2009 Japanese edition almanac

Bulbasaurフシギダネ

Bulbasaur, 60 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — the set opens where the Pokédex does. Tackle is 10 for one Colourless, Vine Whip 20 at a Grass and a Colourless. Two attacks on a 60 HP Basic is more than the 2008 starters got. Naoyo Kimura.

Ivysaurフシギソウ

Ability Evolutionary Pollen

Ivysaur, 80 HP, Grass, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 2 — the Poké-Power Evolutionary Pollen fires the moment you evolve into it and puts the Defending Pokémon to Sleep, which is a free turn on the stage that usually gets none. Cut is 50 at a Grass and two Colourless. Kanako Eo.

Venusaurフシギバナ

Ability Green Aroma

Venusaur, 140 HP, Grass, Stage 2, holofoil rare, retreat 4 — the Poké-Body Green Aroma makes every Grass Pokémon you own immune to Special Conditions and clears the ones already on them, which turns the whole Grass line into a status-proof wall. Desperate Pollen is 30 for a single Grass and adds Burn, Confusion and Poison at once once Venusaur carries 8 damage counters. Special Reaction is 40 at two Grass and two Colourless and adds 40 for each Special Condition on the defender. Kouki Saitou.

Butterfree FBバタフリー

Ability Compound Eyes

Butterfree FB, 90 HP, Grass, Basic, rare, retreat 1 — a Frontier Brain's ace, and the first FB card in the set. The Poké-Body Compound Eyes adds 30 to everything Butterfree FB does while the opponent's Active Pokémon has any Poké-Body at all, which in this format is most of them. Select Powder is 30 at a Grass and two Colourless and chooses Burn or Poison. Lee HyunJung.

Parasパラス

Paras, 50 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Spore costs one Colourless and does no damage, only Sleep. Stomp is 10 at a Grass, plus 10 on heads. A 50 HP Basic whose first attack is a free Sleep is a stall card, not an attacker. Yukiko Baba.

Parasectパラセクト

Parasect, 80 HP, Grass, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — Nutritional Support is the set's Grass engine: one Colourless to search out two Grass Energy and attach both anywhere you like. Hibernation Spore is 40 at two Grass and a Colourless and makes the defender flip two coins between turns instead of one. Kagemaru Himeno.

Pinsirカイロス

Pinsir, 90 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 2 — Gripthrow costs two Colourless, does no damage and on heads returns the Defending Pokémon and everything attached to it to hand, which is the cheapest way in the set to undo an evolved Stage 2. Sever is 50 at a Grass and two Colourless, plus 30 if the defender is a Stage 2. Kouki Saitou.

Yanmaヤンヤンマ

Yanma, 70 HP, Grass, Basic, uncommon, retreat 1 — the first of two different Yanma in this set. Supersonic is one Colourless for Confusion on heads; Air Slash is 20 at a Grass and costs you an Energy on tails. Midori Harada.

Yanmaヤンヤンマ

Yanma, 70 HP, Grass, Basic, uncommon, retreat 1 — the second Yanma, and a completely different card: Sonicboom is 10 that ignores Weakness and Resistance, Baton Pass is 30 at a Grass and two Colourless and lets you switch out carrying as much Energy as you like to the new Active. English printed this one as the shiny SH9 — same name, different card, and the reason the two are numbered separately here. Midori Harada.

Yanmegaメガヤンマ

Ability Speed Boost

Yanmega, 100 HP, Grass, Stage 1, holofoil rare, retreat 0 — free retreat on a 100 HP Stage 1, and the Poké-Power Speed Boost pulls a Grass Energy out of the discard every turn. Wind Return is 20 at two Colourless and turns every Grass Energy on it into another 20; Speed Dive is 70 at two Grass and two Colourless. The set's best Grass attacker. Masakazu Fukuda.

Surskitアメタマ

Surskit, 50 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — one attack. Quick Attack is 10 for one Colourless, plus 10 on heads. Miki Tanaka.

Masquerainアメモース

Ability Intimidating Pattern

Masquerain, 80 HP, Grass, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 0 — the Poké-Body Intimidating Pattern cuts 20 off every attack while it is Active, free retreat and a body that cuts damage — a stall card disguised as a 30-damage attacker. Skim Attack is 30 for a single Grass and draws two cards. Masakazu Fukuda.

Shroomishキノココ

Shroomish, 60 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Stun Spore is one Colourless for Paralysis on heads; Tackle is 20 at two Colourless. Yuka Morii.

Nincadaツチニン

Nincada, 40 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — both attacks cost a single Colourless. Call for Family fetches a Basic onto the Bench; Dash Attack puts 10 on any Benched Pokémon you choose. A 40 HP card that sets up its own evolution. Tomokazu Komiya.

Ninjaskテッカニン

Ninjask, 80 HP, Grass, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 0, free retreat — Circling Dive costs one Colourless and does 10 to every opponent Pokémon before switching Ninjask out, which is 10 across the board for one Energy every turn. Parallel Drain is 30 for a Grass and heals damage counters equal to the damage dealt. Kouki Saitou.

Shedinjaヌケニン

Ability Marvel Shell

Shedinja, 60 HP, Grass, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — the Poké-Body Marvel Shell makes it untouchable by any opponent Pokémon that has a Poké-Power or Poké-Body, which in a set full of both is most of the format. Spike Wound is one Colourless for 30 onto any Pokémon that already carries damage. Mitsuhiro Arita.

Magmarブーバー

Magmar, 70 HP, Fire, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Smokescreen for one Colourless forces a coin flip on the opponent's next attack, Fireworks is 30 at a Fire and a Colourless and costs a Fire Energy on tails. Midori Harada.

Magmortarブーバーン

Ability Evolutionary Flame

Magmortar, 110 HP, Fire, Stage 1, holofoil rare, retreat 2 — the Poké-Power Evolutionary Flame lands Burn and Confusion the moment you evolve, which is two Special Conditions for free. Fire Arrow is 30 onto any Pokémon for a Fire and a Colourless; Flame Ball is 60 at a Fire and two Colourless and lets you move a Fire Energy to the Bench. Naoyo Kimura.

Blaziken FBバシャーモ

Blaziken FB, 80 HP, Fire, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 1 — a Frontier Brain's Blaziken and a Basic, which is the whole point of FB. Luring Flame costs one Fire and drags a Benched Pokémon up already Burned; Vapor Kick is 30 at a Fire and a Colourless, plus 30 if the opponent has any Water Pokémon in play. Motofumi Fujiwara.

Blaziken FB LV.Xバシャーモ

Ability Burning Spirit

Blaziken FB LV.X, 110 HP, Fire, Level-Up, holofoil rare LV.X, retreat 1 — levels up from the FB Basic, which makes it an LV.X sitting on a card that needs no evolution at all. The Poké-Body Burning Spirit adds 40 to every attack that hits a Burned Pokémon, yours and theirs, capped at 40 total. Jet Shoot is 80 at a Fire and a Colourless and hands the opponent 40 extra damage back next turn. Ryo Ueda.

Numelドンメル

Numel, 70 HP, Fire, Basic, common, retreat 2 — Draw In costs one Colourless and pulls two Fire Energy out of the discard straight onto Numel; Combustion is 40 at a Fire and two Colourless. Kagemaru Himeno.

Cameruptバクーダ

Camerupt, 120 HP, Fire, Stage 1, rare, retreat 4 — Moving Fire is 30 at two Colourless and shuffles a Fire Energy from the Bench onto Camerupt; Volcanic Crash is 100 at two Fire and two Colourless and mills the top of your deck for each tails, unless the opponent has a Water Pokémon, in which case it costs nothing. Yukiko Baba.

Moltresファイヤー

Moltres, 100 HP, Fire, Basic, secret rare, retreat 2 — one of the three legendary birds that close the set above the numbered list. Wing Attack is 20 at a Fire and a Colourless; Sky Attack is 80 at two Fire and two Colourless and does nothing on tails. Kouki Saitou.

Seelパウワウ

Seel, 60 HP, Water, Basic, common, retreat 2 — Tail Slap is 10 for one Colourless, Icy Wind is 20 at a Water and a Colourless with Sleep on heads. Atsuko Nishida.

Dewgongジュゴン

Ability Thick Fat

Dewgong, 100 HP, Water, Stage 1, rare, retreat 3 — the Poké-Body Thick Fat takes 30 off every Fire and Water attack, which covers most of what this set can do to it. Ice Shard is 30 at a Water and a Colourless but 80 against a Fighting Pokémon; Aurora Beam is 70 at two Water and two Colourless. Kanako Eo.

Goldeenトサキント

Goldeen, 50 HP, Water, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Flail is 10 per damage counter on Goldeen for one Colourless, so it gets stronger as it dies; Fury Attack is 10 at a single Water and flips three coins. Kyoko Umemoto.

Seakingアズマオウ

Seaking, 90 HP, Water, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — Horn Pierce is 90 damage for a single Colourless and does nothing if either of two coins is tails, which is the highest ceiling on any one-Energy attack in the set. Endure is 30 for a Water and survives a knockout at 10 HP on heads. Suwama Chiaki.

Mudkipミズゴロウ

Mudkip, 60 HP, Water, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Mud Sport is 10 at a Water, plus 10 if Mudkip has less Energy attached than the defender; Surf is 20 at a Water and a Colourless. Kouki Saitou.

Marshtompヌマクロー

Ability Plunge

Marshtomp, 80 HP, Water, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 1 — the Poké-Power Plunge works from the Bench: flip, and on heads every Energy on your Active moves onto Marshtomp and Marshtomp swaps in. It is a rescue card that also happens to be a Stage 1. Mud Shot is 50 at three Colourless. Tomokazu Komiya.

