Pokémon TCG Pocket's initial meta was quickly dominated by a few powerful decks, notably the Misty water-type deck. Its reliance on coin flips made victories feel unfair to opponents, leading to significant frustration. Despite the release of three subsequent expansions, intended to diversify the meta, Misty decks remain prevalent, even strengthened by recent additions.
The issue isn't simply Misty's inherent power; it's the frustratingly unpredictable nature of its coin-flip mechanic. Misty, a Supporter card, lets players flip coins until tails appears, attaching a Water-type energy to a chosen Pokémon for each heads. This could result in nothing, or a massive energy boost, potentially securing a turn-one victory or overwhelming opponents before they can establish a defense.
Subsequent expansions exacerbated the problem. Mythical Island introduced Vaporeon, enabling energy manipulation between Pokémon. Space-Time Smackdown added Manaphy, further boosting energy. Powerful water-type Pokémon like Palkia ex and Gyarados ex also capitalized on this energy surplus, solidifying water decks' dominance.
Triumphant Light introduced Irida, another Supporter card that heals 40 damage from each Pokémon with attached Water-type energy. This healing capability, previously a grass-type strength, allows water decks to recover from setbacks, especially when combined with the energy generation potential of Misty, Manaphy, and Vaporeon.
While some TCG experts suggest Irida was added to counter Misty's dominance by forcing deckbuilding choices (20-card deck limits necessitate tough decisions), many players still find ways to include both cards, maintaining the water deck's strength.
Pokémon TCG Pocket's upcoming event, offering rewards for win streaks in online competitive play, will likely see a surge in water decks. The difficulty of achieving a five-match win streak is amplified by the potential for quick defeats at the hands of well-played Misty decks, making it a strategic consideration to either counter them or join their ranks. The prevalence of these decks suggests that, for the foreseeable future, mastering or utilizing a water deck might be crucial for competitive success.
