The Pokemon TCG meta is about to receive the biggest shakeup it’s had in a long while. While last year’s rotation did have an impact, and most noticeably removed the legendary Mew VMAX from the game, this year’s rotation feels like it has a much broader impact. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the game has largely been dominated by a similar lineup of archetypes for several sets now.

Thanks to data from the latest massive tournament in Japan, and now from early tournaments happening online, we’re getting a pretty solid understanding of what the best Pokemon TCG decks post 2025 rotation are likely to be. And some of them are pretty wild.

#1 Tera Box is the best Pokemon TCG standard deck

*11th by Tord Reklev, Champions League Fukuoka*

Pokémon: 22
3 Hoothoot SCR 114
1 Hoothoot PRE 77
4 Noctowl SCR 115
2 Teal Mask Ogerpon ex TWM 25
2 Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex TWM 64
2 Fan Rotom SCR 118
1 Pikachu ex SSP 57
1 Mew ex MEW 151
1 Lillie's Clefairy ex SV9 33
1 Latias ex SSP 76
1 Fezandipiti ex SFA 38
1 Ditto MEW 132
1 Terapagos ex SCR 128
1 Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex TWM 141
Trainer: 28
3 Crispin SCR 133
2 Professor's Research SVI 189
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
1 Iono PAL 185
1 Professor Turo's Scenario PAR 171
4 Nest Ball SVI 181
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Energy Switch SVI 173
2 Night Stretcher SFA 61
1 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
1 Counter Catcher PAR 160
1 Sparkling Crystal SCR 142
3 Area Zero Underdepths SCR 131
Energy: 10
5 Grass Energy SVE 9
2 Psychic Energy SVE 13
1 Water Energy SVE 11
1 Metal Energy SVE 16
1 Lightning Energy SVE 12

If you were wondering if Tera type Pokemon were going anywhere post rotation, rest assured: they won’t be. Gradually it’s becoming clear that Tera Box decks are becoming a deck type in their own right. While in the past we often called these decks centered on Area-Zero Underdepths Terapagos ex decks, more and more Terapagos ex plays a supporting role in this strategy, while a retinue of toolbox attackers remain on standby to hit for weakness and win games.

This deck was piloted by the legendary Tord Reklev himself – an EU player who managed to make his way into the Champions League and place eleventh which is pretty insane.

Again in this deck we see a lot going on, but the central theme of the deck are Tera Pokemon. This deck can field a pretty insane number of basic attackers that wouldn’t be possible without a stadium like Area-Zero Underdepths. Although missing from this list are the powerful Palkia and Radiant Greninja, you can still enable that double attack/double KO against lower HP Pokemon via Well-Spring Mask Ogerpon ex.

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It’s highly likely we’ll be seeing this attacker show up in a lot more decks as we don’t have a catch-all attacker like Radiant Greninja to rely on anymore for these double attack style Pokemon. While this Ogerpon ex lacks the powerful Concealed Cards ability, you still have plenty of consistency and card search thanks to the Noctowl with Jewel Seeker to help you find what you need when you need it.

To ensure your attackers have adequate energy to get their attacks off, this deck leans hard into Crispin, Sparkling Crystal, and Energy Switch.

With a powerful Tera Box deck like this running wild in the post rotation format, it’s no wonder Pokemon like Milotic ex that negate Tera Pokemon’s attacks are so popular!

#2 Dragapult ex

*9th Place Champions League Fukuoka - Hiroki Fujiwara*

Pokémon: 19
4 Dreepy TWM 128
4 Drakloak TWM 129
3 Dragapult ex TWM 130
2 Duskull PRE 35
1 Dusclops PRE 36
2 Dusknoir PRE 37
2 Budew PRE 4
1 Fezandipiti ex SFA 38
Trainer: 35
4 Arven OBF 186
3 Iono PAL 185
2 Jacq SVI 175
1 Boss's Orders PAL 172
1 Crispin SCR 133
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144
3 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Counter Catcher PAR 160
2 Nest Ball SVI 181
2 Rare Candy SVI 191
1 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
1 Super Rod PAL 188
1 Night Stretcher SFA 61
1 Switch SVI 194
1 Unfair Stamp TWM 165
1 Rescue Board TEF 159
1 Exp. Share SVI 174
1 Defiance Band SVI 169
2 Artazon PAL 171
Energy: 6
3 Fire Energy SVE 10
3 Psychic Energy SVE 13

