Slowking
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Slowking barely uses its own attack: Seek Inspiration copies an attack from the Pokémon on top of your deck. You set that top card with Academy at Night or Ciphermaniac's Codebreaking, so you choose the attack.
Your turn-2 goal
- Slowking with 2 Energy ([P] + any) for Seek Inspiration.
- Academy at Night in play, or Ciphermaniac's Codebreaking in hand.
- The right attacker ready to go on top of your deck.
- Mega Kangaskhan ex Active drawing 2 with Run Errand, and Latias ex on the Bench so Kangaskhan retreats for free into Slowking.
Your attack menu
110 to 3 Pokémon; discards Slowking's Energy
Their board is small Basics and Stage 1s still developing. Your main plan.
150 to the Active
A big Pokémon is Active. 180 against an Active ex with Brave Bangle on Slowking.
210 to a Benched Pokémon ex
To close: KOs a Benched Fezandipiti ex (210) or Meowth ex (170) without a gust.
100 + 5 damage counters on the Bench
Hit the Active and set up a Benched KO, without losing Energy.
130; optional Paralysis, 60 to Slowking
Buy a turn by Paralyzing their attacker. A healthy Slowking keeps 60 HP.
120
Backup when you couldn't set the top card; needs [P][P][C].
Key decisions
- Draw first, stack last. Run Errand draws the top 2 cards: use it before Academy at Night or Codebreaking, or you draw your own attacker.
- Searching shuffles the deck. Ultra Ball, Poké Pad, Secret Box and Lillie's Determination all reshuffle: play them before you set the top card.
- Bench only the ex you need this turn. Mega Kangaskhan ex gives up 3 Prizes; Latias ex, Meowth ex, Fezandipiti ex and Lillie's Clefairy ex give 2 each.
- Trifrost and Thunder Raid discard Slowking's Energy. Attach Boomerang Energy (it comes back after the attack) or keep Wondrous Patch for a Benched Slowking.
- Lillie's Clefairy ex against Dragons. Fairy Zone makes their [N] Pokémon weak to [P], and Slowking is [P]: Metallic Hammer does 300 to an Active Dragon.
Common mistakes
- Leaving an Energy-less Slowking Active with no Switch, Surfer or Prime Catcher: Skyliner only helps Basics, so Slowking still retreats for 3.
- Filling the Bench "just in case": every ex is 2 or 3 easy Prizes and another target for spread damage.
- Using Run Errand or a search card after stacking and losing the attacker you set up.
Versions
2 Kyurem, Metagross and Zeraora as the menu, Secret Box as ACE SPEC. Trifrost early, Thunder Raid to close.
Adds Annihilape, Pawmot or Drapion as extra copy targets. More answers to single-Prize decks, less consistent.
Prime Catcher instead of Secret Box: weaker setup, but it gusts a target and gets Slowking out in one card.
Matchups
Slowking vs Dragapult
A turn-2 Trifrost wipes Benched Dreepy and Drakloak before Dragapult ex lands; after that you need Lillie's Clefairy ex in play so Slowking hits Dragapult ex for double. Keep Kangaskhan's 3 Prizes away from Boss's Orders.
Their plan
- Phantom Dive does 200 to your Active (any Slowking, 120, falls) plus 6 damage counters on your Bench: a Slowpoke under Risky Ruins (60 left) dies to it.
- Budew and Crushing Hammer hit your setup: Itchy Pollen stops Wondrous Patch, Switch and Ultra Ball, and each Hammer heads can strip Slowking's Energy.
- Boss's Orders on Mega Kangaskhan ex is 3 Prizes: once it carries 100 damage from spread counters and Adrena-Brain, one Phantom Dive KOs it.
- Fezandipiti ex (210) survives Trifrost and draws 3 after you KO something, so they rebuild quickly.
Your prize plan
- Turn-2 Trifrost. 110 to 3 Pokémon KOs Benched Dreepy (70) and Drakloak (90): two or three Prizes before their engine runs.
- Fairy Zone before Dragapult ex. With Lillie's Clefairy ex in play, copied attacks are [P] and double on an Active Dragapult ex; Trifrost alone does 220 to it.
