Greninja — Standard Strategy Guide

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Archetype Overview

This Greninja list is a Water evolution toolbox: three Stage 1 and Stage 2 attackers fed by a search-heavy engine, with a Dusknoir line that turns spread damage into multi-Prize turns. It isn't a one-attacker deck. You build a board that hits hard for a single Energy attachment, then pick whichever attacker fits the target in front of you. Limitless user Tokashi took it to a Top 4 finish at Amyverse PTCG Live Weekly #19 Cash Prize! (2026-10-28) in a 213-player field.

The Three Attackers

• Greninja ex is the centerpiece. Its first attack does 170 for one Water Energy and searches your deck for any card, so every swing also tutors your next piece. Its second attack puts 120 on each of two opposing Pokémon. That attack costs Water plus two Colorless and discards two Energy, so you reset after each use.
• Mega Starmie ex has 330 HP. Its 210-damage attack costs three Colorless and ignores Weakness, Resistance and effects on the Defending Pokémon. Its one-Water attack does 120 to the Active plus 50 to the Bench.
• Mega Froslass ex punishes big hands with 50 damage per card for a single Water. Its 150-damage attack also leaves the Active Asleep.

Ignition Energy: One Attachment, Full Cost

Ignition Energy is what makes the attacker suite work. On an Evolution Pokémon it provides three Colorless, then discards itself at the end of your turn. That means:

• A lone Ignition Energy on Mega Starmie ex pays the full cost of its 210-damage attack.
• A Water Energy plus Ignition Energy on Greninja ex or Mega Froslass ex pays for their three-Energy attacks.

Every attacker in the deck can make its strongest play from a near-empty board. When your Greninja ex spread attack discards two Energy, the self-discarding Ignition Energy was leaving anyway. You never need to build up Energy over several turns, and the opponent never gets a loaded attacker to punish.

The Prize Plan: Spread Plus Damage Counters

The Duskull line is the finisher. Dusknoir places 13 damage counters and Dusclops places 5. Both Knock Themselves Out to do it.

• A Greninja ex spread attack plus a Dusknoir blast gives you 250 damage on one target and 120 on another in a single turn.
• The 50 Bench damage from Mega Starmie ex sets up the same kind of finish.

This is how the deck takes more than one Knock Out per turn. You leave damage around the board, then convert it to Prize cards with counters the opponent can't block by attacking into you.

Duskull can pull up to three Duskull back from the discard pile, so the line refuels after you use it. Your own Knock Outs also turn on Fezandipiti ex's draw.

Why the Engine Is Consistent

Stage 2 decks usually live or die on setup. This list stacks redundant ways to reach its evolutions.

Getting Basics down:

• Buddy-Buddy Poffin fetches Froakie, Snorunt, Duskull, Staryu and Budew, since all of them have 70 HP or less.
• Poké Pad and Ultra Ball find whatever piece is missing.
• Frogadier searches out three Pokémon at once for one Water.

Evolving:

• Grand Tree evolves a Basic to Stage 1 and then Stage 2 straight from the deck. That covers both Greninja ex and Dusknoir.
• Salvatore gets around the usual timing restriction. It can evolve a Pokémon you set up with or put into play this turn, as long as the evolution has no Abilities. That covers Frogadier, Greninja ex, Mega Starmie ex and Mega Froslass ex.
• Rare Candy and Hilda fill the remaining gaps.

The payoff: a Staryu benched this turn can become Mega Starmie ex through Salvatore and attack for 210 off a single Ignition Energy. That threatens a big hit before the opponent expects your board to be online.

Supporter access: Meowth ex grabs any Supporter when you bench it. Team Rocket's Petrel and Colress's Tenacity find Trainers, Stadiums and Energy. Lillie's Determination draws eight while you are still at six Prize cards. On top of all that, Greninja ex's own search keeps the deck from bricking once it is set up.

The Costs You Accept

The toolbox is thin:

• One Mega Starmie ex and one Mega Froslass ex. Lose either one early and that plan is gone unless you spend Night Stretcher on it.
• The Basics sit at 60-70 HP, so a board that hasn't evolved yet is fragile against early spread damage.
• Your attackers are multi-Prize Pokémon, and Mega Evolution Pokémon ex give up three Prize cards when Knocked Out (source: Scrydex Mega Evolution expansion rules listing, accessed 2026-10-19). Exposing Mega Starmie ex or Mega Froslass ex is a real Prize commitment.
• The Weaknesses are spread out: Psychic for Greninja ex, Metal for Mega Froslass ex, Lightning for Mega Starmie ex, Darkness for the Duskull line. You rarely fold to one type, but you also have no single safe wall.

Two more details matter in practice. Greninja ex is Fighting type, so Surfing Beach doesn't pivot it; that Stadium serves your Water Pokémon only. And Gravity Mountain takes 30 HP off your own Greninja ex and Dusknoir as well as the opponent's Stage 2s. Play it only when the opposing board loses more than yours.

Who Should Pick It Up

This deck suits players who enjoy Prize math and branching turns. Most turns ask you to choose:

• Which attacker to promote.
• Whether to search or spread with Greninja ex.
• Where to place counters with Dusknoir.
• Which single card to tutor.

The ceiling is high because the deck rarely lacks an answer. Getting there means reading two turns ahead.

At an estimated deck price of about $34 (TCGplayer market prices; approximate), it is also one of the most accessible ways to play a competitive Stage 2 strategy.

Look elsewhere if you want a linear deck that plays the same way every game. If you are willing to learn each line, this list rewards you for it.

Core Strategy & Game Plan

How the Deck Wins

This is a Stage 2 spread deck with a damage-counter finisher. Greninja ex is the engine and the main attacker. Mirage Barrage puts 120 on two Pokémon at once. Shinobi Blade hits for 170 and searches your deck for any card. The Dusclops and Dusknoir line turns those numbers into Knock Outs: Cursed Blast adds 5 or 13 damage counters without an attack. The two Mega attackers cover what Greninja can't handle alone. Mega Starmie ex brings raw single-target damage, and Mega Froslass ex punishes big hands.

You are proactive. You build a board on turns one and two, then take multiple Prize cards per turn by combining spread with Cursed Blast. You are not trying to out-trade anyone one-for-one. You are trying to make every attack count twice.

