Stevens Metagross ex
Quick take
- Special Illustration Rare (#289) from Ascended Heroes, the first special set of the Mega Evolution era
- Illustrated by chibi, tying Steven Stone to his signature Metagross
- Metal-type Stage 2 ex with 340 HP, the X-Boot Ability, and the Metal Stomp attack
- A chase card for master set builders, sitting above the main numbered run
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Ascended Heroes
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 289/217 · $67.85 — the only variant this card was printed in (no reverse holo or special pattern), so a master set needs just this one copy.
The storySteven's ace gets the Special Illustration Rare treatment in the first Mega Evolution special set
Ascended Heroes launched January 30, 2026 as the first special expansion in the Mega Evolution series. Steven's Metagross ex is the Special Illustration Rare, number 289 in a set built around Trainer's Pokemon. The card ties a long-running Hoenn character to one of the most recognizable Steel Pokemon in the franchise.
“Special Illustration Rare (#289) from Ascended Heroes, the first special set of the Mega Evolution era”
Metagross has been Steven Stone's ace since Ruby and Sapphire. Seeing it as a full-scene SIR by chibi gives the card pull well beyond the play table. Trainer's Pokemon cards reward set builders who care about character lore, and this is the headline Steel-type entry. As a card numbered above the set's base count, it sits in the chase tier rather than the main run.
For master set builders, this is one of the cards that defines completion. You can finish most of Ascended Heroes without much trouble. The high-numbered Special Illustration Rares like this one are where the budget and the patience go.
By the numbersMarket analysis
Steven's Metagross ex sits in the mid tier of Ascended Heroes Special Illustration Rares. It carries a real collector premium but trades below the set's top Mega rares and headline chase cards. The live market price is shown elsewhere on this page.
As a recent release, pricing is still settling. Early SIR prices for new sets tend to spike at launch, soften as supply works through specialty products, then firm up for the cards with lasting character demand. Steven and Metagross have the kind of recognition that usually supports a price floor over time.
A reasonable long-term hold for the character appeal, but not a top-of-set speculative pick. The best returns in this set will likely come from the headline Mega rares. Think of this one as a card you want for the binder that should hold value, rather than a flip.
A clean PSA 10 or CGC 10 commands a clear premium over raw copies, as is typical for modern SIRs. A 9 sits much closer to ungraded near-mint, so gem-mint is where the graded value concentrates.
Special Illustration Rares are among the scarcest cards in modern Pokemon sets. As a rough guide, any SIR pulls somewhere around 1 in 90 packs, but that is the figure for hitting any SIR in the set. The odds for one specific SIR like Steven's Metagross ex run far longer, often into the hundreds of packs, because each set carries several different ones. Ascended Heroes packs ship through specialty products rather than traditional booster boxes, so most collectors find it cheaper and faster to buy the single than to chase it from sealed.
Compared to the Double Rares and Illustration Rares that fill out the main run, this card is a real step up in scarcity. It is rarer than the standard ex cards but not as scarce as the set's very top Mega rares and Hyper Rares.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
chibi is a Pokemon TCG illustrator credited with this Special Illustration Rare. The artist places Steven's Metagross in an expanded illustrated frame rather than the standard card window.
This is the full-scene Special Illustration Rare treatment, which extends the art across the whole card and pairs the Trainer's signature Pokemon with a larger illustrated setting. The SIR format for Trainer's Pokemon cards in this era leans on dynamic, character-driven scenes.
Special Illustration Rare with full holographic treatment, numbered 289/217, above the set's base count of 217. It is a Metal-type Stage 2 ex with 340 HP, Fire weakness, Grass resistance, and a retreat cost of 3.
The SIR pairing of Steven Stone with Metagross is the draw. It takes a Pokemon that has been tied to one character across two decades of games and gives it the premium full-art frame collectors look for.
BackgroundAbout Stevens Metagross ex
Metagross is a Steel and Psychic pseudo-legendary that debuted in Ruby and Sapphire, the final evolution of Beldum and Metang. It is best known as the signature Pokemon of Steven Stone, the Hoenn League Champion and stone collector. That pairing has shown up across games, anime, and the TCG for years, which is exactly why a Trainer's Pokemon card like this lands with collectors.
- ›Signature Pokemon of Steven Stone, a recurring fan-favorite Champion
- ›Pseudo-legendary status and a strong competitive history in the video games
- ›Distinctive four-armed Steel design that stands out in any binder
- ›Long association with Hoenn nostalgia from the Ruby and Sapphire era
- ›Steven Stone's ace throughout the Hoenn games and their remakes
- ›Featured across multiple TCG sets as a Steel-type heavy hitter
Own it wellCollector guide
Full-art SIRs show edge whitening and surface scratches easily because of the holo treatment. Check the corners and the dark areas of the art under good light, where handling marks show up fastest.
Worth grading if you have a copy with clean edges and a flat surface. The premium for a PSA 10 or CGC 10 over raw makes gem-mint the target. A 9 narrows the gap a lot, so only submit copies that look genuinely flawless out of the pack. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve it in a penny sleeve inside a top loader or a one-touch right away. Keep it out of direct light and away from humidity. For binder storage, use side-loading pages so the card does not slide against the holo surface. See the storage guide →
Buy the single rather than chasing packs, since this set ships through specialty products and specific-card pull odds are long. For raw copies, ask for clear photos of all four corners and the surface. For serious money, buy graded so condition is verified and counterfeits are off the table. See the singles buying guide →
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Steven's Metagross ex landed as one of the cards collectors single out from Ascended Heroes, helped by the character pairing and the SIR treatment. Reception leans on the long-standing fanbase for Steven and Metagross rather than on competitive hype.
Discussion around the card centers on the chibi art and the Trainer's Pokemon theme of the set. As with most new releases, early chatter focuses on pull luck and where prices settle once supply works through specialty products.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
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