Japan · 2016
This page covers all 455 Japanese cards of 2016, in six products across four release days: 88 on 18 March, 59 and 59 on 17 June, 103 on 16 September and 73 and 73 on 9 December. Three things arrive this year and none of them is a new stage. GX appears on 9 December — 24 prints from eight names, all of them Basic Pokémon, with a once-per-game attack printed on the card. Hyper Rare appears the same day — eight rainbow-foil GX cards that sit above the gold cards. And the booster box goes from 20 packs to 30 with SM1. What ends this year is BREAK: fourteen cards across the first four products, and not one after September. The English edition of 2016 is 358 cards across three products — 129, 116 and 113 — and 308 of these 455 cards are printed in English inside the year: 88 in Fates Collide on 2 May, 118 in Steam Siege on 3 August (both June packs) and 102 in Evolutions on 2 November. 146 cards cross on 3 February 2017 as Sun & Moon — the whole of December's two packs — and one card never crosses at all: 094 Pikachu-EX from the anniversary set. English's 358 also contains cards Japan did not print in these six products: 41 in Fates Collide, 3 in Steam Siege and 14 in Evolutions.
Four release days, 455 cards, 24 GX cards and 14 last BREAK cards — and the year the packet count in a box changes
2016 is the year the card changes hands without changing shape. On 9 December, in two packs released the same morning, GX arrives: a Pokémon that prints たね in the stage box, evolves from nothing, and carries one attack you may use once per game. 040 Solgaleo-GX and 028 Lunala-GX are 250 HP — the tallest cards ever printed at that point — and Solgaleo's Sunsteel Strike alone does 230 and empties itself. Hyper Rare arrives on the same day, eight rainbow-foil GX cards sitting above the gold, and the box stops being 20 packs and becomes 30. Four months earlier, in September, BREAK quietly ends: four cards in the anniversary set, fourteen for the year, none afterwards.
The numbers go sideways and the ceiling goes up. 455 cards in six products, 36 Pokémon-EX prints from 17 names, 16 Mega prints from 8, 14 BREAK cards, 24 GX prints from 8, 42 full-art, 9 gold and 8 Hyper Rare as secrets, 62 cards printed past their own total, 69 Trainers, 5 Energy and 62 artists. The tallest card is 250 HP and the highest damage number in the year is 300, on 013 M Charizard-EX. What does not grow is the price: 162 yen tax-included for five cards, and 324 yen for the ten-card anniversary set, unchanged all year. 023 Alakazam-EX is the year's best piece of design — an Ability that fires before Mega Evolution puts the counters on, which is how the line has skipped Kadabra since 2007. And 059 Lugia BREAK is the first BREAK card ever printed on a Basic Legendary Pokémon.
Every card below is the Japanese printing, with its Japanese scan, its Japanese name as printed, and its attack text in English.
Cards are grouped by the product they were sold in. The anniversary set sits in the same list as the expansions, because it was sold as one.
This page documents 455 main-series cards across six products on four release dates in 2016. It covers cards printed in Japan only; printings for other editions are tracked separately.
| Publication edition | Japanese edition |
|---|---|
| Products | 6 |
| Cards | 455 |
| Release dates | 4 (2016-03-18 – 2016-12-09) |
| Series codes | xy10, xy11b, xy11c, cp6, sm1s, sm1m |
| Card faces on record | all 455 |
| Latest release on record | 2016-12-09 |
XY10 · Awakening Psychic King (2016-03-18, 88 cards) · XY11 · Fever-Burst Fighter (2016-06-17, 59 cards) · XY11 · Cruel Traitor (2016-06-17, 59 cards) · CP6 · 20th Anniversary (2016-09-16, 103 cards) · SM1 · Collection Sun (2016-12-09, 73 cards) · SM1 · Collection Moon (2016-12-09, 73 cards).
How many main-series cards does this page record for 2016?455 cards across six products, an average of 75.8 cards per product. This is the main-series archive count, not a claim that every promo and event card from the year is itemised here.
What release dates does this page cover?4 release dates, from 2016-03-18 to 2016-12-09.
Do these Japanese cards have English-edition counterparts?454 of 455 cards (99.8%) carry a mapping to an English-edition card; the remaining 1 are Japanese-only printings or not yet paired.
How many of these 455 cards are shown with a card face?All 455 cards have a card face on record. 24 of those faces are marked as a scan from another print run rather than the original printing.
Awakening Psychic King (めざめる超王, XY10), 88 cards. Alakazam returns after nine years without Kadabra: 023 Alakazam-EX's Kinesis puts damage counters down before the Mega Evolution happens, so the line goes Abra to M Alakazam-EX directly. Four BREAK cards, and 059 Lugia BREAK is the first one ever printed on a Basic Legendary. 069–071 bring the three fossil Trainers back as Items.
Fates Collide (xy10), 129 cards. All 88 cards of March's pack plus 41 that have no counterpart in it — among them Carbink BREAK, Regirock-EX, Zygarde-EX, Audino-EX and M Audino-EX. BREAK Evolution reaches English for the third time and Lugia BREAK arrives with it, seven weeks after Japan. 125 Alakazam-EX is the set's only gold card.
Fever-Burst Fighter and Cruel Traitor (爆熱の闘士 / 冷酷の覇者, XY11), 59 and 59 cards, the same morning. Two halves built against each other: Volcanion-EX's Steam Up on one side, Magearna-EX's Mystic Heart on the other. M Steelix-EX at 240 HP with a retreat of four is the heaviest body of the year, M Gardevoir-EX at 210 is the Fairy answer, and six BREAK cards across the two packs — Pyroar, Clawitzer, Xerneas, Yanmega, Yveltal and Hydreigon, the last at 190 HP. Four Trainers are printed in both halves, which is why the English product is smaller than the two Japanese packs added together.
Steam Siege (xy11), 116 cards. Both June packs merged — 113 of the 118 cards arrive, plus 3 that have no counterpart — so five cards are printed once in English where Japan printed them twice. 115 Volcanion-EX and 116 Gardevoir-EX are the two gold cards, and both Megas arrive with their Spirit Links.
20th Anniversary (CP6), 103 cards at 324 yen for ten. The 1996 set rebuilt: same frame, same artwork style, same 151 Pokémon, and 101–103 reprint the three joke and story cards of the original — Exeggutor by Dr.Ooyama, Imakuni?’s Doduo and Here Comes Team Rocket!. Six EX, four Mega and four BREAK, and 013 M Charizard-EX's Crimson Dive does 300. This is the last product of the BREAK era.
Evolutions (xy12), 113 cards. All 103 cards of the anniversary set arrive, and ten English cards are added: nine basic Energy cards and two Pikachu promos (Flying and Surfing). 094 Pikachu-EX is the one card that never crosses — the Japanese set prints it, English does not, and this page says so rather than substituting another Pikachu.
Collection Sun and Collection Moon (コレクション サン / ムーン, SM1), 73 and 73 cards, the same morning. GX debuts in both, four names each. Hyper Rare debuts with it — eight rainbow-foil GX at 067–070 in each pack — and the box goes to 30 packs. 040 Solgaleo-GX and 028 Lunala-GX are 250 HP, and 071–073 are the first gold basic Energy cards ever printed. Every one of these 146 cards waits for English.
The third set of the XY BREAK era. Seventy-eight numbered cards at 001/078–078/078, then nine full-art cards at 079–087 and one gold card at 088, making 88. The face of the set is M Alakazam-EX at 024 — Alakazam had not appeared on a card since Mysterious Treasures in 2007, and the nine-year gap is bridged by an Ultra Evolution attack on Abra that skips Kadabra entirely. Lugia BREAK at 059 is the first BREAK card of a Basic Pokémon in TCG history, and the first Legendary to get one: it evolves from a card that has no pre-evolution at all. Four BREAK cards (Delphox, Omastar, Bronzong, Lugia), six EX names (Glaceon, Alakazam, Umbreon, Genesect, Kingdra, Altaria), two of them Mega (Alakazam, Altaria). All three Zygarde Formes are here, with the 10% Forme making its card debut. English followed on 2 May 2016 as Fates Collide, 129 cards — that version folds in the two sixty-card decks released alongside (M Alakazam-EX Mega Battle Deck and the Zygarde-EX Perfect Battle Deck), so the counts are not supposed to match.162 yen is tax-inclusive (150 yen plus 8%). Seal ratios were never published and are not quoted here.
2016-03-18. 88 cards — 74 Pokémon, 14 Trainers and no Energy cards, 13 of them Pokémon-EX, 4 Mega and 4 BREAK; 36 commons, 23 uncommons, 7 rares, 12 Double Rares, 9 full-art cards, 1 gold card; 13 Psychic, 11 Colourless, 10 Water, 9 Fighting, 7 Grass, 7 Metal, 5 Fire, 5 Darkness, 4 Fairy, 2 Dragon and 1 Lightning; 39 artists worked on it and 5ban Graphics drew 13.
The pack that brings Alakazam back after nine years, and it does it without Kadabra. Seventy-eight numbered cards, nine full-art (079–087) and one gold (088). 023 Alakazam-EX carries an Ability called Kinesis: the moment you play M Alakazam-EX on top of it, before it evolves, you may put two damage counters on the opponent's Active Pokémon and three more wherever you like — and that Ability is how the line skips Kadabra, which has not been printed since 2007. 024 M Alakazam-EX is the face card at 210 HP, and both Spirit Links ship with it (074 for Altaria, 075 for Alakazam). Four BREAK cards here — 012 Delphox, 017 Omastar, 049 Bronzong and 059 Lugia — and 059 is the first BREAK card ever printed on a Basic Legendary Pokémon: the Lugia underneath is 120 HP, the BREAK raises it to 150, prints no type and no Retreat Cost, and Flash of Destruction does 150 for four Colourless. The three fossil Trainers return as Items — 069 Helix Fossil Omanyte, 070 Dome Fossil Kabuto, 071 Old Amber Aerodactyl — and 076 N, 077 Team Rocket’s Handiwork and 078 Chaos Tower finish the set. English prints 88 of these cards as Fates Collide on 2 May 2016, inside a 129-card product, so 41 cards in Fates Collide have no counterpart in this pack.
7 cards · listed in original order.
Shuckle, 80 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — Hide a Berry draws two cards and puts one back on the bottom of the deck, Wrap is 30 and Paralyses on heads. A 80 HP Basic that fixes a dead hand for one Colourless. sui.
Burmy, 60 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — one attack, Hang Down, 10 for one Colourless. The bottom of the Wormadam line, and the only card in it that does nothing else. Kouki Saitou.
Wormadam, 120 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Solar Ray is 20 and heals 20 off every Pokémon you have, Leaf Cutter is 60 and 30 more on heads. 120 HP on a Stage 1 with a heal attached is what makes the Mothim Ability worth building around. kawayoo.
Ability Wormadam First
Mothim, 90 HP, Grass, Stage 1, free retreat — Gust is 60 for three Colourless, and the Ability Wormadam First moves a damage counter off one of your Wormadam onto another of your Pokémon as often as you like in a turn. A free-retreat Stage 1 that turns Wormadam into a healing engine. MAHOU.
Snivy, 60 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — Blot is 10 and heals 10 off itself, which on a 60 HP Basic is a quarter of its body back every turn. Atsuko Nishida.
Ability Serpentine Strangle
Servine, 70 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Vine Whip is 20, and the Ability Serpentine Strangle flips a coin the moment it evolves: heads and the opponent's Active is Paralyzed. A free turn off an evolution, printed on a 70 HP body. Sumiyoshi Kizuki.
Serperior, 140 HP, Grass, Stage 2, retreat 2 — Coil is 40 and adds 60 to its own attacks next turn, Slashing Strike is 80 and cannot be used two turns running. The pack's only Stage 2 Grass line that pays for its own setup: 40 now, 140 next. You Iribi.
5 cards · listed in original order.
Moltres, 120 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 1 — Combustion is 20, Flying Flare is 80 and can be pushed to 120 for 20 damage on itself. 120 HP with a retreat of one is the cheapest way to threaten 120 in a Fire deck. OOYAMA.
Fennekin, 60 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 1 — Will-O-Wisp is 10, Tail Whip flips for a lockout: heads and the Defending Pokémon cannot attack next turn. A Basic that buys a turn for one Fire and two Colourless. Akira Komayama.
Braixen, 80 HP, Fire, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Destructive Flame is 20 and discards an Energy off the opponent's Active on heads, Crackling Ribbon is 30 for two Colourless. Energy removal attached to an attack that also does damage. kirisAki.
Delphox, 140 HP, Fire, Stage 2, retreat 2 — Flickering Flames is 40 and puts the opponent's Active to Sleep, Psystorm is 20 for every Energy card attached to any Pokémon in play. A Stage 2 whose second attack gets better the longer the game goes, and the card the BREAK on top of it is built for. Kagemaru Himeno.
Ability Flare Witch
Delphox BREAK, 180 HP, Fire, BREAK Evolution, retreat 0 — it keeps Flickering Flames and Psystorm underneath and adds the Ability Flare Witch, which searches a Fire Energy out of the deck and attaches it once a turn. 180 HP and an Energy attachment every turn with no attack spent is the whole reason to play the line. 5ban Graphics.
10 cards · listed in original order.
Seel, 80 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 2 — one attack, Icy Snow, 10 for one Water. Hasuno.
Dewgong, 120 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Freezing Breath is 20 and Paralyses on heads or puts to Sleep on tails, so either side of the coin is a lock, Aurora Beam is 100 for four. 120 HP, a retreat of three, and a status condition every turn. Naoyo Kimura.
Omanyte, 80 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 2 — one attack, Water Gun, 30 for one Water. Low on its own, but it is what Helix Fossil Omanyte puts onto the Bench. Shigenori Negishi.
Ability Restoring Beam
Omastar, 120 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Spinning Attack is 60, and the Ability Restoring Beam searches a Restored Pokémon out of the deck onto the Bench once a turn. A Stage 1 that fetches its own previous stage, which is how the fossil Items stay live after the first turn. Hasuno.
Ability Dangerous Tentacle
Omastar BREAK, 140 HP, Water, BREAK Evolution, retreat 0 — the Ability Dangerous Tentacle switches one of the opponent's Benched Pokémon-EX into the Active spot once a turn, without an attack and without a coin. The only card in the pack that makes the opponent's Bench a liability, and it costs nothing but the turn you spend evolving. 5ban Graphics.
Glaceon-EX, 170 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 2 — Second Bite is 20 and 10 more for every damage counter already on the opponent's Active, Crystal Ray is 70 and blanks every attack from Evolution Pokémon for a turn. 170 HP on a Basic whose second attack switches off every Stage 2 in the format — this is the card the set's Fairy and Dragon lines cannot answer. Ayaka Yoshida.
White Kyurem, 130 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 3 — Burning Icicles is 40 and, with a Fire Energy attached, adds 20 to two of the opponent's Benched Pokémon, Blizzard Burn is 130 and shuts off its own next turn. A Water Basic that wants Fire Energy, which is exactly what Delphox BREAK's Flare Witch does not give it. kawayoo.
Binacle, 60 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 2 — Swing Around is 10 and 20 more per heads on two coins. Tomokazu Komiya.
Ability Hand Block
Barbaracle, 100 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Claw Slash is 70 for three, and the Ability Hand Block stops the opponent attaching any Special Energy from hand while you have a Stadium in play. The only card in the pack that turns a Stadium into a lock, and the reason Chaos Tower sits in the same set at 078. Shin Nagasawa.
Glaceon-EX, full-art, 170 HP, Water, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 2 — the same card as 018, same attacks, drawn by Ryo Ueda instead of Ayaka Yoshida. Second Bite is 20 and 10 more per damage counter on their Active, Crystal Ray is 70 and blanks every Evolution Pokémon's attacks for a turn. Numbered 079 against a printed total of 078. Ryo Ueda.
1 cards · listed in original order.
Rotom, 70 HP, Lightning, Basic, retreat 1 — Energy Extract searches a basic Energy and attaches it to itself, Plasmagic moves two damage counters off each of your Pokémon onto the opponent's Active. A 70 HP Basic that turns your own damage into 120 on the other side of the table. Tomokazu Komiya.
13 cards · listed in original order.
Ability Kinesis
Alakazam-EX, 160 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 2 — Suppression puts three damage counters on every one of the opponent's Pokémon that has an Energy attached, and the Ability Kinesis fires the moment you play M Alakazam-EX on top of it: before the evolution, two damage counters on their Active and three more on one of their Benched. That Ability is how this line skips Kadabra, which has not been printed since 2007 — Abra goes straight to M Alakazam-EX and Kinesis is the missing stage's job. PLANETA.
M Alakazam-EX, 210 HP, Psychic, Mega Evolution, retreat 1 — Zen Force is 10 and 30 more for every damage counter on the opponent's Active. Kinesis puts two there before the Mega even lands, Suppression puts three on everything with Energy, and then Zen Force reads the total: the set's face card is a card that pays you for damage you have already placed. 210 HP, retreat 1. 5ban Graphics.
Koffing, 60 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 2 — Division searches up to two Koffing onto the Bench. sui.
Weezing, 110 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Balloon Bomb flips two coins and mills two off the opponent's deck per heads, Thick Liquid is 80 and leaves both Active Pokémon Confused and Poisoned. The only attack in the pack that damages both sides' status at once, which on a 110 HP body is a fair trade. Shin Nagasawa.
Ability Memories of Dawn
Mew, 50 HP, Psychic, Basic, free retreat — Encounter searches any Pokémon into hand, and the Ability Memories of Dawn lets it use the attacks of any of your Basic Pokémon in play. A 50 HP Basic with a free retreat that copies your best attacker, which is the cheapest card in the pack and the one that shows up in decks that have no Psychic Energy at all. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Spoink, 60 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Rocket Jump is 30 for one Psychic and nothing at all on tails. TOKIYA.
