"Water Decks Gain New Power with Triumphant Light Expansion"

When Pokémon TCG Pocket first launched, the meta was quickly dominated by a select few decks, with Misty and water-type Pokémon decks becoming particularly notorious. These decks gained infamy early on due to their potential to overpower opponents in the early game, largely dependent on the outcome of coin flips. 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 result in anywhere from zero to numerous energy attachments, potentially enabling a turn-one win or powering up strong cards before opponents can react.

Despite three expansions since the game's launch, the dominance of Misty decks has not waned. Instead of introducing counters or replacements, the latest expansion, Triumphant Light, has introduced a new card, Irida, which further bolsters Misty decks. Irida, another Supporter card, can heal 40 damage from each Pokémon with water-type energy attached. This addition has significantly enhanced the resilience of water decks, allowing them to stage comebacks even when the coin flips are not in their favor.

The continuous strengthening of water decks can be attributed to cards like Vaporeon from Mythical Island, which allows for the redistribution of energy among water-types, and Manaphy from Space-Time Smackdown, which adds more water energy to the board. Powerful water-type Pokémon such as Palkia ex and Gyarados ex have also been introduced, maintaining water decks at the top of the meta across multiple expansions.

Some Pokémon TCG experts suggest that the introduction of Irida might be an attempt by developer DeNA to force players to make strategic choices about their deck composition, given the 20-card limit in Pokémon TCG Pocket. However, many players have found ways to incorporate both Misty and Irida, further solidifying the dominance of water decks.

With an upcoming event in Pokémon TCG Pocket offering rewards for win streaks, including a coveted gold profile badge for five consecutive wins, the prevalence of water decks is expected to be even more pronounced. The challenge of achieving such win streaks is heightened by the potential for water decks to sweep opponents early and recover from setbacks with cards like Irida. As a result, many players are considering whether to join the water deck bandwagon to compete effectively in the event and beyond.