Pokémon Black Bolt UAE: Zekrom ex BWR & AED Prices
Pokémon Black Bolt UAE guide: AED sealed prices, the Zekrom ex BWR chase, N's Plot SIR, and the first-ever split English Pokémon set.
Pokémon Black Bolt UAE: Zekrom ex BWR & AED Prices
Scarlet & Violet—Black Bolt is one half of the most ambitious special set in modern Pokémon TCG history. Released 18 July 2025 alongside its partner set White Flare, it celebrates the entire Unova region (Gen V) with all 156 Unova Pokémon split across both sets — every one of them getting an Illustration Rare or Special Illustration Rare treatment. Black Bolt is the Zekrom-themed half, and it introduces the brand-new BWR (Black & White Rare) rarity tier — a monochromatic foiling treatment unlike anything seen in the modern TCG.
TL;DR
- Released 18 July 2025 worldwide — the first-ever English split set, paired with White Flare
- Special set — no traditional Booster Box; Elite Trainer Boxes, Booster Bundles, Mini Tins and Binder Collections only
- Together with White Flare, contains every one of the 156 Unova Pokémon with at least one full-art print
- New BWR rarity debuts: Zekrom ex is the Black Bolt headliner
- Top chase: Zekrom ex BWR trading around AED 1,210 raw NM
- Master-set collectors need both Black Bolt and White Flare to complete the Unova Pokédex
What's in Black Bolt: Set Overview
Black Bolt is themed around Zekrom and the darker, electric half of the Unova mythology. Across the dual-set release, every Gen V Pokémon is included exactly once — split roughly half and half between Black Bolt and White Flare — which means each set's checklist is a different slice of the Unova Pokédex. You don't get duplicate Pokémon between the two.
| Set detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Release date | 18 July 2025 |
| Set code | SV11B |
| Card count (main) | ~86 |
| Total master set | ~172 cards (including secret rares) |
| Pokémon ex | 6 |
| Pack contents | 7 cards (smaller than typical 10-card packs) |
| New rarity | BWR — Black & White Rare (Zekrom ex) |
| Tournament legal | From 1 August 2025 |
The 7-card pack format is a callback to the original Black & White era (2011) — a small detail collectors immediately picked up on.
Black Bolt Sealed Product Prices in the UAE
| Product | Contents | Price (AED) |
|---|---|---|
| Booster Bundle | 6 packs | AED 149 |
| Black Bolt Binder Collection | 5 packs + Zekrom 9-pocket binder | AED 169 |
| Black Bolt Tech Sticker Collection | 3 packs + Reuniclus IR promo + sticker sheet | AED 89 |
| Unova Mini Tin | 1 Black Bolt + 1 White Flare pack + art card + sticker | AED 79 |
| Unova Poster Collection | 2 Black Bolt + 2 White Flare packs + 3 starter promos + poster | AED 119 |
| Unova Victini Illustration Collection | 2 Black Bolt + 2 White Flare packs + Victini IR promo + premium parallel Poké Ball Victini + oversize foil Victini | AED 139 |
| Elite Trainer Box | 9 packs + Thundurus promo + 65 sleeves + accessories | AED 259 |
A note on Black Bolt sealed product: as a special set, Black Bolt does not come with a traditional 36-pack Booster Box or Build & Battle Box. The Elite Trainer Box, Booster Bundles, Binder Collection, Tech Sticker Collection, Mini Tins, Poster Collection and Unova Victini Illustration Collection cover the full UAE retail range.
Black Bolt Top Chase Cards
The BWR-rarity Zekrom ex sits at the top. Below it, a clean Trainer SIR (N's Plot) drives strong value, with the rest of the chase list distributed across Unova legendaries and starters.
1. Zekrom ex — Black & White Rare (BWR)
The headliner of the new BWR rarity. Monochromatic finish with elaborate holofoil patterning — unlike anything in the modern Pokémon TCG. Currently trading around AED 1,210 raw NM. The Reshiram ex BWR in White Flare is its companion.
