Master Ball (Gym Challenge 116)

Trainer Item

Master Ball マスターボール Master Ball

Temporal Forces print Illus. Studio Bora Inc. Release information Japanese expansion Expansion Sheet 2 Japanese Rarity Japanese Deck Kit Quick Starter Gift Set Japanese Deck Red Deck Japanese Deck Kit Quick Starter Gift Set Japanese Deck Green Deck Expansion Gym Challenge Rarity English card no. 116/132 Japanese Theme Deck Yamabuki City Gym Card GB 2 set Sky Flying Pokémon Card GB 2 rarity Card GB 2 ID F55 Japanese Deck Kit Intro Pack Neo Japanese Half Deck Chikorita Half Deck Japanese card no. 21 Japanese Deck Kit Intro Pack Neo Japanese Half Deck Totodile Half Deck Japanese card no. 22 Japanese expansion Pokémon VS Japanese Rarity Japanese card no. 141/141 English expansion Expedition Base Set Rarity English card no. 143/165 Japanese expansion Base Expansion Pack Japanese Rarity Japanese card no. 061/128 Japanese Deck Kit Gift Box Japanese Half Deck Latias Half Deck Japanese card no. 016/018 Japanese Deck Kit Gift Box Japanese Half Deck Latios Half Deck Japanese card no. 016/018 Expansion EX Deoxys Rarity English card no. 88/107 Japanese Half Deck Deoxys Constructed Starter Deck Japanese card no. 012/015 Japanese Half Deck Rayquaza Constructed Starter Deck Japanese card no. 012/015 Japanese expansion PLAY Promotional cards Japanese card no. 018/PLAY Expansion EX Delta Species Rarity English card no. 99/113 Japanese Quarter Deck Holon Research Tower Water Quarter Deck Japanese card no. 009/015 Japanese Deck Kit Gift Box Mew • Lucario Japanese Quarter Deck Mew Quarter Deck Japanese card no. 008/015 English expansion EX Power Keepers Rarity English card no. 78/108 Japanese expansion World Champions Pack Japanese Rarity Japanese card no. 089/108 Expansion Plasma Blast Rarity English card no. 94/101 Japanese Deck Blastoise + Kyurem-EX Combo Deck Japanese card no. 017/018 Expansion Temporal Forces Rarity English card no. 153/162 Japanese Deck Ancient Koraidon ex Starter Deck & Build Set Japanese card no. 032/053 Japanese Deck Future Miraidon ex Starter Deck & Build Set Japanese card no. 032/053

Master Ball (Japanese: マスターボール Master Ball) is an ACE SPEC Item card. It was first released in the Gym Challenge expansion as a Trainer card.

Card text

Gym Challenge print

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

Team Plasma

Team Plasma

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

FLARE

(Prism Star) Rule You can't have more than 1 card with the same name in your deck. If a card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.

TAG TEAM

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VSTAR Power

Look at 7 cards from the top of your deck. You may choose a Basic Pokémon or Evolution card from those cards, show it your opponent, then put it into your hand. Shuffle the rest into your deck.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

VS Era and e-Card Series prints

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

Team Plasma

Team Plasma

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

FLARE

(Prism Star) Rule You can't have more than 1 card with the same name in your deck. If a card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.

TAG TEAM

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

{{{ruletext}}}

VSTAR Power

Look at 7 cards from the top of your deck. You may choose a Basic Pokémon or Evolution card from those cards, show it your opponent, and put it into your hand. Shuffle the rest into your deck.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

EX Series prints

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

Team Plasma

Team Plasma

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

FLARE

(Prism Star) Rule You can't have more than 1 card with the same name in your deck. If a card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.

TAG TEAM

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

{{{ruletext}}}

VSTAR Power

Look at the top 7 cards from your deck. Choose a Basic Pokémon or Evolution card from those cards, show it to your opponent, and put it into your hand. Put the other 6 cards back on top of your deck. Shuffle your deck afterward.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

Black & White Series print

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

Team Plasma

Team Plasma

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

FLARE

(Prism Star) Rule You can't have more than 1 card with the same name in your deck. If a card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.

