You know the deal, it's the end of the year, I like to do re-caps, we got some good cards this year, I'm a stats and numbers guy, let's mix it all and see what happens! Here's my best 23 cards that got released from the year 2023. Yes I know, how original right.
Every event included here is either a major event or an online event that had more than 128 players with a top 8 cut at least. The points I used are as follows, (5 points - 1st, 3 points - 2nd, 2 points - Top 4, 1 point - Top 8).
For average score, it's divided by the amount of events in that specific format and further divided into the quarter it's in (1 for Paradox Rift, 3 for Paldea Evolved, 5 for Crown Zenith).
Some cards came close but didn't quite make the list, as I felt that they either didn't make enough of an impact to be included or made an impact to the meta for a short period or in the case of stuff like Raikou V, it started showing up once the meta allowed for it to thrive. So since I've only got a top 22 list, these are the ones that didn't make the cut, started with the bottom of the list up to the 23rd card on the list.
*These results were recorded on the 29th of December, so unfortunately the last Tournament of Doom results aren't included here.
#23 - Hawlucha - Scarlet & Violet (SVI)
Total Points (IRL): 63 (14th)
Average Points (IRL): 0.92 (28th)
Total Points (Online): 105 (16th)
Average Points (Online): 1.1 (30th)
Wins: 12 (6 IRL + 6 Online)
Top 4: 26 (8 IRL + 18 Online)
Top 8: 46 (17 IRL + 29 Online)
Saw play in:
- Lost Zone Box
- Arceus VSTAR/Duraludon VMAX/Umbreon VMAX
- Giratina VSTAR (Lost Zone)
- Miraidon ex
Ever since Galarian Zigzagoon rotated, Hawlucha pretty much took over it's spot as the math fixer for decks. It doesn't quite do the same job as Goon as you can only hit the bench, but you do get to hit two targets. Decks that have made the best use of Hawlucha this season as primarily been Lost Zone box decks, to help set up the perfect math for Sableye to take two prizes in one go on opposing Comfeys. The other one that usually uses it are Arceus decks, to help the deck reach the perfect number (10 + 180 for Trinity Nova + 30 for Choice Band = 220 on many basic Vs).
#22 - Sky Seal Stone - Crown Zenith (CRZ)
Total Points (IRL): 83 (11th)
Average Points (IRL): 1.02 (27th)
Total Points (Online): 100 (17th)
Average Points (Online): 0.87 (32nd)
Wins: 9 (6 IRL + 3 Online)
Top 4: 37 (13 IRL + 24 Online)
Top 8: 54 (23 IRL + 31 Online)
Saw play in:
- Lost Zone Box
- Vikavolt V
- Gardevoir ex
- Miraidon ex
Remember this card? Yes one of two cards on this list that was released this year and has a yellow border! Sky Seal Stone has not seen much play as the year went on but at the start it was a dangerous tool to have. By using it, any basic V taking prizes on a VSTAR or VMAX takes an extra prize. And it has been highly effective with these situations in mind:
- Drapion V taking 4 prizes on Mew VMAX for no energy cost!
- Dragonite V taking 3 prizes after KOing a damaged VSTAR or VMAX after Cramorant or Sableye had done the early work
- Raikou V usually taking 3 prizes on Lugia VSTAR
- Zacian V tends to take the final 3 prizes in Gardevoir decks with the ability to knock any VSTAR or VMAX out
#21 - Bidoof - Crown Zenith (CRZ)
Total Points (IRL): 50 (17th)
Average Points (IRL): 0.73 (32nd)
Total Points (Online): 151 (11th)
Average Points (Online): 1.31 (23rd)
Wins: 8 (2 IRL + 6 Online)
Top 4: 43 (10 IRL + 33 Online)
Top 8: 60 (15 IRL + 45 Online)
Saw play in:
- Arceus VSTAR/Giratina VSTAR
- Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR
- Chien-Pao ex/Baxcalibur
- Charizard ex/Bibarel
- Klawf/Hisuian Electrode V
- Arceus VSTAR Box decks
Yes, as you live and breathe right now, be it in 2023, 2024 or 2027. This is a Bidoof card, and it made the list as one of the best card released in the year 2023. Don't @ me.
