Water Decks Gain Powerful Card in Pokemon TCG Pocket's Triumphant Light Expansion

When Pokémon TCG Pocket first launched, the meta quickly became dominated by a select few decks, with one centered around Misty and water-type Pokémon gaining notoriety for its ability to overpower opponents early on, largely dependent on the outcome of coin flips. This deck has become a source of frustration for many players due to its luck-based mechanics.

Despite the release of three expansions, the anticipated shift in the meta to counter or replace Misty decks has not occurred. Instead, the latest expansion, Triumphant Light, has introduced a new card, Irida, which further enhances the strength of Misty decks. Irida, another Supporter card, can heal 40 damage from each Pokémon with water-type energy attached, significantly boosting the resilience of water decks. This addition has left many players feeling that the game lacks the variety they crave.

Some variety would be appreciated

The frustration with Misty decks stems not from their dominance in power, but from the feeling of helplessness when losing to them. Misty allows players to flip coins until they land on tails, attaching a water-type energy to a chosen water-type Pokémon for every heads flipped. This can range from a complete waste of a card to a game-changing advantage, potentially allowing a player to win on the first turn or bring powerful cards into play prematurely.

Why would they ever make a card like this?

Subsequent expansions have only made Misty decks more formidable. Mythical Island introduced Vaporeon, enabling the flexible redistribution of bonus energy among water-types. Space-Time Smackdown added Manaphy, which increases the amount of water energy on the board. Both expansions also brought powerful water-type Pokémon like Palkia ex and Gyarados ex, cementing water decks' top position in the meta for multiple expansions.

DeNa, What the Heck are You Doing?

With the introduction of Irida in Triumphant Light, water decks gain a significant healing advantage, previously dominated by grass-type decks. This allows them to stage comebacks more effectively, especially when combined with the energy manipulation from Misty, Manaphy, and Vaporeon.

Some experts suggest that DeNA added Irida to force players to make strategic choices, given the 20-card deck limit in TCG Pocket. Including Irida might mean removing other valuable cards, potentially challenging players to decide between Misty and Irida. However, many skilled deckbuilders have found ways to incorporate both, maintaining the water deck's dominance.

Three days away… what will you all be playing?

As Pokémon TCG Pocket approaches a regularly scheduled event with rewards for consecutive wins, the prevalence of water decks, particularly those utilizing Misty and Irida, is expected to be high. Achieving the coveted gold profile badge for five consecutive wins is challenging, especially against decks capable of swift victories and resilient recoveries. Given this, players may find it advantageous to adopt a water deck strategy themselves to compete effectively in the event and beyond.