The Best Pokémon Storm Emeralda Cards (September 2026)
Storm Emeralda is proof Japan still gets first crack at the best stuff. This Mega Evolution era set is the Japanese counterpart to the upcoming English Delta Reign, headlined by a Mega Rayquaza ex that towers over the rest. Ranked by current market value according to Rare Candy, here are the best Pokémon Storm Emeralda cards as of September 2026.
Scan and track your Pokémon cards for FREE and rip digital packs backed by REAL cards with the Rare Candy App!
25. Inkay - $3.51
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 085/076
Rarity: Art Rare
Inkay opens up the list glowing like something pulled from the bottom of the ocean at night, all deep blues and drifting bioluminescent light around its tiny shell. Illustrator Rond leans fully into the underwater mood instead of just placing the Pokémon on a plain background, and it pays off. This is one of the most affordable entries in the set, but the art alone earns it a slot in any Storm Emeralda binder.
24. Magmortar - $3.82
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 079/076
Rarity: Art Rare
Sheets of fire and dark volcanic rock cover this entire card, all channeled intensity that fits a Pokémon built around heat. Its Buddy Boost Ability quietly rewards pairing it with Electivire. The two have been a paired duo across games and the anime for years, and this card leans right into that history. It is a modest print, but a striking one for the price.
23. Talonflame ex - $4.29
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 096/076
Rarity: Super Rare
Talonflame ex is the dark horse of this list, a stage two Pokémon ex with real competitive teeth sitting far lower in the rankings than its card text deserves. Its Excite Dive Ability slides it onto the bench for free once a Colorless Mega Evolution ex is in play, and Claw Hunt hits hard while digging two cards deeper into the deck. Playable and collectible at once, that combination should not stay this affordable for long.
22. Emcee's Hype - $4.61
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 100/076
Rarity: Super Rare
A Pokémon Trading Card Game tournament announcer gets the spotlight here, mic in hand and grinning like the crowd is already on its feet. Illustrator DOM nails the neon-lit stage lighting, and the card backs it up mechanically, drawing extra cards when an opponent is down to their final prizes. It is a small flourish of a card, but a fun one to pull.
21. Aarune - $4.97
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 101/076
Rarity: Super Rare
Aarune bursts off this card mid-celebration, hat raised and cape flying like he just found a rare Pokémon out in the wild. The character brings genuine boy-scout energy to the Trainer lineup, matching his in-game role guiding new trainers through the Isle of Armor. This is the first of two Aarune prints on this list, and the second climbs quite a bit higher.
20. Mega Malamar ex - $5.33
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 094/076
Rarity: Super Rare
Psychic horror is the whole pitch here, all inverted colors and a hypnotic swirl radiating off Mega Malamar ex's upside-down eyes. Eerie Wavelength backs up the unsettling art with 200 damage that also confuses the opponent's Active Pokémon, a legitimate answer to decks that lean on big non-Basic attackers. Malamar has always looked a little wrong on purpose, and this Mega Evolution version leans into that harder than any print before it.
19. Mega Golurk ex - $5.49
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 093/076
Rarity: Super Rare
Mega Golurk ex swings a glowing fist straight at the reader in the first of two appearances on this list, its stone armor cracked open to reveal a furnace of gold light underneath. Its Ability locks Goliath Punch behind a full hand of ten cards or more, a real drawback that keeps this 350 HP wall from just running away with games. The second Mega Golurk ex on this list trades the Super Rare treatment for something considerably shinier.
18. Azurill - $5.79
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 086/076
Rarity: Art Rare
Soft daylight, a quiet garden, and about the least threatening Pokémon card in this whole set: that's Azurill's entire pitch. Illustrator Narumi Sato leans into that cozy, storybook quality instead of trying to force drama into a card that was never going to be a chase piece for its stats. Baby Pokémon rarely get treatment this gentle, which is exactly why this one stands out.
17. Altaria - $5.91
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 087/076
Rarity: Art Rare
Altaria soars through a sea of clouds so soft they barely look solid, illustrator kodama trading any sense of danger for pure floating calm. Its Cotton Carry Ability quietly does real work too, stripping the retreat cost from every Basic Pokémon on the bench, the kind of support piece competitive decks build around without ever putting it in the spotlight. Sometimes the most useful card in a deck is also the prettiest one to pull.
16. Mega Golisopod ex - $6.66
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 089/076
Rarity: Super Rare
This is the first of two Mega Golisopod ex versions climbing the list, all jagged green armor and motion blur mid-strike. At 340 HP it hits like a truck, and Quattro Hold makes sure whatever it tags cannot retreat away from the follow-up. This Super Rare print is the quieter of the two, saving the fireworks for its Special Art Rare counterpart later on.
