The release of Black Bolt & White Flare is bringing major energy to the Pokémon TCG just ahead of the World Championships. Despite being a speciality set focusing solely on the 156 Pokémon of Gen V, it’s loaded with competitive potential, revisiting classic mechanics while introducing fresh tools for today’s top-tier decks.
After reviewing the set through a competitive lens, these are the five standout busted cards that are poised to shift the meta and appear on championship tables worldwide.
Honourable Mention: Eelektrik – Lightning Nostalgia With a Twist
To start with, our honourable mention that we must give a shout out to. Fans of the Black & White era will recognise Eelektrik, which returns with the tried-and-true Dynamotor ability. This lets you attach a basic Lightning Energy from your discard pile to a benched Pokémon once per turn. It’s a direct reprint from Noble Victories, and functionally mirrors Flaaffy from the Evolving Skies set.
In the current meta, Eelektrik pairs well with threats like Miraidon ex, Iron Hands ex, and the new Zekrom ex, especially when combined with Electric Generator for mid-game acceleration. While it may struggle to find a spot in aggressive Lightning builds such as Joltik Box, its proven utility means it’s unlikely to be ignored for long.
Eelektrik may not break the format wide open enough to be in our top five, but it’s one of those cards that could quietly power up the next wave of Lightning-based decks.
5. Tool Scrapper – Targeted Tool Removal Returns
After first appearing in Dragons Exalted and Rebel Clash, Tool Scrapper makes a timely return, offering a reliable way to remove Pokémon Tools from play, permanently. Unlike Jamming Tower, which nullifies all Tools instead, Scrapper surgically removes up to two from your opponent’s field without affecting your own.
While it doesn’t proactively counter Technical Machines like Jamming Tower does, its key advantage lies in being searchable via Arven and providing control without collateral. Expect it to become a go-to option in decks looking for flexible disruption.
4. Hilda – A Consistency Booster for Dragapult Decks
Hilda stands out as a strong inclusion for Dragapult variants that forgo Arven. Acting as both a Neo Upper Energy and Drakloak searcher, she adds valuable consistency without sacrificing tempo or strategy.
Dragapult decks often struggle to access Neo Upper Energy at the right moment, and Hilda solves that by offering guaranteed search utility. With the ability to also fetch a key evolution piece, Hilda brings added reliability to a deck that usually requires a good amount of luck to work normally. Expect Hilda to feature prominently in Dragapult lists going into Worlds 2025.
3. Genesect ex – Metal Evolution at Lightspeed
With Metal Signal, Genesect ex introduces a powerful new form of evolution support for Metal-type decks. This ability allows you to search your deck for two Metal Evolution Pokémon once per turn, without using an attack or Item card.
For Gholdengo ex strategies in particular, this is a massive upgrade. Where decks previously relied on Technical Machine: Evolution to develop their board, Genesect ex enables faster setup without sacrificing your attack phase.
That means quicker access to “Make It Rain” and a more consistent board state by turn two. It’s an essential piece for Gholdengo moving forward and could elevate the archetype into top-tier status.
2. Jellicent ex & Frillish – First-Turn Item Lock Potential
Jellicent ex, alongside Frillish, introduces one of the most disruptive mechanics in recent memory: first-turn Item and Tool lock. Frillish’s Shadow of the Sea enables the lock immediately, while Jellicent’s Curse of the Sea maintains it as long as it's active in the Active Spot.
This combination is a perfect fit for Gardevoir ex decks, adding both a control element and a powerful secondary attacker. Jellicent’s synergy with Technical Machine: Devolution also opens up board control options, breaking evolution lines and disrupting recovery strategies.
Against certain matchups, like Gholdengo ex, Jellicent can directly shut down annoyances like Superior Energy Retrieval, turning the tide on difficult matches in an instant. This will surely be a strategy we’ll see at least a few times at the Championships, as well as the new meta going forward.
1. Air Balloon – Universal Flexibility
While it may lack flash and has already been a part of the Pokémon TCG since the Sword & Shield base set, Air Balloon is poised to become one of the most widely played cards in the meta from Black Bolt & White Flare altogether.
Granting free retreat to any Pokémon with a two-retreat cost or less, Air Balloon immediately replaces Rescue Board in a wider range of decks — including those with higher-cost like Gholdengo ex or Charizard ex, giving you more turn-to-turn flexibility.
Its ability to pivot key attackers or retreat from disruptive effects like Munkidori’s Confusion makes it universally valuable too. We’ll probably see this one as a universal gem across numerous deck types, from aggressive strategies to control builds, and that’s what places it firmly at #1 on our list.
Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.