Pokémon TCG: Pitch Black – Every New Deck
Pokémon TCG Pitch Black – releasing on July 17, 2026 – has several exciting new decks and strategies in it. Below are a few deck ideas to help you get started. Whether you just want to grind the ladder on Pokémon TCG Live, battle your way to victory at your local league, or even hit the road to Pokémon TCG Worlds, these lists are going to be a huge help to you.
#1 Hide ‘n’ Sneak
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Pokémon: 24
4 Shuppet M5 31
3 Banette M5 32
4 Dhelmise M5 37
3 Dunsparce JTG 120
2 Dudunsparce TEF 129
2 Poltchageist M5 5
1 Sinistcha M5 6
2 Lillie's Clefairy ex ASC 76
1 Patrat CRI 70
1 Flutter Mane PRE 43
1 Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex TWM 141
Trainer: 29
4 Lillie's Determination ASC 192
3 Gwynn M5 78
3 Boss's Orders ASC 183
1 Kieran PRE 113
4 Poké Pad POR 81
4 Ultra Ball ASC 213
2 Buddy-Buddy Poffin ASC 184
2 Night Stretcher ASC 196
2 Pokégear 3.0 BLK 84
1 Air Balloon ASC 181
3 Prism Tower CRI 80
Energy: 7
4 Telepathic Psychic Energy POR 88
2 Psychic Energy MEE 5
1 Legacy Energy TWM 167
Hide ‘n’ Sneak is my favorite deck coming out of Pitch Black. Its strength lies in its ability to prevent your opponent to easily place damage counters onto your Pokémon. Additionally, there are many ways to maximize the damage your Pokémon can do. Dhelmise is a powerful attacker, but so are your secondary attackers like Lillie’s Clefairy ex, Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex, and the damage spreading Sinistcha.
Will this deck be strong enough to take on the best deck in format, Dragapult ex?
Perhaps not even a deck that feels custom-made to counter Dragapult ex can stand up to it. Early tournament data doesn’t show it displacing the deck at all. But it’s still a fun mostly single-prize deck to try at your next tournament.
#2 Mega Darkrai ex
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Pokémon: 18
4 Mega Darkrai ex M5 46
4 Toxtricity PFL 68
4 Toxel PFL 67
2 Munkidori ASC 99
1 Pecharunt ex SFA 39
1 Chi-Yu M5 57
1 Team Rocket's Sneasel DRI 128
1 Fezandipiti ex ASC 142
Trainer: 33
3 Ultra Ball ASC 213
4 Poké Pad POR 81
4 Dark Bell M5 70
2 Enhanced Hammer TWM 148
1 Special Red Card CRI 82
1 Prime Catcher PRE 119
2 Binding Mochi PRE 95
2 Air Balloon ASC 181
4 Lillie's Determination ASC 192
2 Janine's Secret Art PRE 112
1 Team Rocket's Petrel ASC 207
1 Energy Recycler DRI 164
2 Boss's Orders ASC 183
2 Night Stretcher ASC 196
2 Risky Ruins MEG 127
Energy: 9
9 Darkness Energy SVE 23
Mega Darkrai ex may be the headliner for Pitch Black. However, it’s not a deck that’s anticipated to be very strong when it comes out. That’s largely due to its weakness to Grass-type decks that are very strong in the current Pokémon TCG meta.
However, you can’t deny that Mega Darkrai ex has potential.
Mega Darkrai ex - 048/084
ME05: Pitch Black • Double Rare
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All you need to do is combine it with Dark Bell and you can knock out your opponent’s Pokémon in a single blow. Enhanced Hammer is a must-have due to its ability to remove pesky energies that stop knockouts via attack effects.
While Mega Darkrai ex may not be topping any regionals anytime soon, it’s going to be massively popular more casually, and especially on Pokémon TCG Live.
