Primal Clash: the 2015 Pokémon set explained
Pokémon's XY Primal Clash of February 2015: its 164 cards block by block, its 12 Pokémon-EX and their full-art versions, and the four Trainers above 160.
By the Rip.fan Editorial Team.
Published 7 min read
Primal Clash is the February 2015 expansion of Pokémon’s XY series, and it introduced Primal cards to the card game: Primal Kyogre-EX and Primal Groudon-EX. Its UK release was February 4, 2015. The set has 164 cards: 160 numbered up to the printed total and 4 numbered above it, all four of them Trainer cards. Every one of the 12 Pokémon-EX in the main run has a full-art version, and 19 names appear on two different cards.
When did Primal Clash come out?
Primal Clash reached UK stores on February 4, 2015. On January 7, 2015, Pokémon said booster packs and two theme decks would be in UK stores that day, and on February 4 it said the set was available in shops.
The XY expansion before it was available in the UK on November 5, 2014. Roaring Skies followed on May 6, 2015. The 34-card Double Crisis and two XY Trainer Kits sit between Primal Clash and Roaring Skies. Our guide to Roaring Skies covers that set, and our guide to Pokémon card eras places the XY series in the longer history.
How many cards are in Primal Clash?
The number blocks run like this:
| Numbers | Cards | What they are |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 121 | 121 | Pokémon, including 8 Pokémon-EX, 2 Primal Pokémon-EX and 2 M Pokémon-EX |
| 122 to 142 | 21 | Trainer cards: 7 Items, 6 Tools, 4 Supporters and 4 Stadiums |
| 143 to 144 | 2 | Special Energy: Shield Energy and Wonder Energy |
| 145 to 156 | 12 | Full-art Pokémon-EX |
| 157 to 160 | 4 | Full-art versions of the four Supporters in the 122 to 142 block |
| 161 to 164 | 4 | Above the printed total: Dive Ball, Enhanced Hammer and Switch (Items) and Weakness Policy (a Tool) |
Every number from 1 to 164 is filled once, with no lettered entries and no basic Energy cards. The four cards above 160 fit CGC’s definition of a secret rare, a card whose number is higher than the set number.
On Rip.fan’s price pages, the 164 cards are labeled like this:
| Label on Rip.fan’s page | Cards | Where they sit |
|---|---|---|
| Common | 39 | Within 1 to 120 |
| Uncommon | 50 | Within 2 to 144, including all 23 cards at 122 to 144 |
| Rare | 25 | Within 3 to 114 |
| Rare Holo | 18 | Within 9 to 110 |
| Rare Holo EX | 12 | The Pokémon-EX within 1 to 121 |
| Rare Ultra | 16 | 145 to 160 |
| Rare Secret | 4 | 161 to 164 |
Which cards did Primal Clash add?
| New cards | Where they sit |
|---|---|
| 12 new Pokémon-EX, each with a full-art version | 12 within 1 to 121, and 12 full-art cards at 145 to 156 |
| Mega Aggron-EX and Mega Gardevoir-EX, two new Mega Evolution cards | M Aggron-EX at 94 and M Gardevoir-EX at 106 |
| Primal Kyogre-EX and Primal Groudon-EX | 55 and 86 |
| Four full-art Trainer cards | 4: 157 to 160 |
| Four secret rare cards | 4: 161 to 164 |
| Two Special Energy cards | 2: 143 and 144 |
There are 29 Trainer cards: 21 at 122 to 142, 4 at 157 to 160 and 4 at 161 to 164, or 31 counting the two Special Energy cards at 143 and 144.
Capital EX cards carried on into XY, where they tied in with Mega Evolution. Our guide to Pokémon ex, EX and GX cards explains the labels.
Which Pokémon-EX have full-art versions?
