Image courtesy of TCGdex.net
Overview
Oddish is a basic Grass-type Pokémon card from the Crown Zenith expansion set (SwSh12.5). As a Common rarity, it represents a foundational element in many Grass-type decks, offering a simple, low-cost option for early-game board presence. The card emphasizes a coin-flip based attack mechanic, which aligns with older style Pokémon TCG designs that reward probabilistic outcomes and strategic energy management. Within the Crown Zenith collection, Oddish sits among other classic Kanto-era Pokémon reimagined for modern competitive play, providing a nostalgic yet practical option for players building mixed-Type or Grass-focused strategies.
Card Information
- Name: Oddish
- Set: Crown Zenith
- Set code / card number: swsh12.5-001
- Rarity: Common
- HP: 50
- Type: Grass
- Stage: Basic
- Attacks:
- Leaf Boomerang — Cost: Colorless
- Effect: Flip 2 coins. This attack does 10 damage for each heads.
- Damage: 10×
- Retreat cost: 1
- Regulation Mark: F
- Legal formats: Expanded (Standard: not legal)
- Evolution: Oddish evolves to Gloom (and is part of the standard Oddish line evolving further to Vileplume in the broader Pokémon TCG lineage).
- Dex number: 43
- Illustrator: Not listed in the provided data
- Card counts: Official 159 / Total 230
- Updated (card data): 2025-08-16
Pricing and Market Context
The card’s market pricing reflects its Common status and its presence in a popular modern set. Provided data shows the following snapshots:
- Cardmarket (EUR): Updated 2025-10-31 — avg €0.03; low €0.02; trend €0.04; holo variant averages €0.31
- TCGplayer (USD): Updated 2025-10-31 — normal version: low $0.01, mid $0.10, high $1.49; market price around $0.06; direct low around $0.02; reverse holofoil: low $0.18, mid $0.36, high $1.49; market price around $0.34
Gameplay and Strategy
As a Basic Grass-type, Oddish provides a straightforward early-game presence with low HP and a single, coin-flip-based attack. Leaf Boomerang requires no specific energy type beyond Colorless energy, granting flexibility in deck construction. The attack’s damage scales with coin outcomes, delivering 0–20 damage per use depending on the two coin flips (0, 10, or 20 depending on the number of heads). This introduces variance, which can be leveraged in numerous deck archetypes that emphasize randomness, coin manipulation, or card draw to maximize favorable flips.
In practice, Oddish can serve several roles within a Crown Zenith–based or mixed Grass deck:
At 50 HP and Basic status, Oddish is a low-cost starter that allows the player to establish board presence quickly while developing a plan to transition into a more powerful attacker. Decks that include other coin-flip mechanics, such as effects that increase the chance of heads or draw extra cards, can improve the consistency of Leaf Boomerang’s damage output. As a Grass-type card, Oddish pairs with Grass energies and support cards, helping to smooth energy attachment and enabling a clear evolution pathway toward stronger Grass cards later in the game. The traditional evolution line (Oddish → Gloom → Vileplume) provides opportunities to upgrade board presence by transitioning to higher-HP and more impactful attackers as the game progresses.
Defensively, Oddish’s modest HP means it is susceptible to early knockouts by faster opponents. As such, players often rely on bench pressure, Trainer support for draw and search, and energy acceleration to reach more durable threats in subsequent turns. In tournament formats where Expanded legality is allowed, Oddish remains a budget-friendly option for players experimenting with coin-flip mechanics or for those who value the historical and thematic relevance of Kanto-era Pokémon within a modern set.
Collector and Market Information
As a Common rarity card from Crown Zenith, Oddish is typically accessible to collectors and players building budget-focused decks. The card’s value is influenced by its flexibility (Colorless cost, basic stage) and its role within the evolving Oddish-Gloom-Vileplume pathway. The pricing data indicates relatively low price points in both Cardmarket and TCGplayer, with holo variants commanding higher values when present in the set of interest. Collectors may also track the card’s condition, edition status, and any alternate art or promotional variants that could affect demand and market value over time.
Notable catalog information includes the updated regulation mark (F) and the Expanded-legal status, which informs collectors about format eligibility and potential resale markets tied to Modern TCG events. The card’s official set data, card count, and variant availability (normal and reverse holo) can also influence graded example value, should a collector choose to seek a high-grade example of this card for display or usability in a deck.
Art and Lore
The Crown Zenith set features artwork that revisits classic Pokémon from earlier generations, including Oddish. While the provided data does not specify the illustrator for this particular card, Crown Zenith generally balances vibrant color palettes with botanical motifs that reflect Oddish’s Grass-type nature. The artwork contributes to the card’s thematic resonance within the broader Pokémon world, emphasizing Oddish’s status as a small, plant-like Pokémon that thrives in grassy habitats. For fans and collectors, the card’s visual presentation complements the strategic role of Oddish on the tabletop, capturing a sense of whimsy and classic Pokémon lore.
Trivia
- The Leaf Boomerang attack relies entirely on coin flips for its damage output, introducing a degree of randomness that can influence match outcomes.
- Oddish in Crown Zenith carries the regulation mark F and is only legal in Expanded formats, reflecting contemporary changes to card eligibility across official play.
- The card exists in at least normal and reverse holo variants within the Crown Zenith set as indicated by the detailed card data.
- Pricing data shows a wide range of values for non-holo copies (typical of common cards) and notably higher premiums for holo or graded examples if pursued by collectors.
- Official card counts for Crown Zenith place swsh12.5-001 among a large set of cards (159 official cards, 230 total in the set), highlighting its place in a dense, collectible expansion.