Active Paper Decks

Written by evolutionenthusiast

METAGAME TIER LIST LAST UPDATED 2025.08.24 (Metagame Tiers with Deck Lists page); this page is under construction 2025.10.14 (deck lists updated but text is only partially updated).

Since it is tough to keep the 15/3 portion of this blog up-to-date with my testing, I want to keep a somewhat current list of my decks that make it past a few games on TCGOne (and warrant further testing) or are slight reinterpretations of previously “successful” lists. I may take deck list photos (to enjoy the physical cards more) or add detailed logs for testing sessions, but for now these entries will just have a quick note or two to accompany the full deck list. Retired decks moved to subpage.

Active lists – October 2025:

Click to Expand

You’ll notice some trends:

  • Repeated Approaches: since Lightning-Fighting Wigglytuff has been consistently strong performing and Jason’s Slowpoke Lock came to the metagame, it has been a slow process to discover new, viable combinations of Mon. As such, many of these decks leverage Dodrio or Muk.
  • Every deck splashing Fighting Mon (Brock’s Mankey 68, Hitmonchan): the damage output is so good with the prevalence of Electabuzz and Colorless Mon weak to Fighting. 
  • Chaos Gym plus 2nd Gym: This deck building approach is a recent “trick” to disrupt the opponent and have a late-game turn playing a second Stadium to clear Chaos Gym, playing several other Trainers and then, finally, playing Chaos Gym again. This is my favorite approach to playing Chaos Gym in 15/3.
  • Less than 3 copies of Big Basics: It’s hard to fit a surplus of Energy in most decks that I am building (as they have such a large variety of Pokemon). I think reducing the number of secondary Energy attackers allows for many of decks to function more smoothly (as they do not rely on early attacks of the lesser type of Energy). This reduction also gives space to play a greater variety of Pokemon (which allow a deck to threaten or react on different axes over longer games).
  • Return of the Dark Dragons: I have been experimenting more with Evolution-heavy decks, and Dark Dragonair/Dragonite support these decks wonderfully! These decks are often pretty fun to play.
  • Revisiting Defender: As I’ve played a little more with Defender in other formats, I’ve come to appreciate its inclusion in the winning Lightning Dodrio Big Basics from the 2024 Fall TCGOne event. Defender allows Chansey, Rocket’s Zapdos and other Energy-intensive Pokemon to attack an additional time (often resulting in a 2nd KO due to the opponent being unable to counter KO).

Fire-Fighting Charizard Dodrio

Click to Expand Changes

Updated (~2025.10.26)
+1 Blaine’s Growlithe (Gym Heroes), +1 Lickitung, +1 Scyther, +1 Scoop Up, +1 Fire Energy,
-1 Magmar, -1 Ditto, -1 Diglett, -1 No Removal Gym, -1 Fighting Energy.
Updated (~2025.10.01)
+1 Magmar (Fossil), +1 No Removal Gym,
-1 Kangaskhan, -1 Scoop Up.
Updated (~2025.06.15)
+1 Ditto, +1 Fighting Energy,
-1 Blaine’s Charmander (Gym Heroes), -1 Full Heal Energy.

Fire-Fighting Charizard Dodrio looks to accumulate resources to work toward Charizard’s Fire Spin while Dodrio and Scoop Up manage the deck’s Active Pokemon. Prior to attacking with ‘Zard, Magmar, Hitmonchan, Charmander, Charmeleon and others can pressure opponents or Kangaskhan can draw many extra cards!

No Removal Gym is to play counter-stadium and tax the opponent’s resources (if they want to use Energy Removals), though I have not committed to playing it! Additional insight into building the deck may be view on the deck’s detail page.

Lightning-Fighting Dark Dragon Wigglytuff Muk Toolbox

New list (~2025.10.01)

This deck is looking to operate similarly to the below Dark Dragon Clefable list but (1) relies on Wigglytuff to reliably attack for large amounts of damage and (2) uses Muk to disrupt instead of Dodrio to manage attackers.

Lightning-Fighting Dark Dragon Clefable Dodrio Toolbox (Consistency)

Last Updated: 2025.04.06 (No new updates obvious as of ~2025.06.15)

This version eschews part of the Toolbox to play a more consistency-focused game, including extra consistency in a single Good Manners. I could see trying to sneak in a 2nd Dark Dragonite for the ~10 percent of games where the single copy is prized (or adding a “silver bullet” if a certain matchup is very difficult). 

