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 small number of decks, with one centered around Misty and water-type Pokémon gaining notoriety for its ability to overpower opponents early on, heavily reliant on coin flip outcomes. Despite the release of three expansions since then, the game has yet to see a significant shift away from Misty decks. Instead, the latest expansion, Triumphant Light, has introduced a card that further amplifies the strength of Misty decks, causing frustration among many players.

It's not that Misty decks are the most powerful in the game; rather, the luck-based mechanics of Misty make losses feel particularly disheartening. Misty, a Supporter card, allows players to select a water-type Pokémon and flip a coin until they land on tails, attaching a water-type energy for each heads flipped. This mechanic can result in anywhere from zero to a high number of energy attachments, potentially enabling a first-turn win or powering up formidable cards before opponents can defend.

The situation has been exacerbated by cards from subsequent expansions. Mythical Island introduced Vaporeon, which can redistribute the bonus energy among water-types, while Space-Time Smackdown brought Manaphy, which adds more water energy to the board. New water-type Pokémon like Palkia ex and Gyarados ex have also been released, contributing to the consistent top-tier performance of water decks across multiple expansions.

The latest addition, Irida, from Triumphant Light, is another Supporter card that heals 40 damage from each Pokémon with water-type energy attached. This development has shifted the healing dynamic traditionally dominated by grass-type decks, enabling water decks to stage comebacks with the right energy distribution, facilitated by cards like Misty, Manaphy, and Vaporeon.

Some Pokémon TCG experts suggest that the introduction of Irida might be an attempt by DeNA to force players to make strategic choices about which Supporter cards to include, given the 20-card deck limit in TCG Pocket. However, many players have found ways to incorporate both Misty and Irida, maintaining the dominance of water decks.

With an upcoming event in Pokémon TCG Pocket, where players can earn rewards for winning consecutive matches, including a coveted gold profile badge for a five-win streak, water decks are expected to be prevalent. The challenge of achieving such a streak is intensified by the potential of these decks to secure quick victories and recover from setbacks, thanks to cards like Irida. Given the current meta, many players might find it advantageous to play a water deck themselves.