I’ve teamed up with the game’s greatest players and experts from the XY era to design 40 XY decks, each with tips for playing. 20 of my favorites are below, followed by a link to 20 more. Everything else you need to know to play, like the format’s rules and erratas, is posted below the decks.

Table of Contents

Decks

• Bronzong
• Darkrai-EX/Giratina-EX
• Dual-Type M Gardevoir-EX
• Greninja
• M Audino-EX
• M Gardevoir-EX/Aromatisse
• M Manectric-EX
• M Rayquaza-EX
• M Sceptile-EX
• Night March
• Primal Groudon-EX
• Rainbow Road
• Seismitoad-EX/Crobat
• Seismitoad-EX/Giratina-EX
• Trevenant
• Vespiquen/Vileplume
• Vileplume Box
• Volcanion
• Watertoad
• Yvetal/Zoroark

Everything Else

• Additional Decks
• Fun Match-ups
• Rules
• Erratas

Bronzong

🌠 Iconic Deck

Pokémon (18)	Trainers (33)	Energy (9)
4x Bronzor 4x Bronzong 1x Bronzong BREAK 2x Genesect-EX 2x Aegislash-EX 2x Shaymin-EX 2x Cobalion 1x Magearna-EX	4x Professor Sycamore 3x N 2x Lysandre 1x Xerosic 1x AZ 1x Hex Maniac 4x VS Seeker 4x Ultra Ball 4x Max Elixir 3x Float Stone 2x Fighting Fury Belt 2x Level Ball 2x Battle Compressor	9x Metal Energy

List by James Arnold (2011 US Nationals Quarterfinalist)

Professor Sycamore, Ultra Ball and Battle Compressor provide ways to discard Metal Energy, allowing Bronzong to power up a variety of Metal-type Pokémon with its Metal Links Ability. Max Elixir helps you get your first attack off more quickly, an important part of the lightning-fast XY format.

Darkrai-EX/Giratina-EX

🌠 Iconic Deck

Pokémon (11)	Trainers (36)	Energy (13)
3x Darkrai-EX 2x Giratina-EX 2x Shaymin-EX 2x Yveltal 1x Salamence-EX 1x Hoopa-EX	2x Parallel City 4x Professor Sycamore 4x N 2x Lysandre 1x Lysandre’s Trump Card 4x VS Seeker 4x Ultra Ball 4x Max Elixir 3x Trainers’ Mail 3x Fighting Fury Belt 2x Float Stone 1x Escape Rope 1x Super Rod 1x Startling Megaphone	9x Darkness Energy 4x Double Dragon Energy

Both Yveltal’s Oblivion Wing and Max Elixir allow you to accumulate Darkness Energy in play, preparing Darkrai-EX to deliver big damage with Dark Pulse. While Darkrai-EX is attacking, you can ready Giratina-EX with Double Dragon Energy, further boosting Dark Pulse’s damage. This sets the stage for an eventual Chaos Wheel, an attack that devastates many decks.

Dual-Type M Gardevoir-EX

🤡 Fun to Play

Pokémon (17)	Trainers (37)	Energy (6)
4x Shaymin-EX 2x Gardevoir-EX 1x Gardevoir-EX 3x M Gardevoir-EX 2x Hoopa-EX 2x Dragonite-EX 1x Rattata 1x Hawlucha 1x Absol	4x Dimension Valley 1x Sky Field 3x Professor Sycamore 2x Lysandre 1x Skyla 1x N 1x Hex Maniac 1x Lysandre’s Trump Card 4x Gardevoir Spirit Link 4x Ultra Ball 4x VS Seeker 3x Mega Turbo 2x Trainers’ Mail 2x Max Potion 1x Super Rod 1x Professor’s Letter 1x Escape Rope 1x Fairy Drop	6x Fairy Energy

List by James Arnold (2011 US Nationals Quarterfinalist)

With four Shaymin-EX (and two Hoopa-EX to locate them), you’ll easily find the cards you need to quickly evolve into M Gardevoir-EX. From there, your bench full of Pokémon will serve as fuel to boost M Gardevoir-EX’s Despair Ray. With Dragonite-EX’s Pull in, as well as Super Rod & Lysandre’s Trump Card, you have plenty of ways to recover these discarded Pokémon, allowing you to re-use Shaymin-EX’s Set Up and keep the big attacks coming.

