Chaos Rising Ampharos IR Is the Community's Chase Card
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A Reddit thread asking collectors to name their chase card from the upcoming Chaos Rising set landed squarely on one answer: the Ampharos Illustration Rare. With prereleases already underway and the full set hitting shelves on May 22, 2026, the Johto sheep that became a lighthouse is having a moment.
About the Set
Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution — Chaos Rising releases on May 22, 2026, bringing over 120 cards to the Mega Evolution era with Mega Greninja ex as its set mascot. The Chaos Rising card list contains 122 cards including five Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, six Special Illustration Rares, and a Mega Hyper Rare of Mega Greninja ex at the top of the rarity ladder. Per PokeBeach, Chaos Rising is nearly identical to Japan's Ninja Spinner set and adds three promos: Mega Gallade ex from January's "Mega Gallade ex Special Set," as well as Krookodile ex and Adversity Policy from November 2025's Gym promos.
Starting May 9, you can find Mega Evolution — Chaos Rising Build & Battle Boxes at your local Play! Pokémon Store's Prerelease events, where you'll enjoy battles with cards from the latest expansion before it's released. Each box contains four booster packs and a 40-card ready-to-play deck, plus one of four exclusive foil promo cards: Delphox, Ampharos, Crobat, or Goodra.
The Ampharos Card
Ampharos is confirmed as one of the set's Illustration Rares, listed at #090 in the set. An Ampharos card was already spoiled earlier as a promo for the Build and Battle Box, but this Illustration Rare artwork is noticeably more serene than its promo counterpart, making it a strong contender within the top cards of the set. According to josephwriteranderson.com, the Johto-original Pokémon is pictured alongside the kind of pastoral setting that tends to perform well on the secondary market. The Japanese version of the card has already been trending, and the Ampharos IR is currently considered a chase card from the set. Nintendo Life's prerelease coverage confirmed it too: "Xerneas and Ampharos are gorgeous" were among the standout Illustration Rares from their preview pulls.
On the gameplay side, Ampharos and its Synchro Pulse ability combine for some significant damage output, so this card has appeal beyond just collectors.
The Pokémon Behind the Card
Ampharos is a Generation II Electric-type that first appeared in the Johto region. According to Bulbapedia, its name is likely a combination of ampere (a unit of electrical current) and pháros (Greek for lighthouse), which fits its design: Ampharos resembles a sheared sheep while also sharing traits with a lighthouse, including its height, stripes, and the glowing beacon on top. The red orb at the tip of its tail is said to shine bright enough to be seen from space, and people have historically used it as a beacon to send signals across the ocean.
Ampharos is an Electric-type first introduced in Generation II. As a slow Electric-type, it struggled to see regular competitive use. Then, in Generation VI, it received a Mega Evolution, which gave it a partial Dragon typing. That Mega form, with its woolly mane and jewel-like orbs, is thought by Bulbapedia to be based on a Chinese dragon. Mega Ampharos is also notable for being the only Dragon-type Mega-Evolved Pokémon in its generation.
Ampharos in Legends: Z-A
The Legends: Z-A connection is part of why this card resonates right now. The game was released on October 16, 2025, for both Switch and Switch 2, and Ampharos has a meaningful role in it. Mega Ampharos may go under the radar compared to other Mega Evolutions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, but it tends to surge to the top of players' want lists after they get their hands on the guaranteed Shiny Mareep that is available in the game. The Ampharosite can only be unlocked through story progression: a Rogue Mega Ampharos must be taken down in Main Mission 23, which provides the Ampharosite when defeated. The whole Mareep line is catchable in Lumiose City's Wild Zones, and the Chaos Rising expansion continues the Pokémon Legends: Z-A theming that has defined the current Mega Evolution TCG era.
What to Expect at Prerelease
The set features five Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, five Pokémon ex, 11 Illustration Rare Pokémon, 18 Ultra Rare Pokémon and Trainer cards, and six Special Illustration Rare cards. That is a lot of ground to cover in 122 cards. The Ampharos IR sits within a competitive pool of chases, including the Mega Greninja ex Mega Hyper Rare and a connected three-card artwork featuring Froakie, Frogadier, and Mega Greninja ex. If you are at a prerelease event this week and pull the Ampharos IR, hold onto it. Secondary market data suggests it is trading well above the set average.
Chaos Rising is available for preorder through Trude's Treasures. Full release is May 22, 2026.
Source: r/PokemonTCG — "What is your chase card from Chaos Rising?"