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

When Pokémon TCG Pocket first hit the scene, the meta was swiftly dominated by a select few decks, with one particular strategy revolving around Misty and water-type Pokémon quickly becoming the bane of many players' existence. The deck's reliance on coin flips to potentially overpower opponents from the outset left a sour taste, given its luck-based nature.

Fast forward through three expansions, and rather than seeing a shift in the meta, the latest expansion has only served to bolster the already formidable Misty decks. This has left many in the community frustrated and yearning for some variety in the game's competitive landscape.

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 for each heads flipped. This mechanic can lead to wildly varying outcomes, from zero energy attachments to a game-changing surge of energy that can enable a first-turn victory or power up high-impact cards before opponents can mount a defense.

Subsequent expansions have only amplified Misty's impact. Mythical Island introduced Vaporeon, enabling the redistribution of energy among water-types, while Space-Time Smackdown brought Manaphy, further increasing the water energy on the board. These expansions also introduced powerful water-type Pokémon like Palkia ex and Gyarados ex, cementing water decks' dominance across multiple expansions.

The latest expansion, Triumphant Light, has added another layer of complexity with Irida, a new Supporter card that heals 40 damage from each Pokémon with water-type energy attached. This addition has shifted the healing dynamics traditionally dominated by grass-type decks, allowing water decks to stage comebacks with the right energy distribution facilitated by cards like Misty, Manaphy, and Vaporeon.

Some experts suggest that DeNA, the game's developer, introduced Irida to force players to make strategic choices about which Supporters to include in their limited 20-card decks. However, savvy deckbuilders have found ways to incorporate both Misty and Irida, maintaining the deck's strength.

With a major event on the horizon, where players can earn rewards like a gold profile badge for winning five consecutive matches, the prevalence of water decks is expected to be even more pronounced. The challenge of achieving such a win streak is daunting, especially against decks that can leverage coin flips and recovery options like Irida to maintain their edge.

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