Genetic Apex introduced a fair number of D Pokémon, but it didn’t showcase a boss monster like a Pokémon ex for Darkness types. Against all odds, Arbok could be the one to take on this role. It’s not the strongest in terms of raw damage or bulk, but it’s resilient enough to withstand Pikachu ex’s Circle Circuit, it can attack starting from turn 2 and it’s powerful enough to two-shot Pikachu ex and Mewtwo ex, the two leading decks in the metagame.
Corner is a unique and powerful attack, trapping the Defending Pokémon by blocking its retreat: the only way out is through Evolution. In a game where Pokémon are often sent to the Active to prepare for a bigger benched Pokémon until they retreat, Corner is an hard counter that offers easy points. Pair it with Sabrina, and Energy-hungry Pokémon might be in for a rough time.
Arbok Weezing - Suggested decklist
Rarity requirements
◊◊◊ – Weezing
◊◊ – Arbok, Sabrina, Giovanni, Koga
Booster pack requirements
Koffing line
Giovanni
Koga
Sabrina
Also known as the “Team Rocket” deck as a reference to Jessie and James’ ace Pokémon, this deck plays the two best D Pokémon currently availalbe. The deck does what they do best: stall and chip damage with Weezing, and aggression with Arbok. Both survive a fully-charged Circle Circuit, and hit Mewtwo ex for weakness. This makes the deck a strong choice in a metagame where these two decks are expected to dominate, like the Genetic Apex meta.
Arbok Pidgeot - Suggested decklist
Rarity requirements
◊◊◊ – Pidgeot
◊◊ – Arbok, Sabrina, Giovanni
Booster pack requirements
Pidgey line
Giovanni
Sabrina
A snake and a bird—it sounds like the start of an Aesop’s Fable, but it’s actually a deck where Arbok and Pidgeot work together against all odds. Pidgeot’s Drive Off ability forces the opponent to bring one of their Benched Pokémon into the Active Spot, while Arbok’s Corner attack locks the prey in place, preventing it from retreating. Both Pokémon deliver a solid amount of damage relative to their attack costs and Arbok deals an additional 20 damage to P types, bringing Mewtwo ex within range of a two-attack KO.
Arbok can be opened in all Genetic Apex packs while Pidgeot is in the otherwise good Mewtwo pack, making the deck easy to build. Sabrina acts as an extra Drive Off for when Pidgeot hasn’t fully evolved yet.
Weaknesses
All current variants of Arbok decks include a secondary evolution line, a real handicap to the deck’s consistency.
Arbok is still a relatively frail Pokémon with just 100 HP. It can withstand attacks like Pikachu ex’s Circle Circuit or Starmie ex’s Hydro Splash, but it falls to these moves if boosted by Giovanni. Similarly, most Pokémon ex can easily knock out Arbok.
Arbok decks overall damage output is low. That makes it in turn a poor deck to come back from dire situations.