Greninja

🏆 Top Deck  🌠 Iconic Deck  🤡 Fun to Play

Pokémon (18)	Trainers (33)	Energy (9)
4x Talonflame 3x Froakie 4x Frogadier 3x Greninja 1x Greninja 3x Greninja BREAK	3x Rough Seas 4x Professor Sycamore 4x N 1x Fisherman 1x Ace Trainer 4x VS Seeker 4x Dive Ball 4x Trainers’ Mail 3x Bursting Balloon 2x Ultra Ball 2x Super Rod 1x Startling Megaphone	7x Water Energy 2x Splash Energy

List by Jando Luna

After you evolve a single Froakie, things will quickly fall into place through Frogadier’s Water Duplicates attack, setting the stage for multiple Greninja to enter the battlefield. From there, Greninja’s Shadow Stitching hampers the opponent while you spend each turn delivering Water Shurikens and Giant Water Shurikens to overwhelm your opponent with damage.

M Audino-EX

🌠 Iconic Deck

Pokémon (13)	Trainers (37)	Energy (10)
4x Audino-EX 3x M Audino-EX 2x Shaymin-EX 1x Magearna-EX 1x Hoopa-EX 1x Cobalion 1x Absol	2x Parallel City 4x Professor Sycamore 4x N 2x Lysandre 2x AZ 2x Hex Maniac 4x VS Seeker 4x Ultra Ball 4x Trainers’ Mail 4x Audino Spirit Link 2x Float Stone 2x Mega Turbo 1x Startling Megaphone	6x Metal Energy 4x Double Colorless Energy

List by Shintaro Ito (2016 World Champion, 2019 Worlds Finalist)

Shintaro Ito’s XY take on Mega Audino changes only two cards from his World Championship-winning list, replacing his single copies of Pokémon Center Lady and Super Rod with a second copy of Hex Maniac and Mega Turbo. Just as it did at the 2016 World Championships, Mega Audino relies on its arsenal of 15 Supporters and 4 VS Seekers to ensure Magical Symphony always delivers 50 damage to the Bench. This damage quickly adds up, setting up subsequent attacks for game-winning double KOs.

M Gardevoir-EX/Aromatisse

🐣 Suitable for Beginners

Pokémon (15)	Trainers (33)	Energy (12)
3x Gardevoir-EX 3x M Gardevoir-EX 3x Xerneas 2x Spritzee 2x Aromatisse 1x Malamar-EX 1x Shaymin-EX	3x Fairy Garden 3x N 3x Professor Sycamore 2x Lysandre 1x Teammates 1x Skyla 1x Lysandre’s Trump Card 4x Ultra Ball 3x VS Seeker 3x Gardevoir Spirit Link 3x Max Potion 2x Level Ball 2x Mega Turbo 1x Startling Megaphone 1x Professor’s Letter	12x Fairy Energy

Xerneas’s Geomancy allows you to begin accumulating Fairy Energy in play, preparing M Gardevoir-EX’s Brilliant Arrow attack. Once M Gardevoir-EX enters battle, you can keep it clear of damage with Max Potion, relying on Aromatisse’s Fairy Transfer to preserve your Energy cards in the process. Malamar-EX is perfect with Fairy Transfer, allowing each Energy drop you make to inflict sleep on your opponent’s Active Pokémon.

