Ascended Heroes – the Pokémon TCG’s latest holiday set – has taken the Mega Evolution era to new heights, with a cast that has captivated and conjoled collectors in equal measure.
Pairing iconic fan favourites with new Pokémon debuting in Legends ZA, this set is a true meeting of generations, where the legends of old rise once more alongside the heroes of today.
This elite setlist, coupled with the staggered release of Ascended Heroes product, has seen the community absolutely craze over Mega Evolution 2.5 in a similar way to the likes of Prismatic Evolutions and Crown Zenith. And similar to Prismatic Evolutions, we’ve got confirmation that this loaded set is running god packs too.
Basically, it’s a big deal, and the most expensive cards in the set give us a good indication as to why.
1. Mega Gengar ex (Special Illustration Rare)
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Mega Gengar ex’s Special Illustration Rare, designed by danciao, is the definitive grail ghost of Ascended Heroes, quickly pushing into high-end trophy territory for collectors.
And there are a number of reasons for this. The obvious one is the enduring allure of Gengar in its many forms. The print brings back one of the most beloved XY-era Megas, but renders Gengar in a chaotic swirl of neon purples, reds, and yellows that feels more like a full-scale painting than a traditional Pokémon card.
That composition pulls your eye straight into Gengar’s wide, menacing grin before letting you notice the smaller details – the wisps of spectral fire, the jagged void beneath it, and the way the textured foil makes the entire scene look like it’s flickering between dimensions under light. This card is a perfect storm of nostalgia and modern artistry.
The other factor weighing in is the reported pull rates, with Special Illustration Rares found in every 70 packs. While this is better than the recent rates with Phantasmal Flames, there are many more Special Illustration Rares in this set, making a Mega Gengar ex pull that bit more difficult.
2. Mega Dragonite ex (Special Illustration Rare)
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Mega Dragonite ex is one of the many new Mega Evolution Pokémon, recently released with ZA, to make its first appearance in the TCG as part of Ascended Heroes.
Make no mistake, that’s meaningful. No more so than for Dragonite, which routinely sits among the pantheon of Pokémon favourites due to its storied lore across the TCG, anime, and mainline games.
Now, this new Special Illustration Rare trades the usual draconic menace for a skyward carnival of colour, with Mega Dragonite ex soaring through a swirl of pastel clouds, stardust, and streamers that loop around its outstretched arms like flight trails.
This print pushes firmly into character storytelling. DOM’s illustration crams the background with tiny details that reward a slow look, from glints of light on the wings to layered motion arcs that give the whole scene a buoyant, almost animated feel.
There are even cameo appearances from Dragonite’s pre-evolved forms – an approach that’s been unfurled in this new era.
3. Pikachu ex (Special Illustration Rare)
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Over the last year and a half, Pikachu has received several high-end prints befitting of its status as the face of the franchise. And in Ascended Heroes, there’s more.
This Special Illustration Rare places Pikachu alone in a sun-dappled forest clearing, surrounded by towering trees, overhanging leaves, and shafts of warm light breaking through the canopy above.
There are no fireworks, no crowds, no drama – just Pikachu standing in the undergrowth with that wide-eyed, slightly startled expression that has made Pikachu so endearing. It’s a deliberately understated composition, and all the more affecting for it, leaning into atmosphere over action.
An obvious chase for fans of the favourite, electric collectors, and those who hunt Pokémon showcased neatly in natural habitats. For me, it’s the best Pikachu ex across the last two eras, and its popularity seems to suggest others agree.
4. Mega Charizard Y ex (Mega Hyper Rare)
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Charizard chase cards are practically a hobby within the hobby at this point, and this golden Mega Charizard Y ex leans fully into that status with a monochrome, medal-like treatment that makes the card feel more like a commemorative plaque than a standard pull.
The entire design of the Mega Hyper Rare is rendered in rich metallic yellow, with fine linework outlining Mega Charizard Y’s sleek silhouette against an ornate circular motif, so when light hits the stellar etch foiling, the rays behind it explode outward like a blaze on a binder page.
