Sword & Shield: Darkness Ablaze Set Details And Highlights

Within a few mere weeks, an exciting, much-anticipated product is going to be hitting the shelves and fans of the ever-popular Pokémon Trading Card Game eagerly awaiting its arrival.

The soon to be released Darkness Ablaze set is expected to add a whole array of new, powerful VMAX Pokémon, as well as a number of high impact trainer cards that are sure to shake up the Standard format.

Today we are going to take a look at the various products that make up the Darkness Ablaze set and highlight some key details that helped shape this set’s creation.

What is the Darkness Ablaze Set Based On?

The upcoming Pokémon TCG Darkness Ablaze set is based on two products from the Japanese market, these being the “Eruption Walker” (S2a) set, which released earlier this year on April 14th. It was the second “mini-series” to be released in the Japanese Sword & Shield era.

Darkness Ablaze also uses cards the World Down set (renamed to the more appropriate “Infinity Zone” (S3) due to the COVID-19 pandemic), which released in Japan on June 5th.

As with many prior English Pokémon TCG products, the Darkness Ablaze set takes these previously-released Japanese sets and merges them together. But even with that, there are still some surprises to discover!

From these two sets, the following cards made the Darkness Ablaze cut, with the full checklist as follows for that are looking to “catch ’em all”:

1. Butterfree V (S2a)
2. Butterfree VMAX (S2a)
3. Paras (S3)
4. Parasect (S3)
5. Carnivine (S3)
6. Pansage (S3)
7. Simisage (S3)
8. Karrablast (S2a)
9. Shelmet (S2a)
10. Accelgor (S2a)
11. Rowlet (S3)
12. Dartrix (S3)
13. Decidueye (S3)
14. Bounsweet (S2a)
15. Steenee (S2a)
16. Tsareena (S2a)
17. Wimpod (S2a)
18. Golisopod (S2a)
19. Charizard V (Charizard VMAX Starter Deck)
20. Charizard VMAX (Charizard VMAX Starter Deck)
21. Houndoom V (S3)
22. Torchic (S3)
23. Combusken (S3)
24. Blaziken (S3)
25. Heatran (S2a)
26. Pansear (S3)
27. Simisear (S3)
28. Galarian Darmanitan (S3)
29. Larvesta (S2a)
30. Volcarona (S2a)
31. Fletchinder (S2a)
32. Talonflame (S2a)
33. Centiskorch V (S2a)
34. Centiskorch VMAX (S2a)
35. Galarian Mr. Mime (S2a)
36. Galarian Mr. Rime (S2a)
37. Suicune (S3)
38. Feebas (S2a)
39. Milotic (S2a)
40. Relicanth (S3)
41. Panpour (S3)
42. Simipour (S3)
43. Galarian Darumaka (S3)
44. Galarian Darmanitan (Rebel Clash, new artwork)
45. Vanillite (S3)
46. Vanillish (S3)
47. Vanilluxe (S3)
48. Cubchoo (S2a)
49. Beartic (S2a)
50. Wishiwashi (S2a)
51. Mareanie (S3)
52. Toxapex (S3)
53. Dracovish (S3)
54. Arctovish (S3)
55. Mareep (V Starter Decks)
56. Flaafy (V Starter Decks)
57. Ampharos (V Starter Decks)
58. Electrike (S3)
59. Manectric (S3)
60. Vikavolt V (S2a)
61. Tapu Koko (S3)
62. Toxel (S2a)
63. Toxtricity (S2a)
64. Pincurchin (Promo)
65. Dracozolt (S3)
66. Arctozolt (S3)
67. Jigglypuff (S3)
68. Wigglytuff (S3)
69. Mew V (V Starter Decks)
70. Snubbul (S2a)
71. Granbull (S2a)
72. Lunatone (S2a)
73. Gothita (S3)
74. Gothorita (S3)
75. Gothitelle (S3)
76. Golett (S3)
77. Golurk (S3)
78. Dedenne (S2a)
79. Morelull (S2a)
80. Shiinotic (S2a)
81. Mimikyu (S3)
82. Sinistea (S2a)
83. Polteageist (S2a)
84. Diglett (S2a)
85. Dugtrio (S2a)
86. Larvitar (S2a)
87. Pupitar (S2a)
88. Tyranitar (S2a)
89. Trapinch (S3)
90. Vibrava (S3)
91. Flygon (S3)
92. Solrock (S2a)
93. Hippopotas (S3)
94. Hippowdon (S3)
95. Rhyperior V (S3)
96. Diggersby (S2a)
97. Passimian (S3)
98. Galarian Sirfetch’d (Rebel Clash, new artwork)
99. Galarian Slowbro V (V Starter Decks)
100. Grimer (S2a)
101. Muk (S2a)
102. Spinarak (S3)
103. Ariados (S3)
104. Crobat V (S3)
105. Darkrai (S2a)
106. Purrloin (S2a)
107. Liepard (S2a)
108. Deino (Grimmsnarl VMAX Starter Deck)
109. Zweilous (Grimmsnarl VMAX Starter Deck)
110. Hydreigon (Grimmsnarl VMAX Starter Deck)
111. Hoopa (S3)
112. Nickit (S3)
113. Thievul (S3)
114. Grimmsnarl V (Grimmsnarl VMAX Starter Deck)
115. Grimmsnarl VMAX (Grimmsnarl VMAX Starter Deck)
116. Eternatus V (S3)
117. Eternatus VMAX (S3)
118. Scizor V (S3)
119. Scizor VMAX (S3)
120. Skarmory (S3)
121. Aron (S2a)
122. Lairon (S2a)
123. Aggron (S2a)
124. Escavalier (S2a)
125. Klink (S3)
126. Klang (S3)
127. Klinklang (S3)
128. Galarian Stunfisk V (S2a)
129. Meltan (V Starter Decks)
130. Melmetal (V Starter Decks)
131. Cufant (S3)
132. Copperajah (S3)
133. Kangaskhan (S3)
134. Tauros (Charizard VMAX Starter Deck)
135. Sentret (S2a)
136. Furret (S2a)
137. Dunsparce (S3)
138. Teddiursa (S3)
139. Ursaring (S3)
140. Lugia (Grimmsnarl VMAX Starter Deck)
141. Skitty (S3)
142. Delcatty (S3)
143. Salamence V (S3)
144. Salamence VMAX (S3)
145. Starly (S3)
146. Staravia (S3)
147. Staraptor (S3)
148. Ducklett (S3)
149. Swanna (S3)
150. Bunnelby (S2a)
151. Fletchling (S2a)
152. Skwovet (S3)
153. Greedent (S3)
154. Rookidee (S2a)
155. Corvisquire (S2a)
156. Corviknight (S2a)
157. Big Parasol (S2a)
158. Billowing Smoke (S3)
159. Bird Keeper (S3)
160. Cape of Toughness (S3)
161. Familiar Bell (S2a)
162. Glimwood Tangle (S2a)
163. Kabu (S2a)
164. Old PC (S2a)
165. Piers (S3)
166. Pokémon Breeders’ Nurturing (S2a)
167. Rare Fossil (S3)
168. Rose (S3)
169. Rose Tower (S3)
170. Spikemuth (S3)
171. Struggle Gloves (Promo)
172. Turbo Patch (S3)
173. Yell Horn (S3)
174. Heat Fire Energy (S2a)
175. Hiding Darkness Energy (S3)
176. Powerful Colorless Energy (S3)
177. FA Butterfree V (S2a)
178. FA Houndoom V (S3)
179. FA Centiskorch V (S2a)
180. FA Vikavolt V (S2a)
181. FA Rhyperior V (S3)
182. FA Crobat V (S3)
183. FA Scizor V (S3)
184. FA Galarian Stunfisk V (S2a)
185. FA Salamence V (S3)
186. FA Kabu (S2a)
187. FA Piers (S3)
188. FA Pokémon Breeders’ Nurturing (S2a)
189. FA Rose (S3)

