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All Hits Chase Movers Accumulation Oversold

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Mysterious Fossil

6 printings · 6 sets

About Mysterious Fossil

Card type: Item
Printings: 6
Sets: 6
First printed: Fossil (1999)
Card text wordings: 4
Effect: Played as a Basic Pokémon with no attacks that can be discarded from play and can evolve
Illustrators: Keiji Kinebuchi, Ryo Ueda

What it does

Mysterious Fossil occupies a Pokémon's spot in play as a Basic Pokémon with no attacks that can't retreat or be affected by Special Conditions, and can be discarded from play during its owner's turn before attacking. Legendary Collection's wording added that Pokémon evolving from it can be placed directly on the card, and Legend Maker's wording reversed the earlier rule so it counts as a Trainer card as well as a Pokémon, rather than instead of one, and being Knocked Out still doesn't count as a Knocked Out Pokémon.

Printing history

Mysterious Fossil first appeared in Fossil in 1999 with art by Keiji Kinebuchi, who also illustrated the Legendary Collection and Sandstorm reprints. Ryo Ueda took over for the Legend Maker printing in 2006 and illustrated its subsequent reprints in Holon Phantoms and Power Keepers, carrying the card through the EX era. All six of its printings are Common rarity.

Origin

Fossils are items in the Pokémon games that can be revived into Pokémon. The Dome Fossil and Helix Fossil appear in this card's artwork, though the illustration depicts the Dome Fossil as the fossil of a Kabutops rather than a Kabuto, alongside some wing bones from Aerodactyl, a small but notable inconsistency in the card's design.

Cards to know

Mysterious Fossil (Fossil #62)
Fossil printing is Mysterious Fossil's first appearance, illustrated by Keiji Kinebuchi
Mysterious Fossil (Legendary Collection #109)
Legendary Collection printing adds the clause allowing evolution cards to be placed on it
Mysterious Fossil (Legend Maker #79)
Legend Maker printing reverses the Trainer card counting rule and introduces Ryo Ueda's artwork

Mysterious Fossil: common questions

What changed about Mysterious Fossil in Legend Maker?

Its wording reversed so the card counts as a Trainer card as well as a Pokémon, rather than instead of one.

What does the artwork depict?

The Dome Fossil and Helix Fossil, along with some Aerodactyl wing bones, though the Dome Fossil is drawn as a Kabutops fossil rather than Kabuto.

Who illustrated the later printings?

Ryo Ueda illustrated the Legend Maker, Holon Phantoms, and Power Keepers printings.

Wording history — Mysterious Fossil

From Fossil (1999) · 1 printing
Play Mysterious Fossil as if it were a Basic Pokémon. While in play, Mysterious Fossil counts as a Pokémon (instead of a Trainer card). Mysterious Fossil has no attacks, can't retreat, and can't be Asleep, Confused, Paralyzed, or Poisoned. If Mysterious Fossil is Knocked Out, it doesn't count as a Knocked Out Pokémon. (Discard it anyway.) At any time during your turn before your attack, you may discard Mysterious Fossil from play.
From Legendary Collection (2002) · 1 printing
Play Mysterious Fossil as if it were a Basic Pokémon. While in play, Mysterious Fossil counts as a Pokémon (instead of a Trainer card). Mysterious Fossil has no attacks, can't retreat, and can't be affected by Special Conditions. If Mysterious Fossil is Knocked Out, it doesn't count as a Knocked Out Pokémon. (Discard it anyway.) At any time during your turn before your attack, you may discard Mysterious Fossil from play. You can put Pokémon that evolve from Mysterious Fossil on this card.
From Sandstorm (2003) · 1 printing
Play Mysterious Fossil as if it were a Basic Pokémon. While in play, Mysterious Fossil counts as a Colorless Pokémon (instead of a Trainer card). Mysterious Fossil has no attacks of its own, can't retreat, and can't be affected by any Special Conditions. If Mysterious is Knocked Out, it doesn't count as a Knocked Out Pokémon. (Discard it anyway.) At any time during your turn before your attack, you may discard Mysterious Fossil from play.
From Legend Maker (2006) · 3 printings
Play Mysterious Fossil as if it were a Basic Pokémon. While in play, Mysterious Fossil counts as a Colorless Pokémon (as well as a Trainer card). Mysterious Fossil has no attacks of its own, can't retreat, and can't be affected by any Special Conditions. If Mysterious Fossil is Knocked Out, it doesn't count as a Knocked Out Pokémon. (Discard it anyway.) At any time during your turn before your attack, you may discard Mysterious Fossil from play.