Swampertラグラージ

Ability Root Protector

Swampert, 130 HP, Water, Stage 2, holofoil rare, retreat 2 — the Poké-Body Root Protector takes 20 off attacks from anything that is not evolved, which is every SP card in the format. Drag Off is 30 at a Water and two Colourless and switches the defender out before damage; Push Over is 60 at a Water and three Colourless and adds 10 per Fighting Energy on it. Kagemaru Himeno.

Wailmerホエルコ

Wailmer, 80 HP, Water, Basic, common, retreat 3 — Hydro Pump is 20 at a Water and a Colourless and adds 10 per unused Water Energy, capped at 20 more; Take Down is 50 at a Water and two Colourless and deals 20 back. Masakazu Fukuda.

Wailordホエルオー

Wailord, 180 HP, Water, Stage 1, rare, retreat 4 — the highest HP in the set, and the only reason to run a 4-retreat Stage 1. Rest is two Colourless for a full Special Condition clear and 4 damage counters off, at the price of falling Asleep. Giant Wave is 100 at three Water and two Colourless and cannot be used twice in a row. Midori Harada.

Feebasヒンバス

Feebas, 30 HP, Water, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Surprise Attack costs nothing at all and does 20, failing on tails. Count and Draw is one Water and draws a card for each unevolved opponent Pokémon. A 30 HP Basic with a free 20-damage attack is the set's cheapest surprise. Mitsuhiro Arita.

Miloticミロカロス

Milotic, 90 HP, Water, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 1 — the first of two Milotic. Cleansing Ring is 20 at a Water and a Colourless and trades two cards from hand for 4 damage counters off anything. Scale Blow is 90 minus 10 per card in hand at a Water and two Colourless, so the healing attack and the big attack pull in opposite directions. Hajime Kusajima.

Miloticミロカロス

Ability Aqua Mirage

Milotic, 80 HP, Water, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 1 — the second Milotic, and the one English printed as the shiny SH7. The Poké-Body Aqua Mirage makes it completely immune to damage while your hand is empty. Dwindling Wave is 80 at two Water and a Colourless, minus 10 per damage counter on Milotic. Hajime Kusajima.

Empoleon FBエンペルト

Empoleon FB, 90 HP, Water, Basic, rare, retreat 2 — a Frontier Brain's Empoleon printed as a Basic, so it starts attacking on turn one. Rushing Water is 20 at a Water and a Colourless and moves an Energy card off the Defending Pokémon onto another of the opponent's Pokémon, which is how you strip a wall. Escort is 40 at a Water and two Colourless, plus 20 more if a Supporter was played this turn. Hiroki Fuchino.

Articunoフリーザー

Articuno, 70 HP, Water, Basic, secret rare, retreat 1 — the second bird, and the cheapest of the three at 70 HP. Diamond Dust is 20 for three Water and on heads leaves the defender Paralyzed and puts 10 on every one of the opponent's Benched Pokémon. Toshinao Aoki.

Plusleプラスル

Plusle, 60 HP, Lightning, Basic, rare, retreat 1 — Greedy Draw costs nothing and takes you to exactly one card more than the opponent's hand, no matter how far behind you are, which makes it the cheapest hand refresh in the set. Hand Charge is 10 at a single Lightning and attaches a Lightning Energy from hand to any of your Pokémon. Yuka Morii.

Minunマイナン

Minun, 60 HP, Lightning, Basic, uncommon, retreat 1 — the mirror of Plusle, and the pair is meant to be played together. Call for Family costs nothing and fetches two Lightning Basic Pokémon straight onto the Bench. Trash Charge is 10 at a single Lightning and pulls a Lightning Energy back out of the discard, so the deck never runs dry. Yuka Morii.

Electivire FBエレキブル

Electivire FB, 90 HP, Lightning, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 3 — Dump and Draw costs one Colourless and turns up to two Energy cards in hand into four cards, which is the set's engine for the SP decks. Electric Current is 40 at a Lightning and two Colourless and moves a Lightning Energy onto the Bench on the way through. Hironobu Yoshida.

Electivire FB LV.Xエレキブル

Ability Energy Recycle

Electivire FB LV.X, 120 HP, Lightning, Level-Up, holofoil rare LV.X, retreat 3 — the Poké-Power Energy Recycle ends your turn and in exchange puts up to three Energy cards from the discard onto your Pokémon in any spread you like. Powerful Spark is 30 at a Lightning and two Colourless, plus 10 for every Energy attached to all of your Pokémon, so a wide board makes it enormous. Ryo Ueda.

Zapdosサンダー

Zapdos, 100 HP, Lightning, Basic, secret rare, retreat 2 — the third bird. Drill Peck is 30 at a Lightning and two Colourless; Lightning Wing is 50 at two Lightning and two Colourless, plus 20 on heads. Three birds, three types, and none of them carries an Ability. Kagemaru Himeno.

Mime Jr.マネネ

Ability Baby Evolution

Mime Jr., 50 HP, Psychic, Basic, common, retreat 1 — the Poké-Power Baby Evolution drops Mr. Mime straight onto it and wipes the damage off, so the 50 HP is really a 70 HP card one turn later. Encore costs one Colourless, does nothing on its own and locks the Defending Pokémon into a single attack for a turn. Miki Tanaka.

Mr. Mimeバリヤード

Ability Focus Wall

Mr. Mime, 70 HP, Psychic, Basic, rare, retreat 1 — the Poké-Body Focus Wall refuses any single attack of 70 or more and leaves Mr. Mime on 10 HP instead, which in a set of 100-damage Stage 2s is a hard stop. Desperate Slap is 20 at a Psychic and a Colourless, plus 40 once Mr. Mime already carries five damage counters. Kouki Saitou.

Medititeアサナン

Meditite, 60 HP, Psychic, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Psyshot is 10 for one Colourless; Karate Chop is 30 at a Psychic and a Colourless, minus 10 for each damage counter on Meditite, so it is a first-turn attack only. Kagemaru Himeno.

Medichamチャーレム

Medicham, 90 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — Channeling is 60 at a Psychic and a Colourless and hands the opponent two cards, which is a real cost in a format where hand size matters. Chakra Points is 10 at a Psychic and two Colourless, plus 10 for every card in the opponent's hand — the same hand you just fed. Masakazu Fukuda.

Lunatoneルナトーン

Ability Marvel Eyes

Lunatone, 70 HP, Psychic, Basic, uncommon, free retreat — the Poké-Body Marvel Eyes is a lock: with Solrock in play, every Lunatone and Solrock is immune to damage and effects from the opponent's Pokémon LV.X, which is the entire point of the pairing. Gravity Wave is 30 at a Psychic and a Colourless and hits every Benched Pokémon that has no Retreat Cost. Naoyo Kimura.

Solrockソルロック

Ability Sunshine Fate

Solrock, 80 HP, Psychic, Basic, rare, retreat 1 — the Poké-Power Sunshine Fate reorders the top three cards of your deck every turn as long as Lunatone is in play. Luna Turn is 30 for two Colourless, plus 30 if Lunatone is in the discard, and then shuffles Lunatone back into the deck so the pair can start again. Naoyo Kimura.

Baltoyヤジロン

Baltoy, 50 HP, Psychic, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Spinning Attack is 10 for one Colourless; Quick Turn is 20 times the number of heads on two coins for two Colourless. A 50 HP Basic whose ceiling is 40 is a turn-one attacker, not a wall. Masakazu Fukuda.

Claydolネンドール

Claydol, 90 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — Antique Magic costs two Colourless and spreads three damage counters anywhere on the board, yours included, which is the set's precision tool against a 30 HP Bench. Synchro Attack is 30 for two Psychic but becomes 90 the moment the defender's remaining HP matches Claydol's exactly. Kouki Saitou.

Chinglingリーシャン

Ability Baby Evolution

Chingling, 50 HP, Psychic, Basic, common, retreat 1 — the Poké-Power Baby Evolution puts Chimecho onto it and clears the damage. Chime costs nothing and copies the effect of a Supporter card sitting in the opponent's discard pile, which is the strangest attack in the set and a direct answer to whatever they just played. Kagemaru Himeno.

Chimechoチリーン

Chimecho, 70 HP, Psychic, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Heal Bell is one Colourless for three damage counters off every one of your Pokémon, which is the widest healing in the set. Super Psywave is a single Psychic that puts damage counters equal to the Energy on any one opponent Pokémon, so it scales with their investment rather than yours. Yukiko Baba.

Drifblim FBフワライド

Ability Pump Up

Drifblim FB, 80 HP, Psychic, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 2 — the Poké-Body Pump Up turns it into a 120 HP card once the opponent is down to three Prizes or fewer, which is exactly when a Basic needs the extra body. Shadow Ball is three Energy — a Psychic and two Colourless — for 40 onto any Benched Pokémon, Weakness and Resistance applied. Lee HyunJung.

Dusknoir FBヨノワール

Dusknoir FB, 90 HP, Psychic, Basic, rare, retreat 2 — Ghost Hand is 30 at a Psychic and a Colourless and puts a damage counter on one of your own Benched Pokémon, which sounds like a drawback until you remember cards that pay you for damage. Cursed Wrath is 10 times the number of Pokémon SP in your discard pile for three Energy, so it grows as the game grinds. Motofumi Fujiwara.

Sandshrewサンド

Sandshrew, 50 HP, Fighting, Basic, common, retreat 1 — one attack. Scratch is 20 for a single Fighting, which is the highest damage any single-Energy Basic in this set does for that price. Suwama Chiaki.

