Palkia Noctowl is Strong!!
Palkia Noctowl has emerged as a fascinating deck in the current meta, offering a balance of search and attack. However, its effectiveness varies significantly across different matchups. In this blog, we take a deep dive into how Palkia Noctowl fares against key decks in the meta based on recent performance data.
Favorable Matchups
Pidgeot Control (62.86% Win Rate)
Palkia Noctowl thrives against Pidgeot Control, boasting a 62.86% win rate. The deck's aggressive tempo and deck searching, via "Jewel Seaker", allow it to capitalize on Pidgeot Control's slower setup, forcing the opponent into unfavorable positions and limiting their disruption options. Being able to one shot a pidegot and get out of any stall plays that control players love to use is key in this matchup. Radiant Greninja's moonlight shuriken helps wipe pigeys off the board before they can evolve.
Regidrago (60.28% Win Rate)
With a solid 60.28% win rate, Palkia Noctowl demonstrates dominance over Regidrago decks. Its ability to apply consistent pressure with terapagos as an attacker and limit energy acceleration by attacking benched teal mask ogerpons proves key in this matchup, preventing Regidrago from fully utilizing its powerful attacks. The best line of play is to go first and use terapagos as a primary attacker early during your second turn. Palkia vstar is clutch later forcing your opponent to choose between knocking out a baby palkia or the already setup terapagos ex.
Gardevoir (58.76% Win Rate)
Palkia Noctowl finds success against Gardevoir decks with a 58.76% win rate. The deck's ability to outpace and disrupt Gardevoir's energy acceleration provides a significant edge in this matchup. Radiant greningjas moonlight shuriken in combination with canceling cologne prevent kirlia's from setting up. In addition, Palkia VSTARS attack "subspace swell" can one shot gardevoir ex and ruin their game. A handy lost vacuum on a bravery charm also helps take multiple prize turns.
Dragapult Iron Thorns (56.06% Win Rate)
A favorable matchup for Palkia Noctowl, boasting a 56.06% win rate. Terapagos ex can hit for a perfect 240HP when you have 8 benched pokemon. This can easily take care of Iron thorns ex. Being able to lost vacuum away your own stadium offers a board control option to handle Dragapult's spread damage effectively. Palkia VSTAR can also easily one hit KO a dragapult ex, but I advise to use terapagos as an early game attacker since Palkia is weak to electric type.
Raging Bolt Ogerpon (58.73% Win Rate)
Against Raging Bolt Ogerpon, Palkia Noctowl maintains a strong 58.73% win rate, utilizing its terapagos and searchability to limit the opponent's speed while maintaining offensive pressure. Raging bolt players love to go second which is good for Palkia players. Refrain from benching any two prize pokemon during the first turn of them game. Insteaed hold a nest ball or terapagos in your hand and wait from raging bolt to take out a singlee prizer. During your second turn, slap down your terapagos and build your board to beable to hit 240hp. Make sure you setup a baby palkia V to make them choose between the primary attacker and the potential monster that is coming.
Iron Thorns (54.55% Win Rate)
Palkia Noctowl shows strength against Iron Thorns decks with a 54.55% win rate, indicating its ability to capitalize by searching with Noctowl for the ideal setup. I advise against using Palkia in this matchup and instead rely on glass trumpet + terapagos +thorton to easily win.
Miraidon (56.76% Win Rate)
Miraidon presents another favorable matchup for Palkia Noctowl, holding a 56.76% win rate. The deck can effectively counter Miraidon's rapid acceleration with timely Iono/Judge hand disruption and strong board presence. I strongly advise to not attempt to setup a palkia Vstar until you have knockout out at least one iron thorns ex.
Archaludon (54.10% Win Rate)
Palkia Noctowl holds a favorable matchup against Archaludon with a 54.10% win rate. The deck's ability to maintain pressure and hand disrupt are too much for archaludon. Ignore Archaludon ex for the moment and kill off support pokemon and dialga V's with terapagos. Bench a palkia V to create a dual threat scenario that can one shot the evolved archaludon ex.
Even Matchups
Terapagos Dusknoir (55.56% Win Rate)
A slightly favorable matchup where Palkia Noctowl holds an advantage with a 55.56% win rate. Terapagos Dusknoir's has no answer for Palkia Noctowl as its HP is too large. Setup moonlight shuriken to snipe pidgeys and hoothoots to prevent search. This way you can maintain tempo control.
Lugia Archeops (48.89% Win Rate)
Palkia Noctowl faces an even challenge against Lugia Archeops, with a 48.89% win rate. This matchup often comes down to whether Palkia can effectively limit Acrcheops' powerful acceleration and sustain pressure throughout the game. With lugia vstar expected to make a comeback in San Antonio, I advise to add a one of spiritomb to prevent Lumineon V's supporter search. Kieran is also big in powering through the Vguard energy.
Charizard Pidgeot (45.21% Win Rate)
Charizard Pidgeot presents difficulties for Palkia Noctowl, with a 45.21% win rate. The high damage output and consistency of Charizard can overwhelm Palkia if not managed properly. Never and I mean NEVER let pidgeot ex setup. The game is practically over if this happens. Utilize moonlight shuriken and canceling colgne to bench snipe pidgeys and charmanders, priotizing double pidgey if necessary. With the addition of the 1 of spiritomb you can prevent Rotom V and Lumineon V abilities. This is your best shot at stopping Charizard Pidgeot players
Challenging Matchups
Snorlax Stall (38.46% Win Rate)
One of the toughest matchups for Palkia Noctowl, Snorlax Stall proves to be a major challenge with a 38.46% win rate. The stall strategy effectively nullifies Palkia's offensive potential, forcing it into resource-draining scenarios. Ultra ball and professor's research all your pokemon except a Palkia V. Bench Palkia V and a Fan rotom and pray.
Conclusion
While Palkia Noctowl finds success against the powerhouse that is Regidrago VSTAR, it struggles against stall strategies like Snorlax Stall. Utilizing terapagos as much as possible is key. Players should understand that this is as much of a terapagos deck as it is a palkia deck.
Stay tuned for more in-depth deck analyses and strategies to improve your gameplay!
Proposed Decklist for San Antonio

Pokémon: 21
4 Hoothoot TEF 126
4 Noctowl PR-SV 141
2 Origin Forme Palkia V PR-SW 253
2 Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR ASR 192
2 Terapagos ex PR-SV 165
2 Fan Rotom SCR 118
1 Fezandipiti ex SFA 92
1 Mew ex PR-SV 53
1 Radiant Greninja ASR 46
1 Ditto PAF 201
1 Spiritomb PAF 158
Trainer: 33
2 Iono PAL 254
2 Boss's Orders PR-SW 251
1 Professor's Research CEL 24
1 Irida CRZ-GG 63
1 Thorton LOR 210
1 Kieran TWM 218
1 Judge LOT 209
4 Nest Ball SVI 255
3 Ultra Ball BRS 186
3 Night Stretcher SSP 251
2 Earthen Vessel SFA 96
2 Glass Trumpet SCR 135
1 Switch MEW 206
1 Energy Switch SIT 212
1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TWM 223
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Prime Catcher TEF 157
1 Lost Vacuum LOR 217
1 Canceling Cologne ASR 136
3 Area Zero Underdepths SCR 174
Energy: 6
6 Water Energy CRE 231
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