All 12, and the full-art cards follow the main-run order:
| Pokémon-EX | Main run | Full art | Full-art illustrator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trevenant-EX | 19 | 145 | Ryo Ueda |
| Camerupt-EX | 29 | 146 | Ryo Ueda |
| Wailord-EX | 38 | 147 | Ryo Ueda |
| Kyogre-EX | 54 | 148 | 5ban Graphics |
| Primal Kyogre-EX | 55 | 149 | 5ban Graphics |
| Groudon-EX | 85 | 150 | 5ban Graphics |
| Primal Groudon-EX | 86 | 151 | 5ban Graphics |
| Sharpedo-EX | 91 | 152 | Ryo Ueda |
| Aggron-EX | 93 | 153 | Ryo Ueda |
| M Aggron-EX | 94 | 154 | 5ban Graphics |
| Gardevoir-EX | 105 | 155 | Ryo Ueda |
| M Gardevoir-EX | 106 | 156 | 5ban Graphics |
The Kyogre-EX and Groudon-EX cards of the main run are credited to Ryota Murayama and their full-art versions to 5ban Graphics. Four Tool cards in the Trainer block carry the names of these lines: Aggron Spirit Link at 123, Gardevoir Spirit Link at 130, Groudon Spirit Link at 131 and Kyogre Spirit Link at 132. Our guide to Mega Evolution cards shows how the M Pokémon-EX of this era differ from the Mega ex cards of 2025 on.
In card number order. Images from Scrydex.
What sits above 160?
Four Trainer cards. Dive Ball at 161 and Weakness Policy at 164 also have cards in the Trainer block, at 125 and 142, with the same illustrator credit. Enhanced Hammer at 162 and Switch at 163 have no other card in this set. That differs from Furious Fists, whose two cards above its total are Mega Pokémon-EX.
Which names appear on two cards?
Nineteen names in the main run appear on two cards each. In eight of those pairs, one card is labeled Rare and the other Rare Holo on Rip.fan’s price pages:
| Name | Rare | Rare Holo |
|---|---|---|
| Sceptile | 8 | 9 |
| Ludicolo | 37 | 12 |
| Swampert | 35 | 36 |
| Rhyperior | 76 | 77 |
| Medicham | 81 | 80 |
| Excadrill | 96 | 97 |
| Azumarill | 103 | 104 |
| Kingdra | 107 | 108 |
The two Ludicolo cards are different types, Grass at 12 and Water at 37. The other 11 pairs include Torchic at 25 and 26, Spheal at 45 and 46, and Bunnelby at 120 and 121. A listing that names only the Pokémon and the set could mean either card, so read the card number.
What products held Primal Clash?
The set came in 10-card booster packs and two 60-card theme decks, named Earth’s Pulse and Ocean’s Core. Our guide to spotting resealed Pokémon packs covers the signs of a sealed product that was opened and sealed again.
How do you check Primal Clash card prices?
Primal Clash has its own page in Rip.fan’s Pokémon price pages, under the XY series heading, abbreviated PRC. It lists the set’s priced cards, each with its number, rarity and NM market price. Filter it by Rare Holo EX for the 12 Pokémon-EX of the main run, by Rare Ultra for the 16 full-art cards, or by Rare Secret for the four Trainers above 160. Sort it by name to see each repeated name side by side.
For a single card, the card price lookup searches by name, set or number and shows which printing each price is for. The price changes page compares prices between Rip.fan’s weekly checks.
What should you check before buying a Primal Clash card?
- Which of two cards. Nineteen names come twice in the main run, so match the number as well as the name.
- The full-art version. Groudon-EX 85/160 and 150/160 are different cards with different illustrators. Our guide to Pokémon card finishes explains full art.
- Which set. Primal Kyogre-EX and Primal Groudon-EX come again, as Shiny full-art cards, in Ancient Origins, so read the set name too.
- Genuine cards. Our guide to spotting fake Pokémon cards walks through checks that leave a card unharmed.
The Pokémon hub has the rest of our coverage. Our guide to BREAKthrough covers a later XY set.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most expensive Primal Clash card?
It was Primal Kyogre-EX (149/160), at a Near Mint market price of $363.35 on October 21, 2026. Primal Groudon-EX (151/160) was second, at $224.34.
Which Rare Holo EX in Primal Clash has the highest price?
Primal Kyogre-EX (55/160) had the highest Near Mint market price among the Primal Clash cards marked Rare Holo EX on October 21, 2026, at $62.18.
What is the top-priced Rare Holo card in Primal Clash?
On October 21, 2026, Swampert (36/160) led the Rare Holo cards of Primal Clash, with a Near Mint market price of $30.06.
What do the Primal Kyogre-EX cards in Primal Clash cost?
Primal Clash has 2 Primal Kyogre-EX cards, and on October 21, 2026, their Near Mint market prices were $62.18 for 55/160 (Rare Holo EX) and $363.35 for 149/160 (Rare Ultra).