Pokémon TCG Pitch Black: Best Pulls & Chase Cards

pokemon
2026.07.23

※本ページはプロモーションが含まれます

Mega Darkrai ex is the card everyone’s opening Pitch Black for, and if you pull the Mega Hyper Rare version (#120) you’re sitting on a card that opened at roughly $600 in Japan before the English set even launched. But it’s not the only card worth knowing — and it’s also not a great buy for competitive players right now, since it struggles against the Grass-heavy Hydrapple ex decks currently running the standard format. Here’s a breakdown of the best Pitch Black pulls, real market prices, and what to actually watch out for before you crack a box.

Quick set overview

Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution — Pitch Black (set code ME05) released in English on July 17, 2026, and it’s the fifth mainline expansion of the Mega Evolution era that kicked off in late 2024. It’s based on Japan’s Abyss Eye set and is the debut expansion for Mega Darkrai ex, with Mega Zeraora ex, Mega Chandelure ex, and Mega Excadrill ex rounding out the featured Mega Pokémon. The set totals 120 cards — 84 numbered cards in the base set plus 36 secret rares (Illustration Rares, Special Illustration Rares, and the single Mega Hyper Rare chase card).

Thematically it’s the darkest-toned Mega Evolution set so far, leaning into a “Pokémon fighting back against Darkrai” storyline that ties into the Pokémon Legends Z-A: Mega Dimension game content. If you’ve been collecting the Mega Evolution era since Mega Evolution (ME01), the card frame and holo pattern will look familiar — this is an evolution of that visual language, not a reboot.

The best pulls, ranked

1. Mega Darkrai ex — Mega Hyper Rare (#120)

Mega Darkrai ex Mega Hyper Rare, Pokémon TCG Pitch Black #120

This is the chase card of the set, full stop. It’s the rarest print treatment Pokémon currently uses (the same tier that made Mega Charizard Y ex and other Mega Hyper Rares from earlier 2026 sets sell for hundreds of dollars), and Akira Egawa’s artwork leans hard into the “eldritch nightmare” version of Darkrai rather than a cute, marketable pose.

  • Rarity: Mega Hyper Rare
  • Observed price: Japanese copies were trading around $600 before the English release; expect English copies to settle somewhere in that neighborhood once early hype cools, though prices are still moving week to week.
  • Pull rate: Not reliably measured yet — box-opening trackers that logged over 100 packs still only pulled one, and community consensus is it’s roughly one in several thousand packs, in line with past Mega Hyper Rares.
  • The catch: Because there’s essentially no sample size on pull rate yet, anyone quoting an exact “1 in X boxes” number for this specific card is guessing. Treat early listings with some skepticism, and expect the price to correct downward as more copies hit the market over the next few months — that’s the pattern every Mega Hyper Rare has followed so far in this era.

2. Mega Darkrai ex — Special Illustration Rare (#116)

Mega Darkrai ex Special Illustration Rare, Pokémon TCG Pitch Black #116

The more attainable version of the same character, and honestly the one most collectors are actually chasing since it’s realistic to pull from a box.

  • Rarity: Special Illustration Rare (SIR)
  • Observed price: Around $290–$400 as of late July 2026, with individual sales ranging much higher when graded copies or hype spikes are involved.
  • Pull rate: SIRs as a category were landing around 0.9% per pack in early box-break tracking (roughly 1 in every 111 packs across the whole SIR pool, not this specific card).

3. Mega Zeraora ex — Special Illustration Rare

Mega Zeraora ex Special Illustration Rare, Pokémon TCG Pitch Black

Widely called the most striking card in the set visually — full-art electricity crackling across the frame. It’s also a genuinely playable attacker, which gives it a demand floor beyond pure collector appeal.

  • Rarity: Special Illustration Rare
  • Observed price: Trading in the low-to-mid double digits initially, expected to firm up once the set’s early volatility settles — check current TCGplayer listings before buying, since Pitch Black prices moved a lot in the first two weeks.

4. Gwynn (#119) and Morpeko ex (#117) — Special Illustration Rares

Gwynn Special Illustration Rare, Pokémon TCG Pitch Black #119
Morpeko ex Special Illustration Rare, Pokémon TCG Pitch Black #117

Two supporting-cast SIRs that are cheaper entry points into the set’s chase-card tier. Morpeko ex leans into the Pokémon’s “hangry” personality with genuinely fun artwork, while Gwynn (a trainer character card) rounds out the SIR lineup. Neither commands Mega Darkrai-tier prices, which makes them a reasonable target if you want a Pitch Black SIR without spending $300+.

5. Goldeen and Fomantis — Illustration Rares

Goldeen Illustration Rare, Pokémon TCG Pitch Black
Fomantis Illustration Rare, Pokémon TCG Pitch Black

If you’re on a budget, the Illustration Rare tier (11.1% pull rate per pack in early tracking — noticeably more common than SIRs) is where most collectors will actually land. Goldeen — Misty’s classic signature Pokémon — is a nostalgia play referencing the Cerulean City gym, and Fomantis got its first-ever Illustration Rare treatment in this set. These typically run $5–$25 depending on the individual card and print run, making them a much more accessible way to get a display-worthy pull.

