Scizor ex: How It Stacks Up Against Similar Pokémon Decks

In TCG ·

Scizor ex card art from Temporal Forces

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Steel and strategy: Scizor ex in the current deck landscape

From the Temporal Forces set, Scizor ex leaps from the card sleeve with a gleaming holo presentation and a toolbox of tactics that can tilt a match in your favor. This Metal-type, Stage 1 Pokémon sports an imposing 270 HP, a testament to its durability on the field. Its holo illustration by toriyufu captures Scizor ex’s exoskeleton gleam as it pivots into battle, a reminder that in the Pokémon TCG, presentation matters as much as raw power. Rarity is listed as Double rare, a nod to the card’s relative scarcity in booster boxes from the Temporal Forces era. In a meta where big HP and explosive damage matter, Scizor ex trades a little energy efficiency for the ability to soak hits and lay down serious punishment when the situation calls for it.

In terms of gameplay, Scizor ex is built around two very different but complementary attacks. Its first move, Steel Wing, costs two Colorless energies and deals 70 damage. More importantly, it provides resilience: “During your opponent's next turn, this Pokémon takes 50 less damage from attacks (after applying Weakness and Resistance).” That single line is a shield against aggressive swing-and-slayer strategies, allowing Scizor ex to stall—giving your plan time to set up the real haymaker. The second attack, Cross Breaker, is where the card really comes into its own. For two Metal energies, you can discard up to two Metal Energy from Scizor ex and deal 120 damage for each card discarded. That means you can reach a peak of 240 damage in a single-blow window if you shoulder two energy, a thrilling payoff for patient energy management and precise timing. This dual-attack package makes Scizor ex a creature of both endurance and burst, a combination many Metal-focused decks chase but few achieve with such clarity.

Key stats at a glance

  • HP: 270
  • Type: Metal
  • Stage: Stage 1
  • Attacks: Steel Wing (70, 50 less damage next turn) and Cross Breaker (120× per discarded Metal energy)
  • Retreat cost: 2
  • Illustrator: toriyufu
  • Rarity: Double rare
  • Set: Temporal Forces (sv05)
  • Regulation: Standard & Expanded legal

When you’re drafting a deck around Scizor ex, you’re balancing two dynamic pressures: you need enough Metal energy to fuel Cross Breaker consistently, and you must manage the energy economy so you can also power Steel Wing when you’re under pressure. The 270 HP gives you extra margin against mid- to late-game threats, but the card rewards careful energy planning and thoughtful attack timing. A well-timed Cross Breaker can end games quickly, especially against decks that rely on single-hit knockouts or bulky three-prize trades. The combination of a defensive pivot with Steel Wing and a raw, explosive option with Cross Breaker makes Scizor ex an adaptable choice for players who enjoy both control and confrontation ⚡🔥.

Tip: If you’re aiming to maximize Cross Breaker output, pair Scizor ex with energy acceleration that doesn’t over-commit on the early turns. You want two Metal energies ready for the late-game hit, but you don’t want to stall your other threats behind a wall of energy constraints. Timing is the essence of Scizor ex’s kilowatt finish.

How Scizor ex stacks up against similar Pokémon

In a crowded Metal-themed landscape, several contenders vie for the same space: high-HP tanks that can weather the early onslaught and strike back with a decisive attack. Scizor ex’ 270 HP sits in an elite tier for its time, letting it weather a number of early trades that would take out smaller Pokémon. When stacked against other Stage 1 Metal powerhouses—think bulky attackers with high HP and built-in sustainability—Scizor ex tends to win on tempo where it can land a Steel Wing to endure and then pivot to a Cross Breaker finisher once enough energy has been prepped. The key differentiator is the scaling payoff of Cross Breaker: up to 240 damage in a single turn, contingent on your ability to discard two Metal Energy, can outright threaten or close a match against decks that rely on thicker HP pools or repeated, smaller hits.

Against relative contemporaries, a recurring theme emerges: the risk-reward calculus of energy discard. Other heavy hitters may overrely on a single big attack or require more than two energy to threaten knockout ranges. Scizor ex rewards patient planning. If your opponents push aggressively with fast, low-HP threats, Steel Wing’s damage mitigation can buy precious turns; if they stall or pile on attack after attack, Cross Breaker becomes your finisher—the dichotomy that makes Scizor ex a flexible option rather than a one-trick pony. For collectors and long-term players, watching how this card’s performance translates into real tournament results can be telling; its resilience and burst potential give it staying power in evolving metagames 🔥🎴.

The deck-building dialogue around Scizor ex also intersects with market dynamics. A snapshot of pricing on CardMarket shows the card’s average around €0.71 with a low near €0.24 and a healthy upward trend indicated by a 0.67 figure in the recent window. For collectors, the holo version in Temporal Forces remains a compelling target due to its aesthetic and rarity; for players, the card’s playability is what sustains demand. While some ex-era pieces carry premium, Scizor ex demonstrates that a potent, budget-conscious strategy can still emerge in modern collections. If you’re chasing value, consider holo copies and alternate arts—these variants tend to preserve interest long after print runs have faded 🎨💎.

Collector notes: art, rarity, and provenance

The holo treatment for Scizor ex in Temporal Forces isn’t just a surface flourish—it signals a collectible mindset. The illustration by toriyufu is admired for its crisp lines and metallic sheen, a perfect match for a card whose identity centers on steel resilience. Rarity as a Double rare makes it a sought-after piece for binder inserts and display runs, particularly among collectors who prize set completeness in sv05. The set’s overall card count sits at 162 official, 218 total, which situates Temporal Forces among the more compact but deeply loved print runs from the era. All these factors—visual appeal, rarity, and the card’s role in Metal-powered strategies—contribute to a robust collector narrative around Scizor ex.

For players, the price snapshot adds a layer of practicality to the conversation. The CardMarket numbers, paired with the card’s competitive profile, encourage a nuanced approach to acquisitions: if you’re building a competitive deck, weigh the cost of Scizor ex against other near-term threats and potential replacements, while collectors will weigh serialized print runs and holo variants. In both camps, Scizor ex brings a spark of nostalgia and a toolkit of tactical options that resonate with fans who love metallic precision and knockout potential 🔧⚡.

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