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 a classic Rain Dance deck.
Support Pokémon
Baxcalibur (Paldea Evolved) and Frosmoth (Sword and Shield) have great synergy together, allowing you to attach as many Water Energy from your hand to your Pokémon in play as you like. Having multiple Rain Dancers gives Water some excellent protection against Prizing and disruption, making it the premiere Energy acceleration type in Gym Leader Challenge! Water decks usually feature a lot of Evolution Pokémon, but setting them up is no problem with Alolan Vulpix (Guardians Rising) or Hisuian Basculin (Astral Radiance), arguably the best leads in all of GLC. Beacon combined with Octillery (Breakthrough) or Inteleon (Sword and Shield) 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
Wailord (Journey Together) and Wishiwashi (Cosmic Eclipse) are two of the biggest fish in the sea with 240 and 180 HP respectively, making them incredibly difficult to knock out. 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 Baxcalibur hit the board!
Decklists
MiloPump
Source: Team TurboBlaze
03/2026
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Pokémon: 15
1 Feebas DRM 28
1 Milotic PRC 44
1 Hisuian Basculin ASR 43
1 Hisuian Basculegion ASR 44
1 Remoraid PAR 33
1 Octillery BKT 33
1 Snom MEG 42
1 Frosmoth SHF 30
1 Sobble MEG 39
1 Drizzile SSH 56
1 Inteleon SSH 58
1 Wailmer JTG 40
1 Wailord JTG 41
1 Manaphy BRS 41
1 Wishiwashi CEC 62
Trainer: 37
1 Arezu LOR 153
1 Arven SVI 166
1 Avery CRE 130
1 Ball Guy SHF 57
1 Gladion CIN 95
1 Guzma BUS 115
1 Hex Maniac AOR 75
1 Iono PAL 185
1 Irida ASR 147
1 Mallow & Lana CEC 198
1 N NVI 92
1 Nessa CRZ 136
1 Teammates PRC 141
1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin ASC 184
1 Capacious Bucket RCL 156
1 Devolution Spray EVO 76
1 Dive Ball PRC 125
1 Escape Rope BUS 114
1 Evolution Incense SSH 163
1 Field Blower GRI 125
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Level Ball AOR 76
1 Nest Ball SUM 123
1 Night Stretcher ASC 196
1 Poké Pad ASC 198
1 Professor's Letter XY 123
1 Quick Ball FST 237
1 Scoop Up Net RCL 165
1 Super Rod PAL 188
1 Superior Energy Retrieval PLF 103
1 Ultra Ball MEG 131
1 VS Seeker PHF 109
1 Air Balloon SSH 156
1 Float Stone PLF 99
1 Luxurious Cape PAR 166
1 Brooklet Hill GRI 120
1 Rough Seas PRC 137
Energy: 8
6 Water Energy SVE 11
1 Reversal Energy PAL 192
1 Splash Energy BKP 113
Snot Spread
Source: Evan Wicky & Team TurboBlaze
03/2026
-
Pokémon: 16
1 Froakie OBF 56
1 Frogadier FLI 23
1 Greninja XY 41
1 Hisuian Basculin ASR 43
1 Hisuian Basculegion ASR 44
1 Remoraid PAR 33
1 Octillery BKT 33
1 Snom MEG 42
1 Frosmoth MEG 43
1 Snorunt PAR 37
1 Froslass TWM 53
1 Sobble MEG 39
1 Drizzile SSH 56
1 Inteleon CRE 43
1 Articuno ROS 17
1 Cubchoo BLK 25
Trainer: 37
1 Arezu LOR 153
1 Arven SVI 166
1 Ball Guy SHF 57
1 Guzma BUS 115
1 Guzma & Hala CEC 193
1 Iono PAL 185
1 Irida ASR 147
1 Lillie's Determination MEG 119
1 Lusamine CIN 96
1 N NVI 92
1 Nessa VIV 157
1 Raihan EVS 152
1 Aqua Patch GRI 119
1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin ASC 184
1 Counter Catcher CIN 91
1 Dive Ball PRC 125
1 Energy Retrieval WHT 82
1 Evolution Incense SSH 163
1 Field Blower GRI 125
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Level Ball AOR 76
