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  • Strongest decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket Wisdom of Sea and Sky

    Strongest decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket Wisdom of Sea and Sky


    Figuring out which decks to play in Pokémon TCG Pocket is a lot harder than it used to be. When the game originally dropped and had just one expansion set, you had roughly five viable decks to choose from – but nowadays, there’s a mountain of meta decks on offer.

    Wisdom added plenty of powerful cards into the Pocket scene, giving competitive players even more tools to use during their matches. Here’s a rundown of the best Wisdom of Sea and Sky Pocket decks right now, not listed in any particular order.

    The Escapist recaps

    • Pokémon TCG Pocket Wisdom of Sea and Sky introduced 241 new cards into the game, shaking up the competitive meta and adding new decks into the mix
    • While it’s not been as disruptive as previous sets, this release did present a variety of new decks to experiment with and a handful of crucial tools for competitive players
    • Crobat ex stands out as one of the best decks in the game right now with the addition of Sylveon ex. The Intertwining Pokémon also pairs perfectly with the new Espeon ex as well
    • Other viable decks to consider include Silvally-Pichu, Ho-Oh ex and Lugia ex, and Donphan ex, along with older decks like Dragonite ex, with new cards added in

    Crobat-Sylveon

    Two Pokémon cards: Sylveon EX and Crobat EX. Sylveon is pastel with ribbons and sparkles
    Crobat ex has had people talking since the expansion launched. Image credit: The Pokémon Company

    If you saw my rundown of the strongest ex cards in Wisdom of Sea and Sky, you’ll know that Crobat ex has been one of the most hyped cards of the expansion.

    It’s not pulling in the tournament numbers that I would’ve expected initially at the time of writing – although I believe in the bat, I think it’ll come out on top over the coming weeks. It’s still a powerhouse, though, especially when paired with Sylveon ex.

    Crobat ex provides simple, consistent damage for just one Energy, adding Poison into the mix for chip damage. Sylveon ex also provides a decent chunk of damage, but is mainly played here for the draw power.

    When building this list, make sure to use the Wisdom of Sea and Sky Eevee for additional draw power, alongside Supporters like Silver and Lyra to stay ahead of the competition. Choosing the Zubat and Golbat with Poison attacks is also worthwhile.

    Some players run a variant of this with Darkrai ex included, capitalizing on the Nightmare Aura ability and stacking up extra damage over time. 

    Sylveon-Espeon

    Two Pokémon cards on a purple background show Espeon and Sylveon, each with swirling colorful backgrounds
    These two adorable Eeveelutions pack a punch. Image credit: The Pokémon Company

    If you like fast-paced decks in Pocket, this is what you need to be playing during this season. It’s quick to get going, with a tasty self-heal and plenty of draw power. 

    Sylveon ex allows you to set up quickly and get your Espeon ex into position via the Happy Ribbon ability, dealing a decent 70 damage as needed. Espeon ex acts as the main hitter, healing up whenever needed with Psychic Healing and whittling away with Super Psy Bolt.

    To ensure that Espeon ex is as hard to kill as possible, I’d suggest running at least one copy of Giant Cape to get an extra sliver of HP on there.

    Other crucial cards to have at your disposal here include Sabrina and Cyrus for control, the A4 Eevee for additional draw power, and Eevee ex for speedy evolutions. I could also see Mew ex helping to fill in the damage output gaps with Genome Hacking.

    Silvally-Pichu

    Two Pokémon cards on a purple background. Left: Silvally, a silver creature with swirling energy. Right: Pichu, a small, yellow Pokémon in foliage
    This surprising duo is a lot of fun to play. Image credit: The Pokémon Company

    Acting as a riff on Silvally-Oricorio, this deck features plenty of Supporter cards and two copies of the Lightning-type Oricorio to help mitigate any ex threats in battle.

    Silvally is the main source of damage thanks to the Brave Buddies attack, putting out 100 damage for just 2 Energy when a Supporter is used. Pichu acts as a crucial source of Energy movement, using Crackly Toss to spread Lightning Energy Tokens around.

