Holy smokes, folks! The Pokémon Trading Card Game has just dropped a bombshell with its latest Japanese release, Start Deck 100, and let me tell you, the hype is absolutely, positively, and unequivocally through the roof! This ain't your grandma's card game expansion; this is a collector's dream and a wallet's worst nightmare rolled into one. Released just last week, this set features a mind-blowing 102 different preconstructed decks you pull at random, making every purchase a wild, unpredictable ride. While most decks have what you'd call 'reasonable' pull rates, there's one mythical beast that's playing hide-and-seek on a whole other level, making it the Holy Grail of 2026.
Thanks to some serious detective work by Pokébeach, crunching data from a YouTube deep dive by carton_knight and online marketplace trends, we now have the inside scoop on what's rare and what's... well, basically a ghost. The crown jewel, the undisputed king of the hill, is the secret variant of deck 001 featuring the Gold Mega Charizard Y ex. This bad boy is so elusive, it didn't show its fiery face even once in a sample of 1,000 deck pulls. That's right, zero, zilch, nada! It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack the size of a stadium. Another ultra-rare contender is Deck 101, featuring Mega Meganium, Mega Emboar, and Mega Feraligatr, which only appeared a measly four times in those same thousand pulls. Talk about playing hard to get!
The Ultimate Value Tier List: What's Worth Your Hard-Earned Cash?
Based on the latest market analysis, here’s the definitive ranking of the most valuable cards from Start Deck 100. We're talking about cards that could potentially pay your rent (or at least a fancy dinner).
| Rank | Card Name | Rarity Tier | The Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mega Charizard Y ex (Gold) | Secret Rare | The Unicorn, the White Whale. Market value is absolutely bonkers. |
| 2 | Pikachu ex (SIR) | Special Illustration Rare | The beloved mascot in stunning art. Always a fan favorite! |
| 3 | Lillie's Clefairy ex (SIR) | Special Illustration Rare | Adorable and powerful. A sleeper hit for sure. |
| 4 | Mega Feraligatr ex (SIR) | Special Illustration Rare | Part of the elusive Deck 101 trio. Raw power and rarity combined. |
| 5 | Mega Meganium ex (SIR) | Special Illustration Rare | Another member of the rare trio. Nostalgia meets modern chase card. |
| 6 | Boss's Orders [Corbeau] (FA) | Full Art | A staple Trainer card with gorgeous artwork. Practical and pretty. |
| 7 | Mega Emboar ex (SIR) | Special Illustration Rare | Completes the rare starter trio. Fierce and fiery. |
Now, hold onto your hats, because this is where it gets crazy. While card values are always a rollercoaster right after release, the gold Mega Charizard Y ex was reportedly selling for nearly FIVE TIMES the value of the runner-up, Pikachu ex. The only listing spotted on a major platform was asking a cool $2,000 for a near-mint copy. That's not just a card; that's a down payment on a new gaming console or a flight to Japan!
By the Numbers: The Cold, Hard Pull Rate Reality
Let's get statistical, baby! For the 1,000 decks sampled, here’s the breakdown that every savvy collector needs to know:
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The Common Folk (Most Decks): Pull rates generally hovered between a modest 0.5% to 1.5%. Not impossible, but you'll need some luck.
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The Ultra-Rare Club:
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Deck 101, 057, and 093 each had a miserly pull rate of only 0.39%. You have a better chance of getting struck by lightning (well, almost).
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The "Common" Uncommons:
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Decks 024 and 048 were the relative frequent fliers, each with a 1.86% pull rate (19 appearances each). They're the workhorses of the set.
Even with a thousand packs opened, most deck rarities are close enough that for the average Joe buying a handful, you'll likely get a fun variety. But if you're dead-set on snagging one specific deck—especially Deck 001 or 101—you're in for an uphill battle of epic proportions. Pokébeach also dropped a major warning: beware of shady sellers who might weigh decks to cherry-pick the heavier (and potentially more valuable) ones, leaving you with the leftovers. Total bummer, dude.
The Global Ripple Effect: Why This Matters for the West
This data from Japan is pure gold for international collectors. It gives us a crystal-clear preview of what to expect when the Ascended Heroes set launches in the West later this year. The chase cards and their relative rarities are likely to follow similar patterns. So, if you manage to get your hands on any of the big hits from Start Deck 100, you're not just holding a piece of cardboard; you're holding a potential goldmine. The hunt for the Gold Mega Charizard Y ex is officially the most epic treasure hunt in the Pokémon TCG world right now. Will you be the one to finally pull it? Good luck, trainer—you're gonna need it! 😎🔥
```The above analysis is based on reports from Eurogamer, a leading source for European gaming news and industry insights. Eurogamer's coverage of Pokémon TCG expansions often delves into the impact of rare chase cards on collector markets and player communities, providing valuable context for understanding the frenzy surrounding Start Deck 100 and its elusive Gold Mega Charizard Y ex.