2. Zekrom ex — Special Illustration Rare (#169)
Around AED 630 raw NM. The painterly full-art Zekrom — alongside the BWR, gives the set a clear two-tier chase structure for collectors who want the legendary mascot but not at the AED 1,200+ price point.
3. N's Plot — Special Illustration Rare (#173)
Around AED 355 raw NM. The Trainer SIR sleeper — N standing alone with plotting menace, no Pokémon companion. Trainer-only SIRs have outperformed expectations across recent Pokémon sets, and N has serious nostalgia equity from the Black/White era.
4. Kyurem ex — Special Illustration Rare (#168)
Around AED 215 raw NM. The third member of the Unova legendary Tao trio gets a strong SIR even without a BWR treatment — Kyurem is split between collectors who want the trio complete and players running Ice-type strategies.
5. Serperior ex — Special Illustration Rare (#167)
Around AED 205 raw NM. The Grass-starter SIR — anchored by Snivy-line nostalgia for collectors who started in the BW era.
Honourable mentions
- Hilbert (Full Art Trainer) — around AED 165 raw NM; the playable male protagonist
- Hydreigon ex (SIR) — around AED 130 raw NM; competitive Darkness-type
- Jellicent ex (SIR) — around AED 110 raw NM; Oceanic Curse ability has made it a sleeper meta card
Black Bolt ETB vs Booster Bundle vs Binder Collection: Which Should You Buy?
| If you want… | Buy… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Packs + promo + accessories | Elite Trainer Box (AED 259) | Thundurus promo, sleeves, dice — the all-rounder |
| The best per-pack rate available | Booster Bundle (AED 149) | Six 7-card packs |
| A Zekrom-themed display piece | Black Bolt Binder Collection | 5 packs + the Zekrom 9-pocket binder |
| A specific chase card | Singles | BWR pull rates are extreme; sealed-route maths is brutal |
| A Unova starter collection | Unova Poster Collection | Both sets represented + starter promos |
Note: there is no standard 36-pack Booster Box for Black Bolt — the special-set format means ETBs and Booster Bundles are the primary "high pack count" products.
Black Bolt Meta Impact: N's Reshiram ex & Jellicent ex
Despite being marketed as a collector-focused special set, Black Bolt added meaningful competitive options:
- Eelektrik — reintroduces the Dynamotor ability, which hasn't been seen since Flaaffy rotated out. Energy acceleration that opens up Miraidon ex and other Lightning-based decks.
- Jellicent ex — Oceanic Curse blocks the opponent from playing Item cards or Pokémon Tools from their hand while Jellicent is Active. Stalling/control archetype anchor.
Zekrom ex itself is competitively viable but isn't dominating the format — the BWR's value is overwhelmingly collector-driven, not play-driven.
Black Bolt FAQ
When was Pokémon Black Bolt released? Worldwide on 18 July 2025.
Is Black Bolt the same set as White Flare? No — they're paired sets released together. Each contains a different selection of Unova Pokémon. To complete the full Unova Pokédex master set, you need both Black Bolt and White Flare.
What's the chase card? Zekrom ex BWR (Black & White Rare) — the headliner of the new BWR rarity tier. Currently trading around AED 1,210 raw NM.
What's a BWR? Black & White Rare — a new rarity introduced exclusively in Black Bolt and White Flare. Features monochromatic finish (black for Zekrom, white for Reshiram) with intricate holofoil patterning. So far the only two BWR cards in existence are Zekrom ex BWR (Black Bolt) and Reshiram ex BWR (White Flare).
How much is a Black Bolt Elite Trainer Box in the UAE? AED 259.
Why aren't there Booster Boxes for Black Bolt? It's a special set — like Pokémon 151 and Prismatic Evolutions — so the product range is ETBs, Booster Bundles, Mini Tins, Binder Collections and other premium-format products rather than the standard 36-pack Booster Box.
Where can I track Black Bolt prices? That's exactly what we're building TCG.PRO for — daily-updated AED valuations, GCC-native pricing, and a peer-to-peer marketplace for the UAE and wider Gulf.