What Mysterious Fossil does (current wording)

Play Mysterious Fossil as if it were a Basic Pokémon. While in play, Mysterious Fossil counts as a Colorless Pokémon (as well as a Trainer card). Mysterious Fossil has no attacks of its own, can't retreat, and can't be affected by any Special Conditions. If Mysterious Fossil is Knocked Out, it doesn't count as a Knocked Out Pokémon. (Discard it anyway.) At any time during your turn before your attack, you may discard Mysterious Fossil from play.

About Mysterious Fossil

Card type

Item

Printings

Sets

First printed

Fossil (1999)

Card text wordings

Effect

Played as a Basic Pokémon with no attacks that can be discarded from play and can evolve

Illustrators

Keiji Kinebuchi, Ryo Ueda

What it does

Printing history

Origin

Cards to know

Mysterious Fossil (Fossil #62)
Fossil printing is Mysterious Fossil's first appearance, illustrated by Keiji Kinebuchi
Mysterious Fossil (Legendary Collection #109)
Legendary Collection printing adds the clause allowing evolution cards to be placed on it
Mysterious Fossil (Legend Maker #79)
Legend Maker printing reverses the Trainer card counting rule and introduces Ryo Ueda's artwork

Mysterious Fossil: common questions

What changed about Mysterious Fossil in Legend Maker?

Its wording reversed so the card counts as a Trainer card as well as a Pokémon, rather than instead of one.

What does the artwork depict?

The Dome Fossil and Helix Fossil, along with some Aerodactyl wing bones, though the Dome Fossil is drawn as a Kabutops fossil rather than Kabuto.

Who illustrated the later printings?

Ryo Ueda illustrated the Legend Maker, Holon Phantoms, and Power Keepers printings.

Wording history — Mysterious Fossil

From Fossil (1999) · 1 printing

Play Mysterious Fossil as if it were a Basic Pokémon. While in play, Mysterious Fossil counts as a Pokémon (instead of a Trainer card). Mysterious Fossil has no attacks, can't retreat, and can't be Asleep, Confused, Paralyzed, or Poisoned. If Mysterious Fossil is Knocked Out, it doesn't count as a Knocked Out Pokémon. (Discard it anyway.) At any time during your turn before your attack, you may discard Mysterious Fossil from play.

From Legendary Collection (2002) · 1 printing

Play Mysterious Fossil as if it were a Basic Pokémon. While in play, Mysterious Fossil counts as a Pokémon (instead of a Trainer card). Mysterious Fossil has no attacks, can't retreat, and can't be affected by Special Conditions. If Mysterious Fossil is Knocked Out, it doesn't count as a Knocked Out Pokémon. (Discard it anyway.) At any time during your turn before your attack, you may discard Mysterious Fossil from play. You can put Pokémon that evolve from Mysterious Fossil on this card.

From Sandstorm (2003) · 1 printing

Play Mysterious Fossil as if it were a Basic Pokémon. While in play, Mysterious Fossil counts as a Colorless Pokémon (instead of a Trainer card). Mysterious Fossil has no attacks of its own, can't retreat, and can't be affected by any Special Conditions. If Mysterious is Knocked Out, it doesn't count as a Knocked Out Pokémon. (Discard it anyway.) At any time during your turn before your attack, you may discard Mysterious Fossil from play.

From Legend Maker (2006) · 3 printings