Whether you’re a battle worn veteran like Lt. Surge or a supermodel like Elesa, Lightning type Pokémon are sure to serve you well in your Gym Leader Challenge adventures! True to their speedy form, Lightning Pokémon have access to some of the fastest attacks and strongest draw support Abilities available in Gym Leader Challenge. With multiple ways to accelerate Energy into play as well, you’ll be sprinting through your deck and launching powerful attacks that are sure to leave your opponents shocked before they have a chance to set up!

Support Pokémon

Something that sets Lightning apart from other types is that it has many amazing Stage 1 support Pokémon, which makes it a generally low maintenance and quick archetype. Both Flaaffy and Eelektrik rock the Dynamotor Ability, allowing them to charge Energy from the discard to your various attackers. Electrode and Zebstrika both have Abilities that draw cards, and since they are easy to set up early, Lightning is a type that can reach the bottom of the deck with relative ease. Since Zebstrika‘s Sprint will have you discarding your hand multiple times a game, recovery cards are generally important in most Lightning type builds.

Attackers

Of any type in Gym Leader Challenge, Lightning is most notorious for ending games quickly. Zapdos is one of the best leads in the format, threatening an easy 80 damage on the first turn of the game with its Thunderous Assault attack. Even if Zapdos doesn’t take a KO, it can help set up numbers for Regieleki, Raichu, or Electivire (BRS), all of which have phenomenal but pricey spread attacks. Since Zapdos is so low maintenance, a common strategy is to lead Zapdos while you build up more powerful attacks on the Bench with Dynamotor.

Decklists

Spread

Credit: deino

Electivire has one of the best spread attacks in all of Gym Leader Challenge, dealing 50 damage to each of the opponent’s Pokémon with its High-Voltage Current attack. Paired up with Tapu Koko, Raichu, and Regieleki, this deck can easily wipe the opponent’s board in a single turn.

Last Update: June 2024

  • 1 Blitzle NVI 35

    1 Zebstrika LOT 82

    1 Electabuzz EVO 41

    1 Electivire BRS 47

    1 Mareep LOT 76

    1 Flaaffy EVS 55

    1 Morpeko TWM 72

    1 Pikachu TEF 51

    1 Raichu TEF 52

    1 Regieleki EVS 60

    1 Tapu Koko PR-SM SM30

    1 Tynamo NVI 39

    1 Eelektrik NVI 40

    1 Zapdos TEU 40

    1 Acro Bike CES 123

    1 Battle VIP Pass FST 225

    1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144

    1 Electropower LOT 172

    1 Enhanced Hammer TWM 148

    1 Escape Rope BST 125

    1 Evolution Incense SSH 163

    1 Evosoda GEN 62

    1 Field Blower GRI 125

    1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146

    1 Level Ball BST 129

    1 Nest Ball PAF 84

    1 Professor's Letter BKT 146

    1 Quick Ball FST 237

    1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130

    1 Revive EVO 85

    1 Super Rod PAL 188

    1 Switch SVI 194

    1 Trainers' Mail ROS 92

    1 Ultra Ball PAF 91

    1 VS Seeker PHF 109

    1 Muscle Band XY 121

    1 U-Turn Board UNM 211

    1 Silent Lab PRC 140

    1 Stormy Mountains EVS 161

    1 Arven OBF 186

    1 Ball Guy SHF 57

    1 Boss's Orders (Ghetsis) PAL 172

    1 Cynthia UPR 119

    1 Green's Exploration UNB 175

    1 Guzma BUS 115

    1 Hex Maniac AOR 75

    1 Iono PAF 80

    1 Lusamine CIN 96

    1 Marnie CPA 56

    1 Raihan CRZ 140

    1 Teammates PRC 141

    1 Volkner UPR 135

    5 Basic Lightning Energy SVE 4

    1 Counter Energy CIN 100

    1 Recycle Energy UNM 212

    1 Speed Lightning Energy RCL 173

Shock Lock

Be prepared to leave your opponent SHOCKED with how well this electrifying list keeps their game LOCKED in your control. Zebstrika and Manectric’s abilities allow you to churn through your deck with lightning speed. Thanks to Lanturn, you don’t need to worry too much about losing your resources. Raichu’s powerful Evoshock ability in combination with scoop up net keeps your opponents Pokémon stuck in the active with paralysis while you use Bellelba & Brycen-Man to mill through their important resources every turn. Dare to try out this powerful control list? Come check out the Discord thread to delve deeper into how the deck works!

