Aipom Inclusion Rate Across Deck Archetypes in Pokémon TCG

In TCG ·

Aipom card from Majestic Dawn (dp5-50) illustrated by Tomokazu Komiya

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Aipom and the Question of Inclusion Across Deck Archetypes

In the sprawling history of the Pokémon TCG, even a single Common Basic like Aipom can reveal a lot about how deck archetypes balance speed, consistency, and late-game reach. The dp5-50 card from the Majestic Dawn set is a compact, colorless option with a surprisingly versatile toolkit: a straightforward draw engine in Collect and a clever, if situational, hand-reset move in Hand Trick. For players studying inclusion rates across archetypes, Aipom serves as a microcosm of how early-game utility and the cost of tempo trade-offs shape lineup decisions. ⚡🔥

Card snapshot: Aipom dp5-50

  • Name: Aipom
  • Set: Majestic Dawn (dp5)
  • Rarity: Common
  • HP: 60
  • Type: Colorless
  • Stage: Basic
  • Attacks:
    • Collect — Colorless: Draw a card.
    • Hand Trick — Colorless, Colorless: Return Aipom and all cards attached to it to your hand. If you don't have any Benched Pokémon, this attack does nothing. 20 damage.
  • Weakness: Fighting +10
  • Retreat: 1
  • Illustrator: Tomokazu Komiya
  • Notes on legality: This card is not legal in standard or expanded formats today, reflecting its age in the Majestic Dawn era. Still, its design provides enduring lessons about how early draw and bench manipulation influence archetype decisions.

In practice, Aipom’s first attack, Collect, acts as a budget-friendly, on-curve draw engine. It helps players smooth out early-game resource acquisition without investing in a dedicated Supporter or item-based draw engine. The second attack, Hand Trick, plays into a classic tempo-manage strategy: you can recycle Aipom and its attached cards to the hand, effectively resetting key resources for a fresh draw or to redeploy a different plan. The cost of the Hand Trick is the risk of losing a benched teammate, which makes this attack a delicate tool best used when you’ve established a safe support line on the bench. 🤹‍♂️

Inclusion dynamics across archetypes

When charting inclusion rates, we consider how often a card like Aipom fits into five broad archetypes, especially given its Majestic Dawn provenance and its two modest attacks. Here’s how it tends to show up in practice:

  • A single copy (sometimes two in smaller builds) can be worth it for the guaranteed early card draw. Collect accelerates setup, letting players find basics, trainers, or evolutions faster. In archetypes that prize speed over raw power, Aipom functions as a predictable, low-cost accelerator.
  • Because Aipom is Basic, it serves as a stepping-stone in lines that eventually rely on a stronger evolution. Hand Trick can be a tool to retrieve a key Evolution or the necessary Trainer card after a hit to the bench, granting a temporary reconfiguration mid-game.
  • The reset mechanic of Hand Trick pairs nicely with boards that rely on benched attackers or setup Pokémon. In decks that deploy multiple threats across the bench, Hand Trick can rebalance hand size and resource access, albeit at the risk of losing Aipom itself to the hand.
  • While not a powerhouse, Aipom’s draw capability can fit into control shells that value consistency. The minimal HP and colorless typing demand careful matchups, especially against Fighting-types that threaten a quick KO.
  • With only 60 HP and a modest 20-damage Hand Trick option, Aipom isn’t built to stay on the board for long fights. In modern meta contexts, its inclusion rate would typically be limited to as-needed slots rather than core lines.

Strategically, the decision to include Aipom comes down to your deck’s tempo and your side of the board. If you’re chasing speed and you can weave a plan that leverages a quick pull into a more powerful play, Aipom’s Collect can be a reliable ignition. If your bench is under siege or you’re exploring a hand-recycling motif, Hand Trick becomes a clever, high-risk tool that can reset a clutch combination—provided you’re comfortable sacrificing Aipom’s presence on the board for one turn. 🎴🎨

Market signals and collector insights

From a collector’s perspective, the Majestic Dawn dp5 wave offers a fascinating price spectrum. Non-holo Aipom copies tend to hover in the ultra-budget range, with CardMarket showing an average around €0.14 and a broad low around €0.02. The trend indicator at the time of data capture suggested a modest uptick (+0.29), signaling limited yet steady interest in the card among nostalgic collectors and set completists.

On the U.S. market via TCGPlayer, normal (non-holo) copies typically show a low around $0.05, a mid around $0.45, and a high near $1.99, with a market price around $0.63. For those chasing holo or reverse-holo variants, the price point climbs more noticeably—reverse-holofoils can fetch around $3.59 to $5.00 at the lower end, with market prices ringing up to roughly $5.35 for the holo family in some listings. These figures reflect not just rarity, but the nostalgia factor and the set’s place in Majestic Dawn’s historical arc. For builders who prize affordability or chasing a complete Majestic Dawn collection, Aipom opens the door without breaking the bank. 💎

Artistic value tends to be a driver for Majestic Dawn cards, and Tomokazu Komiya’s illustration for Aipom remains a highlight for many fans who appreciate the era’s distinctive sprite-based charm. The card’s visual appeal, paired with a two-attack toolkit that invites creative deck-building, continues to entice both players and collectors who love a good throwback run, even if the format constraints of today’s standard and expanded pools have shifted how often you’ll actually feature an Aipom in a live match. ⚡

For the curious, Majestic Dawn’s dp5 line reminds us how early draw and hand-management options shaped deck design long before the wave of modern, highly streamlined strategies dominated the format. Aipom’s inclusion rate across archetypes serves as a micro-study in balancing cost, tempo, and reach—a little card that could spark big conversations about how a deck evolves from draw to dream. 🎮

And if you’re looking to blend modern utility with a touch of nostalgia, consider pairing a physical grip accessory with your collection. The following product offers a practical way to keep your hands steady during long sessions and can be a stylish nod to your favorite era of the TCG. phone grip click on universal kickstand

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