Pikachu ex
Quick take
- Special Illustration Rare numbered 277/217, a secret-rare slot in Ascended Heroes
- Art by James Turner, who designed Pokemon at Game Freak before leaving in 2022
- Pikachu's universal demand keeps interest high regardless of set hype cycles
- A budget anchor for anyone building the Ascended Heroes master set
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Ascended Heroes
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 277/217 · $301.51 — the only variant this card was printed in (no reverse holo or special pattern), so a master set needs just this one copy.
The storyThe Pikachu SIR that anchors Ascended Heroes
Ascended Heroes landed January 30, 2026 as the first special expansion in the Mega Evolution series, themed around Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Pikachu ex sits at 277/217, past the numbered base set, which marks it as one of the secret-rare cards in the product. It is a Special Illustration Rare, the tier collectors care about most after the Hyper Rares.
“Special Illustration Rare numbered 277/217, a secret-rare slot in Ascended Heroes”
Two things make this card a default chase. It's Pikachu, the most collected face in the hobby, so demand never depends on the set staying relevant. The art is by James Turner, who designed Pokemon at Game Freak for years before leaving in 2022, and his card work tends to be stylized rather than a generic full-art splash. Put a Pikachu SIR in a special set with a strong theme and you get a card that master-set builders treat as a must-have.
For a master set of Ascended Heroes, this is one of the cards that defines the budget. You can grind most of the set through singles and packs, but the headline SIRs, this Pikachu among them, are where the real spend lands.
By the numbersMarket analysis
This sits near the top of the Ascended Heroes chase list. As a Pikachu Special Illustration Rare in a hyped special set, it carries a strong three-figure raw price, well above the set's Double Rares and Illustration Rares. Live market price is shown elsewhere on this page.
Brand-new card from a January 2026 release, so the price history is short and still settling. Early-release SIRs from popular sets usually spike at launch, then drift as supply catches up, before stabilizing once the set is off shelves. Treat any number from the first few months as a moving target.
Pikachu SIRs from notable sets tend to hold interest better than most chase cards because the demand base is so wide. That said, this is a fresh release and special-set economics are still shaking out. Buy it because you want it for the set, not as a flip. If you do care about value, a clean graded copy is the safer long-term hold.
Modern SIRs live and die by centering and surface. PSA 10 copies command a clear premium over raw, while a 9 often sits close to ungraded once grading fees are counted. The gap between a 10 and a 9 on a card this chased can be large, so condition matters before you submit.
Ascended Heroes is part of the Scarlet & Violet-era product family, so the broad rarity odds apply. Across these sets, any Special Illustration Rare lands at roughly 1 in 90 packs. That's the rate for hitting any SIR, not this specific one. The set carries more than 20 SIRs, so the odds of pulling this exact Pikachu run far longer, often into the hundreds of packs. Worth noting too: Ascended Heroes packs aren't sold in traditional booster boxes, so most people will chase this through specialty products or just buy the single.
An SIR is rarer than a set's Double Rares (about 1 in 5) and Illustration Rares (about 1 in 12), but more common than the Hyper Rares (about 1 in 300 to 700). For a single named card like this Pikachu, the singles market is how most collectors will acquire it rather than ripping packs.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
James Turner is a British designer who spent years at Game Freak, where he was art director on Pokemon Sword and Shield and designed Pokemon including the Golurk and Vanillite lines. He left Game Freak in 2022 to start his own studio. His TCG illustrations lean toward a clean, stylized look rather than busy realism, which makes his cards stand out in a set.
This is a Tera Pikachu ex, and the art reflects that. Pikachu is shown with a crown and surrounded by faceted, gem-like crystals tied to the Terastal motif, against a bright background. It is a full-art Special Illustration Rare, so the character breaks out of the standard card frame across the whole face. I'm keeping the finer scene details general since framing reads differently depending on the source image, but the bright, energetic treatment is consistent with Turner's style.
Special Illustration Rare full-art holo. Lightning-type Basic Pokemon with 200 HP, and a Tera card, so it carries the Tera trait alongside its ability. The card uses the extended-art treatment standard to the SIR tier, with the holo pattern covering the full face rather than just a window.
Pikachu plus a named artist plus the top rarity tier short of Hyper Rare. That combination is why this card gets pulled out of binders first. The Tera crystal theming also gives it a hook beyond just being another Pikachu, which helps it read as part of the Z-A set rather than a generic mascot card.
BackgroundAbout Pikachu ex
Pikachu is the franchise mascot and the single most recognizable Pokemon in the world. In the TCG, Pikachu cards have been printed in nearly every era and almost always draw collector attention beyond their playability. A Pikachu in a desirable rarity tier is effectively guaranteed demand.
- ›Franchise mascot with the widest possible recognition
- ›Pikachu cards cross over to non-TCG collectors and casual buyers
- ›Special Illustration Rare treatment makes this a display-grade card
- ›Ties into the Pokemon Legends: Z-A theme of the set
- ›Headline Special Illustration Rare of Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes (2026)
- ›Part of the first special expansion in the Mega Evolution series
Pikachu ex carries the Resolute Heart ability (if it has full HP and would be Knocked Out by an attack, it survives at 10 HP) and the Topaz Bolt attack for 300 damage with a three-Energy discard cost. As a Tera card it also takes no attack damage while on the Bench. That said, the Special Illustration Rare is bought for the collection, not the table. Play copies are far cheaper in lower rarities.
Own it wellCollector guide
Full-art SIRs show wear fast. Check centering first, then look along the holo edges for chipping and at the surface under angled light for print lines or scratches. The dark borders on modern cards make even small edge nicks obvious, so handle with care straight out of the pack.
This is a strong candidate for grading given the demand on Pikachu SIRs. If your copy is well centered with a clean surface, a PSA 10 carries a real premium. If centering is off or there's any surface flaw, the grade gap can wipe out the upside, so inspect honestly before paying submission fees. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve it the moment you pull or receive it, then put it in a top loader or a graded-card-style holder. Keep it out of direct light and away from heat and humidity. For a card you may grade later, avoid penny sleeves with heavy seams that can press the surface. See the storage guide →
Since this is a 2026 release, prices are still settling, so don't chase a launch spike if you can wait. For a raw copy, buy from sellers with clear, well-lit photos showing all four corners and the centering. If you're spending real money, a graded copy removes the condition guesswork. Cross-check the listing price against a couple of marketplaces before committing. See the singles buying guide →
Counterfeiting of brand-new modern cards happens but is less of a minefield than with vintage. Compare the holo pattern and texture against a known-genuine SIR, check the font and the energy symbols, and be wary of prices well below market. For a card at this value, buying graded or from established sellers is the simplest safeguard.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
As a Pikachu Special Illustration Rare in the first Mega Evolution special set, this landed on most collectors' want lists immediately. Mascot, top rarity tier, and a named artist is a reliable formula for sustained interest.
Ascended Heroes drew strong attention at launch as the kickoff of the Mega Evolution series and for its Pokemon Legends: Z-A theme. Pikachu SIRs consistently generate pull posts and want-to-buy threads, and this one slots into that pattern. I'm keeping specific sales figures off this page since the market is fresh and still moving.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
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Plan your Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes master set
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