Pokemon TCG Pitch Black Set Guide: 120-Card Checklist
The clean way to sort 84 main-set cards, 36 secret rares, and the promos that sit outside both.
The English Pokemon TCG: Mega Evolution—Pitch Black set has 120 numbered cards in the current BinderDex checklist. Cards 001/084 through 084/084 form the 84-card main set. Cards 085/084 through 120/084 are the 36 cards above the printed set number: Illustration Rares, Ultra Rares, Special Illustration Rares, and one Mega Hyper Rare.
That is the useful short answer. The more important answer is that “complete” can mean three different things here.
- Release date: July 17, 2026
- Series: Mega Evolution
- Main set: 84 numbered cards
- Cards above the set number: 36
- Numbered BinderDex checklist: 120 cards
- Mega Evolution Pokemon ex: six in the main set
- Top rarity: Mega Darkrai ex
120/084, the set's only Mega Hyper Rare
How many cards are in Pokemon TCG: Pitch Black?
The Pokemon Company describes Pitch Black as containing more than 115 cards. BinderDex tracks 120 distinct numbered entries in the English checklist as of August 10, 2026.
Those statements are compatible. The official product description gives a rounded threshold; the numbered checklist gives the exact sequence from 001/084 through 120/084.
Do not turn 120 into a universal “master set” count. Parallel foil finishes and separately numbered promotional cards can make a collector's personal master checklist larger. The clean language is:
- 84 cards in the printed main set
- 120 distinct numbered set entries when the cards above
084/084are included - A collector-defined master set if you also track parallel foils and promos
That distinction prevents the last page of a binder from becoming an argument about what the word complete was supposed to mean.
The complete Pitch Black rarity breakdown
BinderDex's August 10 production catalog groups the 120 numbered cards into eight rarity lanes.
| Rarity | Count | Collector-number range | What belongs here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common | 37 | Within 001–084 | Main-set Pokemon, Trainers, and Fossils |
| Uncommon | 26 | Within 001–084 | Main-set evolutions and Trainer cards |
| Rare | 11 | Within 001–084 | Rare Pokemon plus the two special Energy cards |
| Double Rare | 10 | Within 001–084 | Pokemon ex, including six Mega Evolution Pokemon ex |
| Illustration Rare | 11 | 085/084–095/084 | Full-card illustrated Pokemon |
| Ultra Rare | 18 | 096/084–113/084 | Full-art Pokemon ex and Trainer/Item treatments |
| Special Illustration Rare | 6 | 114/084–119/084 | Four Pokemon ex and two Supporters |
| Mega Hyper Rare | 1 | 120/084 | The gold Mega Darkrai ex |
The arithmetic gives the set a useful physical structure: 84 main-set cards plus 36 cards above the set number equals 120 numbered entries.
The first split should therefore happen after Voltaic Lightning Energy 084/084. Fomantis 085/084 starts the Illustration Rare run. Mega Darkrai ex 120/084 closes the numbered checklist.
What does a number like 116/084 mean?
The number before the slash identifies the card's place in the full numbered sequence. The number after the slash is the advertised main-set count.
Mega Darkrai ex 116/084 is therefore card 116 in a set whose main checklist ends at 84. The number does not mean the card is an error or an unlisted promo. It means the card sits in the premium section above the main set.
This is more reliable than searching by name alone because Pitch Black contains four distinct numbered Mega Darkrai ex cards:
048/084— Double Rare: the main-set version101/084— Ultra Rare: the full-art rarity step116/084— Special Illustration Rare: the scene-led premium treatment120/084— Mega Hyper Rare: the gold top-rarity version
One Pokemon, four collector numbers, and four separate checklist positions. The exact number is the identity key.
If a seller, scanner, or handwritten checklist says only “Mega Darkrai ex,” the identification is unfinished. Match the collector number before comparing condition, finish, or price.
The six Mega Evolution Pokemon ex in Pitch Black
Pitch Black's 84-card main set contains six Mega Evolution Pokemon ex:
- Mega Delphox ex
008/084 - Mega Zeraora ex
027/084 - Mega Slowbro ex
031/084 - Mega Chandelure ex
038/084 - Mega Darkrai ex
048/084 - Mega Excadrill ex
065/084
These six make a sensible mini-goal because every card fits inside the numbered main set. They are not the only Double Rares: Lurantis ex, Wailord ex, Rampardos ex, and Morpeko ex bring the Double Rare total to ten.
A compact Pitch Black completion route that stays entirely inside cards 001 through 084.
For a nine-pocket page, leave three deliberate spaces for supporting cards instead of adding unrelated ex cards just to fill the row. Litwick 036/084 and Lampent 037/084 can lead into Mega Chandelure ex. Slowpoke 029/084 and Slowbro 030/084 can do the same for Mega Slowbro ex. The page then reads like Pitch Black rather than a six-card search result.
How to use the Pitch Black checklist without losing variants
Start with numbered identity, then add finish. Reversing that order is how two similar cards become one checkbox.
