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Mega Excadrill

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Mega Excadrill ex is a 340 HP wall that hits for 330 with 5 Energy and doesn't discard any. Metang's Metal Maker loads it for free; your job is making sure it never gets KO'd in one hit.

Difficulty: MediumPrizes: Excadrill gives 3; Genesect and Fezandipiti give 2

Your turn-2 goal

  • 2 Beldum and 2 Drilbur on the Bench from Buddy-Buddy Poffin or Call for Family on turn 1.
  • Genesect ex in play to fetch 2 Metang or Mega Excadrill ex every turn with Metallic Signal.
  • 2–3 Metang using Metal Maker each turn to attach Metal Energy from the top of your deck.
  • A Mega Excadrill ex Active with 3 Energy, heading to 5.

Your attackers

Mega Excadrill exMaximum Drilling

200; 330 with 2 extra Energy

Your main attack. 330 KOs Dragapult ex (320) and Mega Kangaskhan ex (300); Kieran makes it 360.

MetagrossMetallic Hammer

150; 300 discarding 3 Metal Energy

Single-Prize hitter when you don't want to expose Excadrill. Metal Maker reloads it.

Genesect exProtect Charge

150, takes 30 less next turn

Backup attacker when Excadrill isn't ready, or to finish a damaged target.

Mega Skarmory exSonic Ripper

220 to any Pokémon

Snipe a Benched support ex like Fezandipiti ex (210). Shuffles all its Energy away.

Fezandipiti exCruel Arrow

100 to any Pokémon

KO small Benched engines like Drakloak (90) or Zorua (70) early.

Key decisions

  • Shuffle first, Metal Maker last. Play Poffin, Ultra Ball, Petrel and Metallic Signal before Metal Maker, or you reshuffle the non-Energy it sent to the bottom.
  • Wait for 5 Energy if you can. 200 rarely KOs a big ex; 330 does. Don't trade a 3-Energy Excadrill for nothing.
  • Spread Metal Maker Energy smartly. It can attach to any Pokémon: pay Excadrill's retreat of 4, or power Fezandipiti ex and Mega Skarmory ex.
  • Bench only the ex you need. Every Genesect ex or Fezandipiti ex is 2 easy Prizes for Boss's Orders.
  • Heal between hits. Jumbo Ice Cream heals 80 from a Pokémon with 3+ Energy, so two 200-damage hits no longer KO Excadrill.

Common mistakes

  • Attaching Hero's Cape too late: at 440 HP almost nothing KOs Excadrill in two hits if you heal in between.
  • Getting stuck with a retreat-4 Excadrill: keep Switch, Kieran or spare Metal Maker Energy ready.
  • Leaving Mega Skarmory ex on the Bench with no Energy after Sonic Ripper: it is 3 Prizes for Boss's Orders.
  • Playing only one Metang: one Metal Maker misses too often; aim for 3.

Versions

Hero's Cape

Cape as the ACE SPEC, more Jumbo Ice Cream and Energy. Built to survive two big hits; best against Dragapult.

Metagross

2 Metagross, Gravity Mountain and Energy Recycler: repeat 300 Metallic Hammers. Gravity drops Dragapult ex to 290, so Hammer KOs it.

Empoleon

Adds Piplup, Empoleon ex, Rare Candy and Precious Trolley. Empoleon ex hits 210 and takes 60 less next turn.

Matchups

Mega Excadrill vs Dragapult

An even race. Maximum Drilling (330) Knocks Out Dragapult ex (320) every turn; they need two Phantom Dives per Excadrill. Win by keeping Excadrill alive with Hero's Cape or Jumbo Ice Cream and refilling Energy through Hammers.

Their plan

  • Phantom Dive: 200 to the Active + 6 counters on your Bench. Two hits (400) Knock Out a 340-HP Excadrill.
  • 4 Crushing Hammer to drop Excadrill below the 5 Energy that Maximum Drilling needs for 330.
  • Budew locks Items: Buddy-Buddy Poffin, Jumbo Ice Cream and Switch. Metal Maker and Metallic Signal are Abilities and still work.
  • Risky Ruins: Beldum or Drilbur Benched under it sits at 50; Phantom Dive's counters Knock it Out.

Your prize plan

  1. Three Metang first. Each Metal Maker is a separate draw of 4 cards: that is what beats Crushing Hammer and gets Excadrill to 5 Energy.
  2. Hit Drakloak early. Fezandipiti ex's Cruel Arrow (100) Knocks Out Drakloak (90) or Dreepy (70) on the Bench and slows their Dragapult ex.
  3. Maximum Drilling with 5 Energy: 330 ≥ 320. Every Dragapult ex you KO is 2 Prizes; three of them win the game.
  4. Make them need a third hit. Hero's Cape (440) or Jumbo Ice Cream (heal 80) after the first Phantom Dive: 200 + 200 no longer Knocks Out Excadrill.

