Roaring Moon ex Finally Enters the Tier 1 Club

Hello to all PokeBeach readers! This is Gabriel Semedo with another article, and this time I’m going to talk about the rise of [card name=”Roaring Moon ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”251″ c=”name”][/card] in the metagame, which has become one of the most successful decks in the Portland and Charlotte Regional Championships.

[cardimg name=”Roaring Moon ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”251″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Roaring Moon ex initially emerged as a very promising card for the Standard format, but at the Latin America International Championships, the deck didn’t perform as well as expected. Now, two months later, Roaring Moon is making a comeback in the metagame with a simpler and more aggressive list, emphasizing consistency and early-game pressure. According to the recent results, Roaring Moon was the sixth most successful deck at the Portland Regional Championships and the third most successful at Charlotte. This illustrates that Roaring Moon is currently thriving in the metagame, especially since the top decks in the format — [card name=”Mew VMAX” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”269″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”223″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”212″ c=”name”][/card] — are favorable matchups for Roaring Moon.

Despite being a solid meta call, Roaring Moon ex still faces several challenges against the rest of the metagame to truly stand out. Moreover, striking the right balance between consistency, aggressiveness, and a variety of resources in the decklist is a significant challenge. If you opt to include too many techs to win matchups that the deck naturally struggles against, such as Lost Box and [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”245″ c=”name”][/card], you compromise consistency and reduce the likelihood of having excellent first and second turns.

In today’s article, I will share my perspective on the Roaring Moon ex deck and present the current decklist that I am using. However, this time, I will delve a bit more into Roaring Moon matchups, as I believe that its positioning in the metagame has been the primary contributor to the deck’s success.

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Roaring Moon ex Deck

[decklist name=”Roaring Moon ex” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Lumineon V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”40″][pokemon amt=”10″]4x [card name=”Roaring Moon ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”124″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Morpeko” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Galarian Moltres V” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”TG20″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mew ex” set=”151″ no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Squawkabilly ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”264″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lumineon V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”40″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”40″]4x [card name=”Professor Sada’s Vitality” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”239″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Battle VIP Pass” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”225″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trekking Shoes” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Dark Patch” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”139″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Earthen Vessel” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”163″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Energy Switch” set=”Black and White” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Switch Cart” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Ancient Booster Energy Capsule” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”159″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Forest Seal Stone” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”PokéStop” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]8x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”Diamond and Pearl” no=”129″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card]2x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Roaring Moon ex Main Strategy

This is the [card name=”Roaring Moon ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”251″ c=”name”][/card] list I’m currently using, and it adheres to the same archetype as the previous successful Roaring Moon ex deck lists in recent Regional Championships. I believe that the simpler and more focused on speed and consistency version of deck is the most successful. Many times, I considered using [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”248″ c=”name”][/card] to counter Lost Box and Sablezard, and I also wished I had copies of [card name=”Judge” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”209″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”269″ c=”name”][/card] to attempt a comeback in a game I’m trailing, but ultimately, I realized that in most games, victories come from the pressure generated by Roaring Moon from the very first turn.

My list was crafted with a clear objective: win the matchups that need to be won and attempt to overcome unfavorable matchups with the resources available in your deck. I believe that the highest likelihood of winning against favorable matchups (Mew VMAX, Giratina VSTAR, [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”244″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Inteleon VMAX” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”266″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”TG21″ c=”name”][/card], and Charizard ex) lies in being as consistent as possible in the first and second turns. I’ll delve into more details on the matchups, but essentially, the best strategy for all these decks to secure a win is to disrupt your consistency. At some point, you’ll only lose if you can’t play [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] or you’re unable to set up a new attacker, as your consecutive attacks ensure victory. In unfavorable matchups, you might consider adjusting the deck list to include cards that counter the deck’s main strategy. However, in my opinion, even with these techs, the matchup might not improve to the extent that it becomes favorable. Iron Hands ex alone is insufficient to shift the Lost Box matchup in your favor since the Lost Box player already anticipates having to deal with multiple Iron Hands throughout a major tournament.