Lightning-Fighting Wigglytuff Dodrio (Aggression)

Last Updated: 2025.03.07 (No new updates obvious as of ~2025.06.15)

Wigglytuff, Dodrio and PlusPower combine with Big Basics to keep decks in Prop 15/3 honest. I think the only addition to this deck recently has been the two Brock’s Mankey 68 to efficiently threaten other Lightning and Colorless Pokemon. 

Lightning-Fighting Wigglytuff Dodrio (Teched Muk)

Click to Expand Changes

Last Updated: ~2025.10.01
+1 Muk, +1 Grimer (Fossil), +1 Koga’s Pidgey (49),
-1 Kangaskhan, -1 Rocket’s Zapdos, -1 Electabuzz.

This version of Wigglytuff Dodrio plays a Koga’s Pidgey (49), Muk and Grimer, along with two Pokemon Traders, in an effort to disrupt Alakazam and Dark Vileplume lock decks.

Lightning-Fighting Dark Dragon Electrode Toolbox (Chaos Gym)

Last Updated: 2024.10.08

Winner of the 2024 Prop 15/3 Megabattle on TCGOne, this no-frills Dodrio Big Basic deck takes little risk (and plays the best of Basics). I prefer Wigglytuff and Fighting variants but keep this around to see where it may perform better.

Grass-Fighting Koga’s Beedrill Brock’s Golbat (Chaos Gym)

Updated: (~2025.06.15)
+1 Brock’s Golbat, +1 Pokemon Trader, +1 Grass Energy,
-1 Rocket’s Scyther, -1 Item Finder, -1 Full Heal Energy.

Koga’s Beedrill is a flip-happy deck, but a few heads will go a long way to winning a game. I recommend this list for players that enjoy some uncertainty in their gaming. After playing many games with Chaos Gym, I am not confident in playing more than 1 copy in decks that aren’t very dedicated to setting up their Pokemon. Koga’s Beedrill is paired with Fighting Mon to prey on Lightning and Colorless Mon (with Koga’s Ninja Trick providing extra life to a Beedrill in the active).

I’ve changed numbers slightly to be more consistent (including more consistently attacking with a single Energy via 3rd Brock’s Golbat). Beware of Ditto from the opponent as a single Double Colorless Energy threatens Bees and Mankeys!

Lightning-Psychic Dark Dragon Alakazam Stall (Chaos Gym)

Updated: (~2025.06.15)
+3 Team Rocket Dratini, +1 Professor Oak, +1 Psychic Energy,
-3 Base Set Dratini, -1 Gust of Wind, -1 Full Heal Energy.

It’s been rough going to Stage 2 Pokemon in contemporary, competitive 15/3 matches, but this turbo Alakazam deck with Rocket’s Zapdos and Mr. Mime as primary attackers feels like it might be close to competitive. Decks that cannot quickly leverage their Trainers may find themselves in a situation tough to overcome without some luck!

Removed Gust and Full Heal Energy to further focus on setting up; this deck will most likely not be able to beat Muk, but I think that’s okay given Muk does not seen that well positioned in the metagame. Team Rocket Dratini offers a chance to flip heads to paralyze in emergency situations (where 10 damage from Pound attack is likely useless).

Fighting-Psychic Brock’s Golbat Sabrina’s Kadabra Dodrio

Updated: (~2025.06.15)
+1 Dodrio, +2 Sabrina’s Abra (Gym Heroes 91), +1 Computer Search, +2 Potion Energy.
-1 Sabrina’s Kadabra, -2 Sabrina’s Abra (Gym Challenge), -2 Full Heal Energy.

Deadly with a few good flips, Sabrina’s Kadabra line is supplemented by bench-dealing attacks from Diglett and Brock’s Golbat. Fighting Mon cover the Psychic Resistance from commonly played Colorless Pokemon. Do not play if attacking for little-to-no effect will cause you to fume!

Third copies of Dodrio and Computer Search are included to make the deck a bit more consistent. Credit to TCGOne player Charmaster, Sabrina’s Abra (Gym Heroes 91) can one-shot Brock’s Mankeys and pivots for free with Brock’s Zubat (24); I am keeping a single copy of Gym Challenge Sabrina’s Abra to test it (but can see it getting replaced). Potion Energy synergizes with Brock’s Mankey (68) and Mr. Mime.

Psychic Slowpoke Muk Lock (“Big” Edits)

Last Updated: 2025.03.07

I have found it harder to win with Jason’s approach to Slowpoke Lock and want to try a version that can attack much more regularly. Pokemon Flute (or Erika’s Perfume) may prevent the opposing player from playing around the Lock (especially during later turns in the game). I am not confident that this deck is built “correctly”, but it will win some games as is after learning important play patterns against expected cards!

