Hitmonchan ex (B1 Mega Rising) brings fast Pokémon TCG Pocket pressure: Quick Straight hits 50 for 1 Fighting, ignores Weakness, and pairs with Lucario buffs to bully early boards and set up Rampardos KOs.
If you've been cracking B1 Mega Rising packs in Pokemon TCG Pocket, you've probably felt how fast Hitmonchan ex can take over a match. It's the kind of card that makes you play differently, because you're not "setting up," you're just attacking. Quick Straight for one Fighting Energy is the whole point: clean 50 damage, every turn, no weird math. If you're the type who likes staying stocked on the basics while you grind, a lot of players even top up their accounts for pulls and staples through EZNPC, then jump straight back into ladder games without losing momentum.
Why Quick Straight Feels So Unfair
The no-Weakness clause looks like it's taking power away, but in practice it keeps your damage predictable. You're not relying on a matchup spike to hit a number; you're relying on tempo. Fifty on turn one puts almost every evolving Basic in a bad spot. They either evolve late or they don't evolve at all. And that's the real win condition here: you're not always chasing big knockouts, you're denying your opponent a board. You'll notice it quickly, too. They start making awkward retreats, or they're forced to promote something they didn't want active yet.
Boosts, Breakpoints, and Simple Lines
There's a big difference between "solid damage" and the right breakpoint, so your support package matters. Lucario is the partner you actually feel on the table, because that extra push turns two-shot pressure into real early KOs. Add Giovanni on the key turn and suddenly you're cleaning up 60–70 HP Basics without needing a second swing. Keep the list tight: 20 cards, no fluff. Two Hitmonchan ex is the minimum, and you want your draws to be live almost every hand. Professor's Research is your reset button when you're stuck with the wrong half of the deck, and Sabrina wins games by yanking up something vulnerable when your opponent tries to hide it.
Closing the Door with Rampardos
Hitmonchan ex is the opener, not always the finisher. When a chunky ex sits there soaking 50s, Rampardos is the clean way to end it. The plan is pretty straightforward: pressure early, soften targets, then drop Rampardos to swing for real numbers with Head Smash. Because it's a fossil evolution, you can't afford to "wait and see." Rare Candy isn't a luxury; it's how you keep the deck's pace honest. If you're sequencing correctly, you'll be surprised how often opponents spend the whole game reacting, not building their own line.
Matchups and Small Tech Choices
Lightning builds like Jolteon ex usually can't handle the constant early hits, and slower engines tend to stumble before they're online. The scary spot is Psychic pressure, especially Mew ex, because Weakness flips your normal plan on its head. That's when you play a bit more cagey: pivot off the active sooner, force awkward attacks, and let Rocky Helmet punish trades that look "safe" for them. If you like keeping your deck options flexible as the meta shifts, it also helps to have a reliable place to pick up missing pieces like Pokemon TCG Pocket Cards so you can tweak counts and techs without rebuilding from scratch.