The Damage Math You Need Memorized

• Mirage Barrage + Dusknoir: 120 + 130 = 250 on one target, plus 120 on a second target.
• Mirage Barrage + Dusclops: 120 + 50 = 170 on one target, plus 120 elsewhere.
• Shinobi Blade + Dusknoir: 170 + 130 = 300 on a single Pokémon, plus a free search.
• Nebula Beam: 210 that ignores Weakness, Resistance, and any effects on the opposing Active Pokémon.
• Gravity Mountain: gives every Stage 2 in play -30 HP, which lowers every threshold above against opposing Stage 2s. It also drops your own Greninja ex to 280 and Dusknoir to 130. Only play it when it changes a Knock Out count.

Cursed Blast Knocks Out your own Dusclops or Dusknoir, and each one hands your opponent a Prize card. Count Prizes for both players before every Blast. Spending a Blast is right when it takes more than it gives, or when it closes the game.

The Energy Engine: Ignition Rhythm

Ignition Energy is the card that makes the list work. On an Evolution Pokémon it provides three Colorless Energy, then it discards at the end of your turn. That creates a two-turn cycle for Greninja ex:

1. Shinobi Blade turn: attach Water Energy, hit for 170, and search out your next Ignition Energy or a Boss's Orders.
2. Mirage Barrage turn: attach Ignition Energy to the Water-loaded Greninja to pay the full cost. Discard the Ignition and the Water to the attack's cost, which wastes nothing because Ignition was leaving anyway.

Each attack sets up the next. Mega Starmie ex needs even less: one Ignition Energy pays for Nebula Beam from zero, so Starmie can attack the turn it hits the board. Mega Froslass ex needs Water Energy for both attacks, and Water plus Ignition pays for Absolute Snow.

Two type details change how you play:

• Greninja ex is a Fighting-type Pokémon. Surfing Beach won't pivot it, and Bubbly Water Energy won't protect it from Special Conditions. Both cards serve your Water Pokémon: Froakie, Frogadier, Snorunt, Mega Froslass ex, Staryu, and Mega Starmie ex.
• Greninja has a Retreat Cost of 1, so it moves easily. Switch covers the turns when you can't spare an Energy.

The Setup Engine

Three paths reach Stage 2:

• Grand Tree: takes a Basic straight from Basic to Stage 2 using only deck searches. Colress's Tenacity finds it along with an Energy, and Team Rocket's Petrel can also fetch it.
• Rare Candy: a single copy for skipping the Stage 1.
• Frogadier: Summoning Jutsu searches out three Pokémon and fills your hand with your remaining Stage 2s and Megas.

The Stage 1 Megas have their own routes:

• Salvatore: evolves Pokémon that have no Abilities, including ones put into play this turn. A Staryu or Snorunt from Buddy-Buddy Poffin can become a Mega on the same turn.
• Hilda: grabs an Evolution Pokémon and an Energy at once, usually the Mega plus its Ignition Energy.

Supporting pieces keep the engine running:

• Meowth ex: fetches whichever Supporter the turn needs. Tuck Tail returns it to hand so you can use Last-Ditch Catch again later.
• Latias ex: gives your Basics free retreat for early pivoting.
• Fezandipiti ex: refills your hand after your opponent Knocks Out one of your Pokémon. A Cursed Blast happens on your own turn, so it does not trigger Flip the Script.

The Ideal Game

Turn 1:

• Use Buddy-Buddy Poffin to bench Froakie plus a Duskull, Snorunt, or Staryu. Add Poké Pad and Ultra Ball for the rest of the board.
• Attach Water Energy to the Froakie you plan to evolve.
• Going second with Budew available, Itchy Pollen costs nothing and shuts off your opponent's Items for their next turn.

Turn 2:

• Use Grand Tree or Rare Candy on that Froakie to make Greninja ex.
• The Water Energy stays attached through evolution. Add Ignition Energy and Mirage Barrage two targets, or attach Water and Shinobi Blade to search for whatever piece is missing.
• Get a second evolution line started. A Duskull that becomes Dusclops is ideal.

Turns 3 onward:

• Alternate Greninja's attacks on the Ignition rhythm.
• Spend Cursed Blasts only where they convert damage into Prize cards.
• Use Boss's Orders to drag damaged Benched Pokémon into range.
• Bring in Mega Starmie ex when you need one big single-target hit.
• Bring in Mega Froslass ex when your opponent's hand is large. Resentful Refrain does 50 for each card in their hand.
• Both Megas are Pokémon ex with Mega Evolution, and under the Mega rule a Knocked Out Mega gives up three Prize cards (source: Scrydex Mega Evolution expansion rules, accessed 2026-10-19). Commit one only when it can take a Knock Out or decide the game.

Closing: Once your opponent is at three or fewer Prize cards, Special Red Card strips their hand down to three. That can end their comeback and leave them unable to answer your last attack. Remember that it also shrinks Resentful Refrain, so don't play both on the same turn.

Card Choices & Breakdown

The Greninja Line: 3-2-2

Greninja ex is the deck's main attacker, and both attacks scale with the board. Shinobi Blade costs a single Water for 170 damage plus a free search of any card, so every swing also fixes your next turn. Mirage Barrage hits two targets for 120 each and is how you take two Prizes in one attack against spread-vulnerable boards. Because Ignition Energy provides three Colorless on an Evolution Pokémon, one Water plus one Ignition pays for Mirage Barrage the turn you evolve. If you already have two Water attached, discard the Ignition and one Water to Mirage Barrage's cost. Ignition leaves at end of turn anyway, and you keep a Water for Shinobi Blade next turn.

The line is only 3-2-2 because you rarely evolve it the slow way. Grand Tree goes Froakie straight to Greninja from the deck, Rare Candy skips the middle stage, and Hilda grabs the Stage 2 plus an Energy. Two Frogadier still matter. Summoning Jutsu searches three Pokémon, so a stranded Frogadier can still set up the rest of your board. Froakie's Collect is a fine turn-one attack when you have nothing better to do.

One type note: per its card text, Greninja ex is Fighting type. That means Surfing Beach can't move it, and Bubbly Water Energy attached to it provides Water but no Special Condition protection.

The Mega Package: Froslass and Starmie

Each Mega is a single copy because each fills one specific job.

