Mega Lucario ex is the headline Fighting-type attacker from the Pulsing Aura expansion in Pokémon TCG Pocket, and it works best in a tight aggro shell that stacks damage modifiers turn after turn. With Korrina and Arena of Antiquity in play and three Fighting Energy attached, Mega Lucario ex can push past 200 damage in a single Fighting Pulse, which is enough to one-shot most ex Pokémon and pressure even Mega ex tanks.
Mega Lucario ex card profile
Mega Lucario ex is a Stage 1 Fighting-type that evolves from Riolu. Its single attack scales sharply once you over-invest energy, which is why the deck loads up on Fighting Energy attachments rather than splashing a second type.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| HP | 190 |
| Type | Fighting |
| Stage | Stage 1 (from Riolu) |
| Attack | Fighting Pulse — 90 damage (2 Fighting Energy) |
| Bonus effect | +50 damage if at least one extra Fighting Energy is attached |
| Weakness | Psychic (+20) |
| Retreat cost | 1 Colorless |
| EX rule | Opponent takes 3 points on knockout |
That +50 conditional bonus is the entire reason the deck exists. Two Fighting Energy gets you 90 damage, but a third Energy turns Fighting Pulse into a 140-damage attack before any external buffs are applied.
Full decklist for Pokémon TCG Pocket
The build below sits at the standard 20-card Pocket deck size and runs only two evolution lines so your hand stays clean. Hitmontop is included as an early aggressor that can chip the bench while Riolu sets up.
| Category | Cards |
|---|---|
| Pokémon | Riolu ×2, Mega Lucario ex ×2, Lucario ×1, Hitmontop ×1 |
| Supporters | Professor's Research ×2, Korrina ×2, Cyrus ×1, Copycat ×2, Pokémon Center Lady ×1 |
| Items | Poké Ball ×2, Lucky Ice Pop ×1, Rocky Helmet ×1 |
| Stadium | Arena of Antiquity ×1 |
| Energy | Fighting (basic) |
Korrina and Arena of Antiquity are non-negotiable. Korrina adds +30 damage to attacks aimed at ex Pokémon, and Arena of Antiquity adds another +20 to Fighting attackers, so dropping either copy noticeably weakens the deck's one-shot math.
Acceptable swap-ins
If you are still pulling cards from Pulsing Aura and earlier sets, the slots outside the core four cards are flexible. Stick to single-energy attackers and damage-boosting trainers so you do not slow the curve.
| Slot | Possible replacements |
|---|---|
| Secondary attackers | Hitmonchan ex, Hitmonlee, Tyrogue |
| Disruption / draw | Sabrina, Serena, Mars, Red |
| Damage / item | Red (item version), additional Rocky Helmet |
Avoid adding a third evolution line. The deck already runs Riolu to Lucario plus Riolu to Mega Lucario ex, and any extra Stage 1 or Stage 2 line clogs the hand and dilutes Poké Ball searches.
How the damage math hits 220
The win condition is stacking three multipliers on a single Fighting Pulse against an ex target. Each component is independent, so you only need them all on board at the same time, not from the same card source.
| Source | Damage contribution | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Fighting Pulse base | 90 | 2 Fighting Energy attached |
| Extra Energy bonus | +50 | 3rd Fighting Energy attached |
| Korrina | +30 | Defender is an ex Pokémon |
| Arena of Antiquity | +20 | Stadium is in play, attacker is Fighting |
| Lucario (non-ex) ability | +20 | Lucario benched |
| Total vs ex | 210–220 | All four boosts active |
That number cleanly knocks out almost every ex in the format and trades favorably into many Mega ex Pokémon, despite Mega Lucario ex's relatively modest 190 HP.
Turn-by-turn play pattern
Step 1: Open with Riolu in the active spot whenever possible. If you only see Hitmontop, lead with it and use its spread attack to soften the opponent's bench while you dig for Riolu with Poké Ball.
Step 2: Attach a Fighting Energy to Riolu on turn one and play Professor's Research or Copycat to find your second Riolu, your Mega Lucario ex, and ideally Korrina. Keep Lucario benched only if you can spare the slot, since the +20 buff matters more late.
Step 3: Evolve Riolu into Mega Lucario ex on turn two and attach a second Fighting Energy. Hold Arena of Antiquity until you are about to attack, because dropping it early lets the opponent overwrite it with their own stadium.
Step 4: On turn three, attach the third Fighting Energy, play Korrina if the active defender is an ex, drop Arena of Antiquity, and swing for 200+ with Fighting Pulse. Use Cyrus to drag a damaged or low-HP target into the active spot if a knockout is not lined up.
Step 5: Recover with Pokémon Center Lady or Lucky Ice Pop after a big hit, and replace your Mega Lucario ex with the second copy if it gets knocked out. Giving up the 3-point ex penalty is acceptable as long as you take prizes faster than your opponent.
Matchups to watch
Fighting weakness is the obvious soft spot. Psychic-type Mega ex decks add their +20 weakness on top of any HP advantage, which means a clean knockout race rarely goes in Lucario's favor unless you opened first and got Korrina online.
| Threat | Why it's a problem | Counter-play |
|---|---|---|
| Mega Gardevoir ex | Psychic-type, hits Lucario for weakness | Lead Hitmontop, save Korrina for the Mega ex |
| Mega Altaria ex / Greninja | Bench snipes can KO Riolu before it evolves | Bench Riolu only when ready to evolve next turn |
| Mega Gengar ex | Labyrinth of Shadows locks trainers | Race it before turn four; deny setup with Cyrus |
| Darkrai (Igglybuff sleep combo) | Fast donk pressure on Riolu | Open Hitmontop or evolve immediately to Mega Lucario ex's higher HP |
Against non-ex defenders, Korrina's +30 does nothing, so the math drops to roughly 160–180 damage. That is still enough to knock out most Stage 1 attackers, but it is the main reason you keep Hitmontop around to clean up smaller targets without burning your buffs.
Building it from packs
Mega Lucario ex, Riolu, and the Pulsing Aura version of Korrina come from the Pulsing Aura expansion. Arena of Antiquity is also a Pulsing Aura stadium, so the entire damage-boost engine is concentrated in one set, which makes targeted pack-opening efficient. Older cards like Cyrus, Professor's Research, Poké Ball, and Rocky Helmet are widely available across earlier expansions and Promo-A.
If you cannot pull a second Mega Lucario ex right away, the deck still functions with one copy as long as you keep Lucky Ice Pop and Pokémon Center Lady in to extend its life. Trading with friends remains the fastest way to fill in the missing two-of slots like Korrina and Riolu.