Pokémon TCG collectors did not need long to decide which cards matter most in Chaos Rising. The set arrived with strong buzz, a major headliner in Mega Greninja ex, and enough premium artwork to send early secondary market prices climbing almost immediately.
As the fourth release in the Mega Evolution era, Chaos Rising entered the market with real expectations. Perfect Order had a more measured response, so collectors were watching closely to see whether this set could deliver a stronger list of chase cards. Early reactions suggest it has done exactly that, especially at the top of the checklist.
Chaos Rising includes 122 cards, and a small group has quickly separated itself from the rest of the set in terms of demand and price. Some are driven by pure character popularity, some by standout art, and at least one has added momentum from competitive interest. Here is a closer look at the five most expensive Pokémon cards in Chaos Rising based on early market pricing.
Chaos Rising’s early market is being led by Greninja
There are sets where several cards share the spotlight evenly. Chaos Rising is not one of them. Mega Greninja ex has become the defining card of the release, and both of its top-end versions are setting the tone for the market.
That is not especially surprising. Greninja remains one of the franchise’s most popular Pokémon, with years of built-in appeal from the games, anime, and long-term collector demand. Once an official Mega form entered the card game, interest was always going to be high. What makes Chaos Rising notable is how quickly those expectations translated into prices.
Even with Greninja dominating the top of the list, the rest of the early chase hierarchy is not filler. Cards like Cinccino ex, Mega Dragalge ex, and Mega Floette ex have all found their own lane with collectors, whether through visual style, gameplay value, or character attachment.
The 5 most expensive Chaos Rising cards
1. Mega Greninja ex #116 (Special Illustration Rare)
Current price: About $400
Mega Greninja ex #116 has emerged as the clear top chase in Chaos Rising. It is the card many collectors wanted before release, and it has held that position once product actually hit the market. Early sales around the $400 level place it firmly at the top of the set.
The appeal starts with the Pokémon itself. Greninja has been a favorite for years, and its connection to the XY era gives this card added nostalgia for a large part of the hobby. Chaos Rising cashes in on that popularity with a premium Special Illustration Rare that feels designed to be the centerpiece of a binder page or grading submission.
The artwork, credited to Susumu Maeya, adds even more weight. This card is part of a connected panoramic sequence with Froakie and Frogadier Illustration Rares, creating a triptych that rewards collectors willing to build the full evolution line. That design choice gives the Mega Greninja ex SIR value both as a standalone card and as the anchor to a bigger visual set.
For collectors, that combination is hard to beat. You have franchise popularity, premium rarity, standout art, and a connected display concept all working together. It is easy to see why this has become the card most people mention first when Chaos Rising comes up.
2. Mega Greninja ex #122 (Mega Hyper Rare)
Current price: About $320
Right behind the top SIR is the Mega Hyper Rare version of Mega Greninja ex, card #122. This one has been trading around $320, and for stretches of the release window it has pushed close enough to the SIR to make the race at the top interesting.
In the Mega Evolution era, Mega Hyper Rare cards occupy a very specific space in the hierarchy. They are the flashy, high-rarity, full-gold versions that many collectors view as the toughest and most dramatic pulls in a box. When the featured Pokémon is as popular as Greninja, that formula becomes even stronger.
The all-gold presentation gives Mega Greninja ex a different kind of appeal than the Special Illustration Rare. Where the SIR wins with scene-building and narrative art, the MHR leans into prestige and rarity. The gold treatment also highlights Greninja’s sharper design in a way that makes the card feel clean, bold, and unmistakably premium.
Some collectors will prefer the visual storytelling of #116, while others will chase #122 because the Mega Hyper Rare slot feels like the true box-hit crown jewel. That split in collector taste is part of what has kept both Greninja versions near the top of the market from day one.
3. Cinccino ex #119 (Special Illustration Rare)
Current price: About $90
The biggest non-Greninja card in Chaos Rising is currently Cinccino ex #119, a Special Illustration Rare sitting around $90. It is a reminder that not every expensive card needs to rely on intimidation, explosive action, or a legendary-level character to become a favorite.
This card has taken off because of its mood. The art places Cinccino in a scene full of pillows and blankets, giving it a cozy, cheerful look that instantly stands out from more aggressive Mega-era cards. Collectors often talk about cards that feel fun to own, and this one fits that description perfectly.
Its early popularity shows how much atmosphere matters in the modern Pokémon market. A card can surge when it delivers a memorable visual identity, even if it is competing in a set dominated by a megastar like Greninja. Cinccino ex is not trying to be the most imposing card in Chaos Rising. It is trying to be the most lovable, and that has worked.