It shouldn’t be a huge surprise that Dragapult ex is still a top deck post 2025 rotation. This attacker gained more than it lost thanks to Budew, granting this deck a meaningful turn one attacker capable of blocking off items for your opponent and giving you the time you need to set up some pretty deadly combos via Phantom Dive and Cursed Blast.

Realistically rotation hardly fazes this draconic attacker with the only major loss being Lance from Silver Tempest – a supporter who was very handy in the current Budew-heavy format, letting you bring dragon Pokemon to your hand without relying so much on items.

However, to that end you still have the handy Jacq supporter who does half of what Lance did.

While Dragapult ex will undoubtedly have a tough time facing down a Milotic ex who isn’t affected by its attacks, apart from that matchup Dragpult ex is a force to be reckoned with and it almost feels like we haven’t seen this powerhouse deck peak.

#3 Raging Bolt ex with Noctowl

Raging Bolt ex deck — *14th of 245 by Pulsaur*

Pokémon: 20
4 Teal Mask Ogerpon ex TWM 25
3 Hoothoot SCR 114
3 Noctowl SCR 115
3 Raging Bolt ex TEF 123
1 Fezandipiti ex SFA 38
1 Fan Rotom SCR 118
1 Cornerstone Mask Ogerpon ex TWM 112
1 Mew ex MEW 151
1 Squawkabilly ex PAL 169
1 Latias ex SSP 76
1 Slither Wing PAR 107
Trainer: 28
4 Professor Sada's Vitality PAR 170
2 Crispin SCR 133
1 Boss's Orders PAL 172
4 Nest Ball SVI 181
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
4 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
1 Prime Catcher TEF 157
1 Night Stretcher SFA 61
1 Pal Pad SVI 182
1 Superior Energy Retrieval PAL 189
1 Energy Retrieval SVI 171
1 Super Rod PAL 188
2 Area Zero Underdepths SCR 131
1 Jamming Tower TWM 153
Energy: 12
6 Grass Energy SVE 9
3 Fighting Energy SVE 14
3 Lightning Energy SVE 12

Raging Bolt ex was an absolute killer pre-rotation. After rotation, this deck is as strong as ever, but has a few new tricks up its sleeve thanks to an astute pairing with Noctowl for added consistency. Additionally, Cornerstone ex (a card that’s popping up in many decks now) helps punish the ability-hungry meta we find ourselves in.

It’s no Path to the Peak, but it will do.

#4 Feraligatr

Pokémon: 19
3 Totodile TEF 39
3 Croconaw TEF 40
3 Feraligatr TEF 41
3 Munkidori TWM 95
2 Feebas TWM 49
2 Milotic ex SSP 42
1 Mimikyu PAL 97
1 Budew PRE 4
1 Relicanth TEF 84
Trainer: 32
4 Arven OBF 186
4 Iono PAL 185
2 Professor's Research SVI 189
2 Lana's Aid TWM 155
1 Crispin SCR 133
4 Pokégear 3.0 SVI 186
3 Counter Catcher PAR 160
1 Night Stretcher SFA 61
1 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144
1 Ultra Ball SVI 196
1 Precious Trolley SSP 185
2 Technical Machine: Evolution PAR 178
2 Luxurious Cape PAR 166
1 Rescue Board TEF 159
2 Artazon PAL 171
Energy: 9
4 Water Energy SVE 11
3 Darkness Energy SVE 15
2 Luminous Energy PAL 191

This (mostly) single prize deck took the Pokemon TCG world by storm by winning first place out of 5000 players at the Champions League Fukuoka by Hiromu Sasaki. An absolutely insane deck that has so much going for it, Feraligatr is mostly here as an insanely beefy attacker, capable of hitting for 280 base damage as long as you just place five damage counters on it.

