{"id":443595,"date":"2025-04-16T14:54:29","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T06:54:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/?p=443595"},"modified":"2025-06-03T14:22:20","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T06:22:20","slug":"pokemon-tcg-the-ns-zoroark-ex-deck-brings-a-present-day-spin-to-a-classic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/2025\/04\/16\/pokemon-tcg-the-ns-zoroark-ex-deck-brings-a-present-day-spin-to-a-classic\/","title":{"rendered":"[Pok\u00e9mon TCG] The N’s Zoroark ex Deck Brings a Present-Day Spin to a Classic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

[Update 3 Jun 2025] This deck has now begun to emerge as a counter to the Gardevoir ex deck which is currently regarded as the consensus Best Deck in Format (BDIF), causing it to garner a greater tournament presence in recent times.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Update 25 Apr 2025] A new variant of this deck which includes the Binding Mochi and the Pecharunt ex cards from Night Wanderer [SV6a] has recently arisen. These cards work in tandem with the deck’s titular N’s Zoroark ex card to incrase its damage output.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pecharunt ex’s Ability of Subjugating Chains can be used to bring N’s Zoroark ex into the Active Spot before poisoning it; following this, Binding Mochi is attached to N’s Zoroark ex; it’s a Pok\u00e9mon Tool card which adds 40 damage to the output of any attack from a poisoned Pok\u00e9mon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"LINE\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Pok\u00e9mon<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of the greatest decks in the history of Pok\u00e9mon TCG tournament play was the Zoroark GX deck. Throughout the duration of its tournament legality, the deck won tournament after tournament, including the 2018 Pok\u00e9mon TCG World Championships in the hands of German player Robin Schulz, and cemented itself as far and away the Best Deck in Format (BDIF).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the recent release of Battle Partners [SV9], the N’s Zoroark ex deck has established itself as a spiritual successor of sorts to that iconic deck. While its results thus far haven’t exactly set the metagame alight, there’s speculation that an opportunity for this deck to emerge as a bona fide powerhouse does exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This deck’s strategy is built around the N’s Zoroark ex card from Battle Partners [SV9]<\/a>. Trade, its Ability that’s been brought back after previously having been on the Zoroark GX card from Shining Legends [SM3+] which was the centerpiece of the Zoroark GX deck, allows the player to first discard a card before drawing two more from the deck and thus serves as a consistent draw engine. For attacking purposes, N’s Zoroark ex also has the Night Joker attack. For two Dark Energy cards, N’s Zoroark ex will use the attack of any of the N’s Pok\u00e9mon that the player has on the Bench.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The deck’s two main supporting Pok\u00e9mon are two other cards from Battle Partners [SV9]: N’s Darmanitan and N’s Reshiram. Both cards have a main attack and a situational attack for N’s Zoroark ex to use. N’s Darmanitan’s primary attack is Flamebody Cannon which inflicts 90 damage on an opposing Benched Pok\u00e9mon as well as the opposing Active Pok\u00e9mon before the player discards all attached Energy cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the opponent has many Basic Energy cards in the discard pile, Back Draft can be used. Similarly, N’s Reshiram has the Virtuous Flame attack for general damage-dealing as well as Powerful Rage if N’s Zoroark ex has sustained much damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

N’s Darmanitan can also be used as an attacker with the assistance of the Reversal Energy card from Raging Surf [SV3a]. If the player has more Prize cards remaining than the opponent does, Reversal Energy can be attached to N’s Darmanitan to enable it to use Flamebody Cannon itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Price<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The cumulative cost of every card in the N’s Zoroark ex deck is 11,180 JPY (~US$78).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other TCG-related news, check out the Ting-Lu ex card from Clay Burst [SV2D]<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow us on:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n