📘 Weedle — Pokémon TCG

Category: Pokemon TCG · Created: · Updated:

Weedle card art from Chilling Reign (swsh6-1)

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Overview

Weedle is a basic Grass-type Pokémon card appearing in the Pokémon Trading Card Game within the Chilling Reign expansion (swsh6). Classified as Common, this card provides a modest early-game presence that supports deck-building strategies focused on the Beedrill evolution line. As a basic Pokémon with low starting hit points, Weedle is typically used to accelerate setup—allowing players to advance to Kakuna and ultimately Beedrill for stronger offensive options in the mid to late game. The artwork on this print is credited to Sanosuke Sakuma, and the card bears the evolutionary potential to Kakuna and Beedrill in its line.

In terms of game format, this Weedle is listed as Expanded-legal but not Standard-legal in its printing, reflecting the broader rules evolution around card eligibility across formats. The set itself includes 198 official cards and 233 total cards, with Chilling Reign represented by its own logo and symbol as part of the Sword & Shield era. Weedle’s positioning within the set—and its status as a common, early-stage Grass Pokémon—makes it a recognizable staple for collectors and players building Grass-type or insect-themed decks within Expanded play.

Card Information

  • Name: Weedle
  • Set: Chilling Reign (swsh6)
  • Card Number: swsh6-1
  • Rarity: Common
  • Type: Grass
  • Stage: Basic
  • HP: 40
  • Weakness: Fire ×2
  • Retreat Cost: 1
  • Illustrator: Sanosuke Sakuma
  • Evolution: Evolves to Kakuna (and then Beedrill)
  • Attack: Pierce — Cost: Grass; Damage: 20
  • Dex Entry: 13
  • Regulation Mark: E
  • Variants: Normal, Reverse
  • Legal in formats: Expanded: Yes; Standard: No
  • Official card count (set): 198 official cards (total 233 in the set)
  • Edition notes: First Edition: False; Holo: False; Normal: True; Reverse: True
  • Implied description: Its poison stinger is very powerful. Its bright-colored body is intended to warn off its enemies.
  • Card image: https://assets.tcgdex.net/en/swsh/swsh6/1/high.png

Gameplay and Strategy

Weedle’s primary role in a deck is to serve as an efficient setup option that enables a smooth transition into the Beedrill evolution line. With a low base HP of 40 and a modest single-attack repertoire, Weedle is best leveraged as a stepping stone toward Kakuna and Beedrill, rather than as a standalone finisher. The Pierce attack, which requires a Grass energy to deal 20 damage, provides a low-cost opening for players to apply early pressure while developing their bench and drawing into evolutions.

In Expanded-legal play, Weedle’s value lies in its compatibility with Grass-type support cards and mechanisms that accelerate evolution. Players commonly use Weedle as a filler that profiles early-game pressure while racing to Kakuna and Beedrill for more impactful attacks and abilities. Its Grass typing also interacts with various Grass-focused strategems in the expanded card pool, which can help maintain tempo as the game progresses. Its Fire weakness means matchups against Fire-heavy decks are a consideration, as those threats can threaten Weedle quickly given its low HP. Thus, Weedle’s best use is as a stepping-stone to stronger Beedrill-based lines and as a collector’s staple within insect-themed or Grass-focused decks.

  • Early play: Use Weedle to establish a basic presence on the bench and prepare for evolution to Kakuna.
  • Evolution timing: Prioritize evolving to Kakuna and eventually Beedrill to access higher damage and more impactful abilities in the mid-game.
  • Weakness management: Be mindful of Fire-type matchups that threaten Weedle due to ×2 weakness; plan evolutions to mitigate this exposure.
  • Deck archetypes: Commonly paired with Grass-support options and evolution-focused lines that emphasize Beedrill-driven offense.

Collector and Market Information

Weedle from Chilling Reign (swsh6-1) sits in the Common rarity tier, which generally corresponds to lower market values compared with rare or holofoil variants. Pricing data compiled from major marketplaces provides a snapshot of its market position as of recent periods:

  • Normal variant — avg around 0.04 EUR; low around 0.02 EUR; holo variant — avg around 0.16 EUR; low holo around 0.02 EUR; trend and direct pricing reflect typical demand patterns for common, non-holo prints.
  • TCGPlayer (USD): Normal variant — low around 0.01 USD, mid around 0.10 USD, high around 2.00 USD; market price around 0.05 USD; direct low around 0.04 USD. Reverse-holofoil variant — low around 0.03 USD, mid around 0.20 USD, high around 2.00 USD; market price around 0.18 USD; direct low around 0.07 USD.

The data reflect typical market behavior for common, early-printed cards, with significantly lower values for the standard print and sporadic jumps for reverse holos when present. Collectors often focus on complete set collections or on the Beedrill evolution chain, which can influence long-tail interest in Weedle as part of the broader expansion.

For collectors, it is important to verify editions and condition when assessing value, and to consult up-to-date market data as prices fluctuate with availability and demand. Weedle swsh6-1’s expansion-era print history and its role in the set’s insect-themed content contribute to its ongoing relevance as a cataloged card within Expanded collections.

Art and Lore

The illustration for Weedle in this print is credited to Sanosuke Sakuma, whose work on Pokémon TCG cards for the Sword & Shield era reflects a clean, compact rendering of a familiar insect Pokémon. The artwork emphasizes Weedle’s recognizable bright body and its characteristic stinger, aligning with the card’s flavor text that highlights its potent venom and its warning coloration. The design fits into the Chilling Reign aesthetic, which balanced friendly creature depictions with a slightly darker, forested environment consistent with the set’s icy, wilderness-themed motif.

While the card does not advance a detailed lore narrative on its own, Weedle remains an enduring member of Beedrill’s evolutionary line within the Pokémon world. Traditionally, Weedle evolves into Kakuna and then Beedrill, reinforcing themes of metamorphosis and the dual nature of transformation that underpins much of the Pokémon universe. The in-game flavor text about Weedle’s venom and warning coloration complements its role as a cautious, defensive insect that relies on early-stage presence and subsequent evolutions to reach its full combat potential.

Trivia

  • The card number swsh6-1 indicates its position at the start of the Chilling Reign set’s card sequence for that print run.
  • This Weedle print is non-holo in this edition, with a reverse-holo variant available in the set’s broader release window.
  • The card bears Regulation Mark E, aligning with the Expanded-legal status and the broader regulatory structure governing deck-building formats during this period.
  • With a HP of 40 and an Attack of 20 for a Grass energy, Weedle’s role emphasizes early-game setup rather than standalone win conditions.
Weedle swsh6-1

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