What Is A Basic Energy In Pokémon Cards?

Basic energies are the fuel that makes your whole Pokémon deck run. Without them, your Pokémon are nothing more than glorified cardboard. They can’t attack, can’t retreat, and certainly can’t help you win.

Let’s break it all down and answer what every new player should know about Basic Energy in Pokémon cards, how they work, and why they’re important for creating a killer deck.

The 8 Types Of Basic Energy

There are currently eight types of Basic Energy in Pokémon TCG:  

Each type is represented by a color and an elemental symbol: red flame for fire-type, blue droplet for water-type, green leaf for grass-type, and so on.

Furthermore, each type corresponds to one of the eight elemental types that every Pokémon card belongs to. For example, Charizard is a fire-type, Blastoise a water-type, and Venusaur a grass-type.

Here’s where things get really cool- Pokémon fans will already know how each type plays differently with unique traits. This mechanic translates into the TCG too.  

Fire Pokémon often deal massive damage, Grass Pokémon swarm the field, and so on.

How Basic Energy Work in the Pokémon TCG

Every attack in Pokémon TCG has an “energy cost”. This is a specified number and type of energy required to use the attack. 

Basic Energy cards are the most common way you pay this cost.

Here’s how it works, fast and simple:

Let’s use Venusaur ex as an example of how this works. Its Toxiwhip attack has a 3x Energy Cost (2x Grass and 1x Colorless). 

To use this Toxiwhip, you’ll need to attach three separate Energy, two of which need to be Grass-type.

The easiest way to meet this requirement is to attach two Basic Grass Energy and one other Energy of any type (colorless can be satisfied by any type of Basic Energy).

If you don’t attach the right Energy? Venusaur is just standing there. No attacks. Pretty useless.

Difference To Special Energy

This is where lots of new players trip up. You’ve got your Basic Energy, and then you’ve got Special Energy. They’re very different when it comes to gameplay.

Here’s the quick breakdown:

	Basic Energy	Special Energy
Types Available	8 (Grass, Fire, etc)	Usually 10 to 20 unique variants for any given rotation (cards legal for the year)
Energy Provided	1 type-matching Energy	Varies. Can be Colorless, multi-type, or single-type
Deck Limit	Unlimited	Max 4 copies per card of the same name.
Extra Effects	None	Unique effects ranging from healing, protection, or buffing

Basic Energies are your staples- they’re nothing fancy, but they play a key role in your deck by letting you consistently attach Energy every turn. 

Special Energies? They’re your tech cards. They come with unique and cool effects, but you’re only allowed a limited number of copies in your deck, and many rotate out of legal tournament play every year.

Check out our guide on Special Energy cards for a full breakdown on which ones to run and when!

Ideal Number Of Basic Energy In a Deck

There’s no limit on how many Basic Energy you can add to a deck. Want to run 5 Grass Energy? Cool. Want 25 Fire Energy to fuel your turbo Charizard build? Go nuts.

But just because you can doesn’t mean you should stuff your deck with Basic Energy. Too many Basic Energies will clog up your hand. The flipside is also true. Too little Energy, and you risk being unable to charge up your Pokémon. 

So what’s the ideal number of Basic Energy to run in your deck?

Here are general guidelines to follow:

Need help building your first deck? Don’t miss our Pokémon deck-building guide, where we cover Energy ratios, Trainer balance, and how to avoid dead draws.

Are Basic Energy Cards Worth Anything?

Although Basic Energy cards are essential for playing Pokémon TCG, they’re generally worthless because you’ll get them in every Elite Trainer Box, starter deck, and other boxed products. You can buy 100 for less than the price of a coffee.

But some? Some are sneaky little treasures.

Here’s what makes a Basic Energy card valuable:

Remember- the value of your Energy card is heavily affected by condition, market demand, and whether it’s been professionally graded.

Check out our article on the most valuable energy cards to find out if you’re holding onto a goldmine.

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