Charizard (Base Set 4)

This article is a featured article. This means that it has been identified as one of the best articles produced on Bulbapedia.

Charizard LV.76 リザードン Lizardon

Best Collection CD print Illus. Ken Sugimori

Evolution stage Stage 2 Pokémon Evolves from Charmeleon Card name Charizard Type Fire HP 120 weakness ×2 resistance -30 retreat cost English expansion Base Set Rarity English card no. 4/102 Japanese expansion Expansion Pack Japanese rarity Japanese expansion Unnumbered Promotional cards Expansion Base Set 2 Rarity English card no. 4/130 TCG GB1 set Evolution TCG GB1 ID B14 TCG GB2 set Beginning Pokémon TCG GB2 ID A13 TCG GB2 set Promotion Card TCG GB2 ID P02 Expansion Legendary Collection Rarity English card no. 3/110 English expansion Stormfront Rarity English card no. 103/100 Japanese expansion Intense Fight in the Destroyed Sky Japanese rarity Japanese card no. 092/092 Japanese Half Deck Pokémon Card Game 25th Anniversary Creatures Deck English expansion Celebrations Rarity English card no. 4/102 Japanese expansion Promo Card Pack 25th Anniversary Edition Japanese card no. 001/025 English expansion Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic English Deck Charizard & Ho-Oh ex Deck English card no. 003/034 Japanese expansion Pokémon Card Game Classic Japanese Deck Charizard & Ho-Oh ex Deck Japanese card no. 003/032 For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Charizard.

Charizard (Japanese: リザードン Lizardon) is a Fire-type Stage 2 Pokémon card. It was first released as part of the Base Set.

Card text

Base Set print

Pokémon Power: Energy Burn エナジーバーン

As often as you like during your turn (before your attack), you may turn all Energy attached to Charizard into Energy for the rest of the turn. This power can't be used if Charizard is Asleep, Confused, or Paralyzed.

Fire Spin ほのおのうず 100

Discard 2 Energy cards attached to Charizard in order to use this attack.

Legendary Collection print

Pokémon Power: Energy Burn エナジーバーン

As often as you like during your turn (before your attack), you may turn all Energy attached to Charizard into Energy for the rest of the turn. This power can't be used if Charizard is affected by a Special Condition.

Fire Spin ほのおのうず 100

Discard 2 Energy cards attached to Charizard or this attack does nothing.

Japanese Expansion Pack print

Pokémon Power: Energy Burn エナジーバーン

You may treat non- Energy attached to Charizard as Energy. This power can't be used if Charizard is Confused.

Fire Spin ほのおのうず 100

Discard 2 Energy cards attached to Charizard or this attack does nothing.

Pokédex data (Initial prints)

Charizard - Flame Pokémon
No.	Height	Weight
006	5'7" (1.7 m)	200 lbs. (90.5 kg)
Pokédex entry
Spits fire that is hot enough to melt boulders. Known to unintentionally cause forest fires.
地上１４００メートルまで羽をつかって飛ぶことができる。高熱の炎をはく。

Stormfront print

Energy Burn エナジーバーン

All Energy attached to Charizard are Energy instead of their usual type.

Fire Spin ほのおのうず 100

Discard 2 Energy attached to Charizard.

Pokédex data (Stormfront print)

Charizard - Flame Pokémon
No.	Height	Weight
006	5'07" (1.7 m)	199.5 lbs. (90.5 kg)
Pokédex entry
Its wings can carry this Pokémon close to an altitude of 4,600 feet. It blows out fire at very high temperatures.
ちじょう １４００メートル まで ハネを つかって とぶことができる。 こうねつの ほのおを はく。

Back (Creatures Deck print)

All prints

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

Team Plasma

Team Plasma

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

FLARE

(Prism Star) Rule You can't have more than 1 card with the same name in your deck. If a card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.

TAG TEAM

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

{{{ruletext}}}

VSTAR Power

Pokémon Card Game Base Set Pokémon Card Game Base Set is a Trading Card Game set in the world of Pokémon Red and Green. Game designers Kouichi Ooyama and Akihiko Miura participated in its development, led by director Tsunekazu Ishihara. "I was absorbed in incorporating the types and characteristics of Pokémon into the mechanics of the game. The reason we developed the game was to get promotional synergy with Pokémon Red and Green. I was happy that we were able to release Pokémon Red and Green 8 months later." (Tsunekazu Ishihara) (October 20, 1996)

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic print

Pokémon Power: Energy Burn エナジーバーン

All Energy attached to this Pokémon are Energy instead of their usual type. This Pokémon Power stops working if this Pokémon is Asleep, Confused, or Paralyzed.

Fire Spin ほのおのうず 100

Discard 2 Energy from this Pokémon.

