The fact that Wastes got a reprint in Final Fantasy supports this theory further
But the beauty of Pokmon Trading Card Game s limitations when it first released was in the way that it left you with no choice but to collect from its relatively small total pool of cards one booster pack at a time and then learn those cards in and out in order to be able to use them effectively and win more matches
It has reasonable stats too, with 240 HP and an attack which deals 10 damage for the cost of four Colorless Energy, plus an extra 50 damage for each Water Energy attached to Wailord
Card x 10, Playsheet x 1, BOOSTER PACK -THE TIME OF BATTLE- [OP-16] Rarity Common x6, Uncommon x2, Rare x3, Super Rare x2, Promotion Card x1, Leader x1 *Due to the nature of the product, multiples of one card may appear, or it may be difficult to assemble a full set
countering boosts power with hand cards
Each life gain trigger grows it, and every counter replaces itself with a card, creating steady momentum