Blog · Trading Cards & TCG
The ex★ Era Is Coming: What Mega Evolution Collectors Should Buy Right Now
By Dexhaul Team · September 7, 2026
Aura Seeker (ME07) is confirmed for the ex★ mechanic, and buyers are already searching for it. The problem is ex★ cards are not in stores yet. Here's what serious collectors are doing instead: targeting the ME-series products in stock today that connect directly to the ex★ lineup.
This is not speculation. Two in-stock products map precisely to the ex★ arc.
One is the flagship Figure Collection from ME01. The other is a Special Illustration Rare single from ME04 featuring one of the confirmed ex★ Pokémon.
Neither is obvious from a standard search. That's why this guide exists.
What Is ex★ and Why Does It Matter Now
The ex★ mechanic sits above standard ex cards in the Mega Evolution TCG's pull hierarchy. As Bulbapedia's documentation of Mega Evolution in the TCG outlines, the Mega Evolution card line has operated in distinct eras with different mechanic tiers. The ex★ designation is the 2026 version's top rarity: a full-art Special Illustration Rare with a named mechanic marker, one step above a standard Mega ex Double Rare.
What makes ex★ structurally different from prior rarity tiers is the Pokémon selection. The standard Mega Evolution card format follows the mainline games: only Pokémon that received a canonical Mega Evolution in XY or ORAS qualify. ex★ breaks that rule.
Mega Greninja ex★ is confirmed for Aura Seeker. Greninja's TCG history runs through multiple Scarlet and Violet releases as a standard ex, but it has never had a Mega form in the main games: its in-game transformation is Battle Bond, a separate mechanic. The TCG is treating ex★ as its own category, not bound by the game-side Mega list.
That distinction matters for collectors. It means the ex★ card pool is larger and less predictable than the ME01 through ME06 arc. And it means the in-stock ME-series products connected to ex★ Pokémon carry a specific collector case that most buyers haven't yet priced in.
ME01: The Figure Collection That Starts the Arc
The Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection from ME01 Perfect Order is the clearest entry point for collectors building an ex★ context shelf.
Lucario is the flagship of ME01. It is also one of the Pokémon most associated with the Mega Evolution concept in the main games: Mega Lucario was the first Mega Evolution officially shown before XY launched, making it the canonical face of the mechanic at its 2013 introduction. For collectors who want to trace the Mega ex line from origin to ex★, ME01 is where that line begins.
The Figure Collection format includes the Mega Lucario ex promo card, a figure, and ME01 booster packs. It's the only ME01 product that explicitly foregrounds Lucario as the set identity. Range: $58.96 at KanZenGames up to $90 at some sellers, with the $66 listing at Bescards sitting in between.
The logical comparison here is to how ME04 Chaos Rising's Elite Trainer Box is priced relative to the Mega Greninja ex Premium Collection. For ME01, the Figure Collection is the equivalent premium product: it delivers the set's flagship in a standalone format without requiring a full ETB commitment.
ME04: The SIR That Maps to ex★
Mega Greninja ex 116/086 is the Special Illustration Rare from ME04 Chaos Rising. At $182 from NOLA TCG Experience and The Plug Trading Cards, it is the highest-value single in ME04 by a significant margin over the other two SIRs in the set (Dragalge ex at $43 to $57, Chandelure ex at $50).
The reason it commands that premium is the Greninja ex★ confirmation in Aura Seeker. Buyers researching ex★ Greninja are landing on this card because it is the only Mega Greninja ex SIR available in the English-language market today. The mechanic name differs (the ME04 card is a standard SIR, not an ex★), but the art direction and rarity structure are the closest analog until Aura Seeker releases.
The ME04 Mega Greninja ex Premium Collection at $57 (Card Dynasty) takes a different approach. It includes a guaranteed base Mega Greninja ex Double Rare promo, two ME04 booster packs, and two packs from prior sets.
It does not guarantee the 116/086 SIR. For collectors who want to add sealed Greninja product to a shelf without paying the SIR single price, the Premium Collection is the practical entry.
These are two different collector goals. The Premium Collection builds the sealed product shelf. The 116/086 SIR single is the specific card that ex★ search intent is driving traffic toward right now.
Mega Greninja ex 116/086 ME04 Chaos Rising Special Illustration Rare
NOLA TCG Experience
$182.00 USD
The Collection Window Right Now
The 30th Celebration set launches September 16. That event is pulling collector attention and allocation budgets toward the ETB and UPC formats for the next two weeks. The ME-series market is relatively calm by comparison.
That changes when Aura Seeker moves from confirmed to imminent. The ME04 Chaos Rising SIRs and the ME01 Figure Collection are the two categories with the clearest ex★ connection, and both are available at current market prices rather than post-announcement premiums.
One important clarification: DexHaul is an independent search engine and does not predict card values or guarantee future pricing. What we can confirm is that both products are in stock through independent merchants today, and that the ex★ mechanic is confirmed for Aura Seeker by official and widely reported sources. The collection rationale and the timing window are for each buyer to evaluate against their own goals.
One additional note on format: the ME04 ETB at $71.99 is a valid path if you want sealed product over singles. The ETB gives nine ME04 booster packs and does not guarantee the 116/086 SIR, but it keeps the sealed product option open. The Premium Collection at $57 is cheaper and is the right call for collectors who specifically want a Greninja-themed product at a lower price point.
How to Search DexHaul for These Products
DexHaul indexes products from hundreds of independent shops. For ME01 Mega Lucario ex, search for "Mega Lucario ex figure collection" on DexHaul to see current listings ranked by price.
For the Greninja SIR single, search "Mega Greninja ex 116/086" to filter toward the specific card rather than sealed product listings that use "Greninja" in the title without containing the card.
DexHaul is independent and unofficial: not affiliated with Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures Inc., or The Pokémon Company.
Browse every in-stock Mega Evolution listing from independent merchants at dexhaul.com.