Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex (Japanese: マリィのオーロンゲexMary's Ohlonge ex) is a Pokémon Trading Card Gamedeck archetype that was mainly played in the 2025-26 season of the Standard format. The deck's strategy involves placing damage counters all over the opponent's board using Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex's "Shadow Bullet" attack and a combination of Abilities from Froslass and Munkidori, allowing the player to set up and take multiple Knock Outs in a single turn.
Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex was first introduced in Japan in the ex Starter Set Marnie's Morpeko & Grimmsnarl ex product, released on February 21, 2025. While initially overlooked upon release due to being part of a Starter Set, players soon learned to add the Froslass and Munkidori into the deck, which popularized the Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex archetype and earned it some notable placements, reaching top 8 at the 2025 North American International Championships and earning second place at the 2025 Pokémon Japan Championships.
The Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex archetype's primary goal is to set up and spread damage across the opponent's board through the use of its three primary Pokémon, namely Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex, Froslass, and Munkidori. Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex is an efficient attacker as it automatically powers itself up with its "Punk Up" Ability upon evolving, and it can set up damage on the opponent's Bench with its "Shadow Bullet" attack. Complementing the damage spread strategy is Froslass with its "Freezing Shroud" Ability and Munkidori with its "Adrena-Brain" Ability. By banking enough damage on the opponent's Pokémon, the player may take multiple Knock Outs in a single turn, either by using a damaging attack or by using Technical Machine: Devolution, which devolves all of the opponent's Evolution Pokémon and Knocks Out any of the devolved Basic Pokémon that have accumulated enough damage. The Devolution strategy is particularly powerful since the opponent is then forced to re-establish their evolving Basic Pokémon back on their board.
The archetype also uses Spikemuth Gym, which boosts the deck's consistency by allowing the player to search their deck for 1 of their Marnie's Pokémon every turn.
Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex was first officially introduced in the ex Starter Set Marnie's Morpeko & Grimmsnarl ex, a product focusing on the Marnie's Pokémon archetype which was released in Japan on February 21, 2025. However, players typically do not use the Marnie's Pokémon cards included in the Starter Set apart from the Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex Evolution line itself.
Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex - The deck's primary attacker, Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex's "Shadow Bullet" attack costs 2 (Darkness) Energy, and does 180 damage to the opponent's Active Pokémon and 30 damage to 1 of their Benched Pokémon. Although the damage is unimpressive on paper, it can be complemented using various strategies, notably banking damage on those Benched Pokémon to earn Knock Outs on them in future turns. Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex also has the "Punk Up" Ability, which lets the player attach up to 5 Basic (Darkness) Energy cards from their deck to their Marnie's Pokémon in play; this is typically used to accelerate Basic Darkness Energy to an Active Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex, and a Benched Marnie's Morgrem or Marnie's Impidimp to be evolved next turn. Being a Darkness-type Pokémon, Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex can one-shot Psychic-typePokémon ex that are weak to Darkness, such as Gardevoir ex.
Froslass - It has the "Freezing Shroud" Ability, which puts 10 damage to every Pokémon in play (both the player's and their opponent's) that has an Ability, except for any Froslass, during Pokémon Checkup (the in-between turns step after each player takes their turn). Froslass's "Freezing Shroud" stacks, meaning the player can set up multiple Froslass to put even more damage on each of those valid Pokémon with Abilities. Many important and relevant Pokémon in the 2025-26 Standard format have Abilities, which can be weakened by "Freezing Shroud" for Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex or Munkidori to Knock Out later. The damage that Froslass's "Freezing Shroud" places on the player's Pokémon can be moved away using Munkidori's "Adrena-Brain" Ability, preventing self-Knock Outs.
Munkidori - Its "Adrena-Brain" Ability lets the player move up to 30 damage from 1 of their own Pokémon onto 1 of the opponent's Pokémon if it has any (Darkness) Energy attached. A player using this deck will want to set up multiple Munkidori to move as much damage as possible away from their Pokémon onto the opponent's Pokémon, in order to both heal their own Pokémon and to take Knock Outs or set up Devolution plays. Since Munkidori has an Ability, it is damaged by Froslass's "Freezing Shroud" Ability, which is a positive in this case as Munkidori's "Adrena-Brain" can move those damage away and chip even more of the opponent's Pokémon's HP.
