Digital Vault Wiki

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Overview

Blastoise is a Water-type Pokémon card featured in the POP Series 3 (pop3) collection. This release presents Blastoise as a Stage 2 Pokémon that evolves from Wartortle, aligning with the traditional evolutionary line within the Pokémon universe. The card portrays Blastoise in a dynamic water-themed presentation and was illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita, a prominent artist responsible for many foundational Pokémon TCG illustrations. As part of the POP Series 3 lineup, this Blastoise card is a promotional print that complements the main expansion sets, serving both gameplay and collectability roles within the broader TCG ecosystem.

The POP Series 3 set contains 17 official cards, of which Blastoise is one representative example with a rare rarity designation. The card has multiple print variants, including normal and holofoil versions, reflecting the common promotional practice of offering alternate finishes within the same card identity. This card is often discussed in collector contexts for its place in early promotional lines and its depiction by a well-known artist from the period.

Card Information

Name: Blastoise
Set: POP Series 3 (pop3)
Card number (within set): 1
Rarity: Rare
HP: 120
Types: Water
Stage: Stage 2
Evolves From: Wartortle
Attacks:
- Smash Turn — Cost: Colorless, Colorless; Damage: 30; Effect: After your attack, you may switch Blastoise with 1 of your Benched Pokémon.
- Rocket Tackle — Cost: Water, Water, Colorless, Colorless; Damage: 60; Effect: Blastoise does 10 damage to itself. Flip a coin. If heads, prevent all damage done to Blastoise by attacks during your opponent’s next turn.
Weakness: Lightning
Retreat Cost: 2
Illustrator: Mitsuhiro Arita
Set Details: Official card count 17; Card ID: pop3-1
Legal in formats: Standard — No; Expanded — No
Variants: Normal, Holo

The card is part of a larger evolution chain in thePokémon universe, with Blastoise representing the final stage of the classic Squirtle line. In the POP Series 3 printing, the illustration and layout follow the conventions of early 2000s promotional cards, emphasizing bold character artwork and clear attack costs designed to be accessible to players new and returning to the game at the time of release.

Gameplay and Strategy

In gameplay terms, this Blastoise functions as a mid-to-late-game attacker and a potential board shifter due to its Smash Turn ability. The first attack, Smash Turn, provides a strategic option to reposition Blastoise onto the Bench after dealing damage, enabling a player to protect Blastoise from an anticipated knock-out or to reconfigure energy attachments for upcoming turns. This mechanic makes the card versatile in decks that rely on establishing a stable target in the active position while preparing a follow-up threat.

The second attack, Rocket Tackle, delivers solid damage at 60 for a relatively heavy energy cost (two Water and two Colorless). Its self-damage component (Blastoise takes 10 damage) introduces a risk-reward calculation: players may benefit from the coin-flip outcome that negates incoming damage on the opponent’s next turn, effectively buying time or mitigating expected threats. The coin flip adds a degree of variance to outcomes, which can be meaningful in slower environments where ability to withstand a hit window matters.

Blastoise’s Water typing and 120 HP provide reasonable survivability against early-stage attackers in its era of release. Its single-type weakness to Lightning creates matchups where it can be pressured by Electric-type strategies, particularly if a deck can exploit the weakness with efficient Lightning Pokémon or support Pokémon with type-advantage tools. The Retreat Cost of 2 implies a moderate energy commitment to reposition or replace the active Pokémon, reinforcing the card’s role as a mid- to late-game anchor rather than a quick-start finisher.

Effective usage typically involves pairing with energy acceleration and benching options to maximize Smash Turn value—cycling Blastoise to safety when risk of defeat is high and returning it for subsequent heavy-hitting turns. The presence of both Water and Colorless energy costs in Rocket Tackle means players must plan their energy attachments in advance, ensuring that enough Water energy is available to unleash the 60-damage blow when the opportunity arises. In environments that reward versatile bench management and position control, Blastoise can contribute to draw tempo and board control, especially in decks that leverage the ability to rotate Blastoise in and out of the active role without losing momentum.

Collector and Market Information

Rarity and print status are typical of early promotional sets: Blastoise in POP Series 3 is designated Rare, with two known finish variants—Normal and Holofoil. The POP Series 3 collection itself consists of 17 cards, reflecting a compact promotional subset that accompanied larger expansions. For collectors, the holofoil variant generally commands higher interest and value due to its rarity and visual appeal, while the non-holo copy remains more accessible.

Market information for this card reflects its status as a vintage promotional print. Price data from Card Market (EUR) and TCGPlayer (USD) illustrate typical activity patterns for non-holo and holo versions in recent years:

Non-holo copies show an average around €30, with shorter-term trends (e.g., 1-day and 7-day values trending modestly higher in the dataset, and 30-day values near the €73–€74 range in the referenced window). Holofoil data in this dataset is more limited, with some indicators suggesting higher values for very short windows (e.g., approximately €100 for near-term single-day metrics in some cases), but long-term holo averages are not consistently reported in the provided data.
TCGPlayer (USD): Non-holo copies list a market price around $65.14, with typical direct or listing prices that can appear higher or lower depending on seller stock and condition. Holofoil copies show a market price around $121.66, reflecting the common market premium for holo versions of early promotional cards.

In addition to market pricing, collectors often consider grading when evaluating value. Certified grades from professional services (for example, PSA or BGS) can influence a card’s price and desirability, particularly for holofoil copies. Grading details are not included in the card data provided here, but are a standard consideration for vintage or promotional Pokémon cards in investor and collector communities.

As of the latest data, this Blastoise print is not legal in Standard or Expanded play formats, which is typical for older promotional releases that do not align with contemporary rotation schedules. Collectors and players should reference official format guidelines to confirm current legality in any given play environment.

Art and Lore

The artwork for this Blastoise is credited to Mitsuhiro Arita, an influential illustrator whose early work helped define the visual language of the Pokémon TCG. Arita’s style often emphasizes bold character presentation, dynamic energy effects, and clear readability of attack costs. In POP Series 3, the Blastoise illustration aligns with the traditional water-themed aesthetic, depicting the Pokémon in a pose and setting that foregrounds its iconic cannons and aquatic power. The art contributes to the card’s appeal among fans who collect both original base-set-era cards and later promotional prints.

Blastoise, as a member of the original starter evolution line from Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle, anchors a long-standing narrative within the Pokémon world. In the broader TCG ecosystem, Blastoise cards frequently appear in discussions of classic water-type archetypes and evolve-from relationships, offering a window into how early game design balanced raw power with strategic constraints like Energy costs, retreat, and bench management.

Trivia

The card is part of the POP Series 3 promotional line, featuring a limited set of 17 prints that complemented other releases in the period.
Two print variants are documented for this card: a normal version and a holofoil version, reflecting the standard practice for promotional releases of that era.
The attacks’ names—Smash Turn and Rocket Tackle—reflect a blend of straightforward mechanical terminology and thematic “rocket” imagery consistent with early 2000s Pokémon card design.
The artwork is by Mitsuhiro Arita, one of the most prolific Pokémon TCG illustrators, whose work helped shape the visual identity of the game’s early years.
In format legality terms, this specific print is not legal in Standard or Expanded formats, underscoring the distinct separation between vintage promotional cards and modern play environments.

📘 Blastoise (Base Set 2/102)