    Gladion and Silver are vital Supporters to include here, alongside Cyrus and Sabrina for control, Giovanni for a simple damage buff, and Lyra for easy movement. 

    Ho-Oh ex and Lugia ex

    Two Pokémon cards: Ho-Oh ex, left, with vibrant red and yellow hues; Lugia ex, right, in sleek white and blue
    The pack Legendaries are a mighty combination. Image credit: The Pokémon Company

    The two-pack Legendaries are decent on their own, but when they’re paired together, they can put out brutal levels of damage.

    Ho-Oh ex provides the exact Energy Tokens that Lugia ex needs to use the obscenely powerful Elemental Blast, which deals 180 damage in return for a total Energy discard. Cards like Elemental Switch and Dawn can help to keep the Energy moving quickly.

    It’s worth having at least one copy of Pichu if you’re running this deck, along with a couple of Zeraora cards to keep Lugia ex ready. 

    Donphan ex

    A holographic Donphan EX Pokémon card on a purple background
    With the right list, Donphan ex is a beast. Image credit: The Pokémon Company

    I wasn’t overly impressed with Donphan ex when I saw it for the first time, but the tournament results that are rolling out post-expansion launch have changed my mind. With the right list, this Fighting-type can do some serious damage.

    On its own, Donphan ex can deal 50 damage for one Energy Token, spiking to 110 damage if there are at least two extra Energy Tokens attached. Adding two copies of Lucario into the mix helps this attack hit even harder.

    Alongside Donphan ex and Lucario, it’s important to have Marshadow for re-balancing, Lyra for easy movement, and Red for extra damage boosts against ex-foes.

    Some players run Donphan ex with the Rampardos line instead of Lucario and Marshadow, so it’s worth experimenting with this setup as well. 

    Honorable mentions

    I’d strongly encourage you to build the five decks listed above as they’ve got the highest potential out of the newer lists from Wisdom of Sea and Sky. 

    If you’re looking to enhance an older deck, though, these are the lists you should look into improving with fresh cards:

    • Dragonite ex. This deck can be taken to a new level by adding in Pichu and Elemental Switch, allowing for easy Energy movement to power up Dragonite ex
    • Eevee ex. Since Eevee Grove, there have been heaps of iterations on Eevee ex decks. Using Flareon ex, Leafeon ex, Sylveon ex, and the new Eevee alongside Eevee ex might seem unbalanced, but it works a treat
    • Darkrai-Giratina. This deck was powerful before Wisdom of Sea and Sky dropped, but with the addition of Silver and potentially Lyra, it’s now an absolute demon. It also works nicely to counteract Sylveon-Espeon players

    Out of these, I’d urge you to try out Darkrai-Giratina, as this deck is putting on an incredible performance in the tournament scene right now. With Wisdom Supporters in the list, it’s a punchy deck to play. 

    Pokémon TCG Pocket Wisdom of Sea and Sky has plenty of powerful decks to pick from, with Crobat-Sylveon, Espeon-Sylveon, Donphan, Silvally-Pichu, and the pack’s Legendary duo standing out as the best options. Older decks like Dragonite ex can also be enhanced with cards from the new set.

    Ask The Escapist

    When did Pokémon TCG Pocket Wisdom of Sea and Sky come out?

    Wisdom of Sea and Sky was released on July 30, 2025, making it the fourth main expansion set for Pokémon TCG Pocket.

    Which are the strongest ex cards in Wisdom of Sea and Sky?

    On their own, Crobat ex and Umbreon ex stand out as the strongest ex cards in Wisdom of Sea and Sky. Make sure you’re opening Ho-Oh packs to get these two gems.

    What are the best Supporters in Wisdom of Sea and Sky?

    Silver, Lyra, and Will stand out as the most competitively viable Supporter cards in Wisdom of Sea and Sky, and they all feature in prominent decks that are currently swarming the tournament scene.

