CARD INFORMATION

SUBTYPES:
- Basic
HP: 70
TYPES:
- Grass
EVOLVES TO:
- Sawsbuck
WEAKNESSES:
- TYPE: Fire
- VALUE: ×2
RETREATCOST:
- Colorless
RETREAT COST: 1
RARITY: Illustration Rare
FLAVOR TEXT: The color and scent of their fur changes to match the mountain grass. When they sense hostility, they hide in the grass.
REGULATIONMARK: I

CARD ABILITIES

This card has no abilities

CARD ATTACKS

NAME: Rear Kick
COST:
- Colorless
- Colorless
ENERGY COST: 2
DAMAGE: 30
DETAILS:

MARKET PRICES FOR DEERLING 💰

Last updated: 2025/10/11

HIGH	29.99	USD
MID	8.42	USD	TREND
LOW	7.40	USD

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Deerling gallops into the competitive scene with its charming seasonal appeal, but does it have what it takes to make an impact on your tournament deck? This Basic Grass-type Pokémon offers simplicity and accessibility, but in a meta dominated by powerhouse cards, understanding its true potential requires looking beyond its adorable exterior.

Offensive rating: 2/10

Deerlings offensive capabilities are severely limited with just a single attack option.

Rear Kick delivers a modest 30 damage for two Colorless energy, resulting in a poor damage-to-energy ratio of 15 damage per energy.

With no additional effects, status conditions, or ability to bypass defenses, this attack falls significantly short against modern meta defenders.

The Colorless energy requirement provides flexibility in deck building, but fails to compensate for the underwhelming damage output.

Even against Pokémon with Fire weakness, Deerling struggles to secure meaningful knockouts against todays higher HP cards.

Survival rating: 3/10

With just 70 HP, Deerling sits at the lower end of the durability spectrum for Basic Pokémon.

Its Fire weakness is particularly problematic in metas where Fire-type attackers are prevalent, making it vulnerable to one-hit knockouts from even modestly powered Fire attacks.

The single retreat cost is its one saving grace for survivability, allowing for reasonably efficient pivoting if Deerling finds itself in a disadvantageous position.

However, Deerling lacks any defensive abilities, damage reduction effects, or healing capabilities that could extend its battlefield presence.

Against most competitive decks, Deerling will rarely survive more than a single turn in the active position.

Versatility rating: 2/10

Deerlings versatility is severely constrained by its limited attack options and absence of abilities.

As a Basic Grass-type, it offers straightforward integration into Grass-focused strategies, but brings little tactical advantage beyond being evolution fodder for Sawsbuck.

The Colorless energy requirement for its attack provides some flexibility in energy attachment, but the minimal impact of that attack negates much of this benefit.

Deerling cannot fulfill specialist roles like disruption, energy acceleration, or board control.

Its primary utility comes from being a Basic Pokémon that can be searched with common Ball cards and potentially stalling for a turn while you set up stronger attackers.

Speed/Setup rating: 7/10

Deerling scores reasonably well in terms of setup speed due to its Basic status and straightforward energy requirements.

It can attack by turn two with manual energy attachments, requiring no special conditions or complex combinations to function.

Its single Colorless retreat cost enhances its utility as an opening Active Pokémon while you build up your main attacker on the bench.

Common search cards like Nest Ball, Level Ball, or Pokémon Communication can easily fetch it from your deck.

However, the minimal payoff for this quick setup significantly diminishes its practical value.

Deerling essentially operates as intended immediately, but what it offers at full operation remains underwhelming.

Deerling functions best as evolution material for Sawsbuck or as an emergency starter in Grass-type decks.

Cards that accelerate energy attachment or boost Basic Pokémon can marginally improve its effectiveness, though investment in supporting Deerling is rarely the optimal strategy for competitive play.

Perfect Partners examples:

Sawsbuck

As Deerlings evolution, Sawsbuck is the primary reason to include Deerling in your deck, offering significantly better attacks and potentially useful abilities depending on the specific variant.

Turffield Stadium

This stadium helps search out Grass-type Pokémon, making it easier to find either Deerling or its evolution, enhancing consistency in a Grass-focused strategy.

Aroma Grass Energy

Provides the Grass energy Deerling might need in a type-specific deck while potentially healing damage, helping address Deerlings survivability issues when attached to evolved forms.

Deerling ultimately serves a limited role in competitive play, functioning primarily as evolution material for Sawsbuck rather than a standalone contributor.

Its mediocre attack power, fragile defenses, and lack of special abilities restrict its impact on matches.

The cards most redeeming qualities are its Basic status, flexible energy requirements, and reasonable retreat cost, making it a serviceable but unremarkable option for the early game.

Players looking to leverage Deerling should focus on quickly evolving it or using it as a temporary starter while setting up more impactful Pokémon.

In the current meta environment, Deerling is best viewed as a stepping stone rather than a cornerstone of competitive strategies.

For tournament play, only include it if Sawsbuck forms a critical part of your strategy; otherwise, stronger Basic Grass-types or more versatile starters will generally provide better value for your deck.