• Mega Froslass ex punishes big hands. Resentful Refrain does 50 per card for one Water. Absolute Snow costs Water plus Ignition and does 150 while putting the opponent's Active Pokémon to sleep.
• Mega Starmie ex is your answer to damage-prevention and other effects on the opponent's Active. A single Ignition Energy pays all of Nebula Beam, which does 210 ignoring Weakness, Resistance, and effects on the Defending Pokémon. Jetting Blow (120 plus 50 to the Bench) sets up later Cursed Blast and Mirage Barrage Knock Outs.

Neither Mega has an Ability, so Salvatore can evolve Snorunt or Staryu on the turn it hits the Bench. Both evolved Megas are Water type, so Surfing Beach can pivot them in and out freely.

The Dusknoir Package: 2-2-2

Dusknoir supplies 13 damage counters and Dusclops supplies 5, both placed anywhere. Either one Knocks itself Out to do it. That damage is what turns 170 into a 300-damage turn, or two Mirage Barrage hits into two Knock Outs. Neither has a Rule Box, so Poké Pad finds every piece. Duskull's Come and Get You refills the Bench from the discard pile after you've spent a few.

Count your Prizes before each Cursed Blast. Every self-KO gives your opponent a Prize, so fire it only when it creates a Knock Out or sets up a guaranteed one.

Support Basics

• Meowth ex ×2: Last-Ditch Catch turns any Ultra Ball into whichever Supporter you need. Tuck Tail returns Meowth to your hand so you can reuse the search later. Remember the Poké Pad restriction: Meowth has a Rule Box, so only Ultra Ball finds it.
• Latias ex: Skyliner gives every Basic you own free retreat. Combined with Switch and Surfing Beach, that is enough mobility that the list runs no other switching cards.
• Budew: Itchy Pollen costs nothing and shuts off the opponent's Items for a turn. It is the best way to slow down a setup turn while you build your board.
• Fezandipiti ex: draws three after you lose a Pokémon on their turn. Cruel Arrow is also a clean 100 to any target to finish off damaged Pokémon.

Supporters

Lillie's Determination at three is the draw engine. Drawing eight at six Prizes makes it the ideal first Supporter.

The rest of the Supporters are one- and two-ofs because Meowth can tutor them:

• Hilda ×2 finds a Stage 2 and an Energy at once.
• Boss's Orders ×2 is your gust effect for targeted Knock Outs.
• Team Rocket's Petrel fetches whichever single Trainer you need: Rare Candy, a Stadium, or Special Red Card.
• Colress's Tenacity grabs a Stadium and an Energy together.
• Salvatore provides the immediate-evolution lines described above.

Items

Search is maxed out on purpose.

• Buddy-Buddy Poffin ×4: it fetches every Basic in the list except the Rule Box Pokémon, because Froakie, Snorunt, Duskull, Staryu, and Budew all have 70 HP or less.
• Ultra Ball ×4: your only Item route to the ex Pokémon.
• Poké Pad ×3: handles everything without a Rule Box at no card cost.
• Night Stretcher: gets back a discarded evolution piece or Basic Energy.
• Special Red Card: your late-game disruption. It only works once your opponent is at three or fewer Prizes, and it shrinks their hand to three cards.

Stadiums

• Grand Tree: the strongest Stadium in the list, giving you a free Basic-to-Stage 2 evolution every turn.
• Surfing Beach: repeatable pivoting between your Water Pokémon.
• Gravity Mountain: a targeted tech against opposing Stage 2 attackers. It also costs you 30 HP on Greninja ex (down to 280) and on Dusknoir (down to 130), so play it only when the math favors you.

Energy: 9 Total

Nine Energy is enough because the deck rarely needs more than one Water plus one Ignition in a turn, and Shinobi Blade can fetch the missing piece.

• Five Water Energy: the base of every attack.
• Three Ignition Energy: your burst turns. Never attach one to a Basic, where it provides only one Colorless and then disappears.
• Bubbly Water Energy: belongs on Mega Froslass ex or Mega Starmie ex, where it blocks Special Conditions.

The Decklist

Legality check before you register: the card data used for this guide flags the listed printing of Water Energy (not Standard-legal). The list is shown as it placed. Check it against the current official Standard card list for your event date before you register; another printing of the same card may be legal.

This is the 60 that took Top 4 at Amyverse PTCG Live Weekly #19 Cash Prize! (213 players, played by Tokashi). The list runs three attacker lines next to the Greninja core. It has a heavy search package and a thin Energy count that depends on Ignition Energy to pay for big attacks on Evolution Pokémon. Total cost is about $34 at TCGplayer market prices.

Pokémon (23)

Trainer (28)

Energy (9)

The flex slots marked above are where tuning happens. The Greninja ex, Dusknoir, and draw engine counts are the skeleton; treat them as fixed. Before cutting Switch for another tech, remember that Greninja ex, the Dusk line, and every ex Basic except the Water ones are outside the reach of Surfing Beach.

Opening Hands & Setup

You can't throw back a bad seven, so your opening decisions come down to two things: what goes Active, and what you deliberately keep off the Bench. This list has a lot of search for its Basics. Most hands that contain a single search card turn into a functional board. The hands that lose are the ones where you put the wrong Pokémon in play during setup.

Strong vs. Weak Openings

• Strong: a low-cost Basic to start, at least one Basic-finder (Buddy-Buddy Poffin, Poké Pad, or Ultra Ball), a Supporter or Meowth ex to fetch one, and a Water Energy. That hand benches two Froakie plus a second line on turn one and evolves on turn two.
• Strong going second: Salvatore with Snorunt or Staryu and a Water Energy or Bubbly Water Energy. That hand attacks with a Mega on your first turn.
• Weak: a lone Pokémon ex Active (Meowth ex or Fezandipiti ex) with no search, or a hand full of Stage 1s, Stage 2s, and Stadiums with no way to find Basics. Your outs are your draw: Froakie's Collect for one card, or Lillie's Determination, which draws 8 while you still have all 6 Prize cards.

Choosing Your Active

1. Budew is the best starter. It has retreat 0, so it never strands you. Itchy Pollen costs nothing and shuts off your opponent's Items for their next turn. If it gets Knocked Out, it only gives up a single Prize card.
2. Froakie or Duskull are fine. Each has retreat 1. Froakie can Collect to dig, and Duskull can later recover fallen Duskull with Come and Get You.
3. Snorunt or Staryu are ideal only when you're going second and holding Salvatore, because you evolve and attack right away.
4. Latias ex is acceptable. Skyliner removes the Retreat Cost of your Basics, including its own, so it can pivot out for free. It is still a two-Prize body sitting in front.
5. Meowth ex or Fezandipiti ex should start only when they are your only Basics.

