Alolan Sandslash-GX SM236/248 · SM Black Star Promos

SM Black Star Promos is a set in the Sun & Moon series. It was released on February 3, 2017. The printed size is 248. This checklist is longer, at 251 cards. Alolan Sandslash-GX is SM236/248, in position 239 of 251 on this checklist. Before it is SM235 Eevee, and after it is SM237 Leafeon. The listed rarity is Promo.

Alolan Sandslash-GX is a Stage 1 GX Water Pokémon with 200 HP. In the Pokédex this is Sandslash (#028), generation 1 (Kanto). The card says it evolves from Alolan Sandshrew. In this catalog that name is Sandshrew (#027).

5ban Graphics illustrated this card. The same name is on 1,629 other cards in the catalog.

Sandslash (#028) has 23 other cards in the catalog. Those other cards are in 22 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 Alolan Sandslash-GX. That card lists 70 HP, and this one lists 200 HP. The rarity there is Uncommon, and here it is Promo. Ken Sugimori illustrated that card, and 5ban Graphics illustrated this one. Retreat cost there is 1, and here it is 2. 23 other cards of Sandslash list a different HP.

Spiky Shield is listed as Ability. If this Pokémon is your Active Pokémon and is damaged by an opponent's attack (even if this Pokémon is Knocked Out), put 3 damage counters on the Attacking Pokémon. The attack Frost Breath lists 120 damage. The cost is Water, Colorless, Colorless. Spiky Storm-GX is another attack lists no damage number. The cost is Water, Colorless, Colorless. This attack does 100 damage to each of your opponent's Pokémon that has any damage counters on it. (You can't use more than 1 GX attack in a game.) Weakness is Metal ×2. Retreat cost is 2. The card text says: Pokémon-GX rule: When your Pokémon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.

I keep a set binder for SM Black Star Promos, meant to hold every card of that set. This card is one slot in the SM Black Star Promos 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 Alolan forms. I still need this card.