Destined Rivals brings a combo of legendary trainers and dastardly villains into the fray in a way we haven’t seen in many, many years. Along with that epic theming are a collection of decks with truly unique mechanics. While some are better than others, all look interesting. Below, let’s rank each new Destined Rivals deck from best to worst.

#1 Rocket’s Mewtwo ex

Pokémon: 13
3 Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex SV10 39
3 Team Rocket's Spidops SV10 9
4 Team Rocket's Tarountula SV10 8
1 Team Rocket's Articuno SV10 22
1 Team Rocket's Mimikyu SV10 42
1 Lillie's Clefairy ex JTG 56
Trainer: 36
4 Ultra Ball PAF 91
2 Nest Ball PAF 84
3 Earthen Vessel PRE 106
3 Energy Switch SVI 173
4 Team Rocket's Receiver SV10 90
1 Unfair Stamp TWM 165
1 Counter Catcher PAR 160
1 Night Stretcher SFA 61
1 Technical Machine: Evolution PAR 178
1 Bravery Charm PAL 173
1 Exp. Share SVI 174
3 Team Rocket's Ariana SV10 91
2 Team Rocket's Archer SV10 92
2 Team Rocket's Giovanni SV10 93
2 Team Rocket's Petrel SV10 94
2 Team Rocket's Proton SV10 95
3 Team Rocket's Factory SV10 97
Energy: 11
4 Team Rocket's Energy SV10 98
5 Psychic Energy SVE 5
2 Grass Energy SVE 1

Mewtwo ex gets high props for creativity. This deck is almost completely made up of cards that come out in Destined Rivals, making it a very exciting new deck to try out to say the least. This deck’s strength is also partly its weakness – by leaning so heavily into the Rocket’s Pokemon mechanic it unlocks unparalleled strength while foregoing some of the staples other decks take for granted like Fezandipiti ex. However, you really don’t have much of a choice because you need your bench laced with Rocket’s Pokemon to play this deck to the utmost effectiveness.

It’s something of an all-in strategy that has a high payoff it works out.

#2 Ethan’s Typhlosion

Pokémon: 19
4 Ethan's Cyndaquil SV9a 15
4 Ethan's Quilava SV9a 16
3 Ethan's Typhlosion SV9a 17
2 Dreepy TWM 128
2 Drakloak TWM 129
1 Dragapult ex TWM 130
1 Budew PRE 4
1 Shaymin SV9a 6
1 Tatsugiri TWM 131
Trainer: 35
4 Ethan's Adventure SV9a 63
4 Arven OBF 186
2 Iono PAL 185
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
1 Lana's Aid TWM 155
1 Professor's Research JTG 155
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144
4 Ultra Ball SVI 196
2 Night Stretcher SFA 61
2 Counter Catcher PAR 160
1 Rare Candy SVI 191
1 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
1 Pokégear 3.0 SVI 186
1 Picnic Basket SVI 184
1 Technical Machine: Evolution PAR 178
1 Rescue Board TEF 159
1 Defiance Band SVI 169
1 Maximum Belt TEF 154
1 Artazon PAL 171
Energy: 6
4 Fire Energy SVE 10
1 Psychic Energy SVE 13
1 Luminous Energy PAL 191

It’s not like Rocket’s Mewtwo ex doesn’t have any competition, however. There are plenty of new decks coming out in this set to give it some challenge, and one of them is this single prize deck featuring the powerful and deadly Ethan’s Typhlosion. When fully powered up by having Ethan’s Adventure in the discard and amplified via Munkidori’s damage spread and Victini’s ability, Typhlosion is actually capable of a OHKO against even the toughest Stage 2 Pokemon.

Talk about an upset!

This deck could absolutely change the meta if it manages to gain enough traction. Also noteworthy is the new Shaymin card included in this deck – one that blocks damage done to the bench against non rule box Pokemon.

#3 Cynthia’s Garchomp ex

Pokémon: 18
3 Cynthia's Gible SV9a 42
3 Cynthia's Gabite SV9a 43
2 Cynthia's Garchomp ex SV9a 44
3 Munkidori TWM 95
2 Snorunt TWM 51
2 Froslass TWM 53
2 Budew PRE 4
1 Ethan's Sudowoodo SV9a 41
Trainer: 34
4 Arven OBF 186
4 Iono PAL 185
2 Professor's Research JTG 155
1 Morty's Conviction TEF 155
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144
4 Counter Catcher PAR 160
3 Night Stretcher SFA 61
2 Pokégear 3.0 SVI 186
1 Ultra Ball SVI 196
1 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
1 Unfair Stamp TWM 165
2 Technical Machine: Devolution PAR 177
1 Rescue Board TEF 159
1 Gravity Gemstone SCR 137
1 Cynthia's Power Weight SV9a 60
2 Artazon PAL 171
Energy: 8
4 Darkness Energy SVE 15
3 Fighting Energy SVE 14
1 Luminous Energy PAL 191

There’s a very serious trend towards pairing Stage 2 Pokemon ex with Froslass when the deck doesn’t really work on its own in any particular way. That being said, Cynthia’s Garchomp ex hits for 260 for just two fighting energy, making it a very reliable attacker. When you use Froslass with Munkidori, that damage output can easily be ramped up. Combine this with the fact that Garchomp ex has 330 HP and you have a heavyweight champ capable of taking a hit and dishing out KOs.

