Mega Excadrill — Standard Strategy Guide

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Archetype Overview

Mega Excadrill is a Metal evolution deck. It uses Metang to pull Energy out of the deck, powers up Mega Excadrill ex for one huge Maximum Drilling every turn, and keeps Metagross ready as a second heavy hitter that answers the Pokémon Excadrill can't touch. This list won Sunny's Weekly #280 Smoke on the Water! (189 players, November 2, 2026), played by Limitless user Jumshud.

The plan in one paragraph

Set up Beldum and Drilbur early, evolve into Metang and Mega Excadrill ex, and let Metal Maker do the attaching. Metal Maker looks at the top 4 cards of your deck once per turn and attaches any Basic Metal Energy it finds there to your Pokémon in any way you like. With 16 Metal Energy in the list and up to four Metang on the Bench, you can load an attacker much faster than one manual attachment a turn allows. Once Mega Excadrill ex has five Energy on it, Maximum Drilling does 200 plus 130, for 330 damage, and you keep swinging until you've taken your Prize cards.

Why the plan is strong

• A very big body. Mega Excadrill ex has 340 HP. Under your own Full Metal Lab, Metal Pokémon take 30 less damage from your opponent's attacks, so many big hits fall short of a Knock Out.
• A damage number that matters. Every opposing Pokémon ex in the brief's card notes for this format has 330 HP or less, including Dragapult ex at 320 HP and Mega Kangaskhan ex at 300 HP. Maximum Drilling at 330 Knocks Out any of them from full HP.
• Search that never misses. Genesect ex's Metallic Signal finds up to two Evolution Metal Pokémon every turn. Team Rocket's Transceiver finds Team Rocket's Petrel, and Petrel finds any Trainer card. Between them, you rarely have to hope you draw the right piece.
• Energy that comes back. Philippe puts two Basic Metal Energy from the discard pile onto a Metal Pokémon, and Energy Recycler shuffles up to five Basic Energy back into your deck for Metal Maker to find again. Metagross can throw Energy away for extra damage without running the deck dry.
• A plan for walls. Metagross isn't a Pokémon ex, which matters against effects that only stop damage from Pokémon ex. It also has Bounce Back, which forces your opponent's Active Pokémon to the Bench.

What it gives up

This is a Stage 1 and Stage 2 deck, so a slow start costs you. Mega Excadrill ex has Fire Weakness, so a Fire attacker gets double damage into it. It also has a Retreat Cost of 4, which is why the list plays Kieran and Boss's Orders rather than leaning on paying to retreat. And because Mega Excadrill ex is a Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, a Knock Out on it gives up three Prize cards, not two, according to the brief's rules note. You don't want to lose two of them.

Where it sits

The deck is a real presence in the online field: Mega Excadrill put 7 lists into Top 8s across 6 events, with 2 wins (source: Limitless online Top 8s, 33 Standard events with 100+ players, Oct 20-Nov 3, 2026). The same data shows Dragapult as the most common Top 8 deck, with 46 of 264 slots (source: Limitless online Top 8s, 33 Standard events with 100+ players, Oct 20-Nov 3, 2026), so a lot of this guide is about that matchup.

Who should pick it up

Pick this deck up if you like a linear plan with a lot of small decisions inside it. The attack is simple; the work is in counting Energy, choosing which Pokémon gets Metal Maker's attachments, choosing when to switch from Excadrill to Metagross, and knowing which Trainer to fetch with Team Rocket's Petrel. If you're comfortable with evolution decks and with doing damage math every turn, this list rewards practice. If you want a deck that can take Prize cards on your first turn, this isn't it.

The list is also cheap by competitive standards, which makes it a good pick if you want a real tournament deck without a big card bill. The budget chapter covers that in more detail.

Core Strategy & Game Plan

The deck is proactive. You aren't trying to disrupt your opponent's plan for long. You're trying to put a 340 HP attacker in the Active Spot that deals 330 damage each turn, then make your opponent find an answer before you take six Prize cards.

The engine

1. Basics onto the Bench. Drilbur's Call for Family, for one Energy of any type, puts up to two Basic Pokémon from your deck onto your Bench. Precious Trolley puts any number of Basic Pokémon onto your Bench. Your Basics are Beldum, Drilbur, Genesect ex, Heatran and Shaymin.
2. Find the evolutions. Genesect ex's Metallic Signal searches for up to two Evolution Metal Pokémon once during your turn. That's Metang, Metagross and Mega Excadrill ex. With one Genesect ex in play, you find two evolutions every turn.
3. Accelerate. Each Metang uses Metal Maker once per turn: look at the top 4 cards, attach any Basic Metal Energy you find there to your Pokémon in any way you like, and put the rest on the bottom of your deck. Two Metang means eight cards checked per turn.
4. Attack. Mega Excadrill ex needs three Metal Energy for Maximum Drilling, and two more on top of that for the bonus 130 damage.
5. Refuel. Philippe and Energy Recycler bring Energy back after Knock Outs or after Metagross discards three for Metallic Hammer.

The two attackers

Mega Excadrill ex is your main attacker. Maximum Drilling costs three Metal Energy and does 200. If Excadrill has at least two extra Energy attached in addition to that cost, it does 130 more, so 330. Undermine, for two Metal Energy, does 90 and discards the top 2 cards of your opponent's deck. Undermine is mostly a fallback when you can't reach three Energy yet.

