Pokémon Prime (TCG)

Pokémon Prime (Japanese: グレートポケモン Great Pokémon) are a type of Pokémon found in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. They first appeared in the HeartGold & SoulSilver expansion. Pokémon Prime differ from other variants of Pokémon in that they have no specific ruling or mechanic affecting their use: they have the normal evolutionary Stages of Basic Pokémon, Stage 1 Pokémon or Stage 2 Pokémon depending if they evolve or not and what Pokémon they evolve from. The name of Pokémon Prime is unchanged compared to regular Pokémon. (For example, a Pokémon Prime card featuring Meganium would have the name "Meganium", just as a regular Pokémon card featuring Meganium would be named "Meganium". Sometimes, in situations outside of gameplay such as in promotional material, Pokémon Prime card names are referred to using "Prime" as a suffix. The only difference between Pokémon Prime and regular Pokémon, in terms of gameplay, is that Pokémon Prime are considerably more powerful than their regular counterparts.

An example of a Pokémon Prime

Pokémon Prime have a Holofoil card border, gold foil name text, and spikes on the border of the artwork window. They lack the Pokédex information normally placed below the artwork, as well as the Pokédex entry normally placed at the bottom of the card. Their artwork features a close-up of the Pokémon's face.

Pokémon that have appeared as Pokémon Prime

Pokémon Prime Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card	Type	English Expansion	Rarity	#	Japanese Expansion	Rarity	#
Ampharos		HeartGold & SoulSilver		105/123	HeartGold Collection		034/070
Blissey		HeartGold & SoulSilver		106/123	HeartGold Collection		054/070
Donphan		HeartGold & SoulSilver		107/123	HeartGold Collection		046/070
		Celebrations		107/123	Promo Card Pack 25th Anniversary Edition		019/025
Feraligatr		HeartGold & SoulSilver		108/123	HeartGold Collection		025/070
		HGSS Black Star Promos		HGSS07
Meganium		HeartGold & SoulSilver		109/123	SoulSilver Collection		009/070
		HGSS Black Star Promos		HGSS08
Typhlosion		HeartGold & SoulSilver		110/123	SoulSilver Collection		017/070
		HGSS Black Star Promos		HGSS09
Crobat		Unleashed		84/95	SoulSilver Collection		037/070
Kingdra		Unleashed		85/95	Reviving Legends		015/080
Lanturn		Unleashed		86/95	Reviving Legends		020/080
Steelix		Unleashed		87/95	Reviving Legends		047/080
Tyranitar		Unleashed		88/95	Reviving Legends		044/080
Ursaring		Unleashed		89/95	SoulSilver Collection		061/070
Espeon		Undaunted		81/90	L-P Promotional cards		053/L-P
Houndoom		Undaunted		82/90	Tyranitar Constructed Standard Deck		008/019
Raichu		Undaunted		83/90	L-P Promotional cards		044/L-P
Scizor		Undaunted		84/90	Steelix Constructed Standard Deck		008/019
Slowking		Undaunted		85/90	L-P Promotional cards		030/L-P
Umbreon		Undaunted		86/90	L-P Promotional cards		054/L-P
Absol		Triumphant		91/102	Lost Link		027/040
Celebi		Triumphant		92/102	Clash at the Summit		007/080
Electrode		Triumphant		93/102	Clash at the Summit		027/080
Gengar		Triumphant		94/102	Lost Link		015/040
Machamp		Triumphant		95/102	Clash at the Summit		045/080
Magnezone		Triumphant		96/102	Lost Link		011/040
Mew		Triumphant		97/102	Lost Link		018/040
Yanmega		Triumphant		98/102	Clash at the Summit		006/080
Dragapult		SWSH Black Star Promos		SWSH132

This article is part of Project TCG, a Bulbapedia project that aims to report on every aspect of the Pokémon Trading Card Game.