Pokemon TCG Energy Cost Comparison
Base Set attack costs, from Machop at 1 to Charizard at 4. Pick any two.
Visual comparison
All values
Click any row to load it as Entry A.
| Name | Value | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machop Cheapest here. Both attacks cost a single symbol. | 1 energy | Base 52, Low Kick or Strikes Back | Serebii Base scan 052: both attacks cost 1 |
| Pikachu Gnaw costs 1, strongest costs 2. | 2 energy | Base 58, Thunder Jolt | Serebii Base scan 058: Thunder Jolt L plus C |
| Bulbasaur Ties Pikachu at 2. | 2 energy | Base 44, Leech Seed | Serebii Base scan 044: Leech Seed G plus C |
| Charmander Fire Spin 4 belongs to Charizard, not Charmander. | 2 energy | Base 46, Ember | Serebii Base scan 046: Ember R plus C |
| Mewtwo Both attacks cost 2. | 2 energy | Base 10, Psychic or Barrier | Serebii Base Set 2 scan 010: both attacks 2 symbols |
| Hitmonchan Jab costs 1, strongest costs 2. | 2 energy | Base 7, Special Punch | Serebii Base scan 007: Special Punch F plus C |
| Blastoise Rain Dance is a Power at 0, attack costs 3. | 3 energy | Base 2, Hydro Pump | Serebii Base Set 2 scan 002: Hydro Pump WWW |
| Alakazam Damage Swap is a Power at 0. | 3 energy | Base 1, Confuse Ray | Serebii Base scan 001: Confuse Ray PPP |
| Nidoking Both attacks cost 3. | 3 energy | Base 11, Toxic or Thrash | Serebii Base Set 2 scan 011: both cost 3 symbols |
| Charizard Discards 2 to use. Top tier. | 4 energy | Base 4, Fire Spin | Serebii Base scan 004: Fire Spin RRRR |
| Chansey Scrunch costs 2, strongest costs 4. | 4 energy | Base 3, Double-edge | Bulbapedia Chansey Base Set 3: Double-edge CCCC |
| Gyarados Dragon Rage costs 3, strongest costs 4. | 4 energy | Base 6, Bubblebeam | Serebii Base Set 2 scan 007: Bubblebeam WWWW |
| Ninetales Lure costs 2. | 4 energy | Base 12, Fire Blast | Serebii Base scan 012: Fire Blast RRRR |
| Poliwrath Water Gun costs 2. | 4 energy | Base 13, Whirlpool | Serebii Base scan 013: Whirlpool WWWW |
| Raichu Agility costs 2. | 4 energy | Base 14, Thunder | Serebii Base scan 014: Thunder LLLC |
| Venusaur Energy Trans is a Power at 0. | 4 energy | Base 15, Solarbeam | Serebii Base scan 015: Solarbeam GGGG |
| Zapdos Top tier. One Charizard equals four Machops. | 4 energy | Base 16, Thunderbolt | Serebii Base scan 016: Thunderbolt LLLC |
About this converter
Base Set prices attacks in energy from 1 to 4. Machop opens at 1 with both attacks costing a single symbol. Five cards share 2: pikachu with thunder jolt, bulbasaur with leech seed, charmander with ember, mewtwo with psychic or barrier, and hitmonchan with special punch. Three cards share 3: blastoise with hydro pump, alakazam with confuse ray and nidoking with toxic or thrash. Seven cards share 4: charizard with fire spin, chansey with double-edge, gyarados with bubblebeam, ninetales with fire blast, poliwrath with whirlpool, raichu with thunder and venusaur with solarbeam plus zapdos with thunderbolt. That makes one charizard equal four machops. Every value here counts symbols on the printed card.
How to use it
Pick two cards and a unit in the top row. The three boxes below stay linked. Change any box and the other two update. One box holds a count of the first, one holds the matching count of the second, one holds the total in energy. Try 1 Charizard against Machops.
Powers such as rain dance, damage swap and energy trans cost 0 and stay out of attack rows. Weaker attacks on the same card cost less and are noted per row, for example gnaw 1 under thunder jolt 2. Charizard fire spin discards 2 energy to use, which the note says.
FAQ
How much is Charizard?
4 energy for Fire Spin. Discards 2 to use.
How much is Pikachu?
2 for Thunder Jolt. Gnaw costs 1.
What costs the least?
Machop at 1. Both of its attacks cost a single symbol.
Why no Powers?
Powers cost 0 by rule, so they stay out of attack cost math.
Sources
- Serebii Base Set card scans 001 to 058 (energy symbols per attack)
- Serebii Base Set 2 scans 002, 007, 010, 011 (identical Base text reprints)
- Bulbapedia Chansey Base Set 3 page (Double-edge CCCC)
Last verified: 2026-09-28 · 17 entries
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