Mega Feraligatr ex
Quick take
- Special Illustration Rare 274/217 by Souichirou Gunjima, separate from the 043/217 regular print
- One of the more affordable cards in the set's top chase tier
- Released in the special set Mega Evolution: Ascended Heroes on January 30, 2026
- Strong, durable fan demand for the Johto water starter line
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Ascended Heroes
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 274/217 · $84.70 — the only variant this card was printed in (no reverse holo or special pattern), so a master set needs just this one copy.
The storyA loved Johto starter Mega that you can actually afford
Mega Feraligatr ex is the Special Illustration Rare for the Johto water starter in Mega Evolution: Ascended Heroes, the special set released January 30, 2026. The standard full-art print is 043/217 from 5ban Graphics. This SIR is 274/217 and carries art by Souichirou Gunjima, which is the version collectors actually want.
“Special Illustration Rare 274/217 by Souichirou Gunjima, separate from the 043/217 regular print”
It earns a spot in most Ascended Heroes chase lists, but near the bottom of the top tier on price. The set is headlined by cards like Mega Gengar ex and the two Pikachu ex SIRs, which run far higher. A Johto starter SIR at a fraction of those is one of the friendlier flagship cards to land for a master set.
Feraligatr also has staying power. The big-jaw Pokemon has carried a loyal following since Gold and Silver, and a Mega card is the kind of thing those fans wait years for. Character demand plus an accessible price tends to keep a card liquid long after the launch rush fades.
By the numbersMarket analysis
This SIR sits in the top group of Ascended Heroes chase cards but at the low end of that group. It trades as a solid three-figure card, well under the set's headline Megas like Mega Gengar ex and the Pikachu ex SIRs, which run into stronger four-figure territory. For a flagship-rarity card with this much character pull, that is an accessible entry point.
Prices spiked at launch in early 2026 like most chase SIRs, then settled as supply caught up with the special-set distribution. Expect the usual pattern for a popular-character SIR: a softer stretch a few months out, then firmer pricing once boxes stop being opened and graded copies thin the raw market.
Treat this as a buy-because-you-want-it card more than a speculative play. It is not the set's top mover, so the upside is moderate. The flip side is real: durable character demand and an affordable price floor mean it is unlikely to crater. A clean graded copy is the version most likely to appreciate over time.
As a modern SIR, gem-mint graded copies pull a clear premium over raw, since the textured holo and large borders show edge and surface flaws easily. The premium here is meaningful but not extreme, in line with other mid-tier SIRs rather than the set's blue-chip cards.
Ascended Heroes is a special set, so it does not follow the standard Scarlet & Violet booster math, and per-pack SIR odds for this product were not published in a way I could verify. For reference, in standard Scarlet & Violet sets any Special Illustration Rare lands around 1 in 90 packs, and that is for the whole SIR pool. The odds of hitting one specific SIR run far longer, often into the hundreds of packs, because there are many SIRs per set. The practical takeaway is the same here: chasing this exact card from sealed product is a long shot, and most collectors will be better off buying the single.
Within Ascended Heroes, this is one of the more attainable SIRs despite making chase lists. The set's top cards, like Mega Gengar ex and the Pikachu ex SIRs, sit well above it, so Mega Feraligatr ex is the kind of SIR you can land without the blue-chip budget.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
Souichirou Gunjima is a Pokemon TCG illustrator whose name appears on this card's Special Illustration Rare print. The regular full-art version of Mega Feraligatr ex (043/217) was handled by 5ban Graphics instead, so the Gunjima credit is specific to the 274 SIR that collectors target.
This is the Special Illustration Rare treatment, which in this era means a full-bleed scene that extends the art across the whole card rather than the boxed window of the standard print. It puts Mega Feraligatr ex front and center. I could not confirm a precise scene description from a primary source, so I am keeping specifics general here rather than guessing.
SIR cards in this era use a textured holofoil and an expanded art field with minimal framing. That look is part of the appeal, and it is also why condition matters so much: the finish and large borders make whitening, scratches, and print lines easy to spot.
It is the artist-driven, full-art version of a Mega for a beloved Johto starter. The SIR slot is where Pokemon puts its best illustration work, and pairing that treatment with Feraligatr is the draw.
BackgroundAbout Mega Feraligatr ex
Feraligatr is the final form of Totodile, one of the three starters introduced in Gold and Silver for the Johto region. It has stayed a popular pick across generations thanks to its aggressive design and water typing. A Mega Evolution card is a notable moment for the line, since Feraligatr had not previously had a Mega form in the games' established roster the way the original Kanto Megas did.
- ›Nostalgia for the Johto starter trio among players who grew up with Gold and Silver
- ›Feraligatr's fierce, fan-favorite design
- ›Renewed attention on the line from the Mega Evolution era
- ›Water typing, consistently one of the most collected type groups
- ›Final evolution of Totodile, the water-type Johto starter from Pokemon Gold and Silver
- ›Featured as a Mega Evolution Pokemon ex in the 2026 Ascended Heroes special set
Own it wellCollector guide
This card's textured holo and large borders punish handling. The most common issues are edge whitening, surface scratches across the foil, and print lines visible under angled light. Inspect corners and the front surface carefully before buying raw.
Worth grading if you pull or buy a clean copy, since the graded premium on SIRs is real and the population of high grades thins out over time. For an average-condition copy, the grading fee may not pay off given this card's mid-tier price, so be honest about the surface before sending it in. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve in a penny sleeve, then a top loader or one-touch, and keep it out of direct light to protect the foil. For a master set binder, use side-loading pockets to avoid scraping the textured surface every time you flip a page. See the storage guide →
For serious money, buy graded so authentication and condition are settled. For a binder copy, raw near-mint is the value play here given the accessible price. Confirm you are getting the 274/217 SIR and not the 043/217 regular full art, since the numbers and the art differ. See the singles buying guide →
Modern SIRs are harder to fake convincingly than vintage holos, but still verify: check that the holo texture and foil pattern match known genuine copies, confirm the 274/217 collector number and rarity stamp, and look for crisp, correctly registered printing. When in doubt, buy a graded copy from a reputable slab.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
The Johto starter Megas, including Feraligatr, were a talking point when Ascended Heroes was revealed, since fans had long wanted Mega forms for that trio. Reception to this SIR has been positive, helped by the fact that it is reachable compared to the set's pricier headliners.
Most chatter places it among the set's chase cards but flags it as one of the affordable ones, which is a common note in launch coverage and price-guide roundups. I did not find a single dominant viral moment tied specifically to this card.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
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