The new Surging Sparks expansion will bring many new cards to the Pokemon TCG game. Multiple meta decks will have new cards to add to their lists, and old archetypes that haven’t seen much play might see a resurgence with the help of the new tools.
There are also a couple of new decks that have the potential to perform in the meta! I’ll share lists that performed in Japanese tournaments and might see success in the West’s scene.
Pikachu ex Blissey
Pokémon: 13
4 Chansey PGO 51
3 Blissey ex TWM 134
3 Pikachu ex SSP 57
1 Mew ex MEW 151
1 Radiant Greninja ASR 46
1 Iron Bundle PAR 56
Trainer: 37
4 Arven OBF 186
3 Iono PAL 185
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
2 Professor's Research SVI 189
1 Professor Turo's Scenario PAR 171
4 Glass Trumpet SCR 135
3 Nest Ball SVI 181
3 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
3 Pokégear 3.0 SVI 186
2 Switch SVI 194
2 Night Stretcher SFA 61
1 Counter Catcher PAR 160
1 Precious Trolley SSP 185
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Technical Machine: Turbo Energize PAR 179
1 Gravity Mountain SSP 177
Energy: 10
3 Lightning Energy SVE 12
3 Grass Energy SVE 9
2 Metal Energy SVE 16
2 Water Energy SVE 11
Pikachu ex’s Resolute Heart prevents opponents from knocking him out with a one-shot, leaving Pikachu ex to go for another attack. Its Topaz Bolt deals a 300 damage! Knocking out most Pokemon in its path. The downside is that you’ll have to discard all three Energy on it.
So to get Energy on Pikachu ex, we’ll use the Blissey ex + Glass Trumpet combo, attaching Energy to our Benched Pokemon and then moving them to Pikachu ex using Blissey’s Happy Switch ability.
Hydreigon EX Dusknoir
Pokémon: 21
4 Deino SSP 117
1 Zweilous PAL 139
3 Hydreigon ex SSP 119
2 Pidgey OBF 162
2 Pidgeot ex OBF 164
2 Duskull SFA 18
1 Dusclops SFA 19
2 Dusknoir SFA 20
1 Munkidori TWM 95
1 Rotom V LOR 58
1 Fezandipiti ex SFA 38
1 Pecharunt ex SFA 39
Trainer: 31
4 Arven OBF 186
1 Iono PAL 185
1 Crispin SCR 133
1 Boss's Orders PAL 172
1 Roseanne's Backup BRS 148
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144
4 Rare Candy SVI 191
3 Nest Ball SVI 181
3 Ultra Ball SVI 196
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Counter Catcher PAR 160
1 Super Rod PAL 188
1 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
1 Night Stretcher SFA 61
1 Dark Patch ASR 139
1 Forest Seal Stone SIT 156
1 Counter Gain SSP 169
1 Binding Mochi SFA 55
Energy: 8
5 Darkness Energy SVE 15
1 Psychic Energy SVE 13
1 Metal Energy SVE 16
1 Neo Upper Energy TEF 162
Hydreigon ex can deal 300 damage to the opponent’s Active Pokemon with Crashing Headbutt and will discard the top 3 cards of their deck. It’s not that high of damage, but it should be enough to knock out Pokemon with two attacks and at the same time, you’re discarding the opponent’s resources, setting up a mill win condition.
Hydreigon ex’s second attack, Obsidian, can be game-winning! It’s dealing 130 damage to the opponent’s Active Pokemon, so less than Crashing Headbutt, but you’ll also get to deal 130 damage to 2 of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon. Perfect for taking out low HP Pokemon or damaged ones that retreated to the safety of the Bench.
Ceruledge ex Legacy Energy
Pokémon: 13
4 Charcadet SSP 32
3 Ceruledge ex SSP 36
1 Origin Forme Palkia V ASR 39
1 Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR ASR 40
1 Squawkabilly ex PAL 169
1 Radiant Greninja ASR 46
1 Fezandipiti ex SFA 38
1 Lumineon V BRS 40
Trainer: 28
4 Carmine TWM 145
2 Professor's Research SVI 189
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
1 Irida ASR 147
1 Briar SCR 132
4 Nest Ball SVI 181
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
3 Night Stretcher SFA 61
1 Pal Pad SVI 182
1 Canceling Cologne ASR 136
2 Jamming Tower TWM 153
Energy: 19
9 Fire Energy SVE 10
6 Water Energy SVE 11
3 Jet Energy PAL 190
1 Legacy Energy TWM 167
Ceruledge ex’s Abyssal Flames deals 30 damage and an extra 20 damage for each Energy card in your discard pile. This means we want to have as many Energy cards in this deck to discard. Its second attack, Raging Amethyst, deals 280 damage, but you won’t be using this attack much and will usually focus on activating Abyssal Flames.