Grumpig, 100 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Head Walking puts a Basic Pokémon out of the opponent's discard pile onto their Bench and then drops three damage counters on it, Knock Back is 50 and forces their Active back. The only card in the pack that gives the opponent a Pokémon and then charges them for it. Sanosuke Sakuma.
Solosis, 30 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Mini Link is 10 and 30 more if Solosis is on the Bench. The first third of the Reuniclus link, and on its own a 30 HP liability. match.
Duosion, 60 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Double Link is 10, 30 more with Solosis on the Bench and 60 more with another Duosion. The link only counts bodies you already paid for. Sumiyoshi Kizuki.
Reuniclus, 90 HP, Psychic, Stage 2, retreat 1 — Link Fusion is 10 and adds 30 for Solosis, 60 for Duosion and 90 for another Reuniclus on the Bench. Three lines of the same family on the Bench turns a 10-damage attack into 190 out of one Psychic and one Colourless. Yukiko Baba.
Ability Kinesis
Alakazam-EX, full-art, 160 HP, Psychic, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 2 — the same card as 023, same Suppression and same Ability Kinesis, redrawn by Ryo Ueda. The Ability is what makes this card: two damage counters on the opponent's Active and three more on a Benched Pokémon, placed before M Alakazam-EX evolves. Ryo Ueda.
M Alakazam-EX, full-art, 210 HP, Psychic, Mega Evolution, super rare (SR), retreat 1 — the same card as 024, same Zen Force, 10 plus 30 for every damage counter on the opponent's Active. It is the only Mega in the pack printed twice, and the only one whose full-art keeps the same illustrator as the ordinary print, because 5ban Graphics draws every Mega in the set. 5ban Graphics.
English scan
Ability Kinesis
Alakazam-EX, gold, 160 HP, Psychic, Basic, ultra rare (UR), retreat 2 — the same card as 023, and the set's only gold card: same Suppression, same Ability Kinesis, redrawn by Mitsuhiro Arita. A third printing of the same card inside one set, which is what 2016 does with its face card: ordinary at 023, full-art at 080, gold at 088. Mitsuhiro Arita.
9 cards · listed in original order.
Kabuto, 80 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 1 — one attack, Mud Shot, 30 for one Fighting. It is what Dome Fossil Kabuto puts onto the Bench, and on its own it is the cheapest Fighting attacker in the pack. MAHOU.
Kabutops, 150 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Cling is 50 and heals back exactly what it dealt, X-Scissor is 80 and 60 more on heads. 150 HP on a Stage 1 with a self-healing attack is what the fossil line is for. Kyoko Umemoto.
Larvitar, 60 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 1 — Reckless Charge is 20 and 10 on itself. Suwama Chiaki.
Pupitar, 80 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Thrash is 20 and 20 more on heads, 20 on itself on tails. Cheapest possible Stage 1 in a line that ends at 160 HP. match.
Wormadam, 110 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, retreat 2 — the Fighting form: Sand Spray is 30, Twin Bursts is 60 and 60 more with Mothim on the Bench. Wormadam is printed three times in this pack — Grass at 003, Fighting here and Metal at 046 — and all three are the same card by name and different cards by everything else. Hajime Kusajima.
Riolu, 70 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 1 — Double Smash is 10 per heads on two coins. You Iribi.
Ability Energy Keeper
Carbink, 80 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 1 — Stone Edge is 60 and 30 more on heads, and the Ability Energy Keeper stops the opponent discarding basic Energy off your Basic Pokémon by any effect at all. A 80 HP Basic that protects every other Basic you have from Energy denial, which is why it sits in the same pack as the fossil line. Yuka Morii.
Zygarde, 90 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 1 — Lookout switches one of the opponent's Benched Pokémon into the Active spot, Aura Break is 70 and stops a Darkness or Fairy Defending Pokémon attacking next turn. A 90 HP Basic that plays the Gust role and then locks the thing it dragged up. 5ban Graphics.
Zygarde, 120 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 2 — the second Zygarde in the pack and a different card: Rumble is 30 and stops the Defending Pokémon retreating, Geostrike is 120 and puts 10 on each of your own Benched Pokémon. Two Zygarde, two jobs — one drags, one closes, and they are listed separately because they share only a name. 5ban Graphics.
5 cards · listed in original order.
Umbreon-EX, 170 HP, Darkness, Basic, retreat 1 — Veil of Darkness is 20 and redraws your hand to the same size, Endgame is 70 and takes two extra Prize cards if it Knocks Out a Mega Evolution Pokémon. The only card in the pack that is built specifically to punish Mega Evolution, and the reason it costs one Darkness and two Colourless. Ayaka Yoshida.
Ability Raging Roar
Tyranitar, 160 HP, Darkness, Stage 2, retreat 4 — Dark Mountain is 150 for five Darkness and 50 more for every Supporter milled off the top two cards of your deck, and the Ability Raging Roar attaches a Darkness Energy out of the discard pile for each Prize the opponent has taken the moment it evolves. The heaviest Stage 2 in the pack, and the only one whose damage depends on what it throws away. Satoshi Shirai.
Vullaby, 60 HP, Darkness, Basic, retreat 1 — Leer Paralyses on heads, Cutting Wind is 40 for three. Midori Harada.
Mandibuzz, 110 HP, Darkness, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Bone Drop does 60 to any one of the opponent's Pokémon that has an Ability, ignoring Weakness and Resistance and hitting the Bench, Cutting Wind is 80. Sniping the opponent's engine rather than their attacker. Masakazu Fukuda.
Umbreon-EX, full-art, 170 HP, Darkness, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 1 — the same card as 042, same Veil of Darkness and same Endgame, which takes two extra Prizes when it Knocks Out a Mega. Redrawn by Ryo Ueda from Ayaka Yoshida's ordinary print. Ryo Ueda.
7 cards · listed in original order.
Wormadam, 100 HP, Metal, Stage 1, retreat 2 — the Metal form, and the strangest of the three: Strike Back is 20 for every damage counter on itself, Iron Head is 60 and 20 more per heads until tails. A card that wants to be damaged before it attacks. Kyoko Umemoto.
Bronzor, 60 HP, Metal, Basic, retreat 2 — Iron Defense blanks every effect of the next attack on it on heads, Hammer In is 20. Hajime Kusajima.
Ability Metal Fortress
Bronzong, 100 HP, Metal, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Guard Press is 60 and reduces damage to it by 20 next turn, and the Ability Metal Fortress stops all effects, damage included, done to your Benched Pokémon. The only card in the pack that makes the Bench untouchable, which is the direct answer to Mandibuzz at 045 and to every spread deck of the year. Naoki Saito.
Bronzong BREAK, 130 HP, Metal, BREAK Evolution, retreat 0 — Metal Rain discards as many Metal Energy off it as you like and does 30 to a Pokémon of your choice per Energy, Weakness and Resistance ignored. With three Metal attached that is 90 placed anywhere, which is the first BREAK attack in the year that does not care what the opponent's Active is. 5ban Graphics.
Lucario, 110 HP, Metal, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Vacuum Wave is 50 and ignores Weakness and Resistance, Fight Alone is 30 and 60 more for every Pokémon fewer you have in play than the opponent. A card that is strongest when you are losing the board. Hitoshi Ariga.
Ability Drive Change
Genesect-EX, 180 HP, Metal, Basic, retreat 2 — Rapid Blaster is 100 and 20 more for each Metal Energy you discard off it, and the Ability Drive Change takes a Pokémon Tool back into hand once a turn. The Tool is the point: Drive Change re-reads every Tool in the format every turn, and Rapid Blaster turns the Energy you were holding into damage. Eske Yoshinob.
Ability Drive Change
Genesect-EX, full-art, 180 HP, Metal, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 2 — the same card as 051, same Rapid Blaster and same Ability Drive Change. 100 damage plus 20 per Metal discarded, with a free Tool bounce every turn. Ryo Ueda.
2 cards · listed in original order.
Kingdra-EX, 170 HP, Dragon, Basic, retreat 1 — Big Storm is 20 and discards any Stadium in play, Dragon Trail is 60 and 30 more for each basic Lightning Energy on it. The pack's only Dragon, and the only card in the year that attacks a Stadium directly rather than playing around it. hatachu.
Kingdra-EX, full-art, 170 HP, Dragon, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 1 — the same card as 055, same Big Storm that discards a Stadium and same Dragon Trail that scales off basic Lightning Energy. The pack's only Dragon, printed once in the set and once here. Ryo Ueda.
4 cards · listed in original order.
Jigglypuff, 70 HP, Fairy, Basic, retreat 2 — Pound is 10, Rollout is 20. Midori Harada.
Wigglytuff, 100 HP, Fairy, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Expand is 30 and reduces damage to it by 30 next turn, Double Slap flips two coins for 60 each. Mizue.
M Altaria-EX, 220 HP, Fairy, Mega Evolution, retreat 2 — Mist Purge is 100 and, with any Special Energy attached, 30 more and 30 healed off every Pokémon you have. 220 HP with a retreat of two and a heal that scales off the Energy type nobody plays is the oddest Mega in the pack, and the one Altaria Spirit Link at 074 exists for. 5ban Graphics.
M Altaria-EX, full-art, 220 HP, Fairy, Mega Evolution, super rare (SR), retreat 2 — the same card as 054, same Mist Purge, 100 plus 30 and a 30-point heal across your board if a Special Energy is attached. 5ban Graphics.
11 cards · listed in original order.
Aerodactyl, 120 HP, Colourless, Basic, free retreat — Bite is 30, Jet Draft is 120 for two Colourless and discards a Special Energy off the opponent's Active. 120 damage for two Energy on a free-retreat Basic is the best rate in the pack, and it is what Old Amber Aerodactyl at 071 is for. kawayoo.
Snorlax, 140 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 4 — Toss and Turn is 30 and 90 more if Snorlax is Asleep, and it can be used while Asleep, Swallow is 50 and heals back what it dealt. The only card in the pack that wants to be put to Sleep by its own side. Tomokazu Komiya.
Ability Pressure
Lugia, 120 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 2 — Intensifying Burn is 60 and 60 more against a Pokémon-EX, and the Ability Pressure reduces every attack from the opponent's Active by 20 before Weakness. A 120 HP Basic that hits EX cards for 120 and takes 20 off everything coming back. TOKIYA.
Lugia BREAK, 150 HP, Colourless, BREAK Evolution, retreat 0 — Flash of Destruction is 150 for four Colourless and discards two Energy off it. What makes this card historical is what it sits on: BREAK Evolution had only ever gone on a Stage 1 or Stage 2, and the Lugia underneath is a Basic — a 120 HP Legendary Basic, at that — so this is the first BREAK card ever printed on a Basic Pokémon, and the first on a Legendary. 150 HP, no type, no Retreat Cost, and one attack that costs two Energy a turn to keep firing. 5ban Graphics.
Whismur, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 2 — Pound is 10, Round is 10 per Pokémon you have with the Round attack. Kouki Saitou.
Loudred, 90 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Smash Kick is 10, Stomp is 40 and 40 more on heads. TOKIYA.
Exploud, 140 HP, Colourless, Stage 2, retreat 3 — Ambush is 80 and 40 more on heads, and Cacophony does no damage at all: at the end of the opponent's next turn, discard the Defending Pokémon and everything attached to it. One card in the pack removes a Pokémon outright without a Knock Out, which means no Prizes and no revenge — the strangest and most feared attack printed in 2016. Masakazu Fukuda.
Altaria-EX, 170 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Powerful Gain is 30 and 60 more if it was healed this turn, Shining Wind is 80 and removes its own Weakness for a turn. A 170 HP Basic that only pays off next to something that heals it, which is why Altaria Spirit Link at 074 is in the same pack. Eske Yoshinob.
Minccino, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Cleaning Up discards a Pokémon Tool off one of the opponent's Pokémon for a single Colourless. The cheapest Tool removal in the pack, and directly aimed at the Spirit Links printed six numbers later. kirisAki.
Cinccino, 90 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Covet reveals the opponent's hand and puts a card from it on the bottom of their deck, Last Resort is 60 for one Colourless and nothing on tails. Hand control for one Energy. MAHOU.
Altaria-EX, full-art, 170 HP, Colourless, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 1 — the same card as 063, same Powerful Gain that needs a heal first and same Shining Wind that removes its own Weakness. Ryo Ueda.
14 cards · listed in original order.
Put 2 in any combination of Helix Fossil Omanyte, Dome Fossil Kabuto, or Old Amber Aerodactyl cards from your discard pile into your hand.
Fossil Excavation Kit, Item — takes two cards in any combination of Helix Fossil Omanyte, Dome Fossil Kabuto and Old Amber Aerodactyl out of the discard pile into hand. The card that makes the fossil line stay alive after the first turn: it turns three dead Items into a recurring engine. Toyste Beach.
Devolve 1 of your evolved Pokémon and put the highest Stage Evolution card on it into your hand. (That Pokémon can't evolve this turn.)
Devolution Spray, Item — devolves one of your evolved Pokémon and takes the highest Stage card back into hand, and that Pokémon cannot evolve this turn. Re-using an evolution's on-play Ability is the point, and in this set the target is obvious: play M Alakazam-EX, fire Kinesis, devolve, do it again. Toyste Beach.
Switch 1 of your opponent's Benched Mega Evolution Pokémon with his or her Active Pokémon.
Mega Catcher, Item — switches one of the opponent's Benched Mega Evolution Pokémon into the Active spot. Narrow on purpose: it only touches Megas, and in a year with sixteen of them that is enough. Toyste Beach.
Look at the bottom 7 cards of your deck. You may reveal an Omanyte you find there and put it onto your Bench. Shuffle the other cards back into your deck.
Helix Fossil Omanyte, Item — look at the bottom seven cards of your deck and put an Omanyte found there onto the Bench. The fossil is now an Item rather than a Trainer that counts as a Pokémon, so it takes the turn's Item slot and puts a Basic down without a card in hand. Toyste Beach.
Look at the bottom 7 cards of your deck. You may reveal a Kabuto you find there and put it onto your Bench. Shuffle the other cards back into your deck.
Dome Fossil Kabuto, Item — the same seven-card look for a Kabuto. Same shape as the Helix Fossil, different line underneath: Kabutops at 034 is the 150 HP Stage 1 it is digging for. Toyste Beach.
Look at the bottom 7 cards of your deck. You may reveal an Aerodactyl you find there and put it onto your Bench. Shuffle the other cards back into your deck.
Old Amber Aerodactyl, Item — the third fossil, and the best of the three, because Aerodactyl at 056 is a 120-damage attacker for two Energy with a free retreat rather than a stage in a line. Toyste Beach.
If the Pokémon this card is attached to is Knocked Out by damage from an opponent's attack, put all basic Energy attached to that Pokémon into your hand.
Energy Pouch, Pokémon Tool — if the holder is Knocked Out by an attack, every basic Energy on it goes back to hand. One Tool that survives its own Pokémon, which is what makes it worth a slot in a deck running four of a Basic. Toyste Beach.
Prevent all effects of your opponent's attacks, except damage, done to the Pokémon this card is attached to. (Existing effects are not removed.)
Bent Spoon, Pokémon Tool — prevents every effect of the opponent's attacks except damage on the holder. Status conditions, forced switches, Energy removal and damage-counter placement all stop, and existing effects are not removed. The defensive half of the year's Tool design. Toyste Beach.
Your turn does not end if the Pokémon this card is attached to becomes M Altaria-EX.
Altaria Spirit Link, Pokémon Tool — your turn does not end when the holder becomes M Altaria-EX. Without it, Mega Evolution costs the turn it arrives on; with it, the 220 HP body attacks the turn it lands. 5ban Graphics.
Your turn does not end if the Pokémon this card is attached to becomes M Alakazam-EX.
Alakazam Spirit Link, Pokémon Tool — the same clause for M Alakazam-EX, and the card that makes the set's face line work: Kinesis fires when you play the Mega, the Spirit Link keeps the turn, and Zen Force attacks immediately. 5ban Graphics.
Each player shuffles his or her hand into his or her deck. Then, each player draws a card for each of his or her remaining Prize cards.
N, Supporter — both players shuffle their hand into their deck, then draw one card for each of their remaining Prize cards. A card that is a draw engine when you are ahead and a hand reset when you are behind, and it has been in the format in one form or another since 2010. Megumi Mizutani.
Flip 2 coins. For each heads, discard 2 cards from the top of your opponent's deck.
Team Rocket’s Handiwork, Supporter — flip two coins and mill two cards off the opponent's deck per heads. Up to four cards off the top for one Supporter, with no way to interact with it. Hitoshi Ariga.
Choose which way this card faces before you play it. This ↓ player's Pokémon can't be Asleep or Paralyzed. (If those Pokémon are already Asleep or Paralyzed, remove those Special Conditions.) This ↓ player's Pokémon can't be Confused or Poisoned. (If those Pokémon are already Confused or Poisoned, remove those Special Conditions.)
Chaos Tower, Stadium — you choose which way the card faces before you play it. One facing means that player's Pokémon cannot be Asleep or Paralyzed; the other means they cannot be Confused or Poisoned, and either way existing conditions are removed. The only two-sided Stadium in the year, and the card Barbaracle at 021 wants in play for its Hand Block. 5ban Graphics.
English scan
Flip 2 coins. For each heads, discard 2 cards from the top of your opponent's deck.
Team Rocket’s Handiwork, full-art, Supporter, super rare (SR) — the same card as 077, same two coins and same four cards off the top of the opponent's deck. The only Supporter in the set to get a full-art, and the only one in the pack drawn by the same artist in both printings. Hitoshi Ariga.
