Prime Aggressive Playing cards from Mega Evolution—Phantasmal Flames

By Xander Pero, contributing author

Hey readers! It’s that point once more for us to discover a number of the upcoming playing cards within the Mega Evolution—Phantasmal Flames growth. A fast spoiler: there are a handful of Mega Evolution Pokémon that’ll burn shiny at upcoming premier occasions. We’ve already seen the energy of some Mega Evolution Pokémon within the final set, Mega Evolution, akin to Mega Absol ex, Mega Kangaskhan ex, and Mega Gardevoir ex. Read on to see the playing cards I’m anticipating to look on the prime tables at Play! Pokémon occasions subsequent month.

I’m grouping collectively Mega Sharpedo ex and Toxtricity as a result of they are going to be robust when performed in the identical deck. Toxtricity’s Sinister Surge Ability searches your deck for a Basic Darkness Energy and attaches it to 1 of your Benched Darkness Pokémon, additionally putting 2 harm counters on it. While I’d usually think about this harm a draw back, that’s not the case in at present’s Standard format.

Mega Sharpedo ex’s Hungry Jaws assault usually does 120 harm, however that output will increase to 270 if it already has harm counters on it. Moreover, as a result of the deck already performs Darkness Energy, this archetype can simply use Munkidori to push any extra harm to your opponent’s Pokémon.

While the synergy between these two playing cards is apparent, It’s not the one motive they’ll succeed. Darkness-type Pokémon are well-equipped to hit Gardevoir ex, the star of the perfect deck within the Standard format, for Weakness. Decks that can’t Knock Out Gardevoir ex in a single assault are sometimes unfavored, as Gardevoir ex could make use of Scream Tail and Munkidori to win the Prize commerce. Mega Sharpedo ex could make mild work of Gardevoir ex because of Weakness—and may maintain its personal within the Munkidori conflict too.

There are two different new playing cards I’d wish to name out whereas I’ve the possibility: Mega Gengar ex and Grimsley’s Move. I don’t count on these playing cards to be paired with Mega Sharpedo ex and Toxtricity, however they could hang-out different Darkness-type decks. Mega Gengar ex has a damaged Ability, Shadowy Concealment, which reduces the variety of Prize playing cards your opponent takes upon Knocking Out any Darkness-type Pokémon. Therefore, in the event that they Knock Out a single-Prize Pokémon, they’d really take zero Prize playing cards.

Supplementary to this, Grimsley’s Move can put any Darkness-type Pokémon into play, with out requiring the traditional route of Evolution. This mechanic will make it extremely simple to place Mega Gengar ex in play and stifle an opponent’s offensive strain.

Mega Lopunny ex is the subsequent card I’ll spotlight. Its Gale Thrust assault does a base 60 harm, which soars to 230 harm if Mega Lopunny ex was moved from the Bench that flip. There’s nothing too particular right here; 230 harm for a single Energy is environment friendly and highly effective. The most apt comparability I’ve seen swirling about is that it’s like Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex—simple to splash in quite a lot of deck archetypes. Expect to see a skinny line of Mega Lopunny ex in a deck right here and there, particularly in people who might have a cautionary Weakness to a preferred archetype.

My first thought with the cardboard is to assemble a Mega Lucario ex / Mega Lopunny ex deck. This archetype may use Mega Lucario ex in most of its matchups after which lean on Mega Lopunny ex to counteract any decks with pesky Psychic-type attackers. Because it solely takes a single Energy and is weak to Fighting-type Pokémon, Mega Lopunny ex can comfortably help this recreation plan with the correct auxiliary instruments.

I’ve seen a number of different lists which have largely chosen Gholdengo ex or Charizard ex as their foremost technique. Both battle in opposition to Cornerstone Mask Ogerpon ex decks, which Mega Lopunny ex can comfortably cope with. It’s simpler for these decks to dedicate two playing cards to this surefire counter than one thing which may be much less efficient. On prime of that, these decks sometimes play a replica of Professor Turo’s Scenario, which may take away the three-Prize legal responsibility after it launches its assault.

Let’s transfer on to our third premier Pokémon: Mega Diancie ex. While it could not look robust at first look, Mega Diancie ex will slot properly into Gardevoir ex decks as a low-Energy, high-HP attacker. Its assault, Garland Ray, does 120 harm for every Energy you discard from Mega Diancie ex, as much as a most of two Energy. Therefore, it’s capped at 240 harm.

