Darkness types have always been among the strongest in Pokémon TCG Pocket. Be it the dreaded Darkrai EX, the oppressive Mega Absol EX, or the various Pokémon using poison shenanigans like Nihilego or Weezing, you can be sure that going up against these decks is going to be a huge challenge.
While Mega Evolutions are theoretically some of the best in the meta, the Mega Rising set unleashed a new monster from the Darkness realm that has terrorized Ranked battles. Surprisingly, this Pokémon is neither a Mega Evolution nor an EX card, but it has established itself as arguably the strongest in TCG Pocket: the most fearsome Pseudo Legendary of them all, the abomination that seems fitting for House Targaryen… it is Hydreigon.
As mentioned, Hydreigon made its debut in the Mega Rising set, and despite the set having powerhouses like Mega Blaziken, it is Hydreigon that everyone fears going up against.
So let’s take a deep dive into this brutal card, what makes it click, and how it has cemented itself as the scariest Pokémon in TCG Pocket.
An EX card, but better
On first glance, Hydreigon looks like a textbook non-Mega EX Pokémon. It has a neat 150 HP and a damage output of 130.
However, not being an EX is also a perk, as losing it only costs 1 point, and you still have the game left in your hands.
Overall, getting 130 DMG from a non-EX is amazing, but the 3 Energy cost for the attack seems shady. That’s where the true magic of Hydreigon comes into the picture.
An overpowered ability
Like Darkrai EX, it is Hydreigon’s ability that makes it special.
Roar in Unison (sounds so badass as well!) attaches two free 
Energy to Hydreigon from the Energy Zone once per turn, but whenever you do this, you also do a recoil damage of 30 to Hydreigon.
In other words, you technically only need to give the Hydreigon line 1 Energy, and its ability will take care of the other two Energy! Even in the very next turn (after it loses all Energy on using its move), you simply give it the turns Energy, and it will generate the two remaining Energy on its own!
The 30 recoil damage, 150 HP, and 130 DMG remind one of Rampardos, another beast from the game, and also one of the strongest Pokémon.
Extensive healing support
However, the HP lost is only 30, which can easily be recovered. This includes:
- Lillie: Since Hydreigon is a Stage 2, Lillie heals up to 60 DMG. This makes up for two turns of using Roar in Unison.
- Pokémon Center Lady: A handy Supporter who not only heals exactly 30 DMG, but also helps Hydreigon recover from any Status conditions
- Potions: Good ol’ stuff. Being an Item, use two at a time to recover 20 DMG.
- Lucky Ice Pop: Incredibly powerful. Heals 20 DMG, and you then flip a coin. If heads, put this Item card back into your hand and use it again. With multiple heads, you do a lot of free healing.
Lucky Pop has particularly been a great partner-in-crime to Hydreigon, keeping it healthy, and even recovering its complete HP on many occasions. Add a Giant Cape, and Hydreigon is a beefy 170 HP.
Exceptional damage output at just 1 supplied Energy
No matter how much you use Hydreigon (as long as you keep its HP high), you’re doing at least 260 DMG in 2 turns. These damage figures are enough to KO almost every Pokémon in TCG Pocket, even Mega Evolutions. Yes, Mega Venusaur EX with a Lefa Cape is not KO’d, but Hydreigon is weak to Grass anyway, and still, taking out 260 HP does cripple Mega Venusaur since losing it wins you the game altogether.
Energy efficiency
Since the Hydreigon line essentially requires only one Energy from your side, you can conveniently devote the other turn’s Energies to your other Pokémon. Mega Absol EX is a tanky partner that only requires 2 Energy to attack, and of course, there’s…
Synergy with Darkrai EX
Being Energy-efficient, you can give most Energies to Darkrai EX. Courtesy of Darkrai EX’s ability, it also adds to Hydreigon’s 130 DMG. Hydreigon and Darkrai EX make a formidable duo, and you add others like Mega Absol EX or use the Poison Barb | Nihilego strategy for Poison damage and extra pressure.
