Which promo comes in the Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box?

It depends on the version. The Mega Lucario Elite Trainer Box has a full-art Riolu promo (MEP 010) and the Mega Gardevoir version has Alakazam (MEP 009). The Pokémon Center versions include a second copy of the promo with a Pokémon Center stamp.

Guide · Trading Cards · 5 minute read

Mega Evolution: The Set Guide

Set 1 of 8 (English)Mega Evolution Explained

Other editions:

Published 10 Nov 2026

Mega Evolution is the Pokémon Trading Card Game set that started the Mega Evolution era. Released in September 2025 (10 October in the UK), it brought Mega Pokémon back to the game as powerful Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, led by Mega Lucario ex and Mega Gardevoir ex. Here's what's in the set, the rare cards to look for, and what each product contains.

Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution key art showing Mega Lucario — Mega Evolution key art. © The Pokémon Company International

The set at a glance

Full namePokémon TCG: Mega Evolution · set code ME01 (MEG on the cards)

Release date26 Sep 2025UK and Europe: 10 Oct 2025

Cards188132 in the main set, plus 56 higher-rarity cards

Headline PokémonMega Lucario exAnd Mega Gardevoir ex: one on each Elite Trainer Box

Based onMega Brave & Mega SymphoniaJapan, 1 Aug 2025

What's new: Mega Evolution returns

Mega Evolution Pokémon first came to the TCG in the XY series and were last seen in the Sun & Moon series. This set brings them back as a new kind of card, the Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, and starts a whole new series of sets named after them.

No extra Evolution stepRiolu → Mega Lucario exA Mega Evolution Pokémon ex is a Basic, Stage 1 or Stage 2 Pokémon in its own right, so you don't need the regular form first.

More power, more risk3 Prize cardsMore HP and harder hits than a regular Pokémon ex, but when one is Knocked Out your opponent takes three Prize cards rather than two.

New card styles for collectorsNew top rarity: Mega Hyper RareUltra Rare Mega Evolution Pokémon ex can show the regular Pokémon in silhouette behind its Mega form, and Item, Stadium and Pokémon Tool cards come as Ultra Rares for the first time. The gold Mega Hyper Rare is on just two cards: Mega Gardevoir ex and Mega Lucario ex.

Mega Lucario ex Double Rare, Mega Evolution 077/132 — **Mega Lucario ex** · 077/132 and the Ultra Rare 160/132. The Ultra Rare shows Lucario in silhouette behind its Mega form.Card images © The Pokémon Company International

Mega Lucario ex Ultra Rare with Lucario in silhouette, Mega Evolution 160/132 — **Mega Lucario ex** · 077/132 and the Ultra Rare 160/132. The Ultra Rare shows Lucario in silhouette behind its Mega form.Card images © The Pokémon Company International

Ten Mega Evolution Pokémon ex

Mega Evolution Pokémon ex are the heart of the set, and there are ten of them, one of each type. Here they all are, with what each one evolves from.

Mega Venusaur ex, Mega Evolution 003/132

Mega Venusaur exStage 2, from Ivysaur · HP 380 · 003/132

Mega Camerupt ex, Mega Evolution 022/132

Mega Camerupt exStage 1, from Numel · HP 340 · 022/132

Mega Abomasnow ex, Mega Evolution 036/132

Mega Abomasnow exStage 1, from Snover · HP 350 · 036/132

Mega Manectric ex, Mega Evolution 050/132

Mega Manectric exStage 1, from Electrike · HP 330 · 050/132

Mega Gardevoir ex, Mega Evolution 060/132

Mega Gardevoir exHeadlinerStage 2, from Kirlia · HP 360 · 060/132

Mega Lucario exHeadlinerStage 1, from Riolu · HP 340 · 077/132

Mega Absol exBasic · HP 280 · 086/132

Mega Mawile exBasic · HP 270 · 094/132

Mega Latias exBasic · HP 280 · 100/132

Mega Kangaskhan ex, Mega Evolution 104/132

Mega Kangaskhan exBasic · HP 300 · 104/132

Card images © The Pokémon Company International

The rare cards to look for

Beyond the 132-card main set, Mega Evolution has four tiers of higher-rarity cards. Each tier links to its full list on our Mega Evolution card list.

Bulbasaur Illustration Rare, Mega Evolution 133/132

22Illustration RaresPokémon shown in full-card artwork that runs edge to edge.Pictured: Bulbasaur, 133/132See all 22 →

Mega Gardevoir ex Ultra Rare, Mega Evolution 159/132

22Ultra RaresFull-art versions of all ten Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, plus twelve Trainer cards. This was the first set with Ultra Rare Item, Stadium and Pokémon Tool cards.Pictured: Mega Gardevoir ex, 159/132See all 22 →

Mega Lucario ex Special Illustration Rare, Mega Evolution 179/132

10Special Illustration RaresArtwork that often tells a scene or story, featuring Mega Evolution Pokémon ex and Supporter cards.Pictured: Mega Lucario ex, 179/132See all 10 →

Gold Mega Lucario ex Mega Hyper Rare, Mega Evolution 188/132

2Top rarityMega Hyper RaresGold versions of Mega Gardevoir ex and Mega Lucario ex, the set's highest rarity.Pictured: Mega Lucario ex, 188/132See both →

Card images © The Pokémon Company International

The two gold Mega Hyper Rares and the ten Special Illustration Rares are the set's top rarities. Opening packs for them? Sleeve every rare the moment it leaves the pack.

Protect your pulls ↓

The products, and what's inside

Mega Evolution launched with a wide range. The Elite Trainer Box is the usual choice for a collector who wants a good number of packs plus a promo and accessories; single packs and Booster Bundles are the cheapest way to try the set.