What really makes this deck shine, however, is Cynthia’s Power Weight tool, granting Garchomp ex an insane +70 HP. Suddenly this guy seems pretty darn scary to face down.

#4 Crustle

Pokémon: 12
3 Okidogi TWM 111
3 Munkidori TWM 95
2 Dwebble SV9a 7
2 Crustle SV9a 8
1 Budew PRE 4
1 Ethan's Sudowoodo SV9a 41
Trainer: 35
3 Arven OBF 186
3 Crispin SCR 133
3 Colress's Tenacity SFA 57
2 Boss's Orders PAL 172
2 Iono PAL 185
1 Hassel TWM 151
4 Nest Ball SVI 181
3 Pokégear 3.0 SVI 186
2 Switch SVI 194
1 Super Rod PAL 188
1 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
1 Night Stretcher SFA 61
2 Luxurious Cape PAR 166
1 Hero's Cape TEF 152
1 Bravery Charm PAL 173
1 Technical Machine: Devolution PAR 177
2 Artazon PAL 171
2 Town Store OBF 196
Energy: 13
4 Fighting Energy SVE 14
4 Luminous Energy PAL 191
3 Darkness Energy SVE 15
2 Grass Energy SVE 9

Crustle has a very unique ability. Essentially it’s Mimikyu 2.0 only this time with a stronger attack/HP ratio. Use Crustle to get underneath your opponent’s Pokemon and slowly wear them away. You can boost it or Okidogi’s HP to be pretty insane vi your cloak items while also enabling a favorable prize trade. Ethan’s Sudowoodo is something of a tech in this deck, letting you take advantage of your opponent’s attacks and use them against them.

For people who like quirky decks, it doesn’t get much quirkier than this. Beware of single prize decks like Ethan’s Typhlosion, however, as they could pretty seriously wipe the floor with you.

#5 Team Rocket's Persian ex

Pokémon: 12
4 Team Rocket's Meowth SV10 78
3 Team Rocket's Persian ex SV10 79
2 Team Rocket's Zapdos SV10 33
1 Team Rocket's Mimikyu SV10 42
1 Lillie's Clefairy ex JTG 56
1 Budew PRE 4
Trainer: 40
4 Team Rocket's Petrel SV10 94
3 Team Rocket's Ariana SV10 91
2 Team Rocket's Archer SV10 92
2 Team Rocket's Giovanni SV10 93
1 Colress's Tenacity SFA 57
1 Team Rocket's Proton SV10 95
4 Team Rocket's Great Ball SV10 88
4 Team Rocket's Receiver SV10 90
4 Nest Ball PAF 84
4 Night Stretcher SFA 61
3 Energy Switch SVI 173
2 Earthen Vessel PRE 106
1 Unfair Stamp TWM 165
1 Exp. Share SVI 174
4 Team Rocket's Watchtower SV10 96
Energy: 8
4 Team Rocket's Energy SV10 98
2 Psychic Energy SVE 5
2 Lightning Energy SVE 4

This deck takes advantage of Persian’s one-of-a-kind attack that lets you look at the top 10 cards of your opponent’s deck and use an attack from a Pokemon card you find there as its own.

While you can certainly find some solid attacks this way, just in case you don’t you have your Rocket’s Zapdos to back you up with an attack that does 120 damage. Meanwhile, use Energy Switch to quickly power up your Lillie’s Clefairy ex in a pinch to take Kos against Dragon Type or just when both benches are full for maximum impact.

This deck is totally a troll deck, but it’s an amazing one which earns it this spot on the list.

#6 Arven’s Mabosstiff

Arven’s Mabosstiff plays a pretty important role in the Scarlet & Violet video games. However, this particular attacker feels somewhat lackluster. Sure – you can power it up with a combo of Munkidori, Pecharunt/Binding Mochi to raise how much damage it is going to do. You can also use the upcomign Arven’s Sandwich to heal your Mabostiff for 100 damage as you go, making it harder to take out.

Still, it just feels like the same kind of damage this Pokemon does is possible to reach with other attackers already in the game. That being said, that Arven’s Sandwich card is pretty broken and could be a fun mechanic to try out in battle.

#7 Ethan’s Ho-Oh

Wouldn’t it be nice to get a really powerful Ho-Oh-themed deck? Unfortunately, this deck is unlikely to turn too many heads when you have the much stronger Typholsion to choose from. That being said, you can use Ethan’s Ho-Oh to power up your Magcargo and hit for some truly impressive damage: 350 total damage to be exact.

Meanwhile, Ethan’s Ho-Oh ex can dish out some decent damage as well, while also healing your Pokemon in the process. To help you clean up what’s left of your opponent’s board after these attacks go through is the powerful Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex.

It’s not a top tier deck by any means but getting that Magcargo attack off for huge damage will definitely feel good when you manage to make it happen.

#8 Misty’s Gyarados

Misty’s Gyarados is yet another deck that focus on the mill x amount of cards to deal x amount of damage. It’s not a particularly innovative mechanic or likely to be all that strong. But for players who enjoy the formula, it could be an enticing strategy to try out – especially given the fact it centers around the popular Misty character and her Pokemon.

Every Destined Rivals Pokemon Deck, Ranked