Last Update: August 2024

Credit: Jacob “Schlinky”

  • 1 Blitzle NVI 35

    1 Zebstrika LOT 82

    1 Chinchou LOT 73

    1 Lanturn LOT 74

    1 Electrike PRC 60

    1 Manectric VIV 52

    1 Pikachu PR-SM SM76

    1 Raichu BUS 41

    1 Rotom SVI 70

    1 Tapu Koko DAA 61

    1 Acro Bike CES 123

    1 Battle Compressor Team Flare Gear PHF 92

    1 Bicycle PLS 117

    1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144

    1 Capturing Aroma SIT 153

    1 Counter Catcher PAR 160

    1 Devolution Spray EVO 76

    1 Devolution Spray Z UNB 166

    1 Enhanced Hammer TWM 148

    1 Escape Rope BST 125

    1 Evolution Incense SSH 163

    1 Evosoda GEN 62

    1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146

    1 Level Ball BST 129

    1 Lillie's Poké Doll CEC 197

    1 Nest Ball PAF 84

    1 Pal Pad SVI 182

    1 Pokégear 3.0 SVI 186

    1 Quick Ball FST 237

    1 Rescue Carrier CRZ 142

    1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130

    1 Robo Substitute Team Flare Gear PHF 102

    1 Roller Skates PHF 103

    1 Scoop Up Net RCL 165

    1 Super Rod PAL 188

    1 Timer Ball SUM 134

    1 Trainers' Mail ROS 92

    1 Trekking Shoes CRZ 145

    1 Ultra Ball PAF 91

    1 VS Seeker PHF 109

    1 PokéStop PGO 68

    1 Stormy Mountains EVS 161

    1 Arezu LOR 153

    1 Ball Guy SHF 65

    1 Bellelba & Brycen-Man CEC 186

    1 Carmine TWM 145

    1 Clavell PAL 177

    1 Eri TEF 146

    1 Gladion CIN 95

    1 Guzma BUS 115

    1 Hapu UNM 200

    1 Iono PAF 80

    1 Lt. Surge's Strategy HIF 60

    1 Lusamine CIN 96

    1 Peonia CRE 149

    1 Professor's Research PAF 87

    1 Thorton LOR 167

    1 Basic Lightning Energy SVE 4

    1 Capture Energy RCL 171

    1 Recycle Energy UNM 212

Looking for more ideas or feedback on your deck?

Check out the Tricky Gym Discord’s #glc-decklists channel and Cardboard Warriors Community Decks page for more inspiration!

Lightningzone

Description coming soon!

Last Update: August 2024

Credit: allaboutthatbaisch

  • 1 Blitzle NVI 35

    1 Zebstrika LOT 82

    1 Emolga DRX 45

    1 Magnemite undefined 65

    1 Magneton BKT 53

    1 Magnezone FLI 36

    1 Mareep LOT 75

    1 Flaaffy EVS 55

    1 Pikachu CEC 66

    1 Alolan Raichu UNM 57

    1 Regieleki EVS 60

    1 Thundurus undefined 70

    1 Tynamo NVI 39

    1 Eelektrik NVI 40

    1 Zapdos TWM 65

    1 Zeraora UNB 60

    1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144

    1 Earthen Vessel undefined 163

    1 Escape Rope BST 125

    1 Evolution Incense SSH 163

    1 Field Blower GRI 125

    1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146

    1 Level Ball BST 129

    1 Nest Ball undefined 181

    1 Professor's Letter BKT 146

    1 Quick Ball FST 237

    1 Rare Candy undefined 191

    1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130

    1 Super Rod undefined 188

    1 Superior Energy Retrieval undefined 189

    1 Timer Ball SUM 134

    1 Ultra Ball undefined 196

    1 VS Seeker PHF 109

    1 Air Balloon SSH 156

    1 Float Stone BKT 137

    1 Silent Lab PRC 140

    1 Stormy Mountains EVS 161

    1 Arven OBF 186

    1 Ball Guy SHF 65

    1 Colress PLS 118

    1 Guzma BUS 115

    1 Iono PAF 80

    1 Klara CRE 145

    1 Marnie CPA 56

    1 N FCO 105

    1 Peony CRE 150

    1 Professor's Research PAF 87

    1 Sonia CPA 65

    1 Teammates PRC 141

    10 Basic Lightning Energy SVE 4

    1 Speed Lightning Energy RCL 173