Alakazam 003
Quick take
- MEP 003 is the Build & Battle Box prerelease promo, not part of the numbered main set
- Features cochi8i artwork made for this promo
- A regular Stage 2 Psychic Alakazam (evolves from Kadabra), not a Mega or ex card
- A scarcer Staff-stamped variant is the genuine chase version of this number
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Mega Evolution Promo
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 3/79 · $170.92 — 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 prerelease promo Alakazam from Mega Evolution's launch
This is MEP 003, the Black Star promo Alakazam included in Mega Evolution Build & Battle Boxes during the prerelease window ahead of the set's wide release. The Build & Battle Box came out as a prelude to the Mega Evolution expansion on September 26, 2025, with prerelease events running on the weekends before that. The card carries new artwork by cochi8i, separate from any in-set print.
“MEP 003 is the Build & Battle Box prerelease promo, not part of the numbered main set”
Prerelease promos like this one sit in a funny spot for master-set builders. They are not part of the numbered main set, so completing the Mega Evolution master set does not technically require it. But the MEP Black Star promos have become their own collecting target, and the prerelease prints are the ones people remember pulling.
The card itself is a Stage 2 Psychic Alakazam at 140 HP that evolves from Kadabra. It is not a Mega or an ex, so it skips the headline Mega Evolution mechanic the set is built around. What it has is Psychic Draw, an ability that lets you draw three cards once during your turn when you play it from hand to evolve one of your Pokemon, plus the Powerful Hand attack that places two damage counters on the opponent's Active Pokemon for each card in your hand. That gave it a brief moment as a budget engine piece while the format settled.
The more interesting collector angle is the Staff-stamped version. A separate Staff print of 003 exists and is far scarcer than the standard promo, and it trades at a clear premium over the base card.
By the numbersMarket analysis
The standard MEP 003 promo is an affordable, entry-level promo. It is the kind of card you grab raw for next to nothing and slot straight into a binder. The Staff-stamped variant is a different conversation and commands a clear multiple over the base print because so few exist.
Promo prints from a brand-new set tend to soften once the prerelease hype fades and supply settles, and that is roughly what happened here after the September 2025 launch. The base card has drifted to a stable, low floor. The Staff version holds firmer because its supply is capped.
The base promo is a binder card, not an investment. Plenty were printed and handed out, and there is no real scarcity pressure. The Staff stamp is the only version with an upside argument, and even that depends on long-term interest in the MEP promo block rather than gameplay or set-completion demand.
Grading the base promo rarely makes financial sense given how cheap raw copies are and how recent the print is. A clean gem-grade slab on the Staff variant is where grading can pay off, since condition-sensitive scarce promos reward high grades.
There is no booster pull rate for this card. MEP 003 was not seeded into Mega Evolution packs. It came in Mega Evolution Build & Battle Boxes as one of the foil prerelease promos, obtained at random when you bought a box through a prerelease event. So you got it by buying or playing the prerelease product rather than ripping boosters. The Staff version is much harder to find than the standard copy.
Compared to a chase Special Illustration Rare or Hyper Rare from the main Mega Evolution set, the base promo is trivially easy to acquire. The Staff stamp is the only part of this card's story that lives in genuine-scarcity territory, and even then it is promo-rare rather than set-completion-critical.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
cochi8i is the credited illustrator on this MEP 003 print. The artwork was made for this promo and is not reused from an in-set Alakazam. I could not verify a detailed body of work for this artist from the sources I checked, so I am keeping the attribution to what the card databases confirm.
The card depicts Alakazam, the Psi Pokemon, wielding its psychic powers and holding its trademark spoons. I confirmed the illustrator and that the art is specific to the 003 print, but I could not pull a reliable shot-by-shot description of the full scene, so I will not invent finer details about the composition.
Standard holofoil promo treatment with the MEP Black Star promo stamp and the 003 number. A separate Staff-stamped variant exists, and the Staff stamp is the visual tell that separates the scarce print from the common one.
It is a launch-window prerelease promo with cochi8i art you will not find on the in-set Alakazam. The Staff stamp turns an otherwise common card into something hunters actually look for.
BackgroundAbout Alakazam 003
Alakazam has been a fixture in Pokemon since the original Red and Blue era, sitting near the top of the Psychic-type pile alongside its Abra and Kadabra line. It is one of the most recognizable Gen 1 Pokemon and has appeared across many TCG sets over the years, which keeps steady collector interest in any new Alakazam print.
- ›Original 151 Pokemon with strong nostalgia pull
- ›Iconic spoon-bending psychic design
- ›Long run of desirable TCG cards across eras
- ›The final stage of the Abra line
- ›Featured in Red, Blue, and Yellow as a top Psychic-type
- ›Mega Alakazam introduced in Pokemon X and Y
This print is not a competitive staple. Psychic Draw is a clean draw effect on an evolution turn, but the card saw only fringe play. The Mega Evolution format spotlight belongs to the set's Mega ex cards, not a Stage 2 promo.
Own it wellCollector guide
Holo promos from Build & Battle Boxes can pick up edge wear and surface scratches in transit and handling, so check the holo layer under angled light. Centering on these promos varies, which matters more for the Staff variant than the common one. On the Staff version, the stamp should be crisp.
Skip grading the standard 003 unless you have a flawless copy and want a cheap registry filler. For the Staff-stamped variant, grading makes more sense because the scarcity rewards a high grade and protects the premium. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve and toploader the base card if you want it binder-ready. For the Staff version, use a sealed semi-rigid holder or send it to grading, since it is the one with real value to protect. See the storage guide →
Buy the base promo raw and cheap, no need to overthink it. For the Staff variant, confirm you are paying for the Staff stamp and not the standard 003, because listings sometimes blur the two. Buy the Staff print graded once you are spending real money. See the singles buying guide →
Verify the MEP Black Star promo stamp and the 003 number. The key check on the premium version is the Staff stamp, which careless sellers misrepresent most often. Compare the holo pattern and font against a known-good database scan before paying a Staff premium.
Protect your card
Low Chase Score — basic protection is plenty. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Collectors treated MEP 003 as a solid free-with-purchase prerelease pull rather than a card to hunt. The standard copy is well-liked but not coveted. Most of the conversation around the number is about separating the common print from the scarcer Staff version.
Interest spiked around the Mega Evolution prerelease window in September 2025 when people were opening Build & Battle Boxes, then settled. The Staff stamp keeps a small steady thread of demand among promo and stamp specialists.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
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