New Archetypes from Obsidian Flames

Learn more about Obsidian Flames by visiting the articles below.

With the arrival of Obsidian Flames this August, we’ll have a handful of new deck archetypes joining the fray. As always, some deck archetypes are better than others—some are meme tier and some are merely playable, fun decks without much competitive promise. Lists below are very rough drafts and are intended as a starting place for testing, not as tournament-ready deck lists. Consider creating and using proxies to test cards you don’t already own prior to making any purchases.

Toedscruel ex
Palafin
Tyranitar ex
Vespiquen ex
Houndstone ex
Charizard ex

Toedscruel ex

BASIC STRATEGY

After evolving Cherubi into Cherrim, pile Grass Energy onto each of your Pokémon—especially Toedscool before it evolves into Toedscruel ex, which needs 2 Grass Energy attached to use its Colony Rush attack, which does 80 damage plus 40 more damage for each of your Benched Pokémon with a Grass Energy attached.

KEY CARDS

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Tropius EVS 6 or Tropius PAL 7 as single prize options and hard counters to Tyranitar V.

EXAMPLE DECK LIST

Pokémon - 17
3 Cherubi BRS 12
3 Toedscool SVI 24
3 Toedscruel ex OBF 22
2 Cherrim BST 8
1 Bibarel BRS 121
1 Bidoof CRZ 111
1 Manaphy BRS 41
1 Radiant Greninja ASR 46
1 Snorlax LOR 143
1 Tropius PAL 7

Trainer Cards - 31
4 Iono PAL 185
4 Professor's Research SVI 190
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
4 Level Ball BST 129
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Nest Ball SVI 181
2 Super Rod PAL 188
2 Superior Energy Retrieval PAL 189
2 Switch SVI 194
1 Choice Belt PAL 176
3 Artazon PAL 171

Energy - 12
12 Grass Energy SVE 1

Testing Streams

Palafin

BASIC STRATEGY

After evolving Finizen into Palafin via manual evolution or via Finizen OBF 60’s Valiant Evolution attack, use Cyclizar as a pivot Pokémon to use a chain of Palafin’s Justice Kick attack—which does 210 damage only if Palafin moves from your Bench to the Active Spot during your turn.

KEY CARDS

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Running Cross Switchers in combination Mew CEL 11 as an alternate switching strategy to activate Palafin’s Justice Kick and take key KOs.

EXAMPLE DECK LIST

Pokémon - 12
4 Palafin OBF 62
3 Finizen OBF 61
2 Cyclizar SVI 164
1 Finizen OBF 60
1 Manaphy BRS 41
1 Radiant Greninja ASR 46

Trainer Cards - 37
4 Irida ASR 147
3 Iono PAL 185
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
2 Raihan CRZ 140
4 Battle VIP Pass FST 225
4 Switch SVI 194
3 Trekking Shoes CRZ 145
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Nest Ball SVI 181
2 Escape Rope BST 125
2 Super Rod PAL 188
1 Energy Search SVI 172
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
2 Exp. Share SVI 174

Energy - 11
9 Water Energy SVE 3
2 Reversal Energy PAL 192

Testing Streams

Tyranitar ex

BASIC STRATEGY

Evolve up Larvitar into Tyranitar ex and use its Mountain Bash and Thunderous Rampage attacks to wear down and Knock Out your opponent’s Pokémon. To get the necessary damage on a Benched Pokémon to boost Thunderous Rampage’s damage to its fullest, discard Gengar and use its Netherworld Gate Ability to place it on your Bench and place 3 damage counters on it.

KEY CARDS

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Luminous Energy and Tyranitar PAL 135 to make use of that Tyranitar’s Darkness typing and Rout attack to each into Darkness-weak Bench-Heavy decks like Mew VMAX and Gardevoir ex.

EXAMPLE DECK LIST

Pokémon - 16
4 Larvitar OBF 105
3 Tyranitar ex OBF 66
2 Bibarel BRS 121
2 Bidoof CRZ 111
2 Gengar LOR 66
1 Lumineon V BRS 40
1 Manaphy BRS 41
1 Pupitar PGO 38

Trainer Cards - 34
3 Iono PAL 185
3 Professor's Research SVI 190
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
1 Arven SVI 166
1 Raihan CRZ 140
4 Battle VIP Pass FST 225
4 Rare Candy SVI 191
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Nest Ball SVI 181
2 Super Rod PAL 188
1 Escape Rope BST 125
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Pal Pad SVI 182
1 Switch SVI 194
1 Forest Seal Stone SIT 156
2 Artazon PAL 171

Energy - 10
10 Fighting Energy SVE 6

Testing Streams

Vespiquen ex

BASIC STRATEGY

Flood your board with Combee and Cherubi. After evolving Cherubi into Cherrim, pile Grass Energy onto your Combee to prepare it to evolve up into Vespiquen ex, which needs 3 Grass Energy attached to use its Phantom Queen attack, which does 200 damage and then places 3 damage counters on each of your opponent’s Benched Pokémon that already has damage counters on it. Prepare your opponent’s Benched Pokémon to be hit by those damage counters using Hawlucha’s Flying Entry Ability.

