Hi there. In this Pokemon TCG post, I cover the Pitch Black prerelease promos in more detail with some theorycrafting for deck building and strategy. Note that this post is before the preconstructed decks information are released/leaked.
Pokemon Proxies is a great website to see English proxy cards that are translated from revealed Japanese cards. Players outside of Japan get a preview of what is to come in future sets.
Note: This post is long. Read and see what you want.
Miraidon
Miraidon is a good beatstick attacker that can put pressure on your opponent in the early game. Two Lightning Energy for 90 damage is a major threat to the opponent's Basic Pokemon. Dealing 30 damage to yourself is not that bad if you are dealing 90 damage. Watch out for other Miraidons though.
The Photon Cord ability activates when Miraidon is Knocked Out in the Active Spot after damage from an attack from the opponent's Pokemon. Move up to 2 Lightning Energy from this Miraidon to one of your Benched Pokemon. One good option is to move the Energy to another Miraidon on the Bench. Chain Miraidons together is one idea.
Cards That Combo With Miraidon
If you get super lucky with the pulls, Miraidon goes really well with Mega Zeraora ex. Miraidon also goes well with Manectric. Manectric's Flash Barrier deals damage and provides a shielf against attacks by the opponent's Evolution Pokemon.
Bolty Lightning Energy is good as it provides an 20 damage boost for the Lightning Pokemon.
Slowbro is a beatstick attacker. The second attack is not great but the All Out first attack is interesting.
All Out requires 1 Psychic Energy for 50 base damage. This 50 base damage for 1 Psychic energy is not too bad. If you have no cards in hand then All Out deals 210 damage. (50 plus 160) This 210 damage in the prerelease format is one hit Knockout power against most things.
There are not many cards that combo well with Slowbro from the set. Gladion's Decisive Battle kind of helps. You let Slowbro deal even more damage if you have no cards in hand.
For the competitive players, Dhelmise is one of the newest top attackers in the game. One of Japan's top Pokemon TCG Players made second place with a Dhelmise based deck.
Dhelmise's Regretful Rage requires one Psychic Energy to deal 30 base damage. If you have at least 4 Pokemon with the Hide 'n' Sneak ability (Ghost Veil from Pokebeach translation) in your discard pile, then this attack does 140 more damage. This would be 170 damage from 1 Psychic Energy. Serious firepower here.
It is not known if the preconstructed deck around Dhelmise has Ultra Ball. From this set, you do have Gwynn which lets you discard up to 2 Pokemon from your hand. For each Pokemon discarded, you draw 3 cards.
It does take a bit of time and energy to get the Hammer In attack going. One hundred sixty damage is decent firepower.
If Bastiodon is on the Bench, then the Ancient Bulwark ability is activated. You prevent all damage done to each of your Pokemon by attacks from your opponent's Pokemon with 2 or less Energy attached. This ability does give the player a possible alternate win condition where you stall/deckout the opponent.
Regular players are aware of control style tactics. Newer players may not be aware of this and may get frustrated by this mechanic from Bastiodon.
This Bronzong is compatible with Bastiodon as its also a Metal attacker. Bronzong can be used as an alternate attacker as you set up Bastiodon at the back. One Metal Energy for 40 damage plus burn is decent.
In the past, Fossil decks have been bad as it is not easy to get the Fossils to the Bench. Fossil Excavation Site provides major support for Fossil decks as you can search your deck for up 2 Trainer Cards with Antique in their name and put them on to your Bench.
There are some good cards that could make its way to a prerelease decks. Some cards are better than others based on your promo card and preconstructed deck, the pulls from your packs and how you want to modify your deck and play.
I use the proxy image cards from Pokemon Proxies.
Poltchageist
Poltchageist is not a bad inclusion in any deck. You may use it as an attacker but its zero retreat cost is something to look into.
Having a zero retreat cost Pokemon is good as you put in the Active Spot after the opponent Knocks out your POkemon. Then you draw your card for the turn and then commit an attacker. This is better than committing an attacker before drawing.