M Manectric-EX

🐣 Suitable for Beginners

Pokémon (13)	Trainers (35)	Energy (12)
3x Manectric-EX 3x M Manectric-EX 2x Ho-oh-EX 2x Shaymin-EX 1x Hoopa-EX 1x Regice 1x Smeargle	2x Rough Seas 4x Professor Sycamore 2x Lysandre 1x N 1x AZ 1x Karen 1x Pokémon Center Lady 1x Hex Maniac 4x VS Seeker 4x Ultra Ball 4x Max Elixir 3x Trainers’ Mail 3x Manectric Spirit Link 2x Fighting Fury Belt 1x Escape Rope 1x Battle Compressor	5x Lightning Energy 3x Grass Energy 3x Water Energy 1x Fire Energy

List by Nino Brodar (2012, 2013, 2014, 2018 Croatia National Champion)

Using M Manectric-EX’s Turbo Bolt and Max Elixir, you’ll easily build multiple attackers, including Ho-oh-EX. With a variety of disruptive Supporters and a Regice, this otherwise straight-forward deck has plenty of ways to disrupt your opponent’s plans.

M Rayquaza-EX

🏆 Top Deck  🌠 Iconic Deck  🤡 Fun to Play

Pokémon (16)	Trainers (37)	Energy (7)
4x Shaymin-EX 3x Rayquaza-EX 3x M Rayquaza-EX 2x Hoopa-EX 2x Dragonite-EX 1x Magearna-EX	4x Sky Field 2x Professor Sycamore 2x N 1x Lysandre 1x Hex Maniac 1x Lysandre’s Trump Card 4x Ultra Ball 4x Acro Bike 4x Trainers’ Mail 4x VS Seeker 3x Mega Turbo 3x Battle Compressor 3x Rayquaza Spirit Link 2x Float Stone	3x Metal Energy 4x Double Colorless Energy

List by Chris Fulop (2007 US National Champion, 2004 Worlds Finalist)

With plenty of draw, this deck has everything it needs to pull off incredible first turns. Sky Field expands your Bench to eight Pokémon, enabling Emerald Break attacks from M Rayquaza-EX that can reach as much as 240 damage.

M Sceptile-EX

🐣 Suitable for Beginners

Pokémon (8)	Trainers (42)	Energy (10)
4x Sceptile-EX 4x M Sceptile-EX	4x Professor Sycamore 3x Pokémon Center Lady 2x N 2x Skyla 2x Steven 1x Shauna 1x Giovanni’s Scheme 1x Pokémon Ranger 1x Xerosic 1x Lysandre 1x Fisherman 1x Hex Maniac 1x Lysandre’s Trump Card 4x Ultra Ball 4x Sceptile Spirit Link 4x VS Seeker 4x Trainers’ Mail 2x Mega Turbo 1x Repeat Ball 1x Energy Retrieval 1x Professor’s Letter	10x Grass Energy

Built entirely around one Pokémon, this deck aims to win by delivering an endless stream of Jagged Sabre attacks that keep M Sceptile-EX free of damage. To accomplish this, you’ll first need to get two M Sceptile-EX in play. Then, once one has been damaged, you’ll retreat to the second, using Jagged Sabre to heal the now benched M Sceptile-EX. Repeat this process and if your opponent cannot achieve a one-hit KO against you they are sure to succumb to the wrath of Mega Sceptile.

Night March

🏆 Top Deck  🌠 Iconic Deck

Pokémon (18)	Trainers (38)	Energy (4)
4x Joltik 4x Pumpkaboo 4x Lampent 3x Shaymin-EX 2x Mew 1x Jirachi	2x Dimension Valley 4x Professor Sycamore 2x Lysandre 1x N 1x Teammates 1x AZ 1x Hex Maniac 1x Pokémon Ranger 4x VS Seeker 4x Ultra Ball 4x Puzzle of Time 4x Battle Compressor 4x Trainers’ Mail 1x Escape Rope 1x Fighting Fury Belt 1x Startling Megaphone 1x Special Charge 1x Target Whistle	4x Double Colorless Energy

List by Mike Fouchet (2008 US Nationals Semifinalist, 2004 US Nationals Quarterfinalist)

With four Battle Compressors, you’ll easily fill your discard pile with enough Night Marchers to deliver huge attacks. Utilizing three Shaymin-EX for draw, you’ll be able to reserve your Supporter for disruptive effects like Lysandre and Hex Maniac, while four Puzzle of Time and a Special Charge allow you to get away with playing only four Energy cards.

