ex Battle Deck Upgrade Guide
Houndoom ex Battle Deck Upgrade Guide
One Houndoom ex that hits for 220 and takes 30 itself, or stops a Basic Pokémon from attacking.
Quick verdict
The ratings are TurnZero HQ's own read on a 1 to 5 scale, not an official one. Compare this deck with every other one on the Pokémon battle deck directory.
Shop the Houndoom ex Battle Deck on TCGplayer →What's in the box
These are the cards that decide how the deck plays. Each one links to its card page, with its current price.
How it plays
Houndoom ex is a Stage 1 that evolves from Houndour. Hound's Fang does 220 for three Darkness Energy and 30 damage to Houndoom itself. Evil Claw does 90 for two, and if the Defending Pokémon is a Basic, it can't attack on your opponent's next turn.
Umbreon and Lokix lines are the backup attackers.
Is it Standard legal?
No. Its Pokémon ex and nearly every other card carry the G mark and rotated on April 10, 2026. It still plays against other precons and in Expanded, which is where these decks were always strongest anyway.
Every upgrade card below carries an H, I or J regulation mark, the marks legal in Standard since the April 10, 2026 rotation, checked against our Pokémon card catalog on October 10, 2026. Basic Energy is always legal. See which cards are legal in each format for how regulation marks and reprints decide it.
Upgrade path 1: Swap in real Trainer cards
The Houndoom ex Battle Deck was built to teach, so its Trainers are the gentle ones: Nemona, Youngster, Great Ball and Potion. Replacing them is the cheapest upgrade in the Pokémon TCG, since every card below is a common or uncommon, and it makes the deck faster against other precons whatever format you play. Lillie's Determination shuffles your hand away and draws 6 (8 before you take a Prize), Ultra Ball finds any Pokémon, Night Stretcher gets back a Knocked Out Pokémon or a Basic Energy, and Boss's Orders lets you choose which Pokémon you Knock Out.
Hound's Fang's self-damage adds up, and Jumbo Ice Cream heals 80 from an Active Pokémon with three or more Energy, which an attacking Houndoom always has.
Lillie's Determination
Ascended Heroes #192
Replaces Nemona and Youngster as the draw.
Ultra Ball
30th Celebration #128
Replaces Great Ball.
Night Stretcher
Ascended Heroes #196
Replaces Potion: gets back a Pokémon or Energy.
Boss's Orders
Ascended Heroes #183
Choose your Knock Outs.
Jumbo Ice Cream
Phantasmal Flames #91
Heals 80 from a fully powered Houndoom.
What comes out: 2 Rika, both Seviper and both Morpeko.
Upgrade path 2: Turn self-damage into an advantage
Munkidori, a current Darkness Pokémon, moves up to 3 damage counters from one of your Pokémon to one of your opponent's each turn while it has a Darkness Energy attached. That turns Hound's Fang's 30 self-damage into 30 damage on your opponent. For a full Standard Darkness deck, see the Mega Gengar ex Mega Battle Deck guide.
Other battle decks
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Decklist and release details checked against: Bulbapedia , PokéGuardian .
Upgrade the deck, then see what you're missing.
Build your upgraded list in TurnZero HQ and it is checked against Standard or Expanded and against the cards you own. Free to start.
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