Is Kingambit Deck good in Pokemon TCG Pocket?

Kingambit Deck is a Tier 3 deck with a 42% win rate and 0.2% meta share. It's a viable deck that can perform well in the right hands.

What cards do I need for Kingambit Deck?

The core cards for Kingambit Deck are: Kingambit. Top tournament builds also commonly include Bisharp, Bombirdier, Celebi, Glimmet.

How do you play Kingambit Deck?

Build your strategy around Kingambit. It's the deck's main damage dealer. This is a mono-darkness deck, giving you consistent energy draws. Every energy card works for any attacker.

What is the best Kingambit Deck deck list?

The top-performing Kingambit Deck list runs: 2x Bisharp, 1x Bombirdier, 1x Celebi, 2x Glimmet, 2x Glimmora, 2x Kingambit, 2x Pawniard, 2x Copycat, 1x Cyrus, 2x Poké Ball, 2x Professor’s Research, 1x Rescue Scarf. This build achieved 8W-1L at Lagoon Serenity Format (FA or Shiny Choice Prize).

What beats Kingambit Deck in Pokemon TCG Pocket?

Kingambit Deck's core Pokemon are weak to grass types. Strong counters include Mega Sceptile ex Deck, Meowscarada ex Deck, Decidueye ex Deck.

Kingambit Deck

0.2% of the meta · Updated June 10, 2026

Tier 3

Win Rate

41.9%

Meta Share

0.2%

Core Cards

Kingambit

Paradox Drive #043

Key Moves & Abilities

Overlord’s Blade(Kingambit)

This attack does 40 more damage for each time your Pokémon have been Knocked Out during this game.

Strategy Guide

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Kingambit is a damage-scaling Stage 2 that wins by letting itself absorb early knockouts and then cleaning up with Overlord's Blade, which adds 40 damage per KO scored this game. The goal is to engineer a high-KO count and swing for 100-plus damage in the mid-to-late game.

Open with Pawniard and Glimmet to bait your opponent into scoring knockouts. Each time your Pokemon are knocked out, Overlord's Blade charges further. Rare Candy accelerates Kingambit from Pawniard, while Professor's Research and Copycat fuel draw; Poké Ball finds Pawniard but not Bisharp or Kingambit. Once Kingambit is active with two darkness energy, Overlord's Blade scales with the running KO total. Use Cyrus to force a weaker target active when needed, and Rescue Scarf to recover a KO'd Kingambit for a second swing.

Damage Math

Overlord's Blade with 1 prior KO in game

base 60 + (1 × 40) = 100

Triggers for each time your own Pokemon have been knocked out during the game; your offensive KOs of opponent Pokemon do not count

Overlord's Blade with 2 prior KOs in game

base 60 + (2 × 40) = 140

Reaches one-shot range on most non-ex Stage 2 Pokemon at 140 HP

Strengths

Overlord's Blade scales throughout the game — the longer it goes, the harder Kingambit hits.
Glimmet and Glimmora act as expendable early attackers that feed the KO counter and score your opponent few points.
As a non-ex Stage 2, a KO'd Kingambit scores your opponent only 1 point, keeping the points race manageable.

Weaknesses

Kingambit's base 60 damage is low in early turns before KOs accumulate — the deck starts slowly.Tempo
Reaching Stage 2 requires drawing Bisharp and Kingambit through natural draw, which can be inconsistent.Consistency
Decks that avoid giving up KOs early deny the scaling mechanic and keep Overlord's Blade weak.Matchup
A retreat cost of 3 makes Kingambit difficult to switch out without X Speed or similar support.Deckbuilding

How to Play

Feed the KO Counter with Expendable Basics

Glimmet and Glimmora are your early-game sacrifices. Sending them into battle first draws attacks, charges the KO counter, and lets Kingambit enter later with a 100-plus Overlord's Blade already on deck. Bombirdier can also serve as an early attacker to absorb pressure while Kingambit evolves.

Key cardsGlimmetGlimmoraBombirdier

Accelerate the Evolution Line with Rare Candy

Rare Candy skips Bisharp and puts Kingambit on the field faster. Combined with Professor's Research and Copycat to draw into it, you can have Kingambit active by turn 3 or 4. Poké Ball finds Pawniard to start the line, but Rare Candy and draw trainers must deliver the rest.

Key cardsRare CandyProfessor's ResearchCopycatPoké Ball

Recover Kingambit with Rescue Scarf

If Kingambit is knocked out, Rescue Scarf returns it to your hand rather than discarding it. This lets you replay it, re-energize, and attack again with the same scaling bonus — the KO count only rises, so the second Kingambit enters with even more power than the first.

Key cardsRescue ScarfKingambit

How to Beat This Deck

Win Quickly Before the KO Counter Grows

Overlord's Blade only becomes threatening at 2-plus KOs. Decks that can close out 3 points in the first three or four turns deny Kingambit the time it needs. Fast ex-heavy aggro that scores 2 points on the first KO and chains another KO immediately wins before Kingambit scales.

Counter Darkness Type with Favorable Typing

Kingambit's weakness to fighting means fighting-type attackers deal bonus damage and can one-shot it before Overlord's Blade even fires. Armarouge ex and similar fire or psychic threats hit Kingambit hard enough to remove it before it reaches critical KO accumulation.

Avoid Committing Bench Pokemon to Sabrina Targets

Kingambit runs Sabrina to drag up benched threats and score surprise KOs. Keep your most valuable benched Pokemon protected and avoid stacking your bench with easy-to-KO basics. Denying early-game KOs also starves the Overlord's Blade counter.

CountersSabrina

Common Substitutions

Early attacker

Bombirdier:In 58% of lists; an early non-ex attacker that absorbs pressure and feeds the KO counter
Absol:In 20% of lists; alternative flex attacker when Bombirdier is unavailable

Survival tool

Giant Cape:Raises Kingambit's HP to survive more hits and maintain attack continuity
Rescue Scarf:Returns a KO'd Kingambit to hand for a second attack cycle