📘 Aggron — Pokémon TCG

Category: Pokemon TCG · Created: · Updated:

Aggron DP2-1 card art from Mysterious Treasures showing a metallic armored Pokémon

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Overview

Aggron is a Metal-type Pokémon card appearing in the Mysterious Treasures expansion (dp2) of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Classified as a Rare Holo, this Stage 2 Pokémon evolves from Lairon and represents a sturdy, late-stage behemoth within metal-typed decks of its era. Its high Hit Points and two high-damage attacks reflect a design aimed at delivering significant impact while leveraging energy management mechanics common to the Metal archetype of its generation.

Card Information

  • Name: Aggron
  • Set: Mysterious Treasures (dp2)
  • Card Number: dp2-1
  • Rarity: Rare Holo
  • Illustrator: Kouki Saitou
  • Type: Metal
  • HP: 130
  • Stage: Stage 2
  • Evolves From: Lairon
  • Dex (Pokédex) ID: 306
  • Variants (confirmed in dp2): normal, holo, reverse
  • Attacks:
    • Heap Up — Cost: Colorless, Colorless
      Effect: Search your discard pile for all Energy cards and show them to your opponent. If you find any Metal Special Energy cards there, this attack does 40 damage plus 30 more damage. Put all of those Energy cards on top of your deck. Shuffle your deck afterward.
      Damage: 40+
    • Hard Metal — Cost: Metal, Metal, Metal, Metal
      Effect: You may do 60 damage plus 40 more damage. If you do, Aggron does 40 damage to itself.
      Damage: 60+
  • Weakness: Fire (+40)
  • Resistance: Psychic (-20)
  • Legal (format eligibility): Standard: False, Expanded: False
  • Artwork: Kouki Saitou
  • Illustration Notes: The artwork portrays Aggron in a poised, armored stance, consistent with its Steel-type identity and the metallic aesthetic characteristic of many dp2 era cards.

Gameplay and Strategy

Aggron’s move-set is built around energy manipulation and high-energy commitment, reflecting the design philosophy of many Metal-type cards of its generation. The Heap Up attack is a powerful tempo tool that enables a player to “stack the deck” with Energy cards from the discard pile. By locating Metal Energy—especially Metal Special Energy cards—it not only deals 40 damage immediately but also adds a supplemental 30 damage if Metal Special Energy cards are found, and then places all Energy cards on top of the deck. This creates a strong forecasting element: the next draw will likely include multiple Energy resources, enabling a rapid re-establishment of a hefty energy commitment on subsequent turns. This energy-cycling capability pairs well with decks aiming to accelerate energy attachment and maintain offensive pressure. Because Heap Up places the drawn Energy on top of the deck, it can be used to set up a critical turn where Aggron can unleash a heavy volley of Metal-attuned attacks. However, the attack requires players to balance the discard-pile state and to manage expectations around draw stability; the effect is contingent on the contents of the discard and the opponent’s responses. Hard Metal offers a second route to significant damage at the cost of self-inflicted recoil. With a four-energy investment (four Metal), the attack promises 60 damage plus 40 more, positioning Aggron as a strong closer in the mid-to-late game. The self-damage portion—40 to Aggron—creates a built-in vulnerability, necessitating careful damage management and, ideally, healing support or protective tactics to maximize survivability. In practice, players often rely on healing Pokémon tools or arena effects available within the dp2 era to keep Aggron healthy enough to persist through exchanges. Key strategic considerations: - Energy synergy: Focus on decks capable of generating and cycling Metal Energy, particularly Metal Special Energy, to maximize Heap Up’s reward. - Energy safety: Plan for card draws that enable sustained pressure while mitigating the risk of depleting resources from the discard or deck. - Risk assessment: Use Hard Metal selectively, balancing the potential payoff against the self-damage cost; support with healing or protective effects where feasible. - Stage 2 resilience: As a Stage 2 card with 130 HP, Aggron benefits from robust defenses and healing options that were common in its era, enabling it to endure multiple exchanges when supported. Deck archetypes that can leverage Aggron include metal-focused heavy-hitter builds that emphasize energy acceleration, discard-pile management, and late-game power plays. Its weaknesses and resistances make it a practical inclusion in matchups where Fire-type threats are common, while Psychic resistance provides a modest defensive buffer against some early-game disruption strategies.

Collector and Market Information

Aggron from Mysterious Treasures (dp2-1) holds significance as a Rare Holo card from a classic expansion, with a foil variant that appeals to collectors seeking the DP-era steel-type lineup. The dp2 set is recognized for its distinctive art and mechanical-era flavor, contributing to a collectible status beyond competitive play. The non-First Edition status is noted in the card’s variants metadata, indicating it was produced in later print runs without the First Edition designation.

Market data (as of late 2025) reflects varying price points across different platforms: - Cardmarket (EUR): average around 78.44 EUR, with a broad range and notable holo-specific figures (average holo around 2.68 EUR, with holo price movement noted in market trends). - TCGPlayer (USD): holofoil price data shows a low around 8 USD, mid around 10.5 USD, high near 14.99 USD, with a market price around 6.56 USD; reverse holofoil figures show a lower band, reflecting typical variations between foil types. These figures provide a snapshot of market activity for this card and are subject to change based on supply, condition, and market demand. Collectors frequently consider the card’s holo variant, condition, and whether it is part of a complete dp2 collection when valuing a potential purchase or sale.

Art and Lore

The artwork for Aggron in this dp2 print is credited to Kouki Saitou, an artist known within the Pokémon TCG community for precise line work and strong metallic texturing that complements Steel-type Pokémon. The visual portrayal emphasizes Aggron’s armored plating and imposing silhouette, reinforcing its role as a durable frontline fighter. While the Pokémon TCG often presents lore across various media, the dp2 iteration focuses on the aesthetic and mechanical themes of the era—embodied by the robust, defensively oriented design of Aggron—without implying specific in-universe events beyond its in-game capabilities.

Trivia

  • Aggron is a Stage 2 evolution, following Lairon, and is categorized as a Rare Holo within the Mysterious Treasures set.
  • The Heap Up attack interacts directly with the discard pile and Metal Energy cards, making it a unique energy-retrieval mechanic for the dp2 era.
  • Hard Metal requires four Metal Energy cards, reflecting the card’s high-energy cost and the associated risk of self-damage, which is a recurring design element in some late-era metal-type attacks.
  • The dp2 set is part of the Diamond & Pearl generation of Pokémon TCG, contributing to the broader lineage of units and mechanics that defined metal-type play at the time.
  • As a holo variant, this card’s foil treatment contributes to its collector appeal, particularly for players completing a full dp2 collection or pursuing high-grade copies.

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