- KO Dragapult ex (320) with Brave Bangle on Slowking: Voltaic Fist does (130+30)×2 = 320, Metallic Hammer (150+30)×2 = 360. Latias ex's Eon Blade does 400.
- Close with Thunder Raid: 210 to a Benched Fezandipiti ex (210) or Meowth ex (170) takes 2 Prizes without a gust.
Against an Active Dragapult ex (320 HP) with Lillie's Clefairy ex in play
Don't
- Benching Slowpoke into Risky Ruins. Play Academy at Night first; at 60 HP a Slowpoke dies to the Bench part of Phantom Dive.
- Letting counters pile on Kangaskhan. Every damage counter on a Benched Mega Kangaskhan ex brings a 3-Prize Boss's Orders KO closer; bench only the ex you need.
- Saving Wondrous Patch. Use it before Budew arrives; Itchy Pollen blocks Items, not Ciphermaniac's Codebreaking, Academy at Night or Run Errand.
Key turn
- Your second turn. Trifrost on two Benched Dreepy or Drakloak before the first Phantom Dive decides the game; set Kyurem on top with Academy at Night or Codebreaking.
- Their first Dragapult ex. Have Clefairy in play and Brave Bangle on Slowking that turn; without both, it survives your copied attacks and starts spreading counters.
If they play…
Flower Curtain stops Trifrost's damage to their Benched non-ex, so Dreepy and Drakloak survive. Hit the Active and use Thunder Raid on Benched ex.
Turns off Run Errand and Meowth ex's Last-Ditch Catch. Replace it with Academy at Night, which you want in play anyway.
Tenacious Tail does 60 for each ex you have in play: four ex is 240 and KOs Slowking or any of your 2-Prize ex.
Slowking vs Dhelmise
They trade 1-Prize Dhelmise into a board that needs ex. Keep your Bench lean, KO each attacking Dhelmise in one hit, and aim Trifrost at Pokémon without Hide 'n' Sneak so you don't fill their discard.
Their plan
- Vengeful Anchor: 170 for one Energy once 4 Hide 'n' Sneak Pokémon are in their discard. It KOs Slowking (120), Slowpoke, Kyurem and Meowth ex (170).
- Matcha Spin (6 in discard) puts 4 counters on all your Pokémon. Latias ex and Fezandipiti ex drop to 170, in range of Vengeful Anchor.
- Prize trade: almost all their Pokémon give 1 Prize; your Mega Kangaskhan ex gives 3 and falls to two Vengeful Anchors (340). Legacy Energy cuts one of your KOs to 0 Prizes.
- Dudunsparce ex: Tenacious Tail does 60 per ex you have in play: 180 with Kangaskhan, Latias ex and Fezandipiti ex down.
Your prize plan
- Bench only the ex you use that turn. Each one is 2 Prizes (Kangaskhan 3) against a deck that gives up 1 at a time.
- KO the attacking Dhelmise (140) at once. Copied Metallic Hammer does 150; Fezandipiti ex's Cruel Arrow does 200 for Weakness and survives a 170 Vengeful Anchor.
- Trifrost the right targets. KO Dunsparce (70) or Spiritomb (60) and put 110 on Benched Dhelmise, so the next hit finishes them.
- Thunder Raid their Benched ex. Zeraora's 210 KOs Lillie's Clefairy ex (190) or Latias ex (210) for 2 Prizes without a gust card.
Against an Active Dhelmise (140 HP, Weakness Darkness)
Don't
- KOing Shuppet, Banette or Poltchageist when another target exists: each one in their discard brings Matcha Spin (6) and Spiritomb (13) closer.
- Benching Meowth ex, Latias ex and Clefairy ex together: Tenacious Tail scales with them and Vengeful Anchor KOs Meowth ex outright.
- Leaving an Energy-less Slowking Active: retreat 3, and Vengeful Anchor KOs it for 1 Prize every turn.
Key turn
- Their first 170 Vengeful Anchor: answer that Dhelmise the same turn, so every Prize they take costs them a fresh attacker.
- The Matcha Spin turn: 40 on everything puts Slowpoke at 40 and Latias ex at 170. Have a clean attacker and spare Slowpoke ready beforehand.
If they play…
Flower Curtain stops Trifrost's damage to their non-ex Bench. Hit the Active instead and Thunder Raid their Benched ex.
