What is the card text on a Pokemon card?

Answer 1

A PoKéMoN card has many different sections of information. Some sections may vary from card to card as there have been many changes in the past 10 years.

In the TOP LEFT corner...

is the PoKéMoN's name (for instance, Kadabra) and evolution stage information (either Basic Pokémon, or, in this case Evolves from Abra, as well as the previous PoKéMoN's Stage, in this case, Stage 1). The PoKéMoN's Level may also be listed here.

The TOP RIGHT corner...

has the Hit Points or HP, which is the amount of damage the PoKéMoN can take (in this case, Kadabra has 60 HP) and the PoKéMoN's Type (Kadabra's type is Psychic), represented by a small symbol. A PoKéMoN's type can be:

• Fighting - deep red or orange with a fist
• Fire - red or light red with a flame
• Grass - green with a leaf
• Electric - yellow with a lightning bolt
• Psychic - purple with an eye
• Water - blue with a drop of water
• Darkness - black and teal or dark bluewith a sideways crescent moon shape
• Steel - light grey with a triangularshape
• Colourless (which is like Normal) - white with a star

The top right corner of the card may also contain instructions for evolved PoKéMoN such as "Put Kadabra on the Basic PoKéMoN" (which means that Abra must be in play so you can physically put the Kadabra card on top).

*Also note that there are only 9 out of 17 PoKéMoN Typesin the card game (vs. the Video Games) to make it easier. This has been done to PoKéMoN such as Ekans who has had it's type switched from Poison to Grass.

The THE CENTER of the card...

contains, of course, the picture but right underneath it is the PoKéMoN's detailed information. It will have what kind of PoKéMoN it actually is, it's Length or Heightand it's Weight. (Kadabra's says: "Psi Pokémon. Length 4'3", Weight 125 lbs.")

Further BELOW THE PICTURE...

is the PoKéMoN's Moves or Attacks. To the left of the text are smaller Type symbols called Energy. The same number of energy cards must be in play in order for you to use the moves. The text itselfwill provide you with a move that you can use once you have "attached" the correct number of energy cards to your PoKéMoN. If there is a number to the right of the text, this move may damage the opposing PoKéMoN, which will remove the HP that was mentioned before.

(Kadabra's card has 2 Psychic Energies and 1 Colourless energy needed to use Super Psy, which causes 50 damage [so minus 50 HP] to the opposing PoKéMoN.) Also note that if the required energy is COLOURLESS, ANY OF THE 9 energies can be used.

*(Always be sure to read the information that sometimes goes along with the move as it may have further instruction on the move's effect.)

Directly BELOW THE ATTACKS...

Weakness: What types will damage your PoKéMoN more.

• There may be an Energy followed by a + and then a number (in which case you must add that much more damage for any move used on your PoKéMoN that was the same energy).
• There may also be an Energy followed by an X and then a number (in which case you must multiply that much more damage for any move used on your PoKéMoN that was the same energy).

Resistance: What types don't damage your PoKéMoN as much.

• There may be an Energy followed by a - and then a number (in which case you must subtract that much more damage for any move used on your PoKéMoN that was the same energy).

Retreat Cost: how many energy cards you need to discard to remove the PoKéMoN from battle. (Ex. If there are 3 energies attached, you must discard 3 energy cards and then you can take your PoKéMoN out of the battle.)

Near the BOTTOM OF THE CARD...

Is sometimes "Flavour Text". It gives a fun factabout the PoKéMoN, it's Level (if it is not in the top left corner) and it's PoKéDex number.

The FINE PRINT on the very bottom of the card...

Is copyright and series information. There may also be the name of the artist that illustrated the pictureon the card, but sometimes it's right after the attacks.

I hope that helped. If you need a more visualrepresentation, this link from the PoKéMoN site has a great Card Anatomy Demo: http://www.pokemon.com/us/trading-cards/how-to-play/card-anatomy/

Answer 2

grooky