Pitch Black is one of those sets where the Illustration Rares are doing the heavy lifting. As the name implies, there’s a moody, dark tone running through the whole set, and the best cards lean all the way into it. Here are the Pitch Black cards we’re chasing! Or ones where we really just love the art.
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Mega Darkrai ex
If Pitch Black has a signature card, this is it. The Mega Darkrai ex Special Illustration Rare is the kind of card a set gets built around. Akira Egawa (one of our fave artists in the TCG) absolutely nailed the atmosphere. It’s menacing in a way most cards don’t attempt, and we think it’s going to be the card people remember this set for.
Mega Darkrai ex · Pitch Black #116 on eBay
Goldeen
Gorgeous and underrated, and our personal pick for the sleeper of the set. This Goldeen is all about the interplay of light and water, sun filtering down through the surface while the fins trail like ribbons. It’s calm where the rest of the set is dark, and that contrast is exactly why it stands out. One of those cards that photographs beautifully and gets overlooked because it isn’t a big name Pokémon.
Goldeen · Pitch Black #087 on eBay
Dhelmise
This one is a feast for the eyes. Nakamura Ippon packs the frame with detail, a cluttered antique-shop interior with Banette and Sableye tucked into the background, and Dhelmise’s anchor and seaweed form front and center. It’s the kind of illustration you can play I Spy with and keep noticing new things in, and it’s easily one of the most distinctive cards Pitch Black has to offer!
Dhelmise · Pitch Black #091 on eBay
Slowbro
Mékayu turns in one of the most charming cards in the set. Slowbro sits there completely unbothered in the middle of a shadowy underground scene, Shellder still clamped on its tail, and the whole thing has this warm Gen 1 energy that offsets the darker tone around it. It’s a card that rewards a close look.
Slowbro · Pitch Black #090 on eBay
Primarina
satoma delivers one of the prettiest cards in the set. Primarina poses on a rocky shoreline as the sun sets behind it, the whole scene washed in gold and soft blue. It’s serene and a little theatrical (fitting for a Pokémon known for its singing) and it’s a lovely counterweight to the set’s darker cards.
Primarina · Pitch Black #088 on eBay
Morpeko ex
Morpeko ex leans fully into its Hangry side, and the result is one of the more intense Special Illustration Rares in the set: all jagged reds and blacks, teeth out, and super chaotic energy. It’s a small Pokémon that brings a surprising amount of menace, and it fits the Pitch Black mood perfectly.
Morpeko ex · Pitch Black #117 on eBay
Mega Zeraora ex
Mega Zeraora ex is the electric counterpoint to the set’s darker cards, all crackling blue lightning and motion, GIDORA capturing it mid-strike. It’s dynamic and loud in the best way, and it’s one of the cards that jumps out immediately when you’re flipping through the set.
Mega Zeraora ex · Pitch Black #114 on eBay
Mega Chandelure ex
Mega Chandelure ex is all eerie purple flame and creeping shadow, a Pokémon that already leans spooky pushed even further. The dark, smoky art makes it feel right at home in Pitch Black, and it’s one of the more atmospheric Mega cards in the set.
Mega Chandelure ex · Pitch Black #115 on eBay
Fomantis
Fomantis sits in a dense bed of wildflowers, daisies and blooms crowding the whole frame. It’s bright and cheerful in a way that sneaks up on you, and the color work is lovely. Another one of the set’s softer Illustration Rares!
Looking for more cards like this? We have a whole round-up of cute Pokémon cards, with a full section of floral picks!
Fomantis · Pitch Black #085 on eBay
Silvally
DOM gives Silvally a real sense of drama, mid-leap against a sweeping blue sky and rocky landscape. It’s an action shot more than a portrait, and it captures Silvally’s whole feral guardian energy really well.
Silvally · Pitch Black #095 on eBay
Gwynn
Gwynn is one of the coolest new trainer cards in the set, and Naoki Saito gives her a striking and slightly moody look. It’s got a completely different energy from the brighter trainer cards, and the SIR treatment suits her perfectly.
Gwynn · Pitch Black #119 on eBay
Misty’s Vitality
A Misty card is always going to turn heads, and this one leans into the classic Gen 1 nostalgia hard. Eri Morikura sets her poolside, all determination and motion, and it captures Misty exactly the way longtime fans picture her. Easily one of the most desirable pulls in the set.
Misty’s Vitality · Pitch Black #111 on eBay
Gladion’s Final Battle
DOM turns in a cinematic card here, Gladion caught in a dramatic burst of light and wind with his whole edgy protagonist energy on full display. The composition is dynamic and it’s one of the more emotionally charged trainer cards Pitch Black has to offer.
Gladion’s Final Battle · Pitch Black #118 on eBay
Manectric
Manectric comes tearing through a storm of ice and lightning, and the energy is fantastic, with jagged blue and yellow everywhere, the Pokémon caught mid-charge. It’s one of the more kinetic cards in the set, and it makes great use of that electric blue palette!
Manectric · Pitch Black #089 on eBay
Thievul
Thievul prowling across the rooftops at night is a perfect fit for the set’s mood. Jacky sets it against a moody purple skyline with shadowy shapes drifting in the background, and the sly, sneaking energy comes through completely. A cool, understated card that captures the character exactly right.
Thievul · Pitch Black #092 on eBay
Pitch Black FAQ
That’s it for our list of Pitch Black chase cards, plus a few of our favorite cards in the set in general! Here are a few quick things if you’re curious about the set:
What’s the best card in Pitch Black?
For us it’s Mega Darkrai ex, no contest. It’s the card the set is built around, and we think it’ll be the one people remember Pitch Black for. If you want a sleeper pick instead, the Goldeen Illustration Rare is gorgeous and flies under the radar.
What are the chase cards in Pitch Black?
We’ve gathered the heavy hitters above, but the big ones are the Mega ex Special Illustration Rares, Mega Darkrai, Morpeko, Mega Zeraora, and Mega Chandelure, along with a run of really strong Illustration Rares like Goldeen, Dhelmise, and Slowbro. Those are the cards collectors are opening boxes hoping to hit.
Are the Pitch Black Illustration Rares worth collecting?
Absolutely. Pitch Black is a set with great IRs, and cards like Goldeen, Dhelmise and Primarina are some of the best looking in the whole set regardless of rarity.
Which card from Pitch Black is your favorite? Any great chase cards we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments below!
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