Pokemon TCG decks are not all created equal. Where there are strong decks, there will also be weak decks. For the most part, supply and demand will dictate whether cards are expensive or not, but Pokemon decks can be relatively inexpensive to build and win events. At top level, the trends on what decks succeed have been established for the current (at time of writing) BST-OBF format.

The Most Represented Deck at Top Tables

With a near 20% top table representation, and 300 circuit point gap across entrants, “Lost Zone Box” is the most popular Pokemon deck.

Source: Pokemon TCG

The stars of the deck, Comfey, Sableye and Cramorant keep the pressure on. The Lost Zone, separate from the Discard Pile, is a zone similar to Yu-Gi-Oh’s Banished zone. Or Magic the Gathering’s Exile. So that means cards that enter the Lost Zone are not expecting to return for the remainder of the game.

This all in playstyle has seen consistent results due to selective filling of the Lost Zone with cards like Lost Origin Comfey and Colress’s Experement. Sableye can then spread damage counters once 10 cards have been Lost. Cramorant’s powerful 110 damage attack can also be fired off without energy costs due to its ability.

The Best of the Rest

Lugia Archeops beatdown is the next most represented deck. Archeops’ Primal Turbo helps slot around energy to the powerful Basic Pokemon Lugia to get those high damage 4 energy moves going off turn after turn. Coupled with Lugia VSTAR’s once per game VSTAR Power, setting up is incredibly fast.

Fan favorite Charizard has also seen consistent results, with an 11% share of top table results. Its more traditional evolution based gameplay is more straight forward than energy turbo onto powerful basic pokemon. The boss monster, Charizard ex will cost you a pretty penny. Its a Dark Tera Type Pokemon with Grass type weakness, and a plethora of high damage fire type moves that get stronger with each KO.

Source: Pokemon TCG

Single Pokemon Decks

With 13 Regional top 8s and 5 International top 8 finishes, Gardevoir has been putting in work. Closely followed by Miraidon decks with a 6 and 1 top 8 record respectively. Gardevoir once again makes use of evolution to get to its powerful boss monster, healing from status effects with Gardevoir ex. Miraidon uses its Tandem Unit ability to search 2 basic electric pokemon. Allowing it to cheat 2 copies Raikou V to the Bench for use next turn. JW Kriewall took this Miraidon strategy to 1st place at Toronto’s 2023 Regional.

Last but certainly not least, with the World Championship win under its belt, Mew VSTAR. It is largely comprised of 2 copies of a single starter deck. Genesect’s Techno Blast is always a threat due to Mew VSTAR being able to copy it.