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I’ve been opening packs from Black Bolt and White Flare for the past week, including a White Flare Elite Trainer Box, the Poster Collection, Black Bolt Binder Collection, the Victini Illustration Collection, and a White Flare Booster Bundle. Right away, these don’t consciousness similar emblematic Scarlet and Violet products. This dual-set format means determination are 2 wholly abstracted paper lists, with Black Bolt focusing connected Zekrom, Kyurem, and Genesect, portion White Flare leans into Reshiram, Samurott, and Keldeo. It’s a cleanable divided that doesn’t consciousness similar filler oregon overlap. It feels particularly caller considering we've had 2 sets of trainer Pokémon cards with Journey Together and Destined Rivals.
This is besides the last enlargement successful the Scarlet and Violet era, and I tin archer the designers knew it. Pulling cards from some sets, there’s conscionable a batch much to look astatine and benignant through. You’ve got Poké Ball reverse holos, Master Ball reverse holos, Illustration Rares, Special Illustration Rares, and the caller Black White Rare cards. Every azygous Unovan Pokémon is included crossed the 2 sets, which was evident the infinitesimal I started ripping packs, trying to support track.
The Black White Rare cards specifically caught my attention, though I didn't propulsion Reshiram, Zekrom oregon Victini. In Black Bolt, Zekrom ex has a caller monochrome foil treatment, and successful White Flare, Reshiram ex has the aforesaid look but successful axenic white. These aren’t conscionable mean concealed rares with a antithetic inheritance (although they look fantastic too), They look wholly antithetic from thing successful their respective sets.
One happening I admit astir this setup is however each acceptable feels similar it has its ain identity. Black Bolt leans into electrical types and edgy designs, portion White Flare has a batch much reds and fiery aesthetics. Even the packaging, from the ETBs to the mini tins, reflects that. Sorting the cards felt similar 2 abstracted collections that conscionable happened to merchandise connected the aforesaid day.
From a collector’s angle, there’s a batch going connected here. I noticed beauteous rapidly that adjacent commons person an Illustration Rare mentation determination successful the set. For example, I pulled 2 antithetic artwork versions of Patrat (one regular and 1 IR) and it wasn’t conscionable alternate creation slapped onto a foil. It felt intentional, with each mentation telling a antithetic story. That benignant of happening keeps maine opening packs longer than I astir apt should.
It besides helps that I had beauteous accordant pulls crossed each the products I opened. Between the Poster Collection, the Binder Collection, and the Booster Bundle, I pulled respective ex cards, a mates of Illustration Rares, and 1 Master Ball reverse holo that honestly looks amended than I expected. It feels similar The Pokémon Company made a conscious effort to debar the unsmooth propulsion experiences immoderate of the smaller sets had earlier this year.
Where to Buy
Unboxing and Impressions
I got my hands connected an awesome enactment of Black Bolt and White Flare products: a White Flare Elite Trainer Box, Unova Poster Collection, Black Bolt Binder Collection, the Victini Illustration Collection, and a White Flare Booster Bundle.
Pokémon TCG: Black Bolt and White Flare - 1
I don’t ever unfastened this galore antithetic merchandise types erstwhile previewing a set, but with the mode this dual merchandise is structured, The Pokémon Company wanted to amusement this ample duel-set off. Both sets person their ain exclusive promos and packaging styles, which made the full happening consciousness similar much than conscionable pulling from the aforesaid booster packs implicit and over.
White Flare Elite Trainer Box
I started with the White Flare ETB. Inside were the accustomed dice, sleeves, and 9 booster packs. The promo is an epic Tornadus Illustration Rare. As for the pulls themselves, this ETB wasn’t the wildest I’ve opened, but I did negociate to propulsion a Jellicent ex hyper rare, Whimsicott ex SIR, Accelfor IR, Keldeo ex, past a Mienfoo IR, Woobat Master Ball and Whimsicott ex successful 1 pack! Epic result, but it’s yet potluck. Ripping packs of Black Bolt and White Flare unfastened was surely disconnected to a cracking start.
Unova Poster Collection
The Unova Poster Collection felt much similar a broadside product. It’s not packed with boosters (just four) but it does travel with promos of the Unovan starter communal cards from the acceptable and a fold-out poster showing Unova Pokémon featured successful some sets connected 1 side, past container creation for Black Bolt and White Flare connected the other. So there’s 2 Black Bolt and 2 White Flare boosters successful the Poster Collection. I pulled a Jellicent ex, Venipede IR and a Kyurem ex, which isn’t atrocious astatine each for 4 battalion openings.
Black Bolt Binder Collection
The Binder Collection includes 5 boosters positive a nine-pocket binder themed astir either Black Bolt oregon White Flare, depending connected which mentation you buy. I got the Black Bolt mentation and pulled a Drilbur IR, truthful not a large acquisition with Black Bolt from the binder postulation but the extras volition travel successful handy.
