Inkay Pokémon Card Guide for Collectors, Traders, and Binder Builders
Discover the best Inkay Pokémon cards to collect. Cute picks, rare finds, set history, and binder layout tips in one guide.
2025-03-10
Popularity Rank: #598
Fan survey data
Blended rank from two r/pokemon "favourite Pokémon" surveys, weighted 60/40 toward the 2025 results (u/Jawnysparklez; u/mamamia1001 2019).
2025 survey: #618
2019 survey: #445
#598 / 1025
Pokédex details
Height
0.4 m
Weight
3.5 kg
Base EXP
0
Capture rate
190 / 255
Generation
Gen VI
Base happiness
70
Growth rate
Medium
Color
Blue
Shape
Tentacles
Egg groups
Water1, Water2
What makes Inkay so likeable
Three fast, fan-friendly reasons Inkay stands out — no lore dump, just the vibe.
- Standing under half a meter tall, Inkay is tiny in the best possible way.
- Cheerful personality in-game — Inkay feels upbeat even before you pick a favourite card.
- A staple in our 🌑 Dark & Edgy crowd — Inkay is one of those picks collectors nod at immediately.
Pokémon TCG cards
Recent cards featuring Inkay from the Trading Card Game, newest first.
Secluded Springs
One Diamond
Shrouded Fable
Common
Obsidian Flames
Common
Lost Origin
Common
Lost Origin
Common
Chilling Reign
Common
Champion's Path
Common
Hidden Fates Shiny Vault
Rare Shiny
Unbroken Bonds
Common
Forbidden Light
Common
Burning Shadows
Common
BREAKthrough
Common
Showing 12 of 18 loaded cards · card data from TCGdex with pokemontcg.io as backup · images via Scrydex when needed
Laying out a Inkay page that photographs well
A workable spread formula for Inkay — scene print, anchor card, supporting cast — without overthinking supplies.
Cards to anchor your spread
TCG picks for collectors — pair these with a printed scene below.
Inkay #SV17 (Hidden Fates Shiny Vault) is a top priority for collectors — the shiny treatment adds a sparkly centrepiece to any Inkay page.
Inkay #118 (Unbroken Bonds) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Inkay binder page.
Inkay #89 (Burning Shadows) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Inkay binder page.
Inkay #50 (Forbidden Light) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Inkay binder page.
Species art references
Character renders for colour matching, pose ideas, and silhouette checks.
Official artwork
Match card holo colours and keep the species silhouette consistent across pockets.
HOME render
Modern pose reference when you want a cleaner, upright character layout.
Dream World vector
Simple line-and-fill shape — handy for tracing pocket placement before you print.
Shiny palette
Alternate colourway for accent pockets or shiny-themed spreads.
Art via PokéAPI/sprites (open source).
Inkay mini binder spread
A seeded two-page 3×3 binder mockup using Inkay chase cards and Michi Method scene art for display planning.
Left page
Hidden Fates Shiny Vault
Rare Shiny
Unbroken Bonds
Common
Burning Shadows
Common
Forbidden Light
Common
Secluded Springs
One Diamond
Shrouded Fable
Common
Obsidian Flames
Common
Right page
Lost Origin
Common
Lost Origin
Common
Chilling Reign
Common
Champion's Path
Common
BREAKthrough
Common
Ancient Origins
Common
Roaring Skies
Common
Start with a background that echoes Inkay's dark and psychic, then place your chase holo in the top-left anchor slot. Secondary copies can step down in rarity toward the edges so the spread breathes in photos.
Michi Method scene examples
Wide illustrated scenes and promotional art you can print across multiple binder pockets — not cropped card frames.
Pokémon Center New Year Postcard 2014
Scene art via artofpkm.com — Pokémon Center New Year Postcard 2014
pokemon 01 cs1w1 435x613
Scene art via artofpkm.com — pokemon 01 cs1w1 435x613
Find more scene art
Curated galleries and search links — we do not hotlink Pinterest or ArtStation results.
Scene references via artofpkm.com. Pokémon and character names are trademarks of Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.
Additional tips
- Inkay's cheerful base temperament invites playful sticker sleeves or washi — don't force a grimdark layout unless the art demands it.
- Keep a "swap tray" of mid-value Inkay duplicates beside the binder — trades move faster when the page is already curated.
- Lead with your strongest Inkay single, then echo it with a secondary spread featuring Malamar, Absol, and Bisharp so the page reads as a story, not a checklist.
- Hunt bilingual or alt-language copies when Inkay lettering or embossing outshines the English print — especially if you trade with collectors who search native names.
Inkay: competitive snapshot
Optional competitive context for Inkay. Display collectors can skip straight to the backstory below.
Base stats
In-game numbers for Inkay — useful context beside abilities and moves.
HP
53
Attack
54
Defense
53
Sp. Atk
37
Sp. Def
46
Speed
45
Total: 288
Players file Inkay around tier "LC" while Ability Contrary (Inverts stat changes.) shapes the fantasy — chase art that stages that payoff, not just the highest number on the slab.
- Dark/Psychic typings invite clash lighting or split backgrounds — lean into that tension on-page.
- Hidden Ability Infiltrator is the deep-cut hunt — call it out when you sell or trade so buyers know you are curating, not flipping random holos.
3D battle sprites
Animated Showdown-style models for Inkay — normal and shiny.
Sprites via Project Pokémon. Pokémon and character names are trademarks of Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.
Backstory & Lore
A short write-up on Inkay, weaving together Pokédex notes, species lore, and evolution context.
Opponents who stare at the flashing of the light-emitting spots on its body become dazed and lose their will to fight.
It flashes the light-emitting spots on its body, which drains its opponent’s will to fight. It takes the opportunity to scuttle away and hide.
A second dex beat (Sword) frames Inkay as one that spins while making its luminescent spots flash.. Rotating that line on a sticky note beside the page keeps the spread feeling lived-in.
Inkay shows up in Ultra Moon lore as when exchanging information with others of its kind, it flashes the light-emitting spots on its body in a complex rhythm. When you shop for cards, look for illustrations that lean into that mood instead of generic portrait poses.
In the games, Inkay → Malamar make up this evolution family — a natural arc to echo when you curate cards or binder spreads.
Name in other languages
Common localized names collectors may search for.
German
Iscalar
Spanish
Inkay
French
Sepiatop
Italian
Inkay
Japanese
マーイーカ
Japanese (Romaji)
Maaiika
Korean
오케이징
Chinese (Simplified)
好啦鱿
Chinese (Traditional)
好啦魷
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