Mew ex is a Great Attacker

[cardimg name=”Mew ex” set=”151″ no=”193″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

I observed that some Roaring Moon ex lists are omitting [card name=”Mew ex” set=”151″ no=”193″ c=”name”][/card], and even those that include Mew ex tend to underutilize this Pokemon for attacking. Nevertheless, I find it worthwhile to highlight the merits of the Genome Hacking attack, particularly in the context of the Giratina VSTAR matchup.

Mew ex serves as another viable option to use the Moonlight Shuriken attack without relying on your own [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card], especially in matchups against Gardevoir ex, Giratina VSTAR, and Lost Box. The advantage here lies in attacking with a Pokemon boasting higher HP (Mew ex), requiring only Darkness Energy.

Against Giratina VSTAR, Mew ex emerges as the MVP. Not only is it able to copy Radiant Greninja’s attack, but it can also copy Giratina VSTAR’s Lost Impact. Consequently, you can essentially secure a one-hit Knock Out on Giratina VSTAR without incurring the 200-damage return (when using Roaring Moon ex), which means your opponent can only take a return Knock Out with another Giratina VSTAR.

Against Miraidon ex and the Roaring Moon ex mirror match, Mew ex can be considered a potential attacker, useful for eliminating the opponent’s Roaring Moon or Miraidon when necessary.

I Won’t Give Up On Lumineon V

Everything depends on how the Roaring Moon ex deck list is made and the objective you aim to achieve. In my deck, [card name=”Lumineon V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] plays a crucial role, considering the deck comprises only two types of Supporter cards, and the deck’s functionality heavily relies on both. [card name=”Professor Sada’s Vitality” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”256″ c=”name”][/card] is the essential Supporter to utilize in the initial rounds to streamline your strategy, enabling you to prepare practically two attackers within the first turn. On the other hand, Boss’s Orders is a Supporter you always want to have at your disposal for taking favorable Knock Outs when you have the chance. When playing Roaring Moon, you’re either getting Energy attached to your main attacking Pokemon, or you’re going to be taking a Knock Out on your opponent’s most important Pokemon. It’s really that simple.

Roaring Moon ex Matchups

Giratina VSTAR — Even

Among all the Lost Box variants in the current metagame, the only one with which [card name=”Roaring Moon ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”251″ c=”name”][/card] maintains a balanced matchup is against [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG69″ c=”name”][/card]. The focus of this particular Lost Box variant is in Giratina VSTAR and [card name=”Path to the Peak” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”213″ c=”name”][/card], rather than relying heavily on single-Prize attackers.

Charizard ex — Slightly Favorable

[cardimg name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”223″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

The first two turns typically play a decisive role in gaining either a significant advantage or disadvantage in the matchup. Ideally, you aim to Knock Out an opponent’s Pokemon with your single-Prize attackers, using [card name=”Morpeko” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”206″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card]. This strategy propels you into a leading position in the match, forcing the opponent to seek out [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] to avoid your single Prize Pokemon and target your key attackers on your Bench.

If you manage to Knock Out your opponent’s first Pokemon using Roaring Moon ex, your opponent may be able to deal a return Knock Out if they play [card name=”Defiance Band” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card]. Fortunately, there’s a shift among [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”223″ c=”name”][/card] players, as many have removed Defiance Band to add [card name=”Technical Machine: Devolution” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”177″ c=”name”][/card] instead. An alternative approach to prevent this potential return Knock Out is by attaching [card name=”Ancient Booster Energy Capsule” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”159″ c=”name”][/card]. This requires the opponent to also find [card name=”Lost Vacuum” set=”Lost Origin” no=”217″ c=”name”][/card] to take a Knock Out. Another advantage of Ancient Booster Energy Capsule is the ability to utilize the Frenzied Gouging attack without getting Knocked Out by your opponent’s [card name=”Charmander” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] on the following turn.

