When Pokémon TCG Pocket first launched, the meta was quickly dominated by a select few decks, with one featuring Misty and water-type Pokémon becoming particularly notorious. This deck's early game dominance was largely dependent on the outcome of coin flips, which frustrated many players due to its luck-based nature.
Despite the release of three expansions since its debut, the meta has not shifted away from Misty decks. Instead, the latest expansion has introduced a new card that amplifies their power, leading to widespread player dissatisfaction. The frustration stems not from Misty decks being the most powerful, but from the demoralizing feeling of losing to them due to their reliance on coin flips. Misty, a Supporter card, allows players to flip coins until they land on tails, attaching a water-type energy to a chosen Pokémon for each heads flipped. This can range from zero to an overwhelming number of energy attachments, potentially enabling a turn-one victory or powering up formidable cards before opponents can react.
Subsequent expansions like Mythical Island and Space-Time Smackdown have only bolstered Misty decks. Mythical Island introduced Vaporeon, which can redistribute the bonus energy among water-types, while Space-Time Smackdown added Manaphy, further increasing water energy on the board. Both expansions also brought in powerful water-type Pokémon such as Palkia ex and Gyarados ex, solidifying water decks' dominance across multiple expansions.
The latest expansion, Triumphant Light, has added another layer of complexity with Irida, a new Supporter card. Irida can heal 40 damage from each Pokémon with water-type energy attached, traditionally a forte of grass-type decks. With Misty, Manaphy, and Vaporeon facilitating energy accumulation and distribution, Irida enables significant comebacks for water decks.
Some Pokémon TCG experts suggest that Irida's inclusion might be a strategic move by developer DeNA to force players to make difficult choices about their deck composition, given the 20-card limit in TCG Pocket. However, many players have found ways to incorporate both Misty and Irida, perpetuating the water deck's reign.
With a competitive event looming, where winning five consecutive matches earns players a prestigious gold profile badge, water decks are expected to be prevalent. The challenge of achieving such a win streak is intensified by the potential for early game sweeps and comebacks facilitated by these powerful water decks. As such, players may find it advantageous to adopt a water deck strategy themselves to compete effectively in the current meta.
