Base Set (TCG)

Base Set 拡張パック

Cards in set English: 102 Japanese: 102 Set number English: 1 Japanese: 1 Release date English: January 9, 1999 Japanese: October 20, 1996 Theme Decks 2 Player Starter Set () Blackout () Brushfire () Overgrowth () Zap! () Previous NonePrevious [[{{{japrevset}}} (TCG)|{{{japrevsetname}}}]] Japanese: Expansion Pack Next Pokémon Jungle

Base Set (Japanese: 拡張パック Expansion Pack) is the name given to the original core release of cards and Theme Decks for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. It was released in Japan on October 20, 1996, and in the United States on January 9, 1999.

Theme Decks

English Theme Decks

• Overgrowth
• Zap!
• Brushfire
• Blackout

English Starter Deck

• 2 Player Starter Set

Japanese Theme Deck

• Starter Deck

Information

An advertisement for the original Japanese release

• While the expansion began the TCG in the United States officially in January of 1999, many stores were initially reluctant to sell the game. As a result, it did not see a widespread release until March or April of that year.
• The 1st Edition print run sold extremely quickly, making first edition Base Set cards some of the most sought-after of all of the early TCG expansions.
• All cards in the first few print runs (both first edition and unlimited) were printed with thinner HP and attack text and without drop shadows for the illustration window. These are commonly known as "shadowless cards" and are more valuable than later runs.
• This expansion was replaced by Base Set 2 on its release, as by that point Base Set had been out of print for some time.
• Several final form Pokémon were left out of this set despite their pre-evolved forms appearing, such as Dragonite, Dodrio, Gengar, Pidgeot, Sandslash, Butterfree and Hypno. These cards were later released in Jungle and Fossil.

Changes between the Japanese and international release

• In TCG expansions up until Pokémon VS, the Japanese cards did not have a numbering system, and so the only number featured on the Japanese cards is the Pokémon's National Pokédex number.
• The English cards adopted a system based on ordering the cards alphabetically and by descending rarity (rare-holo, rare, uncommon, common) and class of card (Pokémon, Trainer, Energy). This ordering has remained in place until the release of Black & White. The Japanese set is ordered by type (Grass, Fire, Water, Lightning, Psychic, Fighting, Colorless), National Pokédex number, and ascending rarity (rare and rare-holo counting the same). This ordering remained in place until e-Card 2.

Card lists

Base Set No. Card name Type Rarity Promotion 1/102 Alakazam 2/102 Blastoise 3/102 Chansey 4/102 Charizard 5/102 Clefairy 6/102 Gyarados 7/102 Hitmonchan 8/102 Machamp 9/102 Magneton 10/102 Mewtwo 11/102 Nidoking 12/102 Ninetales 13/102 Poliwrath 14/102 Raichu 15/102 Venusaur 16/102 Zapdos 17/102 Beedrill 18/102 Dragonair 19/102 Dugtrio 20/102 Electabuzz 21/102 Electrode 22/102 Pidgeotto 23/102 Arcanine 24/102 Charmeleon 25/102 Dewgong 26/102 Dratini 27/102 Farfetch'd 28/102 Growlithe 29/102 Haunter 30/102 Ivysaur 31/102 Jynx 32/102 Kadabra 33/102 Kakuna 34/102 Machoke 35/102 Magikarp 36/102 Magmar 37/102 Nidorino 38/102 Poliwhirl 39/102 Porygon 40/102 Raticate 41/102 Seel 42/102 Wartortle 43/102 Abra 44/102 Bulbasaur 45/102 Caterpie 46/102 Charmander 47/102 Diglett 48/102 Doduo 49/102 Drowzee 50/102 Gastly 51/102 Koffing 52/102 Machop 53/102 Magnemite 54/102 Metapod 55/102 Nidoran♂ 56/102 Onix 57/102 Pidgey 58/102 Pikachu 59/102 Poliwag 60/102 Ponyta 61/102 Rattata 62/102 Sandshrew 63/102 Squirtle 64/102 Starmie 65/102 Staryu 66/102 Tangela 67/102 Voltorb 68/102 Vulpix 69/102 Weedle 70/102 Clefairy Doll T 71/102 Computer Search T 72/102 Devolution Spray T 73/102 Impostor Professor Oak T 74/102 Item Finder T 75/102 Lass T 76/102 Pokémon Breeder T 77/102 Pokémon Trader T 78/102 Scoop Up T 79/102 Super Energy Removal T 80/102 Defender T 81/102 Energy Retrieval T 82/102 Full Heal T 83/102 Maintenance T 84/102 PlusPower T 85/102 Pokémon Center T 86/102 Pokémon Flute T 87/102 Pokédex T 88/102 Professor Oak T 89/102 Revive T 90/102 Super Potion T 91/102 Bill T 92/102 Energy Removal T 93/102 Gust of Wind T 94/102 Potion T 95/102 Switch T 96/102 Double Colorless Energy E 97/102 Fighting Energy E — 98/102 Fire Energy E — 99/102 Grass Energy E — 100/102 Lightning Energy E — 101/102 Psychic Energy E — 102/102 Water Energy E —

Expansion Pack No. Card name Type Rarity Promotion — Bulbasaur — Ivysaur — Venusaur — Caterpie — Metapod — Weedle — Kakuna — Beedrill — Nidoran♂ — Nidorino — Nidoking — Koffing — Tangela — Charmander — Charmeleon — Charizard — Vulpix — Ninetales — Growlithe — Arcanine — Ponyta — Magmar — Squirtle — Wartortle — Blastoise — Poliwag — Poliwhirl — Poliwrath — Seel — Dewgong — Staryu — Starmie — Magikarp — Gyarados — Pikachu — Raichu — Magnemite — Magneton — Voltorb — Electrode — Electabuzz — Zapdos — Abra — Kadabra — Alakazam — Gastly — Haunter — Drowzee — Jynx — Mewtwo — Sandshrew — Diglett — Dugtrio — Machop — Machoke — Machamp — Onix — Hitmonchan — Pidgey — Pidgeotto — Rattata — Raticate — Clefairy — Farfetch'd — Doduo — Chansey — Porygon — Dratini — Dragonair — Professor Oak T — Impostor Professor Oak T — Bill T — Lass T — Pokémon Trader T — Pokémon Breeder T — Clefairy Doll T — Energy Retrieval T — Energy Removal T — Super Energy Removal T — Switch T — Pokémon Center T — Scoop Up T — Computer Search T — Pokédex T — PlusPower T — Defender T — Item Finder T — Gust of Wind T — Devolution Spray T — Revive T — Super Potion T — Potion T — Full Heal T — Maintenance T — Pokémon Flute T — Double Colorless Energy E — Grass Energy E — — Fire Energy E — — Water Energy E — — Lightning Energy E — — Psychic Energy E — — Fighting Energy E —

Gallery

Japanese

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  Japanese booster box

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  Japanese booster box

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  Japanese booster pack

English

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  English booster box

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  English booster pack (Venusaur)

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  English booster pack (Charizard)

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  English booster pack (Blastoise)

External links

• Detailed booster box images

This article is part of Project TCG, a Bulbapedia project that aims to report on every aspect of the Pokémon Trading Card Game.