Raikou-EX 38/108 · Dark Explorers

Dark Explorers is a set in the Black & White series. It was released on May 9, 2012. The printed size is 108. This checklist is longer, at 111 cards. Raikou-EX is 38/108, in position 38 of 111 on this checklist. Before it is 37 Jolteon, and after it is 39 Plusle. The listed rarity is Rare Holo EX.

Raikou-EX is a Basic EX Lightning Pokémon with 170 HP. In the Pokédex this is Raikou (#243), generation 2 (Johto).

Shizurow illustrated this card. The same name is on 79 other cards in the catalog.

Raikou (#243) has 26 other cards in the catalog. Those other cards are in 20 sets. The other printings with a release date run from 2001 to 2026. The earliest other card is Raikou 13/64 in Neo Revelation (2001). That card is named Raikou, while this one is Raikou-EX. That card lists 80 HP, and this one lists 170 HP. The rarity there is Rare Holo, and here it is Rare Holo EX. Ken Sugimori illustrated that card, and Shizurow illustrated this one. 24 other cards of Raikou list a different HP.

The attack Thunder Fang lists 30 damage. The cost is Lightning, Colorless. Flip a coin. If heads, the Defending Pokémon is now Paralyzed. Volt Bolt is another attack lists no damage number. The cost is Lightning, Lightning, Colorless. Discard all Lightning Energy attached to this Pokémon. This attack does 100 damage to 1 of your opponent's Pokémon. (Don't apply Weakness or Resistance for Benched Pokémon.) Weakness is Fighting ×2. Retreat cost is 1. The card text says: Pokémon-EX rule: When a Pokémon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.

I keep a set binder for Dark Explorers, meant to hold every card of that set. This card is one slot in the Dark Explorers set binder. A generation binder holds one card of each species. Raikou can fill a slot in Generation 2 binder (Johto). Themed lists that include this exact card are Legendary beasts. I still need this card.