Ascended Heroes: Ultimate Guide to the Amazing 295-Card Set
Ascended Heroes is the biggest English Pokémon TCG set ever printed. With 295 cards, it beat the previous record held by Fusion Strike and gave collectors a huge celebration of the Scarlet and Violet stars alongside the new Mega Evolution Pokémon. This guide explains everything about Ascended Heroes: when it was released, how the card list is laid out, which chase cards matter most, what the new Mega Attack Rare rarity is, and which products are worth opening in Australia.
Ascended Heroes is a special set, which means it works a little differently from main expansions like Phantasmal Flames or Perfect Order. It mixes brand-new cards with fresh artwork for favourites from the past year, so it appeals to collectors who want a big, varied binder.
Table of Contents
Ascended Heroes release date and key facts
- Release date: 30 January 2026, with the first wave of products
- Elite Trainer Boxes: followed in February 2026, with later product waves into April
- Total cards: 295, made up of 217 main set cards and 78 secret rares
- Set type: the first special expansion of the Mega Evolution Series
- Japanese sources: the MEGA Dream ex high class pack and the Start Deck 100 Battle Collection
- Record: the largest English Pokémon TCG set ever, 11 cards bigger than Fusion Strike
What makes Ascended Heroes different
Most expansions focus on one new mechanic and a small group of featured Pokémon. Ascended Heroes is broader. It celebrates the stars of Scarlet and Violet, such as trainer-owned Pokémon ex, and combines them with the first wave of new Mega Evolution Pokémon from Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The result is a set that feels like a greatest hits collection and a new release at the same time.
- 13 Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, including the debut of Mega Dragonite ex
- 6 Tera Pokémon ex and 20 regular Pokémon ex
- 33 Illustration Rare Pokémon
- 14 Ultra Rare Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, Pokémon ex and Trainer cards
- 7 Mega Attack Rares, a rarity introduced in this set
- A large block of Special Illustration Rares and two Mega Hyper Rares
How the Ascended Heroes card list is numbered
Cards numbered 001 to 217 form the main set. Anything numbered 218 to 295 is a secret rare. Because the set is so large, the secret range is long, so it helps to sort it in blocks.
- 218 onwards: Illustration Rares and Ultra Rares, the bulk of the secret range
- Around 273 to 292: Special Illustration Rares for Mega Pokémon ex, trainer Pokémon ex and Supporters
- 294: Mega Charizard Y ex Mega Hyper Rare
- 295: Mega Dragonite ex Mega Hyper Rare, the final card in the set
Sorting by number is the fastest way to work through a large opening. Keep the main set in one pile and the secret rares in another, then check the secret pile against a checklist.
Top Ascended Heroes chase cards
Ascended Heroes has more chase cards than any set before it. These are the cards collectors have prioritised since release, starting with the clear top tier.
- Mega Gengar ex, Special Illustration Rare 284/217
- Mega Charizard Y ex, Mega Hyper Rare 294/217
- Mega Dragonite ex, Mega Hyper Rare 295/217
- Mega Dragonite ex, Special Illustration Rare 290/217
- Iono’s Bellibolt ex, Special Illustration Rare 279/217
- Lillie’s Clefairy ex, Special Illustration Rare 280/217
- Marnie’s Grimmsnarl ex, Special Illustration Rare 287/217
- Mega Diancie ex, Special Illustration Rare 282/217
- Canari, Special Illustration Rare 291/217
- Iris’s Fighting Spirit, Special Illustration Rare 292/217
Other Special Illustration Rares worth watching include Mega Emboar ex, Mega Feraligatr ex, Mega Froslass ex, Mega Eelektross ex and Fezandipiti ex. With this many strong cards, the value is spread widely, so a good pull is possible from almost every product.
Mega Gengar ex leads the set
Gengar has one of the biggest fan bases in the hobby, and its Special Illustration Rare has been the most valuable card in Ascended Heroes for most of 2026. If you collected the Mega Gengar ex from Phantasmal Flames, this is the natural next card for that binder page.
The two Mega Hyper Rares
Mega Charizard Y ex returns in gold as card 294, and Mega Dragonite ex closes the set at 295. Pairing Mega Charizard Y ex with the Mega Charizard X ex from Phantasmal Flames is a popular goal for Charizard collectors.
