In this Pokemon TCG Pocket Cards guide, we’ll break down the best competitive Water-type decks, explain why they dominate the meta, and give you practical tips on how to pilot them effectively.
Why Water Decks Are Meta-Defining
Water decks stand out in Pokémon TCG Pocket for three main reasons:
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Energy Acceleration – Cards like Misty and Manaphy allow Water decks to power up attackers faster than most other types.
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Bench Control – Pokémon such as Greninja and Palkia ex can damage multiple Pokémon at once, disrupting setups.
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High-Value Pokémon ex – Water ex Pokémon often have massive HP and devastating attacks, giving Water decks strong late-game presence.
These strengths make Water decks adaptable against nearly every archetype in the game.
1. Palkia ex Control Deck
The Palkia ex Control Deck is currently the strongest Water archetype in competitive play. Palkia ex is a dominant attacker that punishes opponents who rely on a full bench.
Core Cards
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Palkia ex – Main attacker with spread damage
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Manaphy – Energy acceleration engine
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Greninja – Bench chip damage every turn
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Misty – Fast Energy attachment
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Professor’s Research – Card draw
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Switch / Escape Rope – Mobility and disruption
How the Deck Works
Palkia ex thrives in long games. While you set up, Greninja deals constant chip damage, weakening benched Pokémon. Once Palkia ex is online, it can strike both the active Pokémon and the bench, forcing your opponent to play defensively. Manaphy ensures you always have Energy ready.
Strengths
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Destroys bench-heavy decks
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High HP and strong late game
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Excellent control over tempo
Weaknesses
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Slightly slower setup
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Requires careful resource management
2. Gyarados ex Aggro Deck
If you prefer fast wins, the Gyarados ex Aggro Deck is for you. This deck focuses on hitting hard and ending games quickly.
Core Cards
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Magikarp → Gyarados ex
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Lapras – Early-game tank
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Misty – Energy acceleration
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Rare Candy – Fast evolution
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Boss’s Orders – Target key Pokémon
How the Deck Works
Gyarados ex is a damage monster capable of one-hit knockouts. Your goal is to evolve quickly, power up Gyarados, and start taking prizes before your opponent can stabilize.
Strengths
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Extremely high damage
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Short games
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Strong against slower decks
Weaknesses
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Fragile early game
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Can struggle against control decks
3. Greninja Tempo Deck
The Greninja Tempo Deck is all about pressure. Instead of relying on one huge attacker, it slowly overwhelms the opponent.
Core Cards
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Froakie → Frogadier → Greninja
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Suicune – Secondary attacker
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Manaphy – Energy support
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Switch cards
How the Deck Works
Greninja’s passive damage ability weakens the opponent’s bench every turn. Suicune then cleans up weakened Pokémon. This deck excels at dismantling evolution-based strategies.
Strengths
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Strong bench pressure
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Excellent against setup decks
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Consistent damage output
Weaknesses
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Lower burst damage
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Needs time to stack damage
4. Articuno Stall Deck
The Articuno Stall Deck aims to slow the game and lock down the opponent.
Core Cards
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Articuno – Freeze effects
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Lapras – Defensive wall
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Misty – Energy acceleration
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Healing cards
How the Deck Works
By freezing or disabling attackers, this deck prevents your opponent from making progress while you build up Energy for a finishing strike.
5. Blastoise ex Tank Deck
This deck is built around durability.
Core Cards
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Squirtle → Blastoise ex
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Manaphy
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Misty
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Healing Trainers
Blastoise ex absorbs damage and retaliates with huge attacks.
Final Tips for Competitive Play
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Always prioritize Energy acceleration.
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Control the bench with Greninja or Palkia.
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Use Switch effects wisely.
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Adapt your strategy based on matchups.
Water-type decks are flexible, powerful, and rewarding. Master one of these archetypes, and you’ll dominate the Pokémon TCG Pocket ladder.