Gengar ex
Quick take
- Full Art Ultra Rare, number 193 in Temporal Forces (SV05)
- Stage 2 Psychic-type ex with 310 HP, illustrated by Satoshi Shirai
- Gengar is a top-tier fan favorite, which lifts demand above its rarity tier
- A binder centerpiece for SV05 master set builders
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Temporal Forces
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 193/162 · $52.42 — 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 fan-favorite Ghost in full-art dress
Gengar ex sits at number 193 in Temporal Forces, past the 162-card main set, which marks it as one of the set's Full Art ultra rares. It is a Stage 2 ex with 310 HP, the Gnawing Curse ability, and the Tricky Steps attack. The card sits in a familiar spot on the rarity ladder. The Pokemon on it is the reason it moves faster than most ultra rares in the same set. Gengar is one of the original Generation 1 Ghost types and a name collectors recognize on sight.
“Full Art Ultra Rare, number 193 in Temporal Forces (SV05)”
For master set builders, this is a card you want in clean condition the first time. It turns up raw often enough, but the demand floor under any popular Gengar card stays higher than the rarity alone would suggest. Between the Full Art treatment, the textured holo, and the character recognition, it earns a centerpiece slot in an SV05 binder rather than a filler one.
If you are chasing the full Temporal Forces master set, grab Gengar ex early. It is the kind of name that sees steady pull-from-collection demand, so waiting rarely helps you.
By the numbersMarket analysis
Among Temporal Forces cards, Gengar ex slots in the mid-to-upper ultra rare band. It is not the chase card of the set, but it holds value better than most ultra rares because the Pokemon carries demand on its own. The live market price on this page reflects current condition and grading.
Prices settled after the launch glut cleared, which is normal for modern SV ultra rares. Gengar's name keeps a steady demand floor under the card, so it has held more firmly than generic ultra rares from the same set.
Treat this as a collector card, not a flip. Modern SV ultra rares get printed in large numbers, so upside is capped. The Gengar name gives it more staying power than its peers in the set, which makes it a safer hold than a speculative one. Buy it because you want it in the binder.
A gem-mint grade carries a clear premium over raw, since Full Art cards show edge and surface flaws easily. Most of the realized value lives in PSA 10 or equivalent. Anything below mint sees the premium shrink fast on a modern card this available.
In Scarlet and Violet sets you can expect to hit a Double Rare ex roughly once every five packs, an Illustration Rare around once in twelve, and a Full Art Ultra Rare like this Gengar around once in fifteen. Special Illustration Rares run far longer at about one in ninety, and Hyper Rares are rarer still, somewhere in the one-in-300-to-700 range. Those are the odds for any card of that rarity. Pulling this specific Gengar ex runs much longer, since several ultra rares share that slot, so plan on opening well past fifteen packs on average to land this exact card from boosters.
This sits a step above the Double Rare ex print of Gengar in the same set, and below the set's Special Illustration Rares and Hyper Rares. Within Temporal Forces it is a common-tier ultra rare by print, lifted in desirability by the Pokemon itself.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
Satoshi Shirai is a regular contributor to the Scarlet and Violet era, with credits across multiple recent sets. The work leans into mood and atmosphere, which suits a Ghost type like Gengar.
The Full Art frame puts Gengar front and center against a dark, purple-washed backdrop, with the character's signature grin in clear focus. The figure breaks past the old window border and fills the card, the standard Full Art ex layout for this era.
Full Art ex card with the etched, textured holo finish used for SV ex full arts. The pattern catches light across the whole card face rather than a contained holo window, which is part of why these scratch and scuff more visibly than standard cards.
A beloved character paired with the full-bleed art frame. Gengar's expression and the shadow-heavy palette give the card personality that a plain holo of the same Pokemon would not, and that personality is what collectors are buying.
BackgroundAbout Gengar ex
Gengar debuted in Generation 1 as the final evolution of Gastly and Haunter, and it has stayed near the top of the popularity charts ever since. It is a recognizable face of the franchise's Ghost type and has shown up in games, the anime, and merchandise for decades. That long run of exposure is why a Gengar card carries demand that outpaces its print rarity.
- ›Original Gen 1 Pokemon with decades of recognition
- ›Iconic Ghost-type design with a distinctive grin
- ›Heavy presence in games, anime, and merchandise
- ›Consistent fan-favorite status in community polls
- ›Final evolution of the Gastly line since the Generation 1 games
- ›Recurring appearances across the anime and spin-off titles
- ›A frequent subject of sought-after TCG cards across many eras
Gengar ex is a Stage 2 ex with the Gnawing Curse ability and the Tricky Steps attack. Stage 2 ex lines ask more setup than single-stage attackers, so its tournament footprint has stayed limited. The appeal is overwhelmingly on the collector side.
Own it wellCollector guide
Full Art cards show wear fast. Check the edges for whitening and the textured surface for scratches under angled light. Centering varies on SV full arts, so inspect the border before paying a premium.
Only worth grading if the raw card is genuinely near mint with sharp corners and clean centering. Given how available this card is, a PSA 9 or equivalent does not return much over raw, so grade for gem-mint candidates only. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve it immediately and use a top loader or a card saver for any copy you might grade. Keep it out of direct light to protect the holo, and store upright in a binder with side-loading pages for long-term display. See the storage guide →
Buying raw is fine if you are building a master set. Inspect photos closely for surface scratches on the textured holo. If you want a graded copy, target a gem-mint slab rather than overpaying for a 9, since the premium concentrates at the top grade. See the singles buying guide →
Modern SV cards get faked far less than vintage, but still buy from listings with clear photos. Check the texture pattern, the holo behavior under light, and the print quality of the small text. For anything graded, confirm the cert number against the grader's database.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Reception has been positive, driven mostly by Gengar's fan base rather than the rarity. Collectors treat it as a must-have slot in a Temporal Forces master set and a satisfying pull from boosters.
Discussion centers on Gengar's popularity and the look of the Full Art frame. As a widely available modern ultra rare, it does not generate the frenzy of the set's top SIRs, but it stays a steady talking point among Gengar collectors.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
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