The Pokemon Trading Card Game’s Scarlet & Violet era ends with not one but two special sets with plenty of shiny trinkets, but little in the way of meta-changing cards.
In an unexpected twist, the Pokemon Trading Card Game opted for a dual release for its summer special set – something we don't always see from the best card games. Black Bolt and White Flare are each small sets containing 86 normal cards and an equal amount of alternate art cards. Their sole focus is on the Unova region, continuing a mini-resurgence for the area since the 2023 Indigo Disc DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Every Pokemon from the Unova region is represented in one of these two sets, with a regular card and at least one corresponding Illustration Rare card. The retro elements don’t end with just a focus on Unova Pokemon, either; the sets also use the horizontal holofoil pattern from the Black & White era of cards.
Sadly, this celebration doesn't reach the heights it should.
Perks and drawbacks
For those in the US, the decision to release an Unova-themed set with no corresponding game release might seem a bit odd. Unlike the original Pokemon games, Pokemon Black and White hold no great nostalgia sway over the Pokemon fanbase. However, the games are celebrating their fifteenth anniversary in Japan. And it seems that the Pokemon TCG is pulling out all the stops to celebrate, giving the set one of its most over-the-top treatments yet.
In many ways, Black Bolt and White Flare are spiritual sequels to the immensely popular 151 set released a few years ago. Although the sets ditch the National Pokedex numbering, they only feature Pokemon and characters from the Unova region. They also include multiple reverse holofoil treatments, bringing back the Poke Ball and Master Ball treatments seen in the 151 set. All the same, everything is a bit more over the top than in 151. Every Pokemon has an Illustration Rare or Special Illustration Rare card, for example.
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Plus, the sets each contain two special "BWR" monochrome cards that are among the most unique Pokemon cards ever printed. It seems that the Pokemon TCG is catching up to flashier card treatments used by Bandai in games like the One Piece Trading Card Game, with cards that really jump out in both production value in addition to top-notch artwork. Honestly, the monochrome cards are much more striking than the typical Gold Rare cards, making the rarest cards in the set the true chase cards at long last.
Beyond the special card art, the other major gimmick is the dual release of two simultaneous mini-sets. This kind of release is normal in Japan, where new card sets come out at a much more rapid pace than in the US. However, we’ve never had a double set release in the US, which comes with some hypothetical perks and drawbacks.
Supply and demand
Typically, Special Sets face higher demand and low supply issues due to their unique release style (unlike normal sets, the special Pokemon TCG sets only have boxed product instead of individual booster packs for sale). This could hypothetically be solved by releasing two special sets at once, provided that stores order the same amount of product for both sets. It’s still early, but anecdotally I’ve seen a bit more Black Bolt and White Flare stock at game stores (although big box retailers like Target seem to be much more hit and miss).
Unfortunately, that news is undermined by one simple issue; Black Bolt and White Flare seem like a bit of a letdown for what’s supposed to be a capstone to the Scarlet & Violet era of cards. Typically, end-of-era Special Sets feature Shiny Pokemon and reprints of some of the cards from the most popular set. Instead, we get an anniversary set for a random generation of Pokemon.
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What’s more, the set doesn’t continue any of the recent trends from recent sets, such as Trainer’s Pokemon or the Tera Pokemon. It just feels like a missed opportunity to not celebrate the end of one of the Pokemon TCG’s most popular eras in favor of a random generation of Pokemon.
All in all, if you’re a fan of Pokemon Black and White, you’re going to love Black Bolt and White Flare. This is one of the best Pokemon sets in terms of unique rare cards and gorgeous artwork, making it an absolute blast to collect. However, those looking for a set that’s going to meaningfully advance the Pokemon TCG meta will end of being disappointed. There’s a few cards that could see some play in some decks, but nothing that will disrupt the game like Shrouded Fable’s Fezandipiti did last year.
So, Scarlet & Violet is ending with a bit of a whimper instead of a bang, even if this set is absolutely fantastic to look at.
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