    The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy



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  • “Overwhelming demand” for League of Legends TCG Riftbound causes pre-order chaos

    “Overwhelming demand” for League of Legends TCG Riftbound causes pre-order chaos


    It’s safe to say that there’s a ravenous hunger for Riftbound, the League of Legends TCG that’s finally getting an English release this year. Pre-orders went live earlier today, August 4, and within minutes Riftbound appeared to sell out. Fans trying to secure decks and packs of its first set, Origins, also had to fight through checkout issues and crashes on Riot’s website. Now, the company has acknowledged the issues and says that it’ll be “keeping a close eye on market demand” to ensure it gets in players’ hands.

    I remember when Riot first revealed Riftbound (then known simply as Project K) at the tail end of last year. At the time, it was a surprise to see Riot committing to transforming League of Legends into a Magic The Gathering-style card game, but on reflection, it feels like a natural fit. A huge treasure chest of characters, abilities, factions, and storylines to dive into, the world of Runeterra does make sense as a physical TCG.

    The next big question, though, was whether LoL fans (or TCG enthusiasts aware of this universe through either Riot’s multiplayer games or the Arcane Netflix series) would gravitate towards it. Based on today’s events, I can confidently say that yes, they will.

    YouTube Thumbnail

    For anyone with a Riot ID in good standing, pre-orders for Riftbound Origins went live today, and within minutes there were reports on social media of products being sold out, items being removed from baskets, checkout issues, and general website sluggishness. Within about 15 minutes of pre-orders opening, Riot had taken to X to tell fans that it was “working to resolve issues” with its online store.

    Now, Riot has released a statement promising to improve its pre-order experience after it experienced “overwhelming demand” for Riftbound.

    “We’re humbled by the support and enthusiasm for Riftbound: Origins so far ahead of the English release,” the statement reads. “Due to the overwhelming demand for our preorders, the store experienced extremely heavy traffic which resulted in loading or checkout errors for many of you. The team is looking into potential solutions to make future preorder experiences smoother. We’re also keeping a close eye on market demand for Riftbound and we’ll be working towards increasing supply to ensure that players have reasonable access to the product.”

    League of Legends: A statement about Riftbound from Riot Games

    Riftbound is slated to fully launch on Friday, October 31. Hopefully the process of getting some packs, booster boxes, or decks won’t be as scary as that date suggests.

    For a TCG-inspired experience on your PC, check out some of the best card games. Alternatively, if you’re a regular League of Legends player, check out what’s on sale in the LoL Mythic shop right now.

    You can follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. We’ve also got a vibrant community Discord server, where you can chat about this story with members of the team and fellow readers.



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  • Most expensive Pokémon TCG Black Bolt and White Flare cards

    Most expensive Pokémon TCG Black Bolt and White Flare cards


    Pokémon TCG Black Bolt and White Flare both dropped on July 18, 2025, introducing a plethora of beautiful new cards for collectors to sink their teeth into. Featuring a brand new rarity and artwork by legendary Pokémon artists, it’s a dual set worth watching.

    To help you plan which chase cards to go after, I’ve hunted down the most expensive cards in Pokémon TCG Black Bolt and White Flare, using data from a multitude of sites to pick out the most valuable pieces at the time of writing. 

    The Escapist recaps

    • Pokémon TCG Black Bolt and White Flare released as a dual special set on July 18, 2025, with 172 and 173 cards apiece.
    • A new rarity was introduced with this release, called a BWR, or Black White Rare.
    • Due to the popularity of the Unova Pokémon and the beautiful artwork, the prices for this set have been high since launch day, although some are settling down.
    • The most expensive cards in Black Bolt and White Flare include all three of the Black White Rares, as well as the Special Illustration Rares for the box Legendaries.

    Seismitoad (BLK 105)

    A Pokémon card featuring Seismitoad with 170 HP, showcasing attacks "Round" and "Hyper Voice," with colorful artwork
    Shinji Kanda has an utterly iconic art style. Image credit: The Pokémon Company
    Card Seismitoad
    Card Number 105/086
    Set Black Bolt
    Card Type Illustration Rare
    Selling For $70-$200

    Is anyone surprised to see this card on the list? I honestly thought it’d be higher up – Shinji Kanda is an absolute icon in the Pokémon TCG community, with a following of dedicated fans that adore his mind-melting art style.

