When Pokémon TCG Pocket first hit the scene, the meta was quickly dominated by a select few decks, with one in particular sparking frustration among players. The Misty and water-type Pokémon deck became notorious for its ability to overpower opponents early on, thanks to a mechanic that relied heavily on the luck of coin flips.
Fast forward through three expansions, and you might expect a shift in the meta with new cards countering or replacing the Misty decks. However, the latest expansion has only bolstered their dominance, leaving many players feeling exasperated. The new card in question, Irida, has further amplified the strength of Misty decks, pushing the community's patience to its limits.
Some variety would be appreciated
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It's not that Misty decks are the most powerful in the game; it's the luck-based nature of Misty that makes losing to them particularly frustrating. Misty, a Supporter card, allows players to select a water-type Pokémon and flip coins until landing on tails, attaching a water-type energy for every heads flipped. This can result in anywhere from zero to a significant number of energy attachments, depending on the player's luck. In the best-case scenario, a well-flipped Misty can lead to a turn-one win, or more commonly, it enables powerful cards to be played before the opponent can mount a defense.
Why would they ever make a card like this?
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The situation has worsened with subsequent expansions introducing cards that enhance Misty's effectiveness. Mythical Island brought Vaporeon, enabling the free movement of bonus energy among water-types. Space-Time Smackdown introduced Manaphy, adding more water energy to the board. Both expansions also featured new, potent water-type Pokémon like Palkia ex and Gyarados ex, cementing water decks' dominance across multiple expansions.
DeNa, What the Heck are You Doing?
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With the release of Triumphant Light, the new card Irida has further intensified the challenge posed by Misty decks. Irida, another Supporter card, heals 40 damage from each Pokémon with water-type energy attached, allowing water decks to stage significant comebacks. Previously, grass-type decks were the healing specialists, but Irida shifts this dynamic in favor of water decks.
Some experts suggest that DeNA introduced Irida to force players to make tough decisions about deck composition, given the 20-card limit in TCG Pocket. The inclusion of Irida might be intended to challenge the dominance of Misty by creating competition for deck slots. Nevertheless, savvy deck builders have found ways to incorporate both cards, maintaining the strength of water decks.
Three days away… what will you all be playing?
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As Pokémon TCG Pocket gears up for a scheduled event, where players can earn rewards for winning streaks in the game's online competitive mode, the prevalence of water decks is expected to be even more pronounced. Achieving the coveted gold profile badge for a five-match win streak is challenging, especially against decks capable of early sweeps and recoveries with cards like Irida.
Given the current meta, players are likely to encounter numerous water decks during this event and beyond. It might even be strategic to join the trend and build a water deck yourself if you haven't already.
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