How to Read a Pokémon Card: HP, Attacks, Weakness, Retreat and More

A Pokémon card packs a lot of information into a small space. Once you know where to look, you can read any card in a few seconds, even one in a language you do not speak, because the important parts are numbers and symbols. This guide goes from the top of the card to the bottom.

The layout described here is the one used by current cards (the Scarlet & Violet and Mega Evolution series). Older cards put things in slightly different places, but the same information is there.

Top: stage, name, HP and type

Stage

The top-left corner says how the Pokémon comes into play:

• Basic: can be played straight from your hand onto the Bench.
• Stage 1: must be placed on top of the Pokémon named in “Evolves from …”.
• Stage 2: evolves from a Stage 1 Pokémon.

A small picture of the previous stage is often shown next to the word, which helps if you cannot read the name.

Name

The card’s name matters for deck building: you can only have 4 cards with the same name in a deck. “Pikachu” and “Pikachu ex” are different names, so you can have four of each.

If the name ends in ex, the card has a rule box (see below) and gives up extra Prize cards when it is Knocked Out.

HP

HP (Hit Points) is the large number in the top-right corner. When the damage on a Pokémon equals or exceeds its HP, it is Knocked Out. HP is always a multiple of 10, and each damage counter is 10 damage.

If a Pokémon evolves, it uses the HP of the new card but keeps all damage already on it. A Basic with 70 HP and 50 damage that evolves into a 130 HP Stage 1 has 80 HP left.

Type

The coloured symbol next to the HP is the Pokémon’s type. Type matters for Weakness and Resistance and for cards that refer to a type. Current cards use ten types: Grass, Fire, Water, Lightning, Psychic, Fighting, Darkness, Metal, Dragon and Colorless. See Weakness and Resistance for how they interact.

Middle: Abilities and attacks

Abilities

An Ability is labelled with the word “Ability” and does not need Energy. You can usually use it during your turn whether the Pokémon is Active or on the Bench, following its text. Many Abilities say “once during your turn”; if a card has no such limit, it can be used as often as its text allows.

Abilities are not attacks, so using one does not end your turn.

Attacks

Each attack has three parts:

1. Energy cost on the left: the symbols show which Energy must be attached to the Pokémon. A Colorless symbol (a white star) can be paid with Energy of any type.
2. Name and text in the middle: any effects, such as making the opponent Poisoned or discarding Energy.
3. Damage on the right. A number followed by ×, + or − means the text changes the damage, for example “30×” for “30 damage for each heads”.

Energy is not discarded when you attack unless the attack says so. Attaching Energy only pays for the attack; it stays on the Pokémon.

To work out the final damage, apply effects in the order explained in how damage is calculated, or use the damage calculator.

Rule box

Special Pokémon such as Pokémon ex have a box near the bottom with an extra rule. For a Pokémon ex it says that your opponent takes 2 Prize cards when it is Knocked Out. Mega Evolution Pokémon ex give up 3. Some effects only work on Pokémon “with a Rule Box” or “without a Rule Box”, so it is worth noticing.

Bottom: Weakness, Resistance and Retreat

These three are in a row near the bottom of the card.

• Weakness: a type symbol with ×2. If an attacking Pokémon of that type damages this Pokémon while it is Active, the damage is doubled.
• Resistance: a type symbol with −30. Damage from that type is reduced by 30. Many recent cards have no Resistance at all.
• Retreat: a number of Colorless symbols. To retreat, you discard that much Energy from the Pokémon and swap it with one on your Bench. No symbols means it retreats for free. See retreating and switching.

Weakness and Resistance only apply to damage dealt to the Active Pokémon, unless an attack says otherwise.

The small print along the bottom edge

Regulation mark

A single white letter in a small box, usually at the bottom left. It tells you which formats the card is legal in. For example, from the 2026 rotation, Standard format allows cards with an H mark or later. See Standard, Expanded and rotation.

Set symbol and collector number

Next to the regulation mark is a symbol for the expansion and a number such as “045/198”. The number helps you find the card in a list and tells collectors how many cards are in the main set. A number higher than the set size (for example “205/198”) marks a “secret” card.

Rarity

A small symbol shows how rare the card is in booster packs. As a rough guide, a circle is common, a diamond is uncommon and a star is rare, with more stars or special letters for rarer versions. Rarity affects collecting and price, not how strong the card is in play.

Illustrator and flavour text

The artist’s name is printed along the bottom. Many Basic and evolution Pokémon also have a short Pokédex-style description. Neither affects the game.

Trainer and Energy cards

Trainer cards have a coloured bar at the top that names the kind of Trainer: Item, Supporter, Stadium or Pokémon Tool. The rule for that kind (for example “You may play only 1 Supporter card during your turn”) is printed at the bottom of the card. Energy cards show a large type symbol; Special Energy cards also have text describing their extra effect. Our guide to Pokémon card types covers them in more depth.

Quick checklist when you see a new card

1. Is it Basic, Stage 1 or Stage 2?
2. How much HP, and what type?
3. Does it have an Ability you can use right away?
4. What Energy do its attacks need, and how much damage do they do?
5. Does it have a rule box (how many Prizes does it give up)?
6. What is it weak to, and how much does it cost to retreat?

Once you can answer those six questions, you know how the card will play.