The edge most players miss: never place Meowth ex on the Bench during setup if you can avoid it. Last-Ditch Catch only triggers when you play it from your hand onto your Bench during your turn. Hold it in hand and drop it on turn one to tutor whatever Supporter the hand is missing.

Going First or Second

Choose second by default. The player going first can't attack or play a Supporter on their first turn, and this deck's strongest openers are Supporter-driven:

• Salvatore can evolve a Pokémon you put down during setup, or one put into play that turn. That gives you a turn-one Mega Froslass ex or Mega Starmie ex.
• Resentful Refrain does 50 damage per card in your opponent's hand. An opponent who just went first is often still holding a big hand.
• Lillie's Determination draws 8 on your first turn.
• Budew can Itchy Pollen before your opponent's second turn, when their Item-heavy setup matters most.

Going first gives you nothing to compensate. Grand Tree and Rare Candy both can't evolve anything on your first turn either way. The extra turn only gets you a Bench, and second gets you a Bench plus an attack.

Turn-One Priorities

1. Bench two Froakie. Greninja ex is the primary attacker, and the second Froakie is your insurance against a Knock Out on the first. Buddy-Buddy Poffin grabs any of your 70-HP-or-less Basics: Froakie, Snorunt, Staryu, Duskull, and Budew.
2. Add Duskull if you have space, so a Dusknoir is ready for turn two or three.
3. Attach Water Energy to the Froakie you plan to evolve. Mirage Barrage and Absolute Snow each cost Water plus two Colorless. You can attach only one Energy per turn, so the Water has to already be in place. Then on turn two, Ignition Energy on the evolved Pokémon covers the other two as three Colorless Energy.
4. Drop Meowth ex from hand for the Supporter you need next:
   • Colress's Tenacity for Grand Tree plus Energy.
   • Hilda for a Stage 2 plus Energy when you already hold Rare Candy.
   • Salvatore when going second.
5. Don't overfill the Bench. Leave a slot open for turn-two Meowth ex or Fezandipiti ex.
6. Against Dragapult, ration your Duskull. Dragapult is the archetype the brief names most often in online Top 8s (source: Limitless online Top 8 data, Oct 5–19, 2026). Phantom Dive's 6 damage counters on the Bench Knock Out 60-HP Duskull outright and leave your 70-HP Basics on 10. Bench only the Duskull you'll evolve soon.

Turn-Two Priorities

1. Get Grand Tree into play. Find it with Colress's Tenacity or Team Rocket's Petrel if it isn't already in hand. Use it to take a Froakie straight to Greninja ex, skipping Frogadier. This works on a Froakie that was in play since last turn.
2. Use Rare Candy on a second line, usually Duskull into Dusknoir. That gives you an attacker and a 13-counter Cursed Blast on the same turn.
3. Attack with Greninja ex. Use Shinobi Blade when you need a specific card from your deck. Use Mirage Barrage when two of the opponent's Pokémon are in range of 120. Remember that Surfing Beach won't move Greninja ex, because it's a Fighting-type.
4. If you whiffed Grand Tree, a benched Froakie can still go to Frogadier and use Summoning Jutsu for 3 Pokémon. That rebuilds the board for turn three.

Sequencing & Key Lines

Turn one: build the board

Your first turn decides whether Grand Tree has targets on turn two. Basics put into play this turn can't evolve next turn unless they are already on the Bench when that turn begins, so the Basics need to be down now.

1. Buddy-Buddy Poffin first. Take Froakie plus Duskull by default. Take Snorunt or Staryu only when you already have a Froakie down. Poffin thins the deck before any draw.
2. Meowth ex before you commit to a Supporter. Meowth ex isn't a Poffin or Poké Pad target, so it comes from hand or Ultra Ball. Only one Last-Ditch Ability per turn, so drop just one.
3. Going second, the default Supporter is Lillie's Determination. At exactly 6 Prize cards it draws 8. Play every search Item you need first, then shuffle away the leftovers.
4. Budew Active going second is your tempo play. Itchy Pollen costs nothing and stops the opponent's Items for a turn.

Turn two: the evolution turn

Grand Tree evolves once per turn, Basic to Stage 1 to Stage 2 in one resolution. Rare Candy gives you a second Stage 2. Choose based on what you need to do this turn:

• You need to attack: Grand Tree the Froakie into Greninja ex. Attach Ignition Energy to it, where it provides three Colorless, plus a Water Energy. That pays for either attack.
• You need a KO you can't reach with attacks: Grand Tree the Duskull into Dusknoir, or Rare Candy it, and hold Cursed Blast until the attack is set up.
• No Grand Tree: Salvatore works on a Basic put into play this turn. Poffin a Snorunt or Staryu and evolve it straight into Mega Froslass ex or Mega Starmie ex. Salvatore can't fetch Dusclops or Dusknoir because they have Abilities.
• Bricked: evolve into Frogadier and attack with Summoning Jutsu for three Pokémon.

Hilda fetches an Evolution Pokémon and an Energy. Use it to pair Greninja ex or a Mega with the Ignition Energy for that turn's attack.

Ignition Energy rules every attack turn

Ignition Energy is discarded at the end of your turn and only provides three Colorless on an Evolution Pokémon. Attach it the turn you attack, and never to a Basic as a setup attachment.

• Mega Starmie ex: one Ignition Energy pays for Nebula Beam (210, ignoring Weakness, Resistance and effects on the Active).
• Greninja ex: Mirage Barrage discards 2 Energy. With Water plus Ignition attached, you lose a card that was leaving anyway. Keep the Water flow steady: Night Stretcher and Shinobi Blade's search both refill it.

Damage math to know cold

Your three Stadiums can't stack. You play only one per turn, and each replaces the last. Use Gravity Mountain only when the -30 HP on Stage 2s swings a knockout. It also shrinks your own Greninja ex to 280 and Dusknoir to 130. Opponents can use your Grand Tree too, so against evolution decks, cover it once your own Stage 2s are in play.