Fomantis & Lurantis ex
Fomantis on its own is okay. Thirty damage can knockout a 30HP Poltchageist.
Lurantis ex is the evolved form of Fomantis. Lively Cutter for 1 Grass Energy does 60 base damage. If this Pokemon healed this turn, then Lurantis ex does 200 more damage. This condition is hard to fulfill though.
Leaf Guard for 1 Grass Energy and 1 Energy is usable in a prerelease format. It does 140 damage and this Pokemon takes 50 less damage from attacks. Not bad.
Heatran
Heatran is not the most threatening attacker but it has a lot of HP. Burning the opponent's Active Pokemon does not do very much. This Heatran can be used as a wall as you set up in the back.
Sizzlipede & Centiskorch
Both Sizzlipeded and Centiskorch do not deal big damage. Discarding top cards from the opponent's deck (milling) is pretty powerful. In the prerelease format, there is almost no recovery cards. Being able to discard cards from the opponent's deck is pretty powerful.
If you are lucky, you can achieve one alternate win condition of the opponent not drawing any cards when they start their turn.
Finizen & Palafin
Palafin looks really dangerous if the opponent is close to winning. 280 damage from 2 Water Energy is some serious firepower.
One issue with this is that you have to pull this in packs and getting Water Energy in play. It depends on your deck configuration and booster pack pulls. On paper, this looks good for the late game but it may or may not work out well.
Electrike & Manectric
Electrike's Collect attack lets you draw 1 card. You would prefer to deal damage but drawing 1 card is okay.
Manectric's second attack is kind of costly but the Flash Barrier is useful. For 2 Lightning Energy, Flash Barrier deals 50 damage plus during your opponent's next turn you prevent all damage done to this Manectric by attacks from your opponent's Evolution Pokemon.
Vikavolt Evolution Line
Grubbin and Charjabug are not great but are needed for Vikavolt.
Vikavolt's Quick Dive is okay in a prerelease format. There is no protection against Bench hitters so Quick Dive can pickoff weak Pokemon. The Giga Electro Blaster does deal big damage as long as the Vikavolt has Bolty Lightning Energy attached. The issue with Vikavolt is getting this Stage 2 Pokemon in play and setup.
Mega Zeraora ex
Mega Zeraora ex was covered in a previous post. This attacker can be really dangerous later in the game.
Combine this with Miraidon so you can use Mega Zeraora ex past the early game.
Wailmer & Wailord ex + Misty's Energy
Wailord ex looks impossible to beat in a prerelease format. If you are luckier, then Misty's Energy accelerates Water Energy to it. Then you can attack the next turn.
Watch out for Electric Pokemon such as Mega Zeraora ex, Miraidon and Manectric.
Jynx
Jynx's Wicked Kiss is an interesting attack. At the end of the opponent's next turn, discard the Defending Pokemon and all cards attached to it. It does not Knock it out but it removes it. The only way for this effect to go away is if the Defending Pokemon is moved to the Bench by switching or retreating. Knocking Out this Jynx does not remove the effect I think.
This Jynx first attack looks powerful in a prerelease limited format. It may see niche use in control style decks.
Shuppet & Banette
Shuppet as an attacker is not great but it is needed to evolve into Banette. You also benefit if Shuppet is in the discard pile as Ghost Veil Pokemon in the discard pile helps out Dhelmise.
Banette is a decent attacker. One Psychic Energy for 80 damage is pretty good. You may also search your deck for any card and put it into your hand (No need to reveal and shuffle deck after). Being to search for any 1 card as an attack effect is rare and generally really powerful.
Mega Chandelure ex Line
Mega Chandelure ex looks tough to beat once it is in play. The issue with this evolution line is setup and your booster pack pulls.
Annihilape Evolution Line
Mankey and Primeape are Fighting types while the Annihilape is a Psychic type in the card game.
Annihilape's Durable Body ability can be useful if you get lucky. If this Pokemon would be Knocked Out by damage from an attack. Flip a coin. If it is heads, this Pokemon is not Knocked Out but the HP is 10 instead.
