The Pokemon TCGhas had a barnstorming 2025. It started with the Eevee-focusedPrismatic Evolutions, saw the return of Partner’s Pokemon inJourney Together, and then ushered in the long-awaited comeback of Team Rocket inThe Glory of Team Rocket. It’s hard to argue that The Pokemon Company has found its stride towards the end of the Scarlet and Violet era.
Alleged Pokemon TCG Thief Arrested At Con For Swiping Cards
An arrest was made at a card show in Pasadena, where someone was allegedly caught stealing Pokemon cards from a vendor, which made its way online.
That hot streak looks set to continue with the upcoming Black Bolt and White Flare. Ahead of its launch, I got to open 33 packs, split across the two expansions, and while the cards are great, I’m sad to report that, once again, the pull rates arent.
Black Bolt and White Flareis an exciting turning point for the English-language Pokemon TCG. Often, Japanese sets are split into two - see Wild Force/Cyber Judge and Snow Hazard/Clay Burst as recent examples - but we’ve never had that in the West. It sets the storied trading card game up for some interesting potential future expansions.
Alongside this, as has so often been the case this past year, the art in Black Bolt and White Flare is fantastic. With over 130 Illustration and Special Illustration Rares, there are bound to be some duds, but there are also plenty of hits. With so many potential pulls, there is absolutely something for everybody in this set - and that’s before we get to the new rarity, the BWR.
I’m sure, had I managed to pull one, I’d be telling you they look fantastic. I didn’t, but that doesn’t stop them from being so. They’re undoubtedly the chase cards of the set, and more power to anybody who gets one. They’re a great throwback to the original black and white era cards, much like Black Bolt and White Flare’s holographic patterns, and for those like myself old enough to be collecting back then, pulling one is an exciting prospect. It’s just a shame that it seems like it will be an impossible challenge.
I’m going to speak from the heart now. I’m a massive fan of Pokemon and The Pokemon TCG, and I always will be, but it feels like The Pokemon Company is doing everything it can to push me away. Sets are getting bigger, cards are getting more expensive, products are getting harder to come by, and pull rates are getting worse.
This year, I’ve pulled a grand total of zero SIRs. That’s from both review openings and my own personal purchases - I must be closing in on 500 packs with no special art cards. I know that’s an exceptionally unlucky number, but it feels borderline insulting to open that number of packs with very little to show in return. It’s undeniable that The Pokemon TCG is hitting its stride now, the quality of sets released this year is unparalleled, but when it’s nigh on impossible to pull anything good, let alone complete a master set, it’s demoralizing. Black Bolt and White Flare are the epitome of this.
The expansions have a combined total of more than 345 cards. That’s before you get to reverse holos, Poke Ball reverse holos, and Master Ball reverse holos. Throw those into the mix, and there are over 600 cards to collect - it’s bonkers. The Poke Ball and Master Ball reverse holos also happen to dilute the pulls in an already humongous pair of expansions. I’m not sure if The Pokemon Company thinks people get excited pulling these, but I’d wager they don’t. It’s just more filler in a set that’s already enormous.
On paper, I love Black Bolt and White Flare. I didn’t connect with those two Pokémon games when I was younger, but they represent a bold new frontier for the Pokémon TCG. Splitting the sets is a fun novelty, and giving every Pokémon a special card is a great idea, but with pull rates like the ones I’ve just experienced again, it’s really hard to recommend spending your hard-earned money on it.