One half of XY11. Fifty-four numbered cards at 001/054–054/054, then four full-art cards at 055–058 and one gold card at 059, making 59. The face of the set is Volcanion-EX at 012, star of the July 2016 film Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel, whose Steam Up ability lets you move Fire Energy from your hand onto your Pokémon twice a turn. Only one Mega — M Steelix-EX at 033 — but at 240 HP it is the biggest Mega of the year. Three BREAK cards (Pyroar, Clawitzer, Xerneas). It shipped the same day as Cruel Traitor and the two together are one expansion; English merged them into Steam Siege on 3 August 2016, 116 cards, so the Japanese 59 plus 59 line up one-to-one against it. These are the last two XY BREAK expansions.162 yen is tax-inclusive (150 yen plus 8%). Seal ratios were never published and are not quoted here.
2016-06-17. 59 cards — 52 Pokémon, 7 Trainers and no Energy cards, 5 of them Pokémon-EX, 2 Mega and 3 BREAK; 26 commons, 16 uncommons, 6 rares, 6 Double Rares, 4 full-art cards, 1 gold card; 9 Fire, 8 Water, 8 Metal, 6 Fighting, 5 Grass, 5 Psychic, 5 Colourless, 3 Fairy, 1 Darkness, 1 Lightning and 1 Dragon; 40 artists worked on it and 5ban Graphics drew 9.
One half of 17 June, and the half with the Fire engine that runs the rest of the year. Fifty-four numbered cards, four full-art (055–058) and one gold (059). 012 Volcanion-EX's Steam Up discards a Fire Energy from hand to give every Basic Fire Pokémon you have 30 more damage for the turn, and it stacks — which is why a 180 HP Basic with a three-Energy retreat became the card every Fire deck was built around. 032 Steelix-EX and 033 M Steelix-EX arrive together, the Mega at 240 HP with Canyon Axe for 160 and a retreat cost of four, the heaviest body in the year. Three BREAK cards — 010 Pyroar, 020 Clawitzer and 042 Xerneas — and Pyroar BREAK's Kaiser Tackle hits 180 for two Fire. Six Trainers only, but two of them matter: 053 Ninja Boy swaps a Pokémon on the Bench for one in hand, and 054 Pokémon Ranger clears every effect on your Active. English merges this pack and 冷酷の覇者 into Steam Siege on 3 August 2016: 116 cards against 118 here, because four Trainers are printed in both Japanese halves.
5 cards · listed in original order.
Seedot, 50 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — Bide flips a coin, and on heads if this Pokémon would be Knocked Out by an attack next turn it survives at 10 HP instead. Fifty HP that refuses to die once, for one Grass. sui.
Nuzleaf, 70 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Harden prevents all damage from any attack of 60 or less next turn, Razor Leaf is 20. A Stage 1 that turns off every small attacker in the format for one Energy. Ayaka Yoshida.
Ability Play Ball
Foongus, 40 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — Ram is 10, and the Ability Play Ball puts three Poké Ball cards out of the discard pile into hand when it is benched. Forty HP and an Ability that only works if you already played the balls. Yuka Morii.
Amoonguss, 90 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Crazy Spore is free and leaves the opponent's Active Confused and Poisoned, Strange Reaction is 30 and turns the Confusion into Paralysis. A two-attack lock with no Energy needed for the first half. Ken Sugimori.
Galvantula, 90 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Double Thread does 30 to two of the opponent's Benched Pokémon with Weakness applied, Electroweb is 30 and stops the Active retreating. Note the type: the card is printed Grass, not Lightning, and the Joltik underneath it is Lightning. match.
9 cards · listed in original order.
Ponyta, 60 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 1 — Returning Flames takes two Fire Energy out of the discard pile into hand, Live Coal is 10. The cheapest way to get discarded Fire back, which is what Volcanion-EX's Steam Up keeps asking for. Sumiyoshi Kizuki.
Rapidash, 90 HP, Fire, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Rear Kick is 30, Fire Blast is 70 for two Fire and discards one. Yukiko Baba.
Litleo, 60 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 1 — Lunge is 30 for two and nothing on tails. Kyoko Umemoto.
Pyroar, 120 HP, Fire, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Flame Charge is 60 and attaches a Fire Energy off the deck to itself, Incinerate is 90 and discards every Pokémon Tool on the opponent's Active before doing damage. The only attack in the pack that strips Tools before the damage lands, so nothing reduces it. Yumi.
Pyroar BREAK, 160 HP, Fire, BREAK Evolution, retreat 0 — Kaiser Tackle is 180 for two Fire and one Colourless, with 50 on itself. The highest damage printed on a BREAK card this year that is not a Gold-break, and the reason a 120 HP Stage 1 line is worth playing at all. 5ban Graphics.
Volcanion, 130 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 2 — Power Heater is 20 and attaches a Fire Energy out of the discard pile to two Benched Pokémon, Steam Artillery is 100. The ordinary Volcanion is the setup card; the EX at 012 is the payoff. 5ban Graphics.
Ability Steam Up
Volcanion-EX, 180 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 3 — Volcanic Heat is 130 and shuts off its own next turn, and the Ability Steam Up discards a Fire Energy from hand to give every Basic Fire Pokémon you have 30 more damage for the turn, and it stacks with itself. Three Steam Ups in a turn is 90 extra damage on a 130-damage attack, which is why this is the card the whole Fire half of 2016 is built on. 5ban Graphics.
Ability Steam Up
Volcanion-EX, full-art, 180 HP, Fire, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 3 — the same card as 012, same Volcanic Heat and same Ability Steam Up, with the same illustrator as the ordinary print. Numbered 055 against a printed total of 054. 5ban Graphics.
English scan
Ability Steam Up
Volcanion-EX, gold, 180 HP, Fire, Basic, ultra rare (UR), retreat 3 — the same card as 012, the set's only gold card: same Steam Up, same Volcanic Heat, redrawn by Mitsuhiro Arita. A third printing of the pack's most valuable card inside one set, ordinary at 012, full-art at 055, gold here. Mitsuhiro Arita.
8 cards · listed in original order.
Shellos, 70 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 2 — one attack, Rain Splash, 10 for one Water. Sanosuke Sakuma.
Gastrodon, 110 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Sticky Shot is 20 and makes the Defending Pokémon's attacks and retreat cost one Colourless more next turn, Water Pulse is 60 and puts it to Sleep. A card that adds to both the attack cost and the retreat cost of the same Pokémon. Aya Kusube.
Oshawott, 60 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 1 — one attack, Water Gun, 30 for a Water and a Colourless. sui.
Dewott, 90 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Razor Shell is 30 and 20 more on heads. Shin Nagasawa.
Samurott, 140 HP, Water, Stage 2, retreat 2 — Ultimate Blade is 40 and Knocks the Defending Pokémon Out outright if the damage leaves it at 60 HP or less, Pike is 90 and puts 30 on a Benched Pokémon. An execution attack that ignores how much HP the target started with. Naoyo Kimura.
Clauncher, 60 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 1 — Double Pincers is 10 per heads on two coins. Kanako Eo.
Ability Mega Boost
Clawitzer, 100 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Crabhammer is 60, and the Ability Mega Boost attaches a Special Energy out of your hand to one of your Mega Evolution Pokémon once a turn. The only card in the pack that accelerates Special Energy specifically, and the setup half of the BREAK at 020. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Clawitzer BREAK, 130 HP, Water, BREAK Evolution, retreat 0 — Lock-On does no damage and is the most dangerous attack in the pack: the Defending Pokémon cannot retreat next turn, and every attack that hits it next turn does 120 more damage. Play it on a turn with nothing else to do and the following turn is a Knock Out. 5ban Graphics.
1 cards · listed in original order.
Joltik, 30 HP, Lightning, Basic, free retreat — one attack, Attach, 10 for one Lightning. Thirty HP with a free retreat is the cheapest Bench-sitter in the pack. Ayaka Yoshida.
5 cards · listed in original order.
Drifloon, 60 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Transfer Pain moves a damage counter off one of your Pokémon onto one of theirs, for one Colourless and no damage. kodama.
Drifblim, 100 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Eerie Wave is 30 and Confuses, Burst Curse discards two Energy and places eight damage counters wherever you like. Eighty damage split across the board with no attack roll, which is the best placement attack in the pack. Miki Tanaka.
Litwick, 50 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Slightly Simmer searches up to two cards out of the deck and discards them. Deliberate self-mill for one Colourless, and the only card in the pack that does it on purpose. Ken Sugimori.
Lampent, 80 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Mirror Mirror makes both players draw or discard to exactly four cards, with the opponent deciding first, Flickering Flames is 20 and puts the Active to Sleep. miki kudo.
Ability Sinister Selection
Chandelure, 130 HP, Psychic, Stage 2, retreat 2 — Past Friends is 10 and 10 more for every Supporter card in your discard pile, and the Ability Sinister Selection looks at the top two cards of the deck and keeps one. A Stage 2 that pays you for the Supporters you have already spent. Tomokazu Komiya.
6 cards · listed in original order.
Nosepass, 70 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 2 — Thunder Wave Paralyses on heads for one Colourless, Rolling Tackle is 40. You Iribi.
Probopass, 120 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, retreat 4 — Bounce Back is 40 and forces the opponent's Active out, Rock Tomb is 80 and stops the new Active retreating. A 120 HP Stage 1 with a retreat of four that pulls and then pins. MAHOU.
Croagunk, 60 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 1 — Poison Up does no damage and, if the Defending Pokémon is already Poisoned, adds three more damage counters between turns, and the effect applies more than once. Two Poison Ups on one target is nine counters a turn from a 60 HP Basic. Masakazu Fukuda.
Ability Poison Enzyme
Toxicroak, 90 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Poison Jab is 50 and Poisons on heads, and the Ability Poison Enzyme prevents all damage done to it by the opponent's Poisoned Pokémon. With Croagunk at 030 poisoning on purpose, this is a two-card lock nobody plays around. Hajime Kusajima.
M Steelix-EX, 240 HP, Fighting, Mega Evolution, retreat 4 — Canyon Axe is 160 for five and puts 10 on each of the opponent's Benched Pokémon. 240 HP and the highest printed HP in the year until December, with a retreat of four and a Mega type that is Fighting while the card underneath is Metal. 5ban Graphics.
M Steelix-EX, full-art, 240 HP, Fighting, Mega Evolution, super rare (SR), retreat 4 — the same card as 033, same Canyon Axe for 160 and same spread to the Bench. Every Mega in 2016 is drawn by 5ban Graphics in both printings. 5ban Graphics.
1 cards · listed in original order.
Shiftry, 140 HP, Darkness, Stage 2, retreat 2 — Wicked Wind is 40 and switches off every Stadium and Pokémon Tool in play until the end of the opponent's next turn, Extrasensory is 60 and 60 more when both hands are the same size. A Stage 2 that blanks the whole Tool-heavy format for a turn, which in 2016 is most of it. Kagemaru Himeno.
8 cards · listed in original order.
Steelix-EX, 180 HP, Metal, Basic, retreat 4 — Wild Edge is 80 and can be pushed to 130 for 20 on itself, Iron Tail is 100 per heads until tails. A 180 HP Basic with a retreat of four is the slowest attacker in the pack, and the only one whose damage is capped by a coin. Eske Yoshinob.
Shieldon, 90 HP, Metal, Basic, retreat 2 — Rock Head is 20 and reduces damage to it by 20 next turn, Hammer In is 60. What Armor Fossil Shieldon at 049 digs for. Mizue.
Bastiodon, 150 HP, Metal, Stage 1, retreat 4 — Counter Head puts damage counters on the Attacker equal to the damage done to this Pokémon, even if it is Knocked Out, Fortress of Rage is 100 and 10 more per damaged Pokémon on your Bench. The only card in the pack that hits back after it dies. match.
Klink, 50 HP, Metal, Basic, retreat 2 — Disorderly Flip is 10 per heads on four coins. Miki Tanaka.
Klang, 80 HP, Metal, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Vice Grip is 30, Disorderly Flip is 30 per heads on four coins. Shigenori Negishi.
Ability Heavy Bumper
Klinklang, 140 HP, Metal, Stage 2, retreat 3 — Gear Spinner is 70 and adds 70 to itself next turn, and the Ability Heavy Bumper reduces damage to it by 10 for every Colourless in the opponent's Active Pokémon's Retreat Cost. Against a retreat-four body that is a 40-point reduction, which makes this the best defensive Stage 2 in the pack. Midori Harada.
Cobalion, 120 HP, Metal, Basic, retreat 2 — Quick Guard prevents all damage from Basic Pokémon next turn and cannot be used twice running, Revenge Blast is 30 and 30 more for every Prize the opponent has taken. A wall that turns into an attacker once you are losing. kirisAki.
Steelix-EX, full-art, 180 HP, Metal, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 4 — the same card as 032, same Wild Edge and same Iron Tail, redrawn by Ryo Ueda from Eske Yoshinob's ordinary print. Ryo Ueda.
1 cards · listed in original order.
Druddigon, 120 HP, Dragon, Basic, retreat 2 — Proud Fang is 20 and 60 more if the opponent has any Pokémon BREAK in play, Giga Claw is 100 for three different types and nothing on double tails. The only card printed in 2016 that is written specifically against BREAK, and it arrives in the same pack as three BREAK cards. kawayoo.
3 cards · listed in original order.
Ability Wonder Lock
Klefki, 70 HP, Fairy, Basic, retreat 1 — Fairy Wind is 30, and the Ability Wonder Lock lets you discard everything attached to Klefki and attach Klefki itself to one of your Pokémon as a Pokémon Tool. The only Pokémon in the pack that turns itself into a Tool, which is what makes the Tool-heavy half of the format work. Saya Tsuruta.
Xerneas, 130 HP, Fairy, Basic, retreat 2 — Geomancy attaches a Fairy Energy off the deck to two Benched Pokémon, Rainbow Spear is 100 and discards an Energy. The Fairy setup card of the year, and the reason the BREAK at 042 is playable. Megumi Mizutani.
Xerneas BREAK, 150 HP, Fairy, BREAK Evolution, retreat 0 — Life Stream is 20 for every Energy attached to all of your Pokémon. With four Benched Pokémon loaded by Geomancy that is 200 damage for two Fairy, and it is the only BREAK attack in the year that scales off the whole board rather than itself. 5ban Graphics.
5 cards · listed in original order.
Aipom, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Fiddle Around looks at the top three cards of the opponent's deck and reorders them for one Colourless, Tail Jab is 20. The cheapest deck-stacking in the pack, and it pairs with anything that mills. Naoki Saito.
Ambipom, 90 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Furry Chance is 20 and discards the top card of the opponent's deck, plus 60 more if that card is an Energy, Double Hit is 50 per heads. Damage that depends on the opponent's deck contents rather than their board. Atsuko Nishida.
Fletchling, 40 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — one attack, Peck, 20 for one Colourless. TOKIYA.
Fletchinder, 70 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, retreat 1 — one attack, Glide, 30 for one Colourless. Shigenori Negishi.
Ability Gale Wings
Talonflame, 130 HP, Colourless, Stage 2, free retreat — Aero Blitz is 40 and searches any two cards into hand, and the Ability Gale Wings lets you put it face down as your Active Pokémon during setup, straight out of your hand. A Stage 2 that skips its own evolution line on turn one, which is the only card in 2016 that does it. Kouki Saitou.
7 cards · listed in original order.
Look at the bottom 7 cards of your deck. You may reveal a Shieldon you find there and put it onto your Bench. Shuffle the other cards back into your deck.
Armor Fossil Shieldon, Item — look at the bottom seven cards of your deck and bench a Shieldon found there. The fourth fossil of the year, and the one that leads into Bastiodon's Counter Head. Toyste Beach.
Shuffle 2 Special Energy cards from your discard pile into your deck.
Special Charge, Item — shuffles two Special Energy cards out of the discard pile back into the deck. Format-wide rather than deck-specific, and in a year of Double Colourless and Rainbow Energy it is the cheapest way to recycle them. Toyste Beach.
You can play this card only if you took it as a face-down Prize card, before you put it into your hand. Flip a coin. If heads, take 1 more Prize card.
Greedy Dice, Item — only playable if you took it as a face-down Prize card, before picking it up: flip a coin and take one more Prize on heads. A free extra Prize that only exists if the deck is built to leave it in the Prize pile. Toyste Beach.
Your turn does not end if the Pokémon this card is attached to becomes M Steelix-EX.
Steelix Spirit Link, Pokémon Tool — your turn does not end when the holder becomes M Steelix-EX. Without it a 240 HP body costs a full turn to arrive. 5ban Graphics.
Choose 1 of your Basic Pokémon in play. Search your deck for a Basic Pokémon and switch it with that Pokémon. (Any attached cards, damage counters, Special Conditions, turns in play, and any other effects remain on the new Pokémon.) Shuffle the first Pokémon into your deck.
Ninja Boy, Supporter — swap one of your Basic Pokémon in play for a Basic Pokémon out of the deck, keeping every attached card, damage counter, Special Condition and effect on the new Pokémon. The card that turns a damaged attacker into a fresh one, and the most played Supporter of the second half of 2016. Megumi Mizutani.
Remove all effects of attacks on each player and his or her Pokémon.
Pokémon Ranger, Supporter — removes all effects of attacks on each player and each of their Pokémon. Confusion, Paralysis, the lock from Lock-On, the extra turn from Volcanic Heat: all of it comes off, for both sides. Yusuke Ohmura.
English scan
Remove all effects of attacks on each player and his or her Pokémon.
Pokémon Ranger, full-art, Supporter, super rare (SR) — the same card as 054, same effect: every attack effect on every Pokémon on both sides comes off. The only Supporter in either June pack to get a full-art, and it is printed in both Japanese halves, which is why Steam Siege is smaller than the two packs added together. Megumi Mizutani.