Metagross is the second attacker. Metallic Hammer costs three Metal Energy and one Energy of any type, and does 150. You may discard three Metal Energy from Metagross to add 150 more, for 300. Bounce Back, for one Metal Energy, does 60 and switches your opponent's Active Pokémon to the Bench, with your opponent choosing the replacement. Metagross matters because it isn't a Pokémon ex.

Genesect ex can attack too. Protect Charge does 150 for two Metal Energy and one of any type, and the Genesect ex takes 30 less damage from attacks during your opponent's next turn. It's a useful attack when you need a mid-sized hit and your Excadrill isn't ready.

The Prize math

Count Prizes every game. Your opponent takes three Prize cards when they Knock Out Mega Excadrill ex, two for Genesect ex (a regular Pokémon ex, per the brief's rules note), and fewer for your non-ex Pokémon. That means two Excadrill Knock Outs are six Prizes. The deck's defensive tools exist to stop that from happening: Full Metal Lab for 30 less damage, Jumbo Ice Cream to heal 80 from an Active Pokémon with three or more Energy attached, Fennel to heal 40 from each of your Pokémon, and Shaymin to stop attack damage to your Benched Pokémon without a Rule Box.

The cleanest games go like this: your first Excadrill takes two or three Prizes and absorbs two hits, your second Excadrill or a Metagross finishes the game, and your opponent never gets the third Knock Out they need.

The ideal game, turn by turn

• Turn 1. Start Drilbur or Beldum Active. Put down as many Basics as you can: Precious Trolley, or attach and use Call for Family when the turn allows it. You want at least two Beldum, one or two Drilbur and a Genesect ex in play.
• Turn 2. Use Metallic Signal for Metang and Mega Excadrill ex. Evolve, use Metal Maker on every Metang, and put your attachments on the Excadrill. If the top cards are kind, Maximum Drilling is already live.
• Turn 3 onward. Attack every turn. Use Boss's Orders to target the Benched Pokémon that matters, keep a second attacker powering on the Bench, and play Full Metal Lab when you expect to take a hit.
• The last Prizes. Special Red Card works only once your opponent has three or fewer Prize cards remaining. It shuffles their hand to the bottom of their deck and leaves them with three cards, which can stop the comeback they need.

When to slow down

You don't always want to attack with the biggest number. If 200 already Knocks Out the Active Pokémon, put your extra Energy on a Benched attacker instead of on the Active Excadrill. If the only Knock Out available is with Metallic Hammer's discard, check that Philippe, Energy Recycler or enough Metang remain to rebuild before you throw three Energy away.

Card Choices & Breakdown

The list has 19 Pokémon, 25 Trainers and 16 Energy. Here's what each group is doing and why the numbers look the way they do.

The Metal line: 4 Beldum, 4 Metang, 2 Metagross

Beldum is a 70 HP Basic with Retreat Cost 1. It's here to become Metang, and the full four make sure you have Beldum in play early. Metang is the engine, so you want two or more of them by your second turn. Its Metal Maker is what lets this deck reach five Energy on Mega Excadrill ex so quickly. Four copies is the right count, because a Metang that gets Knocked Out stops your acceleration, and you need spares.

Only two Metagross make the cut. It's a Stage 2 that doesn't need to come down every game, and Genesect ex can search for it whenever you need one. Metagross gives you a 180 HP attacker that isn't a Pokémon ex, a 300-damage Metallic Hammer and Bounce Back to move a Pokémon out of the Active Spot.

The Excadrill line: 3 Drilbur, 2 Mega Excadrill ex

Drilbur does two jobs. It evolves into Mega Excadrill ex, and its Call for Family, for one Energy of any type, puts two Basics onto your Bench. That's a strong first-turn attack when your hand is light on Basics. Three copies let you start with one and still have two left to evolve.

Two Mega Excadrill ex might look low for the main attacker. It works because Genesect ex searches for it, and because each Excadrill gives up three Prize cards if it's Knocked Out. Two of them is already six Prizes on your opponent's side of the table, so the plan is to make each one count rather than to have more of them.

Support Pokémon: 2 Genesect ex, 1 Heatran, 1 Shaymin

Genesect ex is your search engine. Metallic Signal finds two Evolution Metal Pokémon once during your turn, which is how you turn a hand of Basics into Metang and Mega Excadrill ex. Two copies is the balance between getting one into play early and not giving your opponent too many two-Prize targets.

Heatran is a one-copy specialist. If it's Active and damaged by an attack, the attacker is Burned. Steel Burst discards all Metal Energy from Heatran and does 50 damage for each Energy discarded. Heatran isn't a Pokémon ex, and with Metal Maker attaching several Energy at once, it can produce a big non-ex hit in a hurry.

Shaymin prevents all attack damage to your Benched Pokémon that don't have a Rule Box. Your Beldum, Metang and Drilbur are fragile, and Shaymin protects them against decks that do damage to the Bench.

