Summary
- Irida, a new Supporter card in Pokemon TCG Pocket, is causing controversy due to a perceived imbalance in the meta.
- Some fans argue Irida is overpowered compared to previous Supporters, impacting deck success.
- An ongoing debate centers around Irida's potential power and limitations, with predictions of her future success.
Some Pokemon TCG Pocket players have raised concerns over Irida’s impact on the metagame. This new Supporter card was introduced to the game as part of the Triumphant Light miniset in February 2025 and has since become a staple in Pokemon TCG Pocket’s PvP. However, some fans argue that Irida is causing an imbalance in the meta and is unjustly overpowered, especially when compared with previous sets’ Supporters.
TCG Pocket players are no strangers to cards being called out for their meta-breaking stats. Back in the Space-Time Smackdown era, Cyrus was believed to be an OP card. Prior to that, many players had concerns about Mythical Island’s Eevee due to its unfair potential to inflict huge damage using just one Energy. However, Irida’s case is rather complicated, as her impact on the meta has been more subtle than the provided examples, resulting in numerous arguments for and against her current text.
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Redditor Strong_Yam_8978 criticized Irida’s card design on the TCG Pocket subreddit by drawing a comparison to Erika, another Supporter from earlier sets. According to them, Erika has boundaries, such as Pokemon-type exclusivity, that balance her effect. They argued that the absence of similar limitations for Irida has resulted in “unjustifiable” power. Some fans have supported the argument by highlighting the recent success of TCG Pocket decks featuring Irida. They have used Articuno ex’s optimized 18-Trainer deck as an example—a setup that faced challenges in PvP before Irida’s release.
Pokemon TCG Pocket Fans Think Irida Is Overpowered
The fact that Irida can heal up to four Pokemon and synergize with any card that has Water-type Energy has been a major point of criticism. However, some players have presented counterarguments. For instance, one fan on Reddit pointed out that Irida’s limitation is Energy distribution. They argued that Irida forces players to spread Energy across multiple Pokemon to maximize healing, which can be risky. Of course, the emergence of Energy-generating decks like TCG Pocket’s Leafeon ex meta potentially disproves this theory, as self-sufficient cards can circumvent this limitation.
Whether Irida is an overpowered card is certainly up for debate. However, she is regarded as one of the candidates to survive TCG Pocket’s upcoming expansion release and continue to be a popular Supporter during the Shining Revelry era. Indeed, whenever a Water-type deck emerges at the top of the meta, there’s a strong likelihood that Irida will resurface and thrive again, making her a future-proof card. Only time will tell how she adapts and navigates these changes.
- Released
- October 30, 2024
- Developer(s)
- DeNA, Creatures Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- The Pokemon Company
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes
WHERE TO PLAY
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket lets you easily collect Pokémon cards. Creatures Inc. Has created exciting new visual effects for cards that are only possible digitally.
Pokémon cards, played with by people in 89 countries, are now closer to you than ever!
Enjoy Pokémon cards anytime, anywhere, on your mobile device!
■ You can open packs every day to get cards!
Collect cards every day! You can open two booster packs every day at no cost to collect Pokémon cards featuring heartwarming illustrations from the past as well as all-new cards exclusive to this game.
■ New Pokémon cards!
Immersive cards, a brand-new kind of card, make their debut here! With new illustrations that have a 3D feel, immersive cards will make you feel like you’ve leapt into the world of the card’s illustration!
■ Trade cards with friends!
You can trade certain cards with friends. Use the trade feature to collect even more cards!
■ Show off your collection!
You can use binders or display boards to showcase your cards and share them with the world!
■ Casual battles—alone or with friends!
You can enjoy casual battles during quick breaks in your day! Ranked matches are now available for players who'd like to battle even more.
