Image courtesy of TCGdex.net
Strategic timing of this Pokémon’s attacks
The dragon silhouette of Salamence ex looms in your deck like a seasonal storm—beautiful, powerful, and capable of turning a game in a single, well-timed moment. Hailing from the Journey Together set (sv09), this Stage 2 Dragon-type behemoth sports an impressive 320 HP, a rare blend of resilience and raw firepower that keeps both players and collectors on their toes. Illustrated by toriyufu, the card’s art captures a sense ofGravity-defying momentum: a creature built for big plays and even bigger moments ⚡. In gameplay, timing is everything, and Salamence ex rewards patient sequencing perhaps more than any other card in its cohort. This dual-attack powerhouse is built around two very different philosophical approaches to victory. The first move, Wide Blast, is a tempo-setting tool that damages the opponent’s entire bench. The second, Dragon Impact, is the kind of finisher that can swing a match from comfortable to outright dominant—but it comes with a cost: you must discard 2 energy from Salamence ex after delivering a staggering 300 damage. The tension between spreading damage and expending resources invites a strategic rhythm: you must balance board state, energy availability, and tempo to maximize each activation. The card’s rarity—Double Rare—speaks to its status as a centerpiece for dragon-focused decks, not merely a curiosity for collectors. And with a Regulation Mark of I, it has remained a staple in both standard and expanded formats, inviting players to study its timing across a broad horizon of matchups. Salamence ex’s two energy costs offer rich implications for deck design. Wide Blast requires Fire plus two Colorless, while Dragon Impact demands Fire, Water, and two Colorless. In practical terms, you’ll often want to engineer a plan where you accumulate both Fire and Water energy by turn-end, so you can unleash Dragon Impact decisively when the moment is right. The presence of a Water energy in the Dragon Impact cost also nudges you toward water-inclusive energy bases or trainer tools that fetch or accelerate Water energy. And because Dragon Impact discards energy, you’ll need to consider ways to recover energy, recycle resources, or pace your attachments to avoid leaving Salamence ex inert on the bench when the window closes.“Strategy is less about forcing a single knockout and more about forcing the opponent to respond to your sequence,”a seasoned player might say. Salamence ex embodies that philosophy: you set the pace with Wide Blast, press the pressure on the board, and then—when the opportunity seals the game—bring down a brutal Dragon Impact. The artful timing of these moves requires reading both your deck and your opponent’s board state, anticipating when an opponent will pivot to bench-heavy plays, and knowing when you should protect your own field versus press the gas pedal for the knockout. Attack breakdown: how to read the timing
- Wide Blast (Fire + Colorless + Colorless): This 50-damage-to-every-Benched-Pokémon attack is a masterclass in pressure management. Because it doesn’t apply Weakness/Resistance to benched targets, you’re trading a little precision for broad impact. Use Wide Blast when your opponent has a loaded bench and you want to nudge the spinner toward a finish line without sacrificing Salamence ex’s future vitality. It also helps you manipulate the opponent’s bench size, potentially setting up a clean Dragon Impact KO on the next turn.
- Dragon Impact (Fire + Water + Colorless + Colorless): A staggering 300 damage, but at the cost of discarding 2 energy from Salamence ex. This is your ultimate closer—when the board is primed and you’ve pre-attached enough Fire and Water to cover the cost, Dragon Impact can end a match in a decisive moment. Timing here means managing energy reserves, ensuring that your last play isn’t wasted on a weakened or retreating opponent, and leaving enough energy in hand or deck to sustain a potential follow-up if the KO doesn’t close things out immediately.
Salamence ex’s energy costs naturally push players toward a thoughtful energy curve. In practice, you’ll want to think beyond “one more attack” and toward “the right attack at the right moment.” If your opponent is building a dangerous bench, Wide Blast can be your gateway to favorable trades, chipping away at threats while you stall for Dragon Impact. Conversely, if you glimpse a path to a guaranteed knockout—say you’ve already attached most of the required energy—Dragon Impact becomes your exclamation point, a moment to demonstrate the payoff of careful resource management. The subtle art here is ensuring you never overextend: you never want to empty Salamence ex’s energy in a single mis-timed swing, only to watch the late-game momentum swing away from you.
Market and collecting contextBeyond the table, Salamence ex sits at an appealing intersection of gameplay power and collectability. Its Journey Together set brings a cohesive dragon theme that resonates with longtime fans and newer players alike. The Dragon-type lineage, the Stage 2 evolution line, and the dynamic io between attack costs create a card that’s not only fun to pilot but satisfying to own. In the market, the card has shown a steady, accessible value. Cardmarket data around 0.68–0.69 EUR on average—low entries around 0.10 EUR—illustrates a space where players can invest without breaking the bank, while still appreciating the card’s potential for future growth. For collectors, the holo variants and the card’s long-term viability in various Dragon-focused decks add a dimension that makes Salamence ex a welcome addition to many binders.
Gameplay psychology: reading the board, shaping the matchTwo lessons stand out when you pilot Salamence ex well. First, tempo wins games. By controlling the pace with Wide Blast, you force your opponent into uncomfortable decisions—banking bench threats, or risking overcommitment to a line that you answer with a single powerful Dragon Impact. Second, resource discipline matters. Dragon Impact demands you plan several turns ahead, ensuring you can cover the energy cost and still have enough to defend or pivot if your plan evolves mid-game. The interplay between bench control and big finish creates a satisfying, almost chess-like rhythm that dragon-enthusiasts adore. And as you refine your timing, you’ll notice that Salamence ex rewards patience just as much as aggression, a duality that fans often chase in classic TCG archetypes 🎴🔥.
Product spotlight and how it ties inTo celebrate the thrill of collecting and battling, consider pairing your Salamence ex journey with practical accessories that protect your favorites while showcasing their theme. The linked product offering—the Phone Case with Card Holder in Polycarbonate (Glossy or Matte)—is a modern nod to the tangible hobby we cherish. It’s a small but stylish reminder that the best battles happen both on the table and in our display cases, where a well-kept card can shine the way Salamence ex does in a well-timed play. For fans who want to bring a bit of that card-game magic into daily life, it’s a thoughtful, desirable companion.
Phone Case with Card Holder - Polycarbonate Glossy or Matte