#3 Mega Excadrill ex
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Pokémon: 20
4 Beldum CRI 59
4 Metang TEF 114
1 Metagross CRI 61
3 Drilbur M5 44
2 Mega Excadrill ex M5 63
2 Genesect ex BLK 67
1 Fezandipiti ex ASC 142
1 Shaymin DRI 10
1 Mega Skarmory ex POR 55
1 Meowth ex POR 62
Trainer: 24
4 Team Rocket's Petrel ASC 207
2 Boss's Orders ASC 183
1 Kieran PRE 113
4 Team Rocket's Transceiver ASC 209
2 Ultra Ball ASC 213
2 Energy Recycler DRI 164
1 Precious Trolley SSP 185
1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin ASC 184
1 Jumbo Ice Cream PFL 91
1 Switch MEG 130
1 Night Stretcher ASC 196
1 Special Red Card CRI 82
1 Air Balloon ASC 181
2 Gravity Mountain SSP 177
Energy: 16
16 Metal Energy MEE 8
Mega Excadrill ex is one of the more hyped decks coming out of Pitch Black. It’s considerably stronger than many of the other decks available in this set, with many considering it the strongest in the set.
Mega Excadrill ex - 065/084
ME05: Pitch Black • Double Rare
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And when you look at it, it’s not entirely hard to see why. Mega Excadrill ex is a Pokémon that can swing really, really hard. You’ll need to prioritize evolving your Metang to take advantage of its Metal Maker ability. Mega Excadrill ex requires having additional energy attached beyond the required energy to reach its full damage output. Metal Maker makes this possible by allowing you to search the top four cards of your deck for any of your sixteen energies (or however many you run) and attach it to your Excadrill ex.
#4 Mega Chandelure ex
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Pokémon: 20
3 Litwick M5 34
4 Lampent M5 35
4 Chandelure TWM 38
3 Mega Chandelure ex M5 36
1 Comfey SCR 63
1 Elgyem BLK 40
1 Maractus JTG 8
1 Budew ASC 16
1 Latias ex SSP 76
1 Lillie's Clefairy ex ASC 76
Trainer: 32
4 Hilda WHT 84
4 Lillie's Determination ASC 192
2 Boss's Orders ASC 183
2 Xerosic's Machinations SFA 64
1 Lana's Aid TWM 155
4 Poké Pad POR 81
2 Buddy-Buddy Poffin ASC 184
2 Ultra Ball ASC 213
2 Rare Candy MEG 125
2 Night Stretcher ASC 196
2 Pokégear 3.0 BLK 84
1 Prime Catcher PRE 119
2 Air Balloon ASC 181
2 Nighttime Mine ASC 197
Energy: 8
4 Telepathic Psychic Energy POR 88
2 Fire Energy MEE 2
2 Psychic Energy MEE 5
While the three decks above are your best bet for competitive success (especially Hide ‘n’ Sneak and Mega Excadrill ex), the following decks are still fun additions to the set. Mega Chandelure ex should be highly popular thanks to its mechanic that focuses on both making it difficult for your opponent’s active Pokémon to retreat and doing additional damage for each retreat cost they have.
Mega Chandelure ex - 038/084
ME05: Pitch Black • Double Rare
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If you are interested in playing this stall deck, you’ll be happy to know it’s one of the two decks being given away for free via the Pitch Black Battle Pass on Pokémon TCG Live.
#5 Lurantis ex
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Pokémon: 20
3 Fomantis M5 3
3 Lurantis ex M5 4
2 Cottonee PRE 7
2 Whimsicott PRE 8
2 Dunsparce JTG 120
2 Dudunsparce PRE 80
1 Dudunsparce ex JTG 121
2 Munkidori ASC 99
2 Budew ASC 16
1 Psyduck ASC 39
Trainer: 28
4 Lillie's Determination ASC 192
2 AZ's Tranquility CRI 76
2 Crispin PRE 105
2 Hilda WHT 84
2 Boss's Orders ASC 183
4 Poké Pad POR 81
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin ASC 184
2 Ultra Ball ASC 213
2 Pokégear 3.0 BLK 84
1 Hero's Cape TEF 152
3 Community Center TWM 146
Energy: 12
4 Darkness Energy MEE 7
4 Growing Grass Energy POR 86
4 Grass Energy MEE 1
Lurantis ex is a fun deck that’s focused primarily on using healing to unlock heavy damage output. Use Whimsicott or AZ’s Tranquility to heal your Lurantis ex and then swing for 260 damage. To be fair, that’s not the strongest attack right now in the game. But given Lurantis ex is only a two-prize Pokémon, it does open up some potential for a positive prize trade into Mega Pokémon ex.
