Claydol 2/101 Reverse Holo Pokémon EX Hidden Legends Raw

Pokémon: Claydol

Series: EX

Set: Hidden Legends

Card Number: 2

Rarity: R

Condition: N/A

Grade: Raw

Year: 2004

Illustrator:  Kyoko Umemoto

Type: Psychic

The Claydol 2/101 is a Cosmos Holo Rare Psychic-type Stage 1 Pokémon card from EX Hidden Legends, released on June 14, 2004 by The Pokémon Company and illustrated by Kyoko Umemoto, a Japanese artist whose clean, geometric linework and cool-toned color palettes brought a sense of ancient, crystalline serenity to this one of the franchise's most visually distinctive Pokémon. As an 80 HP Pokémon that evolves from Baltoy, it carries a Weakness to Water-type attacks (×2), no Resistance, and a Retreat Cost of one Colorless Energy. (Note: card 2/101 is the Cosmos Holo Rare Psychic-type variant; the Reverse Holo Claydol in this set is 31/101, a Fighting-type card illustrated by Ken Sugimori.) The "Cosmos Holo" designation refers to the distinctive star-and-circle foil pattern that was the standard holographic treatment for all Holo Rares throughout the EX era, giving the card a shimmering, celestial texture across the artwork window.

In terms of decks and strategy, Claydol's two attacks make it one of the most tactically efficient Holo Rares in the entire EX era. Hyper Beam costs one Psychic and one Colorless Energy, deals 20 damage, and requires a coin flip: if heads, the player discards one Energy card attached to the Defending Pokémon—a powerful energy-stripping tool that could cripple over-invested attackers like Metagross ex or Registeel ex by removing their fuel for subsequent attacks. Ram costs two Psychic and one Colorless Energy and deals a flat 50 damage, providing a reliable knockout tool against most 50–60 HP Pokémon of the era. In 2004–2006 competitive formats, Claydol found utility in Psychic-type and hybrid decks as a durable mid-board presence that could either strip opponent Energy for long-game advantage or deliver a consistent 50-damage strike, and its single Colorless Retreat Cost gave it exceptional mobility as a bench presence. Its Water Weakness (×2) made it a natural counter to Water-heavy strategies by incentivizing opponents to keep their Water attackers benched, and its Psychic typing made it a natural anchor in Mewtwo-heavy and Psychic-focused strategies of the era.

Collectors love the EX Hidden Legends Claydol 2/101 for its unique position as one of the most visually striking Holo Rares in the entire EX era, a card whose crystalline, geometric design challenges the conventional definition of what a Pokémon illustration should look like. Kyoko Umemoto's illustration—depicting Claydol in a serene, floating pose with its stone-like body rendered in cool earth tones and its single, watchful eye gazing forward with quiet intensity—captures the raw, ancient calm of the species in a way that stands out among the more aggressive and dramatic artwork of the set's other Holo Rares like Regice ex, Regirock ex, and Registeel ex. The Cosmos Holo treatment elevates the card's visual appeal with its shifting, star-patterned foil that catches light at different angles, and the card's permanently fixed supply—combined with over 20 years of natural wear from the population of Hidden Legends cards that were opened, played, and traded in the mid-2000s—ensures that quality raw copies remain a steady target for both set completionists and players of Unlimited format tournaments who still appreciate the creative energy-stripping mechanics of one of the EX era's most strategically rewarding Psychic-type Pokémon.

Product Details

Card Number / Rarity:2/101 / Holo Rare

Card Type / HP / Stage:Psychic / 80 / Stage 1

Card Text:Poke-BODY Primal Pull
As long as Claydol is your Active Pokemon, each player's Evolved Pokemon pays 1 more Energy (any type) to use its attacks.

Attack 1:[P] Muddy Eye (10x)
Does 10 damage times the number of basic Energy cards attached to Claydol and the Defending Pokemon.

Weakness / Resistance / Retreat Cost:P / None / 1

Stock Image(s) Shown.

All cards are professionally rated for quality assurance.

All cards come sleeved, cards above $5 in value come toploaded.