Every card in Japan's three MEGA Starter Set ex Decks has now been revealed, and they release on July 31, 2026 — the same day as Storm Emeralda (M6). Each deck is priced at 1,800 yen in Japan, which makes them one of the cheapest ways to get a Pokémon ex in hand this year. Here's what's actually inside each one, and who should bother.
What's in each deck
| Eevee ex Deck | Zoroark ex Deck | Meowscarada ex Deck | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Colorless / Lightning | Darkness | Grass |
| Headliner | Eevee ex (200 HP, Basic) | Zoroark ex (270 HP, Stage 1) | Meowscarada ex (320 HP, Stage 2) |
| Notable extras | Jolteon, Pawmot, Miraidon, Rotom, Delibird, Tauros | Darkrai, Sharpedo, Liepard, Morpeko, Zarude | Arboliva, Shaymin, Virizion, Floragato line |
| Best for | Newer players, Eevee collectors | Dark-deck players, Darkrai fans | Highest-HP attacker, art collectors |
| Japan price | ~1,800 yen | ~1,800 yen | ~1,800 yen |
All three are ready-to-play constructed decks, not booster product — so there's no pull-rate lottery here. You know exactly what you're getting, which is the point. PokéBeach notes each deck carries roughly seven to nine new cards, for about 20 to 30 unique cards across the three.
The three headliners
Eevee ex is a Basic with 200 HP: Collect draws three cards, and Brave Dash hits for 200 with a coin flip for 30 recoil. Basic ex attackers that also draw are useful well beyond a starter deck.
Zoroark ex is a Stage 1 with 270 HP. Riotous Beating does 20 damage times the number of Pokémon you have in play, and Slash Down hits 210 with a one-turn lockout — a familiar Zoroark pattern for anyone who's played the archetype before.
Meowscarada ex is the biggest body of the three at 320 HP as a Stage 2. Magical Bullet does 120 to the Active and another 120 to a Benched Pokémon that already has damage counters on it. That spread-plus-snipe pattern is the one competitive players have been talking about most.
Each deck also includes a new illustration rare of its starter — Eevee, Zorua, or Sprigatito — and that's where most of the collector interest sits. Official rarity breakdowns weren't published at the time of writing.
Are they worth buying?
If you play, yes — 1,800 yen for a functional deck with an ex in it is genuinely good value, and Japanese decks are usually cheaper landed than the English equivalents. If you only collect, the case is thinner: you're buying for the illustration rares and the deck packaging, not for hit potential.
The English angle matters too. Cards that debut in Japanese sets generally resurface in the English releases that follow, and Delta Reign is due November 6, 2026. The Pokémon Company hasn't confirmed which of these specific cards make that English set, so treat "wait for English" as a reasonable bet rather than a sure thing.
How we'd play it
Buy the deck whose Pokémon you actually want. These aren't lottery tickets, so there's no reason to buy all three unless you collect the line. If you're strictly an English collector with a September/November budget already earmarked for 30th Celebration (September 16) and Delta Reign, it's fine to skip these entirely.
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Dates, contents, and pricing are directional and based on current official reveals — they can shift before launch, and we don't quote prices on unreleased product.
Sources: PokéBeach — MEGA Starter Decks fully revealed, PokéBeach — MEGA Starter Set ex Decks first revealed, PokéBeach — Storm Emeralda all 76 main set cards revealed, PokéBeach — 30th Celebration additional product preorders.
