Water
So you want to be a Water type Gym Leader, following in the footsteps of Nessa and Crasher Wake? You’ve come to the right place. Water type Pokémon have a wonderful history in the Pokémon TCG, after all, the Pokémon TCG’s very first Energy accelerator was Water type! If I have to pick a type, I may be a Water Gym Leader myself. Water Pokémon have some of the best support across any type, with access to multiple Energy accelerators, draw support, Energy recovery and search options! What can I say? I love me a good Rain Dance deck.
Support Pokemon
Blastoise and Frosmoth have great synergy together, allowing you to attach as many Water Energy from your hand to your Pokémon in play as you like. Having two Rain Dancers gives Water some excellent protection against Prizing, as you only need to set up one of them in order to get moving, which is really powerful in GLC. Alolan Vulpix is also arguably the best lead in all of Gym Leader Challenge with its free Beacon attack, which allows you to search your deck for two Pokémon and put them into your hand. Beacon combined with Octillery or the Inteleon line can allow for some explosive early turns! When a Water deck is set up, it feels like you have complete control over the board, with multiple powerful Abilities firing off per turn.
Attackers
What Water lacks in “low maintenance” attackers, it makes up for with substantive bulk and damage output. Wailord and Wishiwashi are two of the biggest fish in the sea with 200 and 180 HP respectively. Many Water attackers have Hydro Pump style attacks, which do more damage for each Water Energy attached to that Pokémon. These attackers thrive once Frosmoth or Blastoise have hit the board! Water also has access to some of the best spread attackers in the game, with Amazing Rare Kyogre, Shining Volcanion and Kyurem (NVI) on the roster.
Deck Lists
Rain Dance
This deck aims to power up Water’s biggest attackers as fast and consistently as possible with Frosmoth or Blastoise. In my mind, this is the “quintessential” Water deck, and one of my favorite decks to pilot in Gym Leader Challenge.
****** Pokémon Trading Card Game Deck List ******
##Pokémon – 17
* 1 Alolan Vulpix GRI 21
* 1 Lapras TEU 31
* 1 Remoraid BKT 32
* 1 Octillery BKT 33
* 1 Snom SSH 63
* 1 Frosmoth SHF 30
* 1 Sobble SSH 55
* 1 Drizzile SSH 56
* 1 Inteleon SSH 58
* 1 Squirtle BCR 29
* 1 Wartortle PLB 15
* 1 Blastoise PLB 16
* 1 Staryu BKP 25
* 1 Starmie EVO 31
* 1 Wailmer VIV 31
* 1 Wailord VIV 32
* 1 Wishiwashi CEC 62
##Trainer Cards – 32
* 1 Nessa VIV 157
* 1 Brooklet Hill GRI 120
* 1 Cynthia & Caitlin CEC 189
* 1 Marnie SSH 169
* 1 Gloria BRS 141
* 1 Professor’s Letter BKT 146
* 1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130
* 1 Evolution Incense SSH 163
* 1 Timer Ball SUM 134
* 1 Tate & Liza CES 148
* 1 Nest Ball SUM 123
* 1 Quick Ball SSH 179
* 1 Brigette BKT 134
* 1 Evosoda XY 116
* 1 Rare Candy SSH 180
* 1 Cynthia UPR 119
* 1 Teammates PRC 141
* 1 Field Blower GRI 125
* 1 Guzma BUS 115
* 1 Colress PLS 118
* 1 VS Seeker PHF 109
* 1 Boss’s Orders BRS 132
* 1 Level Ball BST 129
* 1 Float Stone BKT 137
* 1 Scoop Up Net RCL 165
* 1 N FCO 105
* 1 Hex Maniac AOR 75
* 1 Sonia RCL 167
* 1 Professor’s Research BRS 147
* 1 Dive Ball PRC 125
* 1 Capacious Bucket RCL 156
* 1 Ultra Ball BRS 150
##Energy – 11
* 10 Water Energy Energy 3
* 1 Splash Energy BKP 113
Total Cards – 60
****** Deck List Generated by the Pokémon TCG Online www.pokemon.com/TCGO ******
Amazing Kyogre
Many would argue that Amazing Rare Kyogre is the strongest attacker in GLC, and it’s not hard to see why. Dealing 80 damage to every one of your opponent’s Pokémon is an incredible power – using this attack twice will win most games by itself, so the other 59 cards in this deck are all geared toward satisfying the hefty cost of Amazing Surge. Alolan Vulpix and Hisuian Basculin are great starters, assembling your support Pokémon in the early turns for no energy investment. Articuno (TEU) is a great sacrifice Pokémon, requiring your opponent to knock it out instead of gusting up your support Pokémon. Or, you can knock out your own Milotic (FLF) to charge 3 energy onto Kyogre at once. As you lose some easy prizes in the early game, you can activate cards like Lt. Surge’s Strategy and Counter Energy to slingshot ahead in the game. By utilizing your recovery cards and energy acceleration smartly, you can decimate your opponent’s board with just two attacks, making for a decisive and climactic victory!
