If you’ve spent any time at a local league or scrolling through TCG Twitter lately, you’ve seen it. That lanky, prehistoric-looking Raikou ancestor with the long neck and the lightning clouds. Honestly, the first time I saw Raging Bolt ex 196 162, I thought the art was a bit chaotic. It’s a Special Illustration Rare from the Temporal Forces expansion, and it doesn't look like your typical "cool" legendary.
But then I played against it.
In the current 2026 meta, where HP pools are massive and defensive setups are annoying, this card is a absolute nuclear option. It’s not just a collectible. It’s the backbone of a deck that has consistently dominated the top tables at Regionals. If you're holding one, or thinking about buying one, you aren't just looking at a piece of cardboard. You're looking at the most efficient "delete button" in the Pokemon Trading Card Game today.
The Raw Power of Bellowing Thunder
The reason everyone is obsessed with Raging Bolt ex 196 162 comes down to its second attack. It's called Bellowing Thunder. It costs one Grass energy and one Fighting energy. At first glance, that looks like a pain to set up. Why play two different types?
Because the damage is uncapped.
Basically, you discard any amount of Basic Energy from your Pokemon in play. For every card you toss into the discard pile, you deal 70 damage. Think about that for a second. Three energies? 210 damage. Four? 280. Five? 350. There is literally nothing in the game—not even the beefiest Stage 2 ex or a boosted Tera Pokemon—that can survive a five-energy Bellowing Thunder.
It’s scary.
I’ve seen games turn around in a single turn because a player managed to cycle enough energy back onto the board to hit for 420 damage just for the flex. It’s a math-based nightmare for your opponent. They can’t hide behind high HP because Raging Bolt doesn’t care how much health you have. It just needs more fuel.
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Why the 196/162 Version Matters Specifically
You can get a standard version of this card for a few bucks. It does the same thing. But the Raging Bolt ex 196 162 is the Special Illustration Rare (SIR). In the collector world, rarity is everything, but there’s a psychological edge here too.
The art is done by Akira Egawa. If you follow TCG artists, you know Egawa is a legend. They’ve done some of the most iconic high-rarity cards in recent years, including the gold Urshifu and various high-end Mewtwo cards. The style is textured, vibrant, and looks incredible under tournament lights. When you lay this card down on the playmat, your opponent knows you aren't just playing a budget deck. You're playing the optimized, high-end version of the meta's biggest threat.
Price-wise, it’s been a rollercoaster. Temporal Forces was a tough set to pull from. The pull rates for SIRs were notoriously low, which has kept the price of the Raging Bolt ex 196 162 relatively stable compared to other cards that crashed after their initial hype.
The Secret Sauce: Teal Mask Ogerpon ex
You can't talk about Raging Bolt without talking about its best friend. Most decks are built on synergy, but the Raging Bolt/Teal Mask Ogerpon engine is more like a symbiotic relationship.
Ogerpon’s "Teal Dance" ability allows you to attach a Grass energy from your hand to Ogerpon and then draw a card. This solves two problems at once. First, it accelerates energy onto the board so Raging Bolt has ammo for Bellowing Thunder. Second, it thins your deck so you can find your Professor Sada’s Vitality or your Prime Catcher.
It’s fast.
Usually, big-hitter decks take a few turns to "spin up." Not this one. With a good opening hand, you can be hitting for 210+ damage on your first attacking turn. That’s enough to knock out most Basic ex Pokemon like Iron Valiant or Miraidon before they even get to breathe.
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Navigating the Weaknesses
Nothing is invincible. Even a prehistoric lightning beast has bad days.
The biggest issue with Raging Bolt ex 196 162 is its dependence on energy recovery. Once you discard those energies to get a knockout, they’re gone. If you don't have a way to get them back—specifically through Professor Sada’s Vitality or Energy Retrieval—you’re a sitting duck.
I’ve seen players get "stuck." They take a massive knockout on turn two, discard four energies, and then spend the next two turns manually attaching while their opponent picks them apart. It's a high-risk, high-reward playstyle. You have to manage your resources perfectly. If you over-extend and fail to get the knockout, you've basically handed the game to your opponent.