Sandslashサンドパン

Ability Dig Down

Sandslash, 90 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — the Poké-Power Dig Down digs through the top five cards every turn and takes every Fighting Energy it finds into hand, which is a one-card-per-turn accelerator that never misses. Needle is 40 at a Fighting and two Colourless and on heads leaves the defender Paralyzed and Poisoned. Kagemaru Himeno.

Mankeyマンキー

Mankey, 50 HP, Fighting, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Extra Punch is 10 for a single Fighting and 50 more if the Defending Pokémon is a Pokémon LV.X, which makes a 50 HP Basic the cheapest LV.X answer printed in 2009. Kanako Eo.

Primeapeオコリザル

Primeape, 90 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — Top Drop costs two Colourless and discards the top card of the opponent's deck, dealing damage equal to that Pokémon's HP if it happens to be one, so it is either nothing or a knockout. Brick Break is 40 at a Fighting and a Colourless and ignores Resistance, Poké-Powers, Poké-Bodies and every other effect on the defender. Midori Harada.

Rhyhornサイホーン

Rhyhorn, 70 HP, Fighting, Basic, common, retreat 2 — Stomp is 10 for two Colourless, plus 20 on heads; Horn Drill is 50 at two Fighting and a Colourless. A slow, cheap, high-ceiling line for a Basic. Tomokazu Komiya.

Rhydonサイドン

Rhydon, 90 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 3 — Fury Attack is a single Fighting for 20 times the number of heads on three coins, so it tops out at 60 for one Energy. Rock Tumble is 60 at two Fighting and a Colourless and ignores Resistance. Masakazu Fukuda.

Rhyperiorドサイドン

Rhyperior, 140 HP, Fighting, Stage 2, holofoil rare, retreat 4 — Raging Drill is 30 at a Fighting and a Colourless, plus 10 for every damage counter on Rhyperior, so the card gets stronger the closer it is to dying. Deep Scrap is 60 at two Fighting and two Colourless and, if that knockouts the defender, mills the top three cards of the opponent's deck. Hajime Kusajima.

Breloomキノガッサ

Breloom, 90 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 1 — Hover Hit is 40 for a single Fighting and sets the defender's Retreat Cost to 0 until the end of your next turn, which drags a wall out of the way. Crash Bomber is 20 for two Colourless, plus 40 if the defender carries any Special Energy, and then discards one of those Special Energy. Kyoko Umemoto.

Relicanthジーランス

Relicanth, 80 HP, Fighting, Basic, uncommon, retreat 1 — the first of two Relicanth in the set. Grand Swell costs one Fighting and does 30 for each Pokémon Tool and Stadium the opponent has in play, which is a direct tax on the SP Tool decks. Amnesia is 30 at a Fighting and a Colourless and shuts off one of the defender's attacks for a turn. Sumiyoshi Kizuki.

Relicanthジーランス

Relicanth, 80 HP, Fighting, Basic, uncommon, retreat 1 — the second Relicanth, and a different card entirely; English printed this one as the shiny SH8. Deep Sea Pressure is 20 at a Fighting and a Colourless and adds two Colourless to the defender's Retreat Cost for a turn. Aqua Wave is 40 at a Fighting and two Colourless, plus 10 per heads on two coins. Sumiyoshi Kizuki.

Murkrowヤミカラス

Murkrow, 70 HP, Darkness, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Switcheroo costs nothing and moves a Pokémon Tool from one opponent Pokémon to another, which is how you move a Special Metal or a Snowpoint Temple counter off the card you are about to hit. Flap is 20 at a Darkness and a Colourless. Yukiko Baba.

Honchkrowドンカラス

Ability Darkness Restore

Honchkrow, 90 HP, Darkness, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — the Poké-Power Darkness Restore takes a Basic Pokémon out of the opponent's discard and puts it on their Bench, filling their side with 30 HP bodies. Riot is 30 at a Darkness and two Colourless, plus 10 for every unevolved Pokémon in play on both sides, so you are paid for the Bench you just built them. Mitsuhiro Arita.

Absol Gアブソル

Absol G, 70 HP, Darkness, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 1 — a Team Galactic card, and the G marks it as one. Feint Attack is a single Darkness for 20 onto any opponent Pokémon, ignoring Weakness, Resistance and every effect on it. Doom News costs a Darkness and two Colourless, returns all Energy on Absol G to hand and knocks the Defending Pokémon out at the end of the opponent's next turn, no damage involved. Yusuke Ishikawa.

Absol G LV.Xアブソル

Ability Darkness Send

Absol G LV.X, 100 HP, Darkness, Level-Up, holofoil rare LV.X, retreat 1 — the Poké-Power Darkness Send triggers on the level-up itself and flips three coins, one card to the Lost Zone per heads, which is the set's only way to remove a card from the game entirely. Darkness Slugger is 30 at a Darkness and a Colourless, plus 30 if you throw a card away. Yusuke Ishikawa.

Skarmory FBエアームド

Skarmory FB, 80 HP, Metal, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Silver Feather is 20 for a single Metal and punishes the opponent's next Basic drop with two damage counters, which is a slow answer to a Bench-heavy format. Metal Max is 20 for two Colourless, plus 40 for each heads after discarding every Metal Energy on it — all or nothing on a coin. Hironobu Yoshida.

Mawileクチート

Mawile, 70 HP, Metal, Basic, rare, retreat 1 — the only card in the set with three attacks. Turnaround Standby costs one Metal and adds 40 to both Swallow and Bite next turn. Swallow is 20 for two Colourless and heals as much as it hits; Bite is 30 for the same two Colourless. Suwama Chiaki.

Beldumダンバル

Beldum, 50 HP, Metal, Basic, common, retreat 2 — Pit Search is one Colourless for a Stadium straight out of the deck, which is the cheapest way to get a Stadium online on turn one. Ram is 10 for a single Metal. Atsuko Nishida.

Metangメタング

Ability Metallic Lift

Metang, 80 HP, Metal, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 2 — the Poké-Body Metallic Lift turns the two-Energy Retreat Cost into a free retreat the moment any Metal Energy is attached. Psychic is 40 at a Metal and two Colourless, plus 10 for each Energy on the Defending Pokémon. Kyoko Umemoto.

Metagrossメタグロス

Ability Gravitation

Metagross, 130 HP, Metal, Stage 2, holofoil rare, retreat 3 — the Poké-Body Gravitation takes 20 off the HP of every Pokémon in play, both sides, capped at 20 total, so it turns 30 HP Basics into knockouts for anything. Geo Impact is 60 at two Metal and a Colourless and, with a Stadium out, hits every Benched Pokémon that shares the defender's type. Kagemaru Himeno.

Doduoドードー

Doduo, 50 HP, Colourless, Basic, common, free retreat — Take Down is 20 for a single Colourless and Doduo does 10 to itself. A 50 HP Basic that damages itself is a one-turn attacker at best, but free retreat gets it out of the way afterwards. Atsuko Nishida.

Dodrioドードリオ

Ability Echo Draw

Dodrio, 80 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, rare, free retreat — the Poké-Power Echo Draw is a free card every single turn with no flip and no cost, which on a Stage 1 with free retreat is the cheapest draw engine printed in 2009. Drill Peck is 50 for three Colourless. Kouki Saitou.

Dragonite FBカイリュー

Dragonite FB, 100 HP, Colourless, Basic, uncommon, retreat 3 — Mach Blow is 20 for three Colourless, but 80 instead of 20 against a Pokémon SP, which makes it a mirror-breaker in an SP-heavy format. Giant Tail is 100 for four Colourless and does nothing at all on tails. Shin Nagasawa.

Whismurゴニョニョ

Whismur, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Tone-Deaf is one Colourless for Confusion on heads; Rollout is 20 for two Colourless. A quiet 60 HP opener. Yuka Morii.

Loudredドゴーム

Loudred, 80 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 2 — Smash Kick is 30 for two Colourless; Stomp Off is 50 for three Colourless and mills the top card of the opponent's deck as well. Atsuko Nishida.

Exploudバクオング

Ability Erasing Sound

Exploud, 130 HP, Colourless, Stage 2, rare, retreat 2 — the Poké-Body Erasing Sound removes the Weakness from every one of your Pokémon, which is the only card in the set that does it board-wide. Knock Back is 40 for two Colourless and forces the opponent to switch; Hyper Beam is 60 for three Colourless and discards an Energy on heads. Masakazu Fukuda.

Spindaパッチール

Spinda, 70 HP, Colourless, Basic, rare, retreat 1 — Synchro Removal costs one Colourless and discards an Energy off the defender if Spinda shares any Energy type with it, which is a strange but real Energy-denial tool. Pulled Punch is 30 for one Colourless, but drops to 10 if the defender already carries any damage. Miki Tanaka.

Rayquaza Cレックウザ

Rayquaza C, 100 HP, Colourless, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 3 — the C marks it as Champion's, and it is a Basic with 100 HP. Trash Burst is 10 for a single Colourless, plus 10 for each of up to five Energy cards you throw out of your hand, so it can be 60 for one Energy. Twister is 50 for four Colourless and discards an Energy per heads. kawayoo.

Rayquaza C LV.Xレックウザ

Ability Dragon Spirit

Rayquaza C LV.X, 120 HP, Colourless, Level-Up, holofoil rare LV.X, retreat 3 — the Poké-Body Dragon Spirit reattaches an Energy from the discard every time Rayquaza C survives a hit, so the acceleration is free and repeatable. Final Blowup is 200 damage for a Water, a Psychic, a Fighting and a Colourless, and discards every Energy on it unless your hand is empty. Shizurow.

