Honestly, if you've spent more than five minutes on the ladder lately, you've probably been poisoned by a purple bat. It’s unavoidable. The crobat ex deck tcg pocket meta shifted hard when the Wisdom of Sea and Sky pack dropped, and frankly, it hasn't really looked back. It is fast. It is mean. And if you aren't prepared for a turn-two evolution that basically puts your active Pokémon on a death timer, you’re going to have a bad time.
But here’s the thing: everyone plays it, but most people pilot it like they're just clicking buttons. There is a massive difference between "I evolved a Crobat" and "I am actually managing my bench to survive a late-game Arcanine ex sweep."
Let’s talk about why this deck actually works and why it’s not just "brainless aggro."
The Core: Why Crobat ex is Actually Terrifying
So, Crobat ex has 170 HP. For a Stage 2, that’s... okay? But for a card that only needs one single Darkness Energy to start swinging? That’s where the math gets stupid. Its main move, Venomous Slash, hits for 70 and guarantees poison.
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If you do the math, that’s 80 damage total by the time it’s your opponent's turn. In a game like Pokémon TCG Pocket where HP totals are tighter than the physical card game, hitting that 80-damage breakpoint on turn two is basically a death sentence for most Basic Pokémon. You’re not just attacking; you’re setting up a math problem your opponent can’t solve without a Potion or a lucky retreat.
The "Speed Kills" Engine
Most competitive lists aren't running the full Zubat-Golbat-Crobat line. That’s too slow. You’re basically forced to run Rare Candy. If you aren't running two copies of Rare Candy, you're playing a different (worse) deck. You want to skip Golbat entirely.
The goal is simple:
- Start Zubat.
- Attach one Darkness Energy.
- Rare Candy into Crobat ex.
- Start the clock.
If you go second, you can theoretically be hitting for 70+ poison damage before your opponent has even evolved their first Pokémon. It’s obnoxious. I love it.
The Secret Sauce: Sylveon ex vs. Nihilego
This is where the community is split. You'll see two main versions of the crobat ex deck tcg pocket builds floating around.
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The first is the Sylveon ex version. This is the "consistency king" build. Sylveon ex has the Happy Ribbon ability, which lets you draw two cards when you evolve it. Since the deck is so reliant on finding that one Rare Candy or that one Crobat ex piece, having a draw engine that isn't just Professor's Research is vital. Plus, Eevee’s "Find a Friend" helps you thin the deck so your actual draws are more likely to hit the trainers you need.
Then you have the Nihilego version. This is for the players who just want to see the world burn. Nihilego's "More Poison" ability doubles that passive damage. Suddenly, your opponent isn't taking 10 damage between turns; they’re taking 20. If you’ve got a Crobat ex in the active spot and a Nihilego on the bench, you’re effectively dealing 90 damage per turn cycle. That puts almost every EX in the game into a two-hit KO range, regardless of their HP.
A Quick Reality Check on Darkrai ex
You’ll see Darkrai ex in these lists too. Don’t fall into the trap of trying to make Darkrai your main attacker. It’s your backup. Its Nightmare Aura is nice for some chip damage, and Dark Prism hits for 80, but the three-energy cost is a massive investment compared to Crobat’s one-energy requirement. Use Darkrai to clean up the mess Crobat leaves behind, not to lead the charge.
What Most People Get Wrong About Matchups
"Just play Fighting types!"
Yeah, okay, easier said than done. While Crobat ex is weak to Fighting, the most popular Fighting decks like Donphan or Rampardos are notoriously "bricky." If the Rampardos player doesn't get their Fossil out on turn one, the Crobat player has already taken two prizes before the first Fossil even breathes.
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Dealing with the "Anti-Status" Meta
Lately, people have been teching in Steel Apron or specific items to ignore status effects. If you’re playing Crobat and you see a Skarmory ex with a Steel Apron, you have to pivot. Honestly? That’s when you start using Sabrina. You cannot afford to sit there hitting for a flat 70 while they soak up the damage. You need to force their bench out, stall their energy attachments, and hope your draw engine gets you to a Boss's Orders-style play.
The Red Card Factor
Because this deck relies so heavily on a specific hand (Zubat + Rare Candy + Crobat), a well-timed Red Card from your opponent can absolutely ruin your day. This is why the Sylveon build is generally better for ranked. You need the ability to rebuild your hand after an opponent disrupts it. If you’re all-in on the poison damage with Nihilego and your hand gets shuffled away, you’re just a 170 HP bat waiting to get knocked out.
The "Best" Crobat ex Deck List (For Now)
If you're looking to climb out of the lower ranks, this is the list I've seen the most success with. It balances that "I need to go fast" energy with actual late-game staying power.
- 2x Zubat (The one that poisons, obviously)
- 2x Crobat ex
- 2x Eevee (Find a Friend is mandatory)
- 2x Sylveon ex (For the draw power)
- 1x Darkrai ex (The "just in case" button)
- 2x Rare Candy
- 2x Professor's Research
- 2x Pokéball
- 1x Sabrina
- 1x Giovanni (That extra 10 damage actually matters for 180 HP targets)
- 1x X Speed
- 2x Darkness Energy (Wait, only 2? No, you'll need around 6-8, but keep the counts lean)
Actionable Strategy: How to Actually Win
Don't just bench everything. Bench management is the number one reason Crobat players lose. If you fill your bench with two Eevees, a Zubat, and a Darkrai, you have no room for a second Crobat line if the first one goes down.
Keep one slot open. Always.
When you're playing the crobat ex deck tcg pocket, you need to be thinking two turns ahead. Is your opponent about to evolve into something that can one-shot you? If so, start prepping your second attacker on the bench immediately. Crobat's 1-cost retreat is its secret weapon. If you’re at 140 damage and about to die, retreat that bat. Force them to spend an extra turn chasing it or wasting an attack on a fresh Pokémon.
Finally, watch your energy. It’s tempting to dump everything on Darkrai, but keeping a single energy on a benched Zubat is often the difference between a comeback and a loss.
To take your game further, start practicing your "mulligan" reads. If you see your opponent starts with a lone Charmander, you know you have exactly two turns to find your Rare Candy before they start looking for a Charmeleon. Press the advantage. Don't let them breathe. That’s how the bat stays on top.