1 Nest Ball SUM 123
1 Night Stretcher ASC 196
1 Order Pad UPR 131
1 Quick Ball FST 237
1 Scoop Up Net RCL 165
1 Super Rod PAL 188
1 Team Aqua's Great Ball DCR 27
1 Town Map BCR 136
1 Ultra Ball MEG 131
1 VS Seeker PHF 109
1 Float Stone PLF 99
1 Technical Machine: Blindside PAR 176
1 U-Turn Board UNM 211
1 Brooklet Hill GRI 120
1 Rough Seas PRC 137
1 Silent Lab PRC 140
Energy: 7
5 Water Energy SVE 3
1 Counter Energy CIN 100
1 Splash Energy BKP 113
Low Tide
Source: burndad
03/2026
-
Pokémon: 16
1 Finizen TWM 59
1 Palafin TEF 49
1 Froakie OBF 56
1 Frogadier FLI 23
1 Greninja XY 41
1 Hisuian Basculin ASR 43
1 Hisuian Basculegion ASR 44
1 Misty's Staryu DRI 46
1 Misty's Starmie DRI 47
1 Remoraid PAR 33
1 Octillery BKT 33
1 Sobble MEG 39
1 Drizzile SSH 56
1 Inteleon CRE 43
1 Phione CEC 57
1 Tirtouga BLK 22
Trainer: 38
1 Apricorn Maker CES 124
1 Arven SVI 166
1 Ball Guy SHF 57
1 Guzma BUS 115
1 Hex Maniac AOR 75
1 Iono PAF 80
1 Irida ASR 147
1 Klara CRE 145
1 Marnie CPA 56
1 Nessa CRZ 136
1 Antique Cover Fossil SCR 129
1 Battle Compressor PHF 92
1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144
1 Capacious Bucket RCL 156
1 Dive Ball PRC 125
1 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
1 Escape Rope BST 125
1 Evolution Incense SSH 163
1 Field Blower GRI 125
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Level Ball BST 129
1 Nest Ball PAF 84
1 Night Stretcher SFA 61
1 Poké Pad ASC 198
1 Pokégear 3.0 UNB 182b
1 Quick Ball SSH 179
1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130
1 Scoop Up Net RCL 165
1 Team Aqua's Great Ball DCR 27
1 Timer Ball SUM 134
1 Town Map BKT 150
1 Trainers' Mail ROS 92
1 Ultra Ball PAF 91
1 VS Seeker PHF 109
1 Float Stone BKT 137
1 Muscle Band XY 121
1 Rough Seas PRC 137
1 Silent Lab PRC 140
Energy: 6
5 Water Energy EVO 93
1 Splash Energy BKP 113
Hydro Pump
Source: Trevor Redding
03/2026
-
Pokémon: 16
1 Wailmer JTG 40
1 Wailord JTG 41
1 Snom MEG 42
1 Frosmoth SHF 30
1 Frigibax PAL 57
1 Arctibax PAL 59
1 Baxcalibur PAL 60
1 Remoraid PAR 33
1 Octillery BKT 33
1 Sobble MEG 39
1 Drizzile SSH 56
1 Inteleon SSH 58
1 Lapras TEU 31
1 Hisuian Basculin ASR 43
1 Wishiwashi CEC 62
1 Kyogre CRZ 36
Trainer: 35
1 Lillie's Determination MEG 119
1 N FCO 105
1 Iono PAL 185
1 Guzma BUS 115
1 Ball Guy SHF 57
1 Professor's Research BLK 85
1 Marnie CPA 56
1 Arven OBF 186
1 Tate & Liza CES 148
1 Irida ASR 147
1 Nessa CRZ 136
1 Professor's Letter BKT 146
1 Field Blower GRI 125
1 Earthen Vessel PRE 106
1 Nest Ball PAF 84
1 Dive Ball PRC 125
1 Poké Pad POR 81
1 Night Stretcher ASC 196
1 Scoop Up Net RCL 165
1 Timer Ball SUM 134
1 Evosoda GEN 62
1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin ASC 184
1 Rare Candy MEG 125
1 Superior Energy Retrieval PAL 189
1 Ultra Ball BRS 150
1 Quick Ball FST 237
1 Capacious Bucket RCL 156
1 Town Map BKT 150
1 VS Seeker PHF 109
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Level Ball BST 129
1 Energy Retrieval WHT 82
1 Float Stone BKT 137
1 Muscle Band XY 121
1 Brooklet Hill GRI 120
Energy: 9
8 Water Energy MEE 3
1 Splash Energy BKP 113
Looking for more ideas or feedback on your deck?
Head over to Tricky Gym Discord’s glc-gyms channel for threads on every archetype to discuss strategy, get suggestions, and browse decklists!
