Best ways to counter Darkrai ex decks in Pokemon TCG Pocket
As the meta settles in Pokemon TCG Pocket following the introduction of new booster packs, many competitive players are looking for ways to counter the emerging Darkrai ex decks.
After Pokemon TCG Pocket introduced Darkrai ex with its Space Time Smackdown expansion, the card quickly began popping up in the competitive meta. It has up to 160 HP when paired with Giant Cape, making it able to withstand the usual one-shot attacks from Mewtwo ex or Celebi ex. It also deals damage every time the player adds energy to it as an ability. And unlike most other dark-type Pokemon, Darkrai ex is weak to grass, which helps block opponents using psychic or fighting decks. Some of the most common Darkrai ex decks so far include:
- Darkrai ex/Magnezone
- Darkrai ex/Weavile
- Darkrai ex/Scolipede
As the meta settles, there are strategies emerging to beat the card and its decks. Here are the best counters so far to any Darkrai ex decks that may pop up.
Yanmega ex emerges as one of the strongest Darkrai ex counters
Yanma and Yanmega ex both require only colorless energy, making them easy to slot into any deck. With Air Slash, the grass-type Yanmega can also take down Darkrai ex in one shot provided giant cape isn’t yet in play. It can likewise take down Weavile ex, another card with a grass weakness.
There are a number of cards that could complement a Yanmega ex deck. Continuting the grass theme, Venusaur ex can take and deal a lot of damage, though it takes a while to charge up. Exeggutor ex only needs two energy to deal a potential 80 damage. Serperior doubles any attached grass energy and mitigates Yanmega having to discard an energy every time it uses Air Slash.
Yanmega ex also fits well into a Manaphy/Vaporeon/Misty-style deck. Both Misty and Manaphy attach water energy to a Pokemon, though Misty’s coin flips can be less than reliable. Mythical Island’s Vaporeon can then use its passive to move energy to Yanmega once it’s in the active spot. This again helps deal with Air Slash, forcing Yanmega to discard energy.
Lastly, several players have reported finding success using a Yanmega ex/Dialga ex deck against Darkrai ex. Dialga ex can take two straight hits from Darkrai ex assuming it has a Giant Cape attached. Its secondary move Metallic Turbo quickly charges up Yanmega, adding further value.
Grass/fighting decks exploit several Darkrai deck weaknesses
Most of the cards in a Darkrai ex deck are either weak to grass or fighting, with a few exceptions. This leaves the door open for a number of decks who have previously ranked in the meta, like Celebi ex and Venusaur ex. Both Darkrai and Weavile are weak to grass, so a well-executed attack utilizing this type can lead to victory.
Fighting decks are also getting their day in the sun with the arrival of Lucario and Cynthia. Lucario’s passive Fighting Coach ability enables every fighting Pokemon do an extra 20 damage. Players have discovered that this effect stacks for each Lucario on bench. The trainer Cynthia also boosts Garchomp, allowing it to deal 150 damage in a single turn. Importantly, the major players in several Darkrai ex deck, Scolipede and Magnezone, are weak to fighting-type Pokemon.
Trainer and tool cards seem to be more crucial than ever in this new meta. Giant cape has already been mentioned to be useful in raising HP to avoid one shots. The lum berry can prevent poisoning from Whirlipede, while the rocky helmet card can deal extra damage when hit. Cyrus is also quickly shaping up to be a meta-changing card, as it forces the opponent to swap in a damaged Pokemon. This counters the strategy of putting ex cards into play and benching them before they get knocked out.
The meta after Space Time Smackdown is still settling, so new deck combinations to counter Darkrai ex will continue popping up. But these notes are a good start for players looking to fight back.
There are few things that writer M Alzamora loves more in life than Pokemon. And there are even fewer things that she loves more than her favorite Pokemon, Eevee. But M’s appreciation for gaming isn’t just limited to Nintendo’s famous pocket monsters. She’s interested in every type of game across every genre of gaming, and she has the credentials to prove it. M’s work has also been seen on Working Classicists and gaming sites.
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