The first Meta Monday of the new season lands with fresh results and clear patterns. Secluded Springs has been live only a few days, yet tournaments already reveal early leaders and real counter choices. This report sticks to event outcomes and practical takeaways that translate to ranked battles. The goal is simple: show what won, why it won, and what to queue up this week within the Secluded Springs meta.
Early winners in the Secluded Springs meta
Giratina/Darkrai and Espeon/Sylveon continue to post strong finishes. These lists change little from last season, which helps consistency and makes them easy to pilot. Giratina/Darkrai still shines by developing two threats at once and packing hand disruption like Mars and Silver, with room for techs such as Sabrina or Repel. Espeon/Sylveon keeps pace with steady draw, chip damage, and repeat healing that grinds out many matchups.
Suicune/Greninja is the big new factor. The Suicune core with Greninja, Cyrus, Irida, and Rare Candy creates steady draw, flexible lines, and strong damage ceilings. Some builds slot a single Giratina as an alternate win path; others try two copies for more pressure at the cost of clunkier openings. One-card tweaks, like a single Inflatable Boat, can smooth early turns without changing the plan.
Suicune variants: one tech choice changes a lot
The single-Giratina Suicune build stays consistent: lead Suicune to draw, set up Greninja, and pivot to Giratina when the board favors a clean knockout. The two-Giratina take raises the ceiling but can hurt early stability and squeeze slots from Cyrus, Red Card, or utility tools. Another branch runs Oricorio with water-only energy for a bench sitter that feeds Crystal Waltz damage and stalls certain lines. It can help into Giratina/Darkrai, yet often falls behind in the mirror where the double-Greninja engine and healing race ahead.
Small choices matter. One extra Sabrina or early gust effect steals tempo. A single tech tool that reduces retreat can save a Froakie start without burning energy. These light touches keep Suicune’s plan intact while covering common pain points.
Counter decks with real teeth
Turbo Flareon stands out as the best current fire route. With double Red, double Eevee Bag, and Magby support, Flareon EX can take clean one-hit knockouts on Suicune and still threaten the next prize, giving it a fair shot into both Suicune and Espeon/Sylveon. Lightning shells are split: Raichu/Magnezone mirrors Suicune’s draw-first approach but struggles to bring Magnezone online fast enough in a Greninja-heavy field, while turbo Raichu lines try to snowball early damage and hand energies to Pikachu for a closer.
Silvally/Rampardos remains fringe but capable, especially when the bracket breaks right. Guzlord control lists with heavy healing and few Pokémon can punish Suicune/Greninja by denying key turns and draining energy, while staying competitive into Giratina/Darkrai and Espeon.
Secluded Springs Ranked: What's Working, What Isn't
byu/ArmyofThalia inPTCGP
What to queue up this week
If the goal is comfort and steady results, pick from the big three: Suicune/Greninja, Giratina/Darkrai, or Espeon/Sylveon. If the goal is a bracket call or a ladder shake-up, Turbo Flareon, Buzzwole/Pheromosa, or a lean Guzlord build can punish common lines. Expect players to adjust quickly; early gust effects, extra disruption, and careful bench sizing will decide many games. As the Secluded Springs meta settles, watch for a triangle to form among Suicune, Giratina/Darkrai, and targeted counters, with Espeon/Sylveon staying close behind.