Milotic ex
Pokémon: 18
3 Feebas SIT 39
3 Milotic ex SSP 42
2 Noibat PAL 152
2 Noivern ex PAL 153
1 Origin Forme Palkia V ASR 39
1 Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR ASR 40
1 Shellos LOR 39
1 Gastrodon SSP 107
1 Cornerstone Mask Ogerpon ex TWM 112
1 Mimikyu PAL 97
1 Radiant Greninja ASR 46
1 Rotom V LOR 58
Trainer: 31
4 Iono PAL 185
3 Irida ASR 147
3 Arven OBF 186
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144
3 Nest Ball SVI 181
3 Ultra Ball SVI 196
2 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
2 Switch SVI 194
2 Night Stretcher SFA 61
1 Super Rod PAL 188
2 Technical Machine: Evolution PAR 178
1 Hero's Cape TEF 152
1 Forest Seal Stone SIT 156
Energy: 11
5 Water Energy SVE 11
4 Double Turbo Energy BRS 151
1 Fighting Energy SVE 14
1 Psychic Energy SVE 13
There’s a lot of despair around Milotic ex for the upcoming meta as a new stall-type Pokemon, and it will likely hold up well against the top meta decks. Its Sparkling Scales ability prevents damage and effects of attacks from your opponent’s Tera Pokemon done to this Pokemon. This means it can shut down certain decks that use Tera type Pokemon from damaging Milotic ex, perfect for a stall game plan.
This list has other Pokemon with stall mechanics like Noivern ex, Mimikyu, Cornerstone Mask Ogerpon ex, and Gastrodon. Each of these Pokemon has different abilities, which will find use depending on what the opponent has on in the Active spot. Gastrodon is more focused on preventing abilities from Pokemon on the opponent’s Bench.
Pikachu Regigigas
Pokémon: 18
2 Pikachu ex SSP 57
2 Regigigas ASR 130
2 Regice ASR 37
2 Registeel ASR 108
2 Regieleki ASR 51
2 Regidrago ASR 118
1 Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex TWM 64
1 Regirock ASR 75
1 Squawkabilly ex PAL 169
1 Fezandipiti ex SFA 38
1 Radiant Greninja ASR 46
1 Iron Bundle PAR 56
Trainer: 33
4 Professor's Research SVI 189
4 Irida ASR 147
1 Kieran TWM 154
4 Nest Ball SVI 181
4 Trekking Shoes ASR 156
4 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
4 Night Stretcher SFA 61
2 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Precious Trolley SSP 185
1 Super Rod PAL 188
4 Area Zero Underdepths SCR 131
Energy: 9
2 Luminous Energy PAL 191
2 Lightning Energy SVE 12
2 Water Energy SVE 11
2 Grass Energy SVE 9
1 Metal Energy SVE 16This is another version of Pikachu ex, using Regigigas to synergize with it. Regigigas lets you attach 3 Energy from the discard pile to any Pokemon if you have Regice, Registeel, Regidrago, Regieleki, and Regirock on the Bench. Since Pikachu ex is discarding Energy through his attack, Regigigas will have plenty of Discarded Energy to attach.
Area Zero Underdepths is a must for this combo to work since you need more spots on the Bench to play out all your Pokemon and activate the combo.
Archaludon ex Dalga VSTAR
Pokémon: 14
4 Duraludon SCR 106
3 Archaludon ex SSP 130
2 Origin Forme Dialga V ASR 113
2 Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR ASR 114
1 Radiant Greninja ASR 46
1 Fezandipiti ex SFA 38
1 Relicanth TEF 84
Trainer: 37
4 Professor's Research SVI 189
3 Boss's Orders PAL 172
2 Iono PAL 185
2 Judge SVI 176
1 Professor Turo's Scenario PAR 171
4 Nest Ball SVI 181
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Pokémon Catcher SVI 187
3 Night Stretcher SFA 61
3 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
2 Trekking Shoes ASR 156
1 Scramble Switch SSP 186
1 Canceling Cologne ASR 136
1 Switch SVI 194
1 Counter Catcher PAR 160
2 Jamming Tower TWM 153
Energy: 9
9 Metal Energy SVE 16
When you play Archaludon ex from your hand to evolve, the Assemble Allow ability activates, letting you attach 2 Basic Metal Energy from the discard pile to your Meta Pokemon in any way you like. This makes it easy for you to attack with Metal Defender, dealing 220 damage and removing Weakness from Archaludon ex.
Dialga VSTAR works with Archaludon ex since it can accelerate its VSTAR attack, Metal Energy with Assemble Allow. This lets you go for a Star Chronos attack to deal 220 damage and take another turn. Metal Blast can also push a lot of damage, depending on the amount of Metal Energy attached to the Dialga VStar as it’ll gain 40 more damage with each one.