With the next expansion to the Pokemon Trading Card Game, Pitch Black, on the horizon, The Pokemon Company was kind enough to send me some products for review, which I was more than happy to blitz through a storm of discarded foil packaging.
This opening can't be taken away from my last preview of Chaos Rising, where in 55 packs I pulled three SIRs from the set (Greninja, AZ's Tranquility, and Cinccino), as well as the lucky golden Greninja East.
Pokemon TCG Pitch Black in a nutshell
The Pokemon TCG is releasing a lot of smaller sets right now. It is speculated by shop owners that this is to allow The Pokemon Company to print the 30th anniversary expansion (which should be plentiful in stock). This is great for those looking to complete full sets, but it also leaves things a bit thin. Pitch Black might be the best example of this.
This set is the second in a row to have fewer than 200 cards, clocking in at less than 198 from Chaos Rising , making it the second-smallest in a decade, and the similarities don't stop there. There are only two real chess cards in this entire expansion, the Mega Darkrai x SIR and the Gold card, neither of which are as good as Frog, and even the IRs pale in comparison to each of the recent sets.
While CRI had fan-favorite Pokemon like Ampharos and Crobat, Pitch Black has Slowbro and… Thivul? The art on them, as is always the case, is great, but the list, which includes Toucanon, Golden, and Formantis, lacks anything people really care about. I found this lack of chase to be a huge disadvantage for Pitch Black, and it didn't help that my tans were also abysmal.
A fixed average set with the opening in the match
Now, I'm resigned to the fact that I'm never going to have another opening like my last one. In a lifetime of Pokemon TCG collecting, I've never seen anything quite like it. This opening shows the duality of the ripping pack, though, and I've gone from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows.
From the 55 packs the Pokemon Company sent me (a booster box, an elite trainer box, a construction and battle kit, and a booster bundle), I don't have much to write home about.
I got a Misty full art, which is nice, I guess, but the Chandelur X full art was the only other notable non-IR card I drew.
I pulled five IRs, which is pretty standard for this number of packs. However, given the Pokemon represented on these cards, it was hard to get excited. Primerina was out first, my least favorite starter in history, followed by Toucannon, a dumb bird, followed by Bastiodon, Dhelmise, and Manectric. They are all three good
I can't complain; I opened 55 packs for free, it's just a tough set to pump.
Concluding thoughts
This is the third set in a row that I describe as “weak”. It's not bad by any means, but following on from Ascended Heroes, which has some of the best cards in TCG history, it's a bit deflating. However, I will never stop harping on how to stop the scalpers who lead this hobby.
Next up, however, is the 30th anniversary expansion, and I have no doubt that it's a broken duck. The product lineup has now been revealed, and we've got a taste of the cards it's set to include. Sure, it's going to be a nightmare to catch, but if you can, you'll be in for a treat.
- Original release date
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October 20, 1996
- Count the players
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2
- Age recommendation
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6+
- Length per game
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variable
- Franchise Name
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Pokemon
