Like any Pokémon TCG collector, I love the thrill of the chase. Sure, I can easily buy a card through third-party listings, but the excitement of opening a pack and seeing your most wanted chase is second to none. Getting married to the love of my life was certainly the best feeling, but this is close. However, I may have to break my own rule and finally buy a single, because Pokémon Ascended Heroes' Mega Dragonite SIR is simply one of the best Pokémon cards I've ever seen, and I must have it. It's so stunning, I just can't take the chance of missing it from my collection.
I've been enjoying 2025's long list of Pokémon sets because the chases this year have been absolutely brilliant. The Prismatic Eeveelutions? Yes, please, and don't forget the adorable selection of Journey Together IRs and SIRs to enjoy. It's been a great year to collect the Pokémon TCG, even if it's been hard to get those packs, but if Ascended Heroes is a sign of what's to come, I'm pretty sure that I'll have to remortgage my home.
There's a strong selection of chases for the upcoming high-value set, but if you've been waiting for a dedicated reason to make your Pokémon Ascended Heroes pre-orders, well, look no further than the Mega Dragonite ex SIR (thanks to PokéBeach). While the reveal is from the Mega Dream ex set in Japan, the Japanese versions will be translated to the English set when it launches in 2026. This card alone has got me in a chokehold.
I had an inkling that, with Dragonite being this set's focus, there would be a solid SIR. Little did I know it would be something so glorious and beautiful. Mega Dragonite ex is vibrant and majestic, with the 'mon's bright orange color standing out perfectly against the background of swirling pinks and light blue Dragonairs.
It's easily one of my favorite cards of all time (sorry, Bubble Mew), and while I believe Mega Gengar ex will be the reigning chase of the set from a community standpoint, I think Dragonite will be one of the highest priced cards of the expansion (even if it probably won't make our list of the most expensive Pokémon cards of all time).
Scooping this perfect boi is made even harder by the fact that this isn't exactly a 'one chase' style expansion. In fact, the list of current Ascended Heroes cards is already packed full of hits to try your luck at getting, from Budew to Gengar, Pikachu to Zoroark, and that's not even including the Mega Attack cards. This really is an all-star set that neatly caps off a year of stellar, hard to get Pokémon sets, and I'm very excited to lay my hands on it. My bank account is not.
If you're looking to grab this Mega Dragonite ex early, I'd suggest going to TCGPlayer and getting the Japanese version, as you'll have to wait until January next year to get the Ascended Heroes version of the card.
I'm very excited for Pokémon Ascended Heroes to finally release, and if you want to join me in the hype and find retail-priced or below-market-value products, I'd strongly recommend joining our free Wargamer Discord community, where you can chat with other trainers and discuss the TCG, as well as other hobbies like board games or D&D, with like-minded readers.