New Card Boosts Water Decks in Pokemon TCG Pocket's Triumphant Light Expansion

Since its debut, Pokemon TCG Pocket's meta has been dominated by a few key decks. Among them, water-type decks led by Misty have drawn ire for their ability to overwhelm opponents early, hinging on the luck of coin flips.

Three expansions later, one might expect new cards to challenge or balance Misty decks. Instead, the latest Triumphant Light expansion introduces a card that further strengthens these decks, leaving many players frustrated.

Some variety would be appreciated
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To clarify, Misty decks aren't always the strongest in the game. Their reliance on luck, however, makes losses feel particularly harsh. Misty, a Supporter card, lets players choose a water-type Pokemon and flip a coin until tails appears. For each heads, they attach a water-type energy to that Pokemon. This could result in no energy attached, wasting a card slot, or, with enough luck, attaching multiple energies—potentially 1, 2, 3, 5, or more. A lucky Misty flip can lead to a turn-one victory in some cases or allow players to power up high-impact cards before opponents can respond effectively.

Why would they ever make a card like this?
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The issue has worsened with cards from later expansions amplifying Misty's power. Mythical Island introduced Vaporeon, which lets players redistribute bonus energy among water-type Pokemon. Space-Time Smackdown added Manaphy, further increasing water energy on the board. Both expansions brought potent water-type Pokemon like Palkia ex and Gyarados ex, keeping water decks dominant across multiple expansions.

DeNa, What the Heck are You Doing?
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Now, Triumphant Light introduces Irida, another Supporter card that escalates the challenge. Irida heals 40 damage from each Pokemon with water-type energy attached. Previously, grass-type decks excelled at healing, but Irida gives water decks a powerful recovery option, especially when paired with Misty, Manaphy, and Vaporeon’s energy manipulation.

Some Pokemon TCG experts offer a reasoned take on Irida’s inclusion. With decks limited to 20 cards in TCG Pocket, adding Irida means sacrificing another card. Water decks already have an abundance of strong options, so players must decide if swapping out Misty for Irida is worth it. Some speculate developer DeNA introduced Irida to push players toward tougher deck-building choices, potentially sidelining Misty. Still, skilled players have found ways to incorporate both cards effectively.

Three days away… what will you all be playing?
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As one player notes, Pokemon TCG Pocket is gearing up for a competitive event offering rewards for win streaks. The top prize, a gold profile badge, requires five consecutive wins—a tough feat when facing decks that can dominate early with lucky flips and recover with cards like Irida if luck falters.

Water decks are likely to dominate this event and remain prevalent for the foreseeable future. At this point, joining the trend and playing a water deck yourself might be the smartest move.