There’s so much to unpack here in this deck it’s almost hard to know where to begin. It doesn’t run Rare Candy like logic would tell you most Stage 2 decks should. Instead, it runs Relicanth to let you use attacks from previously evolved Pokemon.

At the same time that you are able to dish out insane damage via Feraligatr, however, this deck also functions as a stall deck. Budew lets you item lock your opponent while Mimikyu and even the popular Milotic ex prevent knockouts.

Feraligatr is a masterfully crafted deck that shows just how different the Pokemon TCG metagame looks post rotation. And the possibilities are pretty exciting.

#5 N’s Zoroark

*14th Place Champions League Fukuoka - Masatoshi Ueda*

Pokémon: 17
4 N's Zorua SV9 60
4 N's Zoroark ex SV9 61
3 N's Darumaka SV9 15
2 N's Darmanitan SV9 16
1 N's Reshiram SV9 74
1 Budew PRE 4
1 Pecharunt ex SFA 39
1 Fezandipiti ex SFA 38
Trainer: 35
4 Arven OBF 186
4 Iono PAL 185
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
4 Nest Ball SVI 181
3 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144
3 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 N's PP Up SV9 89
2 Night Stretcher SFA 61
2 Counter Catcher PAR 160
1 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
1 Unfair Stamp TWM 165
1 Technical Machine: Evolution PAR 178
1 Binding Mochi PRE 95
1 Defiance Band SVI 169
2 N's Castle SV9 97
1 Pokémon League Headquarters OBF 192
Energy: 8
6 Darkness Energy SVE 15
2 Reversal Energy PAL 192

The deck I like best in Journey Together is N’s Zoroark, and that powerful new archetype proved itself viable in the Champions League tournament. While most of these cards haven’t even found their way overseas yet, soon players around the world will experience first hand how strong trainer’s Pokemon can be, especially given the fact they are given unique effects that can only be unlocked by them.

Much of this deck’s efficacy, however, lies in N’s Zoroark itself. This Pokemon is has a powerful “Trade” ability that works very well in a post Radiant Greninja meta, partly filling the void left by Concealed Cards by essentially doing the same thing but by discarding any card from your hand instead of just energies.

Meanwhile, N’s PP Up is a powerful alternative to Dark Patch – a former staple now rotated out that lets you attach energy from your discard to your benched Pokemon.

Lastly, you might notice that this deck runs several attackers without providing the energy needed to get those attacks off. That’s because of Zoroark’s powerful Night Joker attack that lets you use any N’s Pokemon’s attack. Think of it as basically the same thing as what Mew VMAX’s Cross Fusion Strike attack did back in the day.

Given this deck’s combination of draw support and handy attackers, N’s Zoroark ex deck is a solid tier one deck in the current meta.

#6 Hop’s Zacian ex

Pokémon: 14
3 Duraludon SCR 106
3 Archaludon ex SSP 130
2 Hop's Snorlax JTG 117
2 Hop's Zacian ex JTG 111
1 Latias ex SSP 76
1 Hop's Cramorant JTG 138
1 Iron Bundle PAR 56
1 Fezandipiti ex SFA 38
Trainer: 37
4 Arven OBF 186
3 Boss's Orders PAL 172
3 Professor's Research JTG 155
2 Iono PAL 185
1 Professor Turo's Scenario PAR 171
1 Black Belt's Training JTG 145
4 Nest Ball SVI 181
3 Ultra Ball SVI 196
3 Night Stretcher SFA 61
2 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
1 Hop's Bag JTG 147
1 Prime Catcher TEF 157
1 Pokégear 3.0 SVI 186
4 Hop's Choice Band JTG 148
4 Postwick JTG 154
Energy: 9
9 Metal Energy SVE 16

Hop’s Zacian ex has been very popular in the online tournament scene, and it’s also a deck you’re highly likely to run into on Pokemon TCG Live. While early decks paired Zacian ex with Munkidori to go for a damage spread style deck, this version of Hop’s Zacian ex has one of the best performances to date, and it leans heavily into Archaludon ex and goes all-in on metal energies.

