Ascended Heroes: What to Buy (Pokémon TCG Buying Guide)

The Chase Card Lineup, Seven Months Later

Mega Gengar ex
Special Illustration Rare
~$930–960

Mega Charizard Y ex
Mega Hyper Rare
~$650

Mega Gengar ex has held its position as the set’s single most valuable card since launch — that kind of staying power seven months out is rare for any chase card, let alone one from a set this large. A few tiers below it: Mega Dragonite ex (the set’s mascot card) runs $550–570 across its Special Illustration and Mega Hyper Rare printings, and a full-art Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rare trades around $500. All four are still well above what most single Pokémon chase cards settle at even months post-release — a real signal this set’s overall power level and popularity haven’t faded the way most sets’ hype-driven prices do.

Why Mega Gengar ex Has Held Its Value

Most chase cards follow the same arc: a presale spike, a hard correction in the first month or two, then a long, slow bleed as supply catches up with demand. Mega Gengar ex broke that pattern. Seven months post-release it’s still trading close to its peak — likely a combination of genuine competitive playability (Gengar decks have stayed relevant in the current format), strong Special Illustration Rare artwork, and Gengar’s broad character popularity beyond just the TCG. When a chase card’s value comes from more than one of those factors at once, it tends to resist the correction that hits single-factor hype cards much harder.

Packs vs. Box vs. Singles: What Actually Makes Sense

At $13–14 a pack, buying individual packs to chase a specific card is close to the worst way to approach this set — with 13 possible Mega Evolution ex targets, your odds of any one specific pull are thin even by chase-card standards. A full box narrows that math slightly through sheer volume, but at ~$470–490 you’re paying a real premium for the chance, not a guarantee.

If there’s one card you specifically want — Mega Gengar ex, say — buying it as a single is almost always the better move mathematically than gambling packs to open it, especially seven months post-release when supply has settled. Boxes make more sense if you want the drafting/opening experience itself, or if you’re chasing “anything in the Mega Evolution ex pool” rather than one specific card, since the wider target list means a box is more likely to land something chase-tier even if it’s not your first choice.

Ascended Heroes vs. Pitch Black: Which Represents Better Value?

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Neither set is objectively “better value” — they suit different goals. Ascended Heroes rewards patience and a genuine interest in the specific chase cards, since the top pulls have proven durable rather than fading. Pitch Black is the cheaper entry point with a shorter, more targeted chase list, better suited to someone who wants a realistic shot at pulling a top-tier card rather than betting on a specific one holding value for months.

What to Skip

Skip loose packs if you’re chasing one specific card — with 13 possible Mega Evolution ex targets in the pool, your odds on any single pull are thin even by chase-card standards. Skip the box too unless you want the opening experience itself or are happy with any chase-tier hit rather than one specific card; at $470–490 you’re paying a real premium for a chance, not a guarantee.