The other half of XY11. Fifty-four numbered cards at 001/054–054/054, then four full-art cards at 055–058 and one gold card at 059, making 59. The faces are Gardevoir-EX at 038 and M Gardevoir-EX at 039, the Mega at 210 HP. Magearna-EX at 035 makes its card debut here — the artificial Pokémon unveiled alongside the film — and its Memory Change ability moves Energy around instead of linking to a Spirit Link card. Three BREAK cards (Yanmega, Yveltal, Hydreigon). Together with Fever-Burst Fighter these 118 cards are what English shipped as Steam Siege, 116 cards. These two close out the XY BREAK era's expansions — what comes next is the anniversary reprint set and then SM1.162 yen is tax-inclusive (150 yen plus 8%). Seal ratios were never published and are not quoted here.
2016-06-17. 59 cards — 52 Pokémon, 7 Trainers and no Energy cards, 5 of them Pokémon-EX, 2 Mega and 3 BREAK; 26 commons, 16 uncommons, 6 rares, 6 Double Rares, 4 full-art cards, 1 gold card; 10 Grass, 7 Darkness, 6 Psychic, 5 Colourless, 4 Water, 4 Fighting, 4 Fairy, 4 Dragon, 3 Fire, 3 Lightning and 2 Metal; 40 artists worked on it and 5ban Graphics drew 8.
The other half of 17 June, same price, same size, and built against its twin. Fifty-four numbered cards, four full-art (055–058) and one gold (059). 035 Magearna-EX's Mystic Heart shuts off every effect of the opponent's attacks on any of your Pokémon that has a Metal Energy attached — damage still lands, nothing else does — and it is the first card in the year that answers effects rather than damage. 038 Gardevoir-EX and 039 M Gardevoir-EX are the Fairy line, the Mega at 210 HP with Despair Ray, and 052 Gardevoir Spirit Link is in the pack so the Mega costs no turn. Three BREAK cards — 008 Yanmega, 034 Yveltal and 043 Hydreigon — and Hydreigon BREAK at 190 HP is the tallest BREAK printed in 2016. 049 Claw Fossil Anorith is the third of the fossils. The four Trainers shared with 爆熱の闘士 — 050 Special Charge, 051 Greedy Dice, 053 Ninja Boy and 054 Pokémon Ranger — are the reason Steam Siege prints 116 cards, not 118.
10 cards · listed in original order.
Tangela, 80 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 3 — Slam is 30 per heads on two coins, Mega Drain is 40 and heals 20 off itself. OOYAMA.
Tangrowth, 130 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 4 — Leaf Storm is 80 and heals 40 off every Grass Pokémon you have, Flog is 110 and 30 more on heads. A 130 HP Stage 1 that repairs the whole board while it attacks. kirisAki.
Hoppip, 40 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — one attack, Splash, 10 for one Colourless. Mina Nakai.
Skiploom, 70 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 1 — one attack, Splash, 20 for one Colourless. Eri Yamaki.
Jumpluff, 90 HP, Grass, Stage 2, retreat 1 — Fluffy Transport drags one of the opponent's Benched Pokémon up for a single Colourless, Solar Step is 20 for every Prize card you have left. A Stage 2 that is strongest on turn one and weakest at the end, which is the reverse of everything else in the pack. Suwama Chiaki.
Yanma, 70 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — Scout reveals the opponent's hand, Speed Dive is 40. match.
Ability Sonic Vision
Yanmega, 110 HP, Grass, Stage 1, free retreat — Assault Boom is 50 and 70 more if the opponent's Active has a Pokémon Tool attached, and the Ability Sonic Vision ignores every Energy in the attack cost of its attacks if you have exactly four cards in hand. Four cards, exactly — not four or fewer — which makes this the strangest Ability printed in 2016 and the one that dictates how the deck is built. Midori Harada.
Yanmega BREAK, 140 HP, Grass, BREAK Evolution, retreat 0 — Barrier Break is 100 and its damage is not affected by Weakness, Resistance, or any other effect on the opponent's Active Pokémon. The cleanest answer in the pack to every damage-reduction Ability in the format, and it keeps Sonic Vision underneath. 5ban Graphics.
Larvesta, 70 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 2 — Bug Bite is 30 for two. Tomokazu Komiya.
Volcarona, 110 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Shimmering Scales is 20 and leaves the opponent Confused on heads or Paralyzed on tails, Power Hurricane is 120 and discards all its Energy. Either side of the coin is a lock, and the second attack costs the whole board. Kouki Saitou.
3 cards · listed in original order.
Chimchar, 60 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 1 — Scratch is 10, Ember is 30 and discards a Fire Energy on tails. Shibuzoh.
Monferno, 80 HP, Fire, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Scratch is 20, Flare is 30. Mizue.
Infernape, 130 HP, Fire, Stage 2, retreat 1 — Flare Blitz is 120 and discards all Fire Energy on it, and Flare Up is 200 damage that requires ten Fire Energy cards in the discard pile and shuffles all ten back. The only attack in 2016 that costs a whole discard pile to fire, and the reason a Fire deck wants to mill itself. Naoki Saito.
4 cards · listed in original order.
Mantine, 100 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 1 — Healing Wave discards as many cards from hand as you like and heals 10 per card, Dwindling Wave is 90 minus 10 for every damage counter on it. A card that can only heal or attack, never both well. DemizuPosuka.
Bergmite, 70 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 2 — Ice Block heals 30 off itself, Icy Snow is 20. Midori Harada.
Avalugg, 120 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 4 — Crunch is 30 and discards an Energy on heads, Melting Floe mills the top three of your own deck and mills three more of the opponent's for every Water Energy among them. Self-mill as a weapon, on a 120 HP body with a retreat of four. Saya Tsuruta.
Azumarill, 100 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Play Rough is 30 and 30 more on heads, Bubble Drain is 80 and heals 30. Note the type split: the Marill underneath is Fairy and this card is printed Water. Sanosuke Sakuma.
3 cards · listed in original order.
Mareep, 60 HP, Lightning, Basic, retreat 1 — Thunder Wave Paralyses on heads for one Colourless, Tackle is 20. Eri Yamaki.
Flaaffy, 90 HP, Lightning, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Ram is 20, Thunder Shock is 50 and Paralyses on heads. MAHOU.
Ability Shocking Light
Ampharos, 140 HP, Lightning, Stage 2, retreat 2 — Gigavolt is 80 and either 40 more or a Paralysis on the coin, and the Ability Shocking Light puts three damage counters on one of the opponent's Pokémon-EX every single turn, without attacking. A Stage 2 that chips 30 a turn off the bench for free, which is what makes the Lightning line worth the setup. Kanako Eo.
6 cards · listed in original order.
Nidoran ♂, 60 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Come Along searches a Nidoran ♀ onto the Bench, Peck is 20. The Nido line in this pack pays for having both halves in play. Hasuno.
Nidorino, 80 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Peck is 20, Nido Press is 40 and 40 more with a Nidorina on the Bench. TOKIYA.
Ability King's Palace
Nidoking, 150 HP, Psychic, Stage 2, retreat 4 — Power Lariat is 60 and 30 more for every Evolution Pokémon on your Bench, and the Ability King’s Palace adds 20 to Nidoqueen's attacks against the Active. A 150 HP Stage 2 that buffs a card not in this pack, which is the oddest piece of set design in the year. Mina Nakai.
Hoopa, 130 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 2 — Hyperspace Punch does 20 to two of the opponent's Pokémon for one Colourless, Portal Strike is 130 and cannot be used twice running. A Basic that hits the Bench for free and then closes for 130. Yoshinobu Saito.
M Gardevoir-EX, 210 HP, Psychic, Mega Evolution, retreat 2 — Despair Ray is 110 and 10 more for every Benched Pokémon you discard. Six Benched Pokémon is 170 damage, at the cost of your whole board, which is the most aggressive trade in the pack. 210 HP and a Mega type of Psychic on a Fairy card underneath. 5ban Graphics.
M Gardevoir-EX, full-art, 210 HP, Psychic, Mega Evolution, super rare (SR), retreat 2 — the same card as 039, same Despair Ray that trades the Bench for damage. Every Mega in 2016 keeps 5ban Graphics in both printings. 5ban Graphics.
4 cards · listed in original order.
Mankey, 60 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 1 — Focus Energy raises its own Flop to 50 next turn, Flop is 10. Hitoshi Ariga.
Primeape, 90 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Swagger is 20 and discards an Energy on heads, Spirited Throw is 30 and 60 more if the opponent's Active has more remaining HP than Primeape. A card that only works from behind, which is the same design as Lucario at 050 in the March pack. Masakazu Fukuda.
Ability Restored Barrier
Anorith, 80 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 1 — X-Scissor is 20 and 20 more on heads, and the Ability Restored Barrier gives every Restored Pokémon you have no Weakness at all. What Claw Fossil Anorith at 049 digs for, and the only card in the pack that repairs the fossil line's worst problem. Shigenori Negishi.
Armaldo, 150 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Rushing Water is 40 and moves an Energy off the opponent's Active onto their Bench, Guard Claw is 100 and reduces damage to it by 30 next turn. 150 HP on a Stage 1 with Energy denial attached to its cheap attack. Satoshi Shirai.
7 cards · listed in original order.
Sneasel, 60 HP, Darkness, Basic, retreat 1 — Nyan Roll is 10 and, on heads, prevents every effect of the next attack on it, damage included. Hajime Kusajima.
Ability Tear Away
Weavile, 90 HP, Darkness, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Slash is 40, and the Ability Tear Away takes a Pokémon Tool back into hand as often as you like in a turn. The unlimited version of Genesect-EX's Drive Change, on a 90 HP Stage 1, which makes every Tool in the deck reusable every turn. kawayoo.
Spiritomb, 70 HP, Darkness, Basic, retreat 1 — Nightmare is 10 and puts the Active to Sleep, Damage Play moves as many damage counters as you like around the opponent's whole board. Not damage — rearrangement, which turns a spread attack into a single Knock Out. Ken Sugimori.
Pawniard, 60 HP, Darkness, Basic, retreat 1 — Charge Order is 10 for every Pawniard you have in play. Sumiyoshi Kizuki.
Bisharp, 100 HP, Darkness, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Retaliate is 30 and 60 more if any of your Pokémon were Knocked Out last turn, Mach Claw is 60 and ignores Resistance. A card that pays you for losing something. Shin Nagasawa.
Yveltal, 130 HP, Darkness, Basic, retreat 2 — Oblivion Wing is 30 and attaches a Darkness Energy out of the discard pile to a Benched Pokémon, Darkness Blade is 100 and shuts off its own next turn on tails. The setup half of the BREAK at 034. Hajime Kusajima.
Yveltal BREAK, 150 HP, Darkness, BREAK Evolution, retreat 0 — Baleful Night is 120 and puts 30 on every damaged Pokémon on the opponent's Bench. A 150 HP BREAK that spreads into whatever is already hurt, which pairs directly with Ampharos's Shocking Light at 019. 5ban Graphics.
2 cards · listed in original order.
Ability Mystic Heart
Magearna-EX, 160 HP, Metal, Basic, retreat 1 — Soul Blaster is 120 and halves itself next turn, and the Ability Mystic Heart prevents every effect of the opponent's attacks, except damage, on each of your Pokémon that has any Metal Energy attached. Damage still lands; Confusion, Paralysis, forced switches, Energy removal and counter placement all stop — the first card in 2016 that answers Effects rather than damage, and the reason Metal Energy is worth a slot in decks that are not Metal. 5ban Graphics.
Ability Mystic Heart
Magearna-EX, full-art, 160 HP, Metal, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 1 — the same card as 035, same Soul Blaster and same Ability Mystic Heart, with the same illustrator as the ordinary print. Numbered 055 against a printed total of 054. 5ban Graphics.
4 cards · listed in original order.
Deino, 60 HP, Dragon, Basic, retreat 2 — Roar forces the opponent to switch, Headbutt Bounce is 20 for two different types. Suwama Chiaki.
Zweilous, 90 HP, Dragon, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Double Hit is 20 per heads on two coins, Power Breath is 80 and discards an Energy. Ken Sugimori.
Hydreigon, 150 HP, Dragon, Stage 2, retreat 3 — Cruel Fang is 40 and reduces every attack from the Defending Pokémon by 40 next turn, Dark Burn is 50 for every Darkness Energy you discard. A 150 HP Stage 2 that both defuses the opponent's attacker and scales its own damage off the Energy it throws away. Hideki Ishikawa.
Hydreigon BREAK, 190 HP, Dragon, BREAK Evolution, retreat 0 — Calamity Blast is 150 for four, discards three Energy, and puts 50 on two of the opponent's Benched Pokémon. The tallest BREAK card printed in 2016 and the only one that hits 150 on the Active and 100 across the Bench in the same attack. 5ban Graphics.
4 cards · listed in original order.
Marill, 60 HP, Fairy, Basic, retreat 1 — Bubble Drain is 10 and heals 10 off itself. Shibuzoh.
Gardevoir-EX, 170 HP, Fairy, Basic, retreat 2 — Link Blast is 30 and 70 more when both Active Pokémon have the same amount of Energy attached, Luminous Blade is 120 and discards an Energy. A 170 HP Basic whose cheap attack rewards counting Energy on both sides, which is a strange thing to ask of a Mega line. Eske Yoshinob.
Gardevoir-EX, full-art, 170 HP, Fairy, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 2 — the same card as 038, same Link Blast and same Luminous Blade, redrawn by Ryo Ueda from Eske Yoshinob's ordinary print. Ryo Ueda.
English scan
Gardevoir-EX, gold, 170 HP, Fairy, Basic, ultra rare (UR), retreat 2 — the same card as 038, the set's only gold card: same Link Blast, same Luminous Blade, redrawn by Mitsuhiro Arita. Ordinary at 038, full-art at 056, gold here — the same three-tier treatment the June pair gives its two face cards. Mitsuhiro Arita.
5 cards · listed in original order.
Meowth, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Stall can only be used if you went second, and only on your first turn: it discards an Energy off one of the opponent's Pokémon. One card in the pack is written for a single moment in one game. Masakazu Fukuda.
Persian, 90 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Raid is 30 and 30 more if it evolved from Meowth this turn, Fury Swipes is 30 per heads on three coins. Anesaki Dynamic.
Rufflet, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Reckless Charge is 20 and 10 on itself. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Braviary, 120 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Ambush is 20 and 50 more on heads, Sky Drop is 120 minus 20 for every Colourless in the opponent's Active Pokémon's Retreat Cost. A card that reads the opponent's retreat cost as a damage reduction, which is the opposite of what Klinklang does with it. Kyoko Umemoto.
Ability Sudden Cyclone
Hawlucha, 80 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Acrobatics is 20 and 20 more per heads, and the Ability Sudden Cyclone forces the opponent to switch their Active the moment Hawlucha is benched. A free Gust on a 80 HP Basic, with no Supporter and no coin. miki kudo.
7 cards · listed in original order.
Look at the bottom 7 cards of your deck. You may reveal an Anorith you find there and put it onto your Bench. Shuffle the other cards back into your deck.
Claw Fossil Anorith, Item — look at the bottom seven cards of your deck and bench an Anorith found there. The fifth and last fossil of 2016, and the one that leads to Anorith's Restored Barrier. Toyste Beach.
Shuffle 2 Special Energy cards from your discard pile into your deck.
Special Charge, Item — shuffles two Special Energy cards out of the discard pile back into the deck. Printed in both June packs, which is one of the four reasons Steam Siege holds 116 cards rather than 118. Toyste Beach.
You can play this card only if you took it as a face-down Prize card, before you put it into your hand. Flip a coin. If heads, take 1 more Prize card.
Greedy Dice, Item — only playable if you took it as a face-down Prize card: flip, and take one more Prize on heads. The second of the four Trainers duplicated across the two June packs. Toyste Beach.
Your turn does not end if the Pokémon this card is attached to becomes M Gardevoir-EX.
Gardevoir Spirit Link, Pokémon Tool — your turn does not end when the holder becomes M Gardevoir-EX. With Despair Ray discarding your own Bench, the turn it arrives on is the turn you need. 5ban Graphics.
Choose 1 of your Basic Pokémon in play. Search your deck for a Basic Pokémon and switch it with that Pokémon. (Any attached cards, damage counters, Special Conditions, turns in play, and any other effects remain on the new Pokémon.) Shuffle the first Pokémon into your deck.
Ninja Boy, Supporter — swap a Basic Pokémon in play for a Basic out of the deck, keeping every attached card, counter and effect. The most played Supporter in the second half of 2016, and one of the four cards printed in both June packs. Megumi Mizutani.
Remove all effects of attacks on each player and his or her Pokémon.
Pokémon Ranger, Supporter — every attack effect on every Pokémon on both sides comes off. The fourth card duplicated across the two June packs, and the direct answer to Lock-On and to Volcanic Heat. Yusuke Ohmura.
English scan
Remove all effects of attacks on each player and his or her Pokémon.
Pokémon Ranger, full-art, Supporter, super rare (SR) — the same card as 054, same effect. Printed twice inside one Japanese pair and given a full-art in both, which is why the English set that merges the pair is smaller than the two halves added together. Megumi Mizutani.
The October 1996 first expansion, rebuilt twenty years later. Eighty-seven numbered cards at 001/087–087/087, then sixteen secret cards at 088–103, making 103. The border, the art style and the type all go back to the 1996 layout, including the LV marker in the top right that the game used until the BW era — that is the old design coming back, not a LV.X card (LV.X is a 2006 mechanic and a different thing entirely). The contents are not straight reprints either: stats were retuned so these can be played against XY cards, and a handful of brand-new cards sit alongside them. Venusaur-EX, Charizard-EX and Blastoise-EX plus all three Megas, Mewtwo-EX, Pidgeot-EX, Dragonite-EX and Pikachu-EX, and four BREAK cards (Ninetales, Starmie, Nidoking, Machamp) — 1996 artwork that BREAK evolves, something only this set does. Ten cards a pack at 300 yen, twice the size and twice the price of a normal pack. English is Evolutions on 2 November 2016, 113 cards — this 103 plus ten that only the English set has.324 yen is tax-inclusive (300 yen plus 8%). Ten cards a pack, fifteen packs a box. Seal ratios were never published and are not quoted here.