It is that good to be fair. Bidoof's ability alone is the reason why decks are able to use the Bibarel engine with no worries about losing Bidoof. Before, stuff like Radiant Greninja could easily take two of them out by Turn 2. But with it's ability, it cannot be hit by damage from bench, which means it cannot be hit by Greninja. Doesn't mean it's safe from Sableye but you should have a Bibarel by turn 2 anyway! In all fairness, Bidoof is on the list purely by association with Bibarel, one of the best draw supporting pokemon in the game right now.
#20 - Technical Machine: Devolution - Paradox Rift (PAR)
Total Points (IRL): 17 (30th)
Average Points (IRL): 2.13 (15th)
Total Points (Online): 66 (26th)
Average Points (Online): 2.64 (10th)
Wins: 6 (2 IRL + 4 Online)
Top 4: 14 (2 IRL + 12 Online)
Top 8: 17 (2 IRL + 15 Online)
Saw play in:
- Lost Zone Box
- Mew VMAX
- Inteleon VMAX/Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX
- Entei V/Iron Valiant ex
- Charizard ex/Pidgeot ex
The first Paradox Rift card to make it onto the list and quite easily my least favourite card released this year. This is the evolution deck killer/Stage 2 killer so I'm already not a fan of this card. Remember Espeon ex's first move from back in 2016? Yup this is Miraculous Shrine in the form of a tool card, meaning anyone with one energy can use it.
It's mostly seeing play in decks that are able to spread damage around, namely Lost Zone Box decks, Inteleon VMAX decks and Iron Valiant decks. You try to be in a position to spread enough damage to evolve everything and take prizes for having enough damage counters on all the basic versions. The deck that suffers from this the most are Charizard ex decks because most of them does tend to play 2 different Stage 2 Pokemon after all!
#19 - Bravery Charm - Paldea Evolved (PAL)
Total Points (IRL): 43 (19th)
Average Points (IRL): 1.63 (20th)
Total Points (Online): 97 (18th)
Average Points (Online): 1.39 (22nd)
Wins: 9 (4 IRL + 5 Online)
Top 4: 11 (5 IRL + 6 Online)
Top 8: 47 (10 IRL + 37 Online)
Saw play in:
- Miraidon ex
- Lugia VSTAR/Archeops
- Lost Zone Box
- Control decks
- Chien-Pao ex/Baxcalibur
- Entei V/Iron Valiant ex
- Klawf/Hisuian Electrode V
- Turbo Roaring Moon ex
Bravery Charm is similiar to Big Charm from the previous rotation. It is a card with just one line and adds more HP. The difference is, it only works on Basics but now they get +50 HP and not 30 with the previous card. Many Basic-only decks have used it to keep their attackers out of danger, be it a now 250 HP Raikou V, 280 HP Dragonite, 280 HP Iron Hands ex, 290 HP Roaring Moon ex, 200 HP Snorlax or even a 130 HP Sableye. It's one of the best defensive tool cards in the game.
#18 - Mew ex - 151 (MEW)
Total Points (IRL): 47 (18th)
Average Points (IRL): 2.53 (11th)
Total Points (Online): 74 (24th)
Average Points (Online): 1.53 (21st)
Wins: 6 (4 IRL + 2 Online)
Top 4: 22 (7 IRL + 15 Online)
Top 8: 33 (9 IRL + 24 Online)
Saw play in:
- Lugia VSTAR/Archeops
- Miraidon ex
- Lost Zone Box
- Gardevoir ex
- Chien-Pao ex/Baxcalibur
- Charizard ex
- Roaring Moon ex
- Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR
The only card from the 151 set to make this list, of course, is Mew ex, the card that is pretty much named after the set. And it's easy to see why it's the best card from the 151 set. Not only does Mew ex have a great ability but also it's only attack can be a scary one to deal with.
Restart allows you to draw cards until you have 3 in hand? Remember Oranguru from Sword & Shield base set? Yup it's the same, and you may remember how good Oranguru was in many decks. Mew is seeing play in many decks for the same reason, for the extra draw, especially to save yourself from late game Ionos.
