Team Magma's Claydol 8/95 Cosmos Holo Pokémon EX Team Magma VS Team Aqua Raw

Pokémon: Claydol

Series: EX

Set: Team Magma VS Team Aqua

Card Number: 8

Rarity: R

Condition: N/A

Grade: Raw

Year: 2004

Illustrator:  Zu-Ka

Type: Psychic

The Team Magma's Claydol 8/95 is a Cosmos Holo Rare Psychic/Darkness-type Stage 1 Pokémon card from EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua, released on March 1, 2004 by The Pokémon Company and illustrated by Zu-Ka, a Japanese artist whose cool, geometric linework and muted earth tones brought a sense of ancient, crystalline stillness to this villainous reimagining of the franchise's first dual-type Pokémon in the English TCG. As an 80 HP Pokémon that evolves from Team Magma's Baltoy, it carries a Weakness to Psychic-type attacks (×2), no Resistance, and a Retreat Cost of two Colorless Energy. 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, and this set was the fourth expansion of the EX era and the first English set to introduce dual-typed Pokémon, with all team-owned cards carrying a Darkness component to signify the villainous allegiance of their owners.

In terms of decks and strategy, Team Magma's Claydol's two abilities make it one of the most tactically creative Holo Rares in the entire EX era. Its Poké-Power, Magma Switch, allows the player to move an Energy card from any "Team Magma" Pokémon to another of their Pokémon before attacking—a powerful energy-redistribution tool that could strip fuel from a stalled Team Magma's Torkoal and redirect it to a primary attacker like Team Magma's Groudon ex in a single turn. Its sole attack, Dark Hand, costs two Psychic Energy and deals 40 base damage, but if the player has more cards in hand than their opponent, it deals 60 damage instead—creating a dynamic scaling profile that rewarded card-draw strategies and punished opponents who cycled through their hands quickly. In 2004–2006 competitive formats, this made Claydol a cornerstone of Team Magma-themed Psychic/Darkness decks, where Magma Switch provided long-game energy management and Dark Hand delivered consistent damage with a conditional burst bonus. Its dual typing meant it could use both Psychic and Darkness Energy for its attack, giving it exceptional flexibility in energy investment.

Collectors love the Team Magma's Claydol for its unique position as one of the most mechanically creative dual-type Holo Rares in the entire EX era, a card whose energy-redistribution Poké-Power and hand-size-conditional attack represented a design philosophy of contextual adaptability that was remarkably sophisticated for 2004. Zu-Ka's illustration—depicting Claydol in a serene, floating pose with its stone-like body rendered in cool grey and violet tones and its single, watchful eye gazing forward against a dark, volcanic backdrop adorned with the Team Magma flame motif—captures the raw, ancient calm of the species through a villainous lens that distinguishes it from the standard Claydol printings in other sets. 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 EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua 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-management and conditional-damage mechanics of one of the EX era's most thematically cohesive expansions. 

Product Details

Card Number / Rarity:8/95 / Holo Rare

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

Card Text:Poké-POWER — Magma Switch
Once during your turn (before your attack), you may move an Energy card attached to your Pokemon with Team Magma in its name to another of your Pokemon. This power can't be used if Team Magma's Claydol is affected by a Special Condition.

Attack 1:[2P] Dark Hand (40+)
If you have more cards in your hand than your opponent, this attack does 40 damage plus 20 more damage.

Weakness / Resistance / Retreat Cost:P / None / 2

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