Branch points

• Every Cursed Blast hands over a Prize card. Count the opponent's Prizes before each one. A Dusknoir that wins a trade but gives them their last Prize loses the game.
• Your Mega Pokémon ex give up three Prizes when Knocked Out; Greninja ex gives two. Lead with Greninja ex. Promote a Mega when its damage closes the game or the opponent's attacker can't take it in one hit.
• Sequence Special Red Card around Resentful Refrain. Never play it into a big hand you could punish with Mega Froslass ex instead. If their hand is 0–2 cards and they're at 3 or fewer Prizes, Red Card sets them to 3 for a 150 Refrain.
• Fezandipiti ex needs a Knock Out from the opponent's turn. Your own Cursed Blast doesn't enable it. Bench it after they take a KO.
• Retreat lanes differ. Surfing Beach only swaps Water Pokémon, and Greninja ex is Fighting type. Latias ex frees only Basics. Save Switch for Greninja ex and Dusknoir.

Playing around Bench spread

Dragapult took 37 of 176 online Top 8 slots (source: Limitless TCG online platform, Oct 5–19, 2026). Its Phantom Dive places 6 damage counters across your Bench, which sets up your whole sequencing:

• Exposure: Duskull (60) and Budew (30) die to a single Phantom Dive. Froakie, Snorunt and Staryu at 70 survive it unless they already have damage.
• Bench only what you evolve next turn. Don't leave a row of Duskull and Budew as free Prizes.
• Keep Duskull in the discard as a resource. Come and Get You puts up to three back onto your Bench, and Night Stretcher rebuys a fallen Dusknoir.
• Answer: against a 320 HP Dragapult ex, Nebula Beam plus Dusknoir is your clean one-turn KO.

Against Basic Box, Tera Ogerpon ex on the Bench prevents attack damage. That blocks Mirage Barrage, Jetting Blow's spread and Cruel Arrow. Cursed Blast is an Ability, not an attack, so it still lands. Drop counters on a Benched Ogerpon, then Boss's Orders it Active to finish it.

What to hold

Hold Boss's Orders until the knockout is real. Hold your second Duskull line until Dusknoir is spent. Hold Team Rocket's Petrel and Colress's Tenacity for Meowth ex fetches that need a specific Trainer or Stadium. Your Prize math matters more than your draw count.

Matchup Matrix

Dragapult

This is the matchup to prepare for. Plain Dragapult alone took 37 of 176 online Top 8 slots (source: Limitless TCG online platform, Oct 5-19, 2026). Phantom Dive does 200 to the Active and spreads 6 damage counters across your Bench. That cleanly removes a Duskull or Budew and leaves Froakie, Snorunt and Staryu at 10 HP.

Don't flood the Bench with Basics you can't evolve that turn. Use Grand Tree to take Duskull straight to Dusknoir so it doesn't sit exposed.

The damage math:

• Greninja ex survives a Phantom Dive even under your own Gravity Mountain (280 HP).
• Dragapult ex is a Stage 2, so with Gravity Mountain down it sits at 290. Shinobi Blade's 170 plus a Dusknoir Cursed Blast (130) takes it.
• Without the Stadium, use Mega Starmie ex's Nebula Beam (210) plus Cursed Blast to reach 320.
• Early on, Mirage Barrage can hit two targets at once. Aim it at the evolution line still on their Bench.

Against the Blaziken build, the same plan holds. For that side of the matchup, see our Dragapult Blaziken Standard guide.

The Dusknoir build is more dangerous. Their own Cursed Blast (130) plus Phantom Dive reaches 330, which Knocks Out Greninja ex at full HP. Don't leave a lone attacker unbacked. For that side of the matchup, see our Dragapult Dusknoir Standard guide.

For the base list, see our Dragapult Standard guide.

Basic Box

This list is almost entirely Basic Pokémon ex, so Gravity Mountain only shrinks your own Stage 2s. Leave it in the deck.

Teal Mask and Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex are Tera Pokémon: on the Bench, they take no damage from attacks. Mirage Barrage and Jetting Blow's Bench damage do nothing to them. Cursed Blast places damage counters through an Ability, not an attack, so it still reaches a Benched Ogerpon.

Mega Kangaskhan ex has 300 HP and gives up 3 Prizes. Shinobi Blade plus Dusknoir is exactly 300, and that exchange spends only your single-Prize Dusknoir. Rapid-Fire Combo starts at 200 and needs three heads to Knock Out a full-HP Greninja ex.

Budew's Itchy Pollen is strong here, since their engine leans on Energy Switch and Ultra Ball. Late, Special Red Card cuts down a hand built for the final turn. For that side of the matchup, see our Basic Box Standard guide.

Lucario Hariyama

Meowth ex and Fezandipiti ex are weak to Fighting. Aura Jab's 130 doubles past either one's HP, so bench them only when you need the effect, and never as late-game filler.

Your attackers hold up better. Mega Brave's 270 doesn't Knock Out Greninja ex, even at 280 under Gravity Mountain, and it doesn't Knock Out either of your Megas.

Mega Lucario ex has 340 HP. Shinobi Blade plus Cursed Blast falls short at 300, but Nebula Beam plus Dusknoir lands exactly 340 for 3 Prizes. The best window to set that up is the turn after Mega Brave, because they can't use it again on the following turn. For that side of the matchup, see our Lucario Hariyama Standard guide.

N's Zoroark

N's Zoroark ex is a Darkness type with 280 HP. Your Duskull line and Latias ex are all weak to Darkness, so keep Latias ex off the Bench unless free retreat wins the turn.

Greninja ex isn't Darkness-weak and does the heavy lifting. Shinobi Blade plus Cursed Blast reaches 300 and takes the Zoroark. Night Joker copies attacks from Benched N's Pokémon, so use Mirage Barrage to strip those Benched Pokémon away and shrink its options. For that side of the matchup, see our N's Zoroark Standard guide.

Other Stage 2 setup decks

You're favored. Gravity Mountain lowers their finished attackers into Cursed Blast range. Mirage Barrage and Fezandipiti ex's Cruel Arrow pick off Basics and Stage 1s on the Bench before they evolve. Lead Budew to delay any Rare Candy turn.

