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Overview

Armaldo δ is a Delta Species Pokémon card from the Holon Phantoms (ex13) expansion. As a Stage 2 evolution, it develops from Anorith and presents a dual typing combination—Fighting and Metal—that reflects the Delta Species concept, where Pokémon can bear multiple type attributes beyond their traditional fossils and species lines. The card carries the rarity designation Rare and features a total of 110 hit points (HP) for a robust, mid- to late-game threat in the archetype decks of its era. With two attacks that leverage fossil-themed mechanics and Supporter-card interactions, Armaldo δ embodies the design philosophy of Delta Species: cross-typing, fossil exploitation, and strategic decision-making around card effects that interact with the opponent’s layout and your own hand composition.

In historical context, Holon Phantoms is part of the Delta Species era that introduced the δ symbol to indicate alternate typings and unique evolution paths. Armaldo δ’s abilities align with this era’s emphasis on fossil-themed strategies (e.g., Claw Fossil, Mysterious Fossil, Root Fossil, and Holon Fossil) and the Holon Fossil reinforcement found within the same expansion cycle. The illustration work for Armaldo δ is credited to Masakazu Fukuda, a prominent artist for several cards in this period, and the card itself exists in multiple print variants, including holo, reverse holo, and normal, with first edition not indicated for this specific listing.

Card Information

Name: Armaldo δ
Category: Pokémon
Set: Holon Phantoms (ex13)
Card Number: ex13-1
Rarity: Rare
Dex ID: 348
HP: 110
Types: Fighting, Metal
Stage: Stage 2
Evolves From: Anorith
Illustrator: Masakazu Fukuda
Illustration Variants: Normal, Holo, Reverse
Legal in formats: Standard: No; Expanded: No
Weakness: Grass ×2

Attacks

Delta Edge — Cost: Metal, Colorless. Damage: 70. Effect: If you have any Supporter cards in play, this attack's base damage is 20 instead of 70.
Fossil Charge — Cost: Fighting, Colorless, Colorless. Damage: 50. Effect: You may discard a Claw Fossil, Mysterious Fossil, Root Fossil, or Holon Fossil from your hand. If you do, choose 1 of your opponent's Benched Pokémon and do 30 damage to that Pokémon. (Don't apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.)

Gameplay and Strategy

Armaldo δ operates within the Delta Species framework, combining two typings and deploying fossil-based mechanics to influence both offense and tempo. The card’s two-attack suite highlights a deliberate trade-off: Delta Edge offers respectable damage potential, but its impact is conditionally reduced if the player is in a position where a Supporter is already in play. This interaction encourages deck builders to carefully manage the use of Supporter cards around Armaldo δ, balancing hand disruption, draw power, or utility Supporters with the risk of diminishing offensive output from Delta Edge.

Fossil Charge represents the card’s fossil-and-field interaction: by discarding a Fossil card from hand, a common fossil-trainer ecosystem—comprising Claw Fossil, Mysterious Fossil, Root Fossil, and Holon Fossil—opens the door to targeted damage on an opponent’s Benched Pokémon. This provides a soft form of removal or pressure that can be leveraged to shape the opponent’s bench, potentially forcing unfavorable trades or setting up for a stronger follow-up attack with Armaldo δ or other evolved Pokémon in the same deck. The note that damage to Benched Pokémon does not apply Weakness or Resistance reinforces the rule that this attack is primarily a bench-damaging option, useful for soft-boards control rather than direct, full-field KO power.

From a strategic standpoint, Armaldo δ’s dual typings broaden its matchups, allowing players to exploit weaknesses against Grass-type threats while simultaneously resisting some common metagame threats through its Metal typing. The Stage 2 evolution position requires a stable development path from Anorith, making Armaldo δ a mid- to late-game engine piece in a well-constructed Delta Species deck. Since its legality in Standard and Expanded is marked as No, Armaldo δ is primarily of historical and collector interest within tournament formats that include older sets or retro collections.