Supporters: 9 cards

• 2 Team Rocket's Petrel. Search for any Trainer card. Paired with four Team Rocket's Transceiver, which find a Supporter with "Team Rocket" in its name, Petrel turns every Transceiver into whatever Trainer you need most.
• 2 Boss's Orders. Switch in one of your opponent's Benched Pokémon. Your damage is high enough to Knock Out almost anything, so choosing the target is how you win the Prize race.
• 1 Lillie's Determination. Shuffle your hand in and draw six, or eight if you have exactly six Prize cards remaining. It's best early, before you've taken a Prize.
• 1 Kieran. Switch your Active Pokémon with a Benched one, or add 30 damage to attacks against your opponent's Active Pokémon ex this turn. That 30 turns several near-misses into Knock Outs.
• 1 Fennel. Heal 40 from each of your Pokémon.
• 1 Philippe. Attach up to two Basic Metal Energy from your discard pile to one Metal Pokémon. It brings back a Knocked Out attacker's Energy straight onto the next one.
• 1 Judge. Each player shuffles their hand in and draws four. Use it to fix your own hand or to cut your opponent's.

Items: 13 cards

• 4 Team Rocket's Transceiver and 2 Pokégear 3.0 are your Supporter search. Pokégear looks at the top 7 cards for any Supporter.
• 2 Jumbo Ice Cream. Heal 80 from your Active Pokémon if it has three or more Energy attached. A loaded Excadrill always qualifies.
• 1 Precious Trolley. Any number of Basic Pokémon onto your Bench. The single best card to find on turn one.
• 1 Energy Recycler. Up to five Basic Energy from your discard pile back into your deck, so Metal Maker keeps hitting late in the game.
• 1 Hand Trimmer. Each player discards down to five cards, your opponent first.
• 1 Redeemable Ticket. Shuffle your Prize cards to the bottom of your deck and take new ones from the top. Use it when a key card is stuck in your Prizes.
• 1 Special Red Card. Late-game disruption once your opponent is at three or fewer Prize cards remaining.

Stadiums: 2 Full Metal Lab, 1 Gravity Mountain

Full Metal Lab makes Metal Pokémon on both sides take 30 less damage from the other player's attacks. Almost your whole deck is Metal, so it's your main defensive card. Gravity Mountain gives every Stage 2 in play 30 less HP. It's a tech for Stage 2 opponents, but it hits your own Metagross too, so play it when Metagross isn't the Pokémon you need to protect.

Energy: 16 Metal Energy

Sixteen is a lot, and it needs to be. Metal Maker only finds Energy that is actually near the top of your deck, and Maximum Drilling wants five Energy on one Pokémon.

The Decklist

Legality check before you register: the card data used for this guide flags the listed printing of Pokégear 3.0 (not Standard-legal). The list is shown as it placed. Check it against the current official Standard card list for your event date before you register; another printing of the same card may be legal.

The 1st-place list from Sunny's Weekly #280 Smoke on the Water! (189 players, November 2, 2026), played by Limitless user Jumshud.

Pokémon (19)

• 4 Beldum
• 4 Metang
• 2 Metagross: flexible, could be 1 if you want another Trainer
• 3 Drilbur
• 2 Mega Excadrill ex
• 2 Genesect ex
• 1 Heatran: flexible non-ex attacker
• 1 Shaymin: flexible Bench protection

Trainers (25)

• 2 Team Rocket's Petrel
• 2 Boss's Orders
• 1 Lillie's Determination
• 1 Kieran
• 1 Fennel: flexible healing slot
• 1 Philippe
• 1 Judge: flexible disruption slot
• 4 Team Rocket's Transceiver
• 2 Jumbo Ice Cream
• 2 Pokégear 3.0
• 1 Precious Trolley
• 1 Energy Recycler
• 1 Hand Trimmer: flexible disruption slot
• 1 Redeemable Ticket: flexible
• 1 Special Red Card
• 2 Full Metal Lab
• 1 Gravity Mountain: flexible, best against Stage 2 decks

Energy (16)

• 16 Metal Energy

The core is the Metal line, the Excadrill line, Genesect ex, the Transceiver-Petrel package and the 16 Energy. The one-of disruption and healing cards are where you tune the list for your local field.

Opening Hands & Setup

You don't get to choose to redraw a hand in Pokémon. Only a hand with no Basic Pokémon is shuffled back. So the question isn't which hands to keep. It's how to turn the hand you have into a working board by your second turn.

The deck has 11 Basics: 4 Beldum, 3 Drilbur, 2 Genesect ex, 1 Heatran and 1 Shaymin. Most hands will have at least one.

Which Basic to start Active

1. Drilbur is usually best. Call for Family costs one Energy of any type and puts two Basics from your deck onto your Bench, which fixes a thin start by itself. If it survives, it's still an Excadrill waiting to happen.
2. Beldum is fine. It has Retreat Cost 1, so you can move it out cheaply once your real attacker is ready.
3. Shaymin also has Retreat Cost 1, but you'd rather have it on the Bench doing its job.
4. Genesect ex is acceptable. Metallic Signal works wherever it is, and its 220 HP is a solid wall early. The risk is giving up two Prize cards before you're set up, and its Retreat Cost is 2.
5. Heatran is the worst start. Its Retreat Cost is 4, and its Incandescent Body is something you'd rather save for when your opponent is set up to hit it hard.

What a strong opening looks like

• A Basic to start, plus Precious Trolley or a way to find it. Team Rocket's Transceiver finds Team Rocket's Petrel, and Petrel finds Trolley.
• A Genesect ex to put on the Bench, or a way to fetch it with Trolley or Call for Family.
• One or two Metal Energy for manual attachments.
• A draw Supporter for next turn, ideally Lillie's Determination while you still have six Prize cards remaining.

From that start, your second turn is two Metallic Signal searches, two evolutions into Metang or Mega Excadrill ex, and Metal Maker on every Metang.