Also, 240 HP is a bit of a weird number. It’s high, sure. But in a format where Charizard ex is hitting for 180 plus 30 for every prize card you’ve taken, Raging Bolt can get one-shotted pretty easily in the late game. It’s a glass cannon that looks like a tank.
Collecting vs. Playing: The Market Reality
Is the Raging Bolt ex 196 162 a good investment?
Honestly, the "Ancient" and "Future" mechanic is one of the most successful gimmicks Pokemon has introduced in the Scarlet & Violet era. Unlike some mechanics that feel forced, Ancient cards have a distinct aesthetic that collectors love. The 196/162 secret rare is the "chase card" for anyone building an Ancient-themed collection.
From a gameplay perspective, cards usually lose value once they rotate out of the Standard format. We’re still a ways off from that for Temporal Forces. However, even after rotation, high-end SIRs tend to hold value because of the art. Look at the Alternate Arts from the Sword & Shield era. They didn't drop to zero; they actually went up because people wanted them for their binders, not their decks.
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If you’re buying this to play, get a good sleeve. The texture on the Raging Bolt ex 196 162 is delicate. It shows scratches easily, especially around the edges. A "Near Mint" copy can quickly turn into "Lightly Played" if you’re shuffling it into a deck without high-quality protection.
How to Spot a Fake
Because this card is valuable, the fakes are out there. I’ve seen some "proxies" that look decent at a glance but fail the basic tests.
- The Texture: Genuine Raging Bolt ex 196 162 cards have a fingerprint-like texture that follows the art. If the card is smooth or has a generic "rainbow" shine without physical grooves you can feel with your fingernail, it’s a fake.
- The Font: Scammers always mess up the font. Look closely at the "ex" next to the name. On a real card, it has a specific gradient and glow.
- The Back: The blue on the back of a real Pokemon card is a very specific shade. Fakes are often too purple or too washed out.
Building the Ultimate Raging Bolt Deck
If you’re lucky enough to own a copy (or four), you need to build around it correctly. Don't just throw in random lightning types.
- Professor Sada’s Vitality: This is non-negotiable. You need four. It’s your only way to attach energy to two Ancient Pokemon at once and draw cards.
- Bravery Charm: Raging Bolt has 240 HP. With a Bravery Charm, that jumps to 290. That 50 HP difference is the gap between being knocked out by a Giratina VSTAR and surviving to hit back.
- Squawkabilly ex: You need the "Squawk and Seize" ability on turn one to dump energies into the discard pile so Sada can pick them up. It makes the deck explode out of the gate.
Most top-tier lists are also running Iron Bundle for its "Hyper Blower" ability. It lets you force your opponent to switch their active Pokemon without using your Supporter for the turn. This is huge when they’re trying to hide a damaged ex on the bench.
Final Practical Steps for Collectors and Players
Whether you're a seasoned pro or just someone who likes the look of this long-necked Raikou, here is what you should do next:
If you are a collector, check the centering. The borders on Raging Bolt ex 196 162 are notorious for being heavy on the bottom. If you have a perfectly centered copy, consider getting it graded by PSA or BGS. A PSA 10 copy of this card will likely be the definitive version of the "Ancient" era.
If you are a player, master the math. You need to know exactly how many energies you have left in your deck at all times. Use your Super Rods wisely. Don't discard more energy than you need for a knockout just to show off. In a close game, that one extra energy in the discard pile could be the difference between a win and a loss.
Keep an eye on the meta shifts. As more "Future" cards get released, the power dynamic might shift, but for now, Raging Bolt is king of the hill. It’s a fun, aggressive, and visually stunning card that defines this chapter of the Pokemon TCG.
Check your local card shop’s trade-in values too. Sometimes you can swap a bunch of bulk for one of these, and honestly, having one "big" card is usually better than having a hundred "okay" ones. Just make sure you're happy with the condition before you shake hands.