1. Master and Additional variants
1.1 Master variant
A Master variant is:
- The first printed version(s) of a card
- Found in booster packs (for non-promotional cards)
- The card that is printed in regular size (For example: merchandise sometimes introduces a new promotional card in both regular and Jumbo size at the same time. In those cases, the regular-sized card is always the Master Variant, and the Jumbo card is always the Additional Variant.)
1.2 Additional variant
An Additional variant is:
- Any (promotional) card variation of an already existing card
- (Often) released after the initial print of a card
- Never found in booster packs
1.3 Notable exceptions
Cards that would be considered a Master variant in any other language than English (because they differ to the English releases in terms of Holo pattern), are considered an Additional variant in Dex. For example: For English Base Set, all 1st Edition cards were Shadowless. For all non-English Base Set releases, all 1st Edition cards were not Shadowless. Therefore 1st Edition (Shadowless) is the Master variant for Base Set, and 1st Edition an Additional Variant.
1.4 Cards with no Master variant
It is possible for a card to have no Master variant at all, solely an Additional variant. During the Sun & Moon Series, Yellow A Alternate Cards were released after the initial release of Expansions and appeared to be part of already existing Expansions. These cards, however, should not be counted towards the Master Set of these Expansions. Please see 6.2.
1.5 Multiple artwork prints
If a card is officially considered part of the Expansion's Master set, but that card is available with more than one artwork, all artwork variants of that card are considered Master variants. This only applies to variants released in English, Japanese or Simplified Chinese. For example, jpn_neo2-54 exists in both Kabuto Print and Aerodactyl Print and therefore both should be considered Master variants.
2. Default variants
2.1 Default variants for regular Expansions
For regular Expansions: The default variant can only be either 1st Edition (see 6.1), Holo (with no specified pattern) or Normal.
2.2 Default variants for promotional Expansions
For promotional Expansions: the default variant can be any variant that defines the card most clearly.
2.3 Reverse Holo can not be default
A Reverse Holo card can never be a default variant, since Reverse Holo can only exist if there is a Holo or Normal variant as well. If a card shows characteristics of a Reverse Holo variant, but it is the default and only variant, it is in fact a Mirror Holofoil pattern and must be listed as Holo instead.
2.4 Holo patterns in promotional Expansions
For promotional Expansions: if there's only one Holo pattern within the entire Expansion, the Holo cards of that Expansion will be referred to as Holo instead of their specific Holo pattern. For example: all McDonald's Holo cards have the Confetti Holo pattern, therefore the Holo pattern doesn't have to be specified.
3. When is a (new) variant required?
3.1 Cards that require specific variants
Cards shall receive specific (campaign) variants:
- When it will be an Additional variant of an already existing card (and an exact copy in terms of artwork and information) and Holo, Normal or Jumbo will not sufficiently distinguish the new variation.
- When a new (promotional) card is released of which the variant will be the default (and only) Master variant, but the variant exists in more than one Expansion.
3.2 Cards that don't require specific variants
Cards shall not receive specific (campaign) variants:
- When the Master variant only exists within one Expansion and is limited to a one-time campaign only. In those specific cases, Holo, Normal or Jumbo will suffice.
3.3 Holo pattern distinction
As specified in 2.4, a specific Holo pattern only gets listed as a (new) variant if this is necessary for distinction. For example: if a card already exists as a Holo variant, and a new Holo pattern of that card is released, this new Holo pattern will have to be specified with a new variant. For example: for this reason, the Water Web Holo variant does not exist in Dex, because it has never been necessary to specify this Holo pattern.
3.4 Year specification
Variants don't need their year specified, unless they are clearly part of an annual "subset". For example: Trick or Trade 2024 can exist, but Pokémon Day or World Championships does not need a year specified. Years do have to be specified when a single card has received the same variant for more than one year. For example: BW29 has received the same variant, Battle Road Autumn, for four consecutive years, therefore that variant needs its year specified.
