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The new Mega Evolution: Pitch Black expansion of the Pokemon Trading Card Game is ready to bring some darkness to the bright summer! Which is something of a choice. It makes for some likely desirable aesthetic accoutrements, like monochrome sleeves and deck boxes. But what about the cards within? I took a look and am ready to report back on the best Pitch Black cards in this set.
The coolest Pokemon Trading Card Game Pitch Black cards
The Mega Evolutions are undoubtedly the biggest splashes. Whether it’s Delphox’s pulling Pokemon from your deck onto your bench through its Trick Portal, Chandelure’s Retreat Cost-boosting damage trap, or Zeraora’s straightforward but effective energy-multiplied damage, they’re certainly match-defining. The special versions of these cards also lean hard into an art style that would fit on a goth middle schooler’s bedroom wall. (Do those still exist? Don’t ask me, I don’t know about kids these days.)
There’s a significant, though not overwhelming, amount of Darkness Pokemon in this set. We’d have expected more! But there are 12. Morpeko ex and Mega Darkrai ex are here, with attacks that are fine but probably not worth building around. The type also gets a few helpers. Dark Bell confuses both actives, but Darkness-types are immune. Shadowy Darkness Energy shields its wielder from bench damage. Do they move the needle for a deck’s potency? We’re not so sure.
The most interesting Pitch Black cards
It’s not particularly playable, but the ability on Annihilape is peculiar from a mechanical standpoint. Durable Body can, on a coin flip, prevent KO and save it with 10 HP instead. There’s theoretically a match out there with an invincible Annihilape, taking hits every turn, but remaining when the smoke clears. Bordering on relevance is Silvally. Its Call a Buddy power lets you search your deck for a Supporter each turn, provided you at the time have no hand. We could see some fun from emptying your reserves each turn, and then doing one thing a turn of your choice.
The most meta-relevant Pokemon Trading Card Game Pitch Black cards
We could see Voltaic Lightning Energy making competitive decks. As long as you’re building around the type, it makes sense to include this energy, which boosts damage by 20. For Water builds, we’d also consider Misty’s Vitality. In exchange for ending your turn, this move lets you search for and attach four Water energies to a Pokemon. There unfortunately aren’t any great partners for that in this set specifically, but there are many from the past that would benefit from being able to make a six-energy attack on its second turn in play.
The cutest Pitch Black cards
We suppose it’s no surprise that a set called Pitch Black is maybe not all about being adorable. This set’s for the emo kids, aesthetically speaking, and you might find them endearing? But that’s different. Still, let’s look at what’s here. Slowpoke is sort of plucky, and paired with the Illustration Rare version of Slowbro, tells a story of a day wandering the city. Litwick is a creepy little thing, but we suppose this is a cuter version of that creepiness. Illustration Rare Fomantis is in a field of flowers? That’s kind of nice.
The latest Pokemon Trading Card Game set, Mega Evolution: Pitch Black, officially launches July 17, 2026. For more information on the Pokemon TCG, check out our archive.
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