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

When Pokemon TCG Pocket first launched, the meta quickly became dominated by a select few decks, with Misty's water-type strategy drawing particular ire due to its reliance on coin flips that could overpower opponents early on. Despite three expansions since its introduction, the dominance of Misty decks has not waned. In fact, the latest expansion has only bolstered their strength, leaving many players frustrated and yearning for more variety in the game.

The frustration stems not from Misty decks being the most powerful, but rather from the luck-based mechanics that can make losing to them feel particularly demoralizing. Misty, a Supporter card, allows players to choose a water-type Pokemon and flip coins until they land on tails, attaching a water-type energy for each heads flipped. This could result in attaching anywhere from zero to a high number of energies, potentially enabling a turn-one win or powering up strong cards before the opponent can respond.

Subsequent expansions have only exacerbated the issue. Mythical Island introduced Vaporeon, allowing the redistribution of bonus energy among water-types. Space-Time Smackdown added Manaphy, increasing the water energy on the board. Both expansions also brought new, powerful water-type Pokemon like Palkia ex and Gyarados ex, cementing water decks' place at the top of the meta for multiple expansions.

The latest expansion, Triumphant Light, has introduced Irida, another Supporter card that can heal 40 damage from each Pokemon with water-type energy attached. This addition further strengthens water decks, allowing them to stage comebacks with the help of Misty, Manaphy, and Vaporeon.

Some experts suggest that DeNA, the developer, may have introduced Irida to force players to make difficult choices about which Supporters to include in their limited 20-card decks. While this might encourage strategic decisions, many players have found ways to incorporate both Misty and Irida, maintaining the deck's overwhelming strength.

With a major event approaching, where rewards like a gold profile badge are up for grabs for achieving five consecutive wins, water decks are expected to dominate the competitive scene. Given their current strength and the upcoming challenges, it might be strategic for players to consider using a water deck themselves.