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Mega Chandelure ex control decks turn the opponent’s Active Pokémon’s Retreat Cost into both a problem and a damage multiplier. Start with the in-client deck as a playable foundation, then tune its flexible slots to improve setup, disruption, energy recovery, or matchups. The supplied list is a baseline—not a proven best competitive build.
Start with the Pokémon TCG Live deck list
The Pokémon Company announced that Mega Evolution—Pitch Black is available in Pokémon TCG Live, with the Mega Chandelure ex deck available after further play. The following 60-card list is cataloged as the supplied Live deck; the catalog is community-maintained, so confirm the cards and availability in your client before importing or building it. Bulbapedia’s Live deck list identifies these cards:
Pokémon (19)
- 4 Mega Chandelure ex (PBL 38)
- 4 Lampent (PBL 37)
- 4 Litwick (PBL 36)
- 2 Ariados (TWM 5)
- 2 Spinarak (POR 1)
- 1 Fezandipiti ex (SFA 38)
- 1 Meowth ex (POR 62)
- 1 Lillie’s Clefairy ex (JTG 56)
Trainers (32)
- 4 Lillie’s Determination
- 3 Hilda
- 2 Boss’s Orders (Ghetsis)
- 1 Crispin
- 1 Ruffian
- 1 Team Rocket’s Petrel
- 2 Battle Cage
- 4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin
- 4 Ultra Ball
- 2 Poké Pad
- 2 Rare Candy
- 2 Wondrous Patch
- 1 Night Stretcher
- 1 Special Red Card
- 1 Air Balloon
- 1 Gravity Gemstone
Energy (9)
- 3 Basic Grass Energy
- 3 Basic Psychic Energy
- 2 Telepathic Psychic Energy
- 1 Neo Upper Energy
How the control plan works
Mega Chandelure ex’s Binding Flame increases the opponent’s Active Pokémon’s Retreat Cost by one Colorless Energy. Its Phantom Maze attack costs two Psychic Energy and deals 130 damage, plus 50 more for each Energy in that Pokémon’s Retreat Cost. The control angle is to make switching out of the Active position more difficult, while Phantom Maze converts the increased retreat burden into damage. Check the current card text in Live before relying on exact wording or interactions; these mechanics are summarized by poko.cards’ Mega Chandelure ex analysis.
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Build the attacker before committing to pressure
Mega Chandelure ex is a Stage 2, so the main line is Litwick to Lampent to Mega Chandelure ex. The deck needs to establish that evolution line and provide two Psychic Energy for Phantom Maze. Use the listed search and evolution cards to make setup more consistent, and plan your energy attachments around the turn you expect to attack—not just the turn you evolve.
#1 Best Overall
- Includes all cards pictured
Preserve your next attack
The cited analysis lists Mega Chandelure ex’s retreat cost as two attached Energy. Retreating it casually can therefore remove resources needed to attack again. Before moving your Active Pokémon, consider whether a switching effect, an alternate attacker, or an energy-recovery option would preserve more of your next turn. Verify retreat and card costs against the current in-client text.
Tune the flexible slots instead of treating the list as fixed
A tournament snapshot from poko.cards counted 36 lists across 33 tournaments, harvested from August 11 to September 11, 2026. Ten cards appeared in every list, using 34 of the 60 slots; 64 different cards appeared across the other 26 slots. That supports a core-plus-flex approach, not the claim that one catalog list is the definitive competitive configuration. The counts describe that dated tournament sample, not the current Live player field or a guaranteed metagame.
Rank #2
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When changing cards, decide what problem the slot is meant to solve:
- Setup consistency: Add or retain options that help find Litwick, Lampent, Mega Chandelure ex, and the Psychic Energy needed to attack.
- Active-position control: Choose effects that complement raising retreat costs or help keep a useful target Active. Do not assume the catalog’s Ariados and Spinarak package is mandatory; tournament lists varied substantially in their flexible cards.
- Energy retention and recovery: Preserve ways to recover or move energy if your plan involves switching out Mega Chandelure ex or rebuilding after a knockout.
- Alternate attackers and prize management: Consider whether a different attacker can reduce reliance on a three-Prize Pokémon in a difficult matchup.
- Weakness coverage: Account for the Darkness weakness when choosing attackers and defensive or recovery options.
What can beat Mega Chandelure ex?
Darkness attackers are a matchup concern
The September 2026 poko.cards snapshot counted 14 Darkness-attacking decks among 98 tracked decks. That is a limited, dated sample—not a forecast of what every Live ladder or event will contain—but it makes Darkness weakness a sensible factor in flex-slot decisions.
Rank #3
- single card
- includes all cards pictured
Manage the three-Prize exposure
Under the Mega Evolution ex rule, a knockout of Mega Chandelure ex gives the opponent three Prize cards. If the opponent can repeatedly take that knockout, the prize trade can become costly. Avoid exposing more Mega Chandelure ex than your plan requires, and weigh whether an alternate attacker or a different tempo line can reduce that risk. The tournament analysis does not establish matchup win rates, so no matchup percentage should be inferred from its card counts.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check format legality before playing
The Pokémon Company’s 2026 Standard rotation announcement says G regulation-mark cards leave Standard, and Pokémon TCG Live’s Standard rotation took effect March 26, 2026. Rotation does not by itself confirm the legality of every card in a particular list or event; check the format selector and the current in-client legality display before using the deck in a specific format.
Rank #4
- Single Card
- in near mint condition
There is also a difference between Live Ranked and some in-person events. The Pokémon TCG Live Development Team said on January 29, 2026, that Ranked gameplay “will not always reflect the current ruleset present at Regional and International Championship Series events” when product legality differs. Read the official 2026 rotation announcement and the Live team’s product-legality statement when event legality matters.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 3 card lot - May include reverse foil versions
- All cards are in near mint condition
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