Black Bolt Card List: 10 Amazing Zekrom and Victini Chase Cards
The Black Bolt card list closed out the Scarlet and Violet era with a trip back to Unova. Released on 18 July 2025 alongside its twin set White Flare, Black Bolt celebrates the Pokémon Black and White games with Zekrom ex as its mascot, an enormous run of Illustration Rares and a brand-new rarity called the Black White Rare. This guide explains the whole Black Bolt card list, how it compares with White Flare, which cards collectors chase and which products to buy in Australia.
Black Bolt came straight after Destined Rivals and just before the Mega Evolution era began, so it is the last stop for anyone building a complete Scarlet and Violet collection.
Table of Contents
Black Bolt card list at a glance
- Release date: 18 July 2025, together with White Flare
- Set type: Scarlet and Violet special expansion, sold without a standard booster display box
- Total cards: 172, with 86 main set cards and 86 secret rares
- Mascot: Zekrom ex, with Kyurem ex, Genesect ex, Meloetta ex, Serperior ex and Excadrill ex
- New rarity: the Black White Rare, given to Zekrom ex and Victini in this set
- Twin set: White Flare, led by Reshiram ex, with 173 cards
Black Bolt and White Flare explained
Black Bolt and White Flare work like the original Black and White games. Each set shares many of the same Unova Pokémon but has its own mascot and exclusive cards. Black Bolt features Zekrom ex and Kyurem ex, while White Flare features Reshiram ex and its own Supporters such as Hilda. Collectors who want the full Unova experience usually open both.
Each set is numbered separately. Black Bolt cards are printed out of 086, and White Flare cards are also printed out of 086, so always check the set symbol before you file a card. Mixing them up is the most common sorting mistake with these two sets.
How the Black Bolt card list is numbered
Cards from 001 to 086 make up the main set. Everything numbered 087 and above is a secret rare, and in Black Bolt that secret range is unusually large because almost every Unova Pokémon in the set received its own Illustration Rare or Special Illustration Rare.
- 087 to around 155: a long run of Illustration Rares, including fan favourites Seismitoad and Haxorus
- Around 156 to 163: Ultra Rares, including full-art Pokémon ex and the Supporters Fennel and N’s Plan
- 164 to 170: Special Illustration Rares of Serperior ex, Kyurem ex, Zekrom ex, Meloetta ex, Excadrill ex, Genesect ex and N’s Plan
- 171 to 172: Black White Rares of Victini and Zekrom ex
The huge Illustration Rare block makes the Black Bolt card list one of the most rewarding to open. Almost every pack has a chance at a beautiful full-art card, and the Illustration Rares are affordable enough to collect as a complete run.
Sorting a big opening is easier if you split the Black Bolt card list into three piles: main set cards, Illustration Rares and everything above them. The middle pile will be the biggest by far, so a dedicated binder section just for Illustration Rares keeps things tidy.
What is a Black White Rare?
The Black White Rare is a rarity created for these two sets. The cards use monochrome, finely etched artwork that recalls the black and white theme of the original games. In Black Bolt, Zekrom ex at 172/086 is drawn in black, and Victini at 171/086 appears in a striking red. White Flare has its own Black White Rares of Reshiram ex and Victini.
Victini began life as a Japanese tournament promo in this style, and it was added to both English sets, which is why it appears in Black Bolt and White Flare. Black White Rares are the hardest cards to pull in either set and sit at the top of every price ranking.
Top 10 chase cards in the Black Bolt card list
Prices move every week, so treat this as a ranking based on sales through 2025 and 2026 rather than a price list.
- Victini, Black White Rare 171/086
- Zekrom ex, Black White Rare 172/086
- Zekrom ex, Special Illustration Rare 166/086
- Seismitoad, Illustration Rare
- N’s Plan, Special Illustration Rare 170/086
- Kyurem ex, Special Illustration Rare 165/086
- Genesect ex, Special Illustration Rare 169/086
- Serperior ex, Special Illustration Rare 164/086
- Meloetta ex, Special Illustration Rare 167/086
- Haxorus, Illustration Rare
Zekrom ex in three premium versions
Zekrom ex appears as an Ultra Rare, a Special Illustration Rare and a Black White Rare. The Special Illustration Rare at 166/086 is full of crackling lightning and texture, and it has been the most valuable Special Illustration Rare in Black Bolt. The Black White Rare is rarer still and pairs perfectly with the Reshiram ex Black White Rare from White Flare.