Staraptor FBムクホーク

Staraptor FB, 80 HP, Colourless, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 1 — Quick Attack is 10 for a single Colourless, plus 10 on heads; Whirlwind is 30 for three Colourless and forces the opponent to switch their Active out, which is how you reset a wall. Hiroki Fuchino.

Staraptor FB LV.Xムクホーク

Ability Fast Call

Staraptor FB LV.X, 100 HP, Colourless, Level-Up, holofoil rare LV.X, free retreat — the Poké-Power Fast Call fetches any Supporter straight out of the deck every turn, which is the strongest search effect on any LV.X in the set. Defog is 40 for three Colourless, or 70 if you first discard the Stadium in play. Ryo Ueda.

Chatot Gペラップ

Ability Disrupting Spy

Chatot G, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, uncommon, retreat 1 — the Poké-Power Disrupting Spy fires when Chatot G hits the Bench and reorders the top four cards of the opponent's deck, which is the set's purest disruption card. Search and Escape costs nothing, fetches a Trainer, and puts Chatot G back on top of your deck so you can do it again. Yusuke Ishikawa.

Gibleフカマル

Gible, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Sand Attack is one Colourless and forces a coin flip on the defender's next attack; Bite is 10 for one Colourless. The first stage of the Garchomp line. Kanako Eo.

Gabiteガバイト

Gabite, 80 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 1 — Healing Scale costs nothing and takes one damage counter off every one of your Pokémon, which is a free sweep every turn. Sand Tomb is 30 for two Colourless and stops the defender retreating. Tomokazu Komiya.

Garchompガブリアス

Ability Dragon Intimidation

Garchomp, 130 HP, Colourless, Stage 2, holofoil rare, free retreat — the Poké-Body Dragon Intimidation takes an Energy off the attacker and puts it into the opponent's hand every time Garchomp is damaged, even if it is knocked out. Guard Claw is 40 for two Colourless and cuts 20 off the next turn; Speed Impact does 120 for three Colourless, minus 20 for each Energy on the defender. Mitsuhiro Arita.

Lickilicky Cベロベルト

Lickilicky C, 90 HP, Colourless, Basic, common, retreat 2 — Licking-Licking Heal is one Colourless to attach a Basic Energy from hand and then heal two damage counters off that same Pokémon. Return is 40 for three Colourless and refills your hand to six cards, which is the set's cheapest hand reset attached to a real attack. kawayoo.

Regigigas FBレジギガス

Regigigas FB, 100 HP, Colourless, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 4 — Drain Punch is 30 for three Colourless and heals one damage counter for each Energy on the defender. Rainbow Lariat is 20 times the number of different types of Pokémon SP you have in play, so it is a reward for a rainbow SP board. Shin Nagasawa.

VS Seeker

Search your discard pile for a Supporter card, show it to your opponent, and put it into your hand.

VS Seeker, Item, uncommon — the most played Trainer of the whole Platinum era: dig a Supporter out of the discard pile, show it, and play it again. In a format built on Cyrus's Conspiracy and Poké-Turn it effectively doubles every Supporter in the deck. Wataru Kawahara.

Night Teleporter

Flip a coin. If heads, put all cards in your hand on top of your deck. Then, search your deck for any 1 card and put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.

Night Teleporter, Item, uncommon — flip a coin, and on heads put your entire hand back on top of your deck and search any one card out of the deck instead. It is either a perfect tutor or a wasted card, and it is the only card in the set that can trade a whole hand for a single answer. Ryota Saito.

Cyrus's Initiative

You can play only one Supporter card each turn. When you play this card, put it next to your Active Pokémon. When your turn ends, discard this card. Flip 2 coins. If either of them is heads, look at your opponent's hand. For each heads, choose 1 card from your opponent's hand and put it on the bottom of your opponent's deck in any order.

Cyrus's Initiative, Supporter, uncommon — flip two coins, and if either is heads you look at the opponent's hand and put one card per heads on the bottom of their deck. It is Team Galactic's hand attack, and it is the reason SP decks in this format can strip a Supporter before it is ever played. Ken Sugimori.

Palmer's Contribution

You can play only one Supporter card each turn. When you play this card, put it next to your Active Pokémon. When your turn ends, discard this card. Search your discard pile for up to 5 in any combination of Pokémon and basic Energy cards. Show them to your opponent and shuffle them into your deck.

Palmer's Contribution, Supporter, uncommon — take up to five cards from the discard pile, any mix of Pokémon and basic Energy, and shuffle them back into the deck. It is the only mass recovery Supporter in the set, and it is what makes a single-Prize deck survivable against SP. Ken Sugimori.

Cynthia's Guidance

You can play only one Supporter card each turn. When you play this card, put it next to your Active Pokémon. When your turn ends, discard this card. Look at the top 7 cards of your deck, choose 1 of them, and put it into your hand. Put the other cards back on top of your deck. Shuffle your deck afterward.

Cynthia's Guidance, Supporter, uncommon — look at the top seven cards, take one, and put the rest back on top in any order. Seven is the deepest look on any Supporter printed in 2009, and putting the rest back means the next turn is already set up. Ken Sugimori.

Champion's Room

This card stays in play when you play it. Discard this card if another Stadium card comes into play. If another card with the same name is in play, you can't play this card. The Retreat cost for each Pokémon SP (both yours and your opponent's) is Colorless less.

Champion's Room, Stadium, uncommon — every Pokémon SP in play, yours and the opponent's, gets its Retreat Cost reduced by one Colourless. It is a Stadium that helps both sides equally, which is exactly why SP decks play it and everything else does not. Yusuke Ishikawa.

Battle Tower

This card stays in play when you play it. Discard this card if another Stadium card comes into play. If another card with the same name is in play, you can't play this card. Whenever any player plays any Pokémon from his or her hand to Level-Up 1 of his or her Pokémon, remove 4 damage counters from that Pokémon.

Battle Tower, Stadium, uncommon — whenever any player levels up a Pokémon from hand, four damage counters come off that Pokémon. In a set with nine LV.X cards this is both a heal and a deterrent, and it is the only Stadium that pays you for leveling up. Wataru Kawahara.

SP EnergySPエネルギー

Provides 1 unit of any type of Energy while this card is attached to a Pokémon SP. Otherwise it provides 1 Colorless Energy.

SP Energy, special Energy, uncommon — provides one unit of any type while attached to a Pokémon SP, and one Colourless otherwise. It is not a basic Energy: it is the card that lets an SP deck pay for a Water, a Psychic and a Fighting cost out of one sleeve, and it is why SP lists run so few basic Energy. Kent Kanetsuna.

Darkness Energy悪エネルギー

Provides 1 Darkness Energy. If the Pokémon this card is attached to is a Darkness Pokémon, its attacks do 10 more damage to the Defending Pokémon. If it is not attached to a Darkness Pokémon, this effect does nothing.

Darkness Energy, special Energy, uncommon — provides one Darkness Energy, and if the Pokémon it is attached to is a Darkness Pokémon its attacks do 10 more damage to the Defending Pokémon. It is a special Energy, not a basic one, and the bonus only exists on a matching type. Tokumi Akabane.

Metal Energy鋼エネルギー

Provides 1 Metal Energy. If the Pokémon this card is attached to is a Metal Pokémon, it takes 10 less damage from attacks. If it is not attached to a Metal Pokémon, this effect does nothing.

Metal Energy, special Energy, uncommon — provides one Metal Energy, and a Metal Pokémon carrying it takes 10 less damage from attacks. The mirror of the Darkness version: one is offence, one is defence, and neither does anything on the wrong type. Tokumi Akabane.

Beedrill Gスピアー

Beedrill G, 80 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — a Team Galactic G card, which means a Basic that does not need to evolve. Raid is 10 for a single Grass, but 40 if you played Beedrill G from your hand this turn, so the first turn is the big turn. Fury Attack is 30 times the number of heads on three coins. Wataru Kawahara.

Tangelaモンジャラ

Tangela, 70 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 2 — Absorb is 10 for one Colourless and heals one damage counter; Sleep Powder is 20 at a Grass and a Colourless and puts the defender to Sleep. Mitsuhiro Arita.

Tangrowthモジャンボ

Tangrowth, 110 HP, Grass, Stage 1, holofoil rare, retreat 3 — Leaf Guard is 30 at a Grass and a Colourless and cuts 20 off everything that hits it next turn. Swallow Up is 50 for two Grass and two Colourless, but 120 instead if the defender's remaining HP is lower than Tangrowth's, which is the set's cheapest conditional 120. Masakazu Fukuda.

Tangrowth LV.Xモジャンボ

Ability Healing Growth

Tangrowth LV.X, 130 HP, Grass, Level-Up, holofoil rare LV.X, retreat 3 — the Poké-Power Healing Growth is a coin flip for four damage counters off any of your Pokémon every turn, and it keeps the 120-damage Swallow Up live. Big Growth costs one Grass and refills the board with every Grass Energy in the discard, which is the biggest single acceleration in the set. Ryo Ueda.

Treeckoキモリ

Treecko, 60 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — one attack. Tail Crush is 20 for two Colourless, plus 10 on heads. TOKIYA.

Grovyleジュプトル

Grovyle, 80 HP, Grass, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 1 — Detect is one Colourless for full protection on heads, which on a Stage 1 is a whole turn bought. Blade Arms is 30 at a Grass and a Colourless. Tomoaki Imakuni.

Sceptileジュカイン

Ability Green Breath

Sceptile, 120 HP, Grass, Stage 2, rare, retreat 2 — the Poké-Body Green Breath heals two damage counters every time a Grass Energy is attached from hand, so every acceleration card is also a heal. Leaf Blast is 20 times the Grass Energy on Sceptile for a single Grass; Poison Claws is 60 for one Grass and three Colourless. Reiko Tanoue.

