The Pokémon TCG Battle Arena Decks: Black Kyurem vs. White Kyurem feature a lot of cool cards, including four Pokémon-EX, lots of foil basic Energy cards, and even brand-new illustrations of Professor Sycamore and Trainers’ Mail. However, what really makes this collection great is that it comes as two complete decks that are ready to play against each other. The two contrasting forms of Kyurem make for an ideal head-to-head matchup, but these decks are also fun against other casual decks of your own design.

Let’s take a look at both decks and the strategy they’re trying to achieve.

Black Kyurem Deck

• Black Kyurem

Black Kyurem

Pokémon

• 1

  Black Kyurem-EX

  95/135

  bw8 95
• 1

  Black Kyurem-EX

  101/149

  bw7 101
• 2

  Magnezone

  54/162

  xy8 54
• 2

  Magneton

  53/162

  xy8 53
• 3

  Magnemite

  51/162

  xy8 51
• 2

  Electrode

  33/116

  bw9 33
• 3

  Voltorb

  44/146

  xy1 44
• 2

  Emolga

  49/113

  bw11 49
• 1

  Thundurus

  50/113

  bw11 50
• 1

  Thundurus

  33/111

  xy3 33
• 1

  Kyurem

  43/113

  bw11 43

Energy Cards

• 11

  Lightning Energy

  xy1 135
• 5

  Water Energy

  xy1 134

Trainer Cards

• 1

  Bianca

  bw11 109
• 1

  Fisherman

  xy8 136
• 1

  Lysandre

  xy7 78
• 1

  N

  xy10 105
• 1

  Pokémon Fan Club

  xy10 107
• 1

  Professor Birch's Observations

  xy5 134
• 1

  Professor Sycamore

  xy9 107
• 1

  Shauna

  xy10 111
• 1

  Skyla

  xy8 148
• 1

  Teammates

  xy5 141
• 1

  Tierno

  xy9 112
• 1

  Wally

  xy6 94
• 2

  Ultra Ball

  xy10 113
• 1

  Energy Retrieval

  xy5 126
• 1

  Escape Rope

  xy5 127
• 1

  Exp. Share

  xy5 128
• 1

  Level Ball

  xy7 76
• 1

  Pokémon Communication

  bw1 99
• 1

  Professor's Letter

  xy8 146
• 1

  Rare Candy

  xy5 135
• 1

  Super Rod

  xy8 149
• 1

  Switch

  xy6 91
• 1

  Trainers' Mail

  xy6 92
• 1

  VS Seeker

  xy4 109

More Info Copy Deck List ****** Pokémon Trading Card Game Deck List ****** Pokémon - 19 1 Black Kyurem-EX PLS 95 1 Black Kyurem-EX BCR 101 2 Magnezone BKT 54 2 Magneton BKT 53 3 Magnemite BKT 51 2 Electrode PLF 33 3 Voltorb XY 44 2 Emolga LTR 49 1 Thundurus LTR 50 1 Thundurus FFI 33 1 Kyurem LTR 43 Trainer Cards - 25 1 Bianca LTR 109 1 Fisherman BKT 136 1 Lysandre AOR 78 1 N FCO 105 1 Pokémon Fan Club FCO 107 1 Professor Birch's Observations PRC 134 1 Professor Sycamore BKP 107 1 Shauna FCO 111 1 Skyla BKT 148 1 Teammates PRC 141 1 Tierno BKP 112 1 Wally ROS 94 2 Ultra Ball FCO 113 1 Energy Retrieval PRC 126 1 Escape Rope PRC 127 1 Exp. Share PRC 128 1 Level Ball AOR 76 1 Pokémon Communication BLW 99 1 Professor's Letter BKT 146 1 Rare Candy PRC 135 1 Super Rod BKT 149 1 Switch ROS 91 1 Trainers' Mail ROS 92 1 VS Seeker PHF 109 Energy - 16 11 Lightning Energy XY 135 5 Water Energy XY 134 Total Cards - 60 ****** Deck list generated on Pokemon.com ******

True to its name, there are two different Black Kyurem-EX in this deck, and they can serve different roles depending on the situation. The first Black Kyurem-EX probably stands out more—its Black Ballista attack does a whopping 200 damage! The other Black Kyurem-EX is no slouch, either, capable of doing 150 damage with its Freeze Shock attack. But both have a big problem: hefty Energy costs. The solution is Magnezone’s Magnetic Circuit Ability, which allows you to play as many Lightning Energy as you want every turn. Once Magnezone is up and running, you can charge up nearly any of your Pokémon in a single turn.

Since you need to play so many Energy from your hand, you’ll need to get them back constantly and draw more cards to keep the attacks coming. Fisherman and Energy Retrieval both put Energy from the discard pile into your hand, so you can keep powering up for more attacks. Super Rod can shuffle Energy back into your deck, but then you’ll need to draw them again later. Electrode can help out with its Magnetic Draw Ability, which allows you to draw until you have four cards in your hand.

It’s fairly easy to see how the engine of this deck works with Magnezone and Electrode operating at full speed. Once you get these Pokémon going, your Black Kyurem-EX will be tough to stop!