15. Raikou ex - $7.48
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 092/076
Rarity: Super Rare
Raikou ex crackles with pink and violet lightning in this Super Rare print, the legendary beast frozen mid-charge with static practically coming off the card. Power Rush swings for a real 200 damage, though the coin-flip lockout keeps it from being an auto-include in every deck. Two Raikou ex prints made this list, and this is the more affordable of the pair.
14. Tate & Liza's Training - $7.65
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 103/076
Rarity: Super Rare
The Hoenn twins get a mid-training-montage moment here, perfectly in sync the way their in-game telepathy always implied they would be. The card draws two extra cards on its own, and if a Legendary-named Stadium is already in play it comes back to your hand instead of the discard pile, a small reward for building around the set's mascot legendaries. It is a simple Supporter elevated by genuinely charming art.
13. Growlithe - $9.05
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 078/076
Rarity: Art Rare
It never fails. Give a Kanto favorite like Growlithe a cozy new Art Rare and collectors show up, no exceptions. This one poses in a warmly lit living room doorway, tail curled and grinning like it just heard the front door open, a total swing from the battle-scarred forest scenes Growlithe usually gets. The domestic setting is doing a lot of the work here, and it works.
12. Aarune - $9.38
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 111/076
Rarity: Special Art Rare
Aarune returns for his second and final appearance on this list, and the jump to Special Art Rare is obvious the moment you see the full mountain backdrop illustrator Shimaris Yukichi built behind him. The card itself digs three Supporters or Stadiums out of the deck and straight into your hand, quietly one of the strongest consistency pieces this set prints. Between the two Aarune cards here, this is clearly the one worth chasing first.
11. Groudon - $11.23
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 084/076
Rarity: Art Rare
My personal chase card of this entire set, Groudon rises out of cracked earth and rolling lava with a weight to it that most legendary prints do not bother chasing. Illustrator Ryota Murayama grounds the whole thing in molten reds and blacks instead of leaning on Groudon's usual continent-splitting scale, and it makes the Pokémon feel dangerous instead of just enormous. Raging Earth hits harder with a Legendary-named Stadium in play. That is the card's own flavor text about its rivalry with Kyogre showing up directly in the numbers.
10. Zinnia's Trust - $14.12
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 102/076
Rarity: Super Rare
The Draconid archaeologist gets caught mid-motion here, framed against a wall of orange light with her whole pose built around urgency. Illustrator GIDORA keeps the background loose and impressionistic so the character stays the clear focus, which suits a Supporter that swaps your Active Pokémon and drags its attached energy along for the ride. This Super Rare print is the first of two Zinnia's Trust cards here, and the second is worth waiting for.
9. Mega Golurk ex - $14.48
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 109/076
Rarity: Special Art Rare
Mega Golurk ex comes back for its second and much rarer appearance, and the difference is night and day. Illustrator Takeshi Nakamura sets the golem against cracked purple ruins lit by its own molten fists, a full-art treatment the earlier Super Rare print never got close to. Goliath Punch still hits for a massive 300 damage at the cost of 30 recoil to itself, numbers that make this 350 HP wall one of the hardest single attacks in the set to answer.
8. Kecleon - $14.53
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 088/076
Rarity: Art Rare
Kecleon disappears almost entirely into a wall of hand-painted flowers, its color-shifting body rendered as literal camouflage against illustrator Tomokazu Komiya's busy, almost folk-art background. Colorful Whip rewards revealing your whole hand, scaling damage by how many different Pokémon types you show off, a gimmick attack that somehow still sees real play in the right build. Pokémon art rarely gets this strange, and that is exactly the appeal.
7. Mega Golisopod ex - $14.75
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 107/076
Rarity: Special Art Rare
Mega Golisopod ex returns for round two, and illustrator nagimiso goes fully abstract this time, dissolving the battlefield into streaks of red and green energy behind the Pokémon's raised claws. It is the flashier of the two prints by a wide margin, though the card underneath is identical, Quattro Hold and all. Between the Super Rare and this Special Art Rare, the choice for a Storm Emeralda binder is not close.
6. Kyogre - $15.14
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 080/076
Rarity: Art Rare
Kyogre finally joins its rival Groudon on this list, tearing through a tidal wave with the same raw legendary weight the earlier entry showed off in fire and rock. Raging Whirlpool already hits for a full 100 damage, and it climbs higher still with a Legendary-named Stadium in play, the same bonus condition Groudon's own attack runs on. The two have been fighting over the map since Generation III, and Storm Emeralda lets that rivalry play out on the table too.