The attack is also very similar. Genome Hacking copies your opponent's active pokemon attacks. Remember Zoroark BREAK from BREAKthrough? Yup it's Foul Play! And that has always been a dangerous threat. Albeit that was for one Dark energy and Mew needs 3 colourless which is why you do see it being used in decks that can accelerate energies easily like Archeops, Miraidon, Lost Box and Charizard to name a few. Being able to copy your opponent's attack, be it Greninja's Moonlight Shuriken to hit 90 on two of their bench or Charizard ex's Burning Darkness to one-shot them if they have gone down to 1 prize remaining. It will continue to see play until the day it rotates. Sounds familiar? Yup Mew VMAX. There's something about Mew huh?
#17 - Penny - Scarlet & Violet (SVI)
Total Points (IRL): 90 (9th)
Average Points (IRL): 1.51 (24th)
Total Points (Online): 125 (14th)
Average Points (Online): 1.3 (24th)
Wins: 12 (5 IRL + 7 Online)
Top 4: 39 (17 IRL + 22 Online)
Top 8: 62 (25 IRL + 37 Online)
Saw play in:
- Lugia VSTAR/Archeops
- Mew VMAX
- Gardevoir ex
- Lost Zone Box
- Control decks
- Charizard ex/Pidgeot ex
Speaking of remembering cards, do you remember Acerola or Cheren's Care? Penny has a similar role to both as it scoops up it's intended target from the field. But like Cheren's Care it has a catch, it can only be used on Basic pokemon. Decks like Lugia and Gardevoir initially played it as a counter to Mawile trapping one of their support Pokemon as those decks don't play switching cards.
Lately it's seen play in Charizard alongside either Entei V or supporting Pokemon that are Vs (Lumineon or Rotom). Entei can take some hits and when the time is right, scoop it up to prevent easy prizes. Preventing easy prizes is the main reason control decks uses Penny. They will attempt to make Snorlax a hard unit to take down, sometimes even needing to 2-shot it and when the time is right, Penny will scoop up one Snorlax to get the next one in and repeat the process.
#16 - Mesagoza - Scarlet & Violet (SVI)
Total Points (IRL): 92 (8th)
Average Points (IRL): 1.53 (23rd)
Total Points (Online): 121 (15th)
Average Points (Online): 1.3 (24th)
Wins: 12 (5 IRL + 7 Online)
Top 4: 46 (21 IRL + 25 Online)
Top 8: 44 (16 IRL + 28 Online)
Saw play in:
Sure a few decks have played Mesagoza a few times but this card has seen play almost exclusively in Lugia VSTAR decks. It's PokeBall on a Stadium card. Flip a coin, if heads, you get any Pokemon. If tails, try again another turn. It is a natural fit for Lugia decks as it's one of the few decks that people like to term as a "run-hot" deck and a coin-flip stadium is perfect for it. If you do get heads, you can easily set your board up by either getting the Lugia VSTAR you need or the last Archeops needed to be discarded.
#15 - Squawkabilly ex - Paldea Evolved (PAL)
Total Points (IRL): 41 (21st)
Average Points (IRL): 1.59 (22nd)
Total Points (Online): 141 (12th)
Average Points (Online): 1.97 (13th)
Wins: 9 (4 IRL + 5 Online)
Top 4: 34 (5 IRL + 29 Online)
Top 8: 54 (7 IRL + 47 Online)
Saw play in:
- Lugia VSTAR/Archeops
- Inteleon VMAX/Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX
- Arceus VSTAR/Duraludon VMAX
- Miraidon ex
- United Wings Box
- Lost Zone Box
- Roaring Moon ex
- Klawf/Hisuian Electrode V
- Entei V/Iron Valiant ex
Need I say more about ol' Squawk? It's Dedenne-ex, discard your hand, draw 6 cards. There is one catch, Squawkabilly ex can only be used on the first turn. That's the con. The pro? You can activate the ability on your first turn whenever you want, which means you can start it as your active and still use the ability unlike Shaymin ex, Tapu Lele-gx, Crobat V or Dedenne-ex as previously mentioned.