Spiritual End quadruples counters on 2 of your Pokémon at 13 in discard. Its 60 HP falls to Trifrost before then.
Blood Moon (240) gets cheaper as you take Prizes and KOs Latias ex. Rapid-Fire Combo needs 2 heads (300) for its 260 HP.
Slowking vs Basic Box
Their attackers are 2- and 3-Prize ex; yours is a 1-Prize Slowking. Spread 110 with Trifrost, finish Benched ex with Thunder Raid, and don't give them your own ex.
Their plan
- Rapid-Fire Combo: Mega Kangaskhan ex does 200 + 50 per heads. KOs Slowking (120) and any of your ex except Kangaskhan.
- Enamorus: Love Resonance does 200 (80 + 120, since both sides have Psychic Pokémon). It KOs Slowking and gives up only 1 Prize.
- Bench damage: Cruel Arrow (100) KOs a Benched Slowpoke (80), and Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex's Torrential Pump adds 120 to your Bench.
- Stadium removal: Chien-Pao's Snow Sink discards your Academy at Night, and their Area Zero Underdepths replaces it.
Your prize plan
- Trifrost three ex at once. 110 each puts every ex they have (190-240 HP, Kangaskhan 300) in Thunder Raid range next turn.
- Thunder Raid the Bench. 210 KOs Meowth ex, Lillie's Clefairy ex, Latias ex or either Ogerpon outright; after a Trifrost it KOs Raging Bolt ex or a Benched Mega Kangaskhan ex.
- Active Kangaskhan needs two big hits. Metallic Hammer + Brave Bangle twice (180 + 180) KOs it; Trifrost + one boosted Hammer (290) is 10 short.
- Make Slowking the target. Run Errand with your Kangaskhan, then retreat it for free with Latias ex's Skyliner, so their KOs cost you 1 Prize, not 3.
Thunder Raid (210) on their Benched ex, with or without a Trifrost (110) first
Don't
- Benching ex you don't need that turn: Boss's Orders, Cruel Arrow and Torrential Pump turn each one into 2-3 free Prizes.
- Counting on Academy at Night alone: Chien-Pao and Area Zero remove it. Save a Ciphermaniac's Codebreaking for the turn that matters.
- Leaving your Mega Kangaskhan ex Active at the end of your turn: Rapid-Fire Combo with 2 heads (300) takes 3 Prizes.
Key turn
- Your first Trifrost: with Area Zero filling their Bench, hit three ex at once; every one becomes a Thunder Raid KO next turn.
- Academy at Night over their Area Zero Underdepths: when it leaves play both players cut the Bench to 5, and they discard first.
If they play…
A 400-HP Kangaskhan is out of Trifrost + Thunder Raid range. Take 2-Prize ex instead and leave it for last.
After you KO something, your hand goes back into your deck and you draw 2, losing the card you stacked. Keep Academy at Night ready.
Twin Shotels puts 50 on two Pokémon; two uses KO a Benched Slowpoke (80). Trifrost + Thunder Raid (320) KOs it (220).
Slowking vs Dragapult Blaziken
Trifrost sweeps both evolution lines early, and Lillie's Clefairy ex makes Dragapult ex weak to your copied attacks. Blaziken ex is Fire, so Fairy Zone does nothing to it: plan two hits for it.
Their plan
- Phantom Dive: 200 KOs Slowking (120) or Lillie's Clefairy ex (190) Active, and 6 Bench counters KO a Slowpoke that entered at 60 under Risky Ruins.
- Blaziken ex: Smolder-sault does 200 and Seething Spirit reattaches a discarded Energy every turn. It is Fire, so Fairy Zone doesn't make it weak to Psychic.
- Team Rocket's Watchtower: Mega Kangaskhan ex loses Run Errand and Meowth ex loses Last-Ditch Catch. Chi-Yu's Ground Melter (120) also discards your Academy at Night.
- Budew + 2 Munkidori: Items locked on turns 1-2, and each Adrena-Brain moves 3 counters to finish what Phantom Dive started.
Your prize plan
- Turn 2: Trifrost the evolution lines. 110 to 3 KOs Dreepy (70), Drakloak (90), Torchic (70), Combusken (100), Munkidori (110) or Budew.
