The release of Pitch Black has significantly reshaped the Pokémon TCG Standard format ahead of the 2026 World Championships. Dragapult ex/Blaziken ex has emerged as the top deck thanks to its powerful Energy acceleration and strong matchup spread, while Mega Excadrill ex has quickly established itself as a dominant new archetype. Proven strategies like Dragapult ex/Dusknoir, N's Zoroark ex, Slowking, and Festival Lead continue to perform at a high level, each offering unique strengths against the evolving metagame. As players prepare for Worlds, these six decks represent the strongest and most competitive options in the current Standard format.

The final Starter Deck wave before **OP-17** introduces six new decks that offer strong value for both new and competitive **One Piece Card Game** players. Each deck can be upgraded into a viable tournament strategy with a handful of additional cards, with standout support for Luffy, Kuzan, Mihawk, Katakuri, Sabo, and Kid. Overall, this is one of the strongest Starter Deck releases yet and is expected to have a significant impact on the meta.