Devolution Spray 72/102 Pokémon Base Set Shadowless Raw

Character: N/A

Set: Base Set

Series: Shadowless

Card Number: 72

Rarity: R

Condition: N/A

Grade: Raw

Year: 1999

Illustrator: Keiji Kinebuchi

The Devolution Spray 72/102 is a Rare Trainer (Item) card from the Base Set (Shadowless), released in 1999 by Wizards of the Coast and illustrated by Keiji Kinebuchi, a prolific artist known for his clean, utilitarian Trainer card artwork throughout the original Pokémon TCG era. As one of only 15 Rare cards in the 102-card master set, it carries a distinctive full-bleed illustration depicting a spray canister with a swirling, retro-futuristic design that captures the experimental, rule-bending spirit of the game's earliest competitive scene. The Shadowless printing—distinguished by the absence of the drop shadow behind the artwork window and the lack of an "Edition 1" stamp—was produced during a brief transitional window between the limited 1st Edition run and the mass-produced Unlimited printing, making it a genuinely scarcer variant in high grades.

In terms of decks and strategy, Devolution Spray's effect is deceptively powerful: choose one of your own Pokémon in play and a Stage of Evolution, then discard all Evolution cards of that Stage or higher attached to that Pokémon, which also removes all status conditions as if the Pokémon had just been evolved. This made it a critical tech card in 1999-era competitive formats, where players used it to reset comes-into-play effects, shake accumulated damage by replaying a fresh Evolution, or chain multiple evolution effects in a single battle for devastating combo potential. In modern Vintage and Unlimited formats, it finds utility in evolution-heavy decks as a way to recycle Stage 2 cards back to the hand while clearing status ailments, and its ability to interact with the evolving metagame of the Base Set era—particularly against the dominant Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres decks—cemented its reputation as one of the most strategically creative Rare cards in the set.

Collectors love the Shadowless Devolution Spray for its unique place in Pokémon TCG history as the first mainstream devolution solution ever printed, a card that fundamentally changed how players approached deck construction by introducing the concept of reversing evolution as a tactical tool. Keiji Kinebuchi's illustration, with its bold spray-can motif and swirling energy effects, gives the card a visually distinctive identity that stands out among the more conventional Trainer card art of its era. As a Rare card from the most iconic vintage set in the franchise, it represents the intersection of competitive innovation and collectible prestige, and its permanently fixed supply—combined with over 25 years of natural wear—ensures that high-quality raw copies remain a steady target for both set completionists and players of Unlimited format tournaments who still value its disruptive potential on the battlefield.

Product Details

Card Number / Rarity:072/102 / Rare

Card Type / HP / Stage:Trainer / /

Card Text:Choose 1 of your own Pokémon in play and a Stage of Evolution. Discard all Evolution cards of that Stage or higher attached to that Pokémon. That Pokémon is no longer Asleep, Confused, Paralyzed, Poisoned or anything else that might be the result of an attack (just as if you had evolved it).

Stock Image Shown.

All Cards Come Sleeved & Toploaded