📘 Chikorita — Pokémon TCG Card Variants

Category: Pokemon TCG · Created: · Updated:

Chikorita card artwork from Breakpoint XY9-1

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Overview

Chikorita is a basic Grass-type Pokémon card that appears in the XY Breakpoint expansion (set code XY9). The card is issued in multiple print variants—normal, reverse holo, and holo—reflecting common production practices for Pokémon TCG releases of that era. With 60 HP and two early-game attacks, Chikorita functions primarily as a foundational Pokémon in Grass-type decks, offering a straightforward path to evolve into Bayleef and ultimately Meganium. Its design emphasizes accessibility and collectability, characteristic of common rarity cards from the Breakpoint set, which is known for introducing a range of foundational Pokémon to support evolving strategies across the Grass type lineage.

Card Information

  • Name: Chikorita
  • Set: Breakpoint (XY9)
  • Card ID: xy9-1
  • Dex ID: 152
  • Type: Grass
  • Stage: Basic
  • HP: 60
  • Attacks:
    • Tackle — Cost: Colorless; Damage: 10
    • Blot — Cost: Grass + Colorless; Damage: 10; Effect: Heal 10 damage from this Pokémon.
  • Weakness: Fire ×2
  • Retreat Cost: 1
  • Illustrator: Akira Komayama
  • Evolution: Chikorita evolves into Bayleef, then Meganium
  • Variants: Normal, Reverse, and Holo print variants exist for this card
  • Rarity: Common
  • Legal Format: Standard: Not legal; Expanded: Legal
  • Official Set Card Count: 122 (official) / 126 (total)
  • Release and Updates: Updated data as of 2025-08-16

Gameplay and Strategy

As a basic Grass-type with modest HP and two accessible attacks, Chikorita serves primarily as a staging piece for Grass-type deck archetypes rather than a primary attacker. Tackle provides a simple, energy-efficient option for advancing early on, while Blot offers a small but tangible healing effect that can extend the active Pokémon’s presence on the field. The combination of Grass and Colorless energy costs on Blot encourages players to align energy attachment strategies with Grass-type acceleration and energy availability in the deck.

Key considerations for using Chikorita effectively include the following:

  • Blot heals 10 damage from Chikorita, enabling a marginal survivability buffer in the early game. This can help Chikorita stall long enough to evolve into Bayleef and Meganium, which typically offer more robust options for the player’s strategy.
  • Being the first stage in the Chikorita line, it forms the foundation for Bayleef and Meganium. In Breakpoint-era decks, evolving on schedule is important to access stronger Grass-type options and support Pokémon.
  • With 60 HP, Chikorita is relatively fragile against aggressive attackers, particularly those with FireWeakness ×2 in the metagame. Players often offset this risk by leveraging trainer support to protect or retreat vulnerable Pokémon and by building a plan to accelerate into stronger evolutions quickly.
  • The holo and reverse holo variants tend to have higher collector value and may influence deck-building priorities for players seeking both function and aesthetics.

In terms of deck integration, Chikorita fits into a broader Grass-type strategy that emphasizes tempo and evolution timing. Its low retreat cost allows flexible repositioning, and its ability to sustain a small amount of damage through Blot can be leveraged in conjunction with defensive or stall-oriented lines. While not a centerpiece of high-tier competition in most formats, it remains a useful and historically representative piece for Grass-type lineages in the Breakpoint era.

Collector and Market Information

Chikorita in XY Breakpoint is categorized as Common, which typically results in higher print runs and wider availability in markets. The card appears in multiple print variants—normal, reverse holo, and holo—each with its own collector appeal and potential value. Market pricing reflects the card’s common status, with holo variants generally commanding higher prices than non-holo forms due to aesthetic appeal and relative rarity within the print run.

Pricing data (as of late 2025) provides a snapshot of market ranges across major platforms:

  • CardMarket (EUR): Non-holo average around 0.15 EUR; low around 0.02 EUR; holo variant average around 0.56 EUR; low holo around 0.15 EUR. Trends and averages are updated periodically (latest update 2025-10-31).
  • TCGplayer (USD): Non-holo normal price ranges with low around 0.05 USD, mid around 0.26 USD, high up to 5.00 USD, market price around 0.37 USD. Reverse holo foil prices show low around 0.24 USD, mid around 0.59 USD, high around 3.00 USD, market price around 0.60 USD. (Updates as of 2025-10-31.)

These figures illustrate the card’s value as a common, accessible piece with added appeal for holo and reverse holo collectors. As with many Pokémon TCG cards from the Breakpoint era, pricing can be influenced by card condition, language, and market demand for the variant print.

Art and Lore

The artwork for Chikorita in Breakpoint is credited to Akira Komayama, an illustrator known for rendering Pokémon in a bright, approachable style consistent with early- to mid-1990s Johto-era designs that the Breakpoint set paid homage to. The Breakpoint era emphasized vibrant character art and dynamic poses, often balancing nostalgia with modern card presentation. Chikorita’s depiction emphasizes its sprouting, leafed aesthetic, aligning with its Grass-type identity and its roots as a starter Pokémon from the Johto region. While the Pokémon TCG does not introduce extensive backstory on individual card artwork, the imagery often reinforces the creature’s in-game traits—grass-based, gentle, and defensive—resonating with players who value thematic consistency across the trading card experience.

Trivia

  • The XY Breakpoint card for Chikorita exists in normal, reverse holo, and holo variants, reflecting standard practice for popular common-era Pokémon cards to encourage collection diversity.
  • Chikorita appears in the Breakpoint subset as part of a broader Grass-type lineup, contributing to the lineage progression toward Bayleef and Meganium in official evolution lines.
  • The card’s legality timeline notes that it is not Standard-legal but is Expanded-legal, aligning with older blocks of the Pokémon TCG where certain cards remain playable only in Expanded formats.

Notes on Variants and Presentation

The card data confirms the existence of multiple print variants for this card, with details indicating a holo, reverse holo, and normal presentation. Collectors often prioritize holo and reverse holo print variants for visual appeal and potential market value, while the normal print remains the most accessible in bulk collections. The evolution path from Chikorita to Bayleef and Meganium remains a consistent feature across the Grass-type line and is a central consideration for players constructing thematic Grass decks.

References and External Resources

The following links provide additional context and related reading across topics that intersect with the card’s broader milieu, including overlays, cinematic color grading, trading practices, consumer considerations, and notable artwork collections. Each link is provided for reference and does not constitute endorsement.

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