4. Variants consisting of two (or more) aspects
4.1 Combined variants
A variant consisting of two aspects (e.g. both Jumbo and Set Stamp) must only be added in Dex if it is strictly necessary for distinction. Otherwise, the most prominent aspect will be chosen as the main variant. For instance: if a variant is Jumbo but also contains a Pokémon Center stamp, the variant will be listed as Jumbo only.
4.2 Priority order
The most prominent (primary) aspect will always be:
- 1st Edition (will always go first)
- Holo
- Normal
- Jumbo
- Play! Pokémon
- Shadowless
Therefore, cards with more than one aspect will be listed with the above aspect first. For example: 1st Edition (Red Cheeks), Holo (Icy Snow Pattern) or Jumbo (Set Stamp).
4.3 Variant symbols
For variants consisting of several aspects, the variant symbol of the primary aspect is used. Notable exceptions: when the secondary variant symbol is required to fully understand the aspects of the card, the secondary set symbol can be used (for example: the various Vivillon patterns).
4.4 Distinguishability
Variants shall always be listed by their most distinguishable aspect. For example: if a card is a Cosmos Holo and contains an Expansion Stamp, it will be listed as an Expansion Stamp variant. If, one day, a new Expansion Stamp card variation of this same card gets released, but without Cosmos Holo, the initial variant must be replaced by a new variant; Expansion Stamp (Cosmos Holo).
5. Other variant related guidelines
5.1 Region exclusive variants
If a variant exists in one Region (Worldwide, Japan or China) only, it is listed as an exclusive variant to that Region. If a variant exists in more than one Region, the variant should be listed as "Worldwide".
5.2 Variant or Expansion?
When new cards are released, and they might seem to appear variants to already existing cards, the following must be considered to decide if they should become a variant or a new Expansion:
- Do the newly released cards have their own set numbering (as well as having set numbering to an already existing set)? Then the cards should become an Expansion. For example: Battle Academy 2020: Charizard Deck.
- Are the newly released cards obviously part of a subset, but do not have their own set numbering? Then the cards should become variants. For example: Trick or Trade 2023.
6. Inconsistencies within Dex
6.1 First Edition inconsistency
Since, according to 1.1, the Master Variant is always the first printed version of a card, 1st Edition should be the Master Variant for all applicable cards. However, since making 1st Edition into a Master variant would currently lead to data loss, this inconsistency now exists in Dex.
6.2 Yellow A Alternate Cards inconsistency
According to 1.4, Yellow A Alternate Cards should not be considered part of the Master Set and therefore shouldn't have a Master Variant. However, this structure is currently not possible in Dex.
6.3 Exceptions to set numbering rule
The following exceptions to 5.2 exist within Dex:
6.3.1 Battle Academy 2020: Mewtwo Deck is considered an Expansion even though it doesn't contain its own set numbering. This decision was made for consistency since both Battle Academy 2020: Charizard Deck and Battle Academy 2020: Pikachu Deck contain specific set numbering and therefore are considered Expansions.
6.3.2 Battle Academy 2022: Eevee Deck is considered an Expansion even though it doesn't contain its own set numbering. This decision was made for consistency since both Battle Academy 2022: Cinderace Deck and Battle Academy 2022: Pikachu Deck contain specific set numbering and therefore are considered Expansions.
6.3.3 Battle Academy 2024 Decks (Darkrai, Pikachu, and Armarouge) are treated as variants instead of Expansions. This is because some cards would be considered Master Variants to two separate sets simultaneously (since some new cards were released that were part of the Scarlet & Violet Black Star Promos), making it impossible to make these Decks into new Expansions.
6.3.4 World Championships 2024 Decks are included as variants to their original releases, even though they do not have any set numbering corresponding to the cards on which they are based.
6.3.5 Sun & Moon Trainer Kits: In the Alolan Sandslash Half Deck, tk11b-30 is also considered a Master Variant of Sun & Moon Black Star Promos. In the Alolan Ninetales Half Deck, tk11a-30 is also considered a Master Variant of Sun & Moon Black Star Promos. This creates the same problem as in 6.3.3. However, because both Expansions were already included in Dex before close attention was paid to this matter, this inconsistency now exists.