Venusaur

Why collectors notice it

Venusaur often gets less attention than Charizard, which makes it a useful reminder that a card can be historically important without being the most famous.

It is the reference point for the whole hobby. Nearly every later set is compared with it. Read more about Base Set.

A closer look

Reading this card

This is a Stage 2 card in the Grass type, and it names Ivysaur as the Pokémon beneath it. The Weakness line says Fire. Grass and Fire sit across from each other in the video-game type chart, so the card follows the logic fans already know.

The detail worth slowing down for is the Pokémon Power. It is labeled separately from the attacks, and it moves Grass Energy from one of your Pokémon to another. That makes this card a helper as much as a fighter. Energy is the fuel for attacks, so a card that shifts it around changes which Pokémon can attack.

The rarity marker says Holo Rare. Because Base Set cards have no set symbol, check the card number "out of 102" to confirm the set.

How it compares

Think of Venusaur as the quiet member of a trio. Next to Charizard, it has the same stage, rarity, set and a Pokémon Power. Charizard is Fire with a Water Weakness and a Fighting Resistance, while Venusaur is Grass with a Fire Weakness. In Base Set the three starters were designed to be different from each other, so they do not repeat one another.

For a Trainer-style contrast, see Professor Oak. Oak refreshes a hand, and Venusaur reshapes the board through Energy. Both are support, but one is a Pokémon you evolve and the other is a card you play and discard.

Questions readers ask

What is Energy movement good for?

You attach only one Energy from your hand each turn, so moving Energy already on the table gets it where you need it. That is why the Power counts as utility.

Is a less famous card less important?

No. Importance and fame are different things. This site does not give prices.

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