Kyurem ex and the Tao trio
Kyurem ex completes the legendary trio with Zekrom and Reshiram. Its Special Illustration Rare shows Kyurem in a frozen cavern, and many collectors keep it beside the two Black White Rares to display all three dragons together.
N’s Plan
N is the central character of the Unova story, so his Supporter card is a natural chase. The Special Illustration Rare of N’s Plan is the most valuable Trainer card in Black Bolt and has also seen plenty of competitive play.
White Flare at a glance
White Flare is the twin of the Black Bolt card list, with 173 cards and Reshiram ex as its mascot. Its top cards are the Black White Rares of Victini and Reshiram ex, followed by the Reshiram ex Special Illustration Rare and the Hilda Special Illustration Rare. If you prefer Reshiram, or you want the complete Unova set, see the White Flare Elite Trainer Box and White Flare booster bundle.
Pull rates are never officially published, so treat any figures online as community estimates. Across the Black Bolt card list, Illustration Rares turn up often thanks to their sheer number, while each Special Illustration Rare is much harder to find. The Black White Rares are estimated to be rarer than any standard Special Illustration Rare, which is why most collectors buy them as singles.
How to complete the Black Bolt card list
- Open packs to complete the 86-card main set, which fills quickly
- Collect the Illustration Rares, which make up most of the secret range
- Trade duplicate Illustration Rares with other collectors, since there are so many
- Buy the Special Illustration Rares as singles once prices settle
- Leave the two Black White Rares for last and compare prices carefully
Because the set has as many secret rares as main set cards, a full Black Bolt binder looks spectacular. A 9-pocket binder with at least 20 pages will hold the standard set comfortably.
Look after your Unova cards from the start. Sleeve every Illustration Rare and Special Illustration Rare as soon as it leaves the pack and store the best ones in toploaders or magnetic cases. The monochrome Black White Rares show surface scratches easily, so handle them by the edges and keep them out of direct light.
Keep a printed Black Bolt card list in the front of your binder. Ticking off each number as you go makes it easy to see which singles you still need when trading at a local game night.
Best Black Bolt products to buy
As special sets, Black Bolt and White Flare were sold through Elite Trainer Boxes, bundles and collections rather than booster displays.
- Black Bolt Elite Trainer Box: 9 packs, sleeves, energy, dice and storage
- Black Bolt booster bundle: 6 packs and an easy gift
- Black Bolt binder collection: packs plus a binder for your Unova cards
- Victini Illustration Collection: a premium box for Victini fans
- Black Bolt Elite Trainer Box case: for sealed collectors
See every product in stock on our Black Bolt product page.
Black Bolt card list FAQ
How many cards are in Black Bolt?
There are 172 cards: 86 main set cards and 86 secret rares, ending with the Zekrom ex Black White Rare at 172/086.
What is the rarest card in Black Bolt?
The two Black White Rares, Victini 171/086 and Zekrom ex 172/086, are the rarest and most valuable cards.
Is Black Bolt or White Flare better?
Both are excellent. Choose Black Bolt for Zekrom and Kyurem, or White Flare for Reshiram and Hilda. Many collectors open both.
Where can I see every card?
The Bulbapedia Black Bolt page lists the full set with numbers and rarities.
More Scarlet and Violet guides
Look back at Destined Rivals, Journey Together, Prismatic Evolutions and Surging Sparks, or move on to the Mega Evolution card list and Phantasmal Flames. Every guide is on the Obsidia Collectables trading card blog.
The Black Bolt card list is a love letter to Unova and a fitting finale for Scarlet and Violet. Whether you chase the Black White Rares or simply enjoy filling page after page with Illustration Rares, it is one of the most beautiful sets of the era.