Mega Absol Tier 1 Basic Ability Lock Aggro

A relatively recent archetype, Mega Absol ex has a limited damage output compared to other Expanded powerhouses, but makes up for it with its strong disruption. With Dark Patch, it is possible to use Claw of Darkness as early as turn 1 (going second), which hurts even more when combined with Marnie (or, later in the game, Roxanne). Absol is typically paired with Garbodor to disrupt the opponent's plans and make sure that cards like Dedenne GX, Crobat V, and by extension, Quick Ball, can't be used to get out of a dead hand. Claw of Darkness, in turn, can discard key cards like Field Blower that would otherwise threaten the Garbodor lock.

In addition to its disruption potential, Absol also benefits from being a Dark-type Pokémon, and therefore hitting for Weakness against multiple relevant decks, notably Shadow Rider, Gardevoir, and Mew VMAX.