Burmy Plant Cloakミノムッチ

Ability Cloak Evolution

Burmy Plant Cloak, 40 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — one of three Burmy in this set, and the cloak decides the attack's Energy cost. The Poké-Body Cloak Evolution lets it evolve on the turn it is played, which is the only way Burmy ever gets anywhere. Tackle is 20 at a Grass and a Colourless. Kyoko Umemoto.

Burmy Sandy Cloakミノムッチ

Ability Cloak Evolution

Burmy Sandy Cloak, 40 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — the second cloak, and the same card except that Tackle costs a Fighting and a Colourless instead of a Grass. The Body Cloak Evolution is identical, so the cloak is purely a colour choice. Tomokazu Komiya.

Burmy Trash Cloakミノムッチ

Ability Cloak Evolution

Burmy Trash Cloak, 40 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — the third cloak: Tackle costs a Metal and a Colourless. Same 20 damage, same Cloak Evolution, and the three together let a Wormadam deck pick its colour at will. Yukiko Baba.

Wormadam Plant Cloakミノマダム

Wormadam Plant Cloak, 80 HP, Grass, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 1 — Magical Needle is 20 for a single Grass and heals two damage counters off the Bench. Cloak Scale is 50 for a Grass and two Colourless and, with Wormadam Sandy Cloak in play, lands Burn, Confusion and Poison at once. Kouki Saitou.

Mothimガーメイル

Mothim, 90 HP, Grass, Stage 1, holofoil rare, free retreat — Cloak Party costs nothing and fetches up to three Burmy and Wormadam in any mix, which is the entire cloak engine in one card. Energy Assist is 30 for one Colourless and moves a basic Energy out of the discard onto the Bench. Kagemaru Himeno.

Cherubiチェリンボ

Cherubi, 50 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Ram is 10 for one Colourless; Solarbeam is 20 at a Grass and a Colourless. Yuka Morii.

Cherrimチェリム

Ability Cloudy Sky

Cherrim, 80 HP, Grass, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — the Poké-Body Cloudy Sky takes 10 off every attack against any of your Grass or Fire Pokémon, which is a board-wide reduction that stacks with nothing and applies to everything. Worry Seed is 30 at a Grass and a Colourless with Confusion on heads. Midori Harada.

Charmanderヒトカゲ

Charmander, 60 HP, Fire, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Call for Friends costs nothing and tutors a Fire Basic straight into hand. Steady Firebreathing is 20 at a Fire and a Colourless. Suwama Chiaki.

Charmeleonリザード

Charmeleon, 80 HP, Fire, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 1 — Slam is 30 times the number of heads on two coins for two Colourless; Fire Punch is 50 at a Fire and two Colourless. Sumiyoshi Kizuki.

Charizardリザードン

Ability Fire Formation

Charizard, 140 HP, Fire, Stage 2, holofoil rare, retreat 3 — the Poké-Body Fire Formation adds 10 to every Charizard attack for each Fire Pokémon on your Bench, so a full Bench is plus 50 before Weakness. Fire Wing is 30 for a single Fire; Burning Tail is 80 at two Fire and a Colourless and costs a Fire Energy each time. Kagemaru Himeno.

Ponytaポニータ

Ponyta, 40 HP, Fire, Basic, common, retreat 1 — the first of two Ponyta, and the cheap one: Ascension costs one Colourless and evolves it straight out of the deck, which is a turn-one Rapidash. Combustion is 20 at a Fire and a Colourless. Kanako Eo.

Ponytaポニータ

Ability Star Barrier

Ponyta, 60 HP, Fire, Basic, common, retreat 1 — the second Ponyta, with 20 more HP and a completely different kit. The Poké-Body Star Barrier removes its Weakness as long as any Energy is attached. Blue Fire is 50 for two Fire and discards every Fire Energy on it, so it is one big hit and then a reset. Kanako Eo.

Rapidashギャロップ

Ability Wild Guard

Rapidash, 80 HP, Fire, Stage 1, rare, free retreat — the Poké-Body Wild Guard makes it completely immune to the attacks and effects of the opponent's Pokémon SP, which is the hardest counter to the SP decks printed in 2009. Fire Mane is 20 for a single Fire; Rising Lunge is 50 at a Fire and two Colourless, plus 20 on heads. Lee HyunJung.

Heatranヒードラン

Heatran, 100 HP, Fire, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 3 — a Basic with 100 HP. Fire Fang is 20 at a Fire and a Colourless and lands Burn. Magma Mantle is 60 for two Fire and two Colourless, plus 20 for each Fire or Metal Energy among the top three cards of your deck, so it is either 60 or 120. Keiko Moritsugu.

Omanyteオムナイト

Omanyte, 80 HP, Water, Stage 1, common, retreat 1 — a Stage 1 that evolves from a Fossil, not from a Pokémon. Collect is one Water for three cards; Tickle is 20 for two Colourless with Paralysis on heads. Aya Kusube.

Omastarオムスター

Omastar, 120 HP, Water, Stage 2, rare, retreat 1 — Time Spiral costs two Colourless and de-evolves any one opponent Pokémon by stripping its highest Stage card, which is the only card in the set that undoes an evolution without damage. Primal Tentacles is 30 at a Water and a Colourless, plus 10 for every Helix Fossil, Dome Fossil and Old Amber in the discard. Hajime Kusajima.

Wingullキャモメ

Wingull, 40 HP, Water, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Glide is 10 for one Colourless; Slashing Strike is 30 at a Water and a Colourless and cannot be used twice in a row. Kyoko Umemoto.

Pelipperペリッパー

Pelipper, 90 HP, Water, Stage 1, rare, retreat 2 — Water Pulse is 30 at a Water and a Colourless and puts the defender to Sleep. Continuous Crush is 70 for two Water and two Colourless and then discards an Energy per heads on an open-ended run of coins, which is the set's heaviest Energy denial. Miki Tanaka.

Snoruntユキワラシ

Snorunt, 50 HP, Water, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Ice Breath is one Colourless for Paralysis on heads; Double Headbutt is 20 times the number of heads on two coins. Yuka Morii.

Glalieオニゴーリ

Glalie, 90 HP, Water, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — Wreck is 20 for two Colourless, plus 50 and the Stadium removed if there is a Stadium in play, which is the only Stadium destruction attached to an attack. Avalanche is 50 for two Water and a Colourless and spreads 10 on heads. Hiroki Fuchino.

Froslassユキメノコ

Ability Snow Gift

Froslass, 80 HP, Water, Stage 1, holofoil rare, retreat 1 — the Poké-Power Snow Gift searches any one card out of the deck the moment Froslass evolves, which is the strongest single tutor on a Stage 1 in this set. Ground Frost is 50 at a Water and a Colourless and does nothing at all while a Stadium is in play — the exact mirror of Glalie's Wreck. TOKIYA.

Arceusアルセウス

Arceus, 90 HP, Water, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 2 — the Water Arceus, first of five different-type Arceus in this set and the one that pays for everything else. Fastwave is 50 at a Water and two Colourless and ignores Resistance, Poké-Powers, Poké-Bodies and every other effect on the defender. Kouki Saitou.

Pichuピチュー

Ability Baby Evolution

Pichu, 50 HP, Lightning, Basic, rare, retreat 1 — the Poké-Power Baby Evolution puts Pikachu straight onto it and clears the damage. Baby Steps costs nothing and looks at the top five cards for one, which is the deepest free search on any Baby Pokémon in the set. Kanako Eo.

Pikachuピカチュウ

Pikachu, 60 HP, Lightning, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Pika Ball is 10 for a single Lightning; Mega Shot costs a Lightning and two Colourless, dumps every Lightning on Pikachu and puts 40 on any one opponent Pokémon, Bench included and Weakness ignored. sui.

Raichuライチュウ

Raichu, 90 HP, Lightning, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — Boosted Voltage is 20 for a single Lightning and, if Raichu carries a Pokémon Tool, also puts 20 on every Benched Pokémon that is not evolved. Thunder Blast is 70 at a Lightning and two Colourless and discards a Lightning Energy. Suwama Chiaki.

Zapdos Gサンダー

Zapdos G, 90 HP, Lightning, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 2 — a Team Galactic G Basic. Charge Beam is 10 for one Colourless and pulls an Energy back out of the discard on heads. Lightning Strike is 40 at two Lightning and a Colourless, or 80 if you dump every Lightning Energy on it. Ryota Saito.

Electrikeラクライ

Electrike, 60 HP, Lightning, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Zap Kick is 10 for a single Lightning; Thunder Jolt is 30 at a Lightning and a Colourless and does 10 to Electrike on tails. Yukiko Baba.

Manectricライボルト

Manectric, 90 HP, Lightning, Stage 1, rare, free retreat — Second Bite is 20 at a Lightning and a Colourless, plus 10 for every damage counter already on the defender, which turns any chip damage into a finisher. Swift is 50 for a Lightning and two Colourless and ignores Weakness, Resistance and every effect. Mana Ibe.

Shinxコリンク

Shinx, 60 HP, Lightning, Basic, common, retreat 1 — the first of two Shinx. Gnaw is 10 for one Colourless; Swagger is 20 for two Colourless and discards an Energy on heads. sui.

Shinxコリンク

Shinx, 60 HP, Lightning, Basic, common, retreat 1 — the second Shinx, a completely different card with a single attack. Bite is 20 at a Lightning and a Colourless, which is the better rate of the two but loses the Energy denial. Kouki Saitou.