In addition to the cards shown above, Darkness Ablaze will include a number of Full Art Secret Rare cards, bringing the official total of the set to 201 cards.

Darkness Ablaze Products

Darkness Ablaze features a multitude of ways to find these exciting new cards. Of course, there’s the standard 10-card booster packs. 

Then, we have the traditional Booster Box, which contains thirty-six 10-card booster packs. These are best for those who like to open a high volume of cards.

Next, the Elite Trainer box, featuring some stunning artwork of Eternatus VMAX, the newest Pokémon to join the fray. Elite Trainer Boxes are great for new players just getting into the game, as they contain a number of items that will help kickstart your playing experiencing, including the following;

• 8 Pokémon Darkness Ablaze booster packs
• 65 card sleeves featuring Eternatus Vmax
• 45 Pokémon Energy cards
• A player’s guide to the Darkness Ablaze set
• 6 damage-counter dice
• 1 coin flip die
• 2 acrylic condition markers
• A collector’s storage box to hold everything, with 4 dividers to keep it organized
• A code card for the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online

One of the most anticipated products for each and every set are the Theme Decks, and the Darkness Ablaze editions feature Galarian Sirfetch’d and Galarian Darmanitan. Theme Decks are not only a great way to dip your toes into the game, but are also the only way to take part in the “Theme Deck”-only format, which (as the name implies) pits you against other Theme Decks printed throughout the Pokémon Trading Card Games history.

Last but not least are the 3 Pack Blisters, which feature exclusive Black Star Promo versions of Flareon and Eevee, depending on which Blister Pack you purchase.

The Faces of Darkness Ablaze

Although the Darkness Ablaze set features a number of powerful cards, there are always a few Pokémon that stand out above the rest and are typically featured on the set’s packaging artwork.

Charizard VMAX will likely be the most important card in the set. Charizard cards remain the most collected cards throughout the game’s history and often gain value for collectors over the years.

Also, just look at this card’s stats! Charizard VMAX features a hefty 330 HP, as well as two incredibly powerful attacks.

Although Charizard may be the fan favourite, the true “face” card of the set is undoubtedly Eternatus VMAX, appearing on both the Booster Box and the Elite Trainer box and for good reason, this is the first time ever that Eternatus VMAX is appearing within the Pokémon TCG.

Eternatus VMAX, like Charizard VMAX, is a stunning card featuring 340 HP, a strong ability called “Eternal Zone,” and a powerful attack that gets stronger and stronger as you get more Darkness type Pokémon in play.

Eternatus VMAX and Charizard VMAX. Darkness Ablaze indeed!

In Conclusion

Darkness Ablaze officially hits the shelves on August 14th and will introduce both players and collectors to over 200 new cards.

This set is highly anticipated and we cannot wait to get our hands on some fresh booster packs, tear into them and begin building our latest decks. Make sure you don’t miss out and pre-order today!

As always, thanks for reading and let us know in the comment section below what has you most excited about Darkness Ablaze!