What a weak opening looks like

• One Basic and no search. Attach to it and use Call for Family if it's Drilbur. If it's Beldum, play every search card you have to find Precious Trolley or a second Basic.
• All Pokémon, no Trainers. Bench everything that helps. Evolutions in hand are fine; they'll come down next turn.
• All Energy and no Pokémon to evolve. Look for Lillie's Determination or Judge through Pokégear 3.0. Your Energy isn't wasted; Metal Maker would only have found it later anyway.

Turn-one priorities, in order

1. Get two Beldum into play. Two Metang is what makes the deck fast.
2. Get a Drilbur into play so you can evolve into Mega Excadrill ex on turn two.
3. Get Genesect ex into play so you have Metallic Signal next turn.
4. Attach a Metal Energy to the Pokémon most likely to attack first, usually a Drilbur that will become Excadrill.
5. Keep Shaymin and Heatran in the deck or hand unless you have Bench space to spare or the matchup calls for them early.

Turn-two priorities

1. Metallic Signal first, so you know what you're evolving.
2. Evolve every Beldum you can into Metang and a Drilbur into Mega Excadrill ex.
3. Use Metal Maker on each Metang, one at a time, and decide each attachment with the next Metang's look still to come.
4. Make your manual attachment last, once you know what Metal Maker gave you.

Going first or second

This is an evolution deck that wants as many Basics as possible in play before it evolves, so the deciding question is how much time your opponent gives you. Going first means your Bench goes down first and your evolution turn comes before your opponent's second turn, which matters most against decks that try to Knock Out small Basics like Beldum and Drilbur before they evolve. Against slower setup decks the order matters less, and the bigger concern is finding Precious Trolley or getting a Drilbur into the Active Spot for Call for Family. Check your event's rules for the first turn of the game, and make the choice that gets your two Metang online soonest.

Sequencing & Key Lines

Most of your turns use the same pieces: Metallic Signal, Metal Maker, an attachment, a Supporter and an attack. The order you play them in decides how many Energy you end up with and what you still have for next turn.

The standard turn

1. Search and evolve together. Use Metallic Signal and play the Pokémon it finds straight away. Lillie's Determination and Judge shuffle your hand into your deck, so anything you search for and leave in hand is lost if you play one of them afterwards.
2. Bench first. Play Precious Trolley before you evolve if you still need Basics in play.
3. Metal Maker. Use each Metang's Ability one at a time. You can split the Energy any way you like, so give each Pokémon only what it needs.
4. Supporter. Choose between drawing (Lillie's Determination, Judge) and doing (Boss's Orders, Kieran, Philippe) once you know what your attack still needs.
5. Manual attachment. Attach after Metal Maker and your Supporter, to fill whatever gap is left.
6. Stadium and healing. Play Full Metal Lab or Jumbo Ice Cream before you attack if they matter this turn.
7. Attack.

Metal Maker sequencing

Metal Maker puts the cards it doesn't attach on the bottom of your deck. That means the second Metang looks at four different cards. A few points follow:

• Shuffle effects first. Metallic Signal and Precious Trolley both shuffle your deck, and you want their Pokémon in play before you attach anyway. Use them before Metal Maker.
• Lillie's after Metal Maker. If you're going to play Lillie's Determination, use Metal Maker first. The cards it bottoms are shuffled back in, and you draw from a deck that still has every card except the Energy you just attached.
• Spread before you stack. If the Active Excadrill already has what it needs, put spare Energy on the next attacker.

Counting to five Energy

Maximum Drilling does its full 330 only with five Energy on Mega Excadrill ex. Before you commit, count what you need: Energy already attached, plus Metal Maker's expected hits, plus one manual attachment, plus Philippe if you have Basic Metal Energy in the discard pile. If you can't reach five, check whether 200 is enough to Knock Out the Active Pokémon or whether Kieran's extra 30 gets you there against a Pokémon ex.

Choosing your attack

• Maximum Drilling for 330 when the target has more than 200 HP and you have five Energy.
• Maximum Drilling for 200 when that's already a Knock Out. Move the extra Energy elsewhere.
• Metallic Hammer for 300 when the target is safe from Pokémon ex, or when you'd rather not expose a three-Prize Excadrill. Only discard three Energy when the extra damage takes a Knock Out.
• Metallic Hammer for 150 when 150 is enough. Keep your Energy.
• Protect Charge for 150 from Genesect ex when you need a hit and want it to take 30 less damage next turn.
• Bounce Back when you need your opponent's Active Pokémon off the Active Spot and you don't need to choose what comes up next.

Using Boss's Orders and Kieran

You have two Boss's Orders and one Kieran. Save Boss's Orders for Knock Outs that change the Prize race: an attacker your opponent is powering on the Bench, a draw or search Pokémon, or a damaged Pokémon ex that gives you the last Prize cards. Kieran has two modes. Use the switch to move an Excadrill that's about to be Knocked Out out of the Active Spot, or the extra 30 damage to finish a Pokémon ex that's just out of reach. Team Rocket's Petrel can find either one.

Petrel targets by game stage

• Early: Precious Trolley to fill the Bench.
• Mid-game: Full Metal Lab when you're about to take a big hit, Jumbo Ice Cream to heal a loaded Excadrill, Gravity Mountain against Stage 2 attackers.
• Late: Special Red Card once your opponent is at three or fewer Prize cards remaining, Energy Recycler if your deck is short on Energy, Hand Trimmer to cut a big hand.