Primal Groudon-EX

🌠 Iconic Deck

Pokémon (10)	Trainers (38)	Energy (12)
4x Wobbuffet 3x Groudon-EX 3x Primal Groudon-EX	3x Silent Lab 1x Fighting Stadium 4x Professor Sycamore 4x Korrina 2x N 2x Lysandre 2x Pokémon Center Lady 1x Teammates 4x VS Seeker 4x Robo Substitute 2x Mega Turbo 2x Switch 2x Hard Charm 1x Focus Sash 1x Escape Rope 1x Ultra Ball 1x Professor’s Letter 1x Startling Megaphone	8x Fighting Energy 4x Strong Energy

List by Xander Pero (2011 US Nationals Champion, 2017 Worlds Semifinalist, 2014 Worlds Quarterfinalist)

Hiding behind Wobbuffet’s Bide Barricade, you’ll evolve your Groudon-EX into Primal Groudon-EX, giving it Ω Barrier to keep it safe from Lysandre. From there, Wobbuffet and Robo Substitute will buy the turns needed to prepare Primal Groudon-EX’s devastating Gaia Volcano attack. Hard Charm and Pokémon Center Lady keep this 240 HP Pokémon healthy, allowing it to clean up whatever remains on your opponent’s board.

Rainbow Road (Xerneas+Dual Type Pokémon)

🐣 Suitable for Beginners  🤡 Fun to Play

Pokémon (16)	Trainers (35)	Energy (12)
4x Xerneas 2x Joltik 2x Galvantula 2x Pawniard 2x Bisharp 2x Shaymin-EX 1x Hoopa-EX 1x Volcanion-EX	3x Sky Field 4x Professor Sycamore 2x N 2x Lysandre 1x Teammates 1x Pokémon Ranger 4x VS Seeker 4x Ultra Ball 4x Max Elixir 3x Trainers’ Mail 2x Super Rod 2x Float Stone	8x Fairy Energy 4x Double Colorless Energy

List by Joshua K.

With dual-type Pokémon to give a +60 boost to Xerneas’s Rainbow Force, your colorful Bench can deliver as much as 280 damage. Sky Field helps make room for this beautiful assortment of Pokémon, while Max Elixir & Double Colorless Energy help you build multiple Xerneas.

Seismitoad-EX/Crobat

🌠 Iconic Deck  🐣 Suitable for Beginners  🤡 Fun to Play

Pokémon (17)	Trainers (36)	Energy (7)
4x Seismitoad-EX 4x Zubat 4x Golbat 3x Crobat 2x Shaymin-EX	2x Silent Lab 4x N 3x Professor Sycamore 2x Lysandre 1x AZ 1x Hex Maniac 1x Team Flare Grunt 1x Xerosic 1x Lysandre’s Trump Card 4x VS Seeker 4x Super Scoop Up 4x Ultra Ball 4x Level Ball 2x Fighting Fury Belt 2x Float Stone	3x Water Energy 4x Double Colorless Energy

List by Michael Pramawat (2016 European International Champion, 2010 Worlds Finalist, 2014 US Nationals Finalist)

Sneaky Bite & Surprise Bites soften up your opponent’s Pokémon, allowing Seismitoad-EX’s Quaking Punch to more easily achieve knockouts. With Lysandre’s Trump Card to recover Super Scoop Ups (and everything else!), you’ll get additional chances at these Abilities, further piling the damage against your Item-locked opponent.

Seismitoad-EX/Giratina-EX

🌠 Iconic Deck

Pokémon (9)	Trainers (40)	Energy (8)
3x Giratina-EX 2x Seismitoad-EX 2x Shaymin-EX 1x Hoopa-EX 1x Giratina	2x Silent Lab 1x Team Aqua’s Secret Base 4x Professor Sycamore 4x N 2x Lysandre 1x Team Flare Grunt 1x Xerosic 1x AZ 1x Delinquent 1x Karen 4x VS Seeker 4x Ultra Ball 4x Crushing Hammer 4x Super Scoop Up 3x Trainers’ Mail 3x Fighting Fury Belt 3x Float Stone	4x Double Colorless Energy 4x Double Dragon Energy

List by Robin Schulz (2018 World Champion, 2019 Latin America International Champion)

While Quaking Punch can hamper opponents early in the game, its low-damage output isn’t always enough to finish the job when they eventually set up. That’s where Giratina-EX comes in, delivering late-game Chaos Wheel attacks to retake control.