The card also carries a gameplay hook. Its damage-avoidance mechanic based on a coin flip mirrors the playful energy of the artwork, making it more than just a pretty collectible. Even when gameplay is not the main driver of value, it can help keep attention on a card and support demand beyond strictly art-focused collectors.
4. Mega Dragalge ex #118 (Special Illustration Rare)
Current price: About $70
Mega Dragalge ex #118 has settled into the next spot on the list at roughly $70, and it may be one of the more interesting cards to watch as the market matures. Unlike some early chase cards that rely almost entirely on artwork, this one has a blend of collector appeal and competitive intrigue.
The Special Illustration Rare artwork by Kazumasa Yasukuni gives Mega Dragalge ex a darker and more atmospheric presentation than many other premium cards in the set. It has a distinct look, and that matters in a release packed with colorful high-end pulls. The card feels different at a glance, which helps it stay memorable.
Its gameplay profile adds another layer. Players have been eyeing Mega Dragalge ex for disruption tools that include Tool removal, Special Energy pressure, and Poison-based damage output. When a card offers actual strategic utility on top of premium art, it can attract demand from multiple corners of the hobby at once.
That crossover potential is important. Some cards open strong and fade when collectors move on to the next visual favorite. Cards with both competitive and collector support often have a better chance to stay relevant after release-week excitement cools off.
5. Mega Floette ex #117 (Special Illustration Rare)
Current price: About $60
Mega Floette ex #117 rounds out the top five at about $60, and it may be the most art-driven card in the group. For many collectors, this is the prettiest card in Chaos Rising, even if its market value trails the bigger names above it.
The emotional backdrop helps. Floette’s association with AZ has long given the Pokémon a storybook quality in the wider franchise, and that gives the card extra meaning for fans of the X and Y era. Chaos Rising taps into that connection with a soft, elegant visual approach rather than a combat-heavy one.
Illustrated by Teeziro, the card uses warm golden-pink tones and a luminous composition that makes Mega Floette ex feel graceful rather than overpowering. In a set built around Mega Evolution, where many cards naturally push toward scale and intensity, that gentler presentation helps this SIR stand apart.
Collectors who value binder appeal have gravitated toward it quickly. Not every chase card needs to be the set mascot. Sometimes a card carves out its place simply by being the one people keep coming back to visually, and Mega Floette ex appears to be doing that in Chaos Rising.
Checklist of the current top five chase cards
- Mega Greninja ex #116, Special Illustration Rare, about $400
- Mega Greninja ex #122, Mega Hyper Rare, about $320
- Cinccino ex #119, Special Illustration Rare, about $90
- Mega Dragalge ex #118, Special Illustration Rare, about $70
- Mega Floette ex #117, Special Illustration Rare, about $60
Why these cards are separating from the rest of the set
Early Pokémon card prices are rarely random. In Chaos Rising, the top end reflects a few familiar drivers that continue to shape modern TCG releases.
- Character popularity: Greninja remains one of the hobby’s safest names when it comes to immediate collector attention.
- Premium rarity: Special Illustration Rares and Mega Hyper Rares naturally attract the strongest early prices.
- Art that tells a story: Cards like Mega Floette ex and Cinccino ex are proving that collectors will pay for atmosphere, not just power.
- Playability: Mega Dragalge ex benefits from discussion around competitive use, which can support demand.
- Display value: The connected Froakie, Frogadier, and Mega Greninja ex presentation gives the top SIR extra hobby appeal.
These factors also help explain the price gap between the two Greninja cards and the rest of the field. Chaos Rising has several strong pulls, but only one Pokémon in the set currently combines mass popularity, premium rarity, and headline-level collector urgency at the very highest level.
What collectors should watch next
Opening-week prices can shift quickly, so this ranking should be viewed as an early snapshot rather than a fixed long-term order. That said, the current top five gives a strong sense of how collectors are viewing Chaos Rising right now.
The biggest question is whether Mega Greninja ex #116 can maintain clear control of the top spot or whether the Mega Hyper Rare #122 will continue to challenge it. The gap between the two is meaningful, but not so large that it feels untouchable if buying patterns change.
The next storyline is whether any non-Greninja card can break into a higher tier. Cinccino ex has the best shot at the moment based on price and collector affection, while Mega Dragalge ex looks like the most likely card to gain ground if competitive players continue to adopt it. Mega Floette ex may also have room to climb if the hobby keeps rewarding visually distinct art cards with strong long-term binder demand.
For now, collectors chasing Chaos Rising’s biggest hits know exactly where the market is focused. The set’s early hierarchy starts with Mega Greninja ex, runs through a pair of standout Special Illustration Rares, and still leaves room for art favorites like Cinccino ex and Mega Floette ex to remain major targets inside the 122-card checklist.
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