Stadium timing

Only one Stadium matters at a time. Play Full Metal Lab on the turn before you expect to be hit, not on a turn when your opponent can simply replace it before attacking. Gravity Mountain lowers your own Metagross to 150 HP, so don't play it on a turn when Metagross is your Active Pokémon unless the Knock Out it enables is worth that.

Playing around a big hit

Your opponent's best line is usually to Knock Out Mega Excadrill ex for three Prize cards. Plan around it: keep Jumbo Ice Cream for a damaged Excadrill with three or more Energy, keep Full Metal Lab in play, and have a second attacker on the Bench with Energy already on it. If you can't stop the Knock Out, make sure it comes after your Excadrill has taken at least as many Prize cards as it gives up.

Matchup Matrix

Verdicts below are reads from card text and the brief's list data, not recorded match results. The archetypes are the most common Top 8 decks in the online data (source: Limitless online Top 8s, 33 Standard events with 100+ players, Oct 20-Nov 3, 2026).

Dragapult

Dragapult had 46 of 264 online Top 8 slots (source: Limitless online Top 8s, 33 Standard events with 100+ players, Oct 20-Nov 3, 2026), so expect it. Dragapult ex has 320 HP and attacks with Phantom Dive for 200 plus six damage counters spread over your Bench, according to the brief's card notes. It's a Dragon Pokémon, so your Fire Weakness doesn't apply. Mega Excadrill ex survives Phantom Dive at 340 HP, and under Full Metal Lab it takes 170 instead of 200. Maximum Drilling at 330 Knocks Out Dragapult ex in one hit. Under Gravity Mountain, Dragapult ex, a Stage 2, drops to 290 HP, so a 300-damage Metallic Hammer also takes it.

The danger is your Bench. Six counters don't Knock Out a full-HP Beldum or Drilbur, which have 70 HP, but they can set up Knock Outs over two turns. Keep your Bench small and evolve quickly. A Tera Pokémon on the Bench takes no damage from attacks, so use Boss's Orders to bring up a Dragapult ex before it's ready. For their side of the matchup, see our Dragapult Standard guide.

Dragapult Blaziken

Blaziken ex is a Fire Pokémon, and Smolder-sault does 200, according to the brief's card notes. Against Excadrill's Fire Weakness that's 400, still 370 under Full Metal Lab, so one hit Knocks out your 340 HP Excadrill for three Prize cards. That's why this matchup is unfavored. Your other Metal Pokémon have Fire Weakness too, so the goal is to make Blaziken's hits land on Pokémon that give up fewer Prize cards than Excadrill. Genesect ex is the one Pokémon in your list whose card text shows no Weakness. Per the brief's card notes, Blaziken ex can't attack during the turn after it uses Smolder-sault, so that turn is your window to bring Excadrill in and take a big Knock Out. Maximum Drilling Knocks Out Blaziken ex at 320 HP, and Gravity Mountain brings it within range of Metallic Hammer. See our Dragapult Blaziken Standard guide.

Crustle

Crustle's Mysterious Rock Inn prevents all damage done to it by attacks from your opponent's Pokémon ex, according to the brief's card notes. That shuts off Mega Excadrill ex and Genesect ex. Your answers are Metagross, Heatran and your other non-ex Pokémon. Crustle has 150 HP, and Metallic Hammer does 150 without discarding anything, so Metagross takes a Crustle every turn while keeping its Energy. Superb Scissors does 120 to your 180 HP Metagross, or 90 under Full Metal Lab, so Metagross survives a hit. Crustle lists also play four Mega Kangaskhan ex, per the brief's list data (source: Limitless online Top 8s, 33 Standard events with 100+ players, Oct 20-Nov 3, 2026), and that's where Excadrill earns its Prizes. Get both Metagross into play early with Metallic Signal and don't use Gravity Mountain here. See our Crustle Standard guide.

Dhelmise

Dhelmise is a 140 HP Basic whose Vengeful Anchor does 30, plus 140 with four or more Hide 'n' Sneak Pokémon in its discard pile, so 170, per the brief's card notes. Under Full Metal Lab, that's 140 into your Metal Pokémon, which means Mega Excadrill ex survives two hits. Protect Charge from Genesect ex does 150 and Knocks Out a Dhelmise. Be careful with Undermine: it discards the top 2 cards of your opponent's deck, and a Banette discarded that way counts toward Vengeful Anchor. See our Dhelmise Standard guide.

Basic Box

Basic Box lists all play Mega Kangaskhan ex, per the brief's list data (source: Limitless online Top 8s, 33 Standard events with 100+ players, Oct 20-Nov 3, 2026). Kangaskhan has 300 HP and Rapid-Fire Combo does 200 plus 50 for each heads before a tails. Maximum Drilling Knocks it out, and so does a 300-damage Metallic Hammer. Its damage depends on flips, and Full Metal Lab trims every hit. Gravity Mountain does nothing to Mega Kangaskhan ex, which is a Basic. See our Basic Box Standard guide.

Ogerpon Meganium Hydrapple

Hydrapple ex has 330 HP, so Maximum Drilling at 330 takes it exactly, and Meganium is a 160 HP Stage 2, per the brief's card notes. Both are Stage 2 Pokémon, so Gravity Mountain takes 30 off each. Both are Grass Pokémon, so your Fire Weakness doesn't come into it against them. Use Boss's Orders on Meganium to slow their Energy. See our Ogerpon Meganium Hydrapple Standard guide.

