What are Dark Pokemon cards? Pokemon TCG explained 

There are heaps of niche Pokemon card types in the Pokemon TCG, ranging from sparkly Hyper Rares to powerful Radiant Pokemon. They come in and out of fashion as Rotation gets updated each year, but some key types stick around as memorable fan-favorites well after their introduction.

One key card type that’s a favorite with collectors is Dark Pokemon cards. It’s important to note that this does not mean Dark-type Pokemon – these are separate things. Dark Pokemon are their own classification, just like Crystal Pokemon, and have an eerie, corrupted theme.

In terms of Pokemon TCG lore, Dark Pokemon are considered to be evil versions of standard Pokemon, relating to how their Trainers raised them. They appeared in the Team Rocket expansion set for the first time back in 2000 and are specifically tied to the nefarious villains.

The Pokemon Company

Dark Charizard Pokemon card with highlights on the evolution details and Pokedex entry.

Dark Pokemon are considered separate from their standard forms. For example, you could have 4 copies of Charizard and 4 copies of Dark Charizard in a deck (assuming the card was in Rotation), as Dark Charizard evolves from Dark Charmeleon instead of regular Charmeleon. It’s not affected by the rule of 4.

How to tell if you have a Dark Pokemon Card

Dark Pokemon cards have a number of key features that differentiate them from other Pokemon cards. In particular, ask yourself the following questions when examining a card:

1. Does the Pokemon name specify “Dark”? If the Pokemon in question doesn’t have “Dark” in front of its name, you are not dealing with a Dark Pokemon card. Every card in this classification has the name tag shown in the example above.
2. Is the imagery dark and foreboding? While this is open to interpretation, Dark Pokemon cards are lore-heavy in their design and feature evil versions of standard Pokemon. If your Pokemon card is cheery and vibrant, it’s likely not a Dark Pokemon card.
3. Does the Pokemon evolve from another Dark Pokemon? As noted, Dark Charizard is different to regular Charizard. If your Pokemon evolves from a standard ‘mon, it’s not a Dark Pokemon.

Put simply, Dark Pokemon cards are corrupted versions of standard Pokemon cards with a name tag, eerie artwork, and an offensive-leaning build that usually comes with heavy-hitting Attacks.

Additionally, pay attention to the expansion set name and symbol. Aside from one exception in the Sword & Shield era of the Pokemon TCG (Dark Sylveon V, to be exact), the most recent Dark Pokemon cards at the time of writing are from the early 2000s with the EX Team Rocket Returns expansion set.

If you do end up tracking down Dark Pokemon cards – or they end up getting added back into the game like ACE SPECs were – then make sure to sleeve them and keep them safe. These cards go down well with collectors who are fans of Pokemon lore, and they’re often highly prized by art collectors, too.