    Seismitoad isn’t a hugely popular Pokémon by any means, but it looks powerful and otherworldly thanks to the psychedelic artwork on this card.

    I spotted auction prices ranging from $70 all the way to $200 while digging around for data on this card, so if you’re keen on getting it, I’d suggest watching the prices and seeing if they settle down in the coming weeks. 

    Reshiram ex (WHT 166)

    A Pokémon card featuring Reshiram-EX with 230 HP, showcasing attacks "Slash" and "Blazing Burst," with vibrant artwork
    This piece accurately captures the strength of Reshiram in the lore. Image credit: The Pokémon Company
    Card Reshiram ex 
    Card Number 166/086
    Set White Flare
    Card Type Special Illustration Rare
    Selling For $120-$215

    This card manages to make Reshiram look poised and powerful, which pairs with the Pokémon perfectly. It’s an elegant yet destructive Special Illustration Rare, with spectacular artwork by kawayoo.

    It’s one of the most expensive Special Illustration Rare cards in the White Flare list, giving fan-favorites Keldeo and Hydreigon a run for their money.

    While researching, I found that the majority of the auction prices for this card sat in the range of $120 to $190, with a few higher prices based on quality. Graded copies, particularly PSA 10 slabs, went for even larger sums. 

    Zekrom ex (BLK 166) 

    A Pokémon card featuring Zekrom-EX with 230 HP, showcasing attacks "Slash" and "Voltage Burst," with striking lightning artwork
    This card has an electrifying aesthetic. Image credit: The Pokémon Company
    Card Zekrom ex 
    Card Number 166/086
    Set Black Bolt
    Card Type Special Illustration Rare
    Selling For $100-$220

    While it’s not selling for quite as much as its Black White Rare counterpart, this iteration of Zekrom ex is still a worthy chase card to pick up for your collection.

    With artwork by danciao, Zekrom feels as if it’s ripping out of the card, shredding the sky apart with lightning bolts. It’s a visually stunning piece, so I wasn’t surprised to see prices ranging from $100 to $220, with even higher prices popping up for graded copies. 

    Reshiram ex (WHT 173)

    A Pokémon card featuring Reshiram-EX with 230 HP, showcasing attacks "Slash" and "Blazing Burst," with minimalistic white artwork
    Much like the next card in the list, Reshiram ex is strong. Image credit: The Pokémon Company
    Card Reshiram ex
    Card Number 173/086
    Set White Flare
    Card Type Black White Rare
    Selling For $310-$440

    Reshiram ex is a magnificent card, topping the charts as one of the most expensive pieces in White Flare. It’s the most affordable Black White Rare currently on the market, but that’s not saying too much as the prices are still decently hefty.

    Most auctions that I found for the BWR copy of Reshiram ex placed it between $300 and $380, with a few exceptional prices at either end of that spectrum. There were a few copies up for auction on eBay in the realm of $180, but I can’t see that lasting too long as it’s an immensely popular card right now.

    As with any high-value Pokémon card, it’s crucial to make sure that you buy from verified sellers and always do a price check before making a purchase. Despite the set dropping a few weeks ago at the time of writing, prices are still likely to change somewhat. 

    Zekrom ex (BLK 172)

    A Pokémon card featuring Zekrom-EX with 230 HP, showcasing attacks "Slash" and "Voltage Burst," with sleek black artwork
    This card has some competitive potential. Image credit: The Pokémon Company
    Card Zekrom ex
    Card Number 172/086
    Set Black Bolt
    Card Type Black White Rare
    Selling For $300-$450

    There isn’t much of a difference between the BWR cards for Zekrom ex and Reshiram ex, but the Black Bolt card comes out ever-so-slightly on top.

    In my opinion, it’s the best looking card out of the bunch – it’s dynamic and polished, with the lighting on Zekrom still managing to make the creature pop despite the overall aesthetic theme being incredibly dark.

    The majority of the prices I found while digging into this card ranged from $300 to $400, with a few higher-quality pieces taking the auction price well over the $400 mark.