The Prize exchange is the most important in this matchup, making it crucial to avoid conceding two Prizes to the opponent whenever possible and, when feasible, to target double Prize Pokemon for Knock Outs. This straightforward rule proves effective because Roaring Moon ex is able to Knock Out any Pokemon and boasts a substantial amount of HP.

Mew VMAX (Fusion and Path variants) — Favorable

Although [card name=”Mew VMAX” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”269″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”Fusion Strike Energy” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”244″ c=”name”][/card] and Mew with Path to the Peak present different gameplay and matchup dynamics, the issue remains consistent in the face of a Roaring Moon ex. To secure victory in this matchup, maintaining consistency and preparing your Roaring Moon ex before your opponent can disrupt your strategy with [card name=”Judge” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”209″ c=”name”][/card] and Path to the Peak is crucial. Every instance of Roaring Moon losing to Mew VMAX can be attributed to a poorly executed setup, often intentionally caused by Mew VMAX’s constant hand disruptions.

One of the reasons the deck list I’m presenting to you is more explosive and consistent than the norm is precisely to facilitate setting up at least one Roaring Moon ex on the first turn and two Roaring Moon ex on the second turn. If you clutter the Roaring Moon deck list too much with situational cards that deviate from the deck’s main objective, you may lose against good matchups like this more often than not.

Miraidon ex — Favorable

The matchup favors Roaring Moon ex as [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”244″ c=”name”][/card]’s current lists struggle to handle the pressure exerted by Roaring Moon ex. Essentially, you can execute attacks and attach Energy to Roaring Moon ex more swiftly and consistently than Miraidon can prepare its Miraidon ex and [card name=”Raichu V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”158″ c=”name”][/card]. In this context, Miraidon can only secure a win if Roaring Moon fails to execute its intended strategy, namely, if it gets disrupted by combinations like Judge plus Path to the Peak, or you start with a bad opening hand.

In practice, the matchup is not more favorable because Miraidon ex’s consistency factor is much higher. As consistent as the Roaring Moon list presented is, it still doesn’t compare to the fact that with just one Miraidon ex, your opponent can fill their entire Bench with Pokemon.

If the opponent puts two [card name=”Flaaffy” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] on the Bench to try to keep up with the same speed as you, then attack with Radiant Greninja to get a good advantage in the matchup.

Gardevoir ex — Unfavorable

There was a moment during the Latin America International Championships 2024 when I seriously considered using Roaring Moon ex. However, the factor that dissuaded me from choosing the deck at that time was [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”245″ c=”name”][/card]. The hype surrounding Gardevoir was so big that, for me, it seemed inconceivable to opt for any deck with a disadvantageous matchup against Gardevoir. Fortunately, the metagame underwent a shift, and Gardevoir lost some prominence to other decks.

The pressure exerted in the early turns of the game is insufficient to prevent Gardevoir from securing victory in the end. This occurs because, in the initial few turns, you can only Knock Out single Prize Pokemon, while towards the conclusion of the game, Gardevoir ex will exclusively target your double-Prize Pokemon. While you grapple to execute four or five attacks, Gardevoir can win the game in just three, utilizing the first two turns for setup.

To prevent Gardevoir ex from winning the match in three attacks, players often rely on cards like [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”269″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Collapsed Stadium” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] to disrupt the opponent from picking up easy Prize cards. However, in practice, this proves nearly inevitable. Gardevoir’s draw power and abundance of resources empower the deck to find everything it needs, whereas Roaring Moon encounters difficulty in finding necessary cards unless multiple copies of the same card are included. Ultimately, it is more effective to focus on applying pressure on your opponent and hoping that their setup is bad. Perhaps a Radiant Greninja delivering Knock Outs on two [card name=”Kirlia” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] , if your opponent was unable to play [card name=”Manaphy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], could unexpectedly turn this bad matchup to your favor.