Grass-Psychic Dark Dragon Venusaur Toolbox

Updated: (~2025.06.15)
+3 Team Rocket Dratini, +1 Pokemon Trader,
-3 Base Set Dratini, -1 Item Finder.

I keep meaning to write up a history on testing Venusaur lists (going back to early 2024), but for now, this Dark Dragon Venusaur is a return to form of sorts (with the idea that Ditto and Chansey could be much needed big-damage attackers that takes up only 1-2 slots). I am on a kick trying out Team Rocket Dratini in decks that could need to rely on flipping heads to paralyze (and this deck is receiving another tiny boost to consistency many decks have recently received).

Psychic-Fighting Slowbro Clefable Dodrio Stall

Updated: (~2025.06.15)
+2 Sabrina’s Gastly (Gym Heroes 93), +1 Clefable, +1 Clefairy, +1 Computer Search, +1 Fighting Energy,
-2 Ditto, -1 Slowbro, -1 Scoop Up, -2 Full Heal Energy.

I tried a similar version of Psychic-Fighting but with more Pokemon looking to attack (Hitmonchan, Fossil Gastly, Team Rocket Diglett), but it had a hard time taking prizes 4-6 against Lightning-Fighting Wigglytuff Dodrio (even when that deck setup poorly, though it did have Kangaskhans that provided a lot of HP and resources). I also tried Ditto (but it didn’t appear to give enough options to attack over Clefable).

This current version is also exploring Sabrina’s Gastly to trap Dodrio and Fighting or Psychic Mon in the active; Slowbro has proven impactful with Brock’s Mankey and Clefable, so I hope it will also elevate Sabrina’s Gastly. I think it will take quite some time to tune this deck.

Water Blastoise Chansey Dodrio

New list (~2025.10.01)

Testing of Water Pokemon has been slow, but I finally have a version of Rain Dance that is winning! This deck plays Chansey to slow down the beginning turns and later (with Defender) take multiple KOs.

I still haven’t found a good configuration for using Computer Error beyond very heavy Energy Removal. If this deck can beat Lightning-Fighting Wigglytuff Dodrio once in every 3 games, I would consider it a success!

Lightning-Fighting Aerodactyl Lock (Misty’s Wrath)

“New” List: ~2025.06.15

Setup Aerodactyl on Turn 1 (with some Erika’s Clefairy luck) or Turn 2, sometimes with a Chaos Gym! Fighting Pokemon with free retreat supplement to rarely-resisted Lightning Big Basic duo of Rocket’s Zapdos and Electabuzz. As many decks are planning on Evolutions, this deck can stop an opponent from effectively playing (and is setup to get ahead in KOs).

This deck is replacing a Lightning-Psychic version of the deck, as Fighting Mon: (1) hit for weakness more,  (2) are resisted less and (3) have free retreating options that have proved powerful.

Fire Dark Dragon Wigglytuff Blaine’s Charmander Stall

Updated: (~2025.06.15)
+3 Jungle Jigglypuff, +2 Wigglytuff, +1 Pokemon Trader,
-2 Team Rocket Charmander, -2 Charmeleon, -1 Charizard, -1 Item Finder.

Barely tested, Blaine’s Charmander and Super Energy Removal tax the opponent’s resources while Magmar, Wigglytuff and others take Knock Outs. Dark Dragonite and Dragonair help to setup the missing pieces.

Previously, I tried to use a thin Charmeleon (Charizard) line, but I think that Wigglytuff may just pair better (as it doesn’t require discarding Energy for its best attack and pairs well with 10 damage from Magmar and Blaine’s Charmander).

Psychic(-Grass) Dark Dragon Dark Vileplume Alakazam Lock

“New” List: ~2025.06.15

Possible the defining lock deck, Dark Vileplume is assembled as quickly as Trainers and Mon allow! If the opponent has been able to assemble attackers, then Alakazam is also needed.

Psychic-Water Misty’s Golduck Slowpoke Dodrio Lock (Comp Error)

“New” List: ~2025.06.15

Description forthcoming!

Fire-Fighting Blaine’s Rapidash Muk Clefable

“New” List: ~2025.06.15

Description forthcoming!

Grass-Psychic Koga’s Beedrill Brock’s Golbat (Chaos Gym)

“New” List: ~2025.06.15

Description forthcoming!

Psychic-Fighting Clefable Dark Golbat Sabrina’s Kadabra

“New” List: ~2025.06.15

Description forthcoming! Initial list provided by TCGOne and Discord Pokemon 99 player Charmaster