Black & White Set 5:
Release Date: 09/05/2012
Cards in Set: 111
Features:
As you explore the darkness, the Pokémon TCG: Black & White—Dark Explorers expansion ushers in the return of the immensely powerful Darkrai-EX and a lineup of Darkness-type Pokémon, like Zoroark, Umbreon, and Sableye, to knock your opponent’s lights out! Playing with Trainer cards like Dark Patch, included in the expansion to help give Darkness-type decks an edge you’ll not only navigate the darkness, you’ll rule it!
The fifth Pokémon TCG: Black & White expansion also continues an impressive run of featuring Unova and non-Unova region Pokémon-EX cards, more powerful Pokémon that deliver devastating attacks to your opponents. Darkrai-EX is joined by Tornadus-EX, Kyogre-EX, Raikou-EX, and Groudon-EX, all featured as Pokémon-EX cards and rare Ultra full-art Pokémon-EX cards!
Key features of the new Pokémon TCG: Black & White—Dark Explorers expansion includes:
- Six more Pokémon-EX from the Unova region and beyond
- New strategies for Darkness-type Pokémon
- More than 100 cards, including three Shiny Secret rare cards
- More Restored Pokémon options
- First Eevee cards since the Pokémon TCG: HS—Undaunted
- Parallel foil card guaranteed in each booster pack
- Dark Explorers is the name given to the fifth main expansion of cards from the English Black & White Series of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. The Japanese release is the fourth of the BW era.
- Dark Explorers features Darkness-type Pokémon. Many of the Trainer cards benefit Darkness-type Pokémon. The set continues releasing Pokémon-EX cards, with Raikou-EX, Darkrai-EX, Tornadus-EX from the Japanese release, and Groudon-EX from Hail Blizzard currently confirmed.
- The Japanese release contains 76 cards: 7 of which are Secret cards, making it the largest Japanese expansion released during the BW era. In addition to the Pokémon-EX (Entei-EX, Raikou-EX, Darkrai-EX, and Tornadus-EX), the Ultra Rare cards are Shiny reprints of Gardevoir from Hail Blizzard (Next Destinies in English), Archeops from Red Collection (Noble Victories in English), and Pokémon Catcher from the White Collection (Emerging Powers in English).
- Much like Psycho Drive and Hail Blizzard, the artwork in the set features locations around the Unova region. For example, Sableye and Jolteon can be found in Chargestone Cave and Plusle and Minun are depicted in Mistralton City.
- Because the set contains many Stage 2 evolutionary families, Dark Rush also contains a reprint of Rare Candy. The set also contains two cards that were first released in English. Swoobat and Mandibuzz were pulled from this set and released in the English Emerging Powers expansion in August 2011 in order to complete their Pokémon families.
- What's out there in the darkness, waiting to be discovered? Play the Pokémon Trading Card Game: Black and White - Dark Explorers expansion and find them all! In addition to more Pokémon-EX like Tornadus-EX, Raikou-EX, and Groudon-EX, the shadows are filled with other exceptional surprises, like Darkrai-EX and a host of Trainer cards that will knock your opponent's lights out! When you play Black & White - Dark Explorers, you'll not only explore the darkness, you'll rule it!
- Vanillite and Vanillish, and Ducklett and Swanna are numbered incorrectly. As of the Black & White expansion, Pokémon have been numbered first by type, then by National Pokédex number within type. The official numbering misplaces Vanillite (number 582) and Vanillish (number 583) before Ducklett (number 580) and Swanna (number 581).
- Dark Explorers is the first expansion whose Prerelease promo was a Black Star Promo, specifically the BW Black Star Promos, instead of a card actually in the set. The Prerelease promo is Volcarona.
- Officially, the English release of the set contains 108 cards. Between alternate holofoils, promotional stamps, reverse holofoils, and Secret cards, the set contains 211 cards. A list of the non standard cards can be seen below:
29/108: Empoleon - Non Holo Shadows theme deck exclusive
52/108: Cofagrigus - Cracked Ice Holo Raiders theme deck exclusive.
66/108: Krookodile - Non Holo Raiders theme deck exclusive.
71/108: Zoroark - Cracked Ice Holo Shadows theme deck exclusive.