Dark Pupitar · Neo Destiny, what to know.
About the Dark Pupitar card
Numbered 38 of 113 in Neo Destiny, released in February 2002, Dark Pupitar is an Uncommon, a Stage 1 Fighting-type carrying 60 HP.
It evolves from Larvitar, so Dark Pupitar is a later-stage card that set-builders usually slot into a full evolution run rather than buy alone.
Team Rocket darkened Pupitar under its control for the set's villain arc, a grittier repaint of the familiar Pokémon with an altered attack profile.
Illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita. Arita painted the Base Set Charizard and much of the early holo run, and his work has a painterly weight that set the visual tone of the Wizards era.
Printed on the card, the Pupitar Pokédex entry reads: "It is encased within a hard shell, yet retains a great deal of mobility—a dangerous combination."
What is Dark Pupitar worth?
Dark Pupitar is an Uncommon, so raw copies are inexpensive and easy to find. The value is in condition: a genuine PSA 10, especially 1st Edition, can still reach a surprising figure for an otherwise common card. The live price above breaks it down by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Neo Destiny produced 1st Edition, Unlimited, Shining prints. For Dark Pupitar, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
Dark Pupitar grades forgivingly, but the same centering and edge standards apply. Pack-fresh raw copies are easy to find, which makes a clean PSA 10 submission a low-cost way to learn how the cardstock behaves under grading.
If you are collecting Dark Pupitar
Raw copies of Dark Pupitar are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Dark Pupitar is the practical move.
