Water Decks Get New Power Card in Triumphant Light Expansion

When Pokemon TCG Pocket first launched, the meta was quickly dominated by a select few decks, with one particularly notorious deck centered around Misty and water-type Pokemon. This deck became infamous early on for its ability to overpower opponents early in the game, heavily influenced by the outcomes of coin flips.

Despite three expansions since its launch, the meta hasn't shifted much away from Misty decks. In fact, the latest expansion, Triumphant Light, has introduced a new card that further bolsters the strength of Misty decks, leaving many players feeling frustrated with the lack of diversity in the game.

The issue isn't necessarily that Misty decks are the most powerful in the game. Rather, the luck-based mechanics of Misty make losses against them feel particularly unsatisfying. Misty is a Supporter card that allows the player to select a water-type Pokemon and flip coins until they get tails. For each heads flipped, a water-type energy is attached to the chosen Pokemon. This can range from zero, making the card a wasted opportunity, to multiple energies, which can enable a player to win on the very first turn or bring powerful cards into play much earlier than usual.

Subsequent expansions have only amplified Misty's impact. Mythical Island introduced Vaporeon, allowing players to redistribute the bonus energy among their water-types. Space-Time Smackdown added Manaphy, which further increases the water energy on the board. These expansions also brought in strong water-type Pokemon like Palkia ex and Gyarados ex, cementing water decks at the top of the meta across multiple expansions.

The latest expansion, Triumphant Light, introduces Irida, another Supporter card that heals 40 damage from each Pokemon with water-type energy attached. This addition allows water decks to stage comebacks, leveraging the abundance of energy provided by cards like Misty, Manaphy, and Vaporeon. While some experts suggest that Irida might force players to make tough choices about which Supporters to include due to the 20-card deck limit, savvy players have found ways to incorporate both Misty and Irida effectively.

With an upcoming event in Pokemon TCG Pocket where players can earn rewards for winning streaks in the game's competitive mode, including a coveted gold profile badge for five consecutive wins, water decks are expected to be prevalent. The challenge of achieving such a win streak is intensified by the dominance of these decks, which can sweep opponents away quickly and have recovery options like Irida.

Given the current state of the meta, many players are considering joining the water deck trend to stay competitive. The continuous enhancement of Misty decks through new cards suggests that water decks will remain a dominant force in Pokemon TCG Pocket for the foreseeable future.