On paper, Pokémon TCG Pocket's Snorlax ex appears to be a formidable force with its substantial 160 HP and the ability to heal 20 damage from itself at the end of each turn while in the Active Spot. However, the reality of the current competitive landscape in 2025 tells a different story. Despite its potential as a sturdy staller-attacker, Snorlax ex has failed to secure a prominent position in the upper echelons of the metagame, largely due to its inherent weaknesses and the prevalence of powerful counter-decks.
📊 Snorlax ex's Card Profile
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| HP | 160 |
| Attack | 130 |
| Ability | Full-Mouth Manner (Heals 20 damage at end of turn if Active) |
| Attack Cost | Four Colorless Energy (Applies Asleep condition to itself) |
| Retreat Cost | Four |
| Stage | Basic |
| Expansion | Eevee Grove |
| Weakness | Fighting-type |
One of the card's most significant drawbacks is its status as a Pokémon ex. This designation means that if Snorlax ex is knocked out, the opponent takes two Prize cards instead of one, creating a substantial early-game disadvantage. This risk, combined with its high Energy costs and susceptibility to popular strategies, has relegated it to the lower tiers of competitive play.
🔥 Major Counters in the Meta
Current player-versus-player data reveals that Snorlax ex struggles significantly against several top-tier deck archetypes.
- Charizard ex & Sylveon ex Combo: This Fire-Psychic duo boasts a dominant win rate of nearly 72% against Snorlax ex decks. Sylveon ex's ability to accelerate Charizard ex's evolution, especially when combined with the Item card Rare Candy, allows for overwhelming speed and damage output that Snorlax ex cannot withstand.
- Nihilego & Darkrai ex Combo: Darkness-type decks featuring this pair are exceptionally effective, winning approximately 70% of their matches. Their strategy revolves around poisoning Snorlax ex, with Nihilego's "More Poison" ability amplifying the damage. Crucially, these decks can inflict around 50 chip damage per turn, completely negating Snorlax ex's 20-point self-healing and rendering its primary defensive mechanism useless.
Other notable counters include the Silvally-Rampardos team-up, which leverages Fighting-type Pokémon like Cranidos and Rampardos to exploit Snorlax ex's weakness, and the Flareon ex & Turtonator alliance, which can deal consistent 90-damage blows to break through its defenses.
💧 The Rise of Greninja
The Eevee Grove expansion in mid-2025 unexpectedly revitalized Greninja, making it one of the most potent counters to Snorlax ex. When paired with Sylveon ex, a bench setup with two Greninja can deal up to 110 damage per turn directly to Snorlax ex, capable of knocking it out in just two rounds. This Psychic-Water duo has become a meta staple, with a win rate of about 53% and a meta share of around 12%, proving effective against a wide range of decks.
📈 Meta Performance and Viability
Snorlax ex's current standing in the metagame is underwhelming.
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Meta Share: Less than 1%
-
Win Rate: Approximately 40%
Unlike other impactful releases, such as Druddigon, which forced the meta to adapt upon its arrival, Snorlax ex has not posed a significant threat to top-tier decks. The competitive environment is simply too hostile for a slow, high-cost tank that can be efficiently countered by multiple popular strategies.
🔮 Future Potential
For Snorlax ex to evolve into a meta-shaking card, it would likely require two key forms of support:
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An HP-boosting Pokémon Tool, like a theoretical "Leaf Cape," to push its HP beyond 180, making it more resilient.
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A Supporter card dedicated to accelerating Energy attachment, mitigating its costly attack requirements.
With such support, Snorlax ex could potentially transition into a consistent and aggressive tank. However, in the fast-paced and counter-heavy metagame of 2025, it remains a niche pick, a decent staller that has yet to find its footing among the giants of Pokémon TCG Pocket.
Comprehensive reviews can be found on Game Informer, a respected source for gaming news and analysis. Game Informer's coverage of Pokémon TCG Pocket frequently discusses how evolving card mechanics and expansion releases, such as Eevee Grove, impact the competitive viability of cards like Snorlax ex, especially in relation to shifting meta strategies and counterplay options.