****** Pokémon Trading Card Game Deck List ******
##Pokémon – 13
* 1 Alolan Vulpix GRI 21
* 1 Articuno TEU 32
* 1 Feebas DRM 28
* 1 Hisuian Basculin ASR 43
* 1 Kyogre SHF 21
* 1 Manaphy BRS 41
* 1 Remoraid BST 36
* 1 Sobble CRE 41
* 1 Drizzile SSH 56
* 1 Hisuian Basculegion ASR 44
* 1 Milotic FLF 23
* 1 Octillery BKT 33
* 1 Inteleon SSH 58
##Trainer Cards – 37
* 1 Aqua Patch GRI 119
* 1 Brooklet Hill GRI 120
* 1 Trainers’ Mail ROS 92
* 1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130
* 1 Rotom Dex SUM 131
* 1 Evolution Incense SSH 163
* 1 Ordinary Rod SSH 171
* 1 Timer Ball SUM 134
* 1 Professor’s Letter BKT 146
* 1 Lt. Surge’s Strategy HIF 60
* 1 Gladion CIN 95
* 1 Tate & Liza CES 148
* 1 Rosa CEC 204
* 1 Nest Ball SUM 123
* 1 Quick Ball FST 237
* 1 Battle Compressor Team Flare Gear PHF 92
* 1 Cynthia UPR 119
* 1 Teammates PRC 141
* 1 Raihan EVS 152
* 1 Field Blower GRI 125
* 1 Guzma BUS 115
* 1 Silent Lab PRC 140
* 1 Colress PLS 118
* 1 Fighting Fury Belt BKP 99
* 1 Level Ball BST 129
* 1 Scoop Up Net RCL 165
* 1 Ultra Ball BRS 150
* 1 Irida ASR 147
* 1 N FCO 105
* 1 Hex Maniac AOR 75
* 1 Marnie CPA 56
* 1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
* 1 Cape of Toughness DAA 160
* 1 Float Stone BKT 137
* 1 Dive Ball PRC 125
* 1 Ball Guy SHF 65
* 1 VS Seeker PHF 109
##Energy – 10
* 1 Counter Energy CIN 100
* 3 Water Energy SWSHEnergy 12
* 1 Rainbow Energy CES 151
* 1 Splash Energy BKP 113
* 2 Metal Energy SWSHEnergy 17
* 2 Lightning Energy SWSHEnergy 13
Total Cards – 60
****** Deck List Generated by the Pokémon TCG Online www.pokemon.com/TCGO ******
Rapid Strike
A perfectly on-theme deck, this Rapid Strike Water deck has lots of different attackers for every scenario. This deck has amazing spread options like Lapras (FST), and Cloyster, as well as OHKO potential with Wishiwashi (EVS) and Starmie (FST). Opting to use Octillery (BST), you can search out any of your various Pokémon with ease.