Alakazam Dudunsparce

Powerful Hand places two damage counters on your Active Pokémon for each card in Alakazam's player's hand, per the brief's card notes. A 340 HP Excadrill needs 17 cards in hand to fall in one attack. Hand Trimmer cuts their hand to five, Judge to four and Special Red Card to three. They can draw back up, but each one makes the next Powerful Hand smaller. Alakazam is a 140 HP Stage 2, so Gravity Mountain makes it easier to Knock Out. See our Alakazam Dudunsparce Standard guide.

Tech Choices & Variations

The flex slots in this list are mostly one-ofs: Heatran, Shaymin, Fennel, Judge, Hand Trimmer, Redeemable Ticket and Gravity Mountain. The core around them doesn't change.

What the other Mega Excadrill lists agree on

Across the 7 Mega Excadrill lists in online Top 8s, all of them played 4 Beldum, 4 Metang, 16 Metal Energy, 2-4 Mega Excadrill ex, 2-4 Genesect ex and 1-4 Metagross (source: Limitless online Top 8s, 33 Standard events with 100+ players, Oct 20-Nov 3, 2026). This list sits at the low end for Excadrill, Genesect ex and Metagross and spends the space on Trainers. If you want a more consistent attacker count, a third Mega Excadrill ex or Genesect ex is supported by that range.

The disruption slots

Judge, Hand Trimmer and Special Red Card all shrink your opponent's hand. Judge is a Supporter and resets both hands to four. Hand Trimmer is an Item and discards both players to five, your opponent first. Special Red Card is the strongest, but only once your opponent has three or fewer Prize cards remaining. Against Alakazam, whose Powerful Hand scales with hand size according to the brief's card notes, all three are live. Against decks that dump their hand quickly, Hand Trimmer does little and could become a second Boss's Orders or Jumbo Ice Cream.

The brief's tech data shows Special Red Card in 115 of the 264 online Top 8 lists and Judge in 104 (source: Limitless online Top 8s, 33 Standard events with 100+ players, Oct 20-Nov 3, 2026), so you'll see the same effects from the other side. Keep your hand light on cards you can't afford to lose to a shuffle.

The defensive slots

Fennel heals 40 from every one of your Pokémon. It's best against spread damage on the Bench and against decks that move damage counters around. Shaymin prevents attack damage to your Benched non-Rule-Box Pokémon. Against a field light on Bench damage, either slot could become a second Philippe or a third Jumbo Ice Cream.

A second Gravity Mountain is worth considering in a field full of Stage 2 Pokémon such as Dragapult ex, Alakazam and Hydrapple ex. A third Full Metal Lab is the pick if you expect a lot of big single hits.

The non-ex attacker slot

Heatran and Metagross together are your answer to Crustle's Mysterious Rock Inn, which stops damage from Pokémon ex per the brief's card notes. Crustle had 16 of 264 online Top 8 slots, with 9 of those in the 12 events from Oct 28 to Nov 3 (source: Limitless online Top 8s, 33 Standard events with 100+ players, Oct 20-Nov 3, 2026). If you expect Crustle, keep Heatran and consider a third Metagross. If you don't, Heatran is the easiest cut.

Search and consistency

Redeemable Ticket is insurance against a key card in your Prizes. Consider swapping it for a second Precious Trolley if your starts feel too slow, or for a second Lillie's Determination if you're running out of cards. The brief's tech data shows Lillie's Determination in 223 of the 264 online Top 8 lists (source: Limitless online Top 8s, 33 Standard events with 100+ players, Oct 20-Nov 3, 2026), so a second copy is a common choice.

Tuning for your local field

• Lots of Dragapult: keep Shaymin and Fennel, add a second Gravity Mountain.
• Lots of Crustle: a third Metagross over Gravity Mountain, and keep Heatran.
• Lots of Fire: a third Full Metal Lab and an extra Genesect ex, so you're not forced to send Excadrill into Fire attackers.
• Lots of Alakazam: keep every hand-size card.

Whatever you change, keep the Energy count at 16 and the Metang count at four. Those numbers are what Metal Maker depends on.

Budget Options

This is a cheap list for a deck that wins tournaments: the full 60 is estimated at around $34. That makes it one of the easier competitive decks to build.

Where the money likely goes

The likely expensive cards are the Pokémon ex: the two Mega Excadrill ex and two Genesect ex. After them, the Supporters with the most competitive demand, Boss's Orders and Lillie's Determination, tend to cost more than the rest of the Trainers. The 16 Metal Energy, the Metal line and most of the Items are cheap. That's good news for building: the expensive part of the list is a small number of cards, and the parts that make the engine run are the cheapest to collect.

Acceptable budget swaps

• Genesect ex down to one copy. You lose some consistency on turn two, since you'll miss Metallic Signal more often. Add Team Rocket's Petrel or Precious Trolley in its place to keep finding pieces.
• Cut Heatran and Shaymin. They're one-of techs. Replace them with a third Metagross or an extra Drilbur. You give up some protection for your Bench and one of your non-ex attackers.
• Cut one disruption card. Hand Trimmer or Redeemable Ticket can become a second Jumbo Ice Cream if you have that already.

What not to cut

Don't trim the 4 Beldum, 4 Metang or the 16 Metal Energy. Metal Maker is the engine, and fewer Metang or fewer Energy means fewer attachments every turn. Don't cut Mega Excadrill ex below two. And keep the Team Rocket's Transceiver and Team Rocket's Petrel package, since it's how a one-of Trainer shows up when you need it.