And sure enough it's already seen play in all sorts of decks and will continue to do so. It does have an interesting move as well, Motivate can charge 2 energies which can work in tandem with discarding energies from your hand from your own Squawk & Seize. I've seen a few people Motivate to charge up an Iron Hands ex, it's a valid strategy after all!
#14 - Professor Turo's Scenario - Paradox Rift (PAR)
Total Points (IRL): 24 (27th)
Average Points (IRL): 3 (9th)
Total Points (Online): 90 (21st)
Average Points (Online): 3.6 (8th)
Wins: 8 (2 IRL + 6 Online)
Top 4: 21 (4 IRL + 17 Online)
Top 8: 25 (5 IRL + 20 Online)
Saw play in:
- Gardevoir ex
- Charizard ex
- Inteleon VMAX/Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX
- Mew VMAX
- Control decks
I had mentioned Penny not long ago but there is a reason why Penny has seen less plays in non-Control decks since the release of Paradox Rift and it's purely because of Professor Turo's Scenario. It's a reprint of the old AZ card from Phantom Forces. You just put one of your Pokemon into the hand but you discard everything else that was attached to it. Now decks like Gardevoir, Charizard and Mew can use it to scoop up non-Basic Pokemon to not just stop from getting stalled by heal up a damaged attacker.
#13 - Charizard ex - Obsidian Flames (OBS)
Total Points (IRL): 53 (16th)
Average Points (IRL): 3.05 (8th)
Total Points (Online): 82 (22nd)
Average Points (Online): 1.67 (19th)
Wins: 8 (4 IRL + 4 Online)
Top 4: 29 (11 IRL + 18 Online)
Top 8: 28 (8 IRL + 20 Online)
Saw play in:
- Charizard ex/Pidgeot ex
- Charizard ex/Bibarel
- Charizard ex (Lost Zone)
- Charizard ex/Gallade
- Charizard ex/Arceus VSTAR
Probably my favourite card to be released this year. The main reason? I CAN FINALLY PLAY A CHARMANDER IN A DECK AGAIN WOOHOO!
But yeah it's been a while since we got a good Stage 2 Charizard card. Sure, the last one was the Vivid Voltage Charizard with Leon but it wasn't that good. The last good one is one of my all time favourite cards, Charizard from Team Up. And there are some similarities here. They're both stage 2, they both accelerate energies to each other and they both can do an insane amounts of damage just for 2 Fire Energy. So of course I became a big fan of Charizard ex even before I played the deck.
Traditionally, we don't see a lot of main attackers being in these lists, it's usually a tech Pokemon or a main card in the deck that helps it running (aka Gardevoir ex). The cool thing about Charizard ex is that it doesn't just have one good deck, it's done well with five different versions! When a card is that good and can be played in so many different ways, it's bound to be successful and it did just win the San Antonio Regionals so long may the reign of Zard continue. And that's my one biased entry on the list done.
