Pokemon TCG Pocket's Triumphant Light Expansion Just Gave Water Decks Another Powerful Card, and Everyone's a Little Over It

When Pokemon TCG Pocket first launched, the meta quickly became dominated by a select few decks. Among them, the Misty and water-type Pokemon deck gained notoriety for its ability to overpower opponents early in the game, largely dependent on favorable coin flips. This deck's reliance on luck has frustrated many players, making losses feel particularly unsatisfying.

Despite three expansions since its release, the game's meta has not shifted significantly away from Misty decks. Instead, the latest expansion has introduced a card that further enhances the power of these decks, leading to widespread player frustration. The community is yearning for more variety in deck options.

Misty, a Supporter card, allows players to choose a water-type Pokemon and flip a coin until they land on tails, attaching a water-type energy to the Pokemon for each heads flipped. This can result in anywhere from zero to multiple energies being attached, potentially enabling a turn-one victory or accelerating the deployment of powerful cards. The randomness of Misty's effect adds to the dissatisfaction when facing these decks.

Subsequent expansions have only amplified Misty's impact. Mythical Island introduced Vaporeon, enabling the flexible redistribution of energy among water-types. Space-Time Smackdown added Manaphy, which further boosts water energy on the board. New, potent water-type Pokemon like Palkia ex and Gyarados ex have emerged, keeping water decks at the forefront 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 significant comebacks, challenging the dominance of grass-type decks in healing. With cards like Misty, Manaphy, and Vaporeon, water decks are well-equipped to utilize Irida effectively.

Some Pokemon TCG experts suggest that Irida's introduction may be an attempt by developer DeNA to force players to make strategic choices about which Supporters to include, given the 20-card deck limit in TCG Pocket. However, many players have successfully integrated both Misty and Irida into their decks, maintaining water-type dominance.

As Pokemon TCG Pocket prepares for a scheduled event, where players can earn rewards like a gold profile badge for winning five consecutive matches, water decks are expected to be prevalent. The challenge of achieving a five-win streak is daunting, especially against decks capable of swift victories and strong recovery mechanisms. Given the current meta, it might be advantageous for players to adopt a water deck strategy themselves.