Pitch Black Review: 8 Cards Worth Chasing in Pokemon's Darkest New Set
A tour through the Special Illustration Rares, the lone Mega Hyper Rare, and the Mega ex lineup that defines the set.
Mega Darkrai ex, the Mega Hyper Rare chase card from Pokemon Pitch Black
Pitch Black just dropped into the Pokémon TCG, and the name sets the mood perfectly. This is a dark set, headlined by Darkrai, built around six different Mega Evolutions, with exactly one card sitting at the very top of the rarity ladder.
We pulled the full 120-card list, sorted it by rarity, and picked out the cards worth watching. No deep meta breakdown here, just a quick tour through the set with our honest takes on what to chase, with a close look at the Special Illustration Rares that steal the show.
1. Mega Darkrai ex (#120, Mega Hyper Rare)
If you pull one card from this set, you want this one. Mega Darkrai ex at #120 is the only Mega Hyper Rare in Pitch Black, which makes it the headline chase and the card the whole set is named around. Darkness type, 280 HP, with the gold-etched treatment from 5ban Graphics.
Mega Darkrai ex 120 Mega Hyper Rare
Mega Hyper Rare pull rates are historically brutal. Expect this one to anchor box-break streams for the next month or two.
The Special Illustration Rares
Pitch Black has six Special Illustration Rares, and this is where the set earns its reputation. Four Pokémon ex and two character cards, each one leaning into art over stats.
2. Mega Darkrai ex (#116, Special Illustration Rare)
The alternate-art take on the set's headliner. AKIRA EGAWA drew this one, and it trades the gold treatment of the Hyper Rare for a full-bleed illustration that fits the Pitch Black theme perfectly. Darkness type, 280 HP.
Mega Darkrai ex 116 Special Illustration Rare
If you collect by art over rarity, this might be the real pick of the set.
3. Mega Zeraora ex (#114, Special Illustration Rare)
Zeraora going Mega is exactly the kind of surprise these sets do well. The SIR at #114, drawn by GIDORA, is all motion and electricity.
Mega Zeraora ex 114 Special Illustration Rare
4. Mega Chandelure ex (#115, Special Illustration Rare)
Few Pokémon fit a set called Pitch Black better than a ghostly chandelier. Mega Chandelure ex at #115 is spooky in the best way and one of the more atmospheric SIRs in recent memory.
Mega Chandelure ex 115 Special Illustration Rare
5. Morpeko ex (#117, Special Illustration Rare)
Morpeko is a fan favorite, and the SIR at #117 by NG Empire plays up the personality. A lighter moment in an otherwise dark set.
Morpeko ex 117 Special Illustration Rare
6. Gladion's Final Battle (#118, Special Illustration Rare)
Character SIRs have been quietly outperforming Pokémon SIRs at auction over the past year, and Pitch Black gives collectors two of them. Gladion's Final Battle at #118, art by DOM, brings back one of the more popular Alola characters in a dramatic scene.
Gladion's Final Battle 118 Special Illustration Rare
7. Gwynn (#119, Special Illustration Rare)
The second character SIR, drawn by Naoki Saito at #119. If the recent trend holds, keep an eye on the secondary market for both trainer SIRs in this set.
Gwynn 119 Special Illustration Rare
8. The Illustration Rare lineup
Below the SIRs sits a strong run of 11 Illustration Rares, and a few are worth chasing on art alone. Silvally #95 by DOM and Primarina #88 by satoma are the standouts, but the whole IR run looks clean this time.
Silvally 95 Illustration Rare
These are the sweet spot for collectors who want SIR-style art without the SIR price tag.
A few thoughts on the set overall
Pitch Black is a Mega Evolution set through and through. Six different Pokémon get the Mega ex treatment here, Darkrai, Zeraora, Chandelure, Excadrill, Slowbro, and Delphox, each with multiple variant tiers from Double Rare up through Special Illustration Rare. Mega Darkrai ex is the one card that sits above everything.
The dark theme is more than just the name. Darkness types headline, villain characters turn up in the trainer lineup, and the whole set leans moody in a way that stands apart from the brighter releases earlier this year.
At 84 cards in the main set, Pitch Black is on the focused side, which is good news if you are trying to complete it. The chase list is short and the six Special Illustration Rares are the clear prize.
We will have grading reports up on dcmgrading.com as our users start pulling and submitting cards from Pitch Black. If you have already hit a Mega Darkrai ex, you know where to send it.