Mega Diancie ex fulfills two niches that Gardevoir ex decks presently can’t. First, Gardevoir ex decks don’t have a straightforward option to take Knock Outs early on as a result of it builds up harm for Munkidori. Moreover, attackers like Scream Tail and Drifloon require copious quantities of Energy to provide sufficient harm counters to achieve essential numbers. In comparability, Mega Diancie ex solely requires 2 Energy to Knock Out most Basic Pokémon ex. Second, Gardevoir ex decks can’t simply cope with opposing Jellicent ex. Mega Diancie ex, mixed with a single Adrena-Brain, totals 270, Knocking Out an opposing Jellicent ex with ease.

Moltres is our fourth Pokémon. (There are too many good ones—I needed to maintain going!) The earlier Mega Evolution Pokémon I’ve coated are robust on account of their excessive HP and highly effective assaults. Moltres is a bit totally different. Moltres will discover itself at a main place the place it may possibly bully Pokémon ex with Fire-type Weaknesses. This is exclusive amongst Basic Pokémon with nice assaults: most don’t hit for Weakness. Solrock from Mega Evolution, Sandy Shocks from Scarlet & Violet—Temporal Forces, and Cynthia’s Spiritomb are three examples.

The two Pokémon we have to counter are Teal Mask Ogerpon ex and Gholdengo ex. As Moltres is hitting for 110 base harm, it may possibly already Knock Out Teal Mask Ogerpon ex with a single assault and with none modifiers after doubling the harm on account of Weakness. We’ll want an extra 20 harm to deal with Gholdengo ex, however we are able to get there simply with Brave Bangle, Maximum Belt, or Defiance Band.

The most blatant decks that may make use of Moltres are Dragapult ex and Charizard ex. These two decks already play Fire Energy, making Moltres a straightforward inclusion. I’m excited to strive Moltres within the lately fashionable Mega Absol ex / Mega Kangaskhan ex deck that popped up on the Milwaukee Regional Championships. Grass-type Pokémon spell catastrophe for Mega Absol ex on account of its Weakness to Grass sorts. Therefore, Moltres can commerce favorably into opposing Grass-type Pokémon, offering a stronger win situation than what’s presently widespread.

The fifth and ultimate card I’m wanting ahead to making an attempt out is Dawn. Over time, we’ve slowly shifted in the direction of Supporter-based Pokémon search due to Item lock. Budew, Frillish, and Jellicent ex are widespread sufficient that decks have to be constructed resiliently when dealing with Item lock, or else they can not compete in opposition to twenty % of the meta. In that very same vein, decks have naturally elevated their whole variety of Supporters, as there are few choices for the Pokémon-based consistency that we’ve had prior to now, like Lumineon V or Rotom V. No longer can you discover any Supporter you want with a single Ultra Ball, or any card with Forest Seal Stone.

I consider Dawn might be robust as a result of it fills the same function as Brock’s Scouting, Jacq, and Hilda, whereas outclassing all of them when evaluating uncooked Pokémon search energy. Brock’s Scouting is historically used as an early-game Supporter, however it falls off when you should evolve your Pokémon. Jacq and Hilda are additionally solely helpful at sure factors within the recreation and require you to have discovered your Basic Pokémon first. Dawn, nevertheless, may be helpful all through all factors within the recreation, and it’s versatile sufficient to seize at the least one Basic Pokémon and one Evolution Pokémon in addition.

I plan to place a number of copies of Dawn in my Dragapult ex / Dusknoir decks, changing all however one Hilda. Dawn is stronger for consistency functions, however it’s nonetheless good to play at the least one copy of Hilda to seek out Neo Upper Energy extra reliably. Some different decks that I’ll strive it in are Alakazam / Dudunsparce from Mega Evolution, Charizard ex, and Mega Venusaur ex. They all thrive upon discovering their Pokémon, and Dawn would be the good catalyst.

Mega Evolution—Phantasmal Flames brings some thrilling new playing cards to the Standard format. Darkness-type Pokémon might be on the rise because of all the nice help, however different archetypes obtain one or two new choices to shore up their weak factors. All in all, I’m excited to see how gamers will modify their deck lists to spherical out their methods. Best of luck making use of the latest playing cards!

Xander Pero is a contributing author for Pokemon.com. He was an avid Pokémon fan even earlier than discovering sanctioned tournaments in 2009. He has since received three Regional Championships and completed third on the 2017 World Championships and third on the 2025 Europe International Championships, all within the Masters Division. He continues to compete in tournaments typically, however he now focuses on working as an information analyst in New York City. You can discover him at varied tournaments, in addition to on X at @xanderpero.