"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 select few decks, with one centered around Misty and water-type Pokémon gaining notoriety early on. This deck's ability to overpower opponents early in the game, largely dependent on the outcome of coin flips, led to widespread frustration among players.

Despite the release of three expansions since the game's launch, the dominance of Misty decks has not waned. Instead, the latest expansion has introduced a new card that further enhances the strength of these decks, much to the chagrin of many players.

Some variety would be appreciated
byu/Mizter_Man inPTCGP

The issue with Misty decks isn't necessarily their overwhelming power, but rather the luck-based mechanics that can make losing to them feel particularly frustrating. Misty, a Supporter card, allows players to select a water-type Pokémon and flip coins until they land on tails, attaching a water-type energy to the chosen Pokémon for each heads flipped. This can result in anywhere from zero to numerous energy attachments, potentially enabling a player to win on their first turn or power up strong cards before their opponent can respond effectively.

Why would they ever make a card like this?
byu/EfficientTrainer3206 inPTCGP

Subsequent expansions have only exacerbated the situation by introducing cards that synergize well with Misty. Mythical Island brought Vaporeon, which can freely move the bonus energy among water-type Pokémon. Space-Time Smackdown introduced Manaphy, adding even more water energy to the board. These expansions also included powerful water-type Pokémon like Palkia ex and Gyarados ex, ensuring water decks remained at the top of the meta.

DeNa, What the Heck are You Doing?
byu/HolographicHeart inPTCGP

The latest expansion, Triumphant Light, has introduced Irida, another Supporter card that can heal 40 damage from each Pokémon with water-type energy attached. This addition allows water decks to stage significant comebacks, further solidifying their dominance. While grass-type decks were previously known for their healing capabilities, Irida shifts this advantage to water decks.

Some Pokémon TCG experts suggest that DeNA introduced Irida to force players to make strategic choices about which Supporters to include in their limited 20-card decks. However, many players have found ways to incorporate both Misty and Irida, maintaining the strength of water decks.

Three days away… what will you all be playing?
byu/INDlGO inPTCGP

With a competitive event on the horizon, where players can earn rewards for winning consecutive matches, the prevalence of water decks is expected to be even more pronounced. Achieving a five-match win streak to earn the coveted gold profile badge is challenging, especially against decks that can dominate early and recover from setbacks with cards like Irida.

Given the current meta, players may find it advantageous to adopt a water deck themselves to compete effectively in the upcoming event and beyond.