📘 Vulpix (Base Set 58/102)

Category: Pokemon TCG · Created: · Updated:

Vulpix card art from Macdonald's Collection 2016 holofoil

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Overview

This article documents a Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) card featuring Vulpix, a basic Pokémon from the Macdonald’s Collection 2016 set. The card exists in multiple print variants, including normal, reverse, and holofoil. Within the provided data, the card is listed with no formal rarity designation, and its official print variants are not first-edition nor promotional. The flavor text accompanying the card emphasizes Vulpix’s defining lore element: as a young Pokémon, it has six tails; with growth, additional tails emerge. This theme resonates with the broader Pokémon world’s emphasis on growth, adaptation, and the symbolic significance of tails in Vulpix and its evolution, Ninetales.

As a Basic-stage Pokémon, this Vulpix serves as the groundwork for a potential evolution into Ninetales, a common trajectory in the Vulpix-Ninetales line throughout the Pokémon franchise. The Macdonald’s Collection 2016 designation places the card within a limited-set context that collectors may explore for its unique print runs and holofoil aesthetics. The card’s depiction by illustrator kirisAki adds a distinct artistic fingerprint to the package, aligning with other works by the artist in the Pokémon TCG universe.

Card Information

  • Name: Vulpix
  • Set: Macdonald’s Collection 2016 (set ID 2016xy)
  • Card Count (set): official 12, total 12
  • Rarity: None
  • Stage: Basic
  • Attacks:
    • Roar — Your opponent switches his or her Active Pokémon with 1 of his or her Benched Pokémon.
    • Gnaw — 10 damage
  • Illustrator: kirisAki
  • Variants: Normal, Reverse, and Holofoil variants; First Edition: False; Promotional: False
  • Evolution: Evolves to Ninetales in the broader Pokémon evolution line (Vulpix → Ninetales)
  • Legal formats: Standard: False, Expanded: False
  • Flavor text (Description): “While young, it has six gorgeous tails. When it grows, several new tails are sprouted.”
  • Pricing (TCGPlayer data):
    • Holofoil – low: 20.14 USD; mid: 20.14 USD; high: 20.14 USD; market: 19 USD
    • Direct Low Price: Not listed
    • CardMarket: None
  • Last updated: 2025-08-16T20:39:55Z

Gameplay and Strategy

The card’s primary mechanical features center on its two attacks. Roar disrupts the opponent’s board position by forcing a switch of the Active Pokémon with one of the Benched Pokémon. This effect can alter the momentum of a match by removing a threatening Active Pokémon or forcing an unfavorable matchup, depending on the state of the opponent’s bench. In practice, Roar is used to hinder an opponent’s setup or to reconfigure the battlefield in a favorable way for the user’s strategy, especially when the opponent relies on a particular Active attacker or a vulnerable bench layout.

The second attack, Gnaw, deals a modest 10 damage. While not a high-damage option on its own, Gnaw contributes to early game pressure and chip damage, potentially enabling later turns to secure Knock Outs through support from evolution or other teammates. Without playing the specific energy costs or HP values for this print, the interpretation centers on its role as an early-game pressure tool paired with Roar’s disruptive ability. In deck-building terms, Vulpix serves as a base-stage foundational card that can be used to accelerate the development of a Ninetales line, while also providing immediate battlefield manipulation through Roar.

Given the absence of explicit energy costs, HP figures, and type data in the material provided, players should consult a complete, official card database for exact energy requirements and resistances. Nevertheless, as a Basic Pokémon with access to holo, reverse, and normal variants, the card offers archetypal value in collections emphasizing first-turn play, tempo disruption, and the classic Vulpix-Ninetales evolution motif. In broader strategy discussions, Vulpix can be integrated into mixed-attack or control-oriented decks that leverage opponent hand and board state manipulation, while using Roar to disrupt bench development and force suboptimal setups for the opposing trainer.

Collector and Market Information

The Macdonald’s Collection 2016 print of Vulpix is cataloged with no explicit rarity, and it is not listed as legal in standardized competitive formats as of the provided data. The set itself includes a total of 12 cards, with the individual card variant examples encompassing normal, reverse, and holofoil presentations. For collectors, holofoil variants typically contribute additional desirability due to their aesthetic appeal and limited distribution within a given print run.

Pricing data from TCGPlayer indicate a holofoil print with a market price around 19–20 USD, with listed low/mid/high values all at about 20.14 USD in the provided snapshot. CardMarket data is not available for this card in the given dataset. The absence of a first-edition designation and the presence of holo, reverse, and normal variants suggest that this print offers a niche but collectible option for players and collectors who are tracking Macdonald’s Collection 2016 releases or who are completing subsets within the Macdonald’s Collection framework.

Collectors often consider several factors when evaluating this card: the variant type (holo vs. non-holo), the edition status, the condition of the print, and the overall completeness of the Macdonald’s Collection 2016 set. The illustrated depiction by kirisAki also contributes to a card’s appeal, as artistic interpretation can influence perceived value in addition to gameplay utility. The updated timestamp indicates ongoing cataloging activity and price tracking, which is typical for mid-2010s sets that receive periodic re-evaluations as market activity fluctuates.

Art and Lore

The artwork for this Vulpix is rendered by kirisAki, whose style contributes a distinct visual identity within the Pokémon TCG. The flavor text aligns with one of Vulpix’s enduring lore themes in the Pokémon universe: Vulpix’s tails symbolize its growth and evolving power. The line “While young, it has six gorgeous tails. When it grows, several new tails are sprouted” draws a direct connection to the creature’s evolving nature, which is mirrored in its standard evolution into Ninetales. The depiction of Vulpix in a holofoil variant frequently emphasizes a shimmering, prismatic effect that enhances the creature’s mythical and elemental status within the card game’s visual language.

In the broader context of Pokémon world-building, Vulpix is often associated with fire and intimate ties to nature and folklore within the regional ecosystems of the Pokémon setting. Although the Macdonald’s Collection 2016 print is a specialized subset, the artistry and flavor text reinforce these themes, enriching both the collector’s experience and the game’s storytelling dimension. The card’s evolution into Ninetales—an icon of elegance, power, and mystique—reflects a recurring motif across generations of Vulpix family cards, where the development from a young fox to a regal, multi-tailed guardian is celebrated in both gameplay mechanics and narrative framing.

Trivia

  • The card exists in multiple print variants: normal, reverse, and holofoil; first edition and promo status are both false in the provided data.
  • The flavor text emphasizes tail growth as a symbolic element of maturation, aligning with the canonical Vulpix/Ninetales evolution theme.
  • The illustrator for this print is kirisAki, whose contributions appear in various Pokémon TCG releases, giving the card a distinctive artistic signature.
  • The set, Macdonald’s Collection 2016, is identified with set ID 2016xy and contains a total of 12 cards in the official print run.
  • Pricing data from TCGPlayer shows holofoil prints around the 20 USD mark, illustrating modest but steady collector interest for this print in the observed window.

CTA & NETWORK LINKS

[Vulpix (Base Set 58/102)]

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