New Archetypes from Scarlet & Violet 151
Learn more about 151, our first Scarlet & Violet mini set, by visiting the articles below.
Set List | Card Translations | Visual Set List | Set Highlights | New Archetypes | Selected Proxies
With the arrival of Scarlet & Violet 151 this September, 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.
Charizard ex
Illus. PLANETA Mochizuki
BASIC STRATEGY
Build your board up by getting a Pidgey or two into play alongside as many Charmander as you can, evolving your Charmander into Charizard ex from Obsidian Flames as quickly as possible with the help of Forest Seal Stone and Pidgeot ex. Accelerate the Fire Energy via Charizard ex’s Infernal Reign Ability to either 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 - 18
4 Charmander MEW 4
3 Charizard ex OBF 125
2 Entei V BRS 22
2 Pidgeot ex OBF 164
2 Pidgey MEW 16
1 Charizard ex MEW 6
1 Charmeleon MEW 5
1 Lumineon V BRS 40
1 Manaphy BRS 41
1 Radiant Charizard CRZ 20
Trainer Cards - 32
4 Iono PAL 185
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
2 Zinnia's Resolve EVS 164
1 Arven OBF 186
1 Raihan CRZ 140
1 Worker SIT 167
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 Forest Seal Stone SIT 156
2 Artazon PAL 171
Energy - 10
10 Basic Fire Energy SVE 2
Testing Streams
Blastoise ex
Illus. PLANETA Yamashita
BASIC STRATEGY
Using the deck’s various search cards and draw options, seek out and bench as Origin Forme Palkia V, Bidoof, Radiant Greninja, and Squirtle. Evolve Origin Forme Palkia V up into Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR and make use of its Star Portal VSTAR Power to power up either another Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR, Radiant Greninja, or a Blastoise ex once one has been evolved up from Squirtle via Rare Candy.
KEY CARDS
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Lake Acuity both as an additional out against Path to the Peak and as a means of reducing the damage taken by any of your Pokémon with any Water Energy attached.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 17
4 Squirtle PGO 15
3 Blastoise ex MEW 9
2 Bibarel BRS 121
2 Bidoof CRZ 111
2 Origin Forme Palkia V ASR 39
2 Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR ASR 40
1 Manaphy BRS 41
1 Radiant Greninja ASR 46
Trainer Cards - 32
4 Irida ASR 147
3 Iono PAL 185
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
4 Energy Retrieval SVI 171
4 Nest Ball SVI 181
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Rare Candy SVI 191
2 Switch SVI 194
1 Battle VIP Pass FST 225
1 Energy Search SVI 172
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Super Rod PAL 188
2 Temple of Sinnoh ASR 155
Energy - 11
11 Basic Water Energy SVE 3
Testing Streams
Tyranitar ex
Illus. 5ban Graphics
BASIC STRATEGY
Evolve up Larvitar into Tyranitar ex and use its Mountain Bash and Lightning Rampage attacks to wear down and Knock Out your opponent’s Pokémon. To get the necessary damage on a Benched Pokémon to boost Lightning Rampage’s damage to its fullest, use Dodrio’s Rampage Draw Ability, which has you draw a card in exchange for putting a damage counter on Dodrio.
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 Dodrio MEW 85
3 Doduo MEW 84
3 Tyranitar ex OBF 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 OBF 186
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
Alakazam ex
Illus. Mirsuhiro Arita
BASIC STRATEGY
Slow down your opponent’s setup with Klefki’s Mischievous Lock Ability and stall them out with Mimikyu’s Safeguard Ability. Further slow them down with Path to the Peak. Meanwhile, build up to Alakazam ex by benching Abra and evolving them up via Rare Candy. With Klefki, Mimikyu, or Snorlax in the Active Spot as appropriate, attack with Alakazam ex’s Dimensional Hand attack, which does 120 damage and can be used even when Alakazam ex is on the Bench. As needed, move Alakazam ex to the Active Spot and instead attack with Mind Jack, which does 30 damage for each of your opponent’s Benched Pokémon.
KEY CARDS
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Palkia CEL 4 as a means of locking Path to the Peak in place.
Spiritomb PAL 89 to further kneecap your opponent’s setup when facing decks that are reliant on the Abilities of Pokémon V for setup.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 19
4 Abra MEW 63
3 Alakazam ex MEW 65
3 Klefki SVI 96
2 Bibarel BRS 121
2 Bidoof CRZ 111
2 Mimikyu PAL 97
1 Kadabra MEW 64
1 Manaphy BRS 41
1 Snorlax PGO 55
Trainer Cards - 33
4 Iono PAL 185
3 Professor's Research SVI 190
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
1 Raihan CRZ 140
4 Fog Crystal CRE 140
4 Level Ball BST 129
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Rare Candy SVI 191
2 Switch SVI 194
1 Super Rod PAL 188
2 Defiance Band SVI 169
3 Path to the Peak CRE 148
Energy - 8
8 Psychic Energy SVE 5
Testing Streams
Arbok ex
Illus. Eske Yoshinob
BASIC STRATEGY
Evolve Ekans into Arbok ex and Bidoof into Bibarel. Using Dark Patch, power up Arbok’s Menacing Fangs attack, which does 150 damage and forces your opponent to discard 2 cards from their hand.
KEY CARDS
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Absol ex OBF 135 as an alternative to Porygon, making use of its Future Sight to help control the cards your opponent is able to draw into, and as an alternate attacker.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 14
4 Ekans MEW 23
3 Arbok ex MEW 24
2 Bibarel BRS 121
2 Bidoof CRZ 111
1 Manaphy BRS 41
1 Porygon LOR 140
1 Radiant Greninja ASR 46
Trainer Cards - 36
4 Iono PAL 185
4 Judge SVI 176
2 Roxanne ASR 150
4 Crushing Hammer SVI 168
4 Dark Patch ASR 139
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Battle VIP Pass FST 225
3 Nest Ball SVI 181
3 Trekking Shoes CRZ 145
1 Super Rod PAL 188
2 Path to the Peak CRE 148
1 Collapsed Stadium BRS 137
1 Temple of Sinnoh ASR 155
Energy - 10
10 Basic Darkness Energy SVE 7
Testing Streams
Wigglytuff ex
Illus. Saki Hayashiro
BASIC STRATEGY
Bench Jigglypuff and evolve it into Wigglytuff and Wigglytuff ex. Use Wigglytuff’s Balloon Therapy Ability to help accelerate Therapeutic Energy to Wigglytuff ex. In combination with Rigid Band and Wigglytuff ex’s Expanding Body Ability, make Wigglytuff ex especially difficult to take down. Heal off damage from Wigglytuff ex by scooping it up via Cheren’s Care.
KEY CARDS
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Dunsparce FST 207 to shield Wigglytuff ex from its Fighting Weakness.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 16
4 Jigglypuff MEW 39
3 Wigglytuff ex MEW 40
2 Bibarel BRS 121
2 Bidoof CRZ 111
2 Wigglytuff PAL 84
1 Manaphy BRS 41
1 Skwovet SVI 151
1 Spiritomb PAL 89
Trainer Cards - 34
4 Iono PAL 185
3 Professor's Research SVI 190
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
2 Cheren's Care BRS 134
1 Worker SIT 167
4 Level Ball BST 129
4 Trekking Shoes CRZ 145
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
2 Nest Ball SVI 181
1 Escape Rope BST 125
1 Pal Pad SVI 182
1 Super Rod PAL 188
3 Rigid Band MEW 165
2 Artazon PAL 171
Energy - 10
4 Double Turbo Energy BRS 151
4 Therapeutic Energy PAL 193
2 V Guard Energy SIT 169