Into the Darkness
A 111-card Black & White Era expansion released in 2012, featuring cards like Pokémon Catcher, Archeops, Gardevoir.
bw5 Difficulty
3/5 to complete
Avg Card Value
Varies
Market average
Top Card
Tornadus-EX
See market
Rarity Tier
Overview
Dark Explorers is a 111-card expansion from the Black & White series, released on May 9, 2012. The set features full-art cards and Pokemon-EX alongside the standard mix of Pokemon, Trainer, and Energy cards. Notable cards include Pokémon Catcher, Archeops, Gardevoir, Tornadus-EX.
Best for
- Collectors into early full arts and BW EX structure
- collectors pricing Dark Explorers (2012, 111 cards) as BW / full-art transition cardboard — not as generic “old cards”
- buyers who already know Tornadus-EX / Darkrai-EX is the expensive row in Dark Explorers
Skip this path if
- you want only sealed modern product and zero binder work
- you expect every card in Dark Explorers to carry similar resale (bulk is bulk)
Common mistakes
The expensive mistake on Dark Explorers is assuming every Next Destinies / Dark Explorers–style hit shares the same liquidity. Set code bw5 (2012) is the membership test — character name alone will not save a bad buy. Budget Tornadus-EX / Darkrai-EX as priority singles; the other 109 cards are not the same project.
What to check first
Pull up Tornadus-EX / Darkrai-EX first — number, finish, and surface — then decide if the ask is real. Parallel check: exact set, full art vs regular rare, and centering on the big foils. Only after that does the full Dark Explorers checklist tell you what is left.
Most valuable cards
The top chase cards from Dark Explorers include Pokémon Catcher, Archeops, Gardevoir. Full art, secret rare, and alternate art variants carry the highest premiums. Other collectible cards include Tornadus-EX, Darkrai-EX, Groudon-EX. Condition matters — near-mint copies command significantly higher prices than played cards.
Cards from Dark Explorers
Tap any card to see price history and details.
28 of 111 
Bulbasaur
Ivysaur
Venusaur
Scyther
Flareon
Larvesta
Piplup
Vanillish
Joltik
Slowking
Excadrill
Darkrai-EX
Zoroark
Pawniard
Chatot
Dark Patch
Rare Candy
Twist Mountain
Ultra Ball
Entei-EX
Kyogre-EX
Raikou-EX
Groudon-EX
Darkrai-EX
Tornadus-EX
Gardevoir
Archeops
Pokémon Catcher
Tips to finish the set
Dark Explorers contains 111 cards. Start with the common and uncommon base, which is typically affordable. Focus singles purchases on the holo rares and ultra rares that are hardest to pull from packs. Set a budget before chasing secret rares.
How to Complete This Set
- 01
Identify Dark Explorers cards by set code bw5 / symbol — do not sort by art alone
- 02
Split bulk commons/uncommons from holos and special rarities before pricing
- 03
Track Tornadus-EX and Darkrai-EX as priority singles, not pack EV fantasies
- 04
Scan or checklist-gap the rest after the chase budget is honest
Scan with the app
Point the Pokex scanner at any Dark Explorers card to instantly identify the variant, check condition, and see current market prices. The scanner tracks your collection progress and highlights which cards you still need to complete the set.
Common questions
01 How many cards are in Dark Explorers?
Dark Explorers has 108 officially numbered cards, with 3 additional secret rares bringing the total to 111.
02 When was Dark Explorers released?
Dark Explorers was released on May 9, 2012 as part of the Black & White series.
03 What are the best cards in Dark Explorers?
Some of the most notable cards in Dark Explorers include Pokémon Catcher, Archeops, Gardevoir. The highest-value cards are typically the full art, secret rare, and alternate art variants.
04 Are Dark Explorers cards valuable?
Dark Explorers cards from the Black & White era have appreciated as they are no longer in print. Full art EX cards and secret rares from this era are particularly sought after by collectors. Condition is critical for vintage-adjacent cards.
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