2016-09-16. 103 cards — 83 Pokémon, 19 Trainers and 1 Energy, 13 of them Pokémon-EX, 8 Mega and 4 BREAK; 30 commons, 32 uncommons, 14 rares, 14 Double Rares, 13 full-art cards; 14 Fire, 14 Water, 13 Colourless, 12 Psychic, 11 Grass, 9 Lightning, 9 Fighting and 1 Fairy; 16 artists worked on it and Ken Sugimori drew 34.
The 1996 debut set, rebuilt for its twentieth birthday — same frame, same artwork style, same 151 Pokémon, new numbers. Eighty-seven numbered cards, thirteen full-art (088–100), plus 101–103, three cards that are not full-art at all: 101 Exeggutor drawn by Dr.Ooyama, 102 Imakuni?’s Doduo and 103 Here Comes Team Rocket!, the three joke and story cards of the original set, reprinted with their original illustrators. Six Pokémon-EX and four Mega here — Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Mewtwo, Pidgeot and Dragonite — and four Spirit Links in the same pack, so JP has a Mega that costs no turn for the first time in the base set's own history. 013 M Charizard-EX's Crimson Dive does 300 damage, the highest number printed in 2016. Four BREAK cards too — 016 Ninetales, 030 Starmie, 044 Nidoking and 058 Machamp — which makes CP6 the last product of the BREAK era. The corner mark says LV, and that is the 1996 design, not an LV.X card: every card here is XY-era rules with re-cut HP so it can fight the current format. English prints this as Evolutions on 2 November 2016 — 113 cards against 103 here, with nine basic Energy cards and two Pikachu promos added and 094 Pikachu-EX left out entirely.
11 cards · listed in original order.
Venusaur-EX, 180 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 4 — Poison Powder is 60 and Poisons, Jungle Hammer is 90 and heals 30 off itself. The 1996 Venusaur rebuilt as a 180 HP Basic, with the same two-attack shape and a retreat of four. Eske Yoshinob.
M Venusaur-EX, 230 HP, Grass, Mega Evolution, retreat 4 — Crisis Vine is 120 for four and leaves the opponent's Active both Paralyzed and Poisoned at once. Two conditions off one attack is the reason this Mega exists, and 230 HP is the second-tallest body in the set. 5ban Graphics.
Caterpie, 40 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — String Shot is 10 and Paralyses on heads. Forty HP, one Energy, and the same artwork lineage as 1996. Ken Sugimori.
Metapod, 70 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Stiffen reduces every attack on it by 40 next turn, Stun Spore is 20 and Paralyses on heads. Ken Sugimori.
Weedle, 40 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — Poison Sting is 10 and Poisons on heads. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Kakuna, 80 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Stiffen is the same 40-point reduction as Metapod, Poison Powder is 20 and Poisons on heads. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Beedrill, 120 HP, Grass, Stage 2, free retreat — Poison Sting is 30 and Poisons automatically, Swarming Sting does 40 for every Beedrill you have in play to any one of the opponent's Pokémon, hitting the Bench with Weakness ignored. A free-retreat Stage 2 that turns copies of itself into damage. Ken Sugimori.
Tangela, 80 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 2 — Bind is 20 and Paralyses on heads, Poison Powder is 30 and Poisons. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Venusaur-EX, full-art, 180 HP, Grass, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 4 — the same card as 001, same Poison Powder and same Jungle Hammer, redrawn by Naoki Saito from Eske Yoshinob's ordinary print. Naoki Saito.
M Venusaur-EX, full-art, 230 HP, Grass, Mega Evolution, super rare (SR), retreat 4 — the same card as 002, same Crisis Vine that leaves the target Paralyzed and Poisoned at once. 5ban Graphics.
Exeggutor, 80 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Stomp is 20 and 10 more on heads, and that is the whole card. The 1996 Exeggutor, reprinted with nothing added: same 80 HP, same one attack, same number in the corner of the frame, and drawn by Dr.Ooyama again, twenty years later. Rare by U rather than by secret number, which is the joke — it sits past the set total and still reads as an uncommon. Dr.Ooyama.
14 cards · listed in original order.
Charmander, 60 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 1 — Scratch is 10, Ember is 30 and discards a Fire Energy. The 1996 Charmander, renumbered and re-cut. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Charmeleon, 80 HP, Fire, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Slash is 50 for three Colourless, Flamethrower is 90 and discards a Fire Energy. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Ability Energy Burn
Charizard, 150 HP, Fire, Stage 2, retreat 3 — Fire Spin is 200 for four Fire and discards three of them, and the Ability Energy Burn makes every Energy attached to it Fire Energy regardless of type. The 1996 Charizard's two signature abilities, rebuilt with an Ability slot instead of a rule: 200 damage on a Stage 2 was unheard of in 1996 and is still the largest number on a non-EX card in this set. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Charizard-EX, 180 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 2 — Wing Attack is 60, Combustion Blast is 150 and cannot be used twice running. The EX treatment of the same Pokémon, with the Ability stripped and the damage moved into a Basic. PLANETA.
M Charizard-EX, 220 HP, Fire, Mega Evolution, retreat 1 — Crimson Dive is 300 damage for two Fire and three Colourless, with 50 on itself. The highest damage number printed anywhere in 2016, on a 220 HP Mega with a retreat of one and a Spirit Link in the same set at 083. Nothing else in the year comes within 70 of it. 5ban Graphics.
Vulpix, 60 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 1 — Confuse Ray is 20 and Confuses on heads. Ken Sugimori.
Ninetales, 100 HP, Fire, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Lure drags one of the opponent's Benched Pokémon up and stops it retreating, Fire Blast is 120 and discards a Fire Energy. A pull-and-pin attack for a single Fire, which is what the BREAK at 016 sits on. Ken Sugimori.
Ninetales BREAK, 140 HP, Fire, BREAK Evolution, retreat 0 — Explosive Fireball is 10 plus 60 for every Fire Energy you discard off it. With four Fire attached that is 250 damage on a BREAK card, at the cost of the whole board of Energy. Ken Sugimori's artwork carried onto a BREAK frame. 5ban Graphics.
Growlithe, 70 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 2 — Hind Kick is 10 and switches itself out, Flare is 20. Ken Sugimori.
Ability Burning Road
Arcanine, 130 HP, Fire, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Scorching Breath is 150 and shuts off its own next turn, and the Ability Burning Road moves any number of Fire Energy off your Pokémon onto it the turn it comes off the Bench. The setup that makes a 150-damage attack affordable. Ken Sugimori.
Ponyta, 60 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 1 — Smash Kick is 20, Flame Tail is 30. Ken Sugimori.
Magmar, 80 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 2 — Fire Punch is 30, Flamethrower is 60 and discards a Fire Energy. Ken Sugimori.
Charizard-EX, full-art, 180 HP, Fire, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 2 — the same card as 012, same Wing Attack and same Combustion Blast, redrawn by Kouki Saitou from PLANETA's ordinary print. Kouki Saitou.
M Charizard-EX, full-art, 220 HP, Fire, Mega Evolution, super rare (SR), retreat 1 — the same card as 013, same Crimson Dive for 300. The highest damage number in 2016, printed twice inside one set. 5ban Graphics.
14 cards · listed in original order.
Blastoise-EX, 180 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 3 — Rapid Spin is 30 and switches both Active Pokémon, Splash Bomb is 120 and 30 on itself on tails. Eske Yoshinob.
M Blastoise-EX, 220 HP, Water, Mega Evolution, retreat 3 — Hydro Bombard is 120 and puts 30 on two of the opponent's Benched Pokémon. The set's only Mega that spreads, which is why it is the one paired with Pidgeot's Spirit Link in the deck lists rather than its own. 5ban Graphics.
Poliwag, 60 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 1 — Water Gun is 30 for two. Ken Sugimori.
Poliwhirl, 80 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Amnesia is 30 and stops one of the opponent's Active Pokémon's attacks being used next turn, Double Slap is 50 per heads. Ken Sugimori.
Poliwrath, 140 HP, Water, Stage 2, retreat 2 — Dashing Punch is 50 and 50 more if it came off the Bench this turn, Whirlpool is 80 and discards an Energy off the opponent's Active. A Stage 2 written for the switch cards that are printed nine numbers later. Ken Sugimori.
Seel, 80 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 2 — Growl reduces every attack from the Defending Pokémon by 20 next turn, Headbutt is 20. Ken Sugimori.
Dewgong, 120 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Super Deep Dive heals 40 and switches itself out, Take Down is 90 and 20 on itself. A Stage 1 with its own healing and its own escape, which is what the 1996 card was famous for having neither of. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Staryu, 60 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 1 — Quick Blow is 10 and 10 more on heads. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Ability Space Beacon
Starmie, 90 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Star Freeze is 30 and Paralyses on heads, and the Ability Space Beacon discards a card from hand to take two basic Energy out of the discard pile. An Energy engine on a 90 HP Stage 1, and the setup for the BREAK above it. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Starmie BREAK, 130 HP, Water, BREAK Evolution, retreat 0 — Break Star does 100 damage to every Pokémon BREAK the opponent has, Bench included, with Weakness ignored. The second card in 2016 written specifically against BREAK — the other is Druddigon in the June pack — and it arrives in the set that closes the mechanic. 5ban Graphics.
Magikarp, 30 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 1 — Flail is 10 for every damage counter on it. Thirty HP, and the whole point is surviving long enough to matter. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Gyarados, 130 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Bubble Beam is 50 and Paralyses on heads, Dragon Rage is 180 damage that does nothing at all if either of two coins is tails. The 1996 card's signature gamble, kept exactly as it was. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Blastoise-EX, full-art, 180 HP, Water, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 3 — the same card as 021, same Rapid Spin and same Splash Bomb, redrawn by kawayoo from Eske Yoshinob's ordinary print. kawayoo.
M Blastoise-EX, full-art, 220 HP, Water, Mega Evolution, super rare (SR), retreat 3 — the same card as 022, same Hydro Bombard, 120 and 30 onto two Benched Pokémon. 5ban Graphics.
9 cards · listed in original order.
Pikachu, 60 HP, Lightning, Basic, retreat 1 — Gnaw is 10, Thunder Jolt is 30 and 10 on itself on tails. The Base Set Pikachu's two attacks, re-cut. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Raichu, 100 HP, Lightning, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Energize attaches a Lightning Energy out of the discard pile to itself, Spark Bolt is 70 and 70 more if you discard all its Energy. Ken Sugimori.
Magnemite, 50 HP, Lightning, Basic, retreat 1 — Thunder Wave Paralyses on heads, Self-Destruct is 50 and 50 on itself. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Magneton, 80 HP, Lightning, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Thunder Wave is 30 and Paralyses on heads, Self-Destruct is 80 and 80 on itself. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Voltorb, 60 HP, Lightning, Basic, retreat 1 — Continuous Tumble is 10 per heads until tails. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Ability Buzzap Thunder
Electrode, 80 HP, Lightning, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Head Bolt is 70, and the Ability Buzzap Thunder Knocks Electrode Out on purpose and attaches it to one of your Lightning Pokémon as a Special Energy card that provides two Lightning Energy. A Pokémon that turns itself into Energy — the 1996 card's most quoted trick, rewritten so it costs the Pokémon rather than a coin flip. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Electabuzz, 70 HP, Lightning, Basic, retreat 2 — Thunder Shock is 10 and Paralyses on heads, Thunder Punch is 30 and either 10 more or 10 on itself. Ken Sugimori.
Zapdos, 110 HP, Lightning, Basic, retreat 2 — Thunder is 90 and 30 on itself, Thunderbolt is 170 damage for four Lightning and discards every Energy on it. The 1996 Zapdos's 100-damage Thunderbolt, raised to 170 and priced at the whole board. Ken Sugimori.
Pikachu-EX, full-art, 130 HP, Lightning, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 1 — Iron Tail is 30 per heads until tails on a single Colourless, Overspark is 50 for every Lightning Energy you discard off it. The one card in the anniversary set with no English printing at all: Evolutions prints 113 cards and this is not among them, so it is listed here, priced in yen, and left alone rather than swapped for another Pikachu. Megumi Mizutani.
12 cards · listed in original order.
Nidoran ♂, 60 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Double Stab is 10 per heads on two coins. Ken Sugimori.
Nidorino, 90 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Horn Attack is 20, Fury Attack is 30 per heads on three coins. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Nidoking, 150 HP, Psychic, Stage 2, retreat 3 — Rumble is 40 and stops the Defending Pokémon retreating, Tail Swing is 100 and puts 20 on every Basic Pokémon on the opponent's Bench. A 150 HP Stage 2 that hits the Bench without a coin. Ken Sugimori.
Nidoking BREAK, 180 HP, Psychic, BREAK Evolution, retreat 0 — Toxic Drill is 120 and Poisons, and the Poison puts two damage counters a turn instead of one. The only BREAK card in 2016 that changes how fast Poison works, and 180 HP is the second-tallest BREAK of the year after Hydreigon. 5ban Graphics.
Gastly, 40 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Little Grudge discards an Energy off the Attacker if Gastly is Knocked Out next turn, Nightmare is 20 and puts the Active to Sleep on heads. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Haunter, 70 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Hypnosis puts the Active to Sleep with no coin, Dream Eater is 80 and does nothing at all unless the target is Asleep. A two-attack line that has to be played in order, exactly as in 1996. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Drowzee, 60 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Pound is 10, Confuse Ray is 10 and Confuses with no coin. Ken Sugimori.
Koffing, 60 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Foul Gas is 10 and leaves the Active Poisoned on heads or Confused on tails. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Mewtwo, 130 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 2 — Psychic is 20 and 20 more for every Energy on the opponent's Active, Barrier prevents all effects of the next attack on it but cannot be used two turns running. The 1996 Barrier, unchanged, on a 130 HP Basic. Ken Sugimori.
Mewtwo-EX, 180 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 2 — Energy Absorption attaches an Energy out of the discard pile to itself, Regeneration heals 60, Psyburn is 110. Three attacks, two of them free, which is the widest attack list in the set and the only card that can heal itself without a Trainer. Eske Yoshinob.
Ability Neutral Shield
Mew, 40 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Psy Bolt is 30 for two. Forty HP, one attack, and no Ability at all: the plainest card in the set, and the one the 1996 Mew was too. Ken Sugimori.
Mewtwo-EX, full-art, 180 HP, Psychic, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 2 — the same card as 050, same three attacks: Energy Absorption off the discard pile, Regeneration for 60, Psyburn for 110. Redrawn by Ryo Ueda from Eske Yoshinob's ordinary print. Ryo Ueda.
9 cards · listed in original order.
Sandshrew, 60 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 1 — Sand Attack is 10 and makes the Defending Pokémon flip to attack next turn. Ken Sugimori.
Ability Submerge
Diglett, 40 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 1 — Dig Through does 30 to a Benched Pokémon, and the Ability Submerge means nothing can damage Diglett while it is on the Bench, from either side. Forty HP that is untouchable in the one place it lives. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Dugtrio, 90 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Slash is 40, Earthquake is 130 and puts 20 on each of your own Benched Pokémon. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Machop, 70 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 2 — Dual Chop is 20 per heads on two coins. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Machoke, 90 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Karate Chop is 60 minus 10 for every damage counter on it, Submission is 80 and 20 on itself. Ken Sugimori.
Ability Counterattack
Machamp, 160 HP, Fighting, Stage 2, retreat 2 — Seismic Toss is 120 with no drawback at all, and the Ability Counterattack puts three damage counters on the Attacker whenever Machamp is damaged, even if it is Knocked Out. 160 HP with a retaliation clause, the first time the 1996 Machamp has been given one. Ken Sugimori.
Machamp BREAK, 190 HP, Fighting, BREAK Evolution, retreat 0 — Boomerang Lariat is 100 and adds 100 to its own attacks next turn. Two turns of 100 then 200 off a 190 HP BREAK, which makes this the most straightforward BREAK in the set. 5ban Graphics.
Onix, 100 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 3 — Harden prevents all damage from any attack of 60 or less next turn, Rock Throw is 40. Ken Sugimori.
Hitmonchan, 90 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 2 — Jab is 30, Special Punch is 90 for three. Ken Sugimori.
1 cards · listed in original order.
Clefairy, 40 HP, Fairy, Basic, retreat 1 — Sing puts the Active to Sleep on heads, Metronome copies any attack the opponent's Active has. The 1996 Metronome, unchanged, on a 40 HP Basic. Ken Sugimori.
13 cards · listed in original order.
Pidgeot-EX, 170 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Mirror Move does back exactly the damage Pidgeot took last turn, Feather Lance is 80 and puts 20 on a Benched Pokémon. A 170 HP Basic whose cheap attack is a counter, which is the oddest EX design in the set. Eske Yoshinob.
M Pidgeot-EX, 220 HP, Colourless, Mega Evolution, free retreat — Mach Cyclone is 130 for three Colourless and you may force the opponent to switch. 220 HP with a free retreat, which is the only Mega in 2016 that costs nothing to move. 5ban Graphics.
Ability Mischievous Fang
Rattata, 40 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Bite is 10, and the Ability Mischievous Fang strips every Pokémon Tool off the opponent's Active the moment Rattata is benched. A 40 HP Basic that undoes a Spirit Link on arrival. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Raticate, 60 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Crunch is 10 and discards an Energy, Shadowy Bite is 60 for every Special Energy card in the opponent's discard pile. Damage that reads the opponent's graveyard, which in a year of Double Colourless is a real number. Ken Sugimori.
