The MEGA Era Starts Here: Dream ex, Start Deck 100, and the Return of Rocket & N

The MEGA Era is here, and it’s already trying to empty your wallet.

Between MEGA Dream ex, the chaos of Start Deck 100 Battle Collection, and the return of N and Team Rocket, this wave is loaded with fanservice and traps.

Let’s break down what actually matters, what’s just noisy reprint bulk, and how to buy into it without getting fleeced.

Quick Primer: What Is MEGA Dream ex?

MEGA Dream ex is this year’s Japanese High Class Pack – the same product slot that gave us sets like VSTAR Universe and Shiny Treasure. It drops in Japan on November 28th, with Japanese MEGA Dream ex booster boxes already in high demand, and then gets chopped up and repackaged into a special English set on January 30th. So if you’re an English-only collector, January 30th is the real date you care about.

High Class Packs are basically “greatest hits plus crack” sets:

• 193 cards in the main set, most of them reprints from the past year.
• 10 cards per pack instead of the standard five.
• Guaranteed Pokémon ex in every pack.
• Then the real chase: a stupid amount of secret rares, reverse holos, and god packs.

MEGA Dream ex continues that formula but cranks the fanservice:

• Mega Evolutions (Mega Dragonite ex, Mega Eelektross ex, Mega Froslass ex, Mega Charizard Y ex via Start Decks).
• Owner’s Pokémon like N’s Zekrom and N’s Vanilluxe.
• Team Rocket’s Pokémon with their own special “R” reverse holo pattern.

This set is engineered to separate collectors from their money.

Release Timing in Plain English

• Japan:
  • MEGA Dream ex – Nov 28 (shop JP booster boxes here)
  • Start Deck 100 Battle Collection – Dec 19
• English market:
  • Special MEGA Dream ex–based set – Jan 30
  • Expect a bunch of the Start Deck 100 cards to drip into that same January set and later products, just like last year.

So if you’re thinking about preorders or flipping, the window is: Japan late November → hype spike in December → English release end of January.

What Are “Mega Attack Rares”?

MEGA Dream ex introduces a new rarity called “Mega Attack” rares:

• Full-art cards drawn in a comic book style.
• The attack name is slapped right over the artwork like a “BAM!” / “POW!” panel.
• Japanese cards print the attack name in English.
• English cards print the attack name in Japanese.

It’s a direct callback to the old XY-era Mega Evolution cards, where the attack name was stylized across the art. Now they’ve gone full comic-panel with it and turned that idea into a dedicated chase rarity.

Functionally, they’re just alternate arts. But from a collector standpoint:

• They’re loud, instantly recognizable in a binder or thumbnail.
• They tie into Mega nostalgia and language flexing (Japanese text on English cards, English text on Japanese cards), which is going to matter long-term for people who like “weird” printings.

We’ll get into specific cards and chase targets later, but that’s the core:
MEGA Dream ex = High Class Pack + Mega Evolutions + Owner’s Pokémon + Rocket’s ‘R’ holos + comic-book Mega Attack rares, feeding into our January 30th English set.

Owner’s Pokémon & Team Rocket: The Fanservice Core of MEGA Dream ex

MEGA Dream ex isn’t just “more shiny cardboard.” The real hook is tying specific Pokémon to specific characters again – mainly N and Team Rocket – and then giving them their own visual identity inside the set.

MEGA Dream ex is where N stops being a flavor text cameo and turns into an actual deck identity again.

You’ve got:

• N’s Zekrom – a Basic Dragon with a clean, “no bullshit” attacks profile.
  • Shred ignores effects on the opponent’s Active.
  • Rampaging Thunder hits 250 with the classic “can’t attack next turn” drawback.
• The full N’s Vanillite → N’s Vanillish → N’s Vanilluxe line:
  • Vanillite gives you Call for Family for easy setup.
  • Vanillish has Sheer Cold, shutting off the Defending Pokémon’s attacks.
  • Vanilluxe has Layered Snow (doubling damage counters on all of your opponent’s Pokémon) and a solid Blizzard spread attack.

