He is big. He is purple. He literally deletes your Pokémon from existence.
When Roaring Moon ex 124 first dropped in the Paradox Rift expansion, the competitive TCG scene felt a collective shiver. We’ve seen powerful cards before, but this was different. Usually, you have to do math. You calculate weaknesses, resistances, and damage modifiers. Roaring Moon ex says "no thanks" to all of that. If you use Frenzied Gouging, your opponent's Active Pokémon is Knocked Out. Period. It doesn't matter if they have 330 HP or some fancy defensive ability. They are gone.
But here is the thing: playing this card is like tightrope walking over a pit of spikes.
The Double-Edged Sword of Frenzied Gouging
Let’s talk about that first attack. Frenzied Gouging costs two Darkness energies and one Colorless. It’s the "Instant Death" button. However, the cost isn't just the energy. When you use it, Roaring Moon ex takes 200 damage. Since the card has 230 HP, you’re basically leaving yourself with a measly 30 HP. It’s a suicide mission.
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I’ve seen players get way too greedy with this. They see a Charizard ex and think, "Easy prize cards!" They click the button, take the knockout, and then immediately lose their Roaring Moon to a literal sneeze from the opponent's bench. It’s a trade. You have to ask yourself if taking those two prize cards is worth giving up two of your own on the very next turn. Honestly, sometimes the answer is a hard "no."
Calamity Storm: The Attack You Actually Use
Most rookies focus on the "kill" move, but seasoned players know that Calamity Storm is the real bread and butter of Roaring Moon ex 124. It does 100 damage base, but if you discard a Stadium card in play, it jumps to 220.
Think about that.
220 damage is a magic number in the current meta. It one-shots almost every Basic ex and V Pokémon in the game. It handles Iron Valiant, Chien-Pao, and Miraidon without breaking a sweat. And the best part? You don't take 200 self-damage. You just trash a Stadium. In a deck built around this card, you’re usually running four copies of PokéStop or Town Store anyway, so you always have "ammo" to fuel the extra damage. It’s efficient. It’s consistent. It’s terrifying.
Why Professor Sada’s Vitality is Non-Negotiable
You cannot play Roaring Moon ex effectively without Professor Sada’s Vitality. You just can’t.
Ancient Pokémon rely on energy acceleration from the discard pile. Sada lets you choose two of your Ancient Pokémon, attach a Basic Energy from the discard to each of them, and then draw three cards. It is the engine that makes the deck purr. Without it, you’re manual attaching for three turns like it’s 1999, and by the time you’re ready to attack, your opponent has already set up a full board.
Success with Roaring Moon ex 124 usually looks like this:
- Turn 1: Get Energies into the discard pile using Ultra Ball or Squawkabilly ex.
- Turn 2: Play Sada, accelerate two energies to Moon, attach the third from hand.
- Boom. Calamity Storm for 220 or Gouging for the win.
The Tool That Changed Everything: Ancient Booster Energy Capsule
If you’re worried about that 230 HP being too low—which it kinda is for a Stage 2 meta—the Ancient Booster Energy Capsule is your best friend. It gives the attached Ancient Pokémon +60 HP and prevents all Special Conditions.
Suddenly, your Roaring Moon ex 124 has 290 HP. That’s massive. It pushes it out of range for many one-hit KOs. More importantly, if you use Frenzied Gouging while holding the Capsule, you still have 90 HP left instead of 30. That is often the difference between winning the game and watching your board state crumble.
The Matchups: Who Wins?
In the current landscape of the Pokémon TCG, Roaring Moon ex 124 occupies a weird spot. It absolutely bullies deck types like Gholdengo ex because it hits for 220 so fast the opponent can't set up their energy chain.
Against Charizard ex? It’s a coin flip. Charizard has 330 HP, meaning Calamity Storm won't cut it. You have to use Frenzied Gouging. If you can time your KOs to stay ahead in the prize race, you win. If they get a Hero's Cape on a Charizard and you can't find a Vacuum to scrap it, things get hairy.
Then there's the "Baby" Roaring Moon (the single-prize version from Temporal Forces). Many people are actually pivoting to a hybrid build. They use the big Roaring Moon ex 124 for the heavy lifting and the small Moon to trade prizes efficiently. It’s a smart way to mitigate the risk of giving up two prizes every time a Moon goes down.
Common Mistakes I See People Make
Stop putting Roaring Moon into every Dark deck. It isn't a "splashable" tech card. It requires a dedicated "Ancient" engine to work. If you aren't running Dark Patch and Professor Sada, you're going to have a bad time.
Another thing? Don't discard your Stadiums too early. If you use Calamity Storm and discard your last Stadium, and your opponent drops a Path to the Peak (if you're playing expanded) or a Jamming Tower, you might find yourself stuck doing a pathetic 100 damage when you needed that 220.
Strategic Next Steps for Players
To actually master this card, you need to move beyond just "attacking fast."
First, refine your list to include at least three copies of Dark Patch. It’s the only way to recover if your first Roaring Moon gets knocked out early. Second, practice your "Sequencing." Always use your draw supporters before you attach your energy for the turn, just in case you find a better target.
Finally, watch the prize map. Roaring Moon is an aggressive deck. If you aren't taking a prize by turn two, you're likely losing. Focus on hitting the 220 damage threshold consistently rather than fishing for the Frenzied Gouging knockout every time. Reliability beats flashy plays in high-level tournaments.
Check your local meta. If you see a lot of high-HP Stage 2 decks, keep Roaring Moon ex 124 in your active slot. If you're seeing a lot of "lost box" or single-prize attackers, consider leaning harder into your secondary attackers. Control the pace, discard the stadiums, and don't be afraid to take that 200 self-damage if it means clearing a path to victory.