Gym Heroes

Gym Heroes Title Image

Gym Heroes – Set Guide & Collectors Overview

Welcome back to the PokeFarm TCG Vintage Set Guide Series!
Today we’re covering one of the most beloved expansions of early Pokémon history:
Gym Heroes, released in August 2000. This set introduced fans to the idea of
collecting cards tied directly to the famous Pokémon Gym Leaders from the original Kanto region.

This series continues to walk through every English Pokémon set in order, giving you:

  • Historical context
  • New Pokémon introduced
  • New mechanics & card types
  • Set size & master set requirements
  • Top chase cards
  • Impact on collectors today

And just like the earlier entries (Base → Jungle → Fossil → Base Set 2 → Team Rocket),
you’ll also find a free downloadable Master Set Checklist PDF at the bottom!

Gym Heroes Booster Pack

Gym Heroes English Booster Pack

About Gym Heroes

Gym Heroes was the first of the “Gym” duo sets (followed by Gym Challenge) and introduced the idea that Pokémon belonged to their trainers.
Every major card in this expansion is linked to a Gym Leader:

  • Brock
  • Misty
  • Lt. Surge
  • Erika

Each Pokémon card includes not only the Pokémon name, but also the name of its trainer—giving the set a totally different feel from the previous expansions.

Release Date

August 14, 2000 (Wizards of the Coast)

Number of Cards

132 cards in the full English set

New Mechanics Introduced

  • Trainer-owned Pokémon (e.g., Misty’s Goldeen, Brock’s Onix)
  • Gym Stadium cards that referenced specific leaderboard locations
  • A stronger focus on Trainer synergy than ever before
  • Special “Leader” Trainers featuring artwork of Brock, Misty, Lt. Surge, and Erika

Relationship to the Anime & Games

Gym Heroes aligns perfectly with:

  • Pokémon Red/Blue/Yellow (the original Kanto gym battles)
  • Indigo League episodes from the anime
  • The concept of Gym Leaders guiding or challenging the player

This set felt like opening a pack straight out of the Kanto storyline—a big reason collectors still love it today.

Gym Heroes Chase Card

One of the top chase cards from the Gym Heroes set

Top Chase Cards from Gym Heroes

  • Sabrina’s Gengar (Holo)
  • Erika’s Vileplume (Holo)
  • Rocket’s Scyther (Holo)
  • Brock’s Onix (Holo)
  • Misty’s Seadra (Holo)
  • Lt. Surge’s Magneton (Holo)

Many of these cards remain extremely strong performers in both raw and graded markets—especially Sabrina’s Gengar due to its cult following.

Download the Gym Heroes Master Set Checklist

Free PDF — no email signup required. Perfect for binders or inventory tracking.


Download Checklist (PDF)

What’s Next? — Gym Challenge

Our next entry will be Gym Challenge, the second half of the Gym duo and home to iconic cards like Blaine’s Charizard and Rocket’s Mewtwo.
We’ll cover the set history, new Pokémon, the chase cards everyone hunts for, and—of course—a complete master set checklist PDF.

Stay tuned!