Luxioルクシオ

Luxio, 80 HP, Lightning, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 1 — Kick is 20 for one Colourless; Discharge is 40 times the number of heads after discarding every Lightning Energy on it, so it is a one-shot for the whole Energy pool. Suwama Chiaki.

Luxrayレントラー

Luxray, 120 HP, Lightning, Stage 2, holofoil rare, free retreat — Flash is 30 for a single Lightning and forces a coin flip on the defender's next attack. Gadget Bolt is 60 at a Lightning and two Colourless, or 100 if you throw away the Pokémon Tool attached to Luxray, which is the Tool payoff the set is built around. kawayoo.

Gastlyゴース

Gastly, 50 HP, Psychic, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Lick is 10 for a single Psychic with Paralysis on heads; Night Shade is 10 for two Colourless and puts 10 on any Benched Pokémon. kawayoo.

Haunterゴースト

Ability Hidden Poison

Haunter, 70 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 1 — the Poké-Body Hidden Poison poisons the attacker whenever Haunter is damaged, even if Haunter is knocked out, which is a free status on every trade. Tongue Spring costs a Psychic and a Colourless and puts 20 on any opponent Pokémon, Bench included. Tomokazu Komiya.

Gengarゲンガー

Ability Curse

Gengar, 110 HP, Psychic, Stage 2, rare, free retreat — the Poké-Power Curse moves a damage counter between the opponent's Pokémon every turn, which is how you set up a spread knockout. Shadow Skip is 60 for two Psychic and a Colourless, adds 10 on the Bench, and lets Gengar switch out afterwards. Midori Harada.

Gengar LV.Xゲンガー

Ability Level-Down

Gengar LV.X, 140 HP, Psychic, Level-Up, holofoil rare LV.X, free retreat — the Poké-Power Level-Down strips the Level-Up card off any opponent LV.X and shuffles it back into their deck, which is the only card in the set that undoes an LV.X. Compound Pain costs two Psychic and a Colourless and puts 30 on every opponent Pokémon that already carries damage. Shizurow.

Gulpinゴクリン

Gulpin, 60 HP, Psychic, Basic, common, retreat 2 — Endure is one Colourless and on heads survives a knockout at 10 HP; Pound is 10 for a single Psychic. Sachiko Adachi.

Swalotマルノーム

Swalot, 100 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, holofoil rare, retreat 3 — Damage Roller costs one Psychic and puts damage counters on the defender until its remaining HP matches Swalot's exactly, which is a knockout against anything at 100 or above. Entangle Tackle is 50 for two Psychic and a Colourless, plus 30 at the cost of 30 on one of your own Pokémon. Aya Kusube.

Geodudeイシツブテ

Geodude, 60 HP, Fighting, Basic, common, retreat 2 — one attack. Stone Barrage is a single Fighting for 10 times the number of heads on an open-ended run of coins. Motofumi Fujiwara.

Gravelerゴローン

Graveler, 90 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 3 — Tackle is 30 for two Colourless; Double-edge is 70 at two Fighting and a Colourless and does 10 back to Graveler. Sachiko Adachi.

Golemゴローニャ

Golem, 140 HP, Fighting, Stage 2, rare, retreat 4 — three attacks on one card. Lunge Out is 50 at a Fighting and a Colourless; Tumble Down is 30 for each Fighting Energy you throw out of your hand; Rock Tumble is 80 at two Fighting and two Colourless and ignores Resistance. Masakazu Fukuda.

Kabutoカブト

Kabuto, 80 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, common, retreat 1 — a Stage 1 that comes out of a Fossil. Fast Evolution is one Colourless for two Evolution cards straight into hand, which is the fastest way in the set to set up a Stage 2. Speed Attack is 30 at a Fighting and a Colourless. Hironobu Yoshida.

Kabutopsカブトプス

Kabutops, 130 HP, Fighting, Stage 2, holofoil rare, retreat 2 — Primal Scythe is 20 for a single Fighting, plus 50 if you discard a Helix Fossil, Dome Fossil or Old Amber from hand. Rock Slide is 60 at a Fighting and two Colourless and puts 10 on two Benched Pokémon. Hajime Kusajima.

Aerodactylプテラ

Ability Unearth

Aerodactyl, 80 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — another Fossil evolution. The Poké-Power Unearth fetches any Fossil trainer card out of the deck every turn, which is the whole Fossil engine. Hyper Beam is 30 for two Colourless and discards an Energy on heads. Masakazu Fukuda.

Makuhitaマクノシタ

Makuhita, 70 HP, Fighting, Basic, common, retreat 2 — Sand Attack is one Colourless and forces a coin flip on the defender's next attack; Magnum Punch is 30 at a Fighting and a Colourless. sui.

Hariyamaハリテヤマ

Hariyama, 110 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, rare, retreat 4 — Push Out is 50 at a Fighting and two Colourless and forces the opponent to switch. Vortex Chop is 60 for two Fighting and two Colourless, but 120 against anything that has a Resistance at all. Midori Harada.

Nosepassノズパス

Nosepass, 70 HP, Fighting, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Harden is one Colourless and blocks any attack of 30 or less outright next turn. Knock Away is 20 at a Fighting and a Colourless, plus 10 on heads. Midori Harada.

Wormadam Sandy Cloakミノマダム

Wormadam Sandy Cloak, 90 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 1 — the Fighting cloak, and 10 HP bigger than the Plant Cloak. Hang Down is 30 for a single Fighting; Cloak Headbutt is 60 at a Fighting and two Colourless, plus 30 with Wormadam Trash Cloak in play. Atsuko Nishida.

Croagunkグレッグル

Croagunk, 60 HP, Fighting, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Astonish costs one Colourless and shuffles a random card out of the opponent's hand into their deck, which is hand attack on a 60 HP Basic. Punch is 30 at a Fighting and a Colourless. Tomokazu Komiya.

Toxicroakドクロッグ

Toxicroak, 90 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, holofoil rare, retreat 1 — Corner is 20 for a single Fighting and stops the defender retreating. Convert Blow is 30 for two Colourless and pays for the Energy mix: any Psychic Energy poisons the defender, any Fighting Energy adds 30 more. Kouki Saitou.

Arceusアルセウス

Arceus, 80 HP, Fighting, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 2 — the Fighting Arceus, the second of five. Break Ground is 60 at a Fighting and two Colourless and puts 10 on each of your own Benched Pokémon, which is the price of the biggest single hit among the five. Hajime Kusajima.

Spiritombミカルゲ

Ability Keystone Seal

Spiritomb, 60 HP, Darkness, Basic, rare, retreat 1 — the Poké-Body Keystone Seal stops both players playing any Trainer card from hand while Spiritomb is Active, which is the hardest lock printed in 2009 and the reason it saw play in everything. Darkness Grace costs nothing and evolves any one of your Pokémon out of the deck, at the price of a damage counter on Spiritomb. Will-o'-the-wisp is 10 for a single Darkness. Aya Kusube.

Arceusアルセウス

Arceus, 70 HP, Darkness, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 1 — the Darkness Arceus, the third of five, and the cheapest at 70 HP with a one-Energy retreat. Prize Count is 20 at a Darkness and a Colourless, plus 60 more whenever you are ahead on Prizes. kawayoo.

Wormadam Trash Cloakミノマダム

Wormadam Trash Cloak, 90 HP, Metal, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 1 — the Metal cloak, and the only Wormadam that attacks the Bench for free. Cloak Shard is a single Metal for 10 onto any opponent Pokémon, or 40 with Wormadam Plant Cloak in play. Serve Trash is 30 for two Colourless and can put a card from the opponent's discard back on top of their deck. Miki Tanaka.

Bronzorドーミラー

Bronzor, 50 HP, Metal, Basic, common, retreat 2 — Speed Dive is 10 for a single Metal; Extrasensory is 30 for three Colourless, plus 30 when your hand matches the opponent's exactly. kawayoo.

Bronzongドータクン

Bronzong, 90 HP, Metal, Stage 1, rare, retreat 3 — Oracle Arrow costs a Metal and a Colourless and puts 40 on any opponent Pokémon that already carries damage, which pairs with every spread card in the set. Antigravity is 60 for a Metal and two Colourless and makes Bronzong's own retreat free next turn. Atsuko Nishida.

Probopassダイノーズ

Ability Competitiveness

Probopass, 100 HP, Metal, Stage 1, holofoil rare, retreat 3 — the Poké-Body Competitiveness gives every Probopass attack 30 more damage as long as you have no Supporter in play, which is a real cost in a Supporter-driven format. Top Chop is 30 at a Metal and a Colourless and draws a card; Tumbling Attack is 50 at a Metal and two Colourless, plus 30 on heads. Kouki Saitou.

Arceusアルセウス

Arceus, 90 HP, Metal, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 2 — the Metal Arceus, the fourth of five. Metal Barrier is 40 at a Metal and two Colourless and shuts out every LV.X attack and effect for a turn, which is the defensive half of the Arceus set. TOKIYA.

Rattataコラッタ

Rattata, 30 HP, Colourless, Basic, common, free retreat — one attack, and it is a coin flip for a knockout. Lunge is 30 for a single Colourless and does nothing on tails. A 30 HP Basic with free retreat and a 30-damage ceiling. Miki Tanaka.

Raticateラッタ

Raticate, 70 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, rare, free retreat — Recruit looks at the opponent's hand, discards a Supporter and then uses that Supporter's effect yourself, which is the strangest card in the set. Extend Fang is 20 for one Colourless, plus 40 with a Pokémon Tool attached. Masakazu Fukuda.