#6 Mega Zeraora ex
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Pokémon: 16
4 Mega Zeraora ex M5 26
3 Dunsparce JTG 120
3 Dudunsparce PRE 80
2 Tynamo ASC 59
2 Eelektrik ASC 60
1 Budew ASC 16
1 Flutter Mane PRE 43
Trainer: 33
4 Lillie's Determination ASC 192
3 Judge POR 76
2 Boss's Orders MEG 114
2 AZ's Tranquility CRI 76
4 Ultra Ball ASC 213
4 Poké Pad POR 81
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin ASC 184
4 Pokégear 3.0 BLK 84
1 Night Stretcher ASC 196
1 Hero's Cape TEF 152
2 Prism Tower CRI 80
2 Battle Cage PFL 85
Energy: 11
7 Lightning Energy MEE 4
4 Volt Lightning Energy M5 80
Mega Zeraora ex is a deck that’s about as straightforward as they come. It’s all about powering up Mega Zeraora ex with enough energies to dish out high levels of damage. It will take a little bit of work to get right, but manage to scale it and you’ll be able to one-hit-knockout some big Pokémon. That’s even more the case thanks to the Voltaic Lightning Energy that’s new in Pitch Black, letting you add an additional 20 damage to your Mega Zeraora ex’s total attack.
Mega Zeraora ex - 027/084
ME05: Pitch Black • Double Rare
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This is very much a might over mind kind of deck. You’re not looking to do anything too fancy: just trying to brute-force your way through a few knockouts for game. And that’s surprisingly refreshing given the high level of strategic damage spreading and technical gameplay required to succeed in the current standard format.
#7 Rampardos
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Pokémon: 17
3 Cranidos M5 42
3 Rampardos ex M5 43
3 Shieldon M5 59
3 Bastiodon M5 60
2 Solrock ASC 106
2 Lunatone ASC 105
1 Shaymin DRI 10
Trainer: 32
4 Lillie's Determination ASC 192
2 Team Rocket's Petrel ASC 207
2 Boss's Orders ASC 183
2 Hilda WHT 84
4 Poké Pad ASC 198
3 Antique Skull Fossil M5 71
2 Antique Armor Fossil M5 72
2 Fighting Gong ASC 187
2 Rare Candy MEG 125
2 Ultra Ball ASC 213
1 Premium Power Pro ASC 199
2 Air Balloon ASC 181
3 Fossil Excavation Site M5 79
1 Grand Tree SCR 136
Energy: 11
9 Fighting Energy MEE 6
2 Magnetic Metal Energy CRI 85
Fossils are typically overlooked in the Pokémon TCG, but that doesn’t make them any less fun. If you are a dino-loving Pokémon trainer, then you’ll love this ancient-themed deck. First, you have a powerful searching capability baked into the strategy thanks to the new Fossil Quarry. Getting to put two Fossil Pokémon onto your bench is particularly good given that it will likely only benefit you and not your opponent (unless they, too, are running a Fossil deck).
Rampardos ex - 045/084
ME05: Pitch Black • Double Rare
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The Lunatone/Solrock combo feels strong here, and additionally you’ll have some solid defense built into the deck thanks to the Bastiodon’s Ancient Bulwark. The only really glaring issue with this deck is that it’s not the strongest offensively. Your Rampardos ex will eventually hit pretty darn hard. But it takes considerable set up, making it more fun than competitively viable.