#12 - Spiritomb - Paldea Evolved (PAL)
Total Points (IRL): 57 (15th)
Average Points (IRL): 2.35 (12th)
Total Points (Online): 131 (13th)
Average Points (Online): 1.92 (15th)
Wins: 9 (3 IRL + 6 Online)
Top 4: 37 (10 IRL + 27 Online)
Top 8: 56 (17 IRL + 39 Online)
Saw play in:
- Lost Zone Box
- Giratina VSTAR (Lost Zone)
- Hisuian Goodra VSTAR (Lost Zone)
- Arceus VSTAR/Giratina VSTAR
- Arceus VSTAR/Duraludon VMAX
- Gardevoir ex
- Inteleon VMAX/Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX
- Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR
- Snorlax Control
- Klawf/Hisuian Electrode V
The Mew killer? Whether it was or not, Spiritomb was certainly impactful. Being able to cancel out Basic V's ability is a lot stronger than people might have first imagined as Spiritomb has found a home in all sorts of decks to stop many things in their path. Some of it's intended targets include:
- Genesect V - Probably the main target but helps to slow Mew VMAX down
- Lumineon V - Got caught in the crossfire with the release of Spiritomb and was played to prevent Lugia from hitting stuff like Research or Burnet
- Raikou V/Entei V - They can't draw an extra card because of it
- Rotom V - Decks like Control or Charizard can't draw extra cards because of it
- Pidgeot V - Control decks can't do a continuous loop if Spiritomb is in the field
- Drapion V - Cannot attack for free vs "Style" decks if a Spiritomb is around so be mindful if you play both
- Zacian V - Cannot attach energy at the end of the turn
- Leafeon V - Same as above
- Sylveon V - Cannot search for an item at the end of the turn
- Galarian Moltres V - Can't attach energy to itself
#11 - Jirachi - Paradox Rift (PAR)
Total Points (IRL): 39 (24th)
Average Points (IRL): 4.88 (5th)
Total Points (Online): 96 (19th)
Average Points (Online): 3.84 (6th)
Wins: 13 (4 IRL + 9 Online)
Top 4: 20 (5 IRL + 15 Online)
Top 8: 24 (7 IRL + 17 Online)
Saw play in:
- Gardevoir ex
- Lost Zone Box
- Charizard ex
- Klawf/Hisuian Electrode V
- Giratina VSTAR (Lost Zone)
We go from a hard counter to Genesect to a hard counter to Sableye mainly. Sableye has been a menace in the format since last year, picking off a lot of set up decks due to it's ability to easily reach 10 in the lost zone and getting 12 damage counters around. This is where Jirachi comes in. Jirachi has already won me many games vs Lost Zone decks just for it's sheer presence stopping Sableye doing what it wants to.
Stellar Veil prevents damage counters from being places by attacks, so the three that have been affected the most by it are Sableye, Medicham V and Cresselia and many decks, especially set-up decks, will continue to rock Jirachi in their lists just to make sure those three will not wreck havoc on their bench.
#10 - Arven - Scarlet & Violet (SVI)
Total Points (IRL): 88 (10th)
Average Points (IRL): 2.14 (14th)
Total Points (Online): 167 (9th)
Average Points (Online): 1.69 (18th)
Wins: 13 (7 IRL + 6 Online)
Top 4: 51 (14 IRL + 37 Online)
Top 8: 72 (20 IRL + 52 Online)
Saw play in:
- Gardevoir ex
- Miraidon ex
- Mew VMAX
- Charizard ex
- Chien-Pao ex/Baxcalibur
- Snorlax Control
- Inteleon VMAX/Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX
Probably my favourite supporter released this year! Arven is similar to Volkner and Skyla from past rotations, picking up and item and in Volkner's case, a Lighting energy. Arven's addition to the Item is the ability to pick up a Tool card. Initially Arven saw very little to no play at all, only Gardevoir and Miradion decks were running it and usually it was a one off.
Then came Charizard and Arven became the Supporter of choice. I should know, I called Charizard ex playing 4 Arven in the future in one of my streams in an Obsidian Flames tournament! I was fortunate enough to be one of the first people to get a top 8 finish for a Charizard decks with multiple Arvens in a 128+ player online tournament and now Arven is easily a 4-off. As the year went on, we kept getting more playable Tool cards to the point where more decks are starting to use Arven to make use of them. Inteleon decks now play Arven to have an easier out to get TM: Devolution. Need I say more?
#9 - Reversal Energy - Paldea Evolved (PAL)
Total Points (IRL): 65 (13th)
Average Points (IRL): 2.58 (10th)
Total Points (Online): 158 (10th)
Average Points (Online): 2.31 (11th)
Wins: 17 (3 IRL + 14 Online)
Top 4: 37 (13 IRL + 24 Online)
Top 8: 51 (19 IRL + 32 Online)
Saw play in:
- Gardevoir ex
- Lugia VSTAR/Archeops (Snorlax)
- Zoroark Toolbox
- Charizard ex/Gallade
Reversal energy would have easily been the best special energy card we got this year if not for another card that got released in the same set. When you are behind on prizes, it becomes a triple Rainbow energy when attached to an evolution Pokemon that doesn't have a rule box. 3 energies! I can't stress how powerful that actually is, to the point that we saw a different version of Gardevoir that relies on going behind on prizes so Shining Arcana Gardevoir and Gallade can hit hard later on.
