If there is any Pokemon type that needs more options inPokemon TCG Pocket, it is Darkness, Steel, and Dragon. Darkness has the most of the three, and with the fresh card options made available through the Mythical Island set, you can power up your Darkness deck to be stronger than ever.
This set offers alternatives to some of the best Darkness cards that already exist, as well as a powerful new Evolution line that can devastate your opponent’s field with toxic abilities. Darkness is more viable than ever before, so here is every additional Pokemon found in Mythical Island, ranked by their usefulness.
7Purrloin
A Small Cat
If you want a beginner-friendly Pokemon to go into, then Purrloin is as simple as it gets. In fact, the entire line doesn’t offer much in terms of power or abilities but can work asa budget optionfor Darkness decks. Purrloin has 60 HP and a Retreat Cost of one. This is pretty basic, but what gives it a bit of intrigue is that it isn’t weak against Fighting-types like the rest of the Darkness Pokemon.
Purrloin is instead weak against Grass, giving it a bit of extra durability during a bad matchup. You also only ever need one Energy to power up the entire line. So once it has an Energy attached, you’re good to go, even when it Evolves.
6Liepard
A Swift Cat With Feeble Claws
Liepard doesn’t gain much in terms of power when it Evolves. However, it is a swift Pokemon that doesn’t take much to start hitting your opponent. Just one Energy is enough to pay for its Move and Retreat Cost. It also has a decent 90 HP, which can help it stand up to Basic and Stage one Pokemon that get in its way.
This makes Liepard a decent budget option if you’re looking for a Stage One Pokemon that can damage slower threats like Mewtwo ex before your opponent can finish setting them up. Like its previous Evolution, Liepard is weak against Grass, making it exempt from being instantly demolished by Fighting Pokemon.
5Koffing
One Koffing Becomes Two
Mythical Island introduces an alternative to the standard Koffing from Genetic Apex. This one has the same HP stat of 70 but has a unique Move as well as a higher Retreat Cost. For one Darkness Energy, you can use Division, which allows you to grab another one of your Koffings from your deck and place it on your Bench.
This Move makes it so that if you open at least one copy of Koffing, you are guaranteed to get another one on the field as soon as you can load this one up with one Energy. This also helps improve consistency when using a Poke Ball, since it takes one Basic Pokemon out of rotation. This narrows down what you can get when using Poke Ball to search out your other Pokemon from the deck.
4Weezing
An Evasive Weezing
Weezing from Mythical Island has a unique effect that can improve already existing stun decks. This Weezing has 110 HP and a Retreat Cost of three. Luckily, it can Retreat for free simply for being compatible with Koga. While this Weezing cannot Poison your opponent’s Pokemon through an Ability, it can insteadadd an additional coin flip to your opponent’s next turn.
Some stun decks like to have Paralysis and Sleep. However, you can only inflict one of these Status Effects on your opponent at a time. Smokescreen’s lingering effect can stack with Sleep, since it doesn’t count as a Status Effect. So, if you can get your opponent’s Pokemon Asleep, then they need to flip to wake it up, then if Smokescreen hits, they need to flip again just to see if they can even use their Move.
3Venipede
When Small Insects Become Big
Venipede has a tough road to go through if you want to get it to become a Scolipede. However, the line itself has a good order, despite not getting too much of a raw power boost between Stages.
Venipede starts with 60 HP, Ram (which does 20 damage for one Energy), and a Retreat Cost of one. Venipede will not weigh you down if it gets forced onto the Active Spot at the start of a match. Once you get it moving on its way up the Evolutionary ladder, it will ramp up by making its next Stages more viable. In the meantime, this is one Basic Pokemon your opponent’s Psychic-types won’t want to run into.
2Whirlipede
Quick Poison
Whirlipede is the first Evolution of Venipede. This Pokemon has 90 HP and a Retreat Cost of two. While this Stage doesn’t get any increases in terms of power, it also doesn’t increase the cost of its Move. Poison Sting still does 20 damage for one Energy.
The biggest change is that Whirlipede can now Poison your opponent’s Pokemon by hitting them with Poison Sting. This Status Effect can be devastating if left unchecked and can force your opponent to recall their Pokemon. This is a decent effect for Whirlipede to have since the next Stage can immediately take advantage of the situation if you manage to Poison your opponent’s Pokemon.
1Scolipede
A Better Muk?
Scolipede isa surprisingly cheap Stage Twoto bring out. With 140 HP and a Retreat Cost of two, it has pretty decent stats and mobility. Scolipede’s Venoshock Move costs only two Energy to use with a base damage of 70. This means being able to attack with the entire line on a regular basis is easy, since there are no points where Evolving it leaves a gap in your Energy costs.
This Pokemon’s Move gets even better if your opponent’s Pokemon are Poisoned. This raises Venoshock’s power from 70 to 120. you may take advantage of this by Poisoning your opponent’s Pokemon with Whirlipede’s Move before Evolving into a Scolipede. You can also use Abilities on the Bench, such as Weezing’s Gas Leak, to apply Poison on the same turn before attacking.
