Digital Vault Wiki

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Overview

The card documented here is a Fire-type Pokémon from an early English expansion in the Pokémon Trading Card Game’s Base Set lineage. Classified as a Rare Holo, it represents a pivotal stage in the evolution chain within the set, evolving from Charmeleon and appearing as a formidable Stage 2 attacker. The print carries a distinctive holofoil treatment, a hallmark of the holo rarity that distinguishes it from standard non-holo cards in the same print run. The artwork is credited to Kagemaru Himeno, whose illustrations contributed to the visual identity of several early Fire-type cards.

Part of the pl4 set code, the card sits among a total release window of 111 cards for that print group, with a subset officially cataloged as 99 cards in the core tally. The combination of a high-variance Fire-attacking toolkit and a bench-dependent damage modifier situates this Charizard within discussions of archetype-building in vintage formats. While it remains a favorite among collectors and players of historic formats, the card’s legal status does not extend to modern Standard or Expanded play in its documented form.

Card Information

Name: Charizard
Category: Pokémon
Pokemon Type: Fire
Rarity: Rare Holo
Set: pl4 (Base Set lineage, 4/102 in the English print)
Card Number: pl4-1
Stage: Stage 2
Evolves From: Charmeleon
Dex / National Dex Number: 6
Illustrator: Kagemaru Himeno
Variants: normal, holo, reverse; firstEdition: False; wPromo: False
Legal in Standard: False
Legal in Expanded: False
Weakness: Water +30
Resistance: Fighting -20
Retreat Cost: 3
Abilities (Poke-Body): Fire Formation — Each of Charizard's attacks does 10 more damage for each Fire Pokémon on your Bench to your opponent's Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance).
Attacks:
- Fire Wing — Cost: Fire; Damage: 30
- Burning Tail — Cost: Fire, Fire, Colorless; Damage: 80; Effect: Discard a Fire Energy attached to Charizard.
Illustration Credits: Kagemaru Himeno
Artwork Theme: Dynamic depiction of a Charizard-ready stance, consistent with early Fire-type aesthetics in the Base Set era.

Gameplay and Strategy

This Charizard centers its gameplay around a bench-synergistic damage boost and a powerful two-attack kit. The Poke-BODY Fire Formation interacts directly with the number of Fire-type Pokémon on the player’s Bench, amplifying each attack’s base damage by 10 per relevant Bench occupant. In practical terms, players aim to accelerate and maintain a strong Fire-type presence on the Bench to maximize the damage output of both Fire Wing and Burning Tail, particularly as the game progresses and the active opponent Pokémon remains in play.

The Burning Tail attack, which requires two Fire energies and one Colorless energy, carries a high 80 damage but demands the cost of discarding a Fire Energy attached to Charizard. This creates a built-in trade-off: the player must balance ongoing energy investment with the potential for a large burst of damage on a single turn. Decks leveraging Fire Formation frequently employ setups that maximize Fire-type count on the Bench while maintaining a steady energy supply, enabling Charizard to escalate its damage output as the board state evolves.

Strategic considerations for this card include:

Fire Formation rewards a healthy Fire-Pokémon count on the Bench. Players may incorporate additional Fire Pokémon or duplicate bench-configuring strategies to sustain higher damage across multiple turns.
Energies and resource tempo: Burning Tail provides a high-damage option, but its requirement to discard a Fire Energy after use necessitates mindful energy attachment plans to avoid depleting Charizard’s survivability too quickly.
The Water-type weakness suggests vulnerability against Water-focused decks, while the Fighting-type resistance provides slight resilience against certain Fighting-dedicated strategies.
As a Stage 2, Charizard typically relies on prior setup of Charmeleon and a development curve. Its slower maturation is balanced by high damage potential when the Fire Formation condition is well-supported.

In formats that permit its play, this Charizard kit exemplifies a vintage archetype where big single-turn damage can be supported by bench-based modifiers. The card’s dual-attack design and its emphasis on resource management reflect the strategic priorities of early collectors and players who valued power and predictability within the mechanics of the era.

Collector and Market Information

As a Rare Holo from the Base Set lineage, this Charizard holds strong collector appeal due to its iconic status and holo foil presentation. The card’s market values reflect variability across printing variants, condition, and demand for vintage Fire-type staples.

Card Market (EUR): Data as of late 2025 shows a general non-holo average around €22.99 with a low end near €4 and a positive trend around 15.78% over recent periods. Holo variants exhibit a different price dynamic, with holo averages around €15.50 and holo-specific price movement showing a higher volatility trend (approximately 24.03%). Historical first-price references and individual card listings can influence broader market perception for this print.

TCGPlayer Market (USD): According to market snapshots, holofoil copies have observed a low around $26.18, a mid around $42.83, and a high near $99.99, with a representative market price near $40.79. Reverse holofoil variants show a low around $31, a mid around $48.50, a high near $89.99, and a market price around $53.62. These figures illustrate the typical premium associated with holofoil prints in the modern secondary market, alongside broader sentiment for vintage Charizard cards.

Legal status notes indicate that this card is not currently legal in Standard or Expanded formats. When evaluating modern tournament viability, players should consult current official format rules, as older prints from the Base Set era operate under different eligibility than contemporary releases.

Collectors should consider factors such as card condition, foil treatment, and edition status when assessing value. The presence of holo foil, centering, corner wear, and surface integrity are key indicators of gradeable condition for this print. Price trajectories can be sensitive to overall market interest in vintage Pokémon cards and to the availability of high-grade copies in the market.

Art and Lore

The card’s illustration is credited to Kagemaru Himeno, an artist known for contributing to a variety of Pokémon TCG artworks during the early expansion years. Himeno’s work on this Charizard capture emphasizes dramatic motion and a fiery aesthetic, aligning with the archetypal fire-slinging heraldry associated with Charizard across the franchise. The inclusion of a Poke-BODY ability alongside an energetic two-attack profile reflects the era’s tendency to combine unique abilities with straightforward damage outputs, contributing to the card’s memorable presence in collector circles.

Beyond its mechanical identity, the image and its presentation contribute to the cultural memory of the Pokémon TCG’s formative years. Charizard has long stood as a flagship Pokémon within the franchise, and this card’s holo variant—paired with a robust stage-two evolution and a bench-based damage modifier—embodies the excitement of early strategic depth in the trading card game.

Trivia

The Base Set–era Charizard is one of the most recognizable and celebrated prints in the Pokémon TCG, with holo versions often cited as among the game’s premier collectibles.
The Fire Formation ability is a signature feature of this print, emphasizing synergy with the Fire-type bench ecosystem before the advent of broader energy acceleration mechanics in later sets.
Charizard’s two-attack kit—one moderate-damage option and one high-damage option with a discarding cost—highlights a classic risk-reward dynamic that informed deck-building decisions in vintage play environments.
Illustrator credits for early Charizard cards vary between printings; in this instance, Kagemaru Himeno is acknowledged for the iconic artwork appearing on the card.
The set code pl4 situates the card within the Base Set lineage’s later English print window, distinguished by its holo variants and the broader “Arceus”-associated set graphics in the data context. This cross-reference underscores the sometimes intricate cataloging of early sets across different databases.

📘 Charizard (Base Set 4/102)