CARD INFORMATION

SUBTYPES:
- Basic
HP: 70
TYPES:
- Fighting
EVOLVES TO:
- Piloswine
WEAKNESSES:
- TYPE: Grass
- VALUE: ×2
RETREATCOST:
- Colorless
- Colorless
RETREAT COST: 2
RARITY: Illustration Rare
FLAVOR TEXT: It searches for food by digging into the ground with its snout. Even frozen ground doesn't give it any trouble.
REGULATIONMARK: I

CARD ABILITIES

This card has no abilities

CARD ATTACKS

NAME: Call for Family
COST:
- Colorless
ENERGY COST: 1
DAMAGE:
DETAILS: Search your deck for up to 2 Basic Pokémon and put them onto your Bench. Then, shuffle your deck.

NAME: Lunge Out
COST:
- Fighting
ENERGY COST: 1
DAMAGE: 10
DETAILS:

MARKET PRICES FOR SWINUB 💰

Last updated: 2025/10/11

HIGH	9999.00	USD
MID	2.33	USD	TREND
LOW	1.57	USD

Check the latest prices on:

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Swinub (SV9-165) might seem unassuming at first glance, but this Fighting-type Basic Pokémon packs surprising utility for competitive play.

With its ability to quickly populate your bench and straightforward attack option, this 70 HP ground dweller offers more strategic depth than meets the eye, particularly for players looking to accelerate their board development.

Offensive rating: 2/10

Swinub's offensive capabilities are minimal at best.

Its only damage-dealing attack, Lunge Out, costs a single Fighting energy and deals a mere 10 damage without any additional effects.

This attack won't be knocking out opponents or applying meaningful pressure.

Even with damage modifiers from other cards, Swinub simply isn't designed as an attacker.

The damage output is too low to be relevant in most game states, and there are no special conditions or effects that could enhance its offensive potential.

In the current meta where 300+ HP Pokémon are common, Swinub's attack is effectively negligible.

Survival rating: 2/10

With only 70 HP, Swinub falls into the highly vulnerable category of Pokémon.

Its x2 Grass weakness is particularly problematic in the current meta where Grass attackers are fairly common.

The two-energy retreat cost is also relatively high for such a low-HP Pokémon, making it potentially costly to switch out in critical situations.

Swinub offers no inherent defensive abilities or damage reduction effects to compensate for these weaknesses.

Without specific protective support cards, it will rarely survive a single attack from any competitive attacker.

Its best survival strategy is simply evolving as quickly as possible into Piloswine, which offers better durability.

Versatility rating: 7/10

Swinub's versatility stems almost entirely from its Call for Family attack.

For just one colorless energy, you can search your deck for up to two Basic Pokémon and place them directly onto your bench.

This provides remarkable flexibility in building out your board state, allowing you to grab precisely the support Pokémon needed for your strategy.

Whether setting up evolution lines, bringing tech Pokémon into play, or simply filling your bench with consistency pieces, this attack enables multiple strategic options.

While Swinub itself is limited in roles, serving primarily as a bench-setup tool, this single powerful ability gives it substantial utility across multiple deck archetypes.

Speed/Setup rating: 9/10

Swinub shines brightest in its setup capabilities.

Requiring only a single colorless energy to use Call for Family, it can be operational on the very first turn with minimal investment.

This immediate accessibility is crucial for tournament play where early-game development often determines match outcomes.

The ability to immediately search for two Basic Pokémon dramatically increases consistency and setup speed for your strategy.

Additionally, as a Basic Pokémon itself, Swinub requires no prior evolution steps to hit the field.

Its fighting type also allows it to benefit from common Fighting-type support cards that could potentially help it survive a turn longer than expected.

Swinub works exceptionally well in decks that benefit from rapid bench development or require specific Basic Pokémon combinations.

It pairs naturally with evolution-heavy strategies, especially those utilizing multiple evolution lines or needing specific support Pokémon.

Its Call for Family attack can set up powerful combos by fetching exactly the right pieces at the right time.

Perfect Partners examples:

Rare Candy

After using Call for Family to fetch key Basic Pokémon, Rare Candy can accelerate evolution chains by skipping the Stage 1 requirement, helping transform bench Pokémon into their more powerful Stage 2 forms immediately.

Koraidon

Koraidon's ability to accelerate energy attachment works perfectly after Swinub has populated your bench, allowing you to power up multiple Pokémon in a single turn and create overwhelming board pressure.

Lumineon V

Lumineon V can be searched with Call for Family, then its Luminous Sign ability immediately finds a Supporter card, creating a powerful chain of search effects that dramatically increases deck consistency.

Swinub exemplifies how seemingly modest Pokémon can deliver surprising strategic value in competitive play.

While its offensive power and survival prospects are undeniably weak, its exceptional setup capabilities and versatility through Call for Family make it a valuable inclusion in many tournament decks.

The ability to quickly populate your bench with exactly the Basic Pokémon you need, all for a single colorless energy, creates incredible acceleration potential in the critical early turns.

For tournament success, position Swinub as an early-game setup piece rather than a frontline attacker, using it to establish your board before transitioning to your main strategy.

Consider protection cards if you need it to survive longer, but be prepared to sacrifice it after it has fulfilled its bench-building purpose.

In the right deck architecture, this unassuming ice pig becomes a powerful engine for consistency and strategic development.