• ℹ️ CARD INFORMATION
• ✨ ABILITIES
• ⚔️ ATTACKS
• 💰 LATEST PRICES

CARD INFORMATION

• SUBTYPES:
  • Basic
• HP: 50
• TYPES:
  • Grass
• EVOLVES TO:
  • Ninjask
• WEAKNESSES:
  • TYPE: Fire
  • VALUE: ×2
• RETREATCOST:
  • Colorless
• RETREAT COST: 1
• RARITY: Common
• REGULATIONMARK: I

CARD ABILITIES

This card has no abilities

CARD ATTACKS

• NAME: Scratch
• COST:
  • Colorless
• ENERGY COST: 1
• DAMAGE: 20
• DETAILS:

MARKET PRICES FOR NINCADA 💰

Last updated: 2025/10/11

HIGH	12.50	USD
MID	0.11	USD	TREND
LOW	0.02	USD

Check the latest prices on:

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Nincada (ME1-16) enters the competitive scene as a humble Basic Grass Pokémon with potential that might be easily overlooked.

With just 50 HP and a single attack, this card might not immediately grab attention, but understanding its place in evolution chains and specific deck strategies reveals its true value in the current TCG landscape.

Offensive rating: 2/10

Nincada offers minimal offensive capabilities with a single attack - Scratch for 20 damage at the cost of just one Colorless energy.

This gives it a damage-to-energy ratio of 20:1, which is fairly standard for basic Pokémon at this HP tier.

The attack has no additional effects or bonuses, making it purely a straightforward damage dealer.

While the Colorless energy requirement provides flexibility in deck building, the low damage output means Nincada will struggle to secure knockouts against virtually any competitive Pokémon.

Its offensive value lies almost entirely as a stepping stone to its evolution rather than as an attacker itself.

Survival rating: 2/10

With just 50 HP, Nincada falls into the extremely vulnerable category of Pokémon that can be knocked out by most competitive attackers in a single hit.

Its Fire weakness further compounds this vulnerability in matchups against popular Fire-type decks, essentially halving its effective HP in those scenarios.

The single colorless retreat cost is the only positive survival aspect, offering reasonable mobility to pivot away when necessary.

Nincada possesses no defensive abilities or resistance to mitigate damage, making it a prime target that opponents will happily take down for an easy prize card.

Its survival potential is almost entirely dependent on avoiding the active position.

Versatility rating: 3/10

Nincada's versatility stems mainly from its role as an evolution base for Ninjask, rather than from any inherent flexibility.

The single Colorless energy requirement for its attack means it can fit into various energy configurations, which is a minor advantage.

Its status as a Grass-type Pokémon gives it access to type-specific support cards that could potentially enhance its utility in specialized builds.

However, without any abilities or meaningful attack effects, Nincada has minimal role flexibility beyond serving as an evolution foundation.

In the current meta, its versatility is severely limited by its simplistic design and the prevalence of more capable Basic Pokémon.

Speed/Setup rating: 7/10

Nincada scores relatively well in the setup category due to its straightforward design.

As a Basic Pokémon, it can be played directly to the bench, avoiding evolution complications.

Its single Colorless energy attack requirement means it can become operational on the very first turn, providing immediate (albeit limited) functionality.

This accessibility and immediate playability gives Nincada a quick setup advantage over more complex cards.

Additionally, being searchable through common Basic Pokémon support cards like Nest Ball or Quick Ball enhances its consistency.

The true setup value, however, depends on how quickly you can evolve it into Ninjask, as Nincada itself is primarily a stepping stone.

To maximize Nincada's effectiveness, focus on accelerating its evolution and providing protection until it can evolve.

Cards that search for evolutions or protect Basic Pokémon are essential.

Energy acceleration for its evolution would also complement this strategy, creating a cohesive approach to making the most of this otherwise vulnerable Pokémon.

Perfect Partners examples:

Nincada represents a classic case of a Basic Pokémon whose value is predominantly tied to its evolution potential rather than its standalone capabilities.

With modest offensive output, fragile survivability, and limited versatility, it functions primarily as a necessary stepping stone to Ninjask.

The card does excel in setup speed thanks to its Basic status and single Colorless energy requirement, making it immediately operational in most deck configurations.

To leverage Nincada effectively, focus on protecting it on your bench while accelerating toward evolution, using cards that enhance Basic Pokémon survival and evolution consistency.

In the current meta, Nincada itself won't win matches, but with proper support and quick evolution strategies, it can be a reliable foundation for more powerful plays.

Players should view it as an investment rather than an attacker, planning their strategy around minimizing its time on the field while maximizing its evolution potential.

POWER INDEX

25