Bagonタツベイ

Bagon, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, common, retreat 1 — the first of two Bagon. Smash Kick is 10 for one Colourless; Super Singe is 20 at a Fire and a Colourless and lands Burn on heads. Naoyo Kimura.

Bagonタツベイ

Ability Star Barrier

Bagon, 50 HP, Colourless, Basic, common, retreat 1 — the second Bagon, 10 HP smaller and much more dangerous. The Poké-Body Star Barrier removes its Weakness while any Energy is attached. Dragon Rage is 40 for a single Colourless and does nothing unless both coins are heads. Naoyo Kimura.

Shelgonコモルー

Shelgon, 80 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 1 — Scrunch is one Colourless and on heads blocks all damage for a turn. Dragon Bump is 40 for three Colourless, plus 20 with both a basic Fire and a basic Water Energy attached, which is the odd cost the Salamence line is built on. Atsuko Nishida.

Salamenceボーマンダ

Ability Top Accelerator

Salamence, 140 HP, Colourless, Stage 2, holofoil rare, retreat 2 — the Poké-Power Top Accelerator reveals the top card every turn and attaches it free if it is a basic Energy, discarding it if not, which is repeatable acceleration with no coin. Shoot Through is 50 for a Fire, a Water and a Colourless and adds 20 on the Bench; Dragon Claw is 70 for four Colourless. Shin Nagasawa.

Salamence LV.Xボーマンダ

Ability Double Fall

Salamence LV.X, 160 HP, Colourless, Level-Up, holofoil rare LV.X, retreat 2 — the Poké-Power Double Fall takes an extra Prize for each knockout Salamence scores that turn, which is the only way in the set to take two Prizes off a single Pokémon. Steam Blast is 100 at a Fire, a Water and two Colourless and costs an Energy each time. Ryo Ueda.

Bunearyミミロル

Buneary, 50 HP, Colourless, Basic, common, retreat 1 — one attack. Bunny Hop costs one Colourless and puts 20 on any opponent Pokémon that has no damage on it yet, which is exactly the opposite of every other spread card. sui.

Lopunnyミミロップ

Lopunny, 80 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — Ice Beam is 20 for two Colourless with Paralysis on heads; Rear Kick is 40 for the same two Colourless. Two attacks on one Energy cost, one of them a status. Kanako Eo.

Porygon-Z GポリゴンＺ

Ability Dowsing Code

Porygon-Z G, 80 HP, Colourless, Basic, rare, retreat 1 — a Team Galactic G Basic. The Poké-Power Dowsing Code fires when it hits the Bench and shuffles up to two Pokémon Tools from the discard back into the deck, which is how a Tool deck never runs out. Ambush is 20 for three Colourless, plus 40 on heads. Nobuyuki Fujimoto.

Arceusアルセウス

Arceus, 80 HP, Colourless, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 1 — the Colourless Arceus, the fifth and the one the whole gimmick is built around. Ripple Swell costs nothing and, with six Arceus in play of six different types, attaches six basic Energy cards to six different Pokémon at once. Sky Spear is three Colourless for 80 onto any opponent Pokémon and sends every Energy on Arceus to the Lost Zone. Mitsuhiro Arita.

Arceus LV.Xアルセウス

Ability Multi-type

Arceus LV.X, 120 HP, Colourless, Level-Up, holofoil rare LV.X, retreat 1 — the only Arceus LV.X in the set, and it does one thing: the Poké-Body Multi-type makes it whatever type the Arceus underneath was. Level it up on the Water Arceus and it is Water; on the Metal one and it is Metal. There is no attack on the card at all. Shizurow.

Energy Searchエネルギー転送

Search your deck for a basic Energy card, show it to your opponent, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.

Energy Search, Item, uncommon — one basic Energy straight out of the deck for no cost beyond the card itself. It is the oldest Trainer in the game still being printed here, and in a set with six different Arceus types it is the cheapest way to fix a colour. Ryo Ueda.

Beginning Door

Search your deck for Arceus, show it to your opponent, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.

Beginning Door, Item, uncommon — searches Arceus specifically, which makes it the only card in the set that tutors for a named Pokémon. In an Arceus deck it is a one-card engine; anywhere else it is dead. Ryo Ueda.

Pokémon Rescue

Search your discard pile for a Pokémon, show it to your opponent, and put it into your hand.

Pokémon Rescue, Item, uncommon — pull any Pokémon out of the discard pile into hand, no flip and no restriction. It is the card that makes a single-Prize deck able to trade repeatedly with SP. Ryo Ueda.

Helix Fossil

Play Helix Fossil as if it were a Colorless Basic Pokémon. (Helix Fossil counts as a Trainer card as well, but if Helix Fossil is Knocked Out, this counts as a Knocked Out Pokémon.) Helix Fossil can't be affected by any Special Conditions and can't retreat. At any time during your turn before your attack, you may discard Helix Fossil from play. (This doesn't count as a Knocked Out Pokémon.)

Helix Fossil, Item, uncommon — played as if it were a Colourless Basic Pokémon, it counts as a Trainer and as a Pokémon: knock it out and the opponent takes a Prize. It cannot retreat and cannot be affected by Special Conditions, and you may discard it from play at any time. It is the base Omanyte evolves from. Ryo Ueda.

Dome Fossil

Play Dome Fossil as if it were a Colorless Basic Pokémon. (Dome Fossil counts as a Trainer card as well, but if Dome Fossil is Knocked Out, this counts as a Knocked Out Pokémon.) Dome Fossil can't be affected by any Special Conditions and can't retreat. At any time during your turn before your attack, you may discard Dome Fossil from play. (This doesn't count as a Knocked Out Pokémon.)

Dome Fossil, Item, uncommon — the same card as Helix Fossil with a different name, and the base Kabuto evolves from. It counts as both a Trainer and a Colourless Basic Pokémon, cannot retreat, and gives up a Prize if it is knocked out. Ryo Ueda.

Old Amber

Play Old Amber as if it were a Colorless Basic Pokémon. (Old Amber counts as a Trainer card as well, but if Old Amber is Knocked Out, this counts as a Knocked Out Pokémon.) Old Amber can't be affected by any Special Conditions and can't retreat. At any time during your turn before your attack, you may discard Old Amber from play. (This doesn't count as a Knocked Out Pokémon.)

Old Amber, Item, uncommon — the third Fossil, and the one Aerodactyl comes from. Same rules as the other two: Trainer and Pokémon at once, no retreat, no Special Conditions, a Prize if it dies. Ryo Ueda.

Lucky Egg

Attach Lucky Egg to 1 of your Pokémon that doesn't already have a Pokémon Tool attached to it. If that Pokémon is Knocked Out, discard this card. When the Pokémon this card is attached to is Knocked Out by damage from an opponent's attack, draw cards until you have 7 cards in your hand.

Lucky Egg, Pokémon Tool, uncommon — when the Pokémon carrying it is knocked out by damage, you refill your hand to seven cards. It is the only Tool in the set that pays out on a knockout, which makes it a deliberate sacrifice card. Nobuyuki Fujimoto.

Expert Belt

Attach Expert Belt to 1 of your Pokémon that doesn't already have a Pokémon Tool attached to it. If that Pokémon is Knocked Out, discard this card. The Pokémon this card is attached to gets +20 HP and that Pokémon's attacks do 20 more damage to your opponent's Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance). When the Pokémon this card is attached to is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 1 more Prize card.

Expert Belt, Pokémon Tool, uncommon — the most played Tool of the era: plus 20 HP and plus 20 damage on every attack, and the opponent takes one extra Prize when that Pokémon dies. It is the single card that defines the risk-reward of this format. Wataru Kawahara.

Bench Shield

Attach Bench Shield to 1 of your Pokémon that doesn't already have a Pokémon Tool attached to it. If that Pokémon is Knocked Out, discard this card. As long as the Pokémon this card is attached to is on your Bench, prevent all damage done to that Pokémon by attacks (both yours and your opponent's).

Bench Shield, Pokémon Tool, uncommon — while the Pokémon carrying it sits on the Bench it takes no damage at all from any attack, yours or the opponent's. It is the direct answer to every spread attack printed in this set. Wataru Kawahara.

Professor Oak's Visit

You can play only one Supporter card each turn. When you play this card, put it next to your Active Pokémon. When your turn ends, discard this card. Draw 3 cards. Then, choose a card from your hand and put it on the bottom of your deck.

Professor Oak's Visit, Supporter, uncommon — draw three, then put one card from hand on the bottom of the deck. Three cards with a filter is the cleanest draw Supporter in the set, and it does not discard the card you give back. Ken Sugimori.

Department Store Girl

You can play only one Supporter card each turn. When you play this card, put it next to your Active Pokémon. When your turn ends, discard this card. Search your deck for up to 3 Pokémon Tool cards, show them to your opponent, and put them into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.

Department Store Girl, Supporter, uncommon — search up to three Pokémon Tool cards at once, which in a set with Expert Belt, Bench Shield and Lucky Egg is a full Tool package in one Supporter. Kanako Eo.

Bebe's Searchミズキの検索

Put 1 card from your hand on the bottom of your deck. Search your deck for a Pokémon, show it to your opponent, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward. You can't use this card if it is the only card in your hand.

Bebe's Search, Supporter, uncommon — put one card from hand on the bottom of the deck and search any Pokémon. It cannot be used as the only card in your hand, which is the only restriction on the most played search Supporter of the Platinum era. Ken Sugimori.

Ultimate Zone

This card stays in play when you play it. Discard this card if another Stadium card comes into play. If another card with the same name is in play, you can't play this card. During each player's turn, the player may move an Energy card attached to 1 of his or her Benched Pokémon to his or her Active Arceus as often as he or she likes.