So far in this era, the Mega Hyper Rare classification has been afforded to the hobby’s standout favourites: Mega Gardevoir, Mega Lucario, and Charizard X ex. It’s little surprise to see Mega Charizard Y ex added to this growing band of set-defining prints.
This golden rendition remains one of the era’s most desirable pulls, and one of the clearest examples of how Ascended Heroes has turned familiar favourites into statement pieces for collectors.
5. Mega Dragonite ex (Mega Hyper Rare)
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The second Mega Hyper Rare in the set is Mega Dragonite ex.
Mega Dragonite ex taking such a leading role in the Ascended Heroes hit list was something of an inevitability. After all, Japan’s Mega Dream, which forms the bulk of this new set, features the powerful Dragon-type on its pack art.
This Mega Hyper Rare leans into that starring role with a full-gold, textured finish that almost completely washes out the background, turning Dragonite’s wide-eyed, wings-spread pose into a kind of airborne idol etched into a solid metal slab.
Fine linework traces its feathers, horns, and tail against a lattice of circular motifs, so when light catches the card, the foiling throws out bands of colour that ripple around the central figure like shockwaves from a passing fly-by rather than a static portrait.
Mega Hyper Rares remain the rarest hits in the Mega Evolution block, with only a couple per set, which has kept this gold Dragonite near the top of Ascended Heroes’ chase ladder even as post-release hype has cooled slightly.
For many collectors, it acts as a companion piece to the golden Mega Charizard Y ex; Charizard brings the fire, Dragonite brings the warmth, and together they define what premium Mega means in this new era of chase cards.
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6. Pikachu ex (Special Illustration Rare)
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Pikachu ex is where Ascended Heroes clearly lets itself have a little fun, splashing the franchise mascot across a candy-coloured canvas and giving the set depth that lifts its overall appeal.
The artwork leans hard into the Terastal aesthetic, with Pikachu sporting its crystalline Tera crown – a relic carried over from the Scarlet & Violet era that now reads almost like ceremonial regalia, marking it as one of the TCG’s enduring stars rather than just another attacker.
Jagged, gem-like facets break across the crown and Pikachu’s body in prismatic blocks of colour, while chunky, floating crystals frame the scene and give the whole composition a stained-glass feel against the soft pink background. It’s an exuberant look, for sure.
There will always be takers for Pikachu, and that fandom continues to endure.
7. Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex (Special Illustration Rare)
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Amid the love for Mega Evolution Pokémon, it’s almost easy to forget that in the last year we’ve also had the return of Trainer’s Pokémon. They’ve introduced some insatiable artworks so far – and that’s certainly continued with Ascended Heroes.
Using sinister shadows and sultry linework, Mitsuhiro Arita gives us a Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex Special Illustration Rare that picks up where Destined Rivals left off, depicting the legendary Pokémon alongside Giovanni.
The red hues and purple palette ensure that the card feels every bit associated with the antagonist group of Team Rocket – a stark contrast to the fervour and colour found across the rest of the Ascended Heroes set.
What’s notable is that a Mewtwo Special Illustration Rare, which would almost always sit among the very top chase cards in a set, lands a little lower here. That says a lot about just how crammed this speciality set is with crazy, high-end pulls.
8. Lillie’s Clefairy ex (Special Illustration Rare)
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Like Mewtwo, Lillie’s Clefairy ex also featured near the end of the Scarlet & Violet block, receiving a print in the acclaimed Journey Together set.
And it returns in Ascended Heroes with a Special Illustration Rare that captures the Trainer’s affection for her beloved partner.
Playful pinks and summer-sky blues provide the backdrop to Lillie and her Clefairy, who fill the frame with a loving embrace. Placed alongside the previous print from Journey Together, it almost feels like a cinematic frame-by-frame shot of the two spending time together.
There will always be a cohort of collectors who simply love cutesy appeal, and for those, this chase will no doubt be something of a must-have.
