So, at the time of writing, Darkness Ablaze is still about three months out, but the Eternatus VMAX looks to be the deck to beat coming out of it. Here's a proposed list utilizing a few different tech options from prior sets.
Pokemon (22):
Trainer (27):
So the basic strategy for this deck is pretty simple: load the bench up with dark type pokemon and then swing for big damage with the "Eternamax". The tech options I've decided to utilize for this deck are Galarian Weezing and Rebel Clash Garbodor, though these can easily be swapped out for something else, like counts of Hoopa (Assault Gate or Evil Admonition), Weavile GX, or the new gusting Ariados. I elected to utilize Weezing and Garbodor here due to Garb's potential to modify damage in addition to Zigzagoon and Vitality Band, and Weezing to stall until I can get another Eternamax set up.
For trainers, I elected to utilize Piers, for Dark pokemon and energy search, and the Rose/Tower engine to make it easier for Crobat V to draw. Hide [D] energy allows for free retreat on the pokemon it's attached to, so utilizing weezing as a hit-and-run style manuever for stall becomes much easier to use.
Pokemon (22):
- Eternatus V (3)
Basic Pokemon
[C] Power Accel: 30 damage. You may attach 1 [D] Energy from your hand to 1 of your Benched Pokemon.
[D][C][C][C] Dynamax Cannon: 120+ damage. If your opponent’s Active Pokemon is a Pokemon VMAX, this attack does 120 more damage.
When your Pokemon V is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Fighting (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2
[C] Power Accel: 30 damage. You may attach 1 [D] Energy from your hand to 1 of your Benched Pokemon.
[D][C][C][C] Dynamax Cannon: 120+ damage. If your opponent’s Active Pokemon is a Pokemon VMAX, this attack does 120 more damage.
When your Pokemon V is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Fighting (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2
- Eternatus VMAX (3)
Eternatus VMAX – Darkness – HP340
VMAX Pokemon (Eternamax) – Evolves from Eternatus V
Ability: Infinity Zone
If all of your Pokemon in play are [D], you may now have up to 8 [D] Pokemon on your Bench and can’t play any other type of Pokemon. (When this Ability no longer works, discard your Benched Pokemon until there are 5 left.)
[D][C] Dread End: 30x damage. This attack does 30 damage times the number of your [D] Pokemon.
When your Pokemon VMAX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 3 Prize cards.
Weakness: Fighting (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 3
VMAX Pokemon (Eternamax) – Evolves from Eternatus V
Ability: Infinity Zone
If all of your Pokemon in play are [D], you may now have up to 8 [D] Pokemon on your Bench and can’t play any other type of Pokemon. (When this Ability no longer works, discard your Benched Pokemon until there are 5 left.)
[D][C] Dread End: 30x damage. This attack does 30 damage times the number of your [D] Pokemon.
When your Pokemon VMAX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 3 Prize cards.
Weakness: Fighting (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 3
- Koffing RCL (2)
- Galarian Weezing (2)
- Galarian Zigzagoon (4)
- Crobat V (3)
Crobat V – Darkness – HP180
Basic Pokemon
Ability: Night Asset
Once during your turn, when you play this Pokemon from hand to your Bench, you may draw cards until you have 6 cards in your hand. You can’t use more than 1 Night Asset Ability during your turn.
[D][C] Poison Fang: 70 damage. Your opponent’s Active Pokemon is now Poisoned.
When your Pokemon V is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Fighting (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1
Basic Pokemon
Ability: Night Asset
Once during your turn, when you play this Pokemon from hand to your Bench, you may draw cards until you have 6 cards in your hand. You can’t use more than 1 Night Asset Ability during your turn.
[D][C] Poison Fang: 70 damage. Your opponent’s Active Pokemon is now Poisoned.
When your Pokemon V is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Fighting (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1
- Trubbish RCL (2)
- Garbodor RCL (2)
- Hoopa DAB (1)
Hoopa – Darkness – HP120
Basic Pokemon
[D] Assault Gate: 90 damage. If this Pokemon wasn’t moved from your Bench to the Active Spot during your turn, this attack does nothing. This attack isn’t affected by Weakness.
Weakness: Grass (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2
Basic Pokemon
[D] Assault Gate: 90 damage. If this Pokemon wasn’t moved from your Bench to the Active Spot during your turn, this attack does nothing. This attack isn’t affected by Weakness.
Weakness: Grass (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2
- Piers (4)
Piers – Trainer
Supporter
Search your deck for 1 [D] Pokemon and any 1 Energy, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck.
You may play only 1 Supporter card during your turn (before your attack).
Supporter
Search your deck for 1 [D] Pokemon and any 1 Energy, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck.
You may play only 1 Supporter card during your turn (before your attack).
- Rose Tower (3)
Rose Tower – Trainer
Stadium
Once during either player’s turn, that player may draw cards from their deck until they have 3 cards in their hand.
This card stays in play when you play it. Discard this card if another Stadium card comes into play. If another card with the same name is in play, you can’t play this card.
Stadium
Once during either player’s turn, that player may draw cards from their deck until they have 3 cards in their hand.
This card stays in play when you play it. Discard this card if another Stadium card comes into play. If another card with the same name is in play, you can’t play this card.
- Rose (2)
Rose – Trainer
Supporter
Choose up to 2 Basic Energy from your discard pile and attach them to 1 of your Pokemon VMAX. Then, discard your hand.
You may play only 1 Supporter card during your turn (before your attack).
Supporter
Choose up to 2 Basic Energy from your discard pile and attach them to 1 of your Pokemon VMAX. Then, discard your hand.
You may play only 1 Supporter card during your turn (before your attack).
- Boss’ Orders (2)
- Prof.’s Research (4)
- Quick Ball (4)
- Black Market PS (1)
- Vitality Band (3)
- Air Balloon (2)
- Pokemon Communication (2)
- Hide Dark (4)
Hide [D] Energy – Special Energy
As long as this card is attached to a Pokemon, it provides [D] Energy.
The Retreat Cost of the [D] Pokemon this card is attached to is 0.
As long as this card is attached to a Pokemon, it provides [D] Energy.
The Retreat Cost of the [D] Pokemon this card is attached to is 0.
- Dark (7)
So the basic strategy for this deck is pretty simple: load the bench up with dark type pokemon and then swing for big damage with the "Eternamax". The tech options I've decided to utilize for this deck are Galarian Weezing and Rebel Clash Garbodor, though these can easily be swapped out for something else, like counts of Hoopa (Assault Gate or Evil Admonition), Weavile GX, or the new gusting Ariados. I elected to utilize Weezing and Garbodor here due to Garb's potential to modify damage in addition to Zigzagoon and Vitality Band, and Weezing to stall until I can get another Eternamax set up.
For trainers, I elected to utilize Piers, for Dark pokemon and energy search, and the Rose/Tower engine to make it easier for Crobat V to draw. Hide [D] energy allows for free retreat on the pokemon it's attached to, so utilizing weezing as a hit-and-run style manuever for stall becomes much easier to use.
