Murkrow Deck Tech: Neutralizing Its Weaknesses in Battle

In TCG ·

Murkrow card art from Undaunted (HGSS3)

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Shadowed Strategy: Murkrow’s Quiet Power

In the dim corners of a crowded Pokémon TCG table, Murkrow often slides into view as a small, unassuming piece with big strategic potential. Born as a Basic Darkness-type from the Undaunted era (HGSS3), this Common critter carries a precise utility that can tilt tempo in your favor when you know how to deploy it. At 60 HP, Murkrow isn’t a beefy frontline, but its signature move, Astonish, does more than deal damage: flip a coin, and if it lands heads, you get to peek at one of your opponent’s cards and shuffle it back into their deck. That hand disruption is priceless in the right moment, turning a sequence of plays into a misdirected plan for your rival. ⚡

  • HP: 60
  • Type: Darkness
  • Rarity: Common
  • Stage: Basic
  • Attack: Astonish — Darkness energy required, 10 damage
  • Weakness: Lightning ×2
  • Resistance: Fighting −20
  • Retreat Cost: 1
  • Illustrator: kawayoo
  • Set: Undaunted (HGSS3)

Hidden beneath its modest statline is a deck-building philosophy: Murkrow rewards patience, tempo, and clever pairing. The card sits well on a bench and thrives when you can evolve it into a more formidable threat, typically Honchkrow, to scale your board presence. The evolution path amplifies both HP and threat, pushing you from disruptive curiosity into an outright tempo engine. In practical play, Murkrow serves as a disruption engine that buys you time while you assemble a plan to survive Electric onslaughts and stall out the game with card advantage. 🎴

Deck Craft: Neutralizing the Weakness with Smart Techs

“Neutralizing its weaknesses” starts with recognizing what hurts Murkrow most: Electric-type opponents blasting through its modest HP. A few targeted strategies can smooth the rough edges of this matchup without sacrificing Murkrow’s disruptive edge.

  • Astonish is your safety valve. When coordinated with other disruption tools, you can force your opponent to rethink their draw and play order, reducing the odds they’ll hit a clean Electric attacker at the right moment. Use that tempo to set up a bench of threats that pressure your opponent to react rather than plan ahead. 🔎
  • With a retreat cost of 1, Murkrow can slip back to the bench when an Electric threat lingers. Pair it with classic trainers that help reposition your active Pokémon—think energy acceleration or retreat-supporting cards—to dodge heavy Lightning damage and keep pressure on your opponent from the margins.
  • Evolving Murkrow into Honchkrow can transform a fragile early-game disruptor into a mid-game power spike. The shift often brings more HP, steadier presence, and a broader set of tools to weather a rapid Electric push while you assemble a winning line.
  • Well-timed energy attachments and supportive trainers help you outpace your opponent’s Electric lines. Since Murkrow’s attack is modest, you’ll lean on the evolution and bench-based play to create a chain of threats that Electric decks struggle to answer cleanly.

In terms of lore and feel, Murkrow embodies misfortune and midnight mischief, a perfect foil for decks that prize careful timing and mind games. The art by kawayoo captures that moonlit, calculating vibe, reminding players that deception can be as important as raw power in the TCG arena. The theme dovetails nicely with the Undaunted era’s penchant for bold, character-rich designs that reward patient, strategic play as much as explosive combos. ⚡🔥

Collector’s Corner: Value, Rarity, and the Meta

From a collector’s standpoint, Murkrow in the Undaunted set is a practical, accessible piece. Classified as Common, it sits in the affordable tier for most collectors, making it a reliable budget option for players who want to experiment with disruption-led Darkness decks. Market data from late 2025 shows non-holo Murkrow variants typically trading in the sub-dollar range on major marketplaces, with low prices around a few cents and mid-values hovering in the low dollar area. The reverse-holo foil variants command higher prices, sometimes reaching the $4–$10 range depending on print run and market demand. For players chasing value, Murkrow remains a reliable pick that can slot into a wide variety of decks without straining the purse. Card enthusiasts often appreciate Murkrow’s minimalist silhouette and the evocative mood the Undaunted set captures in its artwork. The official details—HP 60, Darkness typing, and the distinctive Astonish effect—are what keep this card relevant in casual and themed modern retrospectives. 💎

The card’s small footprint also means it’s easy to pair with a broader strategy. You can build a pocketful of disruption while you chase bigger threats with Honchkrow or other Dark-type evolutions. The set’s artwork, combined with Murkrow’s consistent print quality, helps maintain a collectible appeal even as only a basic stage in the evolutionary chain. For players who enjoy the tactile thrill of a well-timed question-and-answer play, Murkrow’s Astonish can feel like a small-but-crucial victory in the late game. 🎨

As for gameplay value, the meta around Undaunted-era cards remains a fun reminder of how early-era mechanics could be leveraged with modern sensibilities. While the top decks may have shifted in contemporary formats, a Murkrow-focused disruption plan can still surprise a few unsuspecting opponents, turning a fragile start into a clever strategic win. The combination of a cheap entry point, a disruptive attack, and the promise of a future Honchkrow payoff makes this a thoughtful nod to nostalgia with practical, on-table returns. 🎮

Ready to try Murkrow in your next Dark-themed lineup? The harmony of disruption, tempo, and evolution awaits those who embrace the shadows and play the long game.

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