Pokemon TCG Mega Evolution Era Pitch Black: The Best Chase Cards So Far

If you stepped away from Pokémon cards sometime after Scarlet & Violet and are just now peeking back in, buckle up, because the game changed. We’re deep into the Mega Evolution era now, and it’s already produced some of the most chased pulls in years.

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For those catching up: Mega Evolution is the new core mechanic headlining the 2026 sets, starting with Ascended Heroes back in January and rolling through Perfect Order, Chaos Rising, and the set everyone’s still talking about, Mega Evolution Pitch Black, which dropped worldwide on July 17.

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Here’s what’s actually worth knowing if you’re collecting, trading, or just trying to figure out why your group chat won’t stop talking about a Darkrai card.

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Mega Darkrai ex Is the Set’s Main Event

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Pitch Black leans hard into its name, a genuinely dark-themed set built around Mega Darkrai ex, and it delivered the chase card of the year so far. There are two versions worth knowing: the special illustration rare (#116), illustrated by AKIRA EGAWA, and a gold Mega Hyper Rare (#120), the only card in the entire set at that rarity. The SIR alone was trading close to $380 in the first weeks after release. If you only remember one card from this set, it’s this one.

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Mega Zeraora ex Isn’t Far Behind

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The set’s actual story hero is Mega Zeraora ex, playing light to Darkrai’s dark, and its special illustration rare (#114) is the strongest non-Darkrai pull in the set. If Darkrai is out of reach price-wise, Zeraora is the realistic alternative for anyone who wants a genuine chase card without spending Darkrai money.

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The Surprise Nobody Called: Morpeko ex

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Here’s the one that caught collectors off guard. Morpeko ex wasn’t supposed to be a headline pull, but its special illustration rare has been trading around $146, which puts it ahead of two of the set’s own Mega SIRs (Zeraora and Chandelure). It’s a good reminder that “chase card” and “hype card” aren’t always the same thing. Mega Chandelure ex rounds out the premium tier alongside a deep run of illustration rares.

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Quick Recap: Pitch Black’s Big Four

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1. Mega Darkrai ex (SIR #116 / Gold Hyper Rare #120) - the chase card, trading near $380 in the launch window.
2. 2. Mega Zeraora ex (SIR #114) - the realistic alternative chase, and the set’s actual story hero.
3. 3. Morpeko ex (SIR) - the sleeper pull, trading around $146, ahead of two Mega SIRs.
4. 4. Mega Chandelure ex - rounds out the premium tier alongside a deep run of illustration rares.

Note: Prices indicated may not be their current prices anymore. Please check PriceCharting for movement in value.

Why This Matters If You’re Just Starting to Collect

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If you’re new to TCG collecting through the anime and gaming side of things rather than the investment side, here’s the honest breakdown: Mega Darkrai ex is a genuine grail, expensive and getting more expensive. Zeraora is the “I still want a real chase card” option. Morpeko is proof that sleeper pulls still happen even in a set engineered around two specific Pokemon. And if you just want the set for the artwork and the story, a booster bundle gets you enough packs to actually experience Pitch Black without betting on pulling the chase cards yourself.

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What’s Coming Next in the Mega Evolution Era

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Pitch Black isn’t the end of the road. Storm Emerald is expected around August or September, followed by the all-foil 30th Celebration set on September 18, marking 30 years since the TCG launched in Japan back in October 1996. The era wraps with Delta Reign on November 6, headlined by Mega Rayquaza ex and drawing from the Delta Episode storyline. If Rayquaza gets anywhere near the Darkrai treatment, that’s going to be the set to watch by year’s end.

Also read: 20 Years Of Pokemon: Team Rocket Beats Ash Fair and Square!

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Getting Into Pitch Black Yourself

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If you want to actually crack packs instead of just reading about other people’s pulls, the Mega Evolution-Pitch Black Booster Bundle is the easiest entry point: six packs in one box, and currently the #1 best seller in its category on Amazon. It’s not a guarantee you’ll pull Darkrai (nothing is), but it’s the most reasonable way to get a real shot at this set without chasing single cards at markup.

Whether you’re chasing Darkrai, happy with Zeraora, or just here for a sleeper Morpeko pull, the Mega Evolution era has been one of the more interesting TCG stretches in a while. And with three more sets still coming before the year’s out, it’s not slowing down anytime soon.