[Update 18 Nov 2024] Any questions about whether the Regidrago VSTAR deck was the BDIF were definitively answered at the Pokémon Latin America International Championships (LAIC) in which the final saw Czech player Miloslav Poslední beat Australian Brent Tonisson in a Regidrago VSTAR mirror match.

This deck thoroughly dominated LAIC with six of the top 12 finishers using it. It has clearly once again begun to open up a growing gap at the top of the metagame.

[Update 11 Nov 2024] Although the Regidrago VSTAR deck is no longer the consensus BDIF with multiple counterplay options having arisen, it nevertheless remains a formidable force in the metagame. As of right now, the general consensus is approximately evenly split between the Regidrago VSTAR and Raging Bolt ex decks as to which deck is on top of the ladder.

[Update 17 Sep 2024] A build that includes the Radiant Charizard card from Pokémon GO [S10b] has gained significant traction as of late. The inclusion of Radiant Charizard gives the deck a more favorable matchup against highly aggressive decks such as the Roaring Moon ex, Miraidon ex, and Raging Bolt ex.

At this point, the Regidrago VSTAR deck is clearly the Best Deck in Format (BDIF) by a significant margin as most of the top players are bringing decks to tournament which are either this deck or a deck built to counter it.

[Update 22 Aug 2024] A new variant of this deck was not only the one that excelled at Worlds; it will almost certainly be the predominant Regidrago VSTAR deck variant going forward. This new build includes Hawlucha and Mew ex, both from Shiny Treasure ex [SV4a], as well as Fezandipiti ex from Night Wanderer [SV6a]. The new variant ensures that the player is better guarded against hand disruption.

[Update 19 Aug 2024] This deck ended up having the best overall performance of all decks at the World Championships. Raz Wolpe took this deck all the way to the semifinals; three other quarterfinalists also deployed a Regidrago VSTAR deck, meaning that Regidrago VSTAR decks made up half of the eight quarterfinalists’ decks.

[Update 14 Aug 2024] A number of players who will be taking part in the Pokémon TCG World Championships just days from now have claimed to have been considering a new Regidrago VSTAR deck variant which includes Giratina VSTAR from Lost Abyss [S11]. Giratina VSTAR increases the deck’s tempo, often making it easier to pick up quick KO’s.

[Update 8 Aug 2024] With the Pokémon World Championships approaching, this deck has emerged as the primary anti-meta threat in the metagame. Following the release of Night Wanderer [SV6a], the Regidrago VSTAR deck soon proved to have significant matchup advantages against the Charizard ex and Gardevoir ex decks.

Additionally, various players including some who will be participating at Worlds have reported success with a build that makes use of Temple of Sinnoh from Space Juggler [S10P] and Enhanced Hammer from Crimson Haze [SV5a].

This new deck variant serves as a counter to the Lugia VSTAR deck. For decks centered around Basic Pokémon, meanwhile, a second variant utilizing the inclusion of Thorton [S11] from Lost Abyss serves as counterplay. Both variants are expected to be frequently seen at Worlds.

Up until April 2024, the Regidrago VSTAR deck had seen almost no Pokémon TCG tournament play at all. Although its titular card was released all the way back in October 2022 as part of eighth-generation set Paradigm Trigger [S12], it was at best regarded as a niche, “unserious” pick. This, however, changed during April’s Champions League Aichi tournament when three players using this deck claimed top-10 finishes. A subsequent 14th-place finish at the Pokémon North America International Championships (NAIC) in June proved that the results in Aichi were no fluke and that this deck had made it at last.

What exactly was it that turned this deck from an also-ran to an overnight sensation? It was none other than the release of Mask of Change [SV6] and the Dragapult ex and Teal Mask Ogerpon ex cards that came in the set. Dragapult ex ended up being the ideal “partner in crime” for the Raging Bolt ex card from Wild Force [SV5K] which was already one of the deck’s key cards. Dragapult ex inflicts spread damage to target weaker and more vulnerable opposing Pokémon via its Phantom Dive attack while Raging Bolt ex is primarily there to one-shot bulkier opponents by using Bellowing Thunder.

As for Teal Mask Ogerpon ex, it serves as both a draw engine and an Energy-ramping engine. The use of its Ability of Teal Dance attaches a Grass Energy card to itself once per turn, then allows the player to draw a card. By pairing this with Energy Switch, a card from Incandescent Arcana [S11a], Regidrago VSTAR can be powered up much more rapidly.

This deck also includes several discard options so that Regidrago VSTAR’s Apex Dragon attack has additional versatility and flexibility. By discarding Dragon-type Pokémon cards through the use of Superior Energy Retrieval from Triplet Beat [SV1a] and Earthen Vessel from Night Wanderer [SV6a], the player can more easily craft a strategy on the fly, allowing for more counterplay options.

The total cost of all the cards in a Regidrago VSTAR deck is at least 17,500 JPY (~US$108).

In other TCG-related news, check out the Pokémon TCG Tactics Decks. Alternatively, you can also head over to the SNKRDUNK App via the banner below and find the top trending and latest single cards and boxes.