The 20 Most Expensive Ascended Heroes Pokemon Cards
Wondering what the top Ascended Heroes chase cards are now that the set is out?
Slated for a very rolling release that started January 30, 2026 and continues throughout the beginning of the year, from the looks of things, Ascended Heroes is as big of a set as any we’ve seen lately.
Ascended Heroes includes cards from Japanese sets Mega Dream ex and Start Deck 100 Battle Collection which both released late 2025 and it has plenty of desirable cards in it. Thanks to plenty of confirmed market data on TCGPlayer, we have a solid look at what the top Ascended Heroes cards are truly worth. See the top 20 most expensive Ascended Heroes chase cards below!
#1 Mega Gengar ex – Special Illustration Rare is the most expensive card in Ascended Heroes
Market price: $830
While Phantasmal Flames will go down in history as a Mega Charizard X ex set, Ascended Heroes could very well end up being best known for its definitive chase card: Mega Gengar ex Special Illustration Rare.
Mega Gengar ex was one of the first Ascended Heroes cards officially revealed in English. News of its inclusion sent shockwaves through the hobby as the last time we had a Gengar alt that was this exciting was way back in Fusion Strike during the Sword and Shield era of the Pokemon TCG. According to TCGPlayer, that Gengar VMAX is worth over $700 – a comparison which won’t hurt Mega Gengar ex’s value.
#2 Mega Charizard Y ex – Mega Hyper Rare
Market price: $638
From the get-go, Mega Charizard Y ex felt like a huge card. After all, Charizard is one of the most bankable Pokemon of all time capable of front-lining entire sets themed around it. And while Mega Charizard Y ex may be the less popular of the two mega versions of this iconic Pokemon, clearly it’s still got enough star power to drive its way all the way to the second spot on this list.
Of course, popularity isn’t the only thing going for this card: Mega Hyper Rare cards are notoriously hard to pull, granting extra value from its scarcity alone. Combine that with curb appeal and you have not only one of the top chase cards of this set, but perhaps one of the most valuable cards in the entire Mega Evolution era of the Pokemon TCG.
#3 Mega Dragonite ex – Special Illustration Rare
Market price: $516
While Mega Gengar ex SIR may top the charts for most valuable Special Illustration Rare in the set, the Mega Dragonite ex SIR also has a strong claim to the throne. Stylistically, this Mega Dragonite ex SIR follows the lead of Mega Charizard X ex from Phantasmal Flames by being casually displayed surrounded by the ethereal images of its evolution line behind it.
Already, this card is proving to be a huge chase. While it’s not soaring to the very top of the list, data from TCGPlayer shows how in-demand Dragonite is. At this rate, the Mega Dragonite SIR from Ascended Heroes could end up taking the top spot as most valuable modern Dragonite card, beating out even the other most recent Dragonite alt art in terms of value from back in Evolving Skies.
#4 Pikachu ex – Special Illustration Rare
Market price: $516
This Pikachu ex SIR was originally released as a promo in Japan alongside the Start Deck 100 Battle Collection, and as such I felt very suspicious as to whether or not we’d get it in Ascended Heroes. However, it has been confirmed to be included in the set, and unlike the other Pikachu ex SIR we get, this one isn’t an alternate art of a previously released card. It is instead a brand new card with a brand new artwork never seen before – clearly meant to be a collector’s item rather than a played card with that weak attack.
Newness and novelty, however, drive this card up to the higher echelons of value in Ascended Heroes.
#5 Mega Dragonite ex – Mega Hyper Rare
Market price: $458
As predicted ahead of the release, the Mega Dragonite ex Mega Hyper Rare card is one of the most valuable cards in the set, although not the defining chase card of them all. Still, this card is worth a lot of money, with early market data putting it in a price range that would easily make it the top card in a lesser Pokemon TCG set.
If that price point holds, the Mega Hyper Rare featuring this iconic and nostalgic Pokemon could end up defying expectations and even outperforming its SIR counterpart from the set!
#6 Pikachu ex – Special Illustration Rare
Market price: $364
Ascended Heroes really is self-conscious of the Pokemon TCG’s latest and greatest Pokemon TCG packs, featuring this creative and cute look alternate art of the Pikachu ex SIR that many (myself included) credit in part with setting off the renewed excitement for the Pokemon TCG when it was released in Surging Sparks.
While the SIR from Surging Sparks is arguably better from an artistic standpoint, it really does further prove that Ascended Heroes is a “greatest hit” album from the last few years of the Pokemon TCG, much like Prismatic Evolutions was before it.
#7 Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex – Special Illustration Rare
Listing price: $336
Here we have an alternate and even darker look at Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex SIR that’s already rivaling the original released in Destined Rivals in value. With a more abstract take on this dynamically evil duo than what we saw in its original SIR, the Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex SIR in we got in Destined Rivals was one of the most expensive Pokemon cards of 2025. This epic chase shows positive signs headed in that direction, while it’s still not likely to catch up with the original in the long run.
#8 Lillie’s Clefairy ex – Special Illustration Rare
Market price: $247
Ascended Heroes is full of revamped Special Illustration Rare cards that were originally part of Journey Together. The most valuable of the three, however, is this Lillie’s Clefairy ex SIR. While the original Lillie’s Clefairy ex was nice, my money is on this card performing even better on the secondary card market over time than its predecessor. A competitively viable Pokemon featuring one of the franchise’s most beloved trainers equates to Pokemon TCG collector gold.
What’s more, there’s an up-close-and-personal feel to this card that spreads warmth through you just looking at it. You get a strong sense for the bond between Pokemon and trainer while the colors and texture exude summer vibes — just like some of Lillie’s other recent SIRs manage to convey.