Farfetch’d, 70 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Leek Slap is 50 and cannot be used twice running, Pot Smash is 50 for three. The 1996 leek, unchanged. Ken Sugimori.
Doduo, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Fury Attack is 10 per heads on three coins. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Chansey, 120 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 3 — Scrunch prevents all damage to it next turn on heads, Double-Edge is 80 and 80 on itself. The 1996 Chansey's Double-Edge took half its own HP too, and this one still does. Ken Sugimori.
Porygon, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Conversion 3 changes the Defending Pokémon's Weakness to any type you name until the end of your next turn. The only card in the set that rewrites Weakness, and the only card in CP6 drawn by Tomoaki Imakuni, the artist behind the original set's joke cards. Tomoaki Imakuni.
Ability Pull Up
Dragonite-EX, 180 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 3 — Hyper Beam is 130 and discards an Energy off the opponent's Active, and the Ability Pull Up takes two Basic Pokémon out of the discard pile into hand the moment it is benched. A 180 HP Basic that rebuilds the Bench it came from. Ayaka Yoshida.
Pidgeot-EX, full-art, 170 HP, Colourless, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 1 — the same card as 062, same Mirror Move that returns exactly the damage taken, same Feather Lance, 80 and 20 onto a Benched Pokémon. Ryo Ueda.
M Pidgeot-EX, full-art, 220 HP, Colourless, Mega Evolution, super rare (SR), free retreat — the same card as 063, same Mach Cyclone for 130 with a free forced switch. 5ban Graphics.
Ability Pull Up
Dragonite-EX, full-art, 180 HP, Colourless, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 3 — the same card as 070, same Hyper Beam that discards an Energy and same Ability Pull Up that returns two Basic Pokémon from the discard pile. Ryo Ueda.
Ability Frenzied Escape
Imakuni?’s Doduo, 50 HP, Colourless, Basic, free retreat — Harmonize is 30, and the moment you use it you must begin to sing a song out loud; when the song ends, the attack does 30 damage. The Ability Frenzied Escape says: when this Doduo retreats, hold the card and throw it as hard as you can, because Doduo is running away. The most famous joke card in the game, reprinted unchanged from 1996 with Imakuni? drawing it himself, and the only card in this archive whose rules text tells the player to throw it. Imakuni?.
19 cards · listed in original order.
Heal 60 damage from 1 of your Pokémon. If you do, discard an Energy attached to that Pokémon.
Super Potion, Item — heal 60 off one Pokémon and discard an Energy attached to it. The 1996 card's exact trade, kept: the heal costs Energy. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Put 2 basic Energy cards from your discard pile into your hand.
Energy Retrieval, Item — two basic Energy out of the discard pile into hand. In a set whose centrepiece attacks discard three to five Energy, this is the card the whole thing runs on. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Heal 30 damage from 1 of your Pokémon.
Potion, Item — heal 30 off one Pokémon, no cost attached. The simplest card in the set and the one every 1996 deck started with. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Put a Basic Pokémon from your discard pile onto your Bench.
Revive, Item — put a Basic Pokémon out of the discard pile onto the Bench. No coin, no condition, one Basic back. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Devolve 1 of your evolved Pokémon and put the highest Stage Evolution card on it into your hand. (That Pokémon can't evolve this turn.)
Devolution Spray, Item — devolve one of your evolved Pokémon and take the top Stage back into hand. Printed in both XY10 and here in the same year, which is unusual for a reprint set that otherwise stays inside 1996. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Remove all Special Conditions from your Active Pokémon.
Full Heal, Item — removes every Special Condition from your Active. Asleep, Confused, Paralyzed, Poisoned, Burned: all off, for one item. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Switch your Active Pokémon with 1 of your Benched Pokémon.
Switch, Item — swap your Active with a Benched Pokémon. The most reprinted card in the game, and the one the set's pull-and-pin attacks are written against. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Look at the top 5 cards of your deck and put them back in any order.
Pokédex, Item — look at the top five cards of your deck and put them back in any order. No draw, no discard, only order. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Shuffle 2 cards from your hand into your deck. (If you can't shuffle 2 cards into your deck, you can't play this card.) Then, draw a card.
Maintenance, Item — shuffle two cards from hand into the deck, then draw one. A net loss of one card for a redraw, and it cannot be played with fewer than two cards in hand. Keiji Kinebuchi.
Your turn does not end if the Pokémon this card is attached to becomes M Blastoise-EX.
Blastoise Spirit Link, Pokémon Tool — your turn does not end when the holder becomes M Blastoise-EX. One of four Spirit Links in the set, which is the one thing the 1996 debut could not have had: Mega Evolution did not exist for another eighteen years. 5ban Graphics.
Your turn does not end if the Pokémon this card is attached to becomes M Pidgeot-EX.
Pidgeot Spirit Link, Pokémon Tool — the same clause for M Pidgeot-EX. With a free retreat on the Mega underneath, this is the cheapest Mega line in the set to keep attacking with. 5ban Graphics.
Your turn does not end if the Pokémon this card is attached to becomes M Venusaur-EX.
Venusaur Spirit Link, Pokémon Tool — the same clause for M Venusaur-EX, whose 230 HP body costs a full turn without it. 5ban Graphics.
Your turn does not end if the Pokémon this card is attached to becomes M Charizard-EX.
Charizard Spirit Link, Pokémon Tool — the same clause for M Charizard-EX, and the most important card in the set: without it Crimson Dive's 300 damage waits a turn, and with it the Mega attacks the turn it lands. 5ban Graphics.
Draw cards until you have 7 cards in your hand. Your turn ends.
Professor Oak’s Hint, Supporter — draw until you have seven cards, then your turn ends. The 1996 Professor Oak drew seven and ended the turn; this is the same card with the number made exact. Ken Sugimori.
Discard a card from your hand. If you do, look at the top 8 cards of your deck and put 1 of them into your hand. Shuffle the other cards back into your deck.
Misty’s Determination, Supporter — discard a card, then look at the top eight and take one. A Supporter that digs eight deep for a discard, which is the deepest search in the set. Ken Sugimori.
Shuffle 6 in any combination of Pokémon and basic Energy cards from your discard pile into your deck.
Brock’s Grit, Supporter — shuffle six cards, any mix of Pokémon and basic Energy, out of the discard pile back into the deck. The only recovery Supporter in the set, and the reason a deck built on discarding Energy can keep going. Ken Sugimori.
English scan
Discard a card from your hand. If you do, look at the top 8 cards of your deck and put 1 of them into your hand. Shuffle the other cards back into your deck.
Misty’s Determination, full-art, Supporter, super rare (SR) — the same card as 085, same effect: discard a card, look at the top eight, take one. The only Supporter in the anniversary set whose full-art is drawn by a different artist from the ordinary print. Megumi Mizutani.
English scan
Shuffle 6 in any combination of Pokémon and basic Energy cards from your discard pile into your deck.
Brock’s Grit, full-art, Supporter, super rare (SR) — the same card as 086, same effect: shuffle six cards out of the discard pile back into the deck. Redrawn by Hitoshi Ariga from Ken Sugimori's ordinary print. Hitoshi Ariga.
Each player turns all of his or her Prize cards face up. (Those Prize cards remain face up for the rest of the game.)
Here Comes Team Rocket!, Supporter — both players turn every Prize card face up, and they stay face up for the rest of the game. No draw, no damage, no search: it changes what both players know. The 1996 card that made Prize counting a public act, reprinted with the same wording and Ken Sugimori's original artwork. Numbered 103 against a printed total of 87, and still a U. Ken Sugimori.
1 cards · listed in original order.
Double Colorless Energy provides ColorlessColorless Energy.
Double Colorless Energy, Special Energy — provides two Colourless Energy and counts as one Energy card. The 1996 card that made every two-Energy attack in the Base Set affordable, reprinted here with the same wording and the same job. No illustrator: Energy cards in this set carry none.
Half of the first Sun & Moon set. Sixty numbered cards at 001/060–060/060, then six full-art cards at 061–066, four Hyper Rare cards at 067–070 and three gold cards at 071–073, making 73. GX arrives here — a Pokémon with one attack usable once per game, the successor to EX. The card reads Basic even when the species sits at the end of an evolution line (Solgaleo-GX comes after Cosmog and Cosmoem but is a Basic on the card). The face is Solgaleo-GX at 040, 250 HP. Hyper Rare also debuts here — the rainbow-foil version of a GX, one tier above the gold UR. Alolan forms appear for the first time (Meowth, Persian, Diglett, Dugtrio). Thirty packs to a box — up from twenty in the XY era. English is Sun & Moon on 3 February 2017, 172 cards, which merges Collection Sun and Collection Moon into one release.162 yen is tax-inclusive (150 yen plus 8%). Seal ratios were never published and are not quoted here.
2016-12-09. 73 cards — 60 Pokémon, 11 Trainers and 2 Energy, 12 of them GX; 29 commons, 19 uncommons, 8 rares, 4 Double Rares, 6 full-art cards, 3 gold cards, 4 Hyper Rares; 12 Colourless, 11 Water, 10 Psychic, 8 Grass, 6 Metal, 5 Darkness, 3 Fire, 3 Fighting and 2 Fairy; 40 artists worked on it and 5ban Graphics drew 13.
Nine December days that change the game: GX arrives, Hyper Rare arrives, and the box goes from 20 packs to 30. Sixty numbered cards, six full-art (061–066), four Hyper Rare (067–070) and three gold (071–073) — the widest secret band this archive has recorded for a single expansion. 040 Solgaleo-GX is the tallest card of the year at 250 HP, with Ultra Road switching the Active for free every turn and Sunsteel Strike for 230. Every GX card prints たね in the stage box — they are Basic Pokémon, they evolve from nothing, and the GX attack is a once-per-game move printed on the card. 016 Lapras-GX, 024 Espeon-GX and 050 Gumshoos-GX fill out the set, and 071 Ultra Ball, 072 Rotom Dex and 073 Metal Energy are the three gold cards — the first time a basic Energy card has been printed gold. All 73 cards wait for English: Sun & Moon, 3 February 2017.
8 cards · listed in original order.
Caterpie, 50 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — Nap heals 20 off itself, Gnaw is 20. Kanako Eo.
Metapod, 80 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Iron Defense prevents all damage to it next turn on heads, Bug Bite is 40. Yuka Morii.
Butterfree, 130 HP, Grass, Stage 2, retreat 1 — Psy Bolt is 30 and Paralyses on heads, Whirlwind is 80 and forces the opponent to switch. A 130 HP Stage 2 with a retreat of one that does both a lock and a Gust. chibi.
Paras, 60 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — one attack, Scratch, 30 for two. Ayaka Yoshida.
Parasect, 110 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Fury Cutter is 10 and adds 20, 60 or 120 depending on how many of three coins come up heads, Mushroom Drain is 70 and heals 30. The only attack in the set with four possible outcomes on three coins. Eri Yamaki.
Bounsweet, 60 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — Sweet Scent heals 30 off any of your Pokémon for one Grass, Splash is 10. Akira Komayama.
Steenee, 90 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Sweet Scent heals 30, Stomp is 20 and 20 more on heads. Mizue.
Ability Queenly Majesty
Tsareena, 140 HP, Grass, Stage 2, retreat 2 — Trop Kick is 80 and heals 20 and clears every Special Condition off itself, and the Ability Queenly Majesty forces the opponent to reveal their hand and then discards a card from it the moment Tsareena evolves. Hand disruption attached to an evolution, not an attack. Shin Nagasawa.
3 cards · listed in original order.
Growlithe, 80 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 2 — one attack, Take Down, 60 and 20 on itself. MAHOU.
Arcanine, 130 HP, Fire, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Searing Flame is 60 and Burns the opponent's Active, Firestorm is 190 for four and discards three Fire Energy. The highest number on a non-GX card in this pack, at the cost of three Energy. kodama.
Torkoal, 110 HP, Fire, Basic, retreat 3 — Singe Burns for one Fire with no damage, Body Slam is 50 and Paralyses on heads. sui.
11 cards · listed in original order.
Psyduck, 70 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 2 — Confusion Wave Confuses both Active Pokémon at once for one Colourless. Shibuzoh.
Golduck, 90 HP, Water, Stage 1, free retreat — Scratch is 20, Double Jet is 60 for each Water Energy you discard from hand, up to two. 120 damage for one Water with a free retreat behind it. Hasuno.
Shellder, 60 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 2 — one attack, Tackle, 10 for one Colourless. Midori Harada.
Cloyster, 120 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Headlock is 30 and either 30 more or a Paralysis on the coin, Guard Press is 80 and reduces damage to it by 20 next turn. Yoshinobu Saito.
Lapras-GX, 190 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 2 — Collect draws three cards for one Water, Blizzard Burn is 160 and shuts off its own next turn, and Ice Beam GX is 100 and Paralyses with no way back: a GX attack may only be used once per game across your whole side, which is the rule every GX card is built around. The first GX card in the pack, and the one that shows what the mechanic is for: a 190 HP Basic that draws, hits for 160, and then ends a turn with the GX. 5ban Graphics.
Ability Cowardice
Wishiwashi, 30 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 1 — Water Gun is 10, and the Ability Cowardice returns it and everything attached to it to your hand, though not on your first turn or the turn it was played. Thirty HP that cannot be Knocked Out on purpose, because it leaves before the attack lands. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Dewpider, 60 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 1 — Bubble is 10 and Paralyses on heads. Kagemaru Himeno.
Ability Water Bubble
Araquanid, 100 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Aqua Edge is 70, and the Ability Water Bubble prevents all damage done to it by Fire Pokémon. The only card in the set with a type-wide immunity, and the answer to the pack's own Arcanine. match.
Ability Innards Out
Pyukumuku, 60 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 1 — Continuous Tumble is 30 per heads until tails, and the Ability Innards Out puts six damage counters on the Attacker if Pyukumuku is Knocked Out by an attack. Sixty HP that takes 60 with it. You Iribi.
Lapras-GX, full-art, 190 HP, Water, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 2 — the same card as 016, same Collect, same Blizzard Burn for 160 and same Ice Beam GX that Paralyses. Numbered 061 against a printed total of 060. 5ban Graphics.
English scan
Lapras-GX, Hyper Rare, 190 HP, Water, Basic, hyper rare (HR), retreat 2 — the same card as 016 and 061, in the rainbow-foil treatment that is new to 2016 and sits above the gold card rather than below it. Same Collect, same Blizzard Burn, same Ice Beam GX. 5ban Graphics.
10 cards · listed in original order.
Zubat, 50 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Astonish picks a random card out of the opponent's hand, reveals it and shuffles it back into their deck. Satoshi Shirai.
Golbat, 80 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, free retreat — Super Poison Breath Poisons with no damage and no coin, Acrobatics is 10 and 20 more per heads. Masakazu Fukuda.
Crobat, 130 HP, Psychic, Stage 2, free retreat — Triple Poison Poisons and puts three damage counters a turn instead of one, Surprise Strike is 60 and 60 more if it came off the Bench this turn. A free-retreat Stage 2 that poisons for 30 a turn. DemizuPosuka.
Espeon-GX, 200 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Psybeam is 30 and Confuses, Psychic is 60 and 30 more for every Energy on the opponent's Active, and Divide GX places ten damage counters wherever you like, spread across the whole board however you want. The GX that does not attack but rearranges the game, and the one every deck has to plan around for a single turn. 5ban Graphics.
Mareanie, 60 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Poison Sting Poisons for one Psychic with no damage. match.
Ability Toxic Spikes
Toxapex, 110 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Venoshock is 50 and 50 more against a Poisoned target, and the Ability Toxic Spikes Poisons whatever the opponent switches in when their Active retreats. A card that punishes the switch cards printed later in the same pack. Mitsuhiro Arita.
Cosmog, 60 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Dust Gathering draws a card for one Colourless and does nothing else. The bottom of the Solgaleo and Lunala line, and the only card in the set that draws without a cost. Megumi Mizutani.
Cosmoem, 90 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Teleport switches itself out for one Colourless. A Stage 1 whose only job is to leave. Sanosuke Sakuma.
Espeon-GX, full-art, 200 HP, Psychic, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 1 — the same card as 024, same Divide GX that places ten damage counters wherever you like. 5ban Graphics.
English scan
Espeon-GX, Hyper Rare, 200 HP, Psychic, Basic, hyper rare (HR), retreat 1 — the same card as 024, same Divide GX. Hyper Rare is the fourth secret tier invented in this pack, and it is a GX card every time: eight of them exist in 2016, four in this pack and four in the other. 5ban Graphics.
3 cards · listed in original order.
Makuhita, 80 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 2 — Surprise Attack is 20 and nothing on tails, Strength is 40. Mina Nakai.
Hariyama, 130 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, retreat 4 — Push Out is 60 and forces the opponent to switch, Megaton Slap Push is 130 for four. A retreat-four Stage 1 that pushes the opponent around, which pairs directly with Toxapex's Toxic Spikes. Miki Tanaka.
Passimian, 110 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 1 — Fling does 30 to a Benched Pokémon for one Fighting, Team Play is 10 and 30 more for every Passimian on your Bench. A Basic that plays the snipe role and then scales off copies of itself. Naoki Saito.
5 cards · listed in original order.
Alolan Meowth, 70 HP, Darkness, Basic, retreat 1 — Fury Swipes is 10 per heads on three coins. The Alolan form, printed here for the first time, and the attack is shown on this page without an Energy cost because the source listing gives none — the same gap affects four other Alolan cards in the two December packs. Kagemaru Himeno.
Alolan Persian, 90 HP, Darkness, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Taunt drags one of the opponent's Benched Pokémon up for one Darkness, Claw Rend is 30 and 30 more if the target already has damage on it. Its second attack is also shown without an Energy cost for the same reason. kirisAki.
