Black & White—Emerging Powers

Status: Released (August 2011)

Power Emerges in Black & White—Emerging Powers

The Unova region continued to expand with Black & White—Emerging Powers, released on August 31, 2011. This expansion is notable for being the first to allow full integration with the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online, granting players digital codes in every pack to unlock cards for online battles. The set focused on the "Swords of Justice" trio—Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion—bringing their fighting spirit to the TCG. Additionally, Black & White—Emerging Powers introduced the powerful genie trio of Thundurus, Tornadus, and Landorus, whose "Full Art" cards became instant hits.

The Rise of the Catchers

For competitive players, Black & White—Emerging Powers is synonymous with one card: Pokémon Catcher. This item card, which allowed players to drag up any of their opponent's benched Pokémon without a coin flip, fundamentally altered the speed and aggression of the game. The set also brought us "Max Potion," a healing staple that defined tank-style decks for years. With its mix of powerful legendary Pokémon and meta-defining trainer cards, Black & White—Emerging Powers truly lived up to its title.