Water Decks Gain New Power with Triumphant Light Expansion

When Pokémon TCG Pocket first launched, the meta quickly became dominated by a small number of decks, one of which was centered around Misty and water-type Pokémon. This deck became notorious early on for its ability to overpower opponents based on the luck of coin flips. Despite three expansions having been released since the game's launch, Misty decks have not only maintained their dominance but have become even stronger, much to the frustration of many players.

The core issue with Misty decks isn't necessarily their overall power but the luck-based mechanics that make losses against them feel particularly frustrating. Misty, a Supporter card, allows players to select a water-type Pokémon and flip coins until they land on tails. For every heads flipped, a water-type energy is attached to the chosen Pokémon. This means a player could attach anywhere from zero to numerous energies, potentially enabling a first-turn win or powering up strong cards before the opponent can respond effectively.

Subsequent expansions have only exacerbated the situation. Mythical Island introduced Vaporeon, enabling the movement of bonus energy among water-types, while Space-Time Smackdown brought Manaphy, adding even more water energy to the board. These expansions also introduced powerful water-type Pokémon like Palkia ex and Gyarados ex, keeping water decks at the top of the meta.

The latest expansion, Triumphant Light, has added another card, Irida, that further strengthens Misty decks. Irida, also a Supporter card, heals 40 damage from each Pokémon with water-type energy attached. This new addition allows water decks to make significant comebacks, challenging the traditional dominance of grass-type decks in healing.

Some Pokémon TCG experts suggest that Irida's introduction might be an attempt by developer DeNA to force players to make strategic choices about which Supporters to include in their decks, given the 20-card limit in TCG Pocket. However, many players have found ways to incorporate both Misty and Irida, continuing the water deck's reign.

With a regularly-scheduled event approaching, where players can earn rewards, including a coveted gold profile badge for winning five matches in a row, the presence of strong water decks is expected to be even more pronounced. Given the difficulty of achieving such a winning streak, especially against decks capable of quick, luck-based victories and comebacks, many players are considering joining the water deck trend to stay competitive.