📘 Scyther — Pokémon TCG

Category: Pokemon TCG · Created: · Updated:

Scyther card art from Temporal Forces set

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Overview

Scyther is a Basic Grass-type Pokémon card from the Temporal Forces expansion of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. With 90 Hit Points and two straightforward attacks, it serves as an early-game attacker that can pressure the opponent while contributing to deck plans that rely on evolving or swapping into more powerful options. The card is cataloged as sv05-001 within the Temporal Forces set and carries the Common rarity designation. Illustrated by Dsuke, this Scyther represents the Grass-type option available in the sv05 subset and reflects the gameplay design sensibilities of its era, emphasizing fast plays and efficient use of Colorless energy costs.

Card Information

  • Name: Scyther
  • Set: Temporal Forces (sv05)
  • Card Number: sv05-001
  • Rarity: Common
  • Type: Grass
  • HP: 90
  • Stage: Basic
  • Attacks:
    • Cut Up — 10 damage, Cost: Colorless
    • Slashing Strike — 60 damage, Cost: Colorless, Colorless; Effect: During your next turn, this Pokémon can't use Slashing Strike.
  • Retreat Cost: 1
  • Weakness/Resistance: Not listed in the provided data
  • Regulation Mark: H
  • Legal in: Standard and Expanded formats
  • Dex Number: 123
  • Illustrator: Dsuke
  • Variant Coverage: First Edition: False, Holo: False, Normal: True, Reverse: True, W Promo: False
  • Symbol: Temporal Forces symbol (sv05)

Gameplay and Strategy

As a basic Grass-type with two Colorless energy costs, Scyther serves as a flexible early-game play in many Grass or non-specific energy decks. Its first attack, Cut Up, provides a low-damage option for chipping away at the opponent’s lineup and setting up later plays. The second attack, Slashing Strike, deals higher damage but restricts its own use on the following turn, requiring players to plan the sequence of attacks to maximize damage output over two successive turns.

Key strategic considerations for Scyther include:

  • Energy flexibility: The Colorless cost on both attacks allows attachment of any basic energy types, enabling compatibility with a wider range of deck builds and energy acceleration cards that are not strictly Grass-specific.
  • Tempo management: The restriction on Slashing Strike’s use in the next turn encourages players to sequence Scyther’s actions with other Pokémon or with support cards that can keep pressure on opponents while Scyther rests or is benched.
  • Opening pressure: With 90 HP, Scyther can trade favorably against many early-game threats, especially when paired with draws or effects that help maintain board presence or fetch additional attackers.
  • Evolutions and synergy: While Scyther is a basic Pokémon, it can function as part of a broader strategy that leverages Bug-type or Grass-type evolutions or trainer cards that facilitate quick transitions to stronger forms, depending on the deck design and rules of the era.

In competitive play, Scyther’s role would be highly dependent on the surrounding card pool in the Temporal Forces era and the available support for early-game aggression, energy acceleration, and bench management. Its two attacks provide a straightforward path for players seeking reliable, low-cost damage while the two-attack dynamic encourages thoughtful turn planning and opponent-side disruption through position and energy usage.

Collector and Market Information

Rarity and print characteristics contribute to Scyther’s standing among collectors. The sv05-001 listing confirms a Common rarity with multiple print variants existing for the Temporal Forces subset:

  • First Edition: No
  • Holo: No
  • Normal: Yes
  • Reverse: Yes
  • W Promo: No

Pricing data from CardMarket provides a snapshot of the card’s market value in the non-holo print. As of the latest update, CardMarket lists an average price around €0.03, with a low around €0.02 and a short-term trend near €0.03. For the holo variants of the same card type, market data shows higher values, with holo averages around €0.12–€0.13 and a positive trend in recent listings. These figures reflect the card’s common status and its place within the Temporal Forces era, where non-holo prints are typically more accessible to a broader audience, while reverse holo variants carry a modest premium among collectors.

It should be noted that the provided data includes a CardMarket update timestamp (2025-10-31) and offers limited visibility into broader platforms (TCGPlayer data field is null). Collectors and price-conscious players should verify current pricing across multiple marketplaces and consider the card’s condition, edition status, and market fluctuations when assessing value.

Art and Lore

The illustration for this Scyther is credited to Dsuke, reflecting the distinctive artistic contributions within the Temporal Forces release. While the card’s artwork specifics are not detailed here, Dsuke’s work on Pokémon TCG illustrations for this era typically emphasizes action-oriented poses and dynamic line work that highlights Scyther’s iconic scythe-like appendages. The Temporal Forces set itself sits within a period of Pokémon TCG history characterized by its focus on diverse evolutionary lines and a breadth of Basic and evolving form options, underscoring the steady expansion of card design and illustration during its publication.

Thematically, Scyther’s presence in the Temporal Forces line aligns with the broader Pokémon world’s emphasis on agile Bug-type and Grass-type strategies, and the card’s two-attack framework mirrors common early-game combat motifs found in the era’s basic Pokémon.

Trivia

  • The card bears sv05-001 as its official number within the Temporal Forces set, marking it as one of the early entrants in that expansion.
  • Scyther’s Slashing Strike interaction — “During your next turn, this Pokémon can't use Slashing Strike” — creates a two-turn decision window that invites planning around energy attachment timing and bench management.
  • The card exists in both Normal and Reverse Holo variants, but it is not printed as a First Edition or a Holo foil version in this specific listing, reflecting common printing practices for early Temporal Forces releases.
  • Illustrator credit for this print is Dsuke, an artist associated with multiple entries in the Temporal Forces line and other Pokémon TCG releases from the period.
  • The Regulation Mark is H, indicating its legality within contemporary competitive formats that accept H-marked cards.

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