Against an Active Dragapult ex (320 HP)

Maximum Drilling (3 Energy)200
Maximum Drilling (3 Energy) + Kieran230
Maximum Drilling (5 Energy)330 · KO
Metallic Hammer, discarding 3 Metal Energy300
Metallic Hammer, discarding 3, with Gravity Mountain (290 HP)300 · KO

Don't

  • All your Energy on one Excadrill with one Metang: two Crushing Hammer heads and it can't attack.
  • Benching Beldum and Drilbur into their Risky Ruins when you can cover it first with Gravity Mountain or Battle Cage: at 50 HP they die to Phantom Dive's counters.
  • Leaving Mega Skarmory ex on the Bench without Energy after Sonic Ripper: it is 3 Prizes for Boss's Orders.

Key turn

  • After their first Phantom Dive (Excadrill at 140): Jumbo Ice Cream to 220, then Drilling. Their next Phantom Dive leaves it at 20; watch Munkidori's 3 counters.
  • Your turn 1: Poffin for Beldum and Drilbur before Budew lands; under Itchy Pollen, Call for Family still fills the Bench.

If they play…

Moltres

Fighting Wings does 110 to an Active ex, doubled by Fire Weakness: 220. A healthy Excadrill survives; a damaged one may not.

Shaymin

Flower Curtain stops Cruel Arrow and Sonic Ripper on their Benched Drakloak. Boss's Orders it Active instead.

Dudunsparce ex

Tenacious Tail does 60 per ex you have in play. Keep Genesect ex and Fezandipiti ex counts low.

Mega Excadrill vs N's Zoroark

Maximum Drilling at 5 Energy (330) KOs N's Zoroark ex every turn, while they need every modifier to reach 360 on your Excadrill. Hero's Cape takes that KO away.

Their plan

  • Rampaging Thunder via Night Joker: 250 for [D][D]. Black Belt's Training (+40) and Binding Mochi on a Poisoned Zoroark (+40) make 330: Excadrill (340) survives with 10.
  • Adrena-Brain closes the gap: Munkidori moves 3 counters, so 330 becomes 360 and an Excadrill without Hero's Cape goes down in one turn.
  • Two-Zoroark rotation: the Zoroark that used Rampaging Thunder can't attack next turn, so they swap via N's Castle or Pecharunt ex and hit with the second one.
  • Yveltal's Clutch (20): your Defending Pokémon can't retreat next turn. With retreat 4, keep Switch or Kieran.

Your prize plan

  1. Build 2-3 Metang first. Metal Maker loads the 5 Energy Maximum Drilling needs for 330; at 3 Energy it does 200 and a Zoroark (280) survives.
  2. Hero's Cape on the attacking Excadrill. At 440 even 360 leaves it alive, and Jumbo Ice Cream heals 80 because it has 3+ Energy.
  3. KO the Zoroark in front every turn. Drilling 330 on N's Zoroark ex (280) is 2 Prizes; three of them win. Pecharunt ex (190) falls to 200.
  4. Pick off Zorua (70) with Cruel Arrow on the Bench before it evolves, and remove Munkidori if it shows up: Cruel Arrow on an Active Munkidori is 200 with Weakness.

Against N's Zoroark ex (280 HP)

Undermine90
Protect Charge (Genesect ex)150
Maximum Drilling (3 Energy)200
Maximum Drilling (3 Energy) + Kieran230
Maximum Drilling (5 Energy)330 · KO

Don't

  • Attacking for 200 with 3 Energy when it doesn't KO: the Zoroark survives and their answer can KO your Excadrill. Wait a turn for 5 Energy.
  • Benching Fezandipiti ex or Genesect ex without need: each is a 2-Prize Boss's Orders target for Rampaging Thunder (250).
  • Spending Boss's Orders on N's Zekrom early: it's 1 Prize. Take it only when it's their last Rampaging Thunder.

Key turn

  • Their first Rampaging Thunder. With Hero's Cape your Excadrill lives; answer with Drilling 330 and they lose a Zoroark without taking a Prize back.
  • Late game: Pecharunt ex. Irritated Outburst does 60 per Prize you took: 300 at 5 Prizes, 340 with Black Belt's Training. Keep Cape or Ice Cream for that turn.

If they play…

Punk Helmet

Hitting a Helmet-wearing Active [D] Pokémon puts 4 counters on your attacker. Heal with Jumbo Ice Cream the next turn.

N's Darmanitan

Flamebody Cannon via Night Joker: 90 to the Active and 90 to a Benched Pokémon, enough for Beldum, Drilbur or a Metang (100) with damage. Shaymin blocks the Bench hit.

Janine's Secret Art

Attaches 2 [D] and Poisons their Active, turning on Binding Mochi's +40 without Pecharunt ex.

