Playing the Pokémon TCG

Pokémon ex and Mega ex cards: what they are and how they work (plus V, VMAX, GX)

Updated on 15/10/2026

Five cards compared: Pokémon ex, Tera ex, Mega ex, Pokémon V and VSTAR — All photos of cards from our stock: Iron Crown ex SAR, Garchomp ex SR (Tera), Mega Gengar ex, Crobat V CSR and a VSTAR card.

The deal: more power, more Prizes

An ex card (or V, or GX) is a "powered-up" Pokémon: it has far more HP and attacks that deal far more damage than a regular Pokémon. The price is written at the bottom of the card: when it's Knocked Out, your opponent takes not one Prize card but two. Mega ex and VMAX, even stronger, give up three.

The stronger the Pokémon, the more Prizes it gives away when Knocked Out. With 6 Prizes to take, three KOs of Pokémon ex are enough to win.

That's why a game with Pokémon ex plays like chess: six Prizes to take means three KOs of Pokémon ex are enough to win. Protecting your ex and choosing when to sacrifice a regular Pokémon is half the strategy.

Where to read the rule

The Mega ex rule box at the bottom of a Japanese card — At the bottom of Mega Gengar ex: the yellow box "メガシンカexルール" says that when it's Knocked Out your opponent takes 3 Prize cards (サイドを3枚).

The generations: from EX to Mega ex

Tag	Series (years)	Prizes	What sets them apart
ex (lowercase)	Ruby & Sapphire (2003–2007)	2	The first ex, now vintage cards
EX (uppercase)	Black & White, XY (2012–2016)	2	The return of powered-up Pokémon
Mega EX	XY (2014–2016)	2	Evolution of Pokémon EX; evolving usually ended your turn
GX	Sun & Moon (2017–2019)	2	A GX attack, usable only once per game
V · VMAX · VSTAR	Sword & Shield (2020–2022)	2 · 3 · 2	Huge VMAX; the VSTAR Power once per game
ex	Scarlet & Violet (2023–2025)	2	The return of ex, including Tera versions
Mega ex	Mega Evolution (from 2025)	3	The return of Mega Evolution

Tera: the crystal ex

In the Scarlet & Violet series some Pokémon ex are Tera: they wear a crystal crown, have a different type from their usual one and an extra rule. While they're on the Bench, they take no damage from attacks. On a Japanese card you can spot it from the word テラスタル at the top right.

Close-up of Garchomp ex Tera: crystal crown and raised texture — Garchomp ex SRfrom Raging Surf: テラスタル (Tera) at the top right, the crystal crown above its head. The text says: "as long as this Pokémon is on your Bench, prevent all damage done to it by attacks".

Mega ex: the return of Mega Evolution

Since 2025 Mega Evolution has been back, with the Japanese series that started with Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia. Mega ex are the strongest Pokémon in the game and are worth 3 Prizes. In special sets like MEGA Dream ex they come in versions with the attack name written in giant letters across the artwork, among the most spectacular cards of recent years.

Mega Pokémon ex from our catalogue

Mega Absol ex

89/63

34,94 €1 pcs

Mega Latias ex

088/063

43,99 €3 pcs

Mega Sharpedo ex

113/80

10,99 €2 pcs

Mega Charizard X ex

223/193

44,99 €1 pcs

Why collectors want them

The ex are the stars of every set: they almost always have an SR version (full art with raised texture) and a SAR (special illustration), which are the rarest and most expensive cards in the expansion. To decode the abbreviations read the guide to rarities.

Pokémon ex in SAR versions

Pikachu ex

126/103

74,99 €3 pcs

Salamence ex

133/103

19,99 €2 pcs

Spidops ex

101/78

14,99 €1 pcs

Ting-Lu ex

94/71

12,99 €3 pcs

Frequently asked questions

What are Pokémon ex cards?+

Stronger-than-usual Pokémon, with lots of HP and powerful attacks. In return, when they're Knocked Out your opponent takes 2 Prize cards instead of one.

What's the difference between ex and EX?+

They're two different generations: uppercase EX are from the XY era (2013–2016), lowercase ex came back with Scarlet & Violet in 2023 (and already existed in 2003–2007). The basic rule is similar: 2 Prizes.

How many Prize cards is a Mega ex worth?+

Three. It's written in the rule box at the bottom of the card: when a Mega Evolution Pokémon ex is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 3 Prizes.

What does Tera on the card mean?+

Tera Pokémon ex have a different type from their usual one and, while they're on the Bench, take no damage from attacks.

Are ex cards worth more?+

Often, especially in SR and SAR versions, but value depends on the Pokémon, the rarity and the condition.