Gardevoir isn't the only beneficiary of Reversal Energy. The other most popular partner for it is Luxray, also from Paldea Evolved. Luxray can be placed onto the bench if you are behind on prizes. So naturally Reversal is the perfect partner for it and it has seen lots of play in Lugia decks but has also been a one off in decks like Mew VMAX and Lost Box! I'm curious to see what other evolved pokemon will be able to make best use of this in next few rotations.
#8 - Beach Court - Scarlet & Violet (SVI)
Total Points (IRL): 109 (4th)
Average Points (IRL): 1.92 (18th)
Total Points (Online): 195 (8th)
Average Points (Online): 1.99 (14th)
Wins: 22 (9 IRL + 13 Online)
Top 4: 49 (17 IRL + 32 Online)
Top 8: 77 (26 IRL + 51 Online)
Saw play in:
- Lost Zone Box
- Giratina VSTAR (Lost Zone)
- Miraidon ex
- Hisuian Goodra VSTAR (Lost Zone)
Beach Court has seen play mostly in just two types of decks, decks that utilise the Lost Zone engine or Miraidon decks and it makes perfect sense once you see the decks. One of the biggest issue for these Lost Zone decks was having to attach an energy to retreat your Comfeys. With Beach Court, that is now not an issue and Lost Zone decks continue to play it till this day for that very reason.
Miraidon decks also like having Beach Court as most of it's attackers not named Iron Hands ex all have 1 retreat cost, and with Beach Court, it becomes free. Often times you will see them have a Raikou up front, draw a free card and then retreat into the next attacker. But you have to remember, it works both ways! I have seen people lost games before because they tried to trap their opponent's support Pokémon and place down their own Beach Court, not realising the opponent can also use it! It can happen!
#7 - Gardevoir ex - Scarlet & Violet (SVI)
Total Points (IRL): 97 (6th)
Average Points (IRL): 2.07 (16th)
Total Points (Online): 213 (6th)
Average Points (Online): 2.26 (12th)
Wins: 21 (4 IRL + 17 Online)
Top 4: 54 (20 IRL + 34 Online)
Top 8: 74 (27 IRL + 47 Online)
Saw play in:
- Gardevoir ex
- Gardevoir ex/Mewtwo V-Union
I have done another best of 2023 list and it's a small one but just for the
best decks and who tops it? Gardevoir ex. It was a top tier deck the moment it was released in Scarlet & Violet and four sets later, it's still a top tier deck even if things haven't been looking good for Gardevoir ex in this new format.
With Psychic Embrace, all sorts of attacks have benefitted from Gardevor's ability to charge them up. Sure you have to put 2 damage counters but you get as many energies as you'd like to a certian amount (till you have 10-20 HP). We've seen all sorts of attackers but they have been all good:
- Shining Arcana Gardevoir - the ideal partner in the deck, 60 + 30 for each energy is quite scary when you can keep adding more energies to yourself to do as much as 300 damage!
- Zacian V - Has the same attack as Arcana Gardevoir
- Cresselia - Can snipe the opponent's bench by moving 20 damage counters from all of your Pokemon to one of theirs
- Scream Tail - The more damage counters it has, the more damage it can do and with the addition of Luxuary Cape, it can reach up to 360 damage! Not just that, you can hit anything on their board!
- Drifloon - Does have a similar attack to Scream Tail but only hits the active. It can technically do 480 damage with Cape!
- Mewtwo V-Union - It now has an easier way to attack right from the moment it was summoned
- Deoxys VSTAR - A recent inclusion to combat Iron Hands ex, it's VSTAR attack Star Force hits 60 for each energy on both sides, 4 on the Iron Hands is already 240, enough to KO it
- Mew ex - Well you can use their attack!