Trainer Pokémon ex
Cards such as Iono’s Bellibolt ex, Lillie’s Clefairy ex and Marnie’s Grimmsnarl ex link famous trainers to their partner Pokémon. They are popular with players and collectors alike, and their Special Illustration Rares are some of the most attractive cards in the set.
Card condition is worth checking before you celebrate a big pull. Look at the corners, the edges and the holo surface under a bright light, and check the centring of the border on the front. Modern cards often show small print lines or whitening straight out of the pack, and spotting those early helps you decide which copies to keep, trade or send for grading.
What is a Mega Attack Rare?
Mega Attack Rare is a rarity introduced in Ascended Heroes and given to seven Mega Evolution Pokémon ex. These cards sit in the secret range and give the Megas a distinctive premium treatment that is different from both Ultra Rares and Special Illustration Rares. For master set collectors, they are an extra tier to track, so add a separate column for them on your checklist.
Players also have plenty to look forward to. The trainer Pokémon ex give decks a strong identity, and several Supporters and Items from this set quickly became staples. Because the main set versions play exactly the same as their premium versions, a player can build a competitive deck for a fraction of what a collector spends on the secret rares.
How to collect a set this big
A 295-card set can feel overwhelming, but a plan makes it manageable. These steps keep the cost and the clutter under control.
- Finish the 217-card main set first, because commons and uncommons come quickly from any product
- Use a 12-pocket or larger binder so the full set fits in one place
- Trade duplicates early, while other collectors still need the same cards
- Pick up Illustration Rares as singles when you have a few gaps left
- Leave the Special Illustration Rares and Mega Hyper Rares until prices settle after release
A complete master set with reverse holos runs to over 500 cards, so most collectors choose either the standard set or a themed goal, such as every Mega Pokémon or every trainer Pokémon.
Display is the final piece of the puzzle. Many collectors keep their favourite Special Illustration Rares in magnetic cases on a shelf, while the rest of the set lives in a binder stored upright and away from sunlight. Humidity is the enemy of card stock, so avoid garages and cupboards against outside walls, and you will keep your collection looking new.
If you are buying for a younger collector, a smaller product is often the better start. A single bundle or tin gives the fun of opening without a big outlay, and it is easy to add more later once you know which cards they love most.
Best Ascended Heroes products to open
Special sets are usually sold through Elite Trainer Boxes, bundles, tins and collection boxes rather than standard booster displays. These are the main options.
- Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box: 9 packs, sleeves, dice and a promo card
- Ascended Heroes booster bundle: 6 packs and the simplest way to open
- Ascended Heroes Mega ex box: promo Mega Pokémon plus packs
- Ascended Heroes poster collection: packs plus a poster for display
- First Partners deluxe pin collection: Chikorita, Tepig and Totodile promos with a pin and packs
- Ascended Heroes tin: a promo card and packs in a collectable tin
- Ascended Heroes bundle display: multiple bundles for bigger openings
See every product currently in stock on our Ascended Heroes product page.
Ascended Heroes FAQ
When did Ascended Heroes come out?
The first Ascended Heroes products released on 30 January 2026, with Elite Trainer Boxes and other products arriving over the following weeks.
How many cards are in Ascended Heroes?
There are 295 cards: 217 main set cards and 78 secret rares, making it the biggest English set to date.
Is there an Ascended Heroes booster box?
As a special set, Ascended Heroes was released through Elite Trainer Boxes, bundles, tins and collections rather than a standard 36-pack booster display.
Where can I find the full checklist?
The Bulbapedia Ascended Heroes page lists all 295 cards with numbers and rarities.
More guides from the Mega Evolution era
Ascended Heroes sits between Phantasmal Flames and Perfect Order in the release schedule. For the full era, start with the Mega Evolution card list, then read our guides to Chaos Rising, Pitch Black and Delta Reign. Every article is collected on the Obsidia Collectables trading card blog.
Ascended Heroes rewards collectors who enjoy variety. Between the trainer Pokémon, the new Megas and the record-breaking card count, there is always another page of the binder to fill. Take it one block at a time, and the biggest set ever becomes one of the most enjoyable to complete.