Tracking Krokorok Usage Stats Across Multiple Pokémon TCG Sets

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Tracking Krokorok Across Sets: A Data-Driven Look

In the evolving world of the Pokémon TCG, Krokorok has carved out a distinctive niche as a nimble, midrange Darkness-type option. This article dives into how this Stage 1 evolution from the Flashfire era has fared as usage shifts across multiple sets. By examining play patterns, market signals, and deck-building realities, we reveal how a single card—Krokorok XY2-57—persists as a meaningful datapoint for players and collectors alike. ⚡🔥

Card snapshot: what makes Krokorok tick

From Sandile to Krokorok, this Evolution steps onto the field with 90 HP and a lean two-attack kit. The first attack, Dark Clamp, costs one Darkness energy and prevents the Defending Pokémon from retreating on your opponent's next turn, giving you crucial tempo in tight trades. The second attack, Double Swing, costs Darkness plus two Colorless and deals 60× damage—the number of heads flipped in a coin series. With a Fighting weakness and a Psychic resistance of -20, Krokorok sits in a familiar risk-reward niche that many Darkness decks rely on. Its retreat cost 2 keeps it approachable to set up early while still enabling clean switches when the board demands it. The card’s artwork is by Naoki Saito, whose shadowy, desert-edge style helps sell the atmosphere of the XY era. 🎨

Tracking usage across sets: methodology

To understand how Krokorok performs across multiple sets, players pull signals from tournament results, deck-tracking databases, and price-trend aggregators. In Flashfire’s early meta, Krokorok found footing in midrange Dark builds, leveraging Dark Clamp to lock opponents in place while evolving into bigger threats. In subsequent sets, the card’s viability has fluctuated as new archetypes emerged and power levels shifted. Significantly, Krokorok’s legal in Expanded, not Standard status shapes where it shows up in competitive play and how collectors value it. This split—rotation in Standard and continued presence in Expanded—helps explain both price dynamics and deck-building decisions across generations. 🔎

Market signals: price and rarity insights

For collectors, Krokorok XY2-57 exists in both normal and holo variants. Recent market data shows a nuanced picture. CardMarket data (updated mid-October 2025) lists an average price around €0.17 for standard copies, with a low of €0.02 and a positive trend of roughly 0.16 over recent windows. Holo versions command a higher baseline, averaging around €0.50 and climbing toward the €2 range in high-listing cases. On TCGPlayer (also updated in October 2025), normal copies trend in the $0.05–$0.25 bracket, with a market price near $0.28, while reverse-holo foil copies sit higher, with mid around $0.50 and highs approaching $2 in some listings. These signals reflect both Flashfire’s enduring prints and the broader appetite for dark-type options in Expanded, where the card remains a nostalgic and functional pick. 💎

Strategies for players: leveraging Dark Clamp and Double Swing

In gameplay, Dark Clamp offers a valuable tempo play: you can anchor a threat and prevent retreat, pressuring the opponent to answer on your terms. The 10-damage baseline for Dark Clamp is modest by today’s standards, but its real power lies in forcing suboptimal retreats and enabling favorable trades. Double Swing adds an element of coin-flip volatility; when heads align, you can land 60 damage per head, potentially turning a tight game in your favor. Because this attack’s damage is directly tied to luck, many players pair Krokorok with other Darkness or acceleration tools that smooth energy attachment and help you reach the critical turns where Dark Clamp and Double Swing come into play. A well-built Expanded lineup might pair Krokorok with evolutions and draw support that keeps your board humming while you ride the tempo advantage. 🎮

Art, lore, and the spot in XY Flashfire

Naoki Saito’s art for Krokorok captures the grit and shadowed menace of this desert-adapted Pokémon, complementing the card’s pragmatic, no-nonsense gameplay. For collectors, holo variants deliver the shine that makes Flashfire-era prints special, while Sandile and the Krokorok line carry a compact narrative: a creature that survives by striking first and slipping away at the last moment. XY Flashfire itself is notable for weaving Fire and Darkness themes with bold artwork and accessible play patterns, making Krokorok a welcome capsule of that era’s design ethos. The card’s illustrator credit stands as a reminder of the human artistry behind the hobby, not an AI-generated image. 🖼️

As of 2025, Krokorok’s strongest stories are found in Expanded play and in the collector’s shelves where holo versions glow under display lights. While not a Standard staple, it remains a compelling data point for those tracking how Dark-type strategies evolved across sets and rotations. The card’s enduring presence in price lists and deck discussions underscores that a single Evolution can ripple through multiple formats, generations, and collecting habits. ⚡

Final take for data-driven fans

Tracking usage across multiple sets reveals more than just numbers; it reveals how a card like Krokorok fits into an evolving strategy, how collectors chase specific print runs, and how the market responds to rarity and nostalgia. The blend of Darkness energy acceleration, a dependable Retreat-enabling effect, and a flavorful holo presentation keeps Krokorok relevant in Expanded circles. For players, the practical takeaway is to value tempo and coin-flip variance, while collectors appreciate the card’s place within Flashfire’s era and Naoki Saito’s enduring art. The narrative arc—from Sandile to Krokorok—continues to resonate with fans who enjoy both strategy and storytelling in equal measure. ⚡💎

Clear Silicone Phone Case – Slim, Flexible Protection