Single-Prize toolbox and spread

You're unfavored. Every Greninja ex or Meowth ex you lose gives up 2 Prizes, and each Mega gives up 3, while they give up 1 per Knock Out. Lean on Dusknoir and Dusclops for one-for-one trades. Keep your two-Prize Pokémon on the Bench to a minimum. Hold Mega Froslass ex for turns when their hand is large, so Resentful Refrain hits hard.

Tech Choices & Variations

Most of this list is load-bearing: the Froakie and Duskull lines, four Buddy-Buddy Poffin, four Ultra Ball, and the draw Supporters. The real flex is in about eight slots: the single-copy Supporters, the three one-of Stadiums, Budew, Special Red Card, Latias ex, and the Energy split.

The Flex Slots

Tuning for Your Field

Dragapult-heavy rooms. Dragapult took 37 of 176 Top 8 slots across the largest online Standard events (source: Limitless TCG online platform, Oct 5–19, 2026). Phantom Dive puts 6 damage counters on your Bench in any split the opponent likes. Every Budew, Duskull, Froakie and Snorunt you bench is a Prize target.

• Cut Budew for a 2nd Night Stretcher. Recovering a lost Frogadier or Dusclops matters more than one turn of Item lock.
• Bench only what you plan to evolve next turn.
• Your answer to their 320 HP attacker is Mega Starmie ex's Nebula Beam (210) plus Dusknoir's Cursed Blast (130). That's 340, which is enough.
• Protect Rare Candy and Grand Tree. They are how Dusknoir arrives on time.

Basic Box rooms. Basic Box took 17 Top 8 slots over the same window (source: Limitless TCG online platform, Oct 5–19, 2026). It is built almost entirely from Basic Pokémon ex, so Gravity Mountain does nothing for you there. Swap it for a 2nd Surfing Beach.

• Keep Budew. All 17 of those lists played 4 Ultra Ball and 4 Energy Switch (source: Limitless TCG online platform, Oct 5–19, 2026), so a turn without Items costs them.
• Greninja ex is Fighting type. Their Meowth ex and Fezandipiti ex carry Fighting Weakness, so Shinobi Blade hits either one in the Active Spot for 340.
• Shinobi Blade (170) plus Cursed Blast (130) exactly Knocks Out a 300 HP Mega Kangaskhan ex, which is worth 3 Prizes.
• Benched Tera Ogerpon ex prevent attack damage. Mirage Barrage and Jetting Blow won't touch them there. Cursed Blast places damage counters through an Ability, so it still does.

Evolution-heavy rooms. Against Stage 2 lines like Alakazam (Abra/Kadabra/Alakazam), Gravity Mountain earns its slot. It is the Stadium to keep if you trim to two. Before you drop it, check that your own Greninja ex at 280 HP survives what they're swinging.

Dhelmise/Banette. Dhelmise, Shuppet and Banette are Psychic with Darkness Weakness (source: TCGdex card data, accessed 2026-10-19). Fezandipiti ex is your only Darkness Pokémon. Its Cruel Arrow deals 200 to an Active one of them. If that deck is in your room, this is the one slot you never cut.

Lucario Hariyama. Mega Lucario ex has 340 HP and gives up 3 Prizes. Nebula Beam plus Cursed Blast is exactly 340, the same pairing that handles Dragapult. Keep the Mega Starmie ex line intact rather than trading it for a third Greninja ex.

Budget Options

Where the Money Is

The full list comes to about $34 (TCGplayer market prices; approximate), so you are trimming a cheap deck, not rebuilding an expensive one. If any slots carry most of that cost, they are most likely the Rule Box Pokémon: Greninja ex, Mega Froslass ex, Mega Starmie ex, Latias ex, Meowth ex and Fezandipiti ex. The Trainers, the Energy and the non-ex evolution lines are usually the commodity part of a list like this. Prices move, so check current listings before you decide what to proxy-test and what to buy first.

What You Never Cut

• Greninja ex (2) and the Froakie / Frogadier line. This is the deck. Shinobi Blade's free search each turn and Mirage Barrage's double 120 spread are your win condition. If you can only buy one ex card, buy this one.
• The Duskull / Dusclops / Dusknoir line. Cursed Blast is how you turn 120 and 170 into Knock Outs on big ex Pokémon. Without it, Greninja's damage falls short of real numbers.
• The search package: Buddy-Buddy Poffin, Ultra Ball, Poké Pad, Rare Candy, Grand Tree and the Supporter suite. These keep the Stage 2 engine consistent. Cutting them saves almost nothing and costs you games.

Budget Swaps and What They Cost You

Each ex you remove makes Poké Pad better, because it can't fetch Rule Box Pokémon. A list with fewer ex cards gets more out of its 3 copies. The trade-off is fewer two-Prize threats that can take a big Knock Out on their own.

Removing the Mega Pokémon also lowers your Prize liability. Under the Mega Evolution Pokémon ex rule, a Knocked Out Mega gives up 3 Prize cards instead of 2 (source: Scrydex Mega Evolution expansion rules page, accessed 2026-10-19). The budget build loses top-end damage but is harder to close out in fewer turns.

The Floor: How Far Down You Can Go

The minimum functional build is 2 Greninja ex, 1 Meowth ex, the full Froakie and Dusknoir lines, and every Trainer. That deck still does what matters. It sets up Greninja, uses Cursed Blast to put Mirage Barrage targets in range, and gets help from Gravity Mountain against opposing Stage 2s.

What it lacks is flexibility. It has no second attacker type to go around effects on the Active Pokémon, no Sleep, and no catch-up draw. Expect it to struggle most when you fall behind early, because Fezandipiti ex and Meowth ex are the cards that rescue weak hands.

Upgrade Path

1. 2nd Meowth ex. This is the biggest consistency gain per card. It works as a fifth copy of whichever Supporter you need.
2. Latias ex. It smooths every opening and every pivot. Bad starts with stuck Basics cost more games than missing damage does.
3. Fezandipiti ex. It gives you a comeback draw and reach to the Bench. Add it once your setup is reliable enough that falling behind is the problem, not stumbling.
4. Mega Starmie ex and Staryu. This adds a second attacking plan that ignores effects on the Defending Pokémon.
5. Mega Froslass ex and 2 Snorunt. Add these last. They are the most situational piece, and they get much better once Special Red Card is in the list to feed Resentful Refrain.

At each step, swap back the filler copy you added for that slot, so the deck never goes above 60 cards.

