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 Pokémon
Blastoise (BCR), Frosmoth, and Baxcalibur have great synergy together, allowing you to attach as many Water Energy from your hand to your Pokémon in play as you like. Having three Rain Dancers gives Water some excellent protection against Prizing, as you can run a combination of either line and only need to set up one of them in order to get moving, which is really powerful in GLC. Alolan Vulpix and Hisuian Basculin are arguably the best leads in all of Gym Leader Challenge their no-energy Pokémon search attacks. 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, Blastoise, or Baxcalibur have hit the board! Water also has access to some of the best spread attackers in the game, with Cloyster, Shining Volcanion and Kyurem (NVI) on the roster.
Decklists
Hydro Pump
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1 Frigibax PAL 57
1 Arctibax PAL 59
1 Baxcalibur PAL 60
1 Hisuian Basculin ASR 43
1 Kyogre CRZ 36
1 Lapras TEU 31
1 Remoraid PAR 33
1 Octillery BKT 33
1 Snom MEG 42
1 Frosmoth SHF 30
1 Sobble SSH 55
1 Drizzile SSH 56
1 Inteleon SSH 58
1 Wailmer JTG 40
1 Wailord JTG 41
1 Wishiwashi CEC 62
1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin PRE 101
1 Capacious Bucket RCL 156
1 Dive Ball PRC 125
1 Earthen Vessel PRE 106
1 Energy Retrieval WHT 82
1 Escape Rope BST 125
1 Evolution Incense SSH 163
1 Evosoda GEN 62
1 Field Blower GRI 125
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Level Ball BST 129
1 Nest Ball PAF 84
1 Professor's Letter BKT 146
1 Quick Ball FST 237
1 Rare Candy MEG 125
1 Scoop Up Net RCL 165
1 Super Rod PAL 188
1 Superior Energy Retrieval PAL 189
1 Timer Ball SUM 134
1 Ultra Ball MEG 131
1 VS Seeker PHF 109
1 Float Stone BKT 137
1 Brooklet Hill GRI 120
1 Silent Lab PRC 140
1 Avery CRE 130
1 Ball Guy SHF 57
1 Guzma BUS 115
1 Hex Maniac AOR 75
1 Iono PAF 80
1 Irida ASR 147
1 Lillie's Determination MEG 119
1 Marnie CPA 56
1 N FCO 105
1 Nessa CRZ 136
1 Tate & Liza CES 148
8 Basic Water Energy SVE 11
1 Splash Energy BKP 113
Special Whales
Source: Ben Morse
FGG Invitational - 08/2025
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1 Articuno TEU 32
1 Cetoddle PAL 53
1 Cetitan PAL 55
1 Hisuian Basculin ASR 43
1 Hisuian Basculegion ASR 44
1 Mudkip CES 33
1 Marshtomp CES 34
1 Swampert CES 35
1 Sobble SSH 55
1 Drizzile SSH 56
1 Inteleon SSH 58
1 Wailmer JTG 40
1 Wailord SIT 38
1 Aqua Patch GRI 119
1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin PRE 101
1 Counter Catcher PAR 160
1 Dive Ball PRC 125
1 Evolution Incense SSH 163
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Level Ball BST 129
1 Nest Ball PAF 84
1 Ordinary Rod SSH 171
1 Professor's Letter BKT 146
1 Quick Ball FST 237
1 Rare Candy PAF 89
1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130
1 Scoop Up Net RCL 165
1 Switch Raft DRM 62
1 Tag Call CEC 206
1 Timer Ball SUM 134
1 Ultra Ball PAF 91
1 VS Seeker PHF 109
1 Float Stone BKT 137
1 Pot Helmet BRS 146
1 Brooklet Hill GRI 120
1 Parallel City BKT 145
1 Rough Seas PRC 137
1 Ball Guy SHF 57
1 Colress's Tenacity SFA 57
1 Gladion CIN 95
1 Guzma BUS 115
1 Guzma & Hala CEC 193
1 Hex Maniac AOR 75
1 Iono PAF 80
1 Irida ASR 147
1 Lillie's Determination MEG 119
1 Lusamine CIN 96
1 Mallow & Lana CEC 198
1 N FCO 105
1 Raihan CRZ 140
1 Teammates PRC 141
5 Basic Water Energy SVE 3
1 Counter Energy CIN 100
1 Reversal Energy PAL 192
1 Splash Energy BKP 113
1 Wash Water Energy VIV 165
Source: Alex Carpenter
1st Place FGG Invitational - 08/2025
Looking for more ideas or feedback on your deck?
Check out the Tricky Gym Discord’s #glc-decklists channel and Cardboard Warriors Community Decks page for more inspiration!