Pitch Black card tier & price snapshot (as of July 2026)

Card Rarity Approx. price (USD) Pull rate (per pack)
Mega Darkrai ex #120 Mega Hyper Rare ~$600 (JP comps) Est. 1 in several thousand
Mega Darkrai ex #116 Special Illustration Rare $290–$400 SIRs ~0.9% combined
Mega Zeraora ex Special Illustration Rare Low-to-mid double digits SIRs ~0.9% combined
Gwynn / Morpeko ex Special Illustration Rare Single digits to ~$20 SIRs ~0.9% combined
Goldeen / Fomantis Illustration Rare $5–$25 ~11.1%
Standard Pokémon ex Ultra Rare / holo Under $5 in most cases ~25% (Mega/ex pool)

Prices are approximate, sourced from TCGplayer market listings and PriceCharting in the days after the July 17, 2026 English launch, and will move — early-set prices are notoriously volatile before supply catches up with demand. This isn’t financial advice; treat any card as a collectible you’d be happy to keep even if the price drops, not an investment.

Where the hype outruns reality

A few honest caveats before you buy in:

  • Mega Darkrai ex isn’t dominating tournaments. Early competitive results show Mega Darkrai ex decks losing consistently to Hydrapple ex, since Darkrai’s Dark typing is weak to Grass and a well-timed Dipplin attack can one-shot a three-prize Pokémon. If you’re buying singles hoping for a competitive staple, this isn’t a clean pick right now — it’s a collector card first.
  • Reprint and rotation risk are real. Mega Evolution era cards are Standard-legal now, but Standard rotates roughly once a year, and Special Illustration Rares from earlier Mega Evolution sets (like ME01–ME03) have already seen price softening as supply increased post-launch. Don’t assume today’s $400 price tag is permanent.
  • Early-release pricing is inflated. Booster boxes were changing hands for around $162 online in the week after launch — well above the roughly $144 list price Pokémon typically sets for a 36-pack box — and Elite Trainer Boxes (normally $49.99 MSRP) were trading closer to $103 in preorders. If you can wait a month or two for scalper demand to cool, you’ll generally pay less for the same box.
  • Counterfeit risk goes up with demand. Any time a chase card spikes in price this fast, fakes flood secondhand marketplaces. Buy graded singles from established sellers with return policies, and if you’re buying raw, compare the card weight, texture, and light-refraction pattern against verified photos before paying premium prices.

Q&A: Is Mega Darkrai ex worth chasing?

Q: Should I buy a Pitch Black booster box just to try for Mega Darkrai ex?
A: Only if you’re comfortable treating it as entertainment spending, not a guaranteed return. The Mega Hyper Rare pull rate is roughly one in several thousand packs, so a single 36-pack box gives you good odds at a Special Illustration Rare tier pull, but the Mega Hyper Rare specifically is a long shot even across a full box.

Q: Is the Special Illustration Rare (#116) a safer buy than the Mega Hyper Rare (#120)?
A: In terms of getting a Mega Darkrai ex card into your collection without spending $600+, yes — the SIR is roughly a tenth to a third of the Mega Hyper Rare’s price and is a much more common pull. It’s still the same character, just a different rarity treatment.

FAQ

Is Mega Darkrai ex good in competitive Pokémon TCG right now?
Not especially. As of July 2026, Mega Darkrai ex decks have struggled against the Hydrapple ex archetype that’s currently strong in Standard, largely due to a type disadvantage against Grass attackers. It’s a strong collector pull but not a proven tournament staple yet.

How can I tell if a Mega Darkrai ex card I’m buying online is authentic?
Buy from established marketplaces (TCGplayer verified sellers, PSA/CGC-graded listings, or reputable local game stores) rather than unverified social media sellers. Compare card weight, the texture of the holo pattern, and font details against official images from Pokemon.com, and be wary of any raw copy of the Mega Hyper Rare priced dramatically below market — that’s the clearest counterfeit red flag.

Should I get my Pitch Black pulls graded by PSA or CGC?
It depends on the card and your goals. High-value chase cards like the Mega Darkrai ex Mega Hyper Rare or SIR can be worth grading if they’re in near-mint condition, since a PSA 10 can command a significant premium over a raw copy. For lower-value Illustration Rares under $20, grading fees often exceed the card’s raw value, so it’s usually not worth it unless you’re building a graded set for personal collection reasons.

Will Pitch Black cards be legal for Standard play for a while, or are they about to rotate?
Pitch Black is freshly released and fully Standard-legal as of July 2026. Pokémon typically rotates older sets out roughly once a year, so cards from this set should remain tournament-legal well into 2027 at minimum — but always check the current Standard rotation date on Pokemon.com before entering a sanctioned event.

What’s the cheapest way to get a display-worthy Pitch Black card?
Target the Illustration Rare tier (Goldeen, Fomantis, and similar cards) rather than the Special Illustration Rares. They’re pulling at roughly 11% per pack — far more common than SIRs — and typically sell in the $5–$25 range while still having the full-art treatment that makes them nice to display.

The takeaway

Pitch Black is a strong set for collectors chasing striking artwork — Mega Darkrai ex, Mega Zeraora ex, and the supporting SIR cast are genuinely some of the best-looking cards the Mega Evolution era has produced. Just go in with realistic expectations: the Mega Hyper Rare is a lottery-ticket pull, early box prices are running hot on scalper demand, and Mega Darkrai ex itself isn’t a proven tournament deck yet. If your goal is a nice pull to keep or display, a booster box or Elite Trainer Box is a reasonable buy-in. If you specifically want the chase card without gambling on packs, buying the Mega Darkrai ex Special Illustration Rare as a single from a reputable seller is the more predictable route.

Related Articles

More Trading Card Game Guides

Comments

Copied title and URL