Every Pokemon card prints the same kinds of information in fixed places: the card’s stage, name and HP along the top, attacks in the middle, Weakness, Resistance and Retreat near the bottom, and a line of small codes at the very bottom. Each label below points to its spot on a real card; tap a label to highlight its line.
A modern card: Charizard ex
A Scarlet & Violet era Pokemon ex from Obsidian Flames (2023). Its bottom line holds four codes: regulation mark, set code, number and rarity. Charizard ex 125/197 prices.
Bottom line, zoomed 3.4×
Bottom line, zoomed 3.4×
Tap a label to highlight its line.
Top of the card
Middle
Bottom and codes
A classic card: Base Set Charizard
The 1999 Base Set Charizard, 1st Edition. Older cards put the number at the bottom right and have no set code or regulation mark. Charizard 4/102 prices.
Bottom line, zoomed 2.3×
Bottom line, zoomed 2.3×
Tap a label to highlight its line.
Top of the card
Middle
Bottom and codes
A Trainer card: Arven
Trainer cards have no HP or attacks. The top left names the Trainer type, and the rule for that type is at the bottom. Arven 166/198 prices.
Sun & Moon (2017)Everything moves to the bottom left: set symbol, then the number and rarity. Still no regulation mark.
ArtistMarkSet codeNumberRarity
Scarlet & Violet (2023)Regulation mark, set code with language, three-digit number and rarity. This 199/165 is a secret rare.
Years
Number
Set mark
Regulation mark
1999-2016 (Base Set to XY)
Bottom right, “4/102”
Set symbol (none on Base Set)
None
2017-2019 (Sun & Moon)
Bottom left, “1/149”
Set symbol
None
2020-2023 (Sword & Shield)
Bottom left, “001/202”
Set symbol
D, E or F
2023 on (Scarlet & Violet, Mega Evolution)
Bottom left, “125/197”
Set code and language, “OBF EN”
G, H, I, J
Numbers have three digits from Sword & Shield on. Subsets print their own prefix, like “TG01/TG30” for a Trainer Gallery card, and Black Star Promos print only a number, like “027” or “SWSH001”.
Secret rares
A number above the set total, like 199/165, marks a secret rare: a card numbered past the set’s main list. Scarlet & Violet calls its top tier of these Hyper Rare. The rarity symbol after the number tells you the tier; see rarity symbols explained.
Regulation marks and Standard
Since Sword & Shield (2020), cards print a letter in a small box at the bottom left. Standard tournament legality goes by that letter, not by the set. Since Apr 10, 2026, cards marked H, I and J are legal in Standard and G is not, per Pokemon’s 2026 rotation announcement. A card with an old mark stays legal when the same card has a reprint with a legal mark. Cards before Sword & Shield have no mark. See Standard-legal cards.
Rule boxes and Prize cards
Special Pokemon carry a rule box. Knocking one out gives your opponent more Prize cards:
Kind
Era
Prize cards
Pokemon-EX
Black & White, XY
2
Pokemon-GX
Sun & Moon
2
TAG TEAM
Sun & Moon
3
Pokemon V and VSTAR
Sword & Shield
2
Pokemon VMAX and V-UNION
Sword & Shield
3
Pokemon ex, including Tera
Scarlet & Violet on
2
Mega Evolution Pokemon ex
Mega Evolution
3
Other rule boxes limit a deck: only one ACE SPEC card, and only one Radiant Pokemon. A Tera Pokemon ex takes no damage from attacks while it is on the Bench.
Trainer and Energy cards
Item: play as many as you like in a turn.
Supporter: only one per turn.
Stadium: stays in play; only one Stadium can be in play at a time.
Pokemon Tool: attach it to a Pokemon; each Pokemon can hold one.
Basic Energy pays for attacks, and a deck can hold any number of them. Special Energy has an extra effect printed on the card.