White Kyurem Deck

• White Kyurem

White Kyurem

Pokémon

• 1

  White Kyurem-EX

  96/135

  bw8 96
• 1

  White Kyurem-EX

  103/149

  bw7 103
• 2

  Chandelure

  16/116

  bw9 16
• 2

  Lampent

  22/135

  bw8 22
• 3

  Litwick

  14/116

  bw9 14
• 2

  Delphox

  26/146

  xy1 26
• 2

  Braixen

  25/146

  xy1 25
• 3

  Fennekin

  8/39

  xy0 8
• 2

  Kangaskhan

  71/101

  bw10 71
• 1

  Reshiram

  21/99

  bw4 21
• 1

  White Kyurem

  21/124

  xy10 21

Energy Cards

• 9

  Fire Energy

  xy1 133
• 5

  Water Energy

  xy1 134
• 2

  Double Dragon Energy

  xy6 97

Trainer Cards

• 1

  Judge

  xy8 143
• 1

  Lysandre

  xy7 78
• 1

  N

  xy10 105
• 1

  Pokémon Fan Club

  xy10 107
• 1

  Professor Birch's Observations

  xy5 134
• 1

  Professor Sycamore

  xy9 107
• 1

  Shauna

  xy10 111
• 1

  Skyla

  xy8 148
• 1

  Teammates

  xy5 141
• 1

  Tierno

  xy9 112
• 1

  Wally

  xy6 94
• 2

  Ultra Ball

  xy10 113
• 1

  Energy Recycler

  xy7 72
• 1

  Escape Rope

  xy5 127
• 1

  Fighting Fury Belt

  xy9 99
• 1

  Level Ball

  xy7 76
• 1

  Pokémon Communication

  bw1 99
• 1

  Professor's Letter

  xy8 146
• 1

  Rare Candy

  xy5 135
• 1

  Super Rod

  xy8 149
• 1

  Switch

  xy6 91
• 1

  Trainers' Mail

  xy6 92
• 1

  VS Seeker

  xy4 109

More Info Copy Deck List ****** Pokémon Trading Card Game Deck List ****** Pokémon - 20 1 White Kyurem-EX PLS 96 1 White Kyurem-EX BCR 103 2 Chandelure PLF 16 2 Lampent PLS 22 3 Litwick PLF 14 2 Delphox XY 26 2 Braixen XY 25 3 Fennekin KSS 8 2 Kangaskhan PLB 71 1 Reshiram NXD 21 1 White Kyurem FCO 21 Trainer Cards - 24 1 Judge BKT 143 1 Lysandre AOR 78 1 N FCO 105 1 Pokémon Fan Club FCO 107 1 Professor Birch's Observations PRC 134 1 Professor Sycamore BKP 107 1 Shauna FCO 111 1 Skyla BKT 148 1 Teammates PRC 141 1 Tierno BKP 112 1 Wally ROS 94 2 Ultra Ball FCO 113 1 Energy Recycler AOR 72 1 Escape Rope PRC 127 1 Fighting Fury Belt BKP 99 1 Level Ball AOR 76 1 Pokémon Communication BLW 99 1 Professor's Letter BKT 146 1 Rare Candy PRC 135 1 Super Rod BKT 149 1 Switch ROS 91 1 Trainers' Mail ROS 92 1 VS Seeker PHF 109 Energy - 16 9 Fire Energy XY 133 5 Water Energy XY 134 2 Double Dragon Energy ROS 97 Total Cards - 60 ****** Deck list generated on Pokemon.com ******

The White Kyurem deck also features two different Pokémon-EX. The first White Kyurem-EX has the White Inferno attack, which does extra damage for each damage counter on it. So essentially it gets more powerful the longer it’s in battle! The other White Kyurem-EX dishes damage in two ways with its Ice Burn attack, which does 150 damage and leaves the opponent’s Active Pokémon Burned for at least 20 more damage between turns.

Like the Pokémon-EX in the Black Kyurem deck, these big Pokémon-EX also suffer from high Energy costs, so they need a little help from Chandelure’s Flare Navigate Ability to get some extra Fire Energy into play. That Ability also puts a damage counter on the Pokémon that receives the Energy, which can boost the White Inferno attack. Double Dragon Energy also helps speeds things up, providing two Energy in one card—a perfect fit for the prominent Dragon-type Pokémon in your deck.

Since you’ll be pulling Fire Energy out of your deck constantly with Chandelure, you’ll need to shuffle them back in as the game goes on. Energy Recycler and Super Rod can both help out, making sure you have the fuel to keep powering up your Pokémon. Delphox’s Mystical Fire Ability is important as well, allowing you to keep your hand full of cards every turn. And in the right situations, its Blaze Ball attack can unleash a major attack on the opponent’s Pokémon. Delphox is the glue that holds the deck together!

Facing Off

Now that you have an idea of how the strategies work, let’s dig into how they match up against each other. The main goal of each deck is to power up its Pokémon-EX as quickly as possible, but there’s a bit of a twist: all of them have Weakness to Dragon-type Pokémon! If Black Kyurem-EX and White Kyurem-EX are battling each other, the first one to use a big attack will almost certainly come out on top. Unless you have Lysandre to pull your opponent’s Pokémon-EX into battle, it’s usually a better idea to start attacking with your smaller Pokémon instead. Then, when your opponent brings out their Pokémon-EX, you can attack with yours and take control.

Whether you’re looking for fun decks to play with a friend, hoping to get some Pokémon-EX and alternate-art Trainer cards for your collection, or trying to get more Trainer cards to build your own deck, the Battle Arena Decks: Black Kyurem vs. White Kyurem box has a lot to offer. Be on the lookout for this product, and be sure to check back at Pokemon.com/Strategy for the latest Pokémon TCG news and updates!