Ghost Blow for 2 Psychic Energy does 100 damage plus it places 5 damage counters on 1 of the opponent's Pokemon.
Rampardos ex Evolution Line
This Rampardos ex evolution line looks pretty dangerous in the prerelease format. One big issue is getting this Rampardos into play.
Destructive Headbutt is a powerful ability that you can use once during your turn if Rampardos ex is in the Active Spot. Flip one coin. If it is Heads, the you discard 1 Energy from the opponent's Active Pokemon.
The Rampaging Hammer attack is not one hit Knockout power but it is still pretty good.
Zarude, Morpeko ex, Chi-Yu
Zarude's Overhead Throw goes well with Morpeko ex or Chi-Yu. Morpeko ex and Chi-Yu needs damage on it in order for their attacks to do more damage.
In theory, Morpeko ex looks like a really dangerous attacker. You do need damage on Morpeko ex in order for Hunger Bomber to deal big damage.
Type: Null + Silvally
Type: Null on its own is not great but it is needed for Silvally.
Silvally as an attacker is not great. Buddy Call can be used once during your turn if you have no cards in hand. Then you search for a Supporter card, reveal it, and put it into your hand.
Toucannon Evolution Line
Toucannon may be good in a prerelease format. The Sky Draw ability lets you draw one card during your turn if you choose to do so.
Feather Rondo is a powerful one Energy attack that does 60 base damage. You deal 20 more damage for each Benched Pokemon in play (yours and opponents.)
In a prerelease format, it is not easy to pull the whole evolution line. Additionally, it is not easy to put Toucannon in play.
Dark Bell
Dark Bell is an interesting and annoying item card. Both Active Pokemon except any Dark Pokemon are Confused.
This item could be good in non Dark decks in a prerelease format. The opponent has to flip Heads for a Confused Pokemon to resume an attack. If tails, the confused Pokemon fails the attack and deals 30 damage to itself.
Mega Darkrai ex
Mega Darkrai ex is a very dangerous attacker in the prerelease format. A Basic Mega Pokemon such as this can show up and just take control of a game quickly.
Combine the Dark Bell item and the Abyss Eye attack to Knock Out any opponent's Pokemon. This combo would be best used on an opponent's Pokemon ex or Mega Pokemon ex.
Gywnn
Gywnn is a new draw Supporter that is good in prerelease and in certain decks in regular standard competitive play.
Discard up to 2 Pokemon from your hand except Rule Box Pokemon (like Pokemon ex). Draw 3 cards for each Pokemon discarded in this way.
This goes well with the Hide 'n' Sneak Pokemon decks that need those Pokemon in the discard pile.
Rust Syndicate Grunt
Rust Syndicate Grunt could be good in the prerelease format. Typically you want supporter cards to draw cards to give yourself more options for setup and attacking.
This Supporter card can only be used if 1 of your Pokemon was Knocked Out during the opponent's last turn. You then discard 1 Energy attached to 1 of your opponent's Pokemon. It can be a Special Energy card too.
There are good cards for the prerelease format in the Pitch Black set. Regular players in theory have an advantage over newer players as regular players have deckbuilding experience. They would know what cards to cut and what to include.
Dhelmise deck should be number one but it is unknown at the time of writing what the deck around it is. The hard part is getting at least 4 Hide 'n' Sneak Pokemon in the discard.
Miraidon looks pretty easy to use and has decent firepower and aggression.
Slowbro could be hard to use on paper. It could be tough to get zero cards in hand.
Bastiodon when used well could be really annoying for the opponent. It depends on how the deck is played, matchups and whether or not the deck is modified well.
Like with any prerelease event, if the opponent gets lucky with their pulls, matchups and/or gameplay then you are not favoured. What can you do if you face Mega Darkrai ex, Mega Excadrill ex or Mega Zeraora ex? I think on paper, this prerelease could be difficult as any deck can do well. Maybe the Slowbro group one is the worst out of the four but we have to see the decks.
When more information about prerelease preconstructed decks appear then I will make a follow up post to this.
Thank you for reading.
