses a knockout after your heal. Healing 40 damage is not always enough to save a Pokémon by itself. But if it forces the opponent to spend one more attack or prevents a key knockout, it can change the entire prize race. The most important rule is to avoid using Irida too early. Do not heal small amounts of damage just because the card is available. Save Irida for turns where 40 healing changes the opponent’s knockout math, keeps Greninja alive for another Water Shuriken activation, or protects Starmie ex long enough to take another prize. Professor’s Research, Poké Ball, and Copycat provide the deck’s consistency. Professor’s Research is your direct draw Supporter. Use it when you need several cards at once, such as Staryu, Starmie ex, Froakie, Rare Candy, Water Energy, or a positional Supporter. Poké Ball helps find the Basic Pokémon needed for setup. In most early hands, the first targets are Staryu and Froakie. Copycat is best when the opponent has a large hand. It can refresh a weak hand into more evolution pieces, Trainers, or Energy. Because the deck needs both a fast Stage 1 line and a slower Stage 2 line, it benefits from flexible draw options. Cyrus and Sabrina are the deck’s positional tools. Cyrus is especially powerful after Greninja has damaged a Bench Pokémon. The opponent may retreat a weakened attacker or hide a setup Pokémon on the Bench. Cyrus brings that target Active, allowing Starmie ex to finish it with Hydro Splash. Sabrina is better for forcing awkward board states. It can pull a low-HP Basic Pokémon Active, interrupt the opponent’s main attacker, or force them to retreat and spend Energy. Giant Cape is the deck’s main defensive Tool. Starmie ex’s 130 HP is low for an ex Pokémon, so the extra HP can be valuable when it changes the number of attacks required to Knock it Out. Giant Cape is usually best attached to Starmie ex once it becomes clear that it will remain Active for more than one turn. Overall, Starmie ex Greninja is a straightforward but skillful Water deck. It is easy to understand: attack with Starmie ex, spread damage with Greninja, heal with Irida, and use Cyrus to finish damaged targets. But it still rewards good sequencing. You need to know when to attack the Active Pokémon, when to place Water Shuriken damage on the Bench, when to evolve Greninja, when to heal with Irida, and when to use Cyrus instead of taking a simple knockout. The deck may not be the most durable or explosive option in the current format, but it remains a clean and enjoyable Water strategy for players who want strong tempo, flexible movement, and reliable incremental damage.

Gameplay Video

Early Game

Prioritize Staryu first. Starmie ex is the deck’s easiest attacker to establish and your best source of early pressure. Bench Staryu, attach Water Energy, and evolve into Starmie ex as quickly as possible. Bench Froakie when possible, but do not sacrifice a clean Starmie ex setup just to force Greninja immediately. Use Poké Ball to find the Basic Pokémon your opening hand is missing. Use Professor’s Research when you need several setup pieces at once. If you start with Starmie ex online, attack aggressively. Hydro Splash can punish slow evolution decks before they are ready.

Mid Game

The mid game is where Greninja becomes important. Use Rare Candy to evolve Froakie into Greninja when Water Shuriken changes the damage math immediately. Once Greninja is on the Bench, decide each turn whether the 20 damage should go to the Active Pokémon or a Bench target. Use Water Shuriken on the Active Pokémon when it creates a clean Hydro Splash knockout. Use Water Shuriken on the Bench when you can prepare a future Cyrus target, remove a fragile setup Pokémon, or force the opponent to protect more than one damaged card. Retreat Starmie ex for free when it is damaged or when another attacker is better positioned.

Late Game

The late game is about controlling the final prizes. Use Cyrus to bring damaged Bench Pokémon Active. Greninja’s Bench damage is especially valuable here because it can transform a retreating target into an easy knockout. Use Irida when healing 40 damage changes the opponent’s knockout math. Protecting Starmie ex for one additional Hydro Splash or keeping Greninja alive for another Water Shuriken can be more valuable than taking a minor heal early. Use Sabrina when the opponent has a weak or incomplete Pokémon on the Bench. Forcing it Active may deny them a clean attack turn. Keep track of how many points remain. Starmie ex gives up two points when Knocked Out, so avoid exposing it unnecessarily when a damaged non-ex Pokémon could take the front instead.

Common Mistakes

• Trying to build two Greninja before establishing Starmie ex.
• Using Water Shuriken without considering future Cyrus turns.
• Attacking with Greninja when Starmie ex would create more pressure.
• Using Irida for minor healing that does not change knockout math.
• Leaving a damaged Starmie ex Active when it can retreat for free.
• Using Cyrus before the damaged Bench Pokémon is in knockout range.
• Using Rare Candy too early without a developed Active attacker.
• Attaching Giant Cape to a Pokémon that is unlikely to remain in play.
• Ignoring Lightning weakness when choosing your prize route.

Tips & Tricks

• Start with Staryu whenever possible.
• Prioritize a fast Starmie ex before investing heavily in Greninja.
• Use Water Shuriken to create damage thresholds, not only direct knockouts.
• Keep Greninja on the Bench whenever Water Shuriken is more valuable than Mist Slash.
• Use Starmie ex’s free retreat aggressively.
• Save Irida for turns where 40 healing forces another attack from the opponent.
• Use Cyrus after Greninja has softened a Bench target.
• Use Sabrina to disrupt unfinished evolution lines.
• Attach Giant Cape when Starmie ex needs to survive one additional turn.
• Treat Greninja as a damage-planning engine, not just another attacker.