When Pokémon TCG Pocket first launched, the meta was quickly dominated by a small number of decks. Among these, decks centered around Misty and water-type Pokémon became notorious early on for their potential to overpower opponents right from the start, largely depending on the outcome of coin flips.
Even after three expansions, you might expect other cards to have emerged to counter or replace Misty decks. However, the latest expansion has instead introduced a new card that amplifies the strength of Misty decks, leading to frustration among many players.
Some variety would be appreciated
byu/Mizter_Man inPTCGP
It's not that Misty decks are necessarily the most powerful in the game, but the luck-based nature of Misty makes losing to them feel particularly frustrating. Misty is a Supporter card that allows the user to select a water-type Pokémon and flip coins until they land on tails. For every heads flipped, a water-type energy is attached to the chosen Pokémon. This mechanic can result in anywhere from zero to numerous energy attachments, potentially enabling a player to win on their first turn or power up formidable cards before their opponent can respond effectively.
Why would they ever make a card like this?
byu/EfficientTrainer3206 inPTCGP
The situation has worsened with subsequent expansions introducing cards that further enhance Misty's power. Mythical Island brought Vaporeon, allowing players to redistribute bonus energy freely among their water-type Pokémon. Space-Time Smackdown introduced Manaphy, adding more water energy to the board. Both expansions also introduced powerful water-type Pokémon like Palkia ex and Gyarados ex, which can capitalize on the accumulated energy, keeping water decks at the top of the meta.
DeNa, What the Heck are You Doing?
byu/HolographicHeart inPTCGP
The latest expansion, Triumphant Light, has added another card, Irida, which exacerbates the dominance of Misty decks. Irida, another Supporter card, can heal 40 damage from each Pokémon with water-type energy attached. This new addition challenges the dominance of grass-type decks in healing, allowing water-type decks to stage significant comebacks. Given the synergy with Misty, Manaphy, and Vaporeon, water decks are well-equipped to leverage this new card.
Some Pokémon TCG experts suggest that DeNA may have introduced Irida to force players to make tough choices about their deck composition due to the 20-card limit in TCG Pocket. The idea is to potentially crowd out Misty, but savvy deckbuilders have found ways to include both cards.
Three days away… what will you all be playing?
byu/INDlGO inPTCGP
With an upcoming event in Pokémon TCG Pocket's online competitive mode, where rewards like a gold profile badge are offered for winning five matches in a row, players are bracing for an influx of water decks. Given the difficulty of achieving such a win streak, especially against decks that can dominate early and recover from setbacks with cards like Irida, many players might consider running a water deck themselves to stay competitive.
Expect to see a lot of water decks during this event and for the foreseeable future. At this point, joining the trend might be a strategic move for those looking to succeed in the current meta.