On top of that, there’s Anthea & Concordia, a Supporter that only turns on if you have basically N’s entire roster in play:

N’s Darmanitan, N’s Zoroark ex, N’s Reshiram, N’s Zekrom, N’s Klinklang, and N’s Vanilluxe.

If you meet that requirement, any Knock Out from an N’s Pokémon lets you take 3 extra Prize cards. That’s absurd in-game, but from a collector standpoint, it does something more important:

• It codifies a “N deck” as a theme.
• It incentivizes people to chase all N’s Pokémon, not just one hype Illustration Rare.
• It makes N’s cards feel like a sub-collection inside the set.

MEGA Dream ex also introduces new Owner’s Pokémon that didn’t show up in Journey Together or Destined Rivals, with N’s Zekrom getting both a regular print and an Illustration Rare. That gives N fans actual upgrade paths instead of just one-off prints floating in random sets.

Team Rocket’s Pokémon: Dugtrio, Honchkrow, and the “R” Reverse Holo

On the flip side, Team Rocket gets its own mini-engine:

• Team Rocket’s Diglett / Dugtrio
  • Diglett has Rummage Around, a coin-flip mill attack.
  • Dugtrio’s Pothole Ability pings 2 damage counters onto anything that retreats or switches off the opponent’s Active spot.
• Team Rocket’s Murkrow (reprint from Destined Rivals) feeds into…
• Team Rocket’s Honchkrow, which has:
  • Rocket Feathers – discard any number of Team Rocket Supporters from hand for 60× damage.
  • Plus a vanilla 100-damage attack to clean up.

Mechanically, it’s a “Team Rocket spam supporter deck,” where you load your hand with Rocket-themed Supporters and convert them into a huge nuke. Again, the gameplay is whatever. The important part is:

Team Rocket’s Pokémon get a unique “R” reverse holo pattern in MEGA Dream ex.

That “R” pattern is the exact kind of tiny detail that ages well:

• It visually flags “this is a Rocket card” even when the text is in Japanese.
• It becomes an instant binder-identity—Rocket pages literally look different from everything else.
• If they keep using this “R” pattern in future sets/products, you’ve got the start of a long-term Rocket sub-rarity.

Why Collectors Should Care (Even If You Don’t Play)

Here’s why this section of the set actually matters:

Character-tied cards always age better than generic ones.

“N’s Zekrom” and “Team Rocket’s Honchkrow” will always hit harder emotionally than “Random Dragon #12.” Character + Pokémon is simple, sticky branding.

Owner’s Pokémon sets are naturally “collect the whole squad” bait.

The Anthea & Concordia requirement (needing an entire N lineup in play) is basically an in-game justification for what collectors were going to do anyway: chase every N card. That’s how you get people building full-page N binders instead of just grabbing one Illustration Rare and tapping out.

Rocket’s ‘R’ reverse holo is a low-key premium.

Most people sleep on reverse holo patterns until years later when someone goes, “Wait, why does this one look different?” The Rocket “R” pattern is one of those. You’re not just collecting a Pokémon — you’re collecting a mark.

These are “identity cards” in a sea of reprints.

MEGA Dream ex is 193 cards, mostly reprints. The cards tied to N and Team Rocket are some of the few that feel like they belong to this set specifically, not just the 2025 era in general. That matters long-term when you’re trying to remember why a set was special.

English has catching up to do.

We already know our January 30th English set and the Trainer’s Blisters are going to be the delivery vehicle for a bunch of Owner’s Pokémon promos that never made it over. That means this “N + Rocket” wave is also where English-only collectors finally get access to some of the missing pieces.