Instead of going for subtle damage spread and big hits with single Prize Pokemon, this deck has it all, including the ability to KO even the biggest Pokemon out there.

#7 Milotic ex Stall

*6th Place Champions League Fukuoka - Yuta Yoshioka*

Pokémon: 15
3 Feebas SSP 41
3 Milotic ex SSP 42
2 Girafarig TWM 83
1 Girafarig TEF 66
2 Farigiraf ex TEF 108
2 Munkidori TWM 95
1 Cornerstone Mask Ogerpon ex TWM 112
1 Tatsugiri TWM 131
Trainer: 34
4 Crispin SCR 133
4 Arven OBF 186
3 Professor's Research SVI 189
2 Iono PAL 185
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
3 Nest Ball SVI 181
3 Pokégear 3.0 SVI 186
2 Ultra Ball SVI 196
1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144
1 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
1 Super Rod PAL 188
1 Counter Catcher PAR 160
1 Poké Vital A SFA 62
2 Technical Machine: Evolution PAR 178
1 Technical Machine: Turbo Energize PAR 179
1 Counter Gain SSP 169
1 Town Store OBF 196
1 Artazon PAL 171
Energy: 11
3 Psychic Energy SVE 13
3 Water Energy SVE 11
3 Darkness Energy SVE 15
2 Fighting Energy SVE 14

I can remember a time when Stall decks were hardly played competitively. For the last several years now, however, stall has played a large role in the Pokemon TCG metagame. This deck thrives on “stalling” your opponent out by basically making it very, very difficult to actually land an attack. Between Milotic ex, Farigiraf ex and Cornerstone Mask ex, you’re going to have a very tough time taking big, two-prize KOs against this deck.

Meanwhile, you have plenty of ways to dish out damage to your opponent as each of these attackers also has the ability to do some damage.

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Stall decks are not everyone’s cup of tea because they can be difficult to pilot and at times tedious. However, it’s clear in a meta hyped up on powerful Tera Pokemon, however, that Milotic ex can be a very handy anti-meta pick, as proven by it’s strong performance at the Champions League where five of the top 16 decks ran it.

#8 Charizard ex

Pokémon: 19
3 Charmander MEW 4
1 Charmeleon PAF 8
2 Charizard ex OBF 125
2 Duskull PRE 35
1 Dusclops PRE 36
1 Dusknoir PRE 37
2 Pidgey OBF 162
1 Pidgeotto MEW 17
2 Pidgeot ex OBF 164
2 Budew PRE 4
1 Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex TWM 141
1 Fezandipiti ex SFA 38
Trainer: 35
2 Iono PAL 185
2 Drayton SSP 174
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
1 Professor Turo's Scenario PAR 171
1 Briar SCR 132
1 Arven OBF 186
1 Kieran TWM 154
1 Professor's Research JTG 155
4 Nest Ball SVI 181
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
4 Rare Candy SVI 191
2 Counter Catcher PAR 160
2 Super Rod PAL 188
1 Unfair Stamp TWM 165
1 Pal Pad SVI 182
1 Night Stretcher SFA 61
1 Jamming Tower TWM 153
Energy: 6
6 Fire Energy SVE 10

Charizard ex isn’t nearly the dominant threat it was in its prime, but it’s still meta relevant, showing up at competitive events at every level. While rotation certainly kicked it in the pants, it’s finding ways to deal with an evolving meta by teching in Budew and (in this list) Ursaluna ex as another late game closer.

Some players are going a step further by taking advantage of Charizard ex’s Tera typing to use Noctowl for added consistency. However, Pidgeot ex is probably still going to be the gold standard moving forward as it still fits Charizard ex like peanut butter and jelly.

While it’s still early days for the post 2025 rotation meta, we’re starting to see just how different the game is going to be played once so many effective cards rotate out. As new updates and tournaments commence, I’ll be updating this page so make sure to bookmark it and come back to see the Pokemon TCG metagame evolve!

The Best Pokemon TCG Decks (April 2025)