TAG TEAM

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

{{{ruletext}}}

VSTAR Power

Search your deck for a Pokémon, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

You may play as many Item cards as you like during your turn (before your attack).

Scarlet & Violet Series print

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

Team Plasma

Team Plasma

You can't have more than 1 ACE SPEC card in your deck.

FLARE

(Prism Star) Rule You can't have more than 1 card with the same name in your deck. If a card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.

TAG TEAM

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

display:none;

{{{ruletext}}}

VSTAR Power

Search your deck for a Pokémon, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

Do Nothing   At the beginning of your turn, flip a coin. If heads, you can do nothing during your turn. If tails, your opponent can do nothing during his or her next turn.

You may play any number of Item cards during your turn.

e-Reader data

The Expedition Base Set print includes a Dot Code strip for use with the e-Reader, and has the card ID B-50-#. The short strip contains a brief card summary. There is no long strip for this card.

Release information

Original Series

In Japan, this card was first available as a glossy card on sheet fifteen of Expansion Sheet 2. It was reprinted as a non-glossy Holofoil card in both decks of the Quick Starter Gift Set. This print was released in the English Gym Challenge expansion, which originated from the Japanese Yamabuki City Gym Standard Deck. Master Ball was also featured in Pokémon Trading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team GR! for Game Boy Color.

TCG GB2 Sky Flying Pokémon sprite	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori

Neo Series

Although no reprints were made during the Neo Series, the Japanese Neo Era saw the release of the Intro Pack Neo, which included reprints of Master Ball in its Chikorita and Totodile Half Decks.

VS Era and e-Card Series

Master Ball was reprinted in the Japanese Pokémon VS expansion using the e-Card Series layout. The first English print using this layout was included in the Expedition Base Set, which originated from the Japanese Base Expansion Pack.

EX Series

This card was reprinted using the EX Series layout in both decks of the Japanese Gift Box. The first English print using this layout was included in the EX Deoxys expansion, which itself originated from the Japanese Deoxys and Rayquaza Constructed Starter Decks. In Japan, it was released as a Holofoil PLAY Promotional card and given to members of the Pokémon Players Club who attended any of the Spring 2004 Battle Road events, held at five locations between March 21 and April 4, 2004. It was later reprinted in the EX Delta Species expansion, first released in the Japanese Holon Research Tower Water Quarter Deck, followed by reprints in the Japanese Gift Box Mew • Lucario, the EX Power Keepers expansion, and the Japanese World Champions Pack. The World Champions Pack print retains the EX Series layout despite its release during the Japanese DP Era.

Black & White Series

During the Black & White Series, Master Ball was reprinted as an ACE SPEC Item card with a new effect and a different artwork by 5ban Graphics. It was included in the Plasma Blast expansion, first released in the Japanese Blastoise + Kyurem-EX Combo Deck.

Scarlet & Violet Series

Master Ball was again reprinted as an ACE SPEC Item card during the Scarlet & Violet Series and featured artwork by Studio Bora Inc. It was included in the Temporal Forces expansion, which originated from the Japanese Starter Deck & Build Sets.

Gallery

Gym Challenge through EX Power Keepers print Illus. Keiji Kinebuchi	Plasma Blast print Illus. 5ban Graphics	Temporal Forces print Illus. Studio Bora Inc.
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori
Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori	Diamond & Pearl print Illus. Ken Sugimori

Trivia

Both the Gym Challenge and Expedition Base Set prints of this card have a clause that reads "show it your opponent". It should read "show it to your opponent". The EX Deoxys print fixes this error.

Origin

The Master Ball is a type of Poké Ball in the Pokémon games notable for having a 100% chance of catching the wild Pokémon it is used on.

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