Ascended Heroes Chase Cards (Value + Rankings 2026)
The deepest set of the Mega era, and Gengar is the crown jewel.
By Misprint Editorial | Published Feb 6, 2026 | 5 min read
Most sets have one card everyone wants. Ascended Heroes has about six, which is exactly why it costs over seven grand to complete.
Updated pricing as of early July 2026.
Mega Evolution: Ascended Heroes launched on January 30, 2026, and quickly established itself as the deepest and most valuable set of the Mega Evolution era. With 295 cards it is the largest English set ever printed, and completing it runs north of $7,200, so it is not a casual collector's weekend project. But the chase card lineup is genuinely excellent, led by a Mega Gengar ex that has been the most expensive English card of the year so far, with a Pikachu now closing in on it.
This is our ranked breakdown of the set's top cards, with current values, pull rates, and an honest read on what is worth chasing. Prices are for raw (ungraded) near-mint copies unless noted, and the market moves fast, so check live numbers before you buy. New to the era? Our Mega Evolution ex explainer covers the mechanics and rarity tiers first.
The Chase Card Rankings
| Rank | Card | Rarity | Approx. raw value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mega Gengar ex | Special Illustration Rare | $1,050 to $1,300 |
| 2 | Pikachu ex (#276) | Special Illustration Rare | $980 to $1,300 |
| 3 | Mega Dragonite ex | Special Illustration Rare | $700 to $800 |
| 4 | Mega Charizard Y ex | Mega Hyper Rare (gold) | $550 to $580 |
| 5 | Pikachu ex (#277, Turner art) | Special Illustration Rare | $440 to $470 |
| 6 | Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex | Secret rare | $390 to $415 |
1. Mega Gengar ex SIR
The crown jewel of the set and the most valuable English card of 2026 to date. The Mega Gengar ex Special Illustration Rare pairs a beloved Pokemon with a dark, detailed full-art treatment, and the market has rewarded it accordingly. Raw copies sit between $1,050 and $1,300, and PSA 10s have been selling in the $2,500 to $2,600 range. Part of that graded premium is scarcity of clean copies: the set's foil borders are notorious for centering issues, so gem-mint examples are genuinely hard to make.
If you are chasing one card from Ascended Heroes, this is the one with the strongest case as a long-term hold. We ranked it the most valuable card of the entire era in our most expensive Mega Evolution cards breakdown.
2. Pikachu ex SIR (#276)
The mascot delivers again, and then some. This Pikachu (the booota illustration) traded around $745 in April, then surged roughly 18% in a single month to its current $980 to $1,300 range, putting it within striking distance of the Gengar. PSA 10s have sold for $2,600 to $2,800, which at recent prints is actually more than Gengar 10s bring. Pikachu SIRs have been reliable value anchors across multiple eras; this one is on another trajectory entirely.
3. Mega Dragonite ex SIR
Dragonite is one of the deepest nostalgia plays in the franchise, dating back to the original 151, and the Mega SIR turns that into $700 to $800 of collector demand. As the set's ETB cover Pokemon it gets constant visibility, and it rounds out a top three that is unusually strong.
4. Mega Charizard Y ex Mega Hyper Rare
The set's flagship gold card. Mega Hyper Rares are the full-gold tier of the era, printed in tiny quantities (see the pull rates below), and the Charizard Y version is the one collectors want most, commanding around $560 raw. Notably, it has held its value far better than the base set's gold Lucario and Gardevoir, both of which have fallen by half or more since late 2025.
5. Pikachu ex SIR (#277, Turner Art)
A second, entirely distinct Pikachu ex SIR, illustrated by James Turner in his flat, graphic style. It sits at $440 to $470 and has climbed quietly in its sibling's slipstream. Two premium Pikachu in one set is part of why Ascended Heroes runs so deep. Just double-check card numbers when buying: #276 and #277 are hundreds of dollars apart.
6. Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex
The sleeper of the set at around $400. Villain-branded cards have a devoted collector base, and a Team Rocket Mewtwo is about as strong as that hook gets.
Pull Rates: What You Are Actually Chasing
TCGPlayer opened over 2,000 packs and published confirmed pull rates. Here is what the odds actually look like.
| Rarity | Pull rate |
|---|---|
| Double Rare | 1 in 5 |
| Illustration Rare | 1 in 9 |
| Ultra Rare | 1 in 21 |
| Mega Attack Rare | 1 in 29 |
| Special Illustration Rare | 1 in 70 |
| Mega Hyper Rare | 1 in 540 |
There are also confirmed God Packs, estimated at roughly 1 in 2,000 packs, which contain 3 Mega Attack Rares and 7 Special Illustration Rares. They are a fun lottery layer on top, but not something to factor into any rational buying decision.
Is Ascended Heroes Worth Opening?
The honest answer is the same as it is for most modern sets. If you love opening packs and treat it as entertainment, Ascended Heroes is one of the more rewarding sets of the era because the chase lineup is deep and several cards hold real value. But if your goal is to acquire a specific card, the secondary market is almost always cheaper than chasing it through packs, especially for the Gengar SIR and the gold Mega Hyper Rares.
For the sealed-versus-singles math in general, our look at whether sealed product is a good investment lays out the full picture.
Should You Grade Your Ascended Heroes Hits?
For the top cards, yes. A clean Mega Gengar ex SIR is a clear grading candidate given the PSA 10 premium over raw copies, and the same logic applies to the Pikachu and Dragonite SIRs. For the mid-tier cards, the math gets tighter once you factor in grading fees and turnaround. Our guides on whether grading is worth it and PSA vs CGC resale value walk through the break-even points.
The Bottom Line
Ascended Heroes is the standout set of the Mega Evolution era so far, and it earned that status the honest way: a deep roster of chase cards anchored by fan-favorite Pokemon in the best art treatments. Mega Gengar ex leads at four figures, Pikachu does what Pikachu always does, and the gold Mega Hyper Rares give the set a true case-hit tier.
If you are building a collection, this is the era's richest hunting ground. If you are investing, the Gengar SIR has the strongest fundamentals. And if you just like the thrill of the pull, go in knowing the SIR odds are roughly one per two boxes. For where the broader market sits right now, see our mid-2026 market analysis.