Common Mistakes

1. Treating Greninja ex like a Water Pokémon

Your whole evolution line is Water until the last step. Greninja ex is Fighting type. Surfing Beach only swaps an Active Water Pokémon with a Benched Water Pokémon, so it can't pull Greninja out of the Active Spot and can't promote it from the Bench. Bubbly Water Energy still provides Water Energy on Greninja, but its Special Condition immunity applies only to the Water Pokémon it's attached to, so it does nothing for Greninja. Latias ex removes Retreat Costs only for Basics. When Greninja needs to move, your outs are Switch or paying its Retreat Cost of 1. Plan for that before you commit an Energy you might need to discard.

2. Firing Cursed Blast without counting your own Prizes

Dusclops and Dusknoir Knock themselves Out to place their damage counters. Each one gives your opponent a Prize card. Before you use either Ability, check three things:

• Your opponent's Prize count. If the self-KO hands them their last Prize, you lose on the spot.
• Your own Prize count. At 6 Prizes, Lillie's Determination draws 8. Taking an early Prize with a Cursed Blast drops it to 6 cards.
• Whether you need a Fezandipiti ex draw. Fezandipiti ex's Flip the Script checks only for Knock Outs during your opponent's last turn. A Cursed Blast happens on your turn, so it never powers your own draw.

Blast when it converts directly into Prizes, such as finishing a damaged Pokémon or setting up an attack KO. Don't use it as a speculative chip.

3. Wasting Ignition Energy

Ignition Energy is discarded at the end of your turn. On a Basic Pokémon it provides only one Colorless Energy. Attaching it early, or to the wrong body, wastes your attachment for the turn. Attach it only on the turn you attack, and only to an Evolution Pokémon:

• Mega Starmie ex from zero Energy. Ignition alone provides three Colorless, enough for the 210-damage attack that ignores effects on the opponent's Active Pokémon.
• Mega Froslass ex or Greninja ex with one Water already attached. One Water Energy plus Ignition pays a Water-Colorless-Colorless attack.

Ignition on Fezandipiti ex or Meowth ex covers only one of their three-Energy costs. Neither attacks off Ignition alone.

4. Dropping Gravity Mountain without checking your own board

Gravity Mountain gives every Stage 2 in play −30 HP, and that includes yours. Your Greninja ex drops to 280 and your Dusknoir drops to 130. Only play it when the reduction puts an opposing Stage 2 into KO range this turn or next, through some combination of an attack and Cursed Blast. If they have no Stage 2 in play, or the math works without it, keep it in hand. It is also your answer for replacing an opponent's Stadium, which matters more than a −30 that does nothing.

5. Giving your opponent a free Grand Tree

Grand Tree works during each player's turn. Against a Basic-heavy deck it's pure upside. Against an evolution deck, the Stadium you played to evolve Frogadier into Greninja ex can do the same for their Stage 2 on their very next turn. Against evolution decks:

• Use Rare Candy or Salvatore first where possible.
• If you do play Grand Tree, plan to replace it with Surfing Beach or Gravity Mountain before your opponent gets several turns out of it.

Also note Grand Tree's restriction: it can't evolve a Basic during your first turn or a Basic put into play this turn.

6. Fetching the wrong pieces for each evolution tool

Each evolution tool has limits, and misreading them wastes a Supporter or an Item:

• Salvatore only finds a card with no Abilities. It can grab Frogadier, Greninja ex, Mega Froslass ex, or Mega Starmie ex, but never Dusclops or Dusknoir.
• Rare Candy is your fastest way to put Dusknoir directly onto Duskull.
• Poké Pad can't find Pokémon with a Rule Box. That means no Meowth ex, Latias ex, Fezandipiti ex, or any ex attacker.
• Ultra Ball is your search for those Rule Box Pokémon.

Meowth ex only grabs a Supporter when played from your hand onto your Bench, so searching it with Ultra Ball and benching it right away is the line.

7. Playing Special Red Card before Resentful Refrain

Mega Froslass ex's Resentful Refrain does 50 damage for each card in your opponent's hand. Special Red Card leaves them with exactly 3 cards, which caps the attack at 150. If Froslass is attacking this turn and their hand is large, attack into the big hand and skip the Red Card. Save Red Card for turns when Greninja ex or Mega Starmie ex is attacking, or when cutting their resources is worth more than the damage. Remember it's only playable once your opponent has 3 or fewer Prize cards remaining.

8. Overbenching your two-Prize Basics

Meowth ex, Latias ex, and Fezandipiti ex are all two-Prize Pokémon. Your Megas are worse: under the Mega Evolution rule, a Knocked Out Mega Evolution Pokémon ex gives up 3 Prize cards. Dropping every ex you draw onto the Bench hands spread and gust decks an easy path to six. Bench Meowth only when you need the Supporter. Keep Latias in the deck unless free retreat on your Basics is actually changing a turn. Lean on your single-Prize attackers and Cursed Blast bodies to make your opponent take Prizes the hard way.

Tournament Prep & Final Notes

What to Practice Before the Event

• Damage math against the format's big ex Pokémon. Drill the combinations until they're automatic. Dusknoir's 130 from Cursed Blast plus Shinobi Blade's 170 is exactly 300, enough for Mega Kangaskhan ex (300 HP) or N's Zoroark ex (280 HP). Against Dragapult ex (320 HP) or Mega Lucario ex (340 HP), swap in Nebula Beam's 210 so the total reaches 340. Add a Dusclops for another 50 when a number comes up short. (HP values: TCGdex card data, accessed 2026-10-19.)
• Choosing your attacker each turn. Mirage Barrage, Jetting Blow and Resentful Refrain pressure the board in different ways. Play practice games where you write down which attacker you're building toward by turn two, and why. The deck folds when you invest in all three halfway.
• Counting Duskull. Before you trade a Dusknoir away, know how many Duskull are in the discard, on the Bench and left in the deck. Come and Get You and Night Stretcher decide whether you have one more Cursed Blast or you're out.
• Prize mapping with Megas in the list. The Mega Evolution rule gives up 3 Prize cards when one is Knocked Out (source: Scrydex rules listing, accessed 2026-10-19). That covers Mega Froslass ex and Mega Starmie ex. Map whether your opponent can take your last Prizes from a Mega KO plus one more before you commit one to the Active Spot.

