The Dragapult Dusknoir deck is one of the best competitive decks in Pokemon TCG, using Dragapult as its main aggressor. This deck succeeded in multiple Pokemon metas and won first place in the Dortmund Regionals in the Stellar Crown meta.
Decklist
Pokémon: 21
4 Dreepy TWM 128
3 Drakloak TWM 129
3 Dragapult ex TWM 130
2 Duskull BRS 60
1 Dusclops SFA 19
2 Dusknoir SFA 20
2 Rotom V LOR 58
1 Lumineon V BRS 40
1 Fezandipiti ex SFA 38
1 Radiant Alakazam SIT 59
1 Tatsugiri TWM 131
Trainer: 33
4 Arven OBF 186
2 Iono PAL 185
1 Crispin SCR 133
1 Roxanne ASR 150
1 Boss's Orders PAL 172
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144
4 Rare Candy SVI 191
3 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Nest Ball SVI 181
2 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
2 Counter Catcher PAR 160
1 Night Stretcher SFA 61
1 Switch SVI 194
1 Sparkling Crystal SCR 142
1 Rescue Board TEF 159
1 Forest Seal Stone SIT 156
1 Temple of Sinnoh ASR 155
Energy: 6
3 Fire Energy SVE 10
3 Psychic Energy SVE 13How to Play
Main Win Condition
This deck heavily relies on Dragapult ex as its main win condition and you’ll be working on getting it in play as early as possible. Jet Headbutt only deals 70 damage, so it doesn’t pose much of a threat. However, once you’ve attached 1 Fire and 1 Psychic Energy, you’ll have access to Phantom Dive, dealing 200 damage to the opponent’s Active Pokemon and putting 6 damage counters on your opponent’s Benched Pokemon in any way you like.
When playing a Dragapult deck, your strategy isn’t just about knocking out the opponent’s Active Pokemon. You’re also targeting their Benched Pokemon, which gives you the chance to disrupt key parts of their strategy by eliminating threats before they can turn into win conditions, or by taking out low-HP Pokemon for quick and easy Prize cards.
There are two ways to get Dragapult ex into play: the first is by evolving Dreepy into Drakloak and then evolving Drakloak into Dragapult ex. The second is using Rare Candy to bypass the Drakloak level-up, going from Dreepy to Dragapult immediately. Going with the Rare Candy route allows you to set up Dragapult ex in play faster, creating an aggressive start.
Drakloak‘s Recon Directive ability draws you a card, so you’re still gaining value through evolving Dreepy as you wait for the opportunity to get Dragapult ex in play.
Alternative Damage
Dusknoir is in the list for his Cursed Blast ability, allowing you to put 13 damage counters on one of the opponent’s Pokemon. This lets you knock out a low-health Pokemon on the Bench or help you knock out an Active Pokemon with Dragapult ex. However, activating Cursed Blast means you have to knock out Dusknoir in the process, giving your opponent a Prize card.
To get Dusknoir into play, you have to evolve Duskull to Dusclops and then evolve it to Dusknoir, or you can use Rare Candy to skip the Dusclops step and go directly from Duskull to Dusknoir.
Speaking of Dusclops, it has a weaker version of Cursed Blast ability, allowing you to put 5 damage counters on one of your opponent’s Pokemon before getting knocked out itself. This could come in useful if 50 damage is enough to knock out a target.
Radiant Alakazam sits on the Bench and uses Painful Spoons to move around damage on the opponent’s Pokemon. Let’s say the opponent’s Active Pokemon has 220 health, so Radiant Alakazam moves 2 damage counters from the opponent’s Benched Pokemon to the Active Pokemon, allowing Dragapult ex to knock it out with Phantom Dive.
It can also help you knock out a Pokemon on the Bench, creating opportunities to get a Prize card.
Pokemon Draw Value
Rotom V is your strongest draw engine with its Instant Charge ability, letting you draw three cards when activated. However, you will have to pass the turn when activated, so it’s best used in the early game before you have Dragapult ex online.
Fezandipti ex can sit on the bench and watch over your Active Pokémon, ready to use its Flip the Script ability when one of your Pokémon is knocked out, allowing you to draw three cards. Fezandipti ex doesn’t need to be on the bench when the knockout happens—you can play it from your hand afterward and still activate Flip the Script to draw cards.
Lumineon V played on the Bench allows you to activate Luminous Sign to search your deck for a Supporter card and draw it. So you can draw cards like Iono, Crispin, or Arven.
Similarly, Tatsugiri draws you a Supporter card from the top 6 cards in your deck through Attract Customers.
Energy Value
Crispin is one of your strongest Supporter cards to get your Dragapult ex attacks starting. You can search your deck for 2 Basic Energy cards of different types, so Fire and Psychic Energy cards. Crispin puts one of those Energy cards in your hand and attaches the other to one of your Pokemon, which means you can immediately start using Dragapult ex‘s Phantom Dive.
Earthen Vessel is crucial in this deck to draw the Energy cards you need to get Dragapult ex‘s attack online. You don’t want to end up with a Dragapult in play but missing a Fire or a Psychic Energy to activate Phantom Dive.
Since Dragapult ex is a Tera Pokemon, Sparkling Crystal works in this deck, allowing you to reduce the cost of Phantom Dive by 1 Energy.
Arven is a great resource card cause it allows you to search and draw an Item and a Pokemon tool card. So cards like Rare Candy, Earthen Vessel, and Sparkling Crystal are options to draw.
As for Iono, both players will shuffle their hand and draw cards equal to the number of Prize cards they have left. So you could ruin the opponent’s plans if you shuffle important cards back into their deck. You’re also replenishing your hand, ideally, you want to play as many cards as possible before you use Iono.
Roxanne switches the hand value in your favor, shuffling both players’ hands back into their deck and drawing you 6 cards while the opponent only draws 2. This can be awful for the opponent if they’re holding on more than three cards, cutting down on their resources.
You can also use Boss’s Order or Counter Catcher to move a low-health Pokemon to the Active spot, making it easier for you to get a Knock Out over a high-Pokemon or you can knock out a win conditon hiding in the Bench.
Switch makes it easier for you to switch in Dragapult ex and start attacking the opponent’s Pokemon without having to rely on Retreat.
Other Cards to Include
- Pidgeot ex is a consideration to add for the Quick Search ability, providing you with a search engine to find the cards you need. Since you’re already running Rare Candy, then Pidgey + Pidgeot ex work in this list.