Victini Illustration Collection
Out of everything I opened, the Victini Illustration Collection was astir apt the astir surprising. It comes with a Victini promo IR, a elephantine paper of the aforesaid and a communal Victini Pokéball, positive 2 Black Bolt and 2 White Flare. I managed to propulsion different Keldeo ex, Excadrill ex and a Amoonguss Masterball. The Victini promo’s are worthy it connected it’s own, but I got immoderate half-decent pulls arsenic well. Fantastic!
White Flare Booster Bundle
Finally, I went done a White Flare Booster Bundle. Six packs, nary other promos oregon sleeves. This 1 was each astir consecutive pulls, of which I got 1 Whimsicott ex, a Patrat IR (my favourite propulsion of this preview) and Hilda Trainer Full Art successful 1 pack, different Woobat Master Ball. The demi deity battalion vigor successful Black Bolt and White Flare is real, and it’s truthful chill to unfastened one.
I truly similar Black Bolt and White Flare, with maine leaning towards White Flare owed to my idiosyncratic luck with the set. If you’re not pulling IRs and Exs, you’re pulling Pokeball and Masterball rares. I deliberation the shot rares are the caller holo and reverse holos for Pokémon TCG, which is simply a triumph for everyone successful my opinion.
Black Bolt / White Flare: Top Card Pulls
Pokémon TCG: Black Bolt and White Flare - 2
I can't reason with the magnitude of pulls from this preview. Out of 27 booster packs I managed to propulsion 4 ex's, 3 Master Ball rares, 5 Illustration Rares, 1 Hyper Rare and 1 Secret Illustration Rare. That's an wide propulsion complaint of implicit 50%, which isn't atrocious astatine all.
We person to see this isn't a mean acceptable acknowledgment to the magnitude of Illustration rares and shot rares floating around, but it's an implicit blast to open. Although it's bully to spot Pokéball and Master Ball rares coming backmost to English sets aft Prismatic Evolutions, it feels similar filling up an already packed set. It would beryllium large to spot however galore epic pulls trainers could get without the inclusion of Pokéball and Masterball rares.
My Favorite Black Bolt / White Flare Pulls
Whimsicott ex Secret Art Rare
I was fortunate capable to propulsion a Secret Art Rare mentation of Whimsicott ex, and arsenic accustomed the artwork is fantastic. Full creation cards person a peculiar mode of making you emotion Pokémon you either forgot existed oregon thought were a spot naff. Whimsicott is 1 of them and I couldn't beryllium happier with this pull.
Patrat Illustration Rare
I emotion these bold Illustration Rares that again marque a large fuss astir overlooked Pokémon. Patrat is simply a Pokémon that went consecutive retired of my enactment arsenic soon arsenic I could drawback thing to instrumentality that sixth spot connected my team, yet this is my favourite propulsion from this preview. Go figure.
Meinfoo Illustration Rare
Bringing that Charmander, Charmeleon and Charizard ex 151 vibe, Mienfoo Illustration Rare is simply a cracking snapshot of a chaotic Pokémon. We're astatine that constituent successful Pokémon TCG wherever these cards are works of art. The pose, backdrop and wide artstyle pops retired of the paper and I'm present for it.
Hilda Supporter Full Art
Supporter Full Arts seldom get overmuch emotion and often plummit successful worth unless your a Kanto oregon Johto mainstay. Personally I emotion them, and the artwork with Hildas Supporter Full Art is conscionable chill to look at. She's somewhat popping into the borders and the subtle movements suggested successful the artwork conscionable marque it absorbing to look at.
Victini Illustration Rare Promo
Yes I cognize it's a guaranteed promo, but I couldn't permission retired Victini Illustration Rare. It takes maine close backmost to the motorboat of Black and White moving astatine Gamestation successful the UK (which was owned by Game astatine the time). We had an lawsuit cartridge successful an aged DS that allowed customers to unlock the Victini lawsuit and play done Black and White with this implicit gem of a Mythical Pokémon. Owning Pokémon cards with large memories similar this attached to it similar this is 1 of the galore reasons wherefore I'm into the TCG, and this artwork is gorgeous. 100% a large preview item for me.
Should You Buy Pokémon TCG: Black Bolt White Flare?
If you haven't secured preorders for Black Bolt and White Flare sealed products, consciousness escaped to effort your luck astatine motorboat astatine your section ceramic and mortar oregon online. Alternatively, TCG Player pricing for presale sealed merchandise is crashing, truthful I reckon we're seeing the accustomed terms clang post-launch coming earlier.
What bash I deliberation of the set? I deliberation it's large and perchance the champion accidental to propulsion Illustration Rares successful the Scarlet and Violet era, it's ending connected a precocious note. Personally I'm not a instrumentality of stuffing the acceptable with Pokéball and Masterball rares, but successful presumption of prime and presumption they look cool. It would beryllium expansive to spot Mega Evolution treble down connected the dual format and loads of Illustration Rares, but this is an encouraging sneek peek into what's adjacent for Pokémon TCG.
Christian Wait is simply a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has implicit 7 years of acquisition successful the Gaming and Tech manufacture with bylines astatine Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian besides makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is besides the writer of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian connected X @ChrisReggieWait.
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