Expedition Base Set (TCG)

Expedition Base Set 第1弾基本拡張パック
Cards in set	English: 165 Japanese: 128
Set number	English: 13 Japanese: 13
Release Date	English: September 15, 2002 Japanese: December 1, 2001
Theme Decks	Echo () Electric Garden ()

Expedition Base Set (Japanese: 第1弾基本拡張パック Base Booster Pack 1) is the name given to the first expansion of cards of the e-Card era of the Trading Card Game, introducing several new game mechanics. It was the first set to be compatible with Nintendo's e-Reader peripheral.

Information

Expedition Base Set was the third base set to be released in English-language territories after Base Set and Base Set 2, and was also the largest set ever released at the time (a title previously held by Base Set 2, at 130 cards). Many aspects of the set differed greatly from previous expansions, most noticeably the card layout, of which the left and bottom borders had been increased in size due to the newly-included Dot Code technology for use with the Nintendo e-Reader. By using the device, players were about to view Pokédex data about the Pokémon, play a minigame, play various tunes in a Melody Box, or activate a special attack for that Pokémon. These special attacks were not legal for use in tournament play as few competitors used e-Readers. As well as this, in the Unlimited Format used by Pokémon Organized Play, electronic devices such as the e-Reader are not allowed on the table.

The new card design also meant that Pokémon cards lacked Pokédex data and flavor text (Length, Weight, Level and Pokédex entry), information which would not be seen on cards again for four years with the release of Diamond & Pearl. This absence, in the Unlimited Format, caused (and still causes) problems when using the Blaine's Quiz #1 Trainer card. Lack of level also meant that each Pokémon card included a unique ID number in order for the e-Reader to distinguish each card with the same name in a way other than by level.

Expedition also introduced a long-term game mechanic, one of the most important in gameplay: the division of Pokémon Powers into Poké-Powers and Poké-Bodies. Poké-Powers required activation to use, whereas Poké-Bodies were always active unless blocked by a specific card. It was only after the introduction of Abilities in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire that the two separate types of Pokémon Powers (mainly Poké-Bodies) became considerably more useful and important.

Expedition could have been released in May 2002; however, it was delayed until August to ensure the e-Reader was released before the set. Further issued delayed it again until September. It was further delayed in Europe in order for the e-Reader to be released before it; however, the e-Reader did not see release in Europe, and the set was eventually released in April 2003.

Trivia

• Because of the extra licensing fees Wizards had to pay to use Dot-Code technology, the pack size was reduced from 11 to 9; which remained the same for almost five years, even though the Dot-Code technology was dropped in 2004. The pack size would eventually increase to 10 with the release of Diamond & Pearl. Collectors could also find one reverse-holographic in every pack, meaning each pack contained: -
  • 5 Common cards
  • 2 Uncommon cards
  • 1 Reverse-holographic card
  • 1 Non-holographic or holographic rare card
• While it was thought Wizards were up to their old tradition of duplicating the rare cards in this set, it was actually MediaFactory this time; Wizards simply translated the set. The reason for this was that some rare cards had Dot-Code data, therefore they made non-holographic versions with the data and holographic versions without. This avoided potentially damaging sought-after rare cards when swiped through the e-Reader.
• Expedition was the first set Wizards produced that didn't have a 1st Edition print run.
• Expedition once again featured Reverse-holographic cards, but the design was changed from the "wheel" treatment (which was reminiscent of European fake holographic designs) to a plain "refractor" design. They are more "official" looking than the ones found in Legendary Collection. One problem brought to Wizard's attention was that both the holographic and non-holographic rare cards had identical reverse-holographic counterparts (apart from the card number). Wizards rectified this in Aquapolis by numbering the holographic cards differently and not producing reverse-holographics for them.
• Box Toppers once again appeared in this set. Like Legendary Collection, they are jumbo cards (therefore not tournament legal). Unlike Legendary Collection and the EX series, the Box Toppers were part of a sub-set (the cards numbered ##/12). The first 4 appeared in this set, the other 8 released in Aquapolis and Skyridge respectively.
• This set was previously known as New Dimension, but since its initials were ND (the same as Neo Discovery and Neo Destiny), the name was changed.

