Measuring Gligar's Damage-to-Cost Efficiency in Pokémon TCG

In TCG ·

Gligar card art from Wisdom of Sea and Sky (A4) by HYOGONOSUKE

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Gligar’s Damage-to-Cost Story: Small but Steadfast

In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, not every creature needs to be bulky to leave a mark on the board. Some of the most intriguing efficiency puzzles come from the smallest packages—and Gligar is a perfect case study. With a single Colorless energy, this Basic Fighting-type Pokémon can unleash Glide for 10 damage, a tidy opening salvo in the tempo race of a fresh match. The metric to measure here is simple: damage per energy spent. Glide delivers 10 damage for the cost of 1 energy, a 10:1 ratio that looks impressive on the first turns of a game. But in practice, that efficiency must be weighed against Gligar’s modest 60 HP and its single-attacker workload as you navigate early confrontations with faster opponents. ⚡🔥

Gligar belongs to the Wisdom of Sea and Sky set (A4), a theme-rich group that captures the interplay of sea spray and cliffside winds. The card’s identity is reinforced by HYOGONOSUKE’s artwork, which shows a nimble creature with the instincts to hunt from high ground—perfect storytelling for a deck that values positioning and timing. The card’s rarity is One Star, a familiar tier for many players chasing budget staples, and the basic stage means there’s no evolution required to get on the field. These traits—low cost, recognizably themed art, and a straightforward attack—make Gligar a nice inclusion for early-game testing and niche decks that prize speed over raw power. The set’s official card count (161) and total (241) remind collectors that A4 sits in a robust moment of the era, where trinkets and tiny power plays could swing matches as much as raw damage might. 🎴

  • Card name: Gligar
  • Set: Wisdom of Sea and Sky (A4)
  • Rarity: One Star
  • Type: Fighting
  • Stage: Basic
  • HP: 60
  • Attack: Glide — costs 1 Colorless, deals 10 damage
  • Weakness: Grass (typical multiplier: ×2 in most formats)
  • Retreat: 1
  • Illustrator: HYOGONOSUKE
  • Description: “It usually clings to cliffs. When it spots its prey, it spreads its wings and glides down to attack.”

From the gameplay perspective, Gligar’s 10-damage-for-1-energy profile shines when a deck can consistently accelerate Energy attachments to the bench and turn early board presence into sustained pressure. It’s a patience-tested option: you’re not likely to one-shot many threats with Glide, but you can compound tiny gains while you set up a bigger payoff from a later attacker. In modern terms, think of Gligar as a tempo piece—it buys you turns and creates subtle tension for your opponent to manage. The weakness to Grass is a clear reminder that matchups matter: in a world of evolved threats and evolving strategies, a single vulnerable link can shape your sequencing and bench decisions. This is where careful deck building—supporters that fetch Energy, evolving lines, and smart retreat strategies—becomes essential to extracting value from a one-energy commitment. 🧭

“In the right moment, a small bite becomes the start of a larger bite.”

Collector Insights: Variants, Value, and Sea-and-Sky’s Flair

For collectors, Gligar’s allure hinges on a few factors: rarity, condition, and the presence of holo or reverse variants. The A4 set offers a holo and a normal variant alongside reverse prints, each appealing to different collecting goals. Given the One Star rarity, Gligar is a practical target for completing an A4 subset without breaking the bank, especially for players who enjoy sea-and-sky thematic runs. The art direction—HYOGONOSUKE’s crisp lines and dynamic pose—lends itself well to display alongside other Wisdom of Sea and Sky pieces, turning a simple Basic into a gallery-style addition for a casual display or a more serious binder page. And while pricing data for this exact card and print window may not appear on every marketplace, the historical trend for small, charmingly illustrated Pokémon with strong theme ties tends to maintain steady interest among fans who favor “cute-but-useful” cards in early-game niches. 💎

Art & Lore: Gligar in the World It Hails From

The lore text on the card subtly hints at Gligar’s instincts—cliff-side balance, gliding precision, and predatory timing. HYOGONOSUKE’s illustration captures that essence with a poised silhouette and a sense of wind-swept motion. The idea that Gligar “spreads its wings and glides down to attack” evokes a moment when air and earth converge on the battlefield. That narrative weight adds to the card’s appeal beyond raw numbers, inviting players to imagine tactical moments when a single glide becomes the spark for a sequence of plays. For fans who love storytelling in their TCG, this is the kind of card that earns a place in a deck’s binder as much for the mood it evokes as for the damage it can deal. 🎨

Strategy Notes: How to Use Gligar Today

  • Opening play: If you’re in a format where early pressure matters, Glide gives you an immediate 10 damage for a minimal energy commitment—great for softening a target while you assemble your main attacker.
  • Energy acceleration: Pair Gligar with effects that search or attach Energy quickly so you can keep the tempo up without stalling on resources.
  • Bench discipline: With 60 HP, Gligar is a fragile early target. Use it to apply early pressure, then transition to sturdier Pokémon as the game progresses.
  • Weakness awareness: Grass-type threats can punish Gligar’s presence. Build your line to mitigate those matchups or pivot to safer targets when needed.
  • Evolution considerations: If your deck plans an eventual Gliscor or other evolutions, Gligar can serve as a low-cost starter that accelerates the path to your late-game power swings.
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