The first of this new batch is a truly incandescent specimen: Magcargo-GX. This card is a “full art” Pokémon-GX from the Sun & Moon era set Thunderclap Spark, a mechanic that bestowed powerful abilities and spectacular artwork upon the Pokémon.
Card Details
- Pokémon Name: Magcargo-GX (マグカルゴGX)
- Set: Thunderclap Spark (SM7a)
- Year: 2018
- Card Number: 012-060
- Rarity/Edition: Double Rare (Pokémon-GX)
- Artist: 5ban Graphics
- National Pokédex No.: 219
Card Text & Attacks
- Type: Fire
- HP: 210
- Evolves From: Slugma
- Ability: Crash Charge
- Japanese: クラッシュチャージ
- Romaji: Kurasshu Chāji
- Effect: Once during your turn, you may discard the top card of your deck. If that card is a basic Energy card, attach it to 1 of your Pokémon.
- Attack 1:
- Japanese: ようがんりゅう
- Romaji: Yōganryū
- English: Lava Flow
- Cost: [Fire][Fire][Colourless]
- Damage: 50+
- Effect: You may discard any number of basic Energy cards from this Pokémon. This attack does 50 more damage for each card you discarded in this way.
- GX Attack:
- Japanese: マッグバンGX
- Romaji: Magguban GX
- English: Mag Ban GX
- Cost: [Fire]
- Effect: Discard the top 5 cards of your opponent’s deck. (You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)
- Weakness: Water x2
- Resistance: None
- Retreat Cost: [Colourless][Colourless][Colourless]
- Rule Box: When your Pokémon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Collector’s Notes
This Magcargo-GX is a Double Rare from the Japanese set Thunderclap Spark, a late Sun & Moon era release. The “Pokémon-GX” mechanic was a cornerstone of this era, featuring powerful Pokémon with high HP and a game-changing, once-per-game GX attack. This full-art, textured card showcases the dynamic 3D artwork of 5ban Graphics, making Magcargo appear as if it’s erupting from the card.
Magcargo is a premier Geological Pokémon. In the video games, it is a dual-type Fire/Rock Pokémon, a creature whose body is literally made of magma, with a shell of cooled, hardened volcanic rock. This makes it a living volcano, a perfect specimen for a collection focused on geology. Interestingly, while it is part Rock-type, the TCG has classified this version as a pure Fire type, choosing to emphasize its molten, magmatic core. This is a fascinating example of how the TCG simplifies types, in this case highlighting the volcanology aspect of the Pokémon’s identity.