Sandile, 70 HP, Darkness, Basic, retreat 2 — Gnaw is 20, Crunch is 30 and discards an Energy on heads. Atsuko Nishida.
Krokorok, 90 HP, Darkness, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Knock Off is 20 and discards a random card out of the opponent's hand, Darkness Fang is 60. kawayoo.
Krookodile, 150 HP, Darkness, Stage 2, retreat 3 — False Accusation is 20 and 20 more for every card in the opponent's hand, Obsidian Fang is 120 and strips every Pokémon Tool off the target before the damage. 150 HP and a Stage 2 that punishes a full hand. Hajime Kusajima.
6 cards · listed in original order.
Alolan Diglett, 50 HP, Metal, Basic, retreat 1 — Spelunk looks at the top three cards of the deck and reorders them, Mud-Slap is 10. The third card in the December pairs whose second attack carries no Energy cost in the source listing. Megumi Mizutani.
Ability Tangling Hair
Alolan Dugtrio, 100 HP, Metal, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Dig Under does 50 to any one of the opponent's Pokémon with Weakness and Resistance ignored, and the Ability Tangling Hair adds one Colourless to the opponent's Active Pokémon's Retreat Cost. A Stage 1 that taxes every switch the opponent makes, which is the third card in the set working that angle. match.
Skarmory, 110 HP, Metal, Basic, retreat 1 — Metallic Sound discards every Special Energy card from every Pokémon in play, both sides, and Aerial Ace is 60 and 30 more on heads. The only card in the set that strips Special Energy from the whole board, Double Colourless included. Anesaki Dynamic.
Ability Ultra Road
Solgaleo-GX, 250 HP, Metal, Basic, retreat 3 — Sunsteel Strike is 230 damage for two Metal and a Colourless, and discards every Energy on it, the Ability Ultra Road switches your Active for a Benched Pokémon free, every single turn, and Sol Burst GX searches five Energy cards out of the deck and attaches them however you like. The tallest card printed in 2016 at 250 HP, and the one that pays for its own attack: Ultra Road moves it out after Sunsteel Strike empties it, and Sol Burst GX refills the board. PLANETA.
Ability Ultra Road
Solgaleo-GX, full-art, 250 HP, Metal, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 3 — the same card as 040, same Sunsteel Strike for 230 that empties itself, same Ability Ultra Road, same Sol Burst GX that attaches five Energy. 5ban Graphics.
English scan
Ability Ultra Road
Solgaleo-GX, Hyper Rare, 250 HP, Metal, Basic, hyper rare (HR), retreat 3 — the same card as 040, same Sunsteel Strike for 230 and same Sol Burst GX. The most valuable card in the pack by a distance, and the one that sets the ceiling for the year at 250 HP. 5ban Graphics.
2 cards · listed in original order.
Cutiefly, 30 HP, Fairy, Basic, retreat 1 — Fly Around is 10 and makes the opponent flip to damage it next turn. Thirty HP with a coin-flip shield. Hitoshi Ariga.
Ability Curative Pollen
Ribombee, 60 HP, Fairy, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Fairy Wind is 30, and the Ability Curative Pollen heals 20 off any of your Pokémon once a turn. Shin Nagasawa.
12 cards · listed in original order.
Kangaskhan, 130 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 3 — Cross-Cut is 30 and 30 more against an Evolution Pokémon, Hurricane Punch is 50 per heads on four coins. TOKIYA.
Ability Energy Evolution
Eevee, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 2 — Quick Draw draws a card on heads, and the Ability Energy Evolution searches the deck for an evolution of Eevee that matches the type of the basic Energy you just attached to it. One Eevee that can become any of the eight, decided by what you attach. Shibuzoh.
Spinda, 80 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Teeter Punch is 30 and Confuses. Shigenori Negishi.
Lillipup, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Work Up adds 20 to its own attacks next turn, Bite is 20. MAHOU.
Ability Treasure Hunt
Herdier, 90 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Bite is 50, and the Ability Treasure Hunt takes an Item card out of the discard pile into hand the moment it evolves. sui.
Stoutland, 150 HP, Colourless, Stage 2, retreat 3 — Ferocious Bellow is 50 and makes the Defending Pokémon's attacks do 50 less next turn, Hammer In is 120. A 150 HP Stage 2 that both attacks and defuses the answer. Kagemaru Himeno.
Yungoos, 70 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Tackle is 10, Bite is 20. match.
Ability Search the Premises
Gumshoos-GX, 210 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 2 — Headbutt Bounce is 100, the Ability Search the Premises makes the opponent reveal their hand every turn, and Gumshoe Chance GX is 10 plus 50 for every Energy on the opponent's Active. A 210 HP Basic whose GX attack is written to be used on the one turn the opponent has committed everything. 5ban Graphics.
Stufful, 70 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 2 — one attack, Tackle, 30 for two. Sanosuke Sakuma.
Bewear, 130 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Bear Hug is 40 and stops the Defending Pokémon retreating, Superpower is 80 and can be pushed to 120 for 20 on itself. kirisAki.
Ability Search the Premises
Gumshoos-GX, full-art, 210 HP, Colourless, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 2 — the same card as 050, same Search the Premises and same Gumshoe Chance GX. 5ban Graphics.
English scan
Ability Search the Premises
Gumshoos-GX, Hyper Rare, 210 HP, Colourless, Basic, hyper rare (HR), retreat 2 — the same card as 050, same Gumshoe Chance GX. The only Hyper Rare in 2016 that is not a box-cover Pokémon, which is why it is the cheapest of the eight. 5ban Graphics.
11 cards · listed in original order.
Flip a coin. If heads, discard an Energy from 1 of your opponent’s Pokémon.
Crushing Hammer, Item — flip a coin and discard an Energy off one of the opponent's Pokémon on heads. The cheapest Energy denial in the pack, and the one that makes a coin flip into a tempo swing. Yoshinobu Saito.
Flip 2 coins. For each heads, search your deck for an Evolution Pokémon, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck.
Timer Ball, Item — flip two coins and search an Evolution Pokémon into hand per heads. Two evolutions in one Item on a double heads, which is the card every Stage 2 deck is built around in this format. Toyste Beach.
Your opponent switches their Active Pokémon with 1 of their Benched Pokémon.
Repel, Item — forces the opponent to switch their Active for a Benched Pokémon, with no coin and no condition. A Gust that does not need a Supporter, and the card that makes Toxapex's Toxic Spikes and Alolan Dugtrio's Tangling Hair matter. Yoshinobu Saito.
After counting your Prize cards, shuffle them into your deck. Then, take that many cards from the top of your deck and put them face down as your Prize cards.
Rotom Dex, Item — shuffle your Prize cards back into the deck and take the same number of new ones face down. The only card in the set that redraws your Prizes, and the answer to a Prize layout with the one card you need stuck in it. 5ban Graphics.
When your Active Pokémon is Knocked Out by damage from an opponent’s attack, you may move 1 basic Energy card from that Pokémon to the Pokémon this card is attached to.
Exp. Share, Pokémon Tool — when your Active is Knocked Out by an attack, move one basic Energy off it onto the Pokémon this card is attached to. A Tool that survives the Knock Out and keeps the Energy in play. Toyste Beach.
Each player shuffles their hand into their deck and flips a coin. If heads, that player draws 6 cards. If tails, they draw 3 cards.
Ilima, Supporter — both players shuffle their hand away and flip a coin: heads draws six, tails draws three. The only Supporter in the set that can leave you with three cards while the opponent draws six, and the one card in 2016 whose text is the same for both players. Ken Sugimori.
Draw 2 cards. During this turn, your Pokémon’s attacks do 20 more damage to your opponent’s Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance).
Professor Kukui, Supporter — draw two cards and every attack you make this turn does 20 more damage. Two cards and a damage buff in one Supporter, which is why it shows up in decks with no interest in Professor Kukui as a character. Ken Sugimori.
English scan
Each player shuffles their hand into their deck and flips a coin. If heads, that player draws 6 cards. If tails, they draw 3 cards.
Ilima, full-art, Supporter, super rare (SR) — the same card as 058, same coin-flip hand reset, redrawn by Sanosuke Sakuma from Ken Sugimori's ordinary print. The two December packs do the same thing to Ilima and to Team Skull Grunt, so both Supporters change artist between the ordinary print and the full-art. Sanosuke Sakuma.
English scan
Draw 2 cards. During this turn, your Pokémon’s attacks do 20 more damage to your opponent’s Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance).
Professor Kukui, full-art, Supporter, super rare (SR) — the same card as 059, same draw two and 20 damage, redrawn by Megumi Mizutani. Megumi Mizutani.
Discard 2 cards from your hand. If you do, search your deck for a Pokémon, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck.
Ultra Ball, gold, Item, ultra rare (UR) — discard two cards from hand and search any Pokémon into hand. This card appears in the set only as a gold card: there is no ordinary or full-art printing of Ultra Ball in either December pack, so the only way to own one in 2016 is to pull the secret. The single most played Item in the game, priced accordingly. Ryo Ueda.
English scan
After counting your Prize cards, shuffle them into your deck. Then, take that many cards from the top of your deck and put them face down as your Prize cards.
Rotom Dex, gold, Item, ultra rare (UR) — the same card as 056, same effect: shuffle your Prizes back in and take the same number of new ones. The only Item in the pack printed at two rarities, ordinary at 056 and gold here. 5ban Graphics.
2 cards · listed in original order.
Double Colorless Energy provides ColorlessColorless Energy.
Double Colorless Energy, Special Energy — provides two Colourless and counts as one Energy card. Printed in both December packs, and the reason a GX attack costing two Colourless plus one typed Energy is affordable on the turn after it lands. No illustrator: Energy cards in this set carry none.
Metal Energy, gold, basic Energy, ultra rare (UR) — the first gold basic Energy card ever printed. It provides one Metal Energy and does nothing else, and the fact that it is a secret card at all is the point: from here on, a basic Energy can be the rarest card in a set. No illustrator: basic Energy cards carry none, gold or not.
The other half of the first Sun & Moon set. Sixty numbered cards at 001/060–060/060, then six full-art cards at 061–066, four Hyper Rare cards at 067–070 and three gold cards at 071–073, making 73. The faces are Lunala-GX at 028, 250 HP and Lurantis-GX at 006. The Alolan forms here are Grimer, Muk, Rattata and Raticate, and Tauros-GX at 047 is the odd one out with three separate attacks. BREAK ends with this pair of sets — it started in September 2015, ran through the 20th Anniversary set in September 2016, and SM1 contains not one BREAK card. Thirty packs to a box. English folds this into Sun & Moon on 3 February 2017, 172 cards. These 146 cards (73 plus 73) did not exist in English during 2016 — the same year-end gap as XY9 in 2015.162 yen is tax-inclusive (150 yen plus 8%). Seal ratios were never published and are not quoted here.
2016-12-09. 73 cards — 60 Pokémon, 11 Trainers and 2 Energy, 12 of them GX; 29 commons, 19 uncommons, 8 rares, 4 Double Rares, 6 full-art cards, 3 gold cards, 4 Hyper Rares; 10 Grass, 10 Colourless, 9 Psychic, 8 Water, 7 Darkness, 6 Fighting, 5 Lightning, 3 Dragon and 2 Fairy; 42 artists worked on it and 5ban Graphics drew 12.
The other half of 9 December, and the half with the 250 HP Psychic card. Sixty numbered, six full-art (061–066), four Hyper Rare (067–070) and three gold (071–073). 028 Lunala-GX is 250 HP with Psychic Transfer, which moves a Psychic Energy around your board as often as you like in a turn, Moongeist Beam for 120 stops the Defending Pokémon being healed next turn, and Lunar Fall GX Knocks Out one of the opponent's Basic Pokémon outright if it is not a GX — no damage, no coin, no HP check. 006 Lurantis-GX, 037 Umbreon-GX and 047 Tauros-GX complete the eight GX names of the year. 071 Nest Ball, 072 Switch and 073 Psychic Energy are the gold cards, and 060 Rainbow Energy returns as the set's only Special Energy. 066 Lillie and 065 Team Skull Grunt are the year's last two Supporters. All 73 cards wait for English: Sun & Moon, 3 February 2017.
10 cards · listed in original order.
Pinsir, 110 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 2 — Roof Fling puts the opponent's Active Pokémon and every card attached to it back into their hand on heads, for two Colourless, and Guillotine is 50. No damage, no HP check, no Knock Out: the only card in 2016 that removes a body from the board by picking it up, and it undoes a Mega Evolution, a Spirit Link and three turns of Energy at once. DemizuPosuka.
Surskit, 50 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — Quick Attack is 10 and 10 more on heads. Kyoko Umemoto.
Masquerain, 90 HP, Grass, Stage 1, free retreat — Struggle Bug is 30 and moves an Energy off the opponent's Active onto their Bench. A free-retreat Stage 1 that takes Energy off the card it just hit. miki kudo.
Grubbin, 70 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 2 — one attack, Vice Grip, 20 for two. Akira Komayama.
Fomantis, 60 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — Synthesis attaches a Grass Energy off the deck to any of your Pokémon, Leafage is 20. Kagemaru Himeno.
Lurantis-GX, 210 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 2 — Flower Supply is 40 and attaches two basic Energy out of the discard pile however you like, Solar Blade is 120 and heals 30, and Chloroscythe GX is 50 for every Grass Energy on it. Three attacks and one GX among them, on a 210 HP Basic: reload, attack, then convert the whole board of Energy into one number. 5ban Graphics.
Morelull, 60 HP, Grass, Basic, retreat 1 — Flickering Spores puts the opponent's Active to Sleep for one Colourless, Ram is 10. Saya Tsuruta.
Ability Illuminate
Shiinotic, 100 HP, Grass, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Flickering Spores is 30 and puts the Active to Sleep, and the Ability Illuminate searches any Grass Pokémon into hand once a turn. A Stage 1 that both locks the Active and rebuilds the Bench. Mizue.
Lurantis-GX, full-art, 210 HP, Grass, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 2 — the same card as 006, same Flower Supply, same Solar Blade and same Chloroscythe GX that scales off Grass Energy. 5ban Graphics.
English scan
Lurantis-GX, Hyper Rare, 210 HP, Grass, Basic, hyper rare (HR), retreat 2 — the same card as 006, in the rainbow-foil treatment introduced in this pair of packs. Same three attacks, same Chloroscythe GX. 5ban Graphics.
8 cards · listed in original order.
Poliwag, 60 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 1 — Water Gun is 10, Hydro Pump is 30 and 10 more for every Water Energy on it. Asako Ito.
Poliwhirl, 90 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Double Slap is 30 per heads on two coins, Wave Splash is 60. Atsuko Nishida.
Poliwrath, 150 HP, Water, Stage 2, retreat 3 — Split Spiral Punch is 30 and Confuses, Wake-Up Slap is 80 and 80 more if the target already has a Special Condition, then removes every Special Condition from it. The only attack in the set that needs a status condition and then spends it. Midori Harada.
Corsola, 80 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 1 — Call for Family puts two Basic Pokémon onto the Bench off the deck, Surf is 60. Satoshi Shirai.
Wingull, 60 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 1 — Roost heals 30 and stops it retreating next turn. One attack, and the drawback is written into the same sentence. Aya Kusube.
Pelipper, 100 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Courier takes one of your Benched Pokémon and everything attached to it back into hand, Fly is 60 and either does nothing or blanks every effect of the next attack on it. A card that saves a damaged body and then hides behind a coin. Sumiyoshi Kizuki.
Crabominable, 140 HP, Water, Stage 1, retreat 4 — Avalanche is 80 and puts 10 on every Benched Pokémon, Ice Hammer is 140 for four. 140 damage on a Stage 1 with a retreat of four, which is the same trade M Steelix-EX makes. TOKIYA.
Bruxish, 110 HP, Water, Basic, retreat 2 — Vivid Charge searches three basic Energy cards into hand, Psychic Fangs is 90 and its damage ignores every effect on the opponent's Active Pokémon. A 110 HP Basic that both loads the hand and hits through damage reduction. Mizue.
5 cards · listed in original order.
Chinchou, 70 HP, Lightning, Basic, retreat 1 — Searching Light looks at one of your own face-down Prize cards. The cheapest information card in either December pack, and the answer to a Prize layout you cannot read. Ayaka Yoshida.
Lanturn, 110 HP, Lightning, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Confuse Ray Confuses with no damage, Aqua Spark is 60 and 60 more if it has any Water Energy attached. A Lightning card that wants Water Energy, which is the oddest type pairing in the set. Masakazu Fukuda.
Charjabug, 90 HP, Lightning, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Shocking Jaws is 20 and Paralyses on heads, Electric Ball is 50. Naoki Saito.
Ability Strong Charge
Vikavolt, 150 HP, Lightning, Stage 2, retreat 3 — Electro Cannon is 150 and discards three Energy, and the Ability Strong Charge searches a Grass Energy and a Fire Energy out of the deck and attaches both every turn. A Stage 2 that accelerates two different types at once, which is how a 150-damage attack gets paid for. Hitoshi Ariga.
Togedemaru, 70 HP, Lightning, Basic, retreat 1 — Defense Curl prevents all damage to it next turn on heads, Discharge is 30 for every Lightning Energy you discard off it. Megumi Mizutani.
9 cards · listed in original order.
Alolan Grimer, 80 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 3 — Super Poison Breath Poisons on heads for three, Pound is 40. The fourth card in the December pairs whose second attack carries no Energy cost in the source listing. Naoki Saito.
Ability Power of Alchemy
Alolan Muk, 120 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, retreat 4 — Crunch is 90 and discards an Energy on heads, and the Ability Power of Alchemy switches off the Abilities of every Basic Pokémon in play, in both players' hands and in both discard piles. Not one Pokémon — every Basic, everywhere, including the ones not yet played. The strongest Ability lock printed in 2016, and the reason a Stage 1 with a retreat of four is worth building a deck around. Hitoshi Ariga.
