Arceus & Crobat Item-Lock Deck Guide (Pokémon TCG Pocket)
TL;DR: this is a control deck that wins by not letting the opponent play. Crobat's ability chips away the opponent's Bench while Chingling and a balloon item lock their Item cards, so you pull ahead on tempo and card advantage. It's a top-tier "item lock" (goods-lock) build — but it's item-dependent, so a missing Rare Candy can brick it.
▶ The deck in action (Japanese commentary — the board state speaks for itself)
What the deck does
Nicknamed "Aru-Kuro-Baby" (Arceus + Crobat + Baby) by its pilot Yamamu, this deck doesn't try to out-slug you. It takes away what the opponent is allowed to do. While their Item cards are locked, you keep drawing, thin your board threats, and grind them out.
The two engines: Bench disruption + item lock
| Role | Card | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Bench disruption | Crobat (ability: Trick Link / トリックリンク) | Chips the opponent's Bench and thins their board |
| Item lock | Chingling (リーシャン) + balloon item (ちいさなふうせん) | Locks the opponent's Item cards — no healing, searching, or disruption for them |
| Card advantage | Baby Pokémon / draw | You keep refueling your hand while they're locked |
| Core attacker | Arceus | The backbone of the deck for damage and stability |
From the opponent's seat it's a triple bind: Items don't work, the Bench keeps shrinking, and only you are drawing cards. When it all lands, the deck is oppressive — which is why Yamamu calls it "the strongest after all."
The dream turn: the "genius Zubat" curve
In the first game of the video (1:03), the Zubat → Crobat evolution line comes together perfectly — a "genius Zubat" opening. Crobat chips the Bench while the item lock goes up, and the opponent never gets to act. It even completely shuts down a Mega Sceptile deck mid-video. That's the deck's ceiling.
The honest weakness: Rare Candy dependency
The flip side is real: if you don't draw Rare Candy (ふしぎなアメ), your evolutions stall and you brick. The video keeps the bad beats in — games lost to a faster opponent, and hands that never find Rare Candy. Item-lock decks live and die on their opening, so tuning your Rare Candy and draw counts is the key to consistency.
Build tuning (debated in the comments)
- Copies of the balloon item — the heart of the lock, but Yamamu himself wonders if it's over-included; swapping one for a tool/attachment is on the table
- Rare Candy count — the single biggest lever for lowering your brick rate
- An HP-boosting stadium — to survive longer when the lock is slow to come online
FAQ
What is the Arceus & Crobat item-lock deck?
An item-lock (goods-lock) deck built around Arceus, Crobat and a Baby Pokémon. Crobat chips the Bench while Chingling plus a balloon item lock the opponent's Item cards, so you win on the tempo and card-advantage gap.
What's the deck's weakness?
It leans on drawing Rare Candy. If Rare Candy doesn't show up, your evolutions stall and you can brick. It can also be out-tempoed by an equally fast opponent.