5. Zinnia's Trust - $31.22
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 112/076
Rarity: Special Art Rare
Now we're getting into the real chase cards for Storm Emeralda, and it starts with Zinnia's Trust returning in Special Art Rare. Illustrator Teeziro replaces the Super Rare print's simple orange backdrop with a full scene of collapsing Draconid ruins. It turns a solid Supporter into one of the set's most requested Trainer pulls. The card itself has not changed, still swapping your Active Pokémon and carrying its energy over, but the gap between these two prints says everything about how much collectors value a great alternate illustration.
4. Mega Rayquaza ex - $40.56
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 095/076
Rarity: Super Rare
Mega Rayquaza ex makes its first of three appearances on this list, and the climb from here to the top of the countdown is steep. This Super Rare print sets the Pokémon against a deep blue and violet storm instead of the fire-orange palette its later prints use, though the Ability and the Storm Emeralda attack carry over unchanged. At 280 HP with damage that scales off Fire and Lightning energy already in play, this is the floor for how good a Mega Rayquaza ex print gets in this set, and the floor is still high.
3. Raikou ex - $74.88
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 108/076
Rarity: Special Art Rare
Raikou ex comes back for its second and far pricier appearance, and illustrator Oku makes the jump to Special Art Rare count, framing the legendary beast mid-leap against jagged rock and raw electricity instead of the Super Rare print's simpler pink haze. Power Rush hits just as hard as it does on the earlier print, coin flip risk and all, but nobody is buying this one for the numbers on the card. Between the two Raikou ex prints on this list, this is the one that actually looks like a legendary.
2. Mega Rayquaza ex - $372.75
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 110/076
Rarity: Special Art Rare
Mega Rayquaza ex returns for its second appearance, and this time illustrator Kazuki Minami sets it against a full wall of fire and green energy that makes the earlier Super Rare print look almost restrained by comparison. Everything else on the card is identical: the same 280 HP, the same Ability, the same Storm Emeralda attack scaling off Fire and Lightning energy. With the Special Art Rare claiming the silver medal on this list, that can only mean one thing waiting at the very top...
1. Mega Rayquaza ex - $945.56
Set: Mega Evolution: Storm Emeralda (Japanese)
Card Number: 113/076
Rarity: Mega Ultra Rare
The gold. Mega Rayquaza ex closes out Storm Emeralda in solid Mega Ultra Rare foil, every line etched like it was carved into an ancient temple wall instead of printed on cardboard. Illustrator takuyoa strips away color entirely and lets the engraving do the work. It is the single most striking card in the set. Fittingly, its finishing attack is named Storm Emeralda too, which means this set came by its name honestly. This is the undisputed champion of the list, gold foil and all.
Scan and track your Pokémon cards for FREE and rip digital packs backed by REAL cards with the Rare Candy App!
Final Thoughts
Storm Emeralda proves a smaller Mega Evolution release can still carry real weight. It does that with the two or three headline hits this era has trained collectors to expect. The story here is Mega Rayquaza ex claiming three spots on this list and closing with a gold Mega Ultra Rare that came by its name honestly, since its own finishing attack is literally called Storm Emeralda. With Delta Reign carrying the English side of this era, expect both markets to keep climbing together.
FAQ
What is the rarest card in Pokémon Storm Emeralda?
Mega Rayquaza ex #113/076 holds that spot as the set's only Mega Ultra Rare, a solid gold secret print numbered above the 076-card base set. Its other two printings are still hard pulls, but the Mega Ultra Rare sits alone at the top.
What does Special Art Rare mean in Storm Emeralda?
Special Art Rare, or SAR, is a Japanese-exclusive rarity tier above Super Rare that swaps in a full alternate illustration. English sets like Delta Reign use the equivalent Special Illustration Rare tier instead, though the two prints are never identical.
Is Storm Emeralda the same set as Delta Reign?
No. Storm Emeralda is the Japanese release of this Mega Evolution era set, while Delta Reign is its English counterpart. The two share most of the same card pool and artwork, though print runs and rarity names differ between them.
How many cards are in the Storm Emeralda set?
Storm Emeralda has a 076-card base set, but numbering runs all the way to 113 once Art Rare, Super Rare, Special Art Rare, and the single Mega Ultra Rare secret prints are counted. Every card on this list falls into that secret print range.
Is Raikou ex worth buying from Storm Emeralda?
Both Raikou ex prints are worth a look. The Super Rare version is the more affordable of the two, while the Special Art Rare climbs considerably higher for the alternate illustration alone. Rare Candy tracks live pricing on both if you want to watch how the gap moves.