Rules Interactions to Know Cold

• Greninja ex is a Fighting-type Pokémon. Surfing Beach only switches between Water Pokémon, so it can't pivot Greninja ex in or out. Bubbly Water Energy still provides Water to it, but the Special Condition immunity only applies to a Water Pokémon. Put the Bubbly on Mega Froslass ex or Mega Starmie ex when immunity is the point.
• Ignition Energy scales on Evolution Pokémon only. On Mega Starmie ex it pays all of Nebula Beam by itself. On Greninja ex or Mega Froslass ex it covers the Colorless part of Mirage Barrage or Absolute Snow, but you still need a real Water attached. On Fezandipiti ex or Meowth ex it gives a single Colorless. It's discarded at the end of your turn, so the next attack starts from zero.
• Cursed Blast doesn't turn on Fezandipiti ex. Flip the Script checks for a Knock Out during your opponent's last turn. Dusclops and Dusknoir Knock themselves Out on your turn. The card text calls it a Knock Out, so count it on your opponent's Prize trail.
• Salvatore can't fetch the Dusk line. It only finds cards with no Abilities, which rules out Dusclops and Dusknoir. It does find Frogadier, Greninja ex, Mega Froslass ex and Mega Starmie ex, even onto a Pokémon put into play this turn. That is the line Grand Tree and Rare Candy can't do.
• Grand Tree works for your opponent too. If they run Evolution Pokémon, consider replacing it with Gravity Mountain on their turn cycle. Remember that Gravity Mountain also lowers your own Greninja ex to 280 HP and Dusknoir to 130 HP.
• Special Red Card feeds Mega Froslass ex. When your opponent is at 3 or fewer Prizes, it leaves them exactly three cards in hand. That sets up Resentful Refrain for 150, on top of disrupting whatever hand they built.
• Meowth ex triggers only from hand to Bench. Tuck Tail returns it to your hand so you can replay it later for another Supporter. You can still only use one Last-Ditch Ability per turn.
• Latias ex covers Basics only. Free retreat ends the moment a Pokémon evolves. Your evolved Pokémon still pay their printed Retreat Cost: 1 for Greninja ex, 2 for Mega Starmie ex, 3 for Dusknoir.

Clock Management

This list searches constantly: Summoning Jutsu, Shinobi Blade, Grand Tree, Poké Pad, Ultra Ball, Hilda, Team Rocket's Petrel, Meowth ex. Every search costs clock, especially on an online client where animations add up. Decide what you're taking before you open the deck.

Use Shinobi Blade's free search on the card that wins next turn, not a "nice to have." Late in the game, you can often skip optional searches entirely when the card you need is already in hand. Don't play Lillie's Determination at 6 Prizes on autopilot. Draw 8 when your hand is weak, but keep a hand that already holds Evolution pieces and a Stadium.

Final Assessment

The list's strength is flexibility. You have three different Stage 1 or Stage 2 attackers, Dusknoir and Dusclops to finish off big Pokémon ex, and Budew and Special Red Card to disrupt opponents who rely on Items or a built-up hand. A Top 4 finish out of 213 players shows the toolbox can carry a full Swiss run and a cut.

The costs are real:

• A single Rare Candy and single copies of each Mega mean prized or discarded pieces hurt.
• Both Megas give up 3 Prizes.
• The deck depends on getting Stage 2s online on time.

At around $34, it's an affordable list that rewards players who are comfortable with damage counters and Prize maps. Pick it up if you enjoy calculating the exact Knock Out every turn. Pass on it if you want a deck that wins on autopilot.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does this Greninja deck win games?

It is a Stage 2 spread deck with a damage-counter finisher. You build a board on turns one and two, then take multiple Prize cards per turn by combining Greninja ex spread damage with Cursed Blast from Dusclops and Dusknoir, making every attack count twice.

Why is Ignition Energy so important in this list?

On an Evolution Pokémon, Ignition Energy provides three Colorless and then discards itself at the end of your turn. A lone Ignition pays for Mega Starmie ex's 210-damage attack, and Water plus Ignition pays for the three-Energy attacks on Greninja ex or Mega Froslass ex, so you never need to build Energy over several turns.

What damage combinations should I memorize?

Shinobi Blade plus a Dusknoir Cursed Blast is 300 on one Pokémon, and Mirage Barrage plus Dusknoir puts 250 on one target and 120 on another. Nebula Beam plus Dusknoir reaches 340, and adding Dusclops gives another 50 when a number comes up short.

When should I use Cursed Blast?

Every Cursed Blast Knocks Out your own Dusclops or Dusknoir and gives your opponent a Prize card, so count Prizes for both players first. Use it only when it converts directly into Prizes or closes the game, never when it hands your opponent their last Prize.

What is the hardest matchup for this Greninja deck?

The guide rates single-Prize toolbox and spread decks as unfavored, because your ex Pokémon give up 2 Prizes and each Mega gives up 3 while they give up 1. Lean on Dusknoir and Dusclops for trades and keep two-Prize Pokémon off the Bench.

How should I play against Dragapult?

The guide calls it even and the matchup to prepare for. Bench only what you will evolve next turn, since Phantom Dive's Bench counters remove Duskull or Budew. Answer Dragapult ex with Nebula Beam plus Dusknoir, or Shinobi Blade plus Dusknoir with Gravity Mountain down.

What are good budget swaps for this deck?

The full list is about $34, and the guide's swaps include cutting Fezandipiti ex for a 4th Lillie's Determination, one Meowth ex for a Boss's Orders or Hilda, or Latias ex for a 2nd Switch. Never cut Greninja ex, the Dusknoir line, or the search package.

What common rules mistakes should I avoid with Greninja ex?

Greninja ex is Fighting type, so Surfing Beach can't pivot it and Bubbly Water Energy gives it no Special Condition protection. Also remember Gravity Mountain drops your own Greninja ex to 280 and Dusknoir to 130, and Cursed Blast never triggers Fezandipiti ex.

Metagame Context

Built from Tokashi's Top 4 list at Amyverse PTCG Live Weekly #19 Cash Prize! (213 players, 2026-10-28), via the Limitless platform. Metagame context comes from a research brief dated 2026-10-19 covering 2026-10-05 to 2026-10-19, drawn from Limitless TCG event results; TCGdex; Scrydex. Card text and prices: TCGdex.

Source: tournament results. Decklist and placements as reported by the event organizer.