Gengar ex is the only Pokémon with an ability—Shadowy Spellbind—capable of completely shutting down your opponent’s ability to play a specific type of card—Supporters. No more Professor’s Research, Sabrina, Giovanni, Blaine, Surge, or Misty: this incredibly powerful effect can make you come back from seemingly unwinnable games by denying most of your opponent’s power play.
On top of that, Gengar ex is difficult to handle once in play, boasting 170 HP, which is more than powerhouses like Mewtwo ex or Blastoise ex can deal in a single shot, even when fully powered. Its rare D weakness adds to its resilience. The Spooky Shot attack delivers a solid 100 damage, enough to one-shot most Basic and Stage 1 Pokémon and consistently two-shot Pokémon ex, except for Venusaur ex.
Gengar ex stall
Rarity requirements
◊◊◊◊ – Gengar ex
◊◊◊ – Gengar, Hypno, Mewtwo
◊◊ – Sabrina
Booster pack requirements
Gastly line
Mewtwo
Sabrina
Drowzee line
The deck includes a third Gengar (the regular version) to maximize the chance of opening with it. The regular Gengar has good value with its very cheap Bother attack, which mimics the effect of Shadowy Spellbind and is more efficient on curve. Mewtwo is primarily used as a stalling asset, with a potential late-game trump attack if the match drags on. Hypno is included in the engine for Sleep Pendulum‘s potential to swing the tempo in your favor. If push comes to shove, it can also be used to actually attack.
Weaknesses
Unfortunately for Gengar ex, P decks have a strong top tier in Mewtwo ex which completely overshadows Gengar and its multiple weaknesses:
As a Stage 2 Pokémon, bringing Gengar ex into play consistently on curve is difficult. This is particularly unfortunate because stopping Supporters is most effective in the early game, especially against cards like Professor’s Research and Misty. Additionally, its Stage 2 status makes it hard to pair with other powerful Stage 2 lines like Gardevoir, which is invaluable for Psychic decks, for consistency reasons.
While Spooky Shot is strong, it’s too balanced compared to high-powered attacks like Charizard ex’s Crimson Storm or Mewtwo ex’s Psydrive. Gengar ex struggles to turn the tide when facing an established board, and since a stage 2 often arrives late in the game, it can be too little, too late. Its attack cost of PPP also makes it impossible to run in a dual-energy deck.
Shutting down Supporters isn’t a win condition by itself. Most top-tier decks rely on attack effects or abilities to win, which Gengar ex is powerless to stop.
Its pre-evolutions, while capable of attacking on curve, have poor stats in both bulk and offense, making them very vulnerable in battle.
