When Pokémon TCG Pocket first launched, the meta was quickly dominated by a select few decks, with one centered around Misty and water-type Pokémon becoming particularly notorious. Players grew to dislike this deck due to its potential to overpower opponents early on, hinging largely on the luck of coin flips.
Despite three expansions since the game's launch, rather than diversifying the meta, the latest expansion has only fortified the dominance of Misty decks. This has left many players feeling frustrated and yearning for more variety in the game.
It's not that Misty decks are the most powerful in the game, but the randomness of their effectiveness can make losses against them feel particularly frustrating. Misty, a Supporter card, allows players to choose a water-type Pokémon and flip coins until they land on tails, attaching a water-type energy for each heads flipped. This could result in anywhere from zero to a high number of energy attachments, potentially enabling a player to win on their first turn or accelerate powerful cards into play.
Subsequent expansions like Mythical Island and Space-Time Smackdown have introduced cards like Vaporeon and Manaphy, further enhancing the strength of water decks. These cards allow for the flexible movement and addition of water energy, supporting powerful water-type Pokémon such as Palkia ex and Gyarados ex, keeping water decks at the top of the meta.
The latest expansion, Triumphant Light, introduces Irida, another Supporter card that can heal 40 damage from each Pokémon with water-type energy attached. This addition could allow water decks to stage significant comebacks, further solidifying their dominance. While some experts suggest that DeNA might be trying to force players to make strategic choices about which Supporters to include, many players have successfully integrated both Misty and Irida into their decks.
As Pokémon TCG Pocket gears up for a regularly-scheduled event where players can earn rewards for win streaks, water decks are expected to be prevalent. Achieving a gold profile badge by winning five matches in a row is challenging, especially against decks that can leverage early advantages and recover from setbacks with cards like Irida. Given the current meta, many players are considering joining the water deck trend to compete effectively.