#9 Mega Feraligatr ex – Special Illustration Rare
Market price: $193
Mega Feraligatr ex was revealed at the same time as the Meganium and the Emboar. However, it shares clear thematic ties with the former as it, too, is a Mega form of a Johto starter. What’s more, Mega Feraligatr ex may be the hardest hitting Pokemon card we’ve had in the Pokemon TCG in a long while, easily hitting for 400 damage. It’s an insane card, and insane artwork that’s collecting a surprisingly high market value early on.
#10 N’s Zoroark ex – Special Illustration Rare
Market price: $164
Here we have this captivating look at N’s Zoroark ex SIR that very much follows the same kind of abstract floral patterns that made the Prismatic Evolution chase cards like Umbreon ex SIR really stand out. While we already had a very cool looking SIR of this card back in Journey Together, I like this one even better, and wouldn’t be surprised to see it overwhelm the $60 price tag the original currently commands on TCGPlayer.
#11 Fezandipiti ex – Special Illustration Rare
Market price: $138
Fezandipiti ex is here partly because of how vital it is to the Pokemon TCG meta and partly because of how beautiful it is. While the card is gorgeous with a direct homage to the video game, this card’s value will largely be driven by how omnipresent Fezandipiti is in the Pokemon TCG thanks to its powerful Flip the Script. Sometimes competitive viability and collectibility collide in cards like these.
While the SIR we got in Shrouded Fable looked nice, this artwork is on a whole different level, and makes me really excited for spring.
#12 Iono’s Bellibolt ex – Special Illustration Rare
Market price: $130
It’s nice to see Trainer’s Pokemon featured so prominently in this special Pokemon set. After all, they played a huge role in the Pokemon TCG in 2025 – the year that saw them officially return to the game for the first time in nearly decades. While we did get an SIR of this same duo back in Journey Together, this alternate art is somehow even more satisfying. Iono was a super popular trainer from the Scarlet and Violet era, and this card is a fantastic sendoff for one of the most bankable trainer cards from that era.
#13 Marnie’s Grimmsnarl ex – Special Illustration Rare
Market price: $120
Marnie’s Grimmsnarl consistently ranks among the strongest Pokemon TCG decks which means tons of players will want to grab this card to bling out their decks. Meanwhile, Marnie herself is a pretty popular trainer, so you know collectors are going to crazy for an alt art featuring her with her Pokemon.
#14 Steven's Metagross ex
Market price $112
This is the first time this particular Steven’s Metagross ex has received an alt art treatment, making a pretty compelling chase. It may not have the same competitive appeal that bolster’s Marnie’s SIR, but the artwork and uniqueness of this art propell it to the Ascended Heroes top 20.
#15 Mega Meganium ex – Special Illustration Rare
Market price: $109
Another of the Johto starters in this set, Mega Meganium ex SIR portrays an exciting combination of Mega Evolution energy with a pastoral and floral setting that seems to be resonating well with collectors. Players, on the other hand, will be even more excited for the powerful Mega Meganium ex deck which harnesses the full effect of all the grass support that’s been added to the TCG. Yet the SIR doesn’t need a boost from being playable competitively: it’s a memorable enough card on its own to drive a high value on the secondary card market.
#16 Mega Diancie ex – Special Illustration Rare
Market price: $107
This Kalos original fits perfectly into the theming of the current era of the Pokemon TCG. However, it may be the gorgeous artwork illustrated by Narano that sets this original SIR print apart, combined with Mega Diancie’s popularity in competitive play.
#17 Mega Hawlucha ex – Special Illustration Rare
Market price: $101
Originally leaked via its own unique trailer that sees Mega Hawlucha ex standing on the ropes of a wrestling ring, this is the first time we’ve had Mega Hawlucha in the Pokemon TCG. With the blue/yellow swirls and colors that are a staple of the Mega Evolution era, combined with a very unique protective ability and a strong attack, Mega Hawlucha ex will be very tempting to build around especially in fighting decks like Mega Lucario ex.
#18 Mega Froslass ex – Special Illustration Rare
Market price: $97
This card gets bonus points for its incredible artistry, looking like something you’d see in an art gallery rather than on a trading card. Mega Froslass is yet another of the newly introduced Mega Pokemon for the Pokemon Z-A game, and as such gets some added hype from collectors looking to bag this Pokemon entering the Pokemon TCG for the first time.
#19 Mega Emboar ex – Special Illustration Rare
Market price: $94
Clearly fans harbor a special place in their heart for the Unova Region. While Emboar might not have the broader appeal of a Mega Johto Pokemon, it’s still a memorable evolution of a beloved starter. While it’s value is trending down slightly, it’s still holding up decent value, showing staying power in a volatile singles market. Will that value hold up when Ascended Heroes releases more broadly? Perhaps not – but this early market data is a very positive sign.
#20 Psyduck – Illustration Rare
Market price: $83
I’m so stoked to close out this list of top 20 Ascended Heroes cards with my personal pick for sleeper chase for the set – the Psyduck Illustration Rare! From the moment Ascended Heroes came out, it felt like Psyduck would be the “it” Illustration Rare from this set – one that would punch far above its weight on the secondary card market the way other hot IRs have done in recent sets. Weeks later, Psyduck is continuing to show resilience on the market, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it’s ranking only increase in relation to the rest of the cards on this list!
The original preview of Ascended Heroes made the set look big. With over 30 Pokémon and Trainer cards with special illustrations and a whopping 290 cards total, Ascended Heroes looked promising. With established market value showing just how much these cards are worth, it’s clear that this set is one of the biggest of the modern Pokemon TCG sets. Stay tuned – as more packs are cracked I’ll be updating this guide with current market data!