Upgrade path

1. Start with the Metal line, the Excadrill line, one Genesect ex, 16 Energy and the search package.
2. Add the second Mega Excadrill ex; two Excadrill is the minimum for a full game.
3. Add the second Genesect ex for consistency.
4. Add the second Boss's Orders and Lillie's Determination.
5. Finish with the techs: Heatran, Shaymin, Gravity Mountain and the hand-disruption cards.

What you give up at each stage

The budget version plays the same game, just less reliably. Missing a Genesect ex means more turns where your evolutions aren't there. Missing a Boss's Orders means you take Knock Outs on what your opponent puts in the Active Spot rather than on what you'd choose. Missing Heatran and the third Metagross makes the Crustle matchup harder. None of those swaps changes how the deck wins, so you can learn the lines on the budget version and upgrade later.

Cards that do double duty

If you only buy a few extra Trainers, buy the ones that make the rest of the list better. Team Rocket's Transceiver and Team Rocket's Petrel are worth having as full counts because every one-of in the deck, from Precious Trolley to Special Red Card, is only as good as your ability to find it. Full Metal Lab is also a high-value pickup: it protects nearly every Pokémon in the list and it's your best tool against big single hits.

Testing on a budget

Before you buy the full list, you can learn most of the deck's decisions with proxies or a digital client. The cards that change how you play are the engine pieces: Metang, Genesect ex, Mega Excadrill ex and Metagross. The one-of techs mostly change specific matchups, so they're the last thing to buy and the first thing to test without.

A note on prices

Card prices move, especially after a deck places well. Treat the estimate as a starting point and check current prices before you buy. If a card you need has spiked, the swaps above let you play the deck while you wait.

Common Mistakes

These are the errors that cost games with this deck. Most of them come down to counting: Energy, Prize cards and damage.

1. Attaching all your Energy to the Active Excadrill

Maximum Drilling needs five Energy for 330. It doesn't need six or seven. Extra Energy on an Active Mega Excadrill ex is lost when it's Knocked Out and only partly recovered by Philippe. Once the Active Pokémon has what it needs, use Metal Maker to power the next attacker on the Bench.

2. Discarding three Energy for Metallic Hammer when 150 is enough

The extra 150 from Metagross costs three Metal Energy. Check the target's HP first. A 150 HP Crustle, for example, goes down to Metallic Hammer without the discard. Keep the Energy unless the bigger hit takes a Knock Out you need.

3. Leaving too many Basics exposed on the Bench

Beldum and Drilbur have 70 HP. Benching more of them than you can evolve next turn gives spread decks free Prize cards. Fill the Bench with what you'll evolve on your next turn, and get Shaymin down when your opponent's deck damages the Bench.

4. Sending Excadrill into a Fire attacker

Mega Excadrill ex has Fire Weakness, and it gives up three Prize cards. Against a Fire attacker like Blaziken ex, it can be Knocked Out in one hit even under Full Metal Lab. Most of your Metal Pokémon share that Weakness, so the fix isn't finding a Pokémon that survives. It's making the Fire attacker spend its hits on Pokémon that give up fewer Prize cards, and saving Excadrill for the Pokémon it can trade with.

5. Playing Gravity Mountain onto your own Metagross

Gravity Mountain gives every Stage 2 in play 30 less HP, yours included. Your Metagross drops from 180 to 150, which can turn a hit it would survive into a Knock Out. Play the Stadium when it enables your Knock Out, then think about replacing it with Full Metal Lab when you're the one taking hits.

6. Misusing your draw Supporters

Lillie's Determination draws eight only if you have exactly six Prize cards remaining. After your first Knock Out, it draws six, so play it early and save Judge for the late game. Both shuffle your hand into your deck. If you use Metallic Signal and then play one of them before putting the Pokémon you found into play, those Pokémon go back into the deck. Evolve first, then draw. Judge also resets your own hand to four, so don't play it into your own strong hand unless cutting your opponent's hand is worth more.

7. Spending your late-game cards early

Special Red Card can only be used once your opponent has three or fewer Prize cards remaining, so don't spend a Team Rocket's Petrel on it before then. When the time comes, play it on the turn it hurts their plan most: right before they need a specific card to Knock Out your Excadrill. Redeemable Ticket is similar. It reshuffles your Prize cards into new ones from the top of your deck, which fixes a specific problem, such as both Mega Excadrill ex or your Philippe stuck in your Prizes. Hold it until you know a card you need isn't in your deck.

8. Forgetting about Retreat Costs

Mega Excadrill ex and Heatran have Retreat Cost 4. Metagross has 3. Plan your Active Pokémon a turn ahead, and keep Kieran for a switch when you'd otherwise lose a lot of Energy to retreat. If no switch is available, think about which Pokémon you promote after a Knock Out: a Beldum or Shaymin, with Retreat Cost 1, is much easier to move than a fresh Excadrill.

Tournament Prep & Final Notes

Mega Excadrill rewards preparation. The attack is simple, but the turns before it are full of choices, and an event is a long day of making them quickly.

