Shellder 54/62 · 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. Shellder is 54/62, in position 54 of 62 on this checklist. Before it is 53 Psyduck, and after it is 55 Slowpoke. The listed rarity is Common.

Shellder is a Basic Water Pokémon with 30 HP. The card lists level 8. In the Pokédex this is Shellder (#090), generation 1 (Kanto). The card lists Cloyster, Cloyster (#091) under evolves to.

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

Shellder (#090) has 13 other cards in the catalog. Those other cards are in 12 sets. The other printings with a release date run from 2000 to 2023. The earliest other card is Misty's Shellder 89/132 in Gym Heroes (2000). That card is named Misty's Shellder, while this one is Shellder. That card lists 40 HP, and this one lists 30 HP. Both list the rarity Common. Ken Sugimori illustrated that card, and Mitsuhiro Arita illustrated this one. 13 other cards of Shellder list a different HP.

The attack Supersonic lists no damage number. The cost is Water. Flip a coin. If heads, the Defending Pokémon is now Confused. Hide in Shell is another attack lists no damage number. The cost is Water. Flip a coin. If heads, prevent all damage done to Shellder during your opponent's next turn. (Any other effects of attacks still happen.) Weakness is Lightning ×2. Retreat cost is 1. The flavor text reads "Its hard shell repels any kind of attack. It is vulnerable only when its shell is open."

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. Shellder 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.