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 handful of decks, with one centered around Misty and water-type Pokémon becoming particularly notorious. This deck's reliance on coin flips to potentially overpower opponents early on has frustrated many players. Misty, a Supporter card, allows players to flip coins until they land on tails, attaching a water-type energy to a chosen Pokémon for each heads flipped. This mechanic can lead to wildly varying outcomes, from attaching zero energy to multiple energies, potentially enabling a first-turn win or powering up strong cards before opponents can respond.

Despite hopes that subsequent expansions would introduce counters or alternatives, the latest expansion, Triumphant Light, has only bolstered Misty decks further. Cards from previous expansions like Mythical Island and Space-Time Smackdown introduced Vaporeon and Manaphy, respectively, enhancing the water deck's energy manipulation and addition capabilities. These, combined with powerful water-type Pokémon like Palkia ex and Gyarados ex, have kept water decks at the top of the meta.

The new card, Irida, introduced in Triumphant Light, further strengthens Misty decks. As a Supporter card, Irida heals 40 damage from each Pokémon with water-type energy attached, enabling significant comebacks. This addition has shifted the healing advantage from grass-type decks to water-type decks, intensifying the dominance of Misty decks. Some experts suggest that DeNA might have introduced Irida to force players to make strategic choices about which Supporters to include in their limited 20-card decks, potentially crowding out Misty. However, many players have found ways to incorporate both cards effectively.

With an upcoming event in Pokémon TCG Pocket offering rewards for win streaks, the prevalence of water decks is expected to continue. Achieving the coveted gold profile badge by winning five matches in a row is challenging, especially against decks that can dominate early and recover from setbacks with cards like Irida. As such, players may find it advantageous to adopt a water deck themselves to compete effectively in the current meta.