KEY CARDS

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Tucking your copies of Vespiquen ex into a page in your collection binder and admiring them from afar.

EXAMPLE DECK LIST

Pokémon - 19
4 Combee PAL 8
3 Cherubi BRS 12
3 Vespiquen ex OBF 96
2 Cherrim BST 8
2 Hawlucha SVI 118
2 Vespiquen PAL 9
1 Bibarel BRS 121
1 Bidoof CRZ 111
1 Radiant Alakazam SIT 59

Trainer Cards - 31
4 Iono PAL 185
4 Professor's Research SVI 190
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
2 Raihan CRZ 140
1 Penny SVI 183
4 Level Ball BST 129
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Nest Ball SVI 181
2 Super Rod PAL 188
2 Exp. Share SVI 174
2 Artazon PAL 171
1 Gapejaw Bog ASR 142

Energy - 10
10 Grass Energy SVE 1

Testing Streams

Houndstone ex

BASIC STRATEGY

Play down and evolve Ralts into Kirlia, or with Rare Candy, into Gardevoir ex. Use Gardevoir ex Psychic Embrace Ability to attach Psychic Energy from your discard pile to your Pokémon to prepare them to attack. Use Kirlia’s Refinement Ability both to draw cards and to increase the quantity of Psychic Pokémon in your discard pile to build up Hounstone and Hounstone ex’s Last Respects attacks, which respectively do 80 damage and 160 damage, plus 10 more damage for each Psychic Pokémon in your discard pile.

KEY CARDS

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Lean heavier into disruption with Path to the Peak and pair Houndstone ex instead with Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX, Lunatone OBF 92, and Solrock PGO 39.

EXAMPLE DECK LIST

Pokémon - 25
4 Greavard SVI 104
4 Kirlia SIT 68
3 Houndstone ex OBF 102
3 Ralts ASR 60
2 Gardevoir ex SVI 86
2 Houndstone SVI 106
2 Klefki SVI 96
1 Gallade ASR 62
1 Manaphy BRS 41
1 Mimikyu PAL 97
1 Ralts SIT 67
1 Spiritomb PAL 89

Trainer Cards - 28
4 Professor's Research SVI 190
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
2 Iono PAL 185
4 Level Ball BST 129
4 Trekking Shoes CRZ 145
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Fog Crystal CRE 140
2 Super Rod PAL 188
3 PokéStop PGO 68

Energy - 7
7 Psychic Energy SVE 5

Testing Streams

Charizard ex

BASIC STRATEGY

Build your board up by getting as many Charmander into play and evolving up into Charizard ex as possible, with at least 1 of those Charmander evolving into Charizard from Pokémon Go. Accelerate the Fire Energy via Charizard ex’s Infernal Reign Ability to Entei V and to Charizard ex, attacking with either as the opportunity presents itself.

KEY CARDS

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Delphox V LOR 27 to make use of its Magical Fire attack for its bench-sniping potential. Magical Fire reads, “120 damage. Put 2 Energy attached to this Pokémon in the Lost Zone. This attack also "does 120 damage to 1 of your opponent's Benched Pokémon. (Don't apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.)”

EXAMPLE DECK LIST

Pokémon - 16
4 Charmander PGO 8
3 Charizard ex OBF 125
2 Charizard PGO 10
2 Entei V BRS 22
1 Charmeleon OBF 27
1 Lumineon V BRS 40
1 Manaphy BRS 41
1 Moltres BRS 21
1 Radiant Charizard PGO 11

Trainer Cards - 34
4 Iono PAL 185
3 Zinnia's Resolve EVS 164
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
1 Raihan CRZ 140
4 Battle VIP Pass FST 225
4 Rare Candy SVI 191
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Nest Ball SVI 181
1 Escape Rope BST 125
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Super Rod PAL 188
1 Switch SVI 194
1 Forest Seal Stone SIT 156
4 Magma Basin BRS 144

Energy - 10
10 Fire Energy SVE 2