The Standard format is in a healthy place right now. Three decks sit at the top—Gardevoir ex, Dragapult ex/Dusknoir, and Gholdengo ex—but Tord Reklev’s Mega Absol Box has crashed the party and shaken up tier lists everywhere.
If you’re looking to build a competitive deck without breaking the bank, here’s what you need to know.
The Big Three (and Their Prices)
Gardevoir ex remains the format’s most adaptable deck despite being heavily targeted. It claimed the 2025 World Championship through Riley McKay and recently won LAIC 2025 in Pedro Pertusi’s hands. The deck’s strength lies in Psychic Embrace, which lets you attach unlimited Psychic Energy from discard to your Psychic Pokémon at the cost of damage counters.
The good news? Gardevoir ex (SVI 86) currently sits around $0.72 on TCGplayer. The deck’s flexibility means you can swap tech cards to handle whatever the local meta throws at you.
Dragapult ex/Dusknoir holds roughly 12.75% of meta share with 16 Regional and 3 International wins. Phantom Dive deals 200 damage while spreading 6 damage counters across your opponent’s bench—a devastating combination with Dusknoir’s burst finish. Dragapult ex (TWM 130) runs about $0.89, making this another budget-friendly option for competitive players.
Gholdengo ex boasted the highest play rate at Worlds 2025. The “Make It Rain” attack scales infinitely with Basic Energy discarded from hand, and Genesect ex from Black Bolt/White Flare dramatically improved the deck’s consistency. If you enjoy big damage numbers and don’t mind a more linear game plan, this is your deck.
The Must-Own Card: Munkidori
Every competitive player needs copies of Munkidori (TWM 95). This $0.48 common is the format’s defining tech card. Its Adrena-Brain ability moves up to 3 damage counters from your Pokémon to your opponent’s when Darkness Energy is attached—enabling precise knockouts across virtually every spread-damage strategy.
You’ll find Munkidori in Gardevoir builds, Dragapult lists, Mega Absol Box, and anything else that cares about damage manipulation. Pick up a playset before prices creep up.
The New Challenger: Mega Absol Box
Tord Reklev did it again. His Mega Absol Box creation won Las Vegas Regionals with an absurd 16-0-2 record, immediately establishing itself as a Tier 1 contender. The deck combines Mega Absol ex’s hand disruption with Mega Kangaskhan ex’s draw power and Cornerstone Mask Ogerpon ex for the Gholdengo matchup.
What makes this deck special is its favorable matchup against Gardevoir—something many decks struggle with. Mega Absol ex and Mega Kangaskhan ex come from the recent Mega Evolution set, so expect prices to remain elevated compared to older staples. Still, if you want to play what the pros are playing, this archetype offers something genuinely fresh.
Recent Results Worth Watching
The Stuttgart Regional saw Nicolai Stiborg pilot Charizard ex/Noctowl to victory with a 15-0-3 record. The Top 8 featured multiple Gholdengo/Lunatone builds alongside Dragapult variants, confirming the format’s diversity.
At LAIC 2025 in São Paulo, Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi made Top 4 with Mega Absol Box, proving the archetype’s international viability. Brisbane Regionals went to Ryuki Okada running Mega Absol ex/Mega Kangaskhan ex, with the Top 8 split between Mega Absol variants, Dragapult builds, and Charizard decks.
Cards to Watch
Several tech options are gaining traction among top players:
Budew (PRE 4) has emerged as a disruption piece in control-oriented builds. Its Itchy Pollen attack can stifle opponent setup phases.
Genesect ex (Black Bolt) transformed Gholdengo ex from inconsistent to reliable by ensuring evolution pieces reach your hand.
Team Rocket’s Spidops counters both Marnie’s Grimmsnarl ex and Charizard ex variants as a Grass-type attacker.
Aegislash stops damage from Pokémon ex entirely—a powerful tech in an ex-dominated format.
What Should You Buy?
For players entering the format, the core Pokémon in top decks remain remarkably affordable. Build around Gardevoir ex or Dragapult ex for under $20 in main attackers, then invest in staple Trainers like Iono, Boss’s Orders, and Buddy-Buddy Poffin that transfer across multiple archetypes.
Prioritize Munkidori—it’s cheap now and sees play everywhere. If you have extra budget, the Mega Evolution cards offer powerful new options, though expect to pay a premium for anything Tord Reklev touched at Las Vegas.
The upcoming Phantasmal Flames set featuring Mega Charizard X ex and Mega Gengar ex promises further evolution. Smart buyers might hold off on committing heavily to current Charizard builds until we see how the new Mega version reshapes that archetype.
The December 2025 meta rewards precise damage calculation and flexible deck construction. Pick your archetype, grab those Munkidoris, and get testing.
