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

Pokémon TCG Pocket's early meta was dominated by a few powerful decks, notably the frustratingly unpredictable Misty water-type deck. Its reliance on coin flips for energy attachment meant that victories could feel unearned, while losses were often attributed to sheer bad luck. Despite the introduction of three new expansions, Misty decks remain a prevalent force, largely due to the addition of cards that synergize incredibly well with its inherent randomness.

The issue isn't necessarily Misty's raw power, but the feeling of helplessness against its luck-based nature. Misty, a Supporter card, allows players to flip coins repeatedly, attaching a Water-type Energy to a chosen Pokémon for each heads. This could result in nothing, or a massive energy boost, potentially leading to first-turn victories or overwhelming early-game advantages.

Subsequent expansions exacerbated the problem. Mythical Island introduced Vaporeon, enabling energy manipulation between Water-type Pokémon. Space-Time Smackdown added Manaphy, further boosting energy generation. These, combined with powerful Water-type Pokémon like Palkia ex and Gyarados ex, cemented Water decks' dominance.

Triumphant Light introduced Irida, another Supporter card that heals 40 damage from each Pokémon with attached Water-type Energy. This provided Water decks with significant recovery capabilities, previously a domain of Grass-type decks. The combination of Misty, Manaphy, Vaporeon, and now Irida creates a nearly unstoppable force.

Some TCG experts suggest that Irida was intended to counter Misty's dominance by forcing deckbuilding choices – the 20-card deck limit necessitates sacrifices. The sheer abundance of strong Water-type cards means players must decide whether Irida is worth including over Misty, but many find ways to utilize both.

The upcoming in-game event, requiring five consecutive victories for the best reward, highlights the problem. The difficulty is amplified by the potential for swift defeats against well-played, lucky Misty decks, even with recovery options like Irida. The prevalence of these decks is expected to dominate the event, making playing a Water deck a potentially strategic move.