Theme decks

English Theme Decks

• Echo
• Electric Garden

Japanese Starter Deck

• Pokémon-e Starter Deck

Card lists

English expansion No. Card Name Type Rarity 1 Alakazam H 2 Ampharos H 3 Arbok H 4 Blastoise H 5 Butterfree H 6 Charizard H 7 Clefable H 8 Cloyster H 9 Dragonite H 10 Dugtrio H 11 Fearow H 12 Feraligatr H 13 Gengar H 14 Golem H 15 Kingler H 16 Machamp H 17 Magby H 18 Meganium H 19 Mew H 20 Mewtwo H 21 Ninetales H 22 Pichu H 23 Pidgeot H 24 Poliwrath H 25 Raichu H 26 Rapidash H 27 Skarmory H 28 Typhlosion H 29 Tyranitar H 30 Venusaur H 31 Vileplume H 32 Weezing H 33 Alakazam 34 Ampharos 35 Arbok 36 Blastoise 37 Blastoise 38 Butterfree 39 Charizard 40 Charizard 41 Clefable 42 Cloyster 43 Dragonite 44 Dugtrio 45 Fearow 46 Feraligatr 47 Feraligatr 48 Gengar 49 Golem 50 Kingler 51 Machamp 52 Magby 53 Meganium 54 Meganium 55 Mew 56 Mewtwo 57 Ninetales 58 Pichu 59 Pidgeot 60 Poliwrath 61 Raichu 62 Rapidash 63 Skarmory 64 Typhlosion 65 Typhlosion 66 Tyranitar 67 Venusaur 68 Venusaur 69 Vileplume 70 Weezing 71 Bayleef 72 Chansey 73 Charmeleon 74 Croconaw 75 Dragonair 76 Electabuzz 77 Flaaffy 78 Gloom 79 Graveler 80 Haunter 81 Hitmonlee 82 Ivysaur 83 Jynx 84 Kadabra 85 Machoke 86 Magmar 87 Metapod 88 Pidgeotto 89 Poliwhirl 90 Pupitar 91 Quilava 92 Wartortle 93 Abra 94 Bulbasaur 95 Bulbasaur 96 Caterpie 97 Charmander 98 Charmander 99 Chikorita 100 Chikorita 101 Clefairy 102 Corsola 103 Cubone 104 Cyndaquil 105 Cyndaquil 106 Diglett 107 Dratini 108 Ekans 109 Gastly 110 Geodude 111 Goldeen 112 Hoppip 113 Houndour 114 Koffing 115 Krabby 116 Larvitar 117 Machop 118 Magikarp 119 Mareep 120 Marill 121 Meowth 122 Oddish 123 Pidgey 124 Pikachu 125 Poliwag 126 Ponyta 127 Qwilfish 128 Rattata 129 Shellder 130 Spearow 131 Squirtle 132 Squirtle 133 Tauros 134 Totodile 135 Totodile 136 Vulpix 137 Bill's Maintenance T 138 Copycat T 139 Dual Ball T 140 Energy Removal 2 T 141 Energy Restore T 142 Mary's Impulse T 143 Master Ball T 144 Multi Technical Machine 01 T 145 Pokémon Nurse T 146 Pokémon Reversal T 147 Power Charge T 148 Professor Elm's Training Method T 149 Professor Oak's Research T 150 Strength Charm T 151 Super Scoop Up T 152 Warp Point T 153 Energy Search T 154 Full Heal T 155 Moo-Moo Milk T 156 Potion T 157 Switch T 158 Darkness Energy E 159 Metal Energy E 160 Fighting Energy E -- 161 Fire Energy E -- 162 Grass Energy E -- 163 Lightning Energy E -- 164 Psychic Energy E -- 165 Water Energy E -- Box Toppers subset No. Card Name Type Rarity 1 Alakazam (H) 2 Feraligatr (H) 3 Tyranitar (H) 4 Venusaur (H)

Japanese expansion No. Card Name Type Rarity 1 Koffing 2 Hoppip 3 Caterpie 4 Ekans 5 Oddish 6 Vulpix 7 Ponyta 8 Poliwag 9 Shellder 10 Krabby 11 Goldeen 12 Magikarp 13 Marill 14 Qwilfish 15 Corsola 16 Pikachu 17 Mareep 18 Abra 19 Gastly 20 Diglett 21 Machop 22 Geodude 23 Cubone 24 Larvitar 25 Pidgey 26 Rattata 27 Spearow 28 Clefairy 29 Meowth 30 Tauros 31 Dratini 32 Houndour 33 Metapod 34 Gloom 35 Magmar 36 Poliwhirl 37 Jynx 38 Electabuzz 39 Flaaffy 40 Kadabra 41 Haunter 42 Machoke 43 Graveler 44 Hitmonlee 45 Pupitar 46 Pidgeotto 47 Chansey 48 Dragonair 49 Professor Elm's Training Method T 50 Energy Search T 51 Power Charge T 52 Energy Removal T 53 Professor Oak's Research T 54 Mary's Impulse T 55 Super Scoop Up T 56 Strength Charm T 57 Dual Ball T 58 Pokémon Nurse T 59 Energy Restore T 60 Bill's Maintenance T 61 Master Ball T 62 Multi Technical Machine 01 T 63 Copycat T 64 Warp Point T 65 Venusaur 66 Butterfree 67 Arbok 68 Vileplume