Trevenant

🏆 Top Deck  🌠 Iconic Deck  🐣 Suitable for Beginners

Pokémon (15)	Trainers (37)	Energy (8)
4x Phantump 4x Trevenant 3x Trevenant BREAK 2x Shaymin-EX 2x Wobbuffet	4x Dimension Valley 4x Professor Sycamore 3x N 3x Wally 1x Delinquent 1x Lysandre 4x VS Seeker 4x Ultra Ball 4x Trainers’ Mail 4x Bursting Balloon 2x Level Ball 2x Float Stone 1x Super Rod	4x Psychic Energy 4x Mystery Energy

List by Vjeran Brodar (2016 Croatia National Champion)

With four Trainers’ Mail and two Shaymin-EX, this deck has the cards needed to find Wally on the first turn, producing the dreaded Turn 1 Trevenant. From there, you’ll aim to evolve one more time into Trevenant BREAK, spreading damage across your opponent’s board with its Silent Fear attack. Bursting Balloon gives you a way to pile more damage on your opponent’s attacking Pokémon, while 4 Dimension Valley ensure you can keep your attacks coming until you’ve erased your opponent’s board.

Vespiquen/Vileplume

🌠 Iconic Deck  🤡 Fun to Play

Pokémon (25)	Trainers (31)	Energy (4)
4x Combee 4x Vespiquen 4x Unown 4x Shaymin-EX 3x Oddish 3x Gloom 2x Vileplume 1x Bunnelby	4x Forest of Giant Plants 4x Professor Sycamore 4x Ultra Ball 4x Trainers’ Mail 4x Level Ball 3x Acro Bike 3x Battle Compressor 2x Float Stone 1x Muscle Band 1x Revitalizer 1x Special Charge	4x Double Colorless Energy

Full of Items and Pokémon that draw cards, this deck is capable of digging through your entire deck as soon as the game starts. Along the way, you’ll aim to pitch enough Pokémon into your discard pile so that Vespiquen’s Bee Revenge can one-hit KO whatever you’re up against. You won’t end your turn until you’ve evolved to Vileplume, though, ideally with a Float Stone attached to protect it from Lysandre. Under Item lock and staring down a Vespiquen capable of huge damage, your opponents typically won’t survive many turns.

Vileplume Box (Vileplume/Jolteon-EX/Aegislash-EX/Glaceon-EX)

Pokémon (21)	Trainers (30)	Energy (9)
3x Oddish 3x Gloom 3x Vileplume 3x Shaymin-EX 2x Jolteon-EX 2x Aegislash-EX 1x Glaceon-EX 1x Yveltal-EX 1x Magearna-EX 1x Trevenant-EX 1x Regice	4x Forest of Giant Plants 1x Parallel City 4x N 4x AZ 3x Professor Sycamore 2x Lysandre 2x Ninja Boy 4x Ultra Ball 4x Trainers’ Mail 2x Level Ball	1x Lightning Energy 4x Rainbow Energy 4x Double Colorless Energy

List by Sam Hough (2016 Worlds Semifinalist)

With a variety of pesky Pokémon, you’ll only make things harder on your opponent with an immediate Vileplume produced by Forest of Giant Plants. Four copies of AZ allow you to not only heal your Pokémon, but also return Vileplume to your hand, giving yourself a turn of Items before re-evolving to ensure your opponent isn’t afforded the same luxury.

