For a while now, the Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket meta has been dominated by decks containing Giratina ex and Darkrai ex.
If you jump into the game’s competitive modes, especially ranked battles, it’s likely only a matter of time before you come up against the troublesome duo.
But, while Giratina ex and Darkrai ex are everywhere in the Pokemon TCG Pocket meta, they might not be as good as you think, with four decks currently having a higher win rate.
Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket's Giratina And Darkrai Aren't As Successful As You Think
The Darkrai ex and Giratina ex deck is the ultimate staller. With a wall in the Active spot, the Legendary/Mythical duo sit back, attaching energy to themselves, with Darkrai’s Nightmare Aura ability chipping away at the opponent’s Active Pokemon’s HP. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows with these two, though.
According to Limitless TCG, the Giratina ex and Darkrai ex combination is by far the most used in Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket, but is currently only the fifth most successful— at least in competitive tournaments.
The deck has a 14.66 percent usage rate, five percent more than the next most popular deck, Gyarados ex and Manaphy, but its win rate sits at 53.83 percent, lower than four other decks.
The top spot, perhaps unsurprisingly, is taken by a deck that features a perfect counter to Darkrai ex, revolving around Magnezone and Meowscarada. For just two energy, the Grass-type Gen 9 starter can hit Darkrai ex for 150 damage, OHKOing it, provided it doesn’t have the Giant Cape tool attached.
Its Fighting Claws attack does 60 base damage, plus 70 damage if the opponent’s Active Pokemon is an ex (which Darkrai is), plus 20 damage for hitting Darkrai ex’s weakness. It’s a powerhouse, and it still deals 130 damage to Giratina ex, which is nothing to be sniffed at. With 140 HP, and only being a Basic Pokemon, meaning the opposition only gets one point for a KO, it’s a great card to have, and it’s understandable how it has a 55.06 percent win rate.
The other decks above Giratina ex and Darkrai ex are Rampardos and Hitmonlee (54.9 percent win rate), Darkrai ex and Arceus ex (54.74 percent), and Palkia ex and Manaphy (54.68 percent).
It goes to show that there’s value in playing decks that aren’t considered the biggest and best thing.
