The first weekend of the Celestial Guardians expansion in Pokémon TCG Pocket has come and gone, and it’s already shaken up the competitive scene.
Over 23 tournaments took place during launch weekend, amounting to a staggering 5,632 matches played. One event alone breaking the 1,000-player mark. Thanks to data aggregated by LimitlessTCG, we now have a strong snapshot of which decks are thriving early on.
What Makes a Deck the “Best”?
When looking at the top-performing decks from this launch weekend, there are two primary metrics to consider: usage rate and win rate. Neither is a perfect measure alone.
- High win % decks may look dominant on paper but often have low play counts, making their success statistically unreliable.
- Most played decks offer a better sense of the meta’s direction but don’t always equate to the best-performing or most efficient strategies.
That said, combining both factors gives us a clearer picture of what’s working right now, and what might just be overhyped.
Most Played Decks (Meta Staples)
The most represented deck of the weekend was Solgaleo ex / Skarmory, claiming 10.3% of the meta with over 600 wins. While its win rate (51.18%) is only slightly above average, the sheer number of players opting for this build shows its widespread appeal.
Following closely behind are:
- Giratina ex / Darkrai ex – 7.23% share, 56.19% win rate
- Charizard ex / Incineroar ex – 5.86% share, 54.34% win rate
These decks aren’t just popular, they’re also pulling solid win rates across thousands of matches, making them reliable choices for any serious player pushing for masterball.
Solgaleo/Skarmory Decklist
This deck packs a punch and can ramp up incredibly fast. Skarmory is also a great addition to this deck providing coverage against cards that target EX specifically, while also being able to deal 50 damage turn 1 and able to defeat a range of basics immediately. Remember to not have Psychic energy in this deck.
Giratina/Darkrai Decklist
A classic from the previous set, this deck continues to dominate the meta. Only time will tell if this deck drops off.
Charizard/Incineroar Decklist
This deck relies on Rare Candies to ramp into Incineroar and a Second Charizard, but 2 Charizards is mainly there for consistency. Both of these cards can ramp up fast and have slightly different uses allowing you to adapt to different decks.
Highest Win Rate Decks (Sleeper Picks?)
If we shift our lens toward decks with the best performance by win percentage alone, a few surprising contenders emerge.
- Greninja / Giratina ex – 71.67% win rate
- Incineroar ex / Turtonator – 65.22% win rate
- Giratina ex / Greninja – 61.11% win rate
Greninja/Giratina decks are split as a result of which card is the main focus. While these decks haven’t yet caught on with the broader player base, they’re seeing niche success. Expect some of these to climb in popularity as players take notice and start testing them more widely. Others on the other hand will drop as players attempt them and fail.
Honorable Mention – Oricorio
Oricorio decks are incredibly interesting. This card simply does not take any direct damage from EX cards and can easily shut down some decks. Oricorio decks in PTCGP currently do not have the most power as a result of Lightning decks not receiving much support with Celestial Guardians and are unlikely to win anything tournament-based. However this deck can be a menace in normal ranked lobbies causing players to just quit as soon as they see the yellow bird.