Low risk, high reward
Hydreigon’s low Energy requirements make it easy to power up other Dark types, and as such, in case you lose it, you mostly only do so after inflicting a minimum of 130 DMG, and you have another attacker ready to go. Most importantly, losing Hydreigon only amounts to a single point loss. The reward is truly tremendous.
It is a Darkness type
Simple, but very underrated point. Darkness is one of the absolute best types in Pokémon TCG Pocket, and Hydreigon gets a lot of good Pokémon as allies. Part of the reason Rampardos decks end up losing is because Fighting is overall a poor type in the game, but Hydreigon doesn’t have to worry about power creep.
Darkrai EX
The demon itself. Darkrai EX remains one of the most frightening forces in the meta, and Hydreigon just adds on to the carnage. While this combo shines mid to late game, you can add Absol (Wisdom of Sea and Sy) to do some initial snipe damage to the Bench (while Darkrai EX takes care of the opposing Active Spot).
Adding 2x Cyrus isn’t a bad idea for this setup. Also, losing Absol is just 1 point, making it a low risk deck. Hydreigon, once live, is the superstar, with Darkrai EX often adopting the supporter’s role.
Mega Absol EX
Mega Absol EX has become one of the best Mega Evolutions in TCG Pocket, and joining the pack with Hydreigon is just chef’s kiss. 170 HP is tanky, and gives some much-needed bulk to a Hydreigon deck. Attach a Dark Pendant to force the opponent to shuffle a card back to their deck whenever Mega Absol EX is hit. Furthermore, when Mega Absol EX attacks, you can dump a Supporter (if present) to their discard pile. This is tremendous support for Hydreigon’s rampage.
Also, Mega Absol EX needs only 2x Energy to attack with a retreat cost of only 1 Energy! This is a match made in heaven (or hell?) for Hydreigon, and if this clicks (which it does in most battles), your opponent faces endgame.
Nihilego w/ Poison Barb
Nihilego is one of the biggest frustrations for any player facing it in battle. When your opponent’s Active Pokémon is poisoned, it loses 10 HP every time it is checked. Nihilego adds an additional 10 HP loss, and this effect stacks. So, if you have 2x Nihilego on your Bench, your poisoned opponent loses another 10 HP, making it a net loss of 30 HP every time!
To pave the way for the Poison effect, attach the Poison Item Pokémon Tool to your Active Pokémon (Hydreigon or Absol), and when it’s hit, your opponent’s Active Pokémon gets poisoned. Simple.
Add the 20 HP to 30 HP loss to Hydreigon’s massive 130 DMG, and you see why players shiver at the thought of facing this deck.
The best part is that since Nihilego doesn’t need any Energy as such, you can also add Darkrai EX to the mix, and torment your opponent with another 20 HP hit every turn. In this case, Hydreigon is your main attacker, with Darkrai EX and Nihilego providing chip damage.
Umbreon EX
Umbreon EX is a massively underutilized card in Pokémon TCG Pocket, but it pairs quite well with Hydreigon. It evolves without any hassle (being Stage 1), requires only 2 Energy to attack, and can be summoned quickly via the Find a Friend Eevee (which also helps search for Hydreigon, by the way).
And Umbreon EX also has a Cyrus-esque ability, which drags a damaged Pokémon from the Bench to the Active Spot. So even if your opponent withdraws a Mega Evolution after being hit by Hydreigon, bring Umbreon EX to the forefront (after retreating Hydreigon with 2 Energy obtained from Roar in Unison), and get the job done.
Honestly, Umbreon EX being Darkness type is just an add-on, and Eevee helping bring Hydreigon out quicker is a big gain.
This duo may be more of a spice, but it’s a hot spice that can wreak havoc in your opponent’s deck.
Hydreigon is undoubtedly the most menacing Pokémon in TCG Pocket, and it works like a charm in the decks it is a part of. It can adopt the role of the main attacker among strong EX/Megas, or even a supporter in other cases. Maybe even a sacrificial pawn that leads to a powerful barrage of attacks from your side.
It is rightfully feared, and it will continue to dominate Ranked battles moving forward. Ladies and gentlemen, the successor to Rampardos is here, and laying this dragon is no easy task for even the most seasoned of players.
All the best, and Hail Hydreigon!