So if you’re someone who actually cares about flavor, identity, and long-term binder appeal, the MEGA Era isn’t just “Mega Dragonite ex and funny comic book cards.” It’s:

• N getting a functional roster and chase IRs, and
• Team Rocket getting their own branded holo treatment.

These are the parts of MEGA Dream ex that will still make sense to collect in five years when no one remembers half the random ex reprints in the set.

Start Deck 100 Battle Collection: 100 Decks, One Giant Pool of Cards

On paper, Start Deck 100 Battle Collection sounds insane:

• 100 different theme decks, numbered 001–100.
• All pulled from a 742-card pool.
• Price is low in Japan (891 yen per deck).
• Release date: December 19th.

Most of the cards are reprints, with a few new ones sprinkled in:

• Mega Charizard Y ex – 360 HP, 280-damage 'Plosion Y that snipes any Pokémon at the cost of discarding 3 Energy.
• A simple Pikachu → Raichu line with basic Lightning attacks.
• PokePad – search for a non–Rule Box Pokémon.
• Urbain – dead-simple “draw 3 cards” Supporter.
• Packaging shows a new Mega Audino ex in the mix as well.

The structure here is the same as the original Start Deck 100 from four years ago: mass-produced, randomized theme decks meant to get people playing quickly while quietly seeding new cards into the ecosystem.

The Pikachu ex Promo: The “101st Deck”

On top of the 100 retail decks, there’s a special “Start Deck 100 Battle Collection Corociao Version” bundled with CoroCoro’s new Corociao magazine:

• The magazine includes a Pikachu ex promo deck.
• Pikachu ex:
  • 200 HP Basic
  • Volt Tackle for 210, deals 30 recoil to itself.

CoroCoro is basically doing what it did with the original Start Deck 100: turning this into a “101st deck” that only exists via the magazine.

That means:

• Regular decks = mass retail product.
• Pikachu ex deck = controlled distribution, promo status, and built-in scarcity.

Bulk vs Chase: What Actually Matters Here

If you’re looking at this from a collector/investor lens, here’s the reality:

1. The decks themselves are bulk machines.

• 742-card pool, mostly reprints.
• Tons of low-impact commons/uncommons that will end up in bulk boxes or kids’ binders.
• The vast majority of these cards are not going to be long-term chase.

2. The real “chase” is extremely concentrated:

• Mega Charizard Y ex
  • Charizard + Mega + high damage = automatic chase recipe.
  • Even if it’s not meta, it’s visually and thematically strong enough to hold attention.
• Any high-profile new Mega ex that only appears in specific deck numbers (like Mega Audino ex).
  • If any Mega is locked behind a rarer deck configuration, that’s where you’ll see premiums.
• The Pikachu ex Corociao deck
  • Magazine tie-in, limited run, and Pikachu on the front.
  • That’s the one that quietly becomes a “I wish I bought this at retail” item in a few years.

Everyone and their mom will have random Start Deck cards. But complete, sealed promo decks and specific Mega ex cards are what actually stand out.

3. English will fragment all of this anyway.
Just like last year’s ex Start Deck Generations, a bunch of these cards will get chopped up and thrown into:

• Our special January set,
• Later English sets,
• And random promo products.

So from an English-only perspective, Start Deck 100 is less “a product you need” and more “the origin point of certain Mega/Pikachu ex prints.”

For Beginners: Is This a Good Entry Point?

If you’re brand new or buying for someone who just wants to play, not optimize:

• Yes, Start Deck 100 is good training wheels.
  • Prebuilt decks mean you don’t have to think about deckbuilding.
  • The variety (001–100) makes it feel like a surprise box each time.
  • You get exposure to a wide range of cards and mechanics cheaply.

If you’re a collector with a limited budget, my opinion is different:

• Treat most Start Deck 100 cards as bulk.
• Target specific singles (like Mega Charizard Y ex, Pikachu ex) once prices stabilize, instead of hoarding random sealed decks hoping you hit a jackpot.
• If you do buy sealed, favor anything tied to Pikachu, Charizard, or clearly limited promos (like the Corociao deck).