#6 - Counter Catcher - Paradox Rift (PAR)
Total Points (IRL): 76 (12th)
Average Points (IRL): 9.50 (4th)
Total Points (Online): 205 (7th)
Average Points (Online): 8.2 (4th)
Wins: 20 (6 IRL + 14 Online)
Top 4: 52 (13 IRL + 39 Online)
Top 8: 59 (16 IRL + 43 Online)
Saw play in:
- Charizard ex
- Gardevoir ex
- Giratina VSTAR (Lost Zone)
- Lost Zone Box
- Snorlax Control
- Chien-Pao ex/Baxcalibur
- Miraidon ex
- Klawf/Hisuian Electrode V
It has returned! Released initially in 2017 in the god awful Crimson Invasion set, the card was one of the better cards out of that set. Once again it's been released in the final set of the year but Paradox Rift is no Crimson Invasion, but still Catcher is one of the best cards from the set, if not, THE best.
It's quite simple, yet so effective. If you are behind on prizes, you can gust up any of their Pokemon. It is a natural fit for decks like Charizard, Gardevoir and Control decks as they want to be behind on prizes. Decks that can utilise Arven or Irida like Miraidon or Baxcalibur will have a Catcher as well as it's easy to find! Snorlax Control is probably the biggest abuse of the card. You are never taking prizes so you will be able to trap any of their Pokemon in the active and the deck has ways to recycle some cards so you'd be able to play Catcher way more than you really should be able to haha!
#5 - Artazon - Paldea Evolved (PAL)
Total Points (IRL): 101 (5th)
Average Points (IRL): 4.03 (6th)
Total Points (Online): 214 (5th)
Average Points (Online): 3.1 (9th)
Wins: 19 (6 IRL + 13 Online)
Top 4: 57 (17 IRL + 40 Online)
Top 8: 86 (31 IRL + 55 Online)
Saw play in:
- Lost Zone Box
- Gardevoir ex
- Charizard ex
- Snorlax/Pidgeot Control
Easily the best stadium released this year. This is the perfect card for set up decks like Charizard, Gardevoir and Lost Zone decks so it's no wonder that these are the main ones to use Artazon. It's basically nest ball but with the catch being it can only be a non-rule box basic. These decks love playing it and many of their opponents have not mind having them in the field either!
It has already been a huge help for these decks, especially Charizard and Gardevoir as you want to fill up your bench with many of these "little basics" like Charmander, Pidgey, Ralts, or even your support Pokemon like Manaphy, Jirachi or Mew. Artazon is here to stay!
#4 - Jet Energy - Paldea Evolved (PAL)
Total Points (IRL): 95 (7th)
Average Points (IRL): 3.83 (7th)
Total Points (Online): 351 (4th)
Average Points (Online): 5.1 (5th)
Wins: 25 (2 IRL + 23 Online)
Top 4: 89 (24 IRL + 65 Online)
Top 8: 92 (28 IRL + 64 Online)
Saw play in:
- Giratina VSTAR (Lost Zone)
- Lugia VSTAR/Archeops
- Lost Zone Box
- Arceus VSTAR decks
- Charizard ex (Lost Zone)
- Charizard ex/Bibarel
- Entei V/Iron Valiant ex
This one card has turned Giratina VSTAR Lost Zone, a deck nobody really wanted to play by the end of 2022, into quite possibly the most played deck by the end of 2023. When attached, it switches that Pokemon into the active. The obvious target here is Comfey, you can easily pull off 3 Flower Selecting Turn 1 because of this. It's also good to get Giratina into play to get early Abyssal Seeking and hey it's another energy you can use to discard for Lost Impact!
Another deck that uses it a lot is Lugia. No matter if it's paired with Snorlax, the Single Strike attackers or the newer Iron Hands with Vessel, they all get to use another Special Energy to satisify their attack. It's also been seeing play in decks like Charizard to help get things like Mew into the active or get Bibarel out of the active. The newest deck to use it is Entei with Iron Valiant and it makes perfect sense. You want Entei in the bench to use Magma Basin to attach a Fire energy, move your Iron Valiants around to spread some damage, get the Jet Energy onto Entei and attack (don't forget to use the ability)!