Mega Excadrill vs Dhelmise

Dhelmise needs two Vengeful Anchors (170 + 170) for each Excadrill, while almost any attack you have KOs a Dhelmise. Heal between hits, keep extra ex off the Bench and don't feed their discard.

Their plan

  • Vengeful Anchor: 170 for one Energy once 4 Hide 'n' Sneak Pokémon are in their discard. Two hits are 340, exactly an Excadrill ex.
  • Matcha Spin (6+ in the discard): 4 counters on each of your Pokémon. Two of them KO a Beldum or Drilbur (70); Battle Cage keeps them off your Bench.
  • Dudunsparce ex's Tenacious Tail: 60 for each of your Pokémon ex in play. Excadrill + 2 Genesect ex + Fezandipiti ex = 240.
  • Legacy Energy: the first time the Pokémon carrying it is Knocked Out, you take 1 Prize less. Against their 1-Prize attackers, plan for 7 KOs.

Your prize plan

  1. Three Energy is enough. Maximum Drilling for 200 KOs Dhelmise (140); don't wait for 5. Protect Charge (150) and Metallic Hammer (150) KO it too.
  2. Heal between Anchors. After one hit Jumbo Ice Cream brings Excadrill to 250, so the second leaves it at 80. With Hero's Cape (440) it survives two hits.
  3. Take their ex when they appear. Lillie's Clefairy ex (190) is weak to Metal: Drilling does 400, Protect Charge 300. Dudunsparce ex (270) needs Drilling at 330.
  4. Boss's Orders the Benched Dhelmise when they pivot a Banette or Poltchageist forward: the attacker is the Prize that matters.

Against an Active Dhelmise (140 HP)

Undermine90
Protect Charge (Genesect ex)150 · KO
Metallic Hammer (Metagross, no discard)150 · KO
Maximum Drilling (3 Energy)200 · KO
Cruel Arrow (Fezandipiti ex, Weakness ×2)200 · KO

Don't

  • Undermine: the 2 cards it discards can put Hide 'n' Sneak Pokémon in their discard and turn on Vengeful Anchor or Matcha Spin sooner.
  • KOing small Hide 'n' Sneak Pokémon without need: each one adds to their discard count; spend attacks on Dhelmise and their ex.
  • Counting on Bounce Back to move their ghosts: Hide 'n' Sneak blocks the switch effect. Use Boss's Orders.

Key turn

  • The turn after their first Anchor hits Excadrill: Jumbo Ice Cream it and KO the Dhelmise. They now need a third Anchor for your Excadrill and are an attacker behind.
  • Before Matcha Spin goes live (6 in their discard): finish evolving Beldum and Drilbur, since 4 counters on every Pokémon leaves Basics at 30.

If they play…

Spiritomb

With all 13 Hide 'n' Sneak in the discard, Spiritual End quadruples counters on 2 Pokémon: an Excadrill with 90 damage dies (360). Heal first.

Shaymin

Flower Curtain stops Cruel Arrow and Sonic Ripper on their Benched Pokémon without a Rule Box. Hit the Active instead.

Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex

Blood Moon (240) gets cheaper per Prize you take; after one Anchor it KOs Excadrill. Drilling at 330 KOs it (260).

Mega Excadrill vs Slowking

Slowking can't easily KO a 340-HP Excadrill, but a copied Trifrost can wipe your Beldum, Drilbur and Metang. Protect the Bench, power one Excadrill, then take their Kangaskhan and ex.

Their plan

  • Trifrost (copied by Slowking): 110 to 3 Pokémon. KOs Beldum (70), Drilbur (70) and Metang (100) on your Bench: 3 Prizes and your Energy engine gone.
  • Mega Kangaskhan ex: Rapid-Fire Combo needs 3 heads (350) to KO a healthy Excadrill (340), 5 heads with Hero's Cape (440).
  • Thunder Raid (Zeraora): 210 to a Benched ex. KOs Fezandipiti ex (210); Genesect ex (220) survives with 10.
  • Academy at Night and Ciphermaniac's Codebreaking put the attacker they want on top. Metallic Hammer copied does 150 to your Active.

Your prize plan

  1. Shaymin before their turn 2. Flower Curtain stops Trifrost damage to Beldum, Drilbur and Metang. Battle Cage doesn't: Trifrost is damage, not counters.
  2. Power one Excadrill to 5 Energy. Maximum Drilling does 330: KOs Mega Kangaskhan ex (300) for 3 Prizes, or Latias ex and Fezandipiti ex (210).
  3. Cut their Slowking. Protect Charge (150) KOs Slowking (120) and takes 30 less next turn. Lillie's Clefairy ex is weak to Metal: Protect Charge does 300.
  4. Prize math: Kangaskhan (3) + one 2-Prize ex + one Slowking is your 6. They need both Excadrill, which a healthy one makes very hard.

