Burmy Alternate Art vs Full Art: A TCG Collector's Guide

In TCG ·

Burmy card art from Fates Collide: alternate and full-art discussion

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Burmy: Alternate Art vs Full Art in the Fates Collide era

In the expansive world of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, even the humblest Basic Pokémon can become a canvas for extraordinary artwork. Burmy, a Grass-type with a modest 60 HP, sits at the crossroads of collectability and playability in the XY10 set, Fates Collide. Illustrated by Kouki Saitou, this card is a reminder that a single illustration can spark a collector’s hunt as passionately as a clutch of strong turns on the bench. The debate around alternate art (AA) versus full art (FA) versions isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a lens into how the community values rarity, print runs, and the storytelling potential that a single image can carry ⚡🎨.

Burmy (xy10-2) is a Basic Grass-type card whose lone attack, Hang Down, costs a Colorless energy and delivers a neat 10 damage. It’s a straightforward card—perfect for teaching early-game benching and timing—but what makes it pop for collectors are the variant prints that accompany it: normal, reverse holo, and holo variants all exist within the Fates Collide print run. The card’s rarity is listed as Common, which in practice means that base copies aren’t particularly scarce in the wild compared to their holo counterparts. Yet the allure of AA and FA forms can often reframe a familiar card into a coveted centerpiece for a display binder or deck-building corridor. The artwork, with Kouki Saitou’s signature style, shifts Burmy from a simple grass-bench option to a character study in texture and motion.

What distinguish AA from FA in practice

Alternate Art versions typically present a fresh illustration that reimagines the card’s scene, sometimes with a different backdrop, mood, or action pose. Full Art versions, by contrast, emphasize a borderless, full-bleed presentation that integrates the art with the card's edges, often making the image feel larger than life. For Burmy and many other cards in Fates Collide, both variants aim to elevate the card’s shelf appeal and offer a new lens through which to appreciate the moment Burmy cloaks itself as it evolves. Collectors weigh these distinctions alongside print runs, holo or non-holo finishes, and condition—because a pristine FA or AA Burmy can command noticeably more attention than its plain-foil cousin, even when the base stats and text are identical. The emphasis on the artwork can also color a deck-building narrative; a dramatic image may inspire the inclusion of Burmy as a thematic anchor in a Grass-themed lineup, even if the card isn’t a powerhouse on the battlefield. 🔥💎

For players, the practical impact is modest. Burmy’s Hang Down attack remains a humble 10-damage option for a Colorless energy, with a Fire weakness that doubles damage taken. Its retreat cost sits at 1, and its basic stage means it belongs on the bench until you evolve it into Wormadam (or, in some lineages, Mothim) depending on the cloak and gameplay style you’re chasing. The elegance of an AA or FA Burmy lies less in raw power and more in the story you tell with your collection and the visual joy you experience when you lay cards out for a photoshoot or a tournament post-game recap. Evolution lines—Burmy growing into Wormadam (Grass Cloak or other cloaks) and onward to Mothim—add another layer of collectibility, as many players and collectors chase multiple forms to mirror the evolving tactics they employ in play. 🎴🎨

Market snapshot and what to expect in pricing

Pricing for Burmy varies by variant and market. In online marketplaces tracked by Cardmarket, the base (non-holo) prints have averaged around the low cent range to a few tenths of a euro, with holo versions typically edging higher due to demand for more visually striking finishes. On Cardmarket, the avg for standard copies sits around 0.06 EUR, with holo variants showing higher activity—“avg-holo” around 0.20 EUR and notable spikes when considering recent trends (e.g., “trend-holo” around 0.24 EUR). In USD through TCGPlayer, normal copies show low prices near the penny range and mid prices hovering around a few tenths of a dollar, while high prices can approach or exceed a dollar—especially for scarcer or well-preserved specimens. For reverse holo and holo Burmy, the market can swing more dramatically; you’ll often see market prices that reflect condition, edition status, and whether the card appears in a sought-after AA or FA print. The key takeaway: while base Burmy is common, the AA/FA variants can push value upward, particularly when multiple forms are collected in a cohesive display. Always check condition, edition status, and the specific variant’s market trajectory before valuing your collection. 💎⚡

In practice, if you’re evaluating a Burmy AA or FA, consider rarity and print run numbers alongside condition and your personal collecting goals. A pristine AA/FA Burmy is as much about the story it tells on the table as it is about the numerical value in a price guide. For many fans, the joy comes from the art—the way Kouki Saitou captures Burmy mid-cloak, the texture of the grass, and the subtle lighting that makes this tiny Pokémon feel cinematic. That emotional resonance often translates into a willingness to invest in a variant that embodies the memory of a set and a moment in the game’s history. ⚡🎴

For those chasing a balanced perspective on collecting and playing, Burmy’s simple stats can still find a place in casual or theme decks, while collectors can savor the different art treatments. The XY10 set, with its mix of normal, reverse holo, and holo prints, provides an accessible entry point to variant collecting without breaking the bank. As always, verify authenticity and avoid counterfeit risks by purchasing from reputable sources and keeping cards in protective sleeves and rigid top loaders. 🎮

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