Crobat Deck
0.0% of the meta · Updated September 12, 2026
Signature card
Crobat
Shiny
Strengths
- Surprise Strike hits 120 damage the turn Crobat enters the active spot — a reliable one-shot on most non-ex targets.
- Cunning Link on the ability Crobat variant adds consistent 30 chip damage each turn as long as Arceus is in play.
- Crobat is a non-ex Stage 2 with retreat cost 1 (ability variant: 0); KOs score your opponent only 1 point.
Weaknesses
- Surprise Strike only reaches 120 on the entry turn; subsequent turns drop to 60 — low for a Stage 2 attacker.Tempo
- The evolution line depends entirely on draw trainers since Poké Ball cannot fetch Crobat.Consistency
- Unfavorable matchups against Skeledirge, Stoutland, and Hydreigon suggest exploitable type or mechanic weaknesses.Matchup
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Est. 840 packs to collect all core cardsdetails
Key Moves & Abilities
Strategy Guide
Auto-generatedCrobat wins by leveraging Surprise Strike's conditional 120 damage — double the base 60 — whenever it moves from the bench to the active spot. Pairing Crobat with Arceus activates Cunning Link for recurring chip damage from the ability Crobat variant.
Set up Zubat early and evolve it into Crobat through Professor's Research or Copycat draw; Poké Ball finds Zubat but not Crobat, so draw quality matters. Keep Crobat on the bench until you are ready to strike: moving it to the active spot triggers Surprise Strike for a full 120 damage on that turn. Arceus on your bench enables Cunning Link on the second Crobat variant for repeated 30-damage hits between main attacks. Zoroark provides an alternative attacker or disruption tool in the flex slot.
Damage Math
Surprise Strike when Crobat moves from bench to active this turn
base 60 + 60 = 120
One-shots most non-ex Pokemon; requires Crobat to enter from the bench that turn
How to Play
Rotate Crobat In for the 120-Damage Entry Strike
The entire offensive plan revolves around benching Crobat until you need a knockout, then moving it to the active spot. That entry turn, Surprise Strike fires for 120. Use Cyrus or the bench to control which turn Crobat enters, maximizing the chance it hits a KO target at exactly 120 HP or below.
Sustain Pressure with Arceus and Cunning Link
Keeping Arceus on your bench activates Cunning Link on the ability Crobat variant, dealing 30 damage to the opponent's active each turn. Over multiple turns this adds up to significant chip damage and can prime targets for a Surprise Strike KO. Mesagoza helps stabilize your setup.
How to Beat This Deck
Remove Arceus to Shut Down Cunning Link
Cunning Link only works while Arceus is in play. Targeting and knocking out Arceus cuts off the passive 30-damage chip. Without it, the ability Crobat variant is limited to Darkness Fang for 50 damage at one energy, removing a meaningful pressure source.
Attack Crobat on the Bench Before It Enters
Surprise Strike only triggers the turn Crobat moves from bench to active. If you can deal bench damage to Crobat before it enters, it may be knocked out without ever getting its entry swing, costing your opponent a Stage 2 for only 1 point and wasting their setup.
Use High-HP Targets to Survive 120 and Retaliate
Surprise Strike caps at 120 damage. Ex Pokemon with 150-plus HP survive the entry strike and deal heavy counterattack damage. Because Crobat can only hit 120 on its entry turn and 60 thereafter, surviving the initial strike usually means you win the exchange decisively.
Common Substitutions
Secondary attacker or disruption
- Zoroark:Provides an alternative non-ex attacker and potential hand-disruption value alongside the Crobat line
Matchups
Threats — Weak Against
Based on type weakness analysis of core cards. View full matchup matrix →