In other words:

• Beginners: buy decks to play.
• Collectors: chase Megas and Pikachu ex, not “Deck 047” because the number looks cool.

Market Panic: $800 Mega Gengar & Why You Should Calm Down

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Mega Gengar ex and the presale clown show.

Before MEGA Dream ex even hits shelves, people are already trying to move Mega Gengar ex Special Illustration Rare for around $800 on the Japanese side. Not graded. Not confirmed meta-breaking. Just raw cardboard based on:

• Hype
• FOMO
• And the phrase “High Class Pack” short-circuiting people’s impulse control.

On top of that, Japanese MEGA Dream ex boxes are getting pre-listed at steep markups because “it’s the new High Class set” and everyone remembers what happened with VSTAR Universe and the OG Start Deck 100 chaos.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

At this stage, you’re not “investing.” You’re paying for early access and anxiety.

What About MEGA Dream ex Sealed Boxes?

Sealed Japanese MEGA Dream ex booster boxes are already being positioned as “the next big thing.” That might end up true long-term, but short-term:

• You’ll be paying import + hype tax.
• Pulls will start hitting the market fast.
• English product is only two months behind (January 30th), which caps how insane the JP-only window can really get.

If you’re a sealed collector with disposable income and you like one or two display boxes on a shelf, fine—buy when the price looks stable and you won’t feel sick if it drops 20–30%.

But if you’re thinking “I’ll load up on cases, flip singles, and get rich,” understand:

You are putting yourself in direct competition with shops, breakers, and people who will happily dump under cost just to free up cash.

My Take: How Not to Get Robbed by the MEGA Era

If you want to engage with this wave without turning your wallet into a crime scene:

• Don’t touch $800 raw presales. If it somehow goes even higher and never comes back down, that’s fine—you avoided gambling at the worst odds.
• If you love the art:
  • Wait for opened product to hit the market,
  • Let the first two weeks of panic listings play out,
  • Then buy when pricing starts clustering instead of swinging wildly.
• For sealed, decide how many boxes make sense emotionally (what lets you sleep at night), not “how many boxes does a future millionaire buy.”

The MEGA Era is already being priced like a luxury brand. Your job is to not act like a luxury customer when your goal is supposed to be smart collecting.

If You Still Want to Crack MEGA Dream ex (Read This First)

If you’ve made it this far and still want to open MEGA Dream ex, you’re not wrong – you just need to do it for the right reasons.

Buying a MEGA Dream ex booster box makes sense if you:

• Want to experience a High Class Pack properly – 10 cards per pack, 1 ex every time.
• Enjoy hunting Mega Attack rares, N’s Owner’s Pokémon, and the Rocket “R” reverses directly from packs.
• Like the idea of keeping one sealed JP box as a MEGA Era display piece and cracking another for fun.

It does not make sense if your whole plan is “I’ll rip one box and pull the $800 Gengar.” That’s how you turn a good set into a bad financial decision.

When I list MEGA Dream ex booster boxes on TCG Jackpot, my approach is simple:

• Small quantity, sane pricing – not the week-one FOMO tax you see on auction sites.
• Boxes are meant to be opened or displayed, not worshipped like a retirement plan.
• I’d rather sell to people who actually like the set than people panic-buying because Twitter said “grail.”

If you’re going to buy:

1. Decide your budget first (what you can lose and still sleep).
2. Treat any chase pull as a bonus, not the goal.
3. If you only care about owning specific cards – Gengar, N’s Zekrom, Rocket “R” reverses – you’re usually better off buying singles once prices stabilize.

If that still sounds good, you’ll be able to grab MEGA Dream ex JP booster boxes in limited waves on tcgjackpot.com once the market cools off. Enjoy the set, chase what you actually love, and don’t let the MEGA Era turn you into its favorite ghost story.