Technical Machine: Evolution - Can be used to quickly evolve the player's Froslass and Marnie's Morgrem. Any Froslass evolved in this way will have their "Freezing Shroud" Ability immediately activate at the end of the player's turn, kickstarting damage placement on the field even if the player hasn't used any damaging attack yet.
Technical Machine: Devolution - Devolves all the opponent's Evolution Pokémon in play by putting the highest stage Evolution cards on them back into the opponent's hand. If the Basic Pokémon that was devolved has enough damage banked from its higher Evolution stage, it is immediately Knocked Out. Devolving multiple damaged Evolution Pokémon in this manner allows the Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex deck to take multiple Knock Outs in a single turn, and forces the opponent to re-establish their evolving Basic Pokémon on their next turn.
Energy Search - Searches the player's deck for a Basic Energy card. This is crucial in the early game to ensure that the player can use Technical Machine: Evolution as early as their first turn.
Spikemuth Gym - Allows the player to search their deck for 1 Marnie's Pokémon and put it into their hand. This allows the player to easily get the Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex Evolution pieces they need without using searcher cards that force them to discard other cards, such as Ultra Ball.
Buddy-Buddy Poffin - Places 2 Basic Pokémon with 70 HP or less onto the Bench. Useful for searching Marnie's Impidimp and Snorunt, the latter of which cannot be searched using Spikemuth Gym.
Artazon and Nest Ball - Allows the player to Bench Basic Pokémon directly from their deck. This is primarily used in the early game to set up Marnie's Impidimp, Snorunt, and Munkidori, the latter of which cannot be searched using Spikemuth Gym or Buddy-Buddy Poffin.
Rare Candy - This card is able to evolve Marnie's Impidimp directly into Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex, allowing the player to quickly set up for a "Shadow Bullet" attack.
Super Rod - Allows the player to recycle up to 3 in any combination of Pokémon and Basic Energy cards from their discard pile back into their deck. Typically used in conjunction with Spikemuth Gym, with Super Rod recycling Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex and 2 Basic Darkness Energy cards back into their deck and Spikemuth Gym searching for the Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex, whereby evolving into it will attach the Basic Darkness Energy cards from the deck to it.
Secret Box - The ACE SPEC card of choice for the Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex archetype, using it forces the player to discard 3 cards from their hand but allows them to search their deck for an Item card, a Pokémon Tool card, a Supporter card, and a Stadium card. Despite the steep discard cost, this card is important in the archetype as it allows the player to search for all the key Trainer cards they need in a single turn, including Spikemuth Gym, which otherwise cannot be searched by any other card in the typical decklist.
Air Balloon - This card reduces the Retreat Cost of the Pokémon it is attached to by 2. It can reduce the Retreat Cost of a Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex, allowing it to retreat freely, or another Pokémon that can serve as a pivot such as Tatsugiri.
Arven - Searches the deck for an Item card and a Pokémon Tool card, such as an Energy Search and a Technical Machine: Evolution.
Iono - Forces both players to shuffle their hands, put them on the bottom of their deck, and draw new hands depending on their remaining Prize cards. Useful as both a draw Supporter in the early game and a hand disruption Supporter in the late game.
Boss's Orders and Counter Catcher - Switches in 1 of the opponent's Benched Pokémon into the Active Spot. Typically used to chase down and Knock Out a 2-Prize Pokémon ex.
The following cards can be used in Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex decks in place of certain cards included in the above list.
Budew - Its "Itchy Pollen" attack prevents the opponent from using any Item cards during their next turn. Useful for slowing the opponent's development of their board as the player sets up their own board with Froslass and Munkidori.
Maractus - Its "Corner" attack prevents the Defending Pokémon from retreating, which can be useful to slow down the opponent's board development (as they can't retreat into their primary Pokémon). It also has the "Exploding Needles" Ability, which puts 6 damage counters on the Attacking Pokémon if that Pokémon's attack causes it to be Knocked Out.