Pokédex data (Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic print)

Charizard - Flame Pokémon
No.	Height	Weight
006	5'7" (1.7 m)	199.5 lbs. (90.5 kg)
Pokédex entry
Spits fire that is hot enough to melt boulders. Known to unintentionally cause forest fires.
地上１４００メートルまで羽をつかって飛ぶことができる。高熱の炎をはく。

Release information

This card was included in the Base Set with artwork by Mitsuhiro Arita, first released in the Japanese Expansion Pack. In Japan, this card was reprinted as an Unnumbered Promotional card with different artwork by Ken Sugimori. It was first available through the Trade Please campaign that ran from February 10 to July 31 in 1998. Participants were required to mail a flyer included with copies of Trade Please by Suzukisan to MediaFactory along with any two Pokémon trading cards and a return envelope within the campaign period. Participants could select a "course" detailed on the flyer by writing in the appropriate space. The "A Course" included a copy of this card and a Trade Please! promotional card. The "B Course" included a Blastoise card and the Trade Please! card. The "C Course" included a Venusaur card and the Trade Please! card. MediaFactory would then send the two cards from the chosen course to the participant, completing the trade. This print was later released as part of the Pokémon Song Best Collection CD. These prints have the Pikachu Records logo in place of an expansion symbol.

A Jumbo English version of the Base Set print was released in Japan as an insert in the April 2000 CoroCoro magazine, released in March 2000. The original print was also reprinted in the English Base Set 2 and Legendary Collection expansions. An exclusive Non Holofoil version of this print was released in the latter set's Lava Theme Deck.

A special reprint with redrawn art by Mitsuhiro Arita was released in the Stormfront expansion, first released in the Japanese Intense Fight in the Destroyed Sky expansion. This print modified some of the card text to bring it in line with modern card wording whilst still allowing it to retain most of its original effects; however, Energy Burn was made mandatory on the Stormfront print, whereas it was originally optional on the Base Set print.

The Base Set print was rereleased in the Celebrations expansion's Classic Collection for the Pokémon 25th Anniversary. This print features the 25th Anniversary logo in the bottom right corner of the artwork and lacks Wizards of the Coast from the copyright information. In Japan, it was reprinted as part of the Promo Card Pack 25th Anniversary Edition with a red and gold "25th" logo in the bottom right corner of the artwork. Both prints are Confetti Holofoil and have etching similar to Full Art cards. At the end of 2021, Creatures, Inc. sent the Pokémon Card Game 25th Anniversary Creatures Deck to TCG collaborators, which included a variant of the original print of this card. All cards have unique card backs, with Charizard's detailing the inception of the TCG. This version is Starlight Holo and has a gold "25th" stamp in the bottom right corner of the artwork.

This card's Expansion Pack print was included in the Pokémon Card Game 25th Anniversary Creatures Deck, a commemorative Half Deck given to Creatures, Inc. illustrators and staff members to celebrate the Pokémon 25th Anniversary and the company's 26th. In this deck, this card represents the year 1996 of the company's history, and the back contains information about the development and release of Expansion Pack. This card has a "25th" stamp next to the illustration, and keeps the original rarity.

In the Scarlet & Violet Series, this card was reprinted in Holofoil with its original Base Set artwork for the Charizard & Ho-Oh ex deck of the Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic. This reprint lacks a regulation mark and is thus not legal for tournament play.

Gallery

Base Set print Illus. Mitsuhiro Arita	Unnumbered Promotional print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Stormfront print Illus. Mitsuhiro Arita
Pokémon TCG Classic print Illus. Mitsuhiro Arita	Back (Creatures Deck print only)	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori

TCG GB1 Evolution sprite	TCG GB2 Beginning Pokémon sprite	TCG GB2 Promotion Card sprite
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori

Trivia

• The effect of Energy Burn changed slightly between the Japanese Expansion Pack printing and the later Unnumbered Promotional card printing; both versions of the Pokémon Power turn attached Energy into Fire Energy, but the latter wording says the Power can only be used during your turn and the effect wears off at the end of your turn. The card's English translation is based on the updated wording.
• This card was once the most sought after card in the entire Pokémon TCG; the popularity of Charizard and the large amount of base damage the card can do were a major factor in its appeal. Various versions of this card have been sold anywhere starting at $30, with the original 1st Edition Wizard of the Coast version selling for an average of $1,000.
• The 1st Edition variant of this card is still one of the most sought after cards in the hobby. A 1st Edition copy graded PSA 9 can earn $3,000. A 1st Edition copy graded PSA 10 can earn over $18,000. Ungraded 1st Edition copies range in the high hundreds to low thousands.

Origin

Fire Spin is a move in the Pokémon games that Charizard can learn. This card's English Base Set Pokédex entry comes from Pokémon Red and Blue, though it is slightly reworded. The Japanese entry comes from Pokémon Red and Green. The Stormfront Pokédex entry comes from Pokémon FireRed.

This article is part of Project TCG, a Bulbapedia project that aims to report on every aspect of the Pokémon Trading Card Game.