Against their Active Pokémon

Maximum Drilling (5 Energy) vs Mega Kangaskhan ex (300)330 · KO
Maximum Drilling (3 Energy) vs Latias ex (210)200
Maximum Drilling (5 Energy) vs Latias ex (210)330 · KO
Protect Charge vs Slowking (120)150 · KO
Protect Charge vs Lillie's Clefairy ex (190, weak to Metal)300 · KO

Don't

  • Benching more Basics than you need before Shaymin is down: every one is a Trifrost target.
  • Benching Fezandipiti ex while Zeraora is in their deck: Thunder Raid KOs it (210) for 2 Prizes.
  • Counting on Battle Cage against Trifrost: it only stops damage counters, not attack damage.

Key turn

  • Their turn 2 Trifrost. With Shaymin on your Bench it does nothing to your Basics; without it, they take 3 Prizes and your Metang.
  • The turn Excadrill reaches 5 Energy: from then each Maximum Drilling is 330. Use Jumbo Ice Cream (heal 80) to stay out of Rapid-Fire Combo range.

If they play…

Annihilape

Ghostly Blow does 100 + 5 counters on your Bench; Battle Cage stops the counters. Durable Body may survive a KO at 10 HP on heads.

Drapion

Hazardous Tail Paralyzes and Poisons your Active. With retreat 4, keep Switch or Kieran ready for your next turn.

Brave Bangle

Copied attacks do 30 more to your Active ex: Metallic Hammer becomes 180. Still far from 340.

Mega Excadrill vs Basic Box

A powered Excadrill (340) is hard for them to one-shot, and Maximum Drilling KOs every ex they play. Watch for Raging Bolt ex's big turn and their snipers on your small Bench.

Their plan

  • Raging Bolt ex: Bellowing Thunder does 70 per Basic Energy discarded. 5 Energy = 350 KOs Excadrill; Energy Switch and Crispin load it up.
  • Mega Kangaskhan ex: Rapid-Fire Combo needs 3 heads (350) to KO a healthy Excadrill, 5 heads with your Hero's Cape (440).
  • Bench snipers: Fezandipiti ex's Cruel Arrow (100) KOs Beldum, Drilbur or Metang; Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex's Torrential Pump does 120 to the Bench.
  • Chien-Pao: Snow Sink discards your Battle Cage or Gravity Mountain.

Your prize plan

  1. Shaymin and a small Bench first. Flower Curtain stops Cruel Arrow and Torrential Pump from damaging your Pokémon without a Rule Box.
  2. Maximum Drilling at 5 Energy does 330. KOs Mega Kangaskhan ex (300) for 3 Prizes, and Raging Bolt ex (240), Iron Leaves ex (220) or any Ogerpon ex (210) for 2.
  3. Cheap Prizes with 3 Energy: Boss's Orders + Maximum Drilling (200) KOs a Benched Meowth ex (170). Clefairy ex is weak to Metal: Protect Charge does 300.
  4. Hero's Cape on Excadrill (440): Raging Bolt then needs 7 Energy and Kangaskhan 5 heads. Jumbo Ice Cream heals 80 between hits.

Against their Active Pokémon

Maximum Drilling (5 Energy) vs Mega Kangaskhan ex (300)330 · KO
Maximum Drilling + Kieran vs Kangaskhan with Hero's Cape (400)360
Maximum Drilling (5 Energy) vs Raging Bolt ex (240)330 · KO
Maximum Drilling (3 Energy) vs Meowth ex (170)200 · KO
Protect Charge vs Lillie's Clefairy ex (190, weak to Metal)300 · KO

Don't

  • Swinging at a Kangaskhan with Hero's Cape (400): even 330 + Kieran (360) falls short. Take a 2-Prize ex instead.
  • Benching Fezandipiti ex or Genesect ex with nothing to do: 2 easy Prizes for Boss's Orders.
  • Filling the Bench with Beldum and Drilbur before Shaymin: Cruel Arrow and Torrential Pump take free Prizes.

Key turn

  • When Raging Bolt ex has 5 Basic Energy available: it's their one clean answer to Excadrill. Boss's Orders + Maximum Drilling KOs it (240) first, or wear Hero's Cape.
  • Your first Kangaskhan KO is 3 Prizes, halfway there. Keep the same Excadrill attacking and heal it with Jumbo Ice Cream.

If they play…

Hero's Cape

Kangaskhan goes to 400 and survives Maximum Drilling. Hit their other ex for 2 Prizes, or finish it over two turns.

Jamming Tower

Your Hero's Cape stops working: Excadrill is back to 340 and in range of Raging Bolt's 350.

Koraidon ex

Impact Blow (200) doesn't KO Excadrill. Its 230 HP falls to Maximum Drilling (330).

Sources