Drowzee, 70 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 2 — Psychic Boom is 10 for every Energy on the opponent's Active, Headbutt is 20. Suwama Chiaki.
Hypno, 110 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Meditate is 20 and 10 more per damage counter on the opponent's Active, Hypnoblast is 70 and puts the Active to Sleep. OOYAMA.
Cosmog, 60 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 1 — Dust Gathering draws a card for one Colourless. The Lunala line starts here, and the same card starts the Solgaleo line in the other pack. Megumi Mizutani.
Cosmoem, 90 HP, Psychic, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Teleport switches itself out. The middle stage that only exists to be evolved past. Sanosuke Sakuma.
Ability Psychic Transfer
Lunala-GX, 250 HP, Psychic, Basic, retreat 2 — Moongeist Beam is 120 for four Psychic and stops the Defending Pokémon being healed next turn, the Ability Psychic Transfer moves a Psychic Energy anywhere on your board as often as you like in a turn, and Lunar Fall GX Knocks Out one of the opponent's Basic Pokémon outright if it is not a GX. No damage, no coin, no HP check: the GX attack simply removes a Basic, which is the only Knock Out in 2016 that does not care how big the target is. 250 HP, level with Solgaleo-GX as the tallest card of the year. PLANETA.
Ability Psychic Transfer
Lunala-GX, full-art, 250 HP, Psychic, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 2 — the same card as 028, same Moongeist Beam that stops healing, same Ability Psychic Transfer and same Lunar Fall GX that Knocks Out a non-GX Basic outright. 5ban Graphics.
English scan
Ability Psychic Transfer
Lunala-GX, Hyper Rare, 250 HP, Psychic, Basic, hyper rare (HR), retreat 2 — the same card as 028, same Moongeist Beam and same Lunar Fall GX. One of the eight Hyper Rare cards printed in 2016, and half of the pair that sets the year's ceiling at 250 HP. 5ban Graphics.
6 cards · listed in original order.
Roggenrola, 70 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 3 — Smack Down is 20 and 50 more if the opponent's Active has Fighting Resistance. Kanako Eo.
Boldore, 110 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, retreat 4 — Headbutt is 30, Rock Hurl is 50 and ignores Resistance. Shigenori Negishi.
Gigalith, 160 HP, Fighting, Stage 2, retreat 4 — Rock Artillery is 50 for every Fighting Energy you discard off any of your Pokémon, Rock Tumble is 120 and ignores Resistance. A 160 HP Stage 2 whose cheap attack reads your whole board of Energy. Eske Yoshinob.
Crabrawler, 80 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 2 — Punch is 20, Crabhammer is 40. Shin Nagasawa.
Sandygast, 80 HP, Fighting, Basic, retreat 3 — Shore Up attaches a Fighting Energy out of the discard pile, Sand Tomb is 30 and stops the Defending Pokémon retreating. Akira Komayama.
Ability Wall of Sand
Palossand, 130 HP, Fighting, Stage 1, retreat 4 — Absorb Vitality is 50 and heals back exactly what it dealt, and the Ability Wall of Sand reduces every attack on it by 20. A 130 HP Stage 1 that is genuinely hard to finish. Kouki Saitou.
7 cards · listed in original order.
Alolan Rattata, 40 HP, Darkness, Basic, free retreat — one attack, Gnaw, 20. The fifth card in the December pairs whose attack carries no Energy cost in the source listing. Kouki Saitou.
Alolan Raticate, 120 HP, Darkness, Stage 1, retreat 3 — Evil Orders searches a number of cards up to the number of Pokémon on your Bench, Endeavor is 60 and 30 more per heads on two coins. One card that turns the Bench count into a hand size. match.
Umbreon-GX, 200 HP, Darkness, Basic, retreat 2 — Strafe is 30 and lets it switch out, Shadow Bullet is 90 and puts 30 on a Benched Pokémon, and Dark Call GX discards two Energy off the opponent's Pokémon with no coin and no choice for them. The GX that answers an Energy-heavy board, and the third of the eight GX names printed in 2016. 5ban Graphics.
Carvanha, 60 HP, Darkness, Basic, retreat 1 — Gnaw Through strips every Pokémon Tool off the opponent's Active for one Colourless, Bite is 20. Sumiyoshi Kizuki.
Ability Rough Skin
Sharpedo, 110 HP, Darkness, Stage 1, free retreat — Aqua Impact is 60 and 20 more for every Colourless in the opponent's Active Pokémon's Retreat Cost, and the Ability Rough Skin puts three damage counters on the Attacker whenever Sharpedo is damaged, even if it is Knocked Out. A free-retreat Stage 1 whose damage and defence both read the opponent's retreat cost. Yumi.
Umbreon-GX, full-art, 200 HP, Darkness, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 2 — the same card as 037, same Dark Call GX that discards two Energy off the opponent's Pokémon. 5ban Graphics.
English scan
Umbreon-GX, Hyper Rare, 200 HP, Darkness, Basic, hyper rare (HR), retreat 2 — the same card as 037, same Dark Call GX. 5ban Graphics.
3 cards · listed in original order.
Dratini, 60 HP, Dragon, Basic, retreat 2 — Signs of Evolution searches a Dratini, a Dragonair and a Dragonite all at once and puts all three into hand, Tail Smack is 10. The only card in 2016 that fetches a complete three-stage line in a single attack, and it costs one Grass Energy. Naoyo Kimura.
Dragonair, 90 HP, Dragon, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Dragon’s Wish means next turn you may attach any number of Energy cards from your hand to your Pokémon, Tail Smack is 60 for three different types. The setup that makes a 160 HP Stage 2 playable. hatachu.
Dragonite, 160 HP, Dragon, Stage 2, retreat 4 — Dragon Wave is 130 and discards a Grass and a Lightning Energy, Giant Tail is 200 damage for five Colourless and nothing at all on tails. The 1996-style gamble, on a 160 HP Stage 2, in the set that also reprints the 1996 gamble on Gyarados. Hiroyuki Yamamoto.
2 cards · listed in original order.
Snubbull, 70 HP, Fairy, Basic, retreat 1 — Reckless Charge is 20 and 10 on itself on tails. Tomokazu Komiya.
Granbull, 110 HP, Fairy, Stage 1, retreat 2 — Dark Clamp is 30 and stops the Defending Pokémon retreating, Fight Back is 50 and 80 more if Granbull already has damage on it. Suwama Chiaki.
10 cards · listed in original order.
Spearow, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Peck Bugs is 10 and 30 more against a Grass Pokémon. Yukiko Baba.
Fearow, 90 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Devastating Wind shuffles the opponent's hand into their deck and makes them draw three, Slashing Strike is 60 and cannot be used twice running. Hand disruption that also removes what they had. Hideki Ishikawa.
Tauros-GX, 180 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 3 — Rage is 20 and 10 more per damage counter on it, Horn Attack is 60, and Mad Bull GX is 30 for every damage counter on Tauros itself. The only GX card in 2016 whose GX attack gets bigger the more it has been hurt, which makes it the one GX you want to leave damaged. 5ban Graphics.
Ability Energy Evolution
Eevee, 60 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 2 — Quick Draw draws a card on heads, and the Ability Energy Evolution searches for an evolution of Eevee matching the type of the basic Energy just attached. The same card as 044 in the other pack, printed in both. Shibuzoh.
Pikipek, 50 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Rock Smash is 10 and 10 more on heads. Shin Nagasawa.
Trumbeak, 80 HP, Colourless, Stage 1, retreat 1 — Bullet Seed is 20 per heads on four coins. Kouki Saitou.
Toucannon, 140 HP, Colourless, Stage 2, retreat 2 — Echoed Voice is 60 and adds 60 to itself next turn, Beak Blast is 100 and Burns on heads. Megumi Mizutani.
Ability Instruct
Oranguru, 120 HP, Colourless, Basic, retreat 1 — Psychic is 60 and 20 more for every Energy on the opponent's Active, and the Ability Instruct draws you up to three cards once a turn. A 120 HP Basic with a free draw engine attached, and the only card in either December pack that draws every single turn. Mitsuhiro Arita.
English scan
Tauros-GX, full-art, 180 HP, Colourless, Basic, super rare (SR), retreat 3 — the same card as 047, same Mad Bull GX that scales off the damage on Tauros itself. 5ban Graphics.
English scan
Tauros-GX, Hyper Rare, 180 HP, Colourless, Basic, hyper rare (HR), retreat 3 — the same card as 047, same Mad Bull GX. The lowest-HP Hyper Rare of the eight, and the only one whose GX attack is better the worse the card is doing. 5ban Graphics.
11 cards · listed in original order.
Put 2 basic Energy cards from your discard pile into your hand.
Energy Retrieval, Item — two basic Energy out of the discard pile into hand. The same card as 072 in the anniversary set, printed two months apart. Toyste Beach.
Heal 20 damage and remove a Special Condition from your Active Pokémon.
Big Malasada, Item — heal 20 and remove a Special Condition from your Active at the same time. The only Item in the pack that does both in one card. 5ban Graphics.
Search your deck for a Basic Pokémon and put it onto your Bench. Then, shuffle your deck.
Nest Ball, Item — search a Basic Pokémon straight onto the Bench. Not into hand, onto the Bench, which is why it is the setup card of the whole format and why its gold printing at 071 is the most expensive Item in the set. Toyste Beach.
Switch your Active Pokémon with 1 of your Benched Pokémon.
Switch, Item — swap your Active with a Benched Pokémon. The most reprinted card in the game, and in a pack built on pull-and-pin attacks it is the card that undoes all of them. Ryo Ueda.
If the Pokémon this card is attached to is your Active Pokémon and is damaged by an opponent’s attack (even if this Pokémon is Knocked Out), the Attacking Pokémon is now Poisoned.
Poison Barb, Pokémon Tool — when the holder is damaged by an attack, the Attacker is Poisoned, even if the holder is Knocked Out. A Tool that keeps working after the Pokémon it was attached to is gone. Toyste Beach.
Your opponent reveals their hand. Discard 2 Energy cards from it.
Team Skull Grunt, Supporter — the opponent reveals their hand and you discard two Energy cards from it. Not random, not one: two named Energy out of a revealed hand, which is the hardest hand attack printed in 2016. Ken Sugimori.
Draw cards until you have 6 cards in your hand. If it’s your first turn, draw cards until you have 8 cards in your hand.
Lillie, Supporter — draw until you have six cards, or eight on your first turn. A hand refill with a better rate on turn one, which makes it the card every deck plays four of in the first weeks of the format. Ken Sugimori.
English scan
Your opponent reveals their hand. Discard 2 Energy cards from it.
Team Skull Grunt, full-art, Supporter, super rare (SR) — the same card as 058, same effect: reveal the hand and discard two Energy from it, redrawn by Sanosuke Sakuma from Ken Sugimori's ordinary print — Ilima in the other December pack gets exactly the same treatment. Sanosuke Sakuma.
English scan
Draw cards until you have 6 cards in your hand. If it’s your first turn, draw cards until you have 8 cards in your hand.
Lillie, full-art, Supporter, super rare (SR) — the same card as 059, same draw to six, or eight on turn one. Megumi Mizutani.
English scan
Search your deck for a Basic Pokémon and put it onto your Bench. Then, shuffle your deck.
Nest Ball, gold, Item, ultra rare (UR) — the same card as 055, and like Ultra Ball in the other pack it exists only as a secret: there is no ordinary or full-art Nest Ball in either December pack. Search a Basic straight onto the Bench, at the highest rarity an Item reached in 2016. Toyste Beach.
English scan
Switch your Active Pokémon with 1 of your Benched Pokémon.
Switch, gold, Item, ultra rare (UR) — the same card as 056, same effect. The most reprinted card in the game, printed gold in the same set that prints it ordinary, which is the clearest statement of how 2016 handles its secret slots. Ryo Ueda.
2 cards · listed in original order.
This card provides Colorless Energy. While in play, this card provides every type of Energy but provides only 1 Energy at a time. When you attach this card from your hand to 1 of your Pokémon, put 1 damage counter on that Pokémon.
Rainbow Energy, Special Energy — provides every type of Energy, one at a time, and puts a damage counter on the Pokémon it is attached to. The only Special Energy in either December pack that pays for itself in damage, which is why Pyukumuku's Innards Out and Tauros-GX's Rage both like it. No illustrator: Energy cards in this set carry none.
Psychic Energy, gold, basic Energy, ultra rare (UR) — the second gold basic Energy card ever printed, paired with the Metal Energy in the other pack on the same day. It provides one Psychic Energy and nothing else, and its existence is the point: from December 2016 a basic Energy can be the rarest card in a set. No illustrator: basic Energy cards carry none, gold or not.
Also released this year: English edition.
Sun & Moon (sm1), 172 cards — English's cut of both December packs. All 146 Japanese cards arrive here, eight weeks after Japan, and with them GX reaches English for the first time, Hyper Rare arrives as the rainbow secret, and the box is 30 packs from this day forward. This is the only 2016 Japanese card that English prints in 2017, and it closes the year: after 3 February, every 2016 card that was ever going to cross has crossed — except one.
What 2016 settles is that the card can hold a move you only get once. GX does not add a stage, a type or a body: it adds a single attack with a rule printed on it, usable once per game, and by December that idea is on 24 cards. The ceiling moves for the first time since 2014 — 250 HP — but the more important number is 30, the damage Solgaleo's Sunsteel Strike does twice over. BREAK ends without ceremony: fourteen cards, nothing after 16 September, and no announcement, because GX simply replaces what BREAK was for. Hyper Rare invents a fourth secret tier in a single day — above the gold card, below nothing — and eight cards are printed in it. The anniversary set is the year's other half: a reprint product that puts the 1996 frame back on the table, sells at twice the price for twice the cards, and becomes the only place in 2016 where Charizard does 300 damage. The price does not move — 162 yen for five cards — but the box does, and 30 packs is what every product from here on is built around.
Release dates and product identities are connected to the Japanese edition release register by set code. Sources are printed per product so a reader can check the claim without trusting this page alone. Unmatched products say so instead of borrowing another edition’s citation.
xy10 verified_secondaryxy11b verified_secondaryxy11c verified_secondarycp6 verified_secondarysm1s verified_secondarysm1m verified_secondaryAll 455 cards of the six Japanese releases are listed, and none of them is reconstructed from a list of names. The counts match the card database that holds the Japanese scans: 88 in March, 59 and 59 in June, 103 in September and 73 and 73 in December. 62 of them print past the end of their own set and are shown as printed rather than normalised — every one is a full-art, gold or Hyper Rare card. The anniversary set is the exception and is shown as it was sold: it runs to 103 against a printed total of 87, because 101–103 are the three original joke and story cards and they are numbered there.
The Japanese printing is the first-hand source here. Type, HP, retreat cost, illustrator, every attack with its cost and its text, and the Japanese rules text of every Trainer are read from a Japanese listing of the card. English supplies two things only: the official English card name, and the verdict on whether the English printing is the same card. All 69 Trainers and 5 Energy cards carry the name printed on the Japanese card, and every Pokémon name was read from the card page rather than from a species list, because a card can be printed under a name the Pokédex does not use (メガフーディンEX, イマクニ?のドードー).
GX cards are recorded as Basic Pokémon, because that is what they print. The stage box on a GX card says たね — the same word a starter prints — so ソルガレオGX and ルナアーラGX are listed as Basic and are not derived from the evolution line of the species. This is the single place where 2016 breaks the rule every earlier year on this site follows, and it is a rule the card itself makes: a GX card evolves from nothing and carries a once-per-game attack, so treating it as a Stage 2 would be wrong in every field except the name.
BREAK cards are recorded as their own stage for the last time. A BREAK card is not Basic, Stage 1 or Stage 2: it is laid on top of a card that already evolved, it prints no type and no Retreat Cost, and the Japanese card face writes BREAK進化 where a stage would go. 059 Lugia BREAK is the exception that proves the rule — the Lugia underneath is a Basic, which had never happened before, and the card is listed as BREAK Evolution all the same. No BREAK card is printed after 16 September 2016, so this page closes the mechanic.
The LV in the corner of the anniversary set is not LV.X. Every card in CP6 has たね or 1進化 or 2進化 in the stage box and an LV number in the top-right corner, because that is how the 1996 set was laid out; it is a design quotation, not the LV.X mechanic, and no card in this page is recorded as LV.X. 094 Pikachu-EX is the one card with no English printing at all, and it is left that way rather than matched to a same-species card: English's Evolutions prints 113 cards and this is not among them.
Five cards in the two December packs are shown without an Energy cost on one of their attacks, and that is stated rather than filled in. For アローラ ニャース, アローラ ペルシアン, アローラ ディグダ, アローラ ベトベター and アローラ コラッタ the source listing prints the attack's Energy block completely empty, and the English record of the same cards is empty in the same place, so the page shows the attack name and its damage with no Energy symbols rather than a guessed cost. Every other attack in the year carries its cost on every card.
Six products, 455 cards, 36 Pokémon-EX prints from 17 names, 16 Mega prints from 8, 14 BREAK cards and 24 GX prints from 8, with 42 full-art, 9 gold and 8 Hyper Rare as secrets, and 308 of the 455 printed in English inside the year — with 146 following in February 2017 and 1 never following at all. 2016 is the year the card learns to hold something back: one attack you may use once, printed on the card and spent for the game, and eight rainbow cards that sit above the gold. BREAK ends in September without a farewell and GX takes its place in December. The anniversary set is the year's other centre of gravity — 1996 rebuilt at 324 yen for ten cards, with the original joke cards left exactly where they were. The price holds at 162 yen and the packet holds at five cards, but the box goes from 20 packs to 30, and that single number is what the next three years are built on.