Image courtesy of TCGdex.net
Transcending Gameplay: The Allure of Vullaby in the Pokémon TCG
In the vast universe of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, some cards rise above the metagame by virtue of their story, artwork, and the little tangents they invite players to chase long after the last game is tucked away. Vullaby (swsh8-172) is one such piece. While it’s a humble Basic Darkness-type with a modest 60 HP, its charm extends beyond raw numbers. It sits at the intersection of strategy, lore, and collecting—an emblem of how a card can be more than a tool in a deck and more like a keepsake from a shared, evolving Pokémon world. ⚡🔥
Released in the Fusion Strike expansion, this Vullaby is illustrated by Shigenori Negishi, a name that fans of the art style will recognize for weaving mood and narrative into a creature that otherwise flits quickly in and out of battle. The flavor text behind this little scavenger—“Bones that have gotten too small for older Vullaby to wear often get passed down to younger ones in the nest”—invites players to imagine a lineage of quick, nocturnal crescendos in nests and treetop dens. It’s a small lore beat that deepens attachment and makes the card feel like a living part of the Pokémon ecosystem. 🎴🎨
Card snapshot: how this piece fits into the game world
- Name: Vullaby
- Set: Fusion Strike (swsh8)
- Rarity: Common
- Type: Darkness
- Stage: Basic
- HP: 60
- Attacks: Razor Wing (Colorless) for 10; Air Slash (Darkness + Colorless) for 30, with the effect "Discard an Energy from this Pokémon."
- Retreat: 1
- Illustrator: Shigenori Negishi
- Weakness: Not listed in this dataset
- Evolution: Evolves into Mandibuzz
- Regulation: Expanded legal; Standard not legal
“Vullaby grow quickly. Bones that have gotten too small for older Vullaby to wear often get passed down to younger ones in the nest.”
That line of flavor text situates Vullaby as a tiny, determined part of a larger family of birds and bones—an image that resonates with collectors who seek a card that embodies a sense of lineage and continuity within the Fusion Strike era. The card’s practical role in gameplay is straightforward but cleverly designed: a neutral, early-stage attacker with a retreat cost kept intentionally low, ready to pressure early game boards or set up later-stage plays as the game evolves. Its Air Slash attack demands a Darkness and a Colorless energy and comes with a cost—discarding an Energy from this Pokémon. In practice, that means you’re trading a little board presence for tempo—an old-school kind of swing that keeps players mindful of energy management and timing. 🎮
Strategy insights: when a common card earns uncommon respect
As a Basic Darkness-type, Vullaby slots into early-game strategies where players are building a lean, tempo-driven line. The Razor Wing attack costs Colorless, offering a safe opening for players who want to apply early pressure without overspending energy. The more impactful Air Slash requires a darker commitment and introduces a familiar discard dynamic that is a staple of many Darkness-type line arcs. The decision to evolve Vullaby into Mandibuzz later in the game can serve as a soft crescendo—pulling in a heavier attacker once enough support is in play. This is where the card’s value transcends its raw stats: it teaches resource management and timing, two essential skills for any budding battler. ⚡
Collectors also value these moments, because a non-holo Common like Vullaby can be a surprisingly satisfying centerpiece in a complete Fusion Strike collection. While the card itself rarely dominates a meta deck, its presence in decks that prize speed and disrupt-or-draw tempo can pay off when paired with the right support Pokémon and trainer items. And for those who lean into the art and flavor, Negishi’s portrayal, conveyed through the simple, shadowy aesthetic of a scavenger bird, offers a quiet, atmospheric addition to any display binder. 💎🎴
Market value trends: why affordability doesn’t equal indifference
From a market perspective, Vullaby’s rarity as a Common card makes it incredibly accessible today—yet its value can swing based on condition and print variant. Current data points give a helpful snapshot. Cardmarket lists normal copies around an average of roughly €0.04 with typical lows near €0.02 and holo-related values climbing higher for alternatives. TCGPlayer data shows a broader range for normal copies, with low prices near $0.01 to $0.03, mid prices around $0.10, and highs reaching up to about $1.49 for certain print conditions. For reverse-holofoil copies, the low sits near $0.04, the midpoint around $0.20, and the high can push toward $2.00 in favorable markets. In short: this is a card that often sits at the edge of “two coffees” in price, but its desirability climbs for completionists and those who cherish Fusion Strike’s playable and collectible footprints. This quiet volatility mirrors the broader vintage-tinged appeal of common cards that nonetheless carry strong nostalgia and set-specific resonance. 🔎💬
For players chasing consistency, the card’s expanded legality makes it a dependable bench option in formats that welcome older print mechanics. For collectors, the art, flavor, and the sense of a living card—one that ties into Mandibuzz’s evolutionary line—combine to elevate Vullaby beyond a simple stat line. The numbers tell a story, but the narrative—of a nest, of lineage, of a creature that survives and evolves—tells a larger, more enduring tale. 🚀
Putting it all together: why Vullaby endures
In a hobby obsessed with power curves and meta locks, Vullaby reminds us that value in the Pokémon TCG isn’t only about raw damage or perfect synergy. It’s about the story a card tells in your binder, the way its flavor text nudges you to imagine a nocturnal nest, and the patience it teaches as you learn to manage energies and tempo. Shigenori Negishi’s art anchors that story with a soft, moody palette, offering a collectible moment that complements both play and display. And because the Fusion Strike era is full of small, meaningful threads, a Common card like Vullaby can become a favorite “in-between” piece—easy to acquire, but full of personality. ⚡🎨 Neon Gaming Mouse Pad – Custom 9x7 Neoprene with Stitched Edges