Booster pack10 cardsFour wrapper designs: Mega Lucario, Mega Gardevoir, Mega Venusaur and Mega Kangaskhan.

Mega Evolution sleeved booster packs, four artworks

Sleeved booster pack1 booster packOne pack in a card sleeve, in the same four designs: Mega Lucario, Mega Gardevoir, Mega Venusaur and Mega Kangaskhan.

Booster Bundle6 booster packsOne of the cheapest ways to try the set.

Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Boxes, Mega Lucario and Mega Gardevoir

Elite Trainer BoxCollector's pick9 packs + Riolu or Alakazam promoTwo versions, Mega Lucario and Mega Gardevoir. Plus 65 card sleeves, 40 Energy cards, 6 damage-counter dice, a coin-flip die, a coin, a player's guide and a Pokémon TCG Live code card.

Mega Evolution Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Box (Mega Lucario)

Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Box11 packs + 2 promosSold by Pokémon Center, in Mega Lucario and Mega Gardevoir versions. One of the two promos carries a Pokémon Center stamp.

Build & Battle Box40-card deck + 4 packsPlus one of four foil promos. Sold first at prerelease events.

Mega Evolution three-pack blisters with Golduck and Psyduck promos

Three-pack blisters3 packs + Psyduck or Golduck promo

Mega Evolution single-pack blisters with Drifblim and Drifloon promos

Single-pack blisters1 pack + Drifloon or Drifblim promoPlus a coin.

Mega Evolution Enhanced Booster Display Box

Booster display boxes36 booster packsThe enhanced version adds a Bulbasaur box-topper (133/132) with a Mega Evolution stamp. See Stamped and regional variants.

Product images © The Pokémon Company International

The promo cards

Promos aren't in booster packs: you'll only find them in the boxes and blisters that include them. All of these are on our card list too.

Card images © The Pokémon Company International

The three collection boxes came out from October to December 2025, after the set, with booster packs from several expansions rather than Mega Evolution alone. Their promos are alternate-art versions of the set's Mega Evolution Pokémon ex.

Stamped and regional variants

These are versions of numbered set cards with an extra stamp, not new cards. They keep their set number and aren't part of the 188.

Both stamped Yveltal and Xerneas are cosmos holo. Retailers outside the UK also gave away Yveltal with their own logo: GameStop in the US, and EB Games in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

What counts as the complete set? The official Mega Evolution set is the 188 numbered cards. Our card list also tracks the 15 promos (including the two Pokémon Center stamped versions) and these 3 stamped variants, 206 entries in all, for collectors who want everything.

Key dates

13 Sep 2025PrereleasesAt participating Play! Pokémon stores, with Build & Battle Boxes. In the UK and Europe they began on 27 Sep.

26 Sep 2025Release dayBooster packs, Elite Trainer Boxes and the rest of the range in shops in most regions.

10 Oct 2025UK and Europe releaseDelayed by two weeks in Europe, the Middle East and Africa because of product delivery problems.

Collect Japanese cards? The same cards were first released in Japan on 1 August 2025, split across two sets: Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia.

Is Mega Evolution tournament legal?

Yes. Mega Evolution cards carry regulation mark I, printed in the bottom-left corner of each card, and they are legal in the 2026 Standard format. New sets become legal for sanctioned tournaments two weeks after release: 10 October 2025 in most regions, and 24 October 2025 in the UK and the rest of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, because of the delayed release there.

The April 2026 rotation kept cards with the H, I and J marks in Standard, so Mega Evolution stayed legal. Always check the current Standard format rules and any card-specific restrictions before an event.

Protecting your pulls

A fresh pull is at its best the moment it leaves the pack. Five steps, from pack to slab:

Step 1 Sleeve it Put every rare in a soft sleeve the moment it leaves the pack. Shield Premium Card Sleeves →

VaultifyUK Shield Premium Toploaders, 35pt

Step 2 Toploader it Slide your best sleeved cards into a rigid 35pt toploader. Shield Premium Toploaders →

Step 3 Display it Show off a favourite pull in a magnetic holder. Shield Magnetic Card Holder →

VaultifyUK Shield 9-Pocket Trading Card Binders

Step 4 Store it File the rest of your pulls in a 9-pocket binder as you build the set. Shield 9-Pocket Binder →

VaultifyUK Shield Card Grading Submission Kit

Step 5 Grade it Sending a chase card to be graded? Each kit has the sleeve and semi-rigid holder graders ask for. Shield Grading Submission Kit →

Not sure which holder fits?

Measure your card with our Card Thickness Gauge.

Open the Card Thickness Gauge →

Mega Evolution FAQ

How many cards are in Pokémon Mega Evolution?

188. There are 132 cards in the main set, numbered up to 132/132, plus 56 higher-rarity cards numbered above that: 22 Illustration Rares, 22 Ultra Rares, 10 Special Illustration Rares and 2 Mega Hyper Rares.

When did Mega Evolution come out in the UK?

10 October 2025. The set launched in most regions on 26 September 2025, but its release in Europe, the Middle East and Africa was delayed by two weeks because of product delivery problems.

What are the rarest cards in Mega Evolution?

The two gold Mega Hyper Rares: Mega Gardevoir ex (187/132) and Mega Lucario ex (188/132). After those come the ten Special Illustration Rares.

What is the Japanese version of Mega Evolution?

In Japan the same cards came out on 1 August 2025 as two separate sets, Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia. The English Mega Evolution set combines them.

Next steps

Page one of the free printable checklist

Free printable checklist, plus £5 off your first order

Track the whole set: all 188 cards, plus the 15 promos

Every card in number order with a tick box, ready to print. Sign up and you'll also get £5 off your first order of £25 or more.