The best Charizard Pokémon cards

Lets just get this one out the way first, shall we? The first English Charizard card ever printed, First Edition Charizard is one of the rarest cards out there, and widely considered to be the ‘holy grail’ of Pokémon. When we were only wee, this was the card everyone dreamed about adding to their collection. Everyone had that breathtaking moment they thought they might own the card, only to sadly realise that what they held was in fact a later printing.

Of all the Charizard Pokémon cards on the list, this is the most iconic, and hardest to get hold of. Even severely damaged versions can go for a pretty penny.

One of the most sought after Charizard cards of recent years, Charizard VMAX is one of the top chase cards from Shining Fates, and the rainbow version printed in the set Champion’s Fate is the rarest version of all.

Originally a Japan-exclusive promo card, awarded in tournaments – this colorful variant goes for a little more than the Shiny version. While originally touted as a $1000 card, the sheer number of Shiny VMAXs on the market means you can pick up a good quality black Charizard VMAX for under $100).

Power-wise, this is an impressive Charizard card too, not offering any fancy tricks, just devastating foes with raw strength. With 300 damage on its ultimate attack, it could knock out almost anything.

There’s a new best Charizard on the block. Tera Charizard ex has a great typing, a powerful attack that only gets stronger if you’re behind, and a versatile ability that lets it share fire energy cards with your whole team.

The proof is in the pudding, and Tera Charizard ex has already delivered tournament-winning results, claiming first place in the Pokémon EUIC.

It’s fair to say that Charizard has one of the coolest shiny forms in all of Pokémon – the badass dragon just looks better in black. So it only makes sense that Shining Charizard from the 2002 Pokémon TCG expansion Neo Destiny is an incredibly sought after Charizard card. The art is just perfect, almost looking like a silhouette.

Shining Pokémon were an exciting addition to the game in the early years of the Pokémon TCG. They featured multiple energy types for their attacks, and you were limited to one copy per deck. They were rare, with pull chances listed at about 1 in 300. The result? A good quality Shining Charizard can now easily go for over $1,000.

Yet another holo shiny Charizard card, this secret rare is the most valuable card from its set (Plasma Storm, 2013). A rarer reprint of a card from Boundaries Crossed, it features badass art, a cool Pokedex entry, and an attack that can whittle away at the bench. Interestingly, the Charizard Plasma Storm card was printed wrong, displaying a Fighting energy requirement on its attack, rather than Fire.

Charizard gets some legendary help in this tag team card with Reshiram. With multiple powerful attacks, including a GX move that can incinerate anything in your way, this card has had some competitive success, appearing in some of the best Pokémon decks in the 2019 World Championships, where it helped secure third and fourth place.

One of the most affordable Charizard cards on this list, there is of course a special rainbow variant that’s about eight times more pricy. But something about the artwork on the original speaks to us.

There’s a darkness type Tera Charizard card featured in the new Pokémon set Obsidian Flame, but hardcore fans of this fiery boy will know that we already had a Charizard with this Pokémon card type all the way back in 2006, with the set Dragon Frontiers. Thanks to its stunning high contrast art that burst through the frame, a unique typing, and a shiny rare holo rarity, this Charizard is much-desired, and very expensive.

In terms of its actual power though, it’s a bit of a letdown. Charizard generally have a ‘discarding energy’ problem, and this one is worse than most – discarding all five of the energy required to power its ultimate the moment you use it.

Two years after its initial printing in Flashfire, 2014, a promo version of Charizard EX featuring art by Hitoshi Ariga was released in the September Pokémon Card Game Art Collection. Only available in Japanese, this stunning full art card shows a Charizard who’s surely just about to absolutely cook a poor Venusaur (though admittedly the leafy dinofrog seems to be giving as good as he gets).