9. N’s Zoroark ex (Special Illustration Rare)
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N’s Zoroark ex continues to tap directly into Black & White nostalgia by once again pairing one of the franchise’s most beloved rivals with his signature partner in a moody, almost cinematic Special Illustration Rare from Raita Kazama.
While Raita Kazama is a fairly new illustrator in the Pokémon TCG, his work in the Mega Evolution era is already pretty distinctive. Look at the style and you’ll instantly recognise the parallels with the Special Illustration Rare Mega Gardevoir ex from the era’s Base Set.
These border-to-border artworks, which look more like ethereal stained glass windows, are undoubtedly deserving of acclaim, and with N’s Zoroark ex, the artist shows trainer and Pokémon in a swirl of menace.
As we tend to see every now and then, that trainer popularity really pulls through and pushes the card’s appeal even higher. So with this, N’s Zoroark ex arrived with all the ingredients for a hefty chase.
10. Mega Feraligatr ex (Special Illustration Rare)
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Another new Mega Evolution makes the most expensive cards list. This time, it’s a Special Illustration Rare of Mega Feraligatr ex.
Here, we find the hulking Johto starter mid-roar, framed by a whirlpool of shattered colour and spray that makes the entire card feel like an impact panel torn from a manga splash page.
Souichirou Gunjima’s artwork places Mega Feraligatr in the eye of a raging vortex, teeth bared and arms flung wide as jagged red armour plates slice through the water around it like debris caught in the current.
The background is a dense tangle of turquoise waves, white foam, and diagonal motion lines, so even standing still in a binder, the card reads as if it’s charging straight out of the frame toward the viewer.
Interestingly, its attack really plays into that big-jaw power; Mortal Crunch can hit up to 400 damage for just three Energy if the opponent’s Pokémon already has damage on it. And though it hasn’t seen a huge amount of play, that may still prompt some interest in the Water-type’s potential.
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What else should you look out for
It’s hard to know where to start when there’s simply so much to chase. Ascended Heroes has a plethora of pulls that could be met with gasps – from Illustration Rare to Special Illustration Rare, from Mega Attack Rare to Mega Hyper Rare.
Fezandipiti ex (Special Illustration Rare)
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Fezandipiti ex’s Special Illustration Rare brings ornate, almost art-nouveau flourishes to one of Paldea’s more unusual Legendaries, with a showering of pink petals and theatrical posing.
Steven’s Metagross ex (Special Illustration Rare)
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Steven’s Metagross ex Special Illustration Rare is pure Hoenn fan service. A collected Steven, with his arm retracted, stands in front of his gleaming steel companion, echoing his Champion status and long-running popularity.
Mega Hawlucha ex (Special Illustration Rare)
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Mega Hawlucha ex Special Illustration Rare offers something completely different again, leaning into lucha-libre dynamism with bold lines and ringside energy, making it a surprise favourite. Designed by the incredibly popular AKIRA AGAWA, it’s another one for collectors who follow the artist.
Mega Gengar ex (Mega Attack Rare)
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If you’re chasing a bit of spectacle, Mega Gengar ex Mega Attack Rare is worth flagging too. The card captures Gengar’s chaotic energy in a single, explosive manga-like frame and could easily become a sleeper pick if interest in Mega-focused decks grows.
Final Thoughts
Ascended Heroes feels like a seminal set for the Mega Evolution era, combining a sprawling range of high-impact reimaginings with a handful of lovingly crafted fan-favourite Pokémon. The depth of value is the greatest we’ve seen in some time.
What this means for collectors is that if you are ripping, there’s just so much to chase – all the while harbouring hope of a mythical god pack rip.
Once the set settles post-release, it’s hard to see anything other than long-term climbs for Ascended Heroes. For that reason, it looks like it’s going to be one of the defining sets of the era.
Shop the Ascended Heroes and all things Pokémon TCG — including booster boxes and Elite Trainer Boxes — right here at Gathering Games.
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