#8 Mega Delphox ex
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Pokémon: 18
4 Fennekin CRI 11
2 Braixen CRI 12
3 Delphox CRI 13
2 Mega Delphox ex MP 96
2 Dunsparce JTG 120
2 Dudunsparce PRE 80
1 Dudunsparce ex JTG 121
2 Oricorio ex PFL 18
Trainer: 30
4 Lillie's Determination ASC 192
2 Boss's Orders ASC 183
1 Lana's Aid TWM 155
1 Hilda WHT 84
1 Dawn PFL 87
4 Poké Pad ASC 198
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin ASC 184
4 Rare Candy MEG 125
3 Ultra Ball ASC 213
2 Night Stretcher ASC 196
1 Special Red Card CRI 82
1 Hero's Cape TEF 152
2 Battle Cage PFL 85
Energy: 12
9 Fire Energy MEE 2
3 Ignition Energy WHT 86
Mega Delphox ex is a pretty fun deck. Although serious players will want a little extra power to justify running a three-prize Pokémon, this deck offers decent attack power via both the Mega Delphox and the single prize Delphox, while really delivering on card draw. Single prize Delphox lets you discard a Basic Fire energy to replenish your hand. Combine it with Ignition Energy and all the other ways you have to accelerate energies in this deck and its Energized Storm becomes quite scary.
Mega Delphox ex
ME05: Pitch Black • Double Rare
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Admittedly, Mega Delphox ex is the weaker link in this deck. While you’ll need a Mega Pokémon ex in play to activate Oricorio’s Excited Turbo, otherwise it’s a three-prize Pokémon that’s just swinging for 200 damage – plus confusion and burn which is nice.
Still, I’m a sucker for Fire decks in general, so I’m willing to give this one a try.
#9 Wailord ex/Dewgong
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Pokémon: 15
4 Wailmer M5 14
4 Wailord ex M5 15
1 Wailord JTG 41
3 Seel POR 18
2 Dewgong POR 19
1 Meowth ex POR 62
Trainer: 35
4 Misty's Energy M5 75
4 Lillie's Determination ASC 192
2 Boss's Orders ASC 183
2 Kofu SCR 138
4 Poké Pad POR 81
4 Ultra Ball ASC 213
4 Night Stretcher ASC 196
4 Pokégear 3.0 BLK 84
2 Jumbo Ice Cream PFL 91
1 Scoop Up Cyclone PRE 128
4 Surfing Beach MEG 129
Energy: 10
8 Water Energy MEE 3
2 Bubbly Water Energy CRI 84
Last but not least is the Wailord ex/Dewgong deck. While certainly more of a meme deck, I could see many players wanting to give this deck a try because of its synergy with new cards from Pitch Black like Misty and the heavy-hitting Wailord ex.
Misty's Vitality - 080/084
ME05: Pitch Black • Uncommon
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Speaking of Misty's Vitality: this card is actually pretty strong, although its effective use case is relatively limited. It works well here as a way to power up your Wailord’s strongest attacks. It will cost you an attacking turn, but if you pull it off early enough in the game it can pay off in dividends.
The nice thing about Dewgong is that you can easily switch out your Wailord ex after attacking to the bench (Surfing Beach is great for this). Once switched, use Dewgong’s Wash Out to move energies off the sleeping Wailord ex onto the next attacking Pokémon.
Single Prize Wailord also makes for a powerful backup attacker, letting you swing for crazy amounts of damage as long as you manage to stack up all the energies it needs to attack.
As you can see, Pitch Black has a wide range of decks to choose from. Everything from fun meme decks you can use to troll on Pokémon TCG Live even to powerful new decks like Excadrill ex and Hide ‘n’ Sneak. With fun theming, exciting strategies, and exciting chase cards, Pitch Black is the perfect way to ignite the summer. Give these decks a try and add your own spin to them and let me know how it goes!
