Summary
WithPokemon TCG Pocketout for a little over six months, andPokemon TCGreleasing multiple hyped-up sets in a row, now is the perfect time to delve into card-collectingPokemongames or return to them.Pokemon TCG’s Prismatic Evolutions setwas so popular that it ended up being sold out on launch and multiple times when it was later reprinted, which forced The Pokemon Company to apologize for the shortage of cards. Journey Together is proving to be an equally huge release in terms of sales and community reception, and it’s only natural that the upcoming Black Bolt and White Flare sets will reach similar milestones.
First announced months back,Pokemon TCG’s Black Bolt and White Flare are a return to Unova in many good ways, and the game is breaking a few big traditions in the process. While Black Bolt and White Flare won’t have a massive roster of cards to collect to complete the base set, this is quite far from the truth, considering all the special versions of each card. On top of that, it will include some changes to the formula that were either not made for years or were made for the first time ever now.
Pokemon TCG’s Black Bolt and White Flare Are a Love Letter to Unova Fans
For starters,Pokemon TCG’s Black Bolt and White Flarewill be two separate sets, part of the same big release. This makes them the first-ever “dual sets” inPokemon TCG, much like there are two versions of the same generation of titles in the mainline video game series. It may not seem like a huge deal at first, but this creates the precedent for future sets based on a specific generation of video games to be split into dual sets, which can be both a blessing and a curse for collectors because it may be hard to get all the products one wants, but there is more variety for fans.
Another tradition that is being broken by Black Bolt and White Flare is that everyUnovan Pokemon, for a total of 156 critters, will have either an Illustration Rare or Special Illustration Rare version. This makes for a massive amount of cards to collect in total, and that’s not factoring in the possibility of each card also getting a Poke Ball or Master Ball version, bringing the final total to around 900 cards.
Not only that, butBlack Bolt and White Flare will add a new card raritytoPokemon TCGin the form of “BWR,” most likely Black and White Rare. There hasn’t been a different rarity type in the game since 2023, and BWR is the perfect one to pay homage to Gen 5Pokemongames because it’s monochromatic - black for Zekrom, white for Reshiram, and red for Victini. It’s unclear whether other cards will get the BWR treatment at this stage, but it seems likely that at least Kyurem might get one, if not the starters or their evolutions too.
Pokemon TCG’s Black Bolt and White Flare Sets May Be Harder to Collect
What follows is thatPokemon TCG’s Black Bolt and White Flare are going to be some of the most unique and possibly sought-after sets in the game’s history, and at the same time, one of the most expensive or at least hardest to fully complete.New Black Bolt and White Flare cards are revealedoften now, ahead of their release date, andPokemon TCGfans should try and secure some of their favorite products before launch to avoid issues with scalpers. Seeing how groundbreaking and rich in chase cards these sets are, it’s likely that they will be harder to find than regular expansions.