Iron Bundle - Its "Hyper Blower" Ability forces the opponent to move their Active Pokémon into their Bench and bring up 1 of their Benched Pokémon into the Active Spot. This is typically used in conjunction with Maractus to trap a non-attacking Benched Pokémon and stall the opponent while the player sets up.
Yveltal from Mega Evolution - Like Maractus, its "Clutch" attack prevents the Defending Pokémon from retreating. While it doesn't have the "Exploding Needles" Ability like Maractus does, Yveltal has no Retreat Cost and can move to the Bench freely once the player is ready to attack with Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex, compared to Maractus whose Retreat Cost is 2.
Yveltal from Shrouded Fable - It has the "Corrosive Winds" attack, which puts 2 damage counters on each of the opponent's Pokémon that already has any damage counters on it. This further complements the damage spread strategy that Froslass and Munkidori provide.
Shaymin - Prevents damage used by the opponent's Pokémon from being dealt on the player's Benched non-Rule Box Pokémon. This is useful in the mirror match or to prevent other Bench snipe attacks, such as Gardevoir ex decks using Scream Tail or Raging Bolt Ogerpon decks using Raging Bolt. Note that since Shaymin has an Ability, it will be damaged by Froslass's "Freezing Shroud".
Tatsugiri - Its "Attract Customers" Ability lets the player look at the top 6 cards of their deck and add a Supporter card they find there into their hand. Useful for searching for Supporter cards the player might need during their turn, such as Arven or Boss's Orders.
Fezandipiti ex - Its "Flip the Script" Ability lets the player draw 3 cards if any of their Pokémon were Knocked Out during their opponent's last turn.
Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex - Its "Blood Moon" attack does 240 damage and costs 1 Energy less for each Prize card the opponent has taken. It is useful in the late game to take a final 2-Prize Knock Out and secure the win.
Marnie's Morpeko - Its "Spiky Wheel" attack does 20 damage plus 40 more damage for each (Darkness) Energy attached to it. It is primarily used as an answer against Pokémon cards with walling Abilities, such as Mimikyu, Cornerstone Mask Ogerpon ex, or Crustle. As a Marnie's Pokémon, it can be powered up by Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex's "Punk Up" Ability.
Pokégear 3.0 - Allows the player to look at the top 7 cards of their deck and add a Supporter card they find there into their hand. This card can be used as a replacement for the "Attract Customers" Tatsugiri, especially if the latter is Knocked Out in the previous turns.
Ultra Ball - Allows the player to search their deck for any 1 Pokémon, but requires them to discard 2 other cards from their hand. Despite the discard cost, this card is still useful in some situations — for instance, if the player wants to search for a Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex but is unable to use Spikemuth Gym.
Earthen Vessel - Allows the player to search their deck for up to 2 Basic Energy cards, but requires them to discard another card from their hand. This card provides 1 extra Energy than what Energy Search provides; the player may attach 1 of them during their current turn while keeping the other Energy in their hand for their next turn.
Energy Switch - Allows the player to move a Basic Energy from 1 of their Pokémon to another of their Pokémon. This can be used in conjunction with Marnie Grimmsnarl ex's "Punk Up" Ability: attaching more Energy cards to Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex than it requires to attack, and then moving those extra Energy cards to any Munkidori to activate their "Adrena-Brain" Ability.
Tool Scrapper - Allows the player to remove up to 2 Pokémon Tool cards from their or their opponent's Pokémon. This card is primarily used to remove HP-increasing Pokémon Tools such as Bravery Charm, or to remove Pokémon Tools from an opponent's Genesect (whose "ACE Nullifier" Ability prevents its opposing side from using ACE SPEC cards as long as it has a Pokémon Tool attached).
Team Rocket's Petrel - Allows the player to search their deck for any Trainer card and put them into their hand. This is useful for searching for Spikemuth Gym (which otherwise can only be searched using Secret Box), but can be used to search for other relevant Trainer cards as well.
(Darkness) Energy, and does 180 damage to the opponent's Active Pokémon and 30 damage to 1 of their Benched Pokémon. Although the damage is unimpressive on paper, it can be complemented using various strategies, notably banking damage on those Benched Pokémon to earn Knock Outs on them in future turns. Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex also has the "Punk Up" Ability, which lets the player attach up to 5 Basic 
E
