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We all have to play Ranked if we ever want to choose a free deck (you can check the options here). So today, I’m here to share some of the best Ranked decks—ones that have been tested and proven in Triumphant Light, but still hold up surprisingly well in the Shining Revelry meta, based on early tournament results.
Most of these decks come straight from top-performing lists, with a bit of optimization on my end to keep them competitive. Since we’re only on day 1 of the new set, the meta is bound to shift, so expect future updates as things settle.
Let’s jump right in!
Giratina ex
This is one of the top-performing decks emerging from early Shining Revelry tournaments. It’s already showing a high win rate—and it’s so solid that I’ve made a full guide on it, which you can check out here.
For now, I’ll just be featuring this version, as it might be the most refined list available. The deck is built for consistency and efficiency: A2b-035 charges up on its own, A2-110 weakens your opponent’s board, and A1a-056 tanks hits to buy you time. We’re running pure Darkness Energy to make sure everything can be funneled into A2-110 when needed. And when the timing is right—typically once you’ve stacked four energy—you can unleash A2b-035 to close out the game, or even let A2-110 finish things off, since it’ll usually be holding three energy.
Mewtwo ex
Although not as strong as the other decks featured here, I wanted to highlight this build for players who only have one A2b-035 but still want to play it. In this version, A2b-035 serves as a reliable alternate attacker and tank, without needing heavy support from A1-132. That flexibility makes it a potential MVP, helping A1-129 reach its full potential.
The core strategy centers around loading up A1-129 with Energy to use Psydrive every turn. A1-132 plays a key role here, accelerating Energy to make up for the one discarded after each Psydrive. A2b-035, meanwhile, can step in when A1-129 isn’t quite ready—or even take the lead if it hits four Energy first, with or without A1-132’s help.
Arceus ex Dialga ex
And of course, the top deck of Triumphant Light is still a strong contender in Shining Revelry. Not much has arrived to challenge it—aside from A2b-035—so the old list still holds up. You can check out my original guide here for that version.
That said, I wanted to feature a variation that includes A2b-035, which might prove to be a stronger version moving forward. In my Giratina-focused guide, I covered a pure Psychic build, but here we're running only Metal Energy to prioritize A2-119, with A2b-035 acting as a backup attacker. A2b-035 also enables Energy acceleration via A2-154, which opens up early aggression options and gives you a huge advantage in the mirror—potentially letting you attack as early as your second turn.
This version does lose some of the healing tools from the standard build, so the mirror matchup can be trickier. However, the pressure from A2-154 + A2b-035 often makes up for it. I'm also running A2b-072 for extra disruption—especially useful when A2b-035 starts the game and it takes a little longer to set up. Feel free to adjust the Trainer lineup to suit your playstyle.
Gyarados ex
This is also one of the top-performing lists in early tournaments thanks to its overall efficiency and speed. It consistently hits key damage thresholds—usually around 140 to 160—with the help of A2-148, making it a strong pick in the current meta. I’ve already made a full guide on this deck, which you can check out here for more details.
The only change I’m making now is swapping one A2a-072 for an extra A1-220. With Ranked likely to feature a lot of Water decks, A1-220 gives us the edge we need in the mirror matchup. A2a-072 also loses a bit of value with A2b-035 being such a popular threat—there’s a good chance we’ll be forced into slower, more reactive games, and A1-220 helps keep us ahead in those situations.
Darkrai ex Weavile ex
This has been one of the top decks for a while now—especially at the end of Triumphant Light—and it’s still putting up strong results in early Shining Revelry tournaments. It plays fast and aggressive, perfectly matching the current meta where 150 HP is common. Two hits from A2-099 plus a A2-110 proc totals 160 damage, letting you cleanly deal with just about anything.
With Grass decks falling off a bit, A2-110 A2-099 has very few bad matchups, making it one of the best all-around choices for Ranked right now—and even has a favorable matchup into A2-095. A2-147 helps you survive past the 140 HP danger zone, while A2b-072 adds even more pressure—disrupting your opponent’s setup while you apply constant pressure with low-cost attacks. And if anything slips away, A2-150 is there to clean it up.
Gallade Ex
This might actually be the best Fighting deck right now, potentially overtaking A2-089 thanks to its strong focus on targeting the bench instead of just brute-forcing the Active. With the rise of A1a-056 A2b-035, going over A1a-056 is one of the best counters—and this deck does it beautifully. You can check out my full guide here for how to pilot it effectively.
The strategy centers around evolving into A2-095 as your main win condition. The goal is to set up one-shots on most threats that have already been weakened by A1-154 and A2-148. With A2b-035 becoming more popular, those 4 Energy targets become especially juicy for A2-095 to punish.
It fares well into most matchups, and its only real weakness is consistency—which is why we're running a high count of consistency cards like A2b-069 and A2-146 to smooth things out. A2-155 is flexible here and can be swapped for another A2-146 if you want to push consistency even further.
Rampardos
Although a bit weaker now with the rise of A1a-056, this is still the best non-EX deck you can run—especially if you want an edge against the new A2b-071. It can still reliably hit that 150 damage mark, which is perfect in a meta filled with 150 HP targets.
A potential adjustment could be switching over to A1-154 and A2-150 while dropping A2-092, especially if A1a-056 A2b-035 becomes too common. It’s hard to say for sure just yet, since Ranked hasn't officially started—but it's something to keep an eye on.
The main goal is to weaken your opponent's board—or even score early knockouts—with A2a-036 and A1-155, while A2-092 boosts your damage output. A1a-047 offers backup pressure, and A2-089 remains your go-to attacker for handling high HP threats.
I’ve also made a full guide you can check out here if you want to dive deeper. For this version, we’re running one more Basic to help cover the early game and reduce the chance of starting with A2-091.
Charizard ex
I featured this deck yesterday, but after some testing, it’s clear that A1-036 is the better pick. You really want to secure single-shot knockouts, and relying on Stoke just isn’t worth the risk—you can’t afford to take a hit setting up.
I was also right to run 2 A2b-069; it makes the deck feel much more consistent. You’re more likely to start with A1-047 or have a way to retreat A2b-008 with PROMO-002 to get A1-047 active quickly. The only downside is dealing with the coin flips on A1-047, which can be frustrating but manageable.
A1-225 is starting to feel like a necessary inclusion now too, especially with the rise of A1a-056. You don’t want to waste Crimson Storms on targets that can’t be fully removed, so A1-225 gives you better control over your knockout setups.
Articuno ex
And finally, we’re wrapping things up with A1-084—still a strong and reliable pick if you don’t have many of the new cards. It’s proven to be highly viable, especially with the addition of A2b-072, which gives the deck some much-needed disruption to stay ahead.
The list remains highly flexible depending on your Trainer preferences, but I strongly recommend running 2 copies of A2b-072. The deck’s ceiling is a bit limited, so your best strategy is to apply pressure early and overpower your opponent before they stabilize.
If there’s one key takeaway from this deck, it’s this: use A1-220 on turn 1 whenever possible. You want to start swinging right away and set the pace from the very beginning.
Closing Thoughts
Ranked is here, and while Shining Revelry is just getting started, these decks are already leading the way. Whether you're using consistent classics like A2-110 A2-099 and A2-095, or testing new builds like A1a-056–A2b-035, the key is playing fast, applying pressure, and preparing for Giratina-heavy matchups.
High damage decks are more valuable than ever. Pick a deck that fits your style, start strong, and climb your way to Master Ball.