Collector and Market Information

As an iconic Delta Species card, Armaldo δ holds appeal for collectors who value dual-typing mechanics and the Holon Phantoms era’s distinctive design language. The rarity designation of Rare typically positions it as a sought-after print within Holon Phantoms subsets. Print variants include Normal, Holo, and Reverse Holo versions, with First Edition marked as not applicable in this listing. The dual-typing and fossil-focused interactions contribute to its standing among fans of fossil archetypes and Delta Species decks.

Pricing data for Armaldo δ is drawn from market-tracked sources. CardMarket, as of 2025-10-31, reports a non-holo average price around 6.46 EUR with a low end near 1 EUR and a positive price trend (approximately 23.22). For holo variants, CardMarket indicates an average around 13.01 EUR with a low around 4 EUR and a similar upward trend (roughly 12.98). These figures represent a snapshot of collectability rather than current trading liquidity and may fluctuate with broader market dynamics for vintage Pokémon cards. Notably, TCGPlayer data for this card is listed as None in the provided dataset, indicating limited or no active listings on that platform for this particular print at the time of extraction.

Collectors should note the set information: Holon Phantoms (ex13) includes a total official print count of 110 cards, with a total print run of 111 across all variants, and Armaldo δ is cataloged under ex13-1. The presence of holo, reverse holo, and standard variants contributes to diversity in display and valuation, while the δ designation marks its status as part of a key transitional phase in the Pokémon TCG’s early 2000s era.

Art and Lore

The artwork for Armaldo δ is credited to Masakazu Fukuda, an artist renowned for contributing to several cards during the Delta Species era. The δ designation itself reflects Holon Phantoms’ broader design philosophy, which reimagined certain Pokémon with alternate typings to emphasize the cross-pollination of evolutionary lines and specialized fossil components. The Holon Phantoms set foregrounded the interplay between fossil-derived constructs and metal-based aesthetics, aligning with Armaldo δ’s Fighting/Metal dual typing. While the in-universe lore of Delta Species is not presented in-game as a single narrative, the concept of δ cards serves to illustrate a world where Pokémon can shift or blend elemental identities, creating dynamic tactical possibilities and collectible diversity for seasoned players and newcomers alike.

In terms of visual design, the Masakazu Fukuda illustration style for Armaldo δ contributes to the set’s metallic and fossil-forward motif. The dual-typing presentation is echoed in the card’s border art and energy costs, which combine elements of both Fighting and Metal archetypes. This cross-pollination of types is a hallmark of the Delta Species approach, encouraging players to explore unusual matchups and deck configurations that can challenge standard metagame assumptions of the era.

Trivia

Armaldo δ is a Delta Species card from the Holon Phantoms expansion, illustrating the cross-type mechanic that defined the δ subset.
The card evolves from Anorith, anchoring its place in the fossil-themed evolutionary chain of this era.
Delta Edge’s damage is conditional on the absence of active Supporter cards—an unusual dynamic that incentivizes careful deck and resource management.
Fossil Charge enables targeted damage to an opponent’s Benched Pokémon by discarding a fossil from hand, reinforcing fossil-centric strategies within the Holon Phantoms ecosystem.
Print variants include Normal, Holo, and Reverse Holo; First Edition is not indicated for this listing, reflecting the broader distribution of Delta Species cards in non-First Edition cycles.

Notes on Availability and Format

As a historical card from a mid-2000s era, Armaldo δ is primarily encountered in collectors’ inventory, vintage sets, and organized play contexts that include older formats. Its not-legal status in Standard or Expanded formats means contemporary competitive play does not use this card in official schedules, but it remains relevant for collection, cataloging, and historical study of the Delta Species mechanic and the Holon Phantoms set.

References and Related Links

For broader context on design patterns, unconventional effects, and the evolution of Delta Species in the Pokémon TCG, the following articles provide complementary insights:

📘 Armaldo δ (Delta Species)