- Finish Dragapult ex with Clefairy in play. Copied attacks are Psychic: Metallic Hammer + Brave Bangle hits 360, Latias ex's Eon Blade 400.
- Two hits for Blaziken ex (320). Eon Blade (200) then Rapid-Fire Combo (200) over two turns; Kangaskhan's 300 HP survives one Smolder-sault.
- Zeraora closes. Thunder Raid (210) KOs their Benched Fezandipiti ex (210) or Meowth ex (170).
Against an Active Dragapult ex (320 HP) with Lillie's Clefairy ex in play
Don't
- Benching Lillie's Clefairy ex before you can attack that turn: 190 HP, 2 Prizes, and Boss's Orders + Phantom Dive KOs it.
- Spending your Dragapult answers on Blaziken ex: Fairy Zone doesn't double damage to it, so hit it with Eon Blade and Rapid-Fire Combo.
- Leaving an Energy-less Slowking Active (retreat 3) under Budew: you can't Switch, and Phantom Dive KOs it.
Key turn
- Your turn 2: Trifrost before Drakloak and Combusken reach Stage 2. Each line you remove is a Phantom Dive or Seething Spirit they don't get.
- The turn Watchtower lands: play Academy at Night over it right away to get Run Errand back.
If they play…
Flower Curtain stops Trifrost's damage to their non-ex Bench. Hit the Active instead, with Clefairy in play.
Brave Bangle stops working: Metallic Hammer does 300 to Dragapult ex, not a KO. Use Eon Blade (400).
Every Slowpoke enters at 60 and dies to Phantom Dive's counters. Bench 2 at most and replace it with Academy at Night.
Slowking vs Sharpedo Toxtricity
Their Bench is full of 70 HP Basics that Trifrost erases, but Hungry Jaws (270-310) KOs any ex you Bench and Greedy Fang punishes your Darkness Weakness. Trade Slowking for their engine, not for ex.
Their plan
- Hungry Jaws: 120, or 270 once Mega Sharpedo ex has any damage counters; Binding Mochi on a Poisoned Sharpedo makes it 310. That KOs every ex you play.
- Sinister Surge (Toxtricity): attaches a Darkness Energy to a Benched [D] Pokémon and puts 2 counters on it. Pecharunt ex's Subjugating Chains then brings it up Poisoned.
- Weakness to Darkness: Greedy Fang (70) does 140 to Slowking (120) or Slowpoke (80) for one Energy.
- Team Rocket's Watchtower shuts off Run Errand and Last-Ditch Catch, your draw.
Your prize plan
- Turn 2: Trifrost the Bench. 110 each KOs Carvanha, Toxel, Tatsugiri (70) or Munkidori (110): up to 3 Prizes and their Sharpedo, Energy or Supporter engine set back.
- Thunder Raid on Pecharunt ex. Zeraora's 210 KOs a Benched Pecharunt ex (190) or Fezandipiti ex (210) for 2 Prizes; without Poison, Binding Mochi adds nothing.
- Mega Sharpedo ex in two steps. After Sinister Surge (20) and a Trifrost (110) it has 200 left: Eon Blade or Rapid-Fire Combo (200) KOs it for 3 Prizes.
- Bench only the ex you use that turn. Hungry Jaws + Adrena-Brain (300) KOs Mega Kangaskhan ex for 3 Prizes.
Against a Mega Sharpedo ex (330 HP) with 200 HP left after Sinister Surge and Trifrost
Don't
- Leaving Mega Kangaskhan ex Active after Run Errand: it's 3 Prizes to Hungry Jaws. Retreat it for free with Latias ex's Skyliner.
- Half-damaging a Mega Sharpedo ex you can't finish next turn: their Munkidori moves the damage away while Hungry Jaws keeps hitting.
- Trifrost into Toxtricity (140): it survives. Spend the 110s on 70 HP Basics and Munkidori.
Key turn
- Your turn 2 Trifrost: removing Toxel or Carvanha before Toxtricity and Sharpedo evolve delays their 310 combo a full turn.
- The turn their first Sharpedo attacks: have Latias ex or Kangaskhan ready with Energy so the 200 finish comes right away.
If they play…
Poisons their Active Sharpedo without Pecharunt ex, so Binding Mochi's 310 still comes after Thunder Raid.