Inteleon VMAX / Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX — Very Favorable

This matchup shows the difference between generations in the Pokemon TCG. Pokemon VMAX bid farewell to the competitive scene with the Standard format rotation in April. But in practice, only two Pokemon VMAX continue to see play in the current metagame: Mew VMAX and [card name=”Inteleon VMAX” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”266″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”TG21″ c=”name”][/card]. While one boasts the most significant draw power in the game’s history, the other possesses the capability to deal substantial damage with minimal effort. The trade-off for this prowess is that they are worth three Prize cards, and in the current format, this cost has never been more evident.

In essence, Inteleon / Urshifu struggles against anything capable of Knocking Out these Pokemon in a single attack, and Roaring Moon specializes in this role. Two Roaring Moon ex attacks are suffice to secure victory. Granted, the task is not as straightforward in practice, but winning the game in two attacks is a fact, particularly when the Roaring Moon deck allows you to power up and attack with this Pokemon out of nowhere.

In contrast to Mew VMAX and Miraidon ex, which can win the matchup with a combination of Judge and Path to the Peak, Inteleon / Urshifu cannot replicate these plays. This is because it is an offensive-focused deck, akin to Roaring Moon ex.

Lost Box — Unfavorable

Roaring Moon encounters some difficulty against single-Prize decks in general, as it is an exceptionally explosive deck with limited resources for extended games. On the other hand, a single-Prize deck thrives in longer matches. Despite Lost Box not being a single Prize deck, it is a deck that can opt to exclusively play with single-Prize Pokemon, selectively deploying Pokemon ex or Pokemon V only when necessary.

Dealing with [card name=”Cramorant” set=”Lost Origin” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Sableye” set=”Lost Origin” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] from the very first turn poses a challenging task for an explosive Roaring Moon ex deck like the one I’ve presented. The key in this matchup is to make every effort to attack with Radiant Greninja. If Manaphy is on the field, utilize [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] to knock out Manaphy whenever possible.

Sablezard — Very Unfavorable

This particular variant proves to be the most challenging for Roaring Moon ex, precisely because it exclusively features single-Prize Pokemon. [card name=”Radiant Charizard” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card], in particular, has the capability to Knock Out Roaring Moon ex with just one attack.

There isn’t much to do in this matchup, and if you genuinely aim to enhance your matchups against Lost Box, the most effective approach is to incorporate Iron Hands ex into the deck, even if it results in a somewhat inconsistent overall deck strategy.

Roaring Moon is the BDIF for Junior Division

In the Masters Division, gameplay considerations are seldom prioritized, as professional players must be adept with any deck. However, in the Junior Division, despite having good coaches, players face an obvious challenge. With a simpler strategy deck, I was able to teach everything related to strategy and sequencing in a shorter time. This allowed me to focus the remaining time on enhancing gameplay for each matchup in the metagame. If it were a Gardevoir ex deck, I would spend all my time teaching the intricacies of the deck’s gameplay, and even then, maybe the gameplay wouldn’t be good enough.

Even for those in the Masters Division, this tip holds value if time for training and studying the metagame is limited. Opting for a good, simple deck that aligns well with the metagame is a wiser choice than using something supposedly better, but that you won’t be able to master in the time you have available.

Final Thoughts

When we find ourselves at the beginning of a format, I prefer to delve into new ideas and potential decks that may surface. Therefore, during this period, my articles will primarily focus on explaining how a deck works and how it might evolve in the future. This involves exploring variants or considering new card possibilities. However, as we approach the conclusion of a format, which is the current scenario, my writeups shift towards concentrating on matchups. At this stage, I believe that most players have already grasped the workings of the main decks in the metagame. Consequently, the information that becomes most crucial is related to matchups. This information tends to improve and become more accurate as the format progresses. In other words, towards the end of the format, it is easier to understand the matchups and consequently make a better deck choice.

That’s all for today guys, I hope you enjoyed this article, and see you next time!

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