Card Anatomy
Last updated
Last updated
Every Pokémon card contains key information that’s crucial for both gameplay and collecting. Understanding card anatomy will help you better appreciate the strategy behind the Pokémon TCG and the significance of each card in your collection. Let’s break down the major components of a Pokémon card:
Location: Top-left corner of the card.
What It Means: The card name identifies the Pokémon featured on the card. Some cards have special designations such as "EX," "GX," or "VMAX" next to the name, indicating stronger or evolved versions of the Pokémon. For example, Gengar EX or Eevee VMAX. These labels often signify special mechanics within gameplay.
Location: Top-right corner.
What It Means: HP represents the health of the Pokémon. The higher the number, the more damage the Pokémon can take before being knocked out. HP values vary significantly, with basic Pokémon typically having lower HP (as low as 30 HP), while evolved forms, EX, GX, and VMAX Pokémon can reach significantly higher HP values (up to 340 HP).
Location: To the right of the HP, represented by a symbol.
What It Means: Each Pokémon belongs to a specific type (Fire, Water, Grass, etc.), and this type is represented by a small symbol near the HP. There are currently 18 types of Pokémon in the TCG. The type determines which kind of Energy cards are needed to power up attacks and what the Pokémon’s weaknesses or resistances may be. The type also plays into the broader strategy of the game since certain types have advantages or disadvantages in battles with other types.
Location: Center of the card.
What It Means: Pokémon cards feature detailed artwork of the Pokémon itself, which varies depending on the artist and the set. The illustration doesn’t impact gameplay directly, but it’s one of the key attractions for collectors. Some cards, like Full-Art and Alternate-Art cards, extend the artwork to the entire card, making them visually distinct and highly collectible.
Location: Just below the illustration, in the center.
What It Means: Each Pokémon has one or more attacks that can be used in battle. Attacks require specific Energy cards to be used, and their effects are detailed on the card:
Attack Name: The name of the attack is listed, which can be thematic to the Pokémon (e.g., Blastoise might have "Hydro Pump").
Energy Cost: Each attack lists the required amount and type of Energy cards (located next to the attack name). The symbols correspond to different Energy types like Fire, Water, or Electric.
Damage: The number next to the attack’s name shows how much damage the attack deals to the opponent’s Pokémon.
Description: Some attacks have extra effects, such as causing status conditions like Paralyze or Burn, or applying special rules to the game.
In addition to attacks, some Pokémon cards feature Abilities, passive effects that impact gameplay. These abilities often provide ongoing benefits without needing Energy cards to activate them (e.g., Pikachu V may have an ability that allows it to dodge attacks).
Location: Bottom-left corner.
What It Means: These two values determine how vulnerable or resilient a Pokémon is to certain types of attacks:
Weakness: If a Pokémon has a Weakness to a particular type (e.g., a Grass-type Pokémon is weak to Fire-type Pokémon), it will take double the damage when attacked by that type. The Weakness is indicated by a symbol and a multiplier.
Resistance: Resistance works in the opposite way. If a Pokémon is resistant to a certain type, it takes less damage from attacks of that type. Resistance is also shown as a symbol next to the amount of damage reduction.
Location: Bottom-right corner.
What It Means: Retreat Cost refers to how many Energy cards you must discard to retreat a Pokémon from the Active Spot and switch it with one on your Bench. Some Pokémon have no retreat cost, while others (especially larger, more powerful Pokémon) may require multiple Energy cards to retreat.
Location: Bottom left or right of the card.
What It Means: The set symbol indicates which expansion or series the card belongs to (for example, Base Set, Sword & Shield, etc.). Next to the symbol is the card number within the set, shown as “X/Y” (e.g., 45/102). This tells you where the card is located in the series and how many cards are in the set. Cards that are outside the main set, such as promos or special releases, will have unique set symbols.
Prior to 2003, the set symbol and number were sometimes placed on the bottom left of the card, and in the earliest sets, such as Base Set and Jungle, no set symbols were used at all.
Location: Bottom left or right corner, next to the set symbol.
What It Means: The rarity symbol tells you how common or rare the card is:
Circle (●): Common
Diamond (◆): Uncommon
Star (★): Rare
Black Star (★ PROMO): Promotional cards.
Holofoil and Star Variations: Some rare cards feature holographic patterns on the image or background, making them more valuable and visually distinct.
Location: Below the attacks and abilities.
What It Means: This is usually a fun, lore-based description of the Pokémon, often pulled directly from the games’ Pokédex. This text is purely for flavor and has no impact on gameplay but adds a narrative element to the card.
Now that we've taken a close look at the individual parts of a Pokémon card, let's move on to the different types of cards you’ll come across. Each card type, whether it’s a Pokémon, Trainer, or Energy card, serves a specific purpose in both gameplay and collecting. In the next section, we’ll explore these card types and how they fit into the overall Pokémon TCG experience.