    Graded copies are selling for higher prices, so if you pull this and don’t want to keep it, it could be worth getting it graded before choosing a platform to sell it on. 

    Victini (BLK 171/WHT 172)

    A Pokémon card featuring Victini with 80 HP, showcasing the attack "V-Force," with bold red artwork
    It’s not a powerful card, but it’s exceptionally valuable. Image credit: The Pokémon Company
    Card Victini
    Card Number BLK 171/086 or WHT 172/086
    Set Black Bolt/White Flare
    Card Type Black White Rare
    Selling For $300-$600

    At the time of writing, Victini is one of the most expensive cards you can pick up from both Black Bolt and White Flare. Unlike most of the cards in this list, it pops up in both sets, featuring slightly different card numbers. 

    While searching for live auction data, I found prices in the range of $300 to $600 for good quality copies of the card, but also spotted some PSA 10 copies that were starting to creep into the thousands. It’s a card that’s got the community talking and the current prices reflect this. 

    Victini is one of the first Black White Rare cards in existence and it has a striking aesthetic, with a vivid red color theme and dynamic design.

    I’m predicting that the hype for some cards from Black Bolt and White Flare will start to die down, but I think Victini will continue to be a hugely popular card in the collector’s scene, at least for the next few months. 

    Pokémon TCG Black Bolt and White Flare both have an impressive roster of cards up for grabs, and they’re worth picking up if you’re a collector looking to stock up on valuable pieces. The prices in this list are sure to fluctuate after publication, so always double check prices on other sites before making a purchase, especially for higher value cards. 

    Ask The Escapist

    Does Black Bolt or White Flare have the most valuable Pokémon cards?

    While they both offer plenty of artistic and monetary value, Black Bolt stands out as a slightly better option for avid Pokémon TCG collectors who are looking to invest in top-tier cards.

    Where do you find out how valuable a Pokémon card is?

    I’d recommend shopping around and using a range of sources – for example, I referenced Cardmarket, Price Charting, TCGPlayer, Collectr, and eBay for this article. If you’re investing in an expensive card, research is crucial. 

    What’s the difference between Pokémon Black Bolt and White Flare?

    Despite being part of the same release, it’s best to think of Pokémon TCGBlack Bolt and White Flare as separate special sets. They have individual card lists and rare hits, with a variety of art styles contained in each pack.

    The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy



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  • What is generally the balance between Pokemon, Trainer, and Energy Cards in the Pokemon TCG for a beginner?


    I was really into pokemon cards when I was little, not so much playing the game (Mostly because I didn’t know how) but collecting them. But that was years ago. I’ve recently decided to whip them out again and am trying to create a 60 card playing deck. I have more than enough, but I can’t figure out how to properly make it. I actually have already created one, however, I got it completely wrong. As in, 15 Pokemon, 10 Trainer, and 35 Energy cards type wrong. I understand this isn’t how a deck should be made, however, there doesn’t seem to be anything on how to balance the card types out correctly.

    What should the ‘ratio’ be? (For lack of better words).



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  • pokemon – Pokémon TCG Battle Academy as starting point

    pokemon – Pokémon TCG Battle Academy as starting point


    The Pokémon Battle Academy box set is a reasonable starting point for a younger child, under 10. It is indeed standard cards, and follows the standard rules.

    I would only use them for that purpose though – learning. The decks aren’t remotely competitive, so don’t think of them as something you can take to a league and play with other people playing other levels of decks. They’re well tuned for each other though, and are great if you are playing with your child or with others with the same decks.

    For higher level play, there is the ex Battle Deck, which is still not “win games in a tournament” level but is somewhat higher power/difficulty level. I would start at this level for an older child (10+) honestly, as they can pick it up fast enough (but obviously this depends on the kid to some extent).

    To get to the “win games in local tournaments” level, you want the League Battle Decks, which are competitive level decks – not “win a regional” level, but absolutely good enough to win games/tournaments at the local level, and the changes needed to make them “win a regional level” are pretty small realistically – just tuning mostly.



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