#3 - Super Rod - Paldea Evolved (PAL)
Total Points (IRL): 241 (3rd)
Average Points (IRL): 9.56 (3rd)
Total Points (Online): 660 (3rd)
Average Points (Online): 9.53 (3rd)
Wins: 61 (16 IRL + 45 Online)
Top 4: 160 (42 IRL + 118 Online)
Top 8: 221 (60 IRL + 161 Online)
Saw play in:
- Giratina VSTAR (Lost Zone)
- Gardevoir ex
- Charizard ex
- Lost Zone Box
- Chien-Pao ex/Baxcalibur
- Gholdengo ex
- Snorlax Control
Super Rod is back! It was technically first released in 2000 in Neo Genesis but with a very different effect. The effect we now know first showed up in 2011 with the release of the Noble Victories set. It has since gotten a re-release in 2015 with BREAKthrough and now 2023 with Paldea Evolved. And everytime it's been good!
Once again it's the set-up decks that are the big winners from having Super Rod, decks like Gardevoir, Charizard, Baxcalibur and Gholdengo have all benefitted from it. But perhaps the biggest winners are the Lost Zone decks. The deck really missed Ordinary Rod since it rotated and while Super Rod recovers one less card, 3 is still good enough! Sometimes being able to shuffle 3 energy cards is better than what Ord Rod was able to do. This is also another card that has turns Giratina VSTAR fortune around. In fact, all four cards in the top four of this list all feature in Giratina decks. No wonder it's a top deck right now compared to last year.
#2 - Iono - Paldea Evolved (PAL)
Total Points (IRL): 265 (2nd)
Average Points (IRL): 10.57 (2nd)
Total Points (Online): 861 (2nd)
Average Points (Online): 12.47 (2nd)
Wins: 72 (19 IRL + 53 Online)
Top 4: 213 (46 IRL + 167 Online)
Top 8: 269 (63 IRL + 206 Online)
Saw play in:
- Pretty much every deck other than Lost Box Kyogre, Roaring Moon ex and any Turbo style deck
We were bound to have one of these cards right. A hand disruption supporter card! Two of the most effective types of these cards in the past were N and Marnie. N shuffle cards into the deck and you draw cards equal to the prizes you have. Marine shuffled your hand into the bottom of the deck. You draw 5, your opponent draw 4. So what if we take the best part of Marine (shuffle hand onto the bottom) and the best part of N (draw = number of prizes) and we get Iono.
I don't really have to say much for Iono honestly, she had made an instant impact on the meta. Pretty much every deck plays Iono, be it a 4-off or a 1-off. The only decks not using Iono are the true Turbo decks. Iono has already won many people many games, be it the person using it or the person receiving it! Trust me, I should know, Iono cost me $200 when I Iono-ed them to 1 on back to back turns only to have them get their exact answer twice! Like N and Marnie before, Iono will continue to be a big presence in the game, and often times decide games by herself. Your eyeballs are mine, caught in my Electroweb. Whosawhatsit? Iono!
#1 - Nest Ball - Scarlet & Violet (SVI)
Total Points (IRL): 594 (1st)
Average Points (IRL): 12.34 (1st)
Total Points (Online): 1262 (1st)
Average Points (Online): 13.45 (1st)
Wins: 119 (42 IRL + 77 Online)
Top 4: 350 (106 IRL + 244 Online)
Top 8: 444 (138 IRL + 306 Online)
Saw play in:
- Literally every deck except Gardevoir ex
On any other year, Iono would have easily been the best card released in the year. Unfortunately for her, one card escaped her gaze. Electro-web? Net? Nest? Get it? Well, Nest Ball is back! First released in 2017 in the Sun and Moon base set (also the reason why I have WAY too many Nest Balls on me), it makes it's grand return 6 years later in the Scarlet and Violet base set.
Nest Ball sees play in basically every deck except for Gardevoir ex. Search your deck and put a Basic into play. Very simply, very effective. All decks play it for a reason. There's honestly not much more to say. When a card sees play in almost every deck, you know it's good and that's why Nest Ball is the best card released in 2023! Thanks for reading!