What to expect

Dragapult was the most common online Top 8 deck, with 46 of 264 slots and Top 8s in 24 of the 33 events (source: Limitless online Top 8s, 33 Standard events with 100+ players, Oct 20-Nov 3, 2026). After that came Dhelmise with 19, then Basic Box and Crustle with 16 each (source: Limitless online Top 8s, 33 Standard events with 100+ players, Oct 20-Nov 3, 2026). Crustle's Top 8 count rose over the period: 7 slots in the 21 events from Oct 20-27 and 9 in the 12 events from Oct 28-Nov 3 (source: Limitless online Top 8s, 33 Standard events with 100+ players, Oct 20-Nov 3, 2026). Prepare for those four first.

At the in-person level, the Regional Top 16s were mixed. Dragapult won Puebla (2,234 players, Oct 24), Slowking won Gdansk (1,739 players, Oct 31), and Ogerpon/Clefairy won Nice (2,336 players, Oct 17), per the brief's Limitless Regional results.

Format timing

The brief lists Mega Evolution Delta Reign with a release date of Nov 6, 2026, and all of its data predates that set. If your event is after that set becomes tournament legal, check your format's legal card list and expect the field to shift.

What to practice

• Turn-two setups. Deal practice hands and play the first two turns. Learn how often you reach a Mega Excadrill ex with five Energy by turn three, and which Trainer you should fetch with Team Rocket's Petrel from each hand.
• Metal Maker decisions. Practice splitting Energy between the Active Pokémon and the next attacker. This is the decision you'll make most often.
• Damage math. Memorize the numbers: 200 or 330 from Maximum Drilling, 150 or 300 from Metallic Hammer, plus 30 from Kieran against an Active Pokémon ex, and the effect of Full Metal Lab and Gravity Mountain.
• The Crustle game. Practice playing with only Metagross and Heatran as attackers into Crustle.

Rules interactions to know cold

• Maximum Drilling counts extra Energy beyond its cost. The text says at least two extra Energy "in addition to this attack's cost", so five Energy total for 330.
• Full Metal Lab works for both players. Metal Pokémon on either side take 30 less damage from the other player's attacks, after Weakness and Resistance.
• Gravity Mountain works for both players. Every Stage 2 in play gets 30 less HP, including your Metagross.
• Kieran's 30 extra damage only applies to your opponent's Active Pokémon ex and Pokémon V, and it's added before Weakness and Resistance.
• Heatran's Incandescent Body works only while Heatran is in the Active Spot, and it applies even if Heatran is Knocked Out by the attack.
• Lillie's Determination draws eight only with exactly six Prize cards remaining.
• Special Red Card needs your opponent at three or fewer Prize cards remaining.

Time management

Your turns can be long: Metallic Signal searches, several Metal Maker looks, and Petrel searches. Plan your turn during your opponent's, decide your Metal Maker priorities before you look, and don't re-read your deck on every search. Know your target before you start searching.

Closing assessment

This list is a focused version of Mega Excadrill. It plays the minimum number of attackers, two Mega Excadrill ex and two Metagross, and spends its space on search, healing and disruption. That makes it consistent and hard to Knock Out, at the cost of being stretched thin if you lose an Excadrill early. Its strengths line up well against the most common deck in the brief's data, Dragapult, and it has a plan for Crustle. Its weak spot is Fire. If you can manage your Energy and your Prize count, it's a strong, affordable pick.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Mega Excadrill win games in Pokémon Standard?

Metang attaches Metal Energy from the top of your deck with Metal Maker, so Mega Excadrill ex reaches five Energy quickly and hits for 330 with Maximum Drilling every turn. Metagross is the backup attacker.

Why does this Mega Excadrill list play Genesect ex?

Genesect ex's Metallic Signal searches for up to two Evolution Metal Pokémon once during your turn, so it turns a hand of Basics into Metang and Mega Excadrill ex on turn two.

How does Mega Excadrill beat Crustle?

Crustle stops damage from Pokémon ex, so you attack with Metagross and Heatran instead. Metallic Hammer does 150 without discarding Energy, which Knocks Out a 150 HP Crustle.

What is the hardest matchup for Mega Excadrill?

Dragapult Blaziken. Blaziken ex is a Fire attacker, and Mega Excadrill ex has Fire Weakness, so one Smolder-sault can Knock Out an Excadrill for three Prize cards even under Full Metal Lab.

When should you play Gravity Mountain with Mega Excadrill?

Gravity Mountain gives every Stage 2 in play 30 less HP, so play it to bring a Stage 2 like Dragapult ex into Knock Out range, but not when your own Metagross is the Pokémon you need to protect.

Is Mega Excadrill a budget deck?

Yes. The full list is estimated at around $34. The likely expensive cards are Mega Excadrill ex and Genesect ex, and cutting Heatran and Shaymin is an acceptable budget swap.

What should you practice before a tournament with Mega Excadrill?

Practice turn-two setups, splitting Metal Maker Energy between your Active Pokémon and the next attacker, and the damage math for Maximum Drilling, Metallic Hammer, Kieran and Full Metal Lab.

Metagame Context

Built from the 1st-place list at Sunny's Weekly #280 Smoke on the Water! (189 players, 2026-11-02), played by Limitless user Jumshud. Metagame context: Limitless TCG online standings and Top 8 decklists for the 33 Standard events with 100 or more players from 2026-10-20 to 2026-11-03, plus the Limitless TCG Regional Top 16s from Nice, Puebla and Gdansk (Oct 17-31, 2026) (brief dated 2026-11-03). Matchup verdicts are reads from card text and list contents, not recorded results.

Source: tournament results. Decklist and placements as reported by the event organizer.