Zapdos 30/62 · Fossil

Fossil is a set in the Base series. It was released on October 10, 1999. The printed size is 62, and the checklist is the same length. Zapdos is 30/62, in position 30 of 62 on this checklist. Before it is 29 Raichu, and after it is 31 Arbok. The listed rarity is Rare.

Zapdos is a Basic Lightning Pokémon with 80 HP. The card lists level 40. In the Pokédex this is Zapdos (#145), generation 1 (Kanto).

Mitsuhiro Arita illustrated this card. The same name is on 721 other cards in the catalog.

Zapdos (#145) has 49 other cards in the catalog. Those other cards are in 35 sets. The other printings with a release date run from 1999 to 2026. The earliest other card is Zapdos 16/102 in Base (1999). That card lists 90 HP, and this one lists 80 HP. The rarity there is Rare Holo, and here it is Rare. Ken Sugimori illustrated that card, and Mitsuhiro Arita illustrated this one. Retreat cost there is 3, and here it is 2. 46 other cards of Zapdos list a different HP.

The attack Thunderstorm lists 40 damage. The cost is Lightning, Lightning, Lightning, Lightning. For each of your opponent's Benched Pokémon, flip a coin. If heads, this attack does 20 damage to that Pokémon. (Don't apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.) Then, Zapdos does 10 damage times the number of tails to itself. Resistance is Fighting -30. Retreat cost is 2. The flavor text reads "A legendary thunderbird Pokémon whose anger is said to cause storms. Some say it has lived above the clouds for thousands of years."

I keep a set binder for Fossil, meant to hold every card of that set. This card is one slot in the Fossil set binder. A generation binder holds one card of each species. Zapdos can fill a slot in Generation 1 binder (Kanto). Themed lists that include this exact card are Mitsuhiro Arita cards. I still need this card.