Ultimate Zone, Stadium, uncommon — during each player's turn, that player may move Energy from their Benched Pokémon to their Active Arceus as often as they like. It helps both sides, and it exists purely to make the six-Arceus board work. Yusuke Ishikawa.

Weedleビードル

Ability Speed Evolution

Weedle, 40 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — the Poké-Body Speed Evolution lets you search the deck for the card that evolves from Weedle and put it straight on, so this 40 HP Basic becomes a Beedrill on the turn it lands. Prickly Sting is 10 for a single Grass. English held the whole Weedle line back four months and printed it in Unleashed on 12 May 2010 instead. Kyoko Umemoto.

Kakunaコクーン

Ability Speed Evolution

Kakuna, 80 HP, Grass, Stage 1, uncommon, retreat 2 — the same Speed Evolution Body, which here means Kakuna can become Beedrill the turn it evolves, so the whole three-stage line can land in one turn. Poison Barb costs a single Grass, does no damage and Poisons. Kyoko Umemoto.

Beedrillスピアー

Beedrill, 110 HP, Grass, Stage 2, rare, retreat 1 — the payoff for the Speed Evolution line. Double Needle is a single Grass for 50 times the number of heads on two coins, which is 100 for one Energy on a good flip. Numbing Poison is 20 at a Grass and a Colourless, Poisons, and Confuses on tails. Kyoko Umemoto.

Spinarakイトマル

Spinarak, 50 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Hang Down is 10 for one Colourless; Spider Web costs one Grass, does no damage and stops the defender retreating next turn. Ken Sugimori.

Ariadosアリアドス

Ariados, 80 HP, Grass, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — Leech Life is 30 at a Grass and a Colourless and heals as much as it deals, which on a 80 HP body is a real loop. Poisonous Saliva is 50 for a Grass and two Colourless and Poisons. Ken Sugimori.

Hoppipハネッコ

Hoppip, 30 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — one attack. Bounce is 10 for a single Grass and lets you switch Hoppip out afterwards, which is the only thing a 30 HP Basic should be doing. sui.

Skiploomポポッコ

Skiploom, 60 HP, Grass, Stage 1, common, free retreat — Knock Away is 20 for a single Grass, plus 10 on heads, and the free retreat means it never gets stuck in front. sui.

Jumpluffワタッコ

Jumpluff, 90 HP, Grass, Stage 2, holofoil rare, free retreat — Mass Attack is a single Grass for 10 times the number of Pokémon in play on both sides, which in a full board of twelve is 120 for one Energy. Leaf Guard is 30 for a Grass and cuts 30 off the next turn. sui.

Sunkernヒマナッツ

Sunkern, 40 HP, Grass, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Cure Kernels is one Colourless for two damage counters off any of your Pokémon; Seed Bomb is 20 at a Grass and a Colourless. Yuka Morii.

Sunfloraキマワリ

Ability Sunshine Grace

Sunflora, 80 HP, Grass, Stage 1, rare, retreat 1 — the Poké-Power Sunshine Grace fetches any Grass Pokémon out of the deck every single turn, which is the search engine the whole Grass side of this set runs on. Blade Arms is 40 for two Grass and a Colourless. Yuka Morii.

Shuckleツボツボ

Ability Shell Barricade

Shuckle, 60 HP, Grass, Basic, holofoil rare, retreat 1 — the Poké-Body Shell Barricade means it takes no damage at all while it sits on the Bench, so it is a 60 HP body that cannot be sniped. It still attacks for a double Fighting cost, which is a strange thing on a Grass card. Poison Jab is 30 and Poisons. Sumiyoshi Kizuki.

Heracrossヘラクロス

Heracross, 80 HP, Grass, Basic, uncommon, retreat 2 — a Basic with 80 HP. Green Draw costs a Grass and a Colourless and draws one card for each of your Grass Pokémon in play. Double Headbutt is 30 for a Grass and two Colourless, plus 20 per heads on two coins. Sachiko Adachi.

Growlitheガーディ

Growlithe, 70 HP, Fire, Basic, common, retreat 2 — Bite is 10 for one Colourless; Combustion is 40 at a Fire and two Colourless. Naoki Saito.

Arcanineウインディ

Arcanine, 110 HP, Fire, Stage 1, holofoil rare, retreat 2 — Sharp Fang is 50 at a Fire and a Colourless; Fire Mane is 90 at a Fire and three Colourless, which is the highest printed damage on any Stage 1 in the set. Naoki Saito.

Ho-Oh LEGENDホウオウ

Ability Sacred Rainbow

Ho-Oh LEGEND, 140 HP, Fire, Basic, LEGEND, retreat 2 — one of the two halves of Ho-Oh LEGEND. The card says to combine the two halves from your hand and put them onto the Bench, so neither half is a Pokémon on its own. The Poké-Body Sacred Rainbow turns every Energy attached to it into Fire Energy, which pays for the four-Fire attack. Bright Wing is 100 for four Fire and discards an Energy. Shinji Higuchi.

Ho-Oh LEGENDホウオウ

Ability Sacred Rainbow

Ho-Oh LEGEND, 140 HP, Fire, Basic, LEGEND, retreat 2 — the second half of the pair; identical stats, same Sacred Rainbow, same Bright Wing at 100 for four Fire, and it only becomes a Pokémon when combined with the other half. Two 140 HP halves is the biggest single body printed in 2009. Shinji Higuchi.

Slowpokeヤドン

Slowpoke, 60 HP, Water, Basic, common, retreat 2 — one attack. Whimsy Tackle is 20 for a single Colourless and does nothing on tails. Sumiyoshi Kizuki.

Slowbroヤドラン

Slowbro, 90 HP, Water, Stage 1, rare, retreat 2 — Big Yawn is 30 for a single Water and puts both Slowbro and the defender to Sleep. Madkinesis is 30 for three Colourless, plus 20 for each Psychic Energy on Slowbro, which is the only reason to run a mixed Water-Psychic line. Sumiyoshi Kizuki.

Staryuヒトデマン

Staryu, 50 HP, Water, Basic, common, retreat 1 — one attack. Spinning Attack is 20 for a single Water. Kagemaru Himeno.

Starmieスターミー

Starmie, 90 HP, Water, Stage 1, rare, free retreat — Cosmic Cyclone is a single Water for 20 times however many Water Energy you choose to pick up off your own Pokémon, and those cards go back into the deck, so the attack recycles its own fuel. Kagemaru Himeno.

Laprasラプラス

Lapras, 90 HP, Water, Basic, rare, retreat 2 — Ice Beam is 20 for two Colourless with Paralysis on heads; Ice Blade costs two Water and puts 30 on any one opponent Pokémon, Bench included. Suwama Chiaki.

Totodileワニノコ

Totodile, 60 HP, Water, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Gnaw is 10 for a single Water; Wave Splash is 20 at a Water and a Colourless. kawayoo.

Croconawアリゲイツ

Croconaw, 80 HP, Water, Stage 1, common, retreat 2 — Wave Splash is 30 at a Water and a Colourless; Big Bite is 50 for one more Colourless and stops the defender retreating. kawayoo.

Feraligatrオーダイル

Feraligatr, 130 HP, Water, Stage 2, uncommon, retreat 2 — Spinning Tail costs a Water and two Colourless and does 20 to every opponent Pokémon, which is the widest spread attack in the set. Surf is 80 for two Water and two Colourless. kawayoo.

Feraligatrオーダイル

Ability Rain Dance

Feraligatr, 140 HP, Water, Stage 2, prime, retreat 3 — the ☆ version, and a different card from the one above. The Poké-Power Rain Dance attaches a Water Energy from hand as often as you like every turn, which is the same engine the original Neo Genesis Feraligatr was banned for being so strong. Hydro Crunch is 60 for four Water, plus 10 for each damage counter on the defender. Kent Kanetsuna.

Qwilfishハリーセン

Qwilfish, 70 HP, Water, Basic, uncommon, retreat 1 — one attack, and it is a choice: Offensive Needle is 30 for two Water and Poisons on heads or Paralyses on tails. Either way the defender is in trouble. Ken Sugimori.

Corsolaサニーゴ

Corsola, 60 HP, Water, Basic, uncommon, retreat 1 — Recover costs a Water and a Water Energy off Corsola and clears every damage counter, which is a full reset every turn. Hyper Cannon is 20 at a Water and a Colourless, plus 50 only if both coins are heads. TOKIYA.

Remoraidテッポウオ

Remoraid, 50 HP, Water, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Water Splash is 10 for a single Water; Water Arrow costs a Water and a Colourless and puts 20 on any one opponent Pokémon, Bench included. English printed it four months late, in Unleashed. Ken Sugimori.

Octilleryオクタン

Octillery, 80 HP, Water, Stage 1, holofoil rare, retreat 2 — Switch Cannon is a single Water for 30 onto any opponent Pokémon and then switches Octillery out for a Benched Pokémon. Ink Bomb is 50 for a Water and two Colourless and makes the defender flip for its next attack. Same four-month wait: this one lands in Unleashed. Ken Sugimori.

Mantineマンタイン

Mantine, 80 HP, Water, Basic, uncommon, retreat 1 — Group Swim is a single Water for any Water Pokémon straight out of the deck. Aqua Slash is 40 for two Water and Mantine cannot attack next turn, so it trades one big hit for one turn of nothing. Naoyo Kimura.

Mareepメリープ

Mareep, 40 HP, Lightning, Basic, common, retreat 1 — Static Electricity is one Colourless and attaches one Lightning Energy per Mareep in play on both sides, which is a strange payoff for a mirror match. Ram is 20 for two Colourless. Masakazu Fukuda.