Pokemon TCG’s Mega Evolution era keeps rolling, and the newest expansion, Mega Evolution: Chaos Rising (ME04), hit shelves on May 22, 2026. The set leans hard into the Mega Evolution mechanic introduced earlier this year, adding five new Mega Evolution ex Pokemon and a fresh wave of Special Illustration Rares that collectors are already chasing hard.
Chaos Rising totals 122 cards (86 in the base set plus 36 secret rares and special variants), including 11 Illustration Rares, 18 Ultra Rares, and 6 Special Illustration Rares. If you’ve been collecting since the Mega Evolution relaunch, this set is the one to watch for the rest of the summer.
The Mega Evolution Mechanic, Recapped
Mega Evolution ex cards build on the original ex rule box, but add a Mega Evolve action: instead of evolving normally, you place the Mega Evolution ex card directly on top of its Evolution or Basic Pokemon, skipping a stage and immediately gaining a powerful Mega-exclusive Ability or attack. Like other ex Pokemon, your opponent takes two Prize cards when a Mega Evolution ex is knocked out, so building a deck around them is a high-risk, high-reward proposition.
Chaos Rising introduces five new Mega Evolution ex Pokemon: Mega Greninja ex, Mega Floette ex, Mega Pyroar ex, Mega Dragalge ex, and Mega Gallade ex. Mega Greninja ex in particular has become the chase card of the set, headlining both a Special Illustration Rare and a Mega Hyper Rare print.
Top Chase Cards from Chaos Rising
Here are the seven cards from ME04 currently commanding the highest prices on the secondary market, based on recent secondary-market listings.
Mega Greninja ex #116/86 (SIR) currently tops the set at roughly $476, thanks to its striking full-art illustration and its status as the set’s signature Mega Evolution. The same Pokemon also appears as #122/86, a Mega Hyper Rare worth around $375 — giving collectors two very different but equally desirable versions of the same card to hunt for.
Cinccino ex #119/86 (SIR) rounds out the top three at around $100, an unexpected standout given Cinccino’s relatively minor role in competitive play — proof that illustration quality alone can drive secondary market demand in this set.
Mega Dragalge ex #118/86 (SIR) and Mega Floette ex #117/86 (SIR) sit in the $65-$80 range, both benefiting from being part of the new Mega Evolution lineup. Support cards like AZ’s Tranquility #120/86 and Roxie’s Performance #121/86 (both SIRs, $40-$52) show that supporter and trainer SIRs continue to hold real value in this set, not just the headline Pokemon.
Keep Reading: Best Card Sleeves for MTG and Pokemon TCG in 2026 · Pokemon TCG Pocket: Pokopia Best Cards and What to Pull
Should You Be Buying Chaos Rising Booster Boxes?
With six Special Illustration Rares spread across only 122 total cards, pull rates for the chase cards in Chaos Rising are tighter than in some recent sets, which has kept booster box prices elevated since release. If your goal is to pull Mega Greninja ex specifically, booster boxes are still a gamble — singles of the SIR are already widely available and, for most collectors, will end up being the more cost-effective route to owning the card.
That said, if you’re collecting for the long haul rather than flipping singles, sealed Chaos Rising product is likely to hold its value well given the strength of the Mega Evolution theme and the relatively low SIR count. Just don’t expect to “pull your way” to a profit on a single box.
Final Verdict
Mega Evolution: Chaos Rising delivers exactly what the Mega Evolution era promised: bigger, flashier evolutions with genuinely impactful in-game effects, wrapped in some of the best illustration work the TCG has produced this year. Whether you’re chasing Mega Greninja ex for your binder or just want a deck that can swing big in the new Mega Evolution format, ME04 is worth picking up sooner rather than later — prices on the top SIRs are only trending upward since the May 22 release.
Keep Reading: MTG Universes Beyond: Every Crossover Set, Ranked
TCGPlayer has the best prices on Magic, Pokemon, Dragon Ball, and Riftbound singles — with seller ratings and buyer protection.
