Dark Sandslash 18/109 · Team Rocket Returns

Team Rocket Returns is a set in the EX series. It was released on November 1, 2004. The printed size is 109. This checklist is longer, at 111 cards. Dark Sandslash is 18/109, in position 18 of 111 on this checklist. Before it is 17 Dark Raticate, and after it is 19 Dark Tyranitar. The listed rarity is Rare.

Dark Sandslash is a Stage 1 Fighting Darkness Pokémon with 70 HP. In the Pokédex this is Sandslash (#028), generation 1 (Kanto). The card says it evolves from Sandshrew. In this catalog that name is Sandshrew (#027).

Masakazu Fukuda illustrated this card. The same name is on 471 other cards in the catalog.

Sandslash (#028) has 23 other cards in the catalog. Those other cards are in 21 sets. The other printings with a release date run from 1999 to 2025. The earliest other card is Sandslash 41/62 in Fossil (1999). That card is named Sandslash, while this one is Dark Sandslash. Both list 70 HP. The rarity there is Uncommon, and here it is Rare. Ken Sugimori illustrated that card, and Masakazu Fukuda illustrated this one. 18 other cards of Sandslash list a different HP.

Poison Payback is listed as Poké-Body. If Dark Sandslash is your Active Pokémon and is damaged by an opponent's attack (even if Dark Sandslash is Knocked Out), the Attacking Pokémon is now Poisoned. The attack Swift lists 50 damage. The cost is Colorless, Colorless, Colorless. This attack's damage isn't affected by Weakness, Resistance, Poké-Powers, Poké-Bodies, or any other effects on the Defending Pokémon. Weakness is Grass ×2. The card text says: This Pokémon is both Fighting Darkness type.

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