****** Pokémon Trading Card Game Deck List ******
##Pokémon – 17
* 1 Basculin FST 70
* 1 Lapras FST 54
* 1 Remoraid BST 36
* 1 Shellder FST 50
* 1 Sneasel CRE 30
* 1 Snom SHF 29
* 1 Sobble CRE 41
* 1 Staryu FST 52
* 1 Tapu Fini CRE 40
* 1 Wishiwashi EVS 46
* 1 Cloyster FST 51
* 1 Drizzile SSH 56
* 1 Frosmoth SHF 30
* 1 Octillery BST 37
* 1 Starmie FST 53
* 1 Weavile CRE 31
* 1 Inteleon SSH 58
##Trainer Cards – 32
* 1 Nessa VIV 157
* 1 Escape Rope BST 125
* 1 Professor’s Research BRS 147
* 1 Irida ASR 147
* 1 Gladion CIN 95
* 1 Ball Guy SHF 57
* 1 Colress PLS 118
* 1 Dive Ball PRC 125
* 1 Brooklet Hill GRI 120
* 1 Teammates PRC 141
* 1 Pal Pad SSH 172
* 1 Ordinary Rod SSH 171
* 1 N FCO 105
* 1 Sonia RCL 167
* 1 Professor’s Letter BKT 146
* 1 Guzma BUS 115
* 1 Bird Keeper DAA 159
* 1 Cynthia & Caitlin CEC 189
* 1 Fighting Fury Belt BKP 99
* 1 Level Ball BST 129
* 1 Ultra Ball BRS 150
* 1 Tate & Liza CES 148
* 1 Cynthia UPR 119
* 1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
* 1 Rough Seas PRC 137
* 1 Float Stone BKT 137
* 1 Marnie SSH 169
* 1 Nest Ball SUM 123
* 1 Capacious Bucket RCL 156
* 1 Evolution Incense SSH 163
* 1 VS Seeker PHF 109
* 1 Korrina’s Focus BST 128
##Energy – 11
* 1 Capture Energy RCL 171
* 9 Water Energy Energy 3
* 1 Rapid Strike Energy BST 140
Total Cards – 60
****** Deck List Generated by the Pokémon TCG Online www.pokemon.com/TCGO ******
Primal Law
Of all the Water GLC decks, this might be the most unorthodox. It all revolves around Dracovish (DAA)‘s Primal Law ability, which completely locks the opponent out of evolving their Pokémon. This can cripple most decks in the format, who rely on evolution Pokémon for offense or support. Because of how strong this power is, especially in the early game, the deck has plenty of tools to get Dracovish out as early as possible. Wally and Boost Shake are great ways to “cheat” Dracovish into play early, and Peony and Green’s Exploration can set up an evolution play as well. As you chip away with Hammer In while your opponent struggles in the early game, you can start setting up your other attackers, namely Black Kyurem and White Kyurem — slow but strong Basic attackers that can finish off whatever Pokemon your opponent manages to knock Dracovish out with.
****** Pokémon Trading Card Game Deck List ******
##Pokémon – 13
* 1 Black Kyurem CEC 61
* 1 Manaphy BRS 41
* 1 Remoraid BST 36
* 1 Snom SHF 29
* 1 Sobble CRE 41
* 1 Staryu BKP 25
* 1 White Kyurem LOT 63
* 1 Dracovish DAA 53
* 1 Drizzile SSH 56
* 1 Frosmoth SHF 30
* 1 Octillery BKT 33
* 1 Starmie EVO 31
* 1 Inteleon SSH 58
##Trainer Cards – 37
* 1 Lusamine CIN 96
* 1 Nessa VIV 157
* 1 Escape Rope BST 125
* 1 Brooklet Hill GRI 120
* 1 Peony CRE 150
* 1 Trainers’ Mail ROS 92
* 1 Cape of Toughness DAA 160
* 1 Peonia CRE 149
* 1 Evosoda GEN 62
* 1 Evolution Incense SSH 163
* 1 Wally ROS 94
* 1 Mallow & Lana CEC 198
* 1 Professor’s Letter BKT 146
* 1 Super Rod BKT 149
* 1 Boost Shake EVS 142
* 1 Nest Ball SUM 123
* 1 Quick Ball FST 237
* 1 Cynthia UPR 119
* 1 Field Blower GRI 125
* 1 Guzma BUS 115
* 1 Colress PLS 118
* 1 Fighting Fury Belt BKP 99
* 1 Air Balloon SSH 156
* 1 Level Ball BST 129
* 1 Scoop Up Net RCL 165
* 1 Ultra Ball BRS 150
* 1 Irida ASR 147
* 1 Parallel City BKT 145
* 1 N FCO 105
* 1 Green’s Exploration UNB 175
* 1 Rare Fossil DAA 167
* 1 Marnie CPA 56
* 1 Float Stone BKT 137
* 1 Dive Ball PRC 125
* 1 Muscle Band XY 121
* 1 Professor’s Research BRS 147
* 1 VS Seeker PHF 109
##Energy – 10
* 8 Water Energy SWSHEnergy 12
* 2 Fire Energy Energy 2
Total Cards – 60
****** Deck List Generated by the Pokémon TCG Online www.pokemon.com/TCGO ******