Mega Evolution chase cards: the illustration rares worth knowing, set by set
The biggest chase cards of the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution era are the Ascended Heroes Mega Gengar ex and Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rares, followed by the Phantasmal Flames Mega Charizard X ex Special Illustration Rare. Every set in the era follows a similar pattern: a handful of Special Illustration Rares, one or two gold Mega Hyper Rares, and a run of Illustration Rares — and the headline Mega Pokémon's cards almost always top the price list. Below is each set's chase list with Iconic Trading Cards' own prices.
Key facts
- Six main Mega Evolution sets so far: Mega Evolution, Phantasmal Flames, Ascended Heroes, Perfect Order, Chaos Rising and Pitch Black
- Top card at our prices: Mega Gengar ex 284/217 (Ascended Heroes), £732
- Mega Hyper Rares replaced gold Hyper Rares when the era began in September 2025
- Ascended Heroes has 22 Special Illustration Rares; the smaller sets have six each
- Delta Reign, out 6 November 2026, is the next set in the series
- Prices are Iconic's own shop prices in GBP, checked 8 October 2026
Prices below are for near-mint copies at Iconic on 8 October 2026 and will move. Where we had a copy in stock when we checked, we say so. For the full top-20 of any one set, our set price guides go deeper; this page is the era at a glance.
What are the chase cards in Mega Evolution?
Mega Lucario ex. The first set of the series (released 26 September 2025) introduced the Mega Hyper Rare, and its gold Mega Lucario ex (188/132) is the set's dearest card at £185. The Mega Lucario ex Special Illustration Rare (179/132) follows at £145, then Mega Gardevoir ex in both forms: the Special Illustration Rare (178/132) at £125 and the Mega Hyper Rare (187/132) at £120. Mega Venusaur ex (177/132) at £100 completes the top five.
For a lower budget, the Illustration Rares are where this set shines: the Bulbasaur (133/132) is £24, and we had one in stock. All of it is in Mega Evolution singles.
What are the chase cards in Phantasmal Flames?
Mega Charizard X ex, and nothing else comes close. Its Special Illustration Rare (125/094) is £607 at our prices, roughly three times the gold Mega Hyper Rare of the same Pokémon (130/094) at £205. The regular full-art Ultra Rare (109/094) is £22 — the same Pokémon at three very different rarities, which shows how much the Special Illustration Rare art is driving the price.
The rest of the set's Special Illustration Rares (Rotom ex, Mega Sharpedo ex, Mega Lopunny ex and Dawn) sit around £18–£22, and the Meowth Illustration Rare (106/094) is £20. Browse Phantasmal Flames singles.
What are the chase cards in Ascended Heroes?
This is the era's big special set, released 30 January 2026, with 22 Special Illustration Rares and two Mega Hyper Rares. The top of our price list on 8 October 2026:
| Card | Rarity | Iconic price |
|---|---|---|
| Mega Gengar ex 284/217 | Special Illustration Rare | £732 |
| Pikachu ex 276/217 | Special Illustration Rare | £711 |
| Mega Dragonite ex 290/217 | Special Illustration Rare | £371 |
| Pikachu ex 277/217 | Special Illustration Rare | £232 |
| Mega Charizard Y ex 294/217 | Mega Hyper Rare | £214 |
| Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex 281/217 | Special Illustration Rare | £200 (in stock) |
| Mega Dragonite ex 295/217 | Mega Hyper Rare | £150 |
| Lillie's Clefairy ex 280/217 | Special Illustration Rare | £115 |
Two Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rares with a £479 gap between them is a neat lesson in how much artwork matters. Ascended Heroes also brought Mega Attack Rares into English booster packs for the first time, and its Psyduck Illustration Rare (226/217) at £52 is one of the dearest Illustration Rares of the era. See Ascended Heroes singles, or open some yourself with an Ascended Heroes booster bundle (£80.00, in stock).
What are the chase cards in Perfect Order, Chaos Rising and Pitch Black?
The three 2026 main sets share one structure: six Special Illustration Rares and a single Mega Hyper Rare each.
- Perfect Order (27 March 2026): the gold Mega Zygarde ex (124/088) at £105 leads, then the Meowth ex Special Illustration Rare (121/088) at £85. The Mega Zygarde ex Special Illustration Rare (120/088) is £50 and we had one in stock, as was the Clefairy Illustration Rare (94/088) at £24.
- Chaos Rising (22 May 2026): Mega Greninja ex in both forms, the Special Illustration Rare (116/086) and the Mega Hyper Rare (122/086), each £140. Cinccino ex (119/086) at £46 is the next one down.
- Pitch Black (17 July 2026): Mega Darkrai ex again in both forms — £155 for the Special Illustration Rare (116/084) and £135 for the Mega Hyper Rare (120/084). The Morpeko ex Special Illustration Rare (117/084) is £75 and was in stock.
Each has its own page: Perfect Order singles, Chaos Rising singles and Pitch Black singles. Our Pitch Black price guide lists that set's top 20.
Why do Special Illustration Rares beat the gold cards?
Because collectors pay for the picture. A Mega Hyper Rare is a gold, textured version of the same card, and Pokémon describes it as full-art with gold-etched holographic artwork. A Special Illustration Rare is a fresh illustration, often a scene, by a named artist. The headline Pokémon's Special Illustration Rare costs as much as or more than its gold card in Phantasmal Flames, Ascended Heroes, Chaos Rising and Pitch Black at our prices, and Mega Gardevoir follows the same pattern in Mega Evolution. The gold card only wins where the Special Illustration Rare art is less loved, as with Mega Lucario and Mega Zygarde.
Popular Pokémon also matter: Gengar, Pikachu and Charizard are the top three cards of the era. Our guide to Pokémon rarity symbols explains how to spot each rarity on the card itself.
What's next for Mega Evolution chase cards?
Delta Reign, out on 6 November 2026, with Mega Rayquaza ex as its headline. Pokémon has confirmed six Special Illustration Rares, and the Mega Rayquaza Special Illustration Rare and gold card are expected to lead the set. Our Delta Reign card list tracks the reveals. Every Mega Evolution card we list, chase or otherwise, is in Mega Evolution singles, and orders of singles only ship for a flat £2.45.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most valuable Mega Evolution era card?
At our prices on 8 October 2026, the Ascended Heroes Mega Gengar ex Special Illustration Rare (284/217) at £732, just ahead of the Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rare (276/217) at £711. The Phantasmal Flames Mega Charizard X ex Special Illustration Rare (125/094) is next at £607.
Is a Mega Hyper Rare worth more than a Special Illustration Rare?
Not usually. The gold Mega Hyper Rare is the rarest slot in each set, but in four of the six Mega Evolution sets the headline Special Illustration Rare costs as much or more at our prices. Collectors tend to pay for artwork and the Pokémon on the card rather than the rarity symbol alone.
What is a Mega Hyper Rare?
Pokémon describes Mega Hyper Rares as full-art cards of Mega Evolution Pokémon ex with gold-etched holographic artwork. They replaced the older gold Hyper Rare when the Mega Evolution series began in September 2025, and most sets have just one.
Which Mega Evolution set has the most chase cards?
Ascended Heroes, by a wide margin. It has 22 Special Illustration Rares and two Mega Hyper Rares, against six SIRs and one Mega Hyper Rare in each of Perfect Order, Chaos Rising and Pitch Black.
Is it cheaper to buy chase cards as singles?
Almost always, if you want one specific card. Pokémon does not publish pull rates, but secret rares like these turn up rarely enough that opening packs for one named card usually costs far more than buying it. Opening is the better choice when you enjoy the opening itself.