Volcanion

🌠 Iconic Deck  🐣 Suitable for Beginners

Pokémon (10)	Trainers (38)	Energy (12)
4x Volcanion-EX 3x Volcanion 2x Shaymin-EX 1x Hoopa-EX	1x Parallel City 4x Professor Sycamore 3x N 3x Blacksmith 2x Lysandre 1x Fisherman 1x Pokémon Ranger 4x Ultra Ball 4x VS Seeker 3x Trainers’ Mail 3x Energy Retrieval 3x Fighting Fury Belt 3x Float Stone 2x Escape Rope 1x Startling Megaphone	12x Fire Energy

List by Jando Luna

Using Volcanion-EX’s Steam Up, you can boost its Volcanic Heat attack to reach one-hit KOs against opposing Pokémon-EX. This deck has a variety of ways to recover these spent Fire Energy cards, including Blacksmith, which helps you quickly power up multiple Volcanion-EX.

Watertoad (Seismitoad-EX/Manaphy-EX)

Pokémon (12)	Trainers (36)	Energy (12)
3x Seismitoad-EX 3x Shaymin-EX 2x Manaphy-EX 1x Glaceon-EX 1x Hoopa-EX 1x Aurorus-EX 1x Shaymin-EX	3x Rough Seas 1x Parallel City 4x Professor Sycamore 3x N 2x Delinquent 1x Lysandre 1x AZ 1x Xerosic 1x Hex Maniac 1x Lysandre’s Trump Card 4x VS Seeker 4x Ultra Ball 4x Max Elixir 3x Energy Switch 3x Fighting Fury Belt	12x Water Energy

List by Brit Pybas

Boosting Seismitoad-EX to 220 HP with Fighting Fury Belt, your opponent will struggle to achieve knockouts as you use Manaphy-EX’s Aqua Tube to easily switch between attackers, all while healing your Pokémon with Rough Seas. After enough Quaking Punch attacks have been delivered, you can shift to your more powerful attacks, like Grenade Hammer, or reach into your bag of tricks with attacks like Articuno’s Tri Edge and Glaceon-EX’s Crystal Ray.

Yveltal-EX/Zoroark

Pokémon (14)	Trainers (36)	Energy (10)
2x Zorua 2x Zoroark 1x Zoroark BREAK 2x Yveltal-EX 2x Seismitoad-EX 2x Shaymin-EX 1x Yveltal 1x Yveltal 1x Gallade	2x Parallel City 4x Professor Sycamore 2x N 2x Lysandre 1x Teammates 1x Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick 1x AZ 1x Delinquent 1x Lysandre’s Trump Card 4x Ultra Ball 4x Battle Compressor 4x VS Seeker 4x Trainers’ Mail 2x Muscle Band 2x Float Stone 1x Professor’s Letter	6x Darkness Energy 4x Double Colorless Energy

List by Tord Reklev (3x International Champion 2017–2018, 2018 North America International Finalist, 2019 Worlds Semifinalist)

Battle Compressor sets this deck on a perfect start, not only pitching Darkness Energy for Yveltal’s Oblivion Wing, but also discarding Gallade for a potential Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick. Oblivion Wing helps set up Yveltal-EX to deliver hard-hitting Evil Ball attacks, or you can even lead with Seismitoad-EX’s Quaking Punch to slow your opponent down, buying turns to build the big Evil Ball.

More Decks

If you’re looking for more decks, you’re in luck! I’ve got 20 lists that further showcase the format’s nearly endless possibilities for deck building. Click here for Page 2.

Fun Match-ups

Looking for some fun XY match-ups that give both sides a roughly equal chance of winning? Try any of these:

• Night March vs Yveltal/Zoroark
• Darkrai-EX/Giratina-EX vs M Manectric-EX
• Watertoad vs Yveltal/Zoroark
• M Audino-EX vs Raichu/Crobat
• Rainbow Road vs Night March

Rules

Here’s the rules unique to the XY Format that you’ll need to know to play:

• Setting Up: Players flip a coin before starting their match. The winner chooses to either go first or second.
• Playing First: The player who goes first cannot attack on their first turn. They may, however, play any type of cards as they normally would.

Erratas

• Galvantula’s (XY: Steam Siege 42/114) Double Thread attack can only target Benched Pokémon.

XY Intro | Decks Page 1 | Decks Page 2