Heals all damage from Mega Sharpedo ex but returns its Energy. Finish it the turn you can.
Clutch (20) keeps your Active from retreating next turn. Keep Switch or Surfer for a stuck Slowking or Kangaskhan.
Slowking vs N's Zoroark
Your Trifrost against their Zorua and Munkidori, their Darkness hits against your Psychic Pokémon. Their Watchtower shuts off Run Errand, so win the Stadium war and finish each Zoroark ex in two hits.
Their plan
- Team Rocket's Watchtower: Mega Kangaskhan ex and Meowth ex are Colorless, so Run Errand and Last-Ditch Catch stop working while it's in play.
- Darkness Weakness: Night Joker attacks are Darkness. Virtuous Flame does 340 to Latias ex (210); even Shred (140) KOs Slowking (120).
- Rampaging Thunder (250) on Kangaskhan (300): with Black Belt's Training it's 290, and Binding Mochi or one Adrena-Brain on top gives them 3 Prizes.
- Trade: every N's Zoroark ex draws 2 a turn, and N's PP Up recharges the next attacker from the discard pile.
Your prize plan
- Turn 2 Trifrost before Zorua evolve: 110 KOs N's Zorua (70), Munkidori (110) and Budew (30), up to 3 Prizes and fewer Zoroark later.
- Two hits per N's Zoroark ex (280): Trifrost 110, then Rapid-Fire Combo 200 (310), or Thunder Raid 210 on it on the Bench (320).
- Lillie's Clefairy ex makes their Dragons weak to Psychic: an Active N's Zekrom (130) takes 220 from Trifrost or 240 from Super Psy Bolt. On the Bench it's only 110.
- Thunder Raid for free ex Prizes: 210 KOs a Benched Pecharunt ex (190), Fezandipiti ex (210) or Meowth ex (170).
Against N's Zoroark ex (280 HP)
Don't
- Hurting a Zoroark ex you can't finish next turn: a copied Powerful Rage does 20 per counter on it, 220 after one Trifrost.
- Benching Latias ex or Lillie's Clefairy ex before you need them: Latias ex is weak to Darkness and both are 2 easy Prizes.
- Leaving Kangaskhan Active when they have Black Belt's Training and a charged Zoroark: with Latias ex in play it retreats for free.
Key turn
- Your turn 2 Trifrost: if it lands before N's Zorua evolve, they lose Prizes and draw engines at once.
- The Stadium war: answer every Watchtower with Academy at Night, which turns Run Errand back on and lets you stack your next attack.
If they play…
Itchy Pollen stops Wondrous Patch, Poké Pad and Ultra Ball. Codebreaking, Academy at Night and Run Errand still work; Trifrost KOs Budew.
Clutch traps your Active. Latias ex doesn't help a Slowking (Stage 1, Retreat 3): keep Switch or Surfer for it.
A Zoroark ex with it has 380 HP: Trifrost plus Rapid-Fire Combo falls short, so take Zekrom and the Benched ex instead.
Sources
- Natalie Millar, "Slowking Deck Guide", TCGplayer, 22 sep 2026 · tcgplayer.com
- Natalie Millar, "The Best Pokémon TCG Decks Right Now (October 2026)", TCGplayer, 29 sep 2026 · tcgplayer.com
- Natalie Millar, "Slowking Deck Guide (June 2026)", TCGplayer, 9 jun 2026 (antes de 30C) · tcgplayer.com
- Gabriel Smart, "Is It Slowking's Time To Shine???", PokéBeach, 20 ago 2026 (parte pública) · pokebeach.com
- Grant Manley, "Funny Slowking", PokéBeach, 10 jul 2026 (parte pública) · pokebeach.com
- BindeX, guía NAIC 2026, 10 jun 2026 (baja confiabilidad) · getbindex.app
- Simbozz, guía de Slowking, jun 2026 (genérica) · simbozz.gg
- Lista de dustblowertcg, 1.º de 161, Limitless Play · play.limitlesstcg.com
- Foro de PokéBeach, regla Seek Inspiration + Metagross · pokebeach.com
- Limitless Play, matchups de Slowking (online), consultado el 20 oct 2026 · play.limitlesstcg.com