1. Sort by collector number
Make one pass from 001/084 to 120/084. Ignore price and binder aesthetics for now. The goal is simply to give every numbered entry one location.
2. Split the main set from the cards above 084
Use a divider after 084/084, or start the Illustration Rares on a new page. This makes your completion rule visible every time you open the binder.
3. Record parallel finishes separately
A regular card and its parallel foil can share the same collector number. If your goal includes both, use separate checkboxes or a two-column inventory. Do not create a fake second card number to make the spreadsheet easier.
4. Keep promos outside the numbered set
The Pitch Black Build & Battle Box was released with one of four foil promo cards featuring Miraidon, Slowbro, Dhelmise, or Bastiodon. Those promos belong in a related-product or promo lane, not between 001/084 and 120/084.
5. Decide what complete means before filling gaps
- Main-set complete: one copy of every numbered card from
001/084through084/084. - Numbered-set complete: one copy of all 120 numbered entries, including cards above
084/084. - Finish complete: the numbered set plus every parallel finish you have chosen to count.
- Release complete: your finish-complete checklist plus designated Pitch Black promos and related product cards.
Write the rule on the inside cover. A boundary you can see is easier to maintain than a master-set definition that changes whenever a new promo appears.
Three useful Pitch Black binder routes
There is no requirement to chase all 120 cards at once. A smaller route can still tell a complete story.
Route 1: The 84-card main set
This is the cleanest sequential build. Nine-pocket pages hold 81 cards, so the final three cards begin a tenth page. That awkward remainder is useful: reserve the remaining six pockets for a set logo card, checklist note, or the first cards from your chosen premium lane. Do not force unnumbered filler into the official sequence.
Route 2: The 36-card premium run
Cards 085/084 through 120/084 fill exactly four nine-pocket pages. Page one can hold most of the eleven Illustration Rares; pages two and three carry the Ultra Rares; page four closes with the six Special Illustration Rares and Mega Darkrai ex 120/084.
The rarity boundaries do not line up perfectly with page boundaries. That is fine. Put the collector number before page symmetry.
Route 3: One Pokemon through the rarity ladder
Mega Darkrai ex is the clearest four-card example, but other characters offer shorter runs. This route is easier to finish, makes variant identification obvious, and gives every duplicate-looking card a reason to be present.
For a taste-first route instead of a checklist route, use Pitch Black Pokemon Cards With the Best Binder Appeal. That article ranks six page anchors. This guide keeps the official sequence intact.
The exact-card check before you mark a box
Use the bottom identity line on the card, not the artwork in your memory.
- Confirm the card name.
- Match both halves of the collector number.
- Read the printed rarity mark.
- Confirm the language.
- Tilt the card under light and record its finish.
- Compare the card with the exact BinderDex Pitch Black checklist.
The common failure case is a correct character with the wrong checklist row. Mega Darkrai ex 048/084 and 116/084 are both real Pitch Black cards. Owning one does not complete the other.
If the symbols are the confusing part, use Pokemon Card Rarity Symbols: What Every Mark Means. If the finish is uncertain, use Pokemon Holo vs Reverse Holo Cards Explained before marking the parallel-foil column.
FAQ
How many cards are in the Pokemon Pitch Black set?
The Pokemon Company describes Pitch Black as having more than 115 cards. BinderDex's English numbered checklist contains 120 entries: 84 main-set cards and 36 cards numbered above 084/084.
How many secret rares are in Pitch Black?
There are 36 numbered cards above the 84-card main set. They consist of 11 Illustration Rares, 18 Ultra Rares, six Special Illustration Rares, and one Mega Hyper Rare.
What is the rarest rarity in Pitch Black?
Mega Hyper Rare is the top named rarity in the numbered checklist. Mega Darkrai ex 120/084 is the only Pitch Black card in that lane.
Does 120 cards include every reverse holo?
No. The 120 count refers to distinct collector-number entries. A parallel foil can share its collector number with the regular printing, so a finish-complete checklist can contain more physical variants.
Are the Pitch Black prerelease promos part of the 120-card checklist?
No. The Build & Battle promos featuring Miraidon, Slowbro, Dhelmise, or Bastiodon are separately numbered promotional cards. Track them beside the set if you want a release-complete collection, but not inside the 001/084–120/084 sequence.
What is the easiest Pitch Black binder goal?
The six main-set Mega Evolution Pokemon ex make a focused first page. The 84-card main set is the cleanest sequential completion goal. The 36-card premium run is the cleanest four-page display goal.
What to verify as the set ages
- Catalog corrections: names, images, and variant mappings can be corrected after release. Match the card in hand before treating a database row as final.
- Promo boundaries: new distribution cards can be related to Pitch Black without joining its 120-card numbered sequence.
- Finish definitions: collectors use “master set” differently. Preserve your written rule instead of silently expanding the goal.
- Price is not identity: a market value can change without changing the collector number, rarity, or finish you need.
- Wider set context: use the Pokémon card sets and products reference hub for the stable relationship among checklists, booster products, and completion routes. This article owns Pitch Black's dated release detail.
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