What’s in Pokemon TCG Standard: Legal cards, when is rotation & more

Andres Velez
charizard art from obsidian flame from pokemon tcg and products with an outer glow overlayed

Find out what is currently legal in the standard Pokemon TCG metagame, and what will be legal after rotation takes place on April 5, 2024.

Pokemon TCG has a rotation of sets every year which removes the older sets from competitive play. This helps to keep play lively and the metagame fresh and exciting for competitors.

Of course, just because a card isn’t in the rotation that year doesn’t mean you can’t play them against your friends—for example the old-school Pokemon Premium Collection cards. You can also play any cards in the “Unlimited” format, although this hasn’t been supported in the West since before the global health pandemic.

There is also an expanded metagame for players in Japan, which isn’t played much outside of the country. Although the Expanded Meta has a ban list, it allows the use of pretty much any card ever released.

Contents:

What’s in Standard for Pokemon TCG?

The following are currently legal for play in Pokemon TCG’s Standard format:

Pokemon card setYear of releaseSeries set identifier
Temporal Forces (TEF)2024Temporal Forces Pokemon TCG set identifier
Paldean Fates (PAL)2024Paldean Fates Pokemon TCG set identifier
Paradox Rift (PAR)2023Paradox rift symbol
Obsidian Flames (OBF)2023Pokemon TCG set identifier
Paldea Evolved (PAL)2023Pokemon TCG set identifier
Scarlet & Violet (SVI)2023Pokemon TCG set identifier
Sword & Shield SeriesYear of releaseSeries set Symbol
Crown Zenith (CRZ)2023Pokemon TCG set symbol
Silver Temptest (SIT)2022Pokemon TCG set symbol
Lost Origin (LOR)2022Pokemon TCG set symbol
Pokemon GO (PGO)2022Pokemon TCG set symbol
Astral Radiance (ASR)2022Pokemon TCG set symbol
Brilliant Stars (BRS)2022Pokemon TCG set symbol
Fusion Strike (FST)2022Pokemon TCG set symbol
Celebrations (CEL)2021Pokemon TCG set symbol
Celebrations Classic Collection2021Pokemon TCG celebrations symbol
Evolving Skies (EVS)2021Pokemon TCG set symbol
Chilling Reign (CRE)2021Pokemon TCG set symbol
Battle Styles (BST)2021Pokemon TCG set symbol
Shining Fates (BRS)2021Pokemon TCG set symbol
Other Miscellaneous setsSeries set symbol
SWSH Black Star PromosPokemon TCG set symbol
SVP Black Star PromosSVP Pokemon TCG series symbol
McDonald’s Collection 2022McDonald's promo card set identifier symbol

Cards with “E” and “F” regulation marks are legal to use until rotation in 2024 (exact date TBA). You will find the regulation symbols on the bottom left corner of the card.

Other cards cannot be used, for example, If a card has a “D” regulation checkmark, it cannot be played.

However, there is an exception to this rule. If you have an older version of a card with the wrong regulation checkmark, but a newer version of the same card exists then it will be legal for tournament play.

For more about Regulation marks and other card symbols, including where to find them, read our guide on Pokemon Card Symbols and what they mean.

The following list of sets are playable in standard, assuming the cards from them are marked with an “E” regulation mark, or later.

When does Pokemon TCG rotate in 2024?

Standard Pokemon TCG format rotation will happen on April 5, 2024. After rotation, any cards marked with an “E” regulation mark will cease to be legal in tournament play. This is two weeks after the release of the Temporal Forces expansion on March 22nd.

Cards from sets before Fusion Strike will only be available if they have been reprinted. You can find a full list of cards leaving standard as well as reprinted, legal cards, on this website.

Expect cards with an “F” regulation checkmark or newer to be legal after the 2024 rotation. Cards with a regulation “E” checkmark will rotate out.

Pokemon card setYear of releaseSet symbol or Identifier
Temporal Forces (?)2024?
Paradox Rift (PAR)2023Paradox rift symbol
Obsidian Flames (OBF)2023Pokemon TCG set identifier
Paldea Evolved (PAL)2023Pokemon TCG set identifier
Scarlet & Violet (SVI)2023Pokemon TCG set identifier
Crown Zenith (CRZ)2023Pokemon TCG set symbol
Silver Temptest (SIT)2022Pokemon TCG set symbol
Lost Origin (LOR)2022Pokemon TCG set symbol
Pokemon GO (PGO)2022Pokemon TCG set symbol
Astral Radiance (ASR)2022Pokemon TCG set symbol
Brilliant Stars (BRS)2022Pokemon TCG set symbol

Some noteworthy losses from standard include:

  • Battle VIP pass
  • Path to the Peak
  • Gardevoir
  • Escape Rope
  • Energy Recycler
  • Rapid Strike Urshifu V & Vmax
  • Inteleon V & Vmax
  • Mew V & Vmax
  • Genesect V
  • Cross Switcher
  • Flaaffy

When is rotation in Pokemon Trading Card Game Live?

The Pokemon TCG Live app will undergo rotation on March 21st. This is two weeks before the physical Pokemon Trading Card Game rotates and coincides with the Western launch of Temporal Forces on March 22.

Two weeks after a new card is launched it will become legal for use in tournament play. So the Temporal Forces set will most likely be playable at the European International Championships that takes place between April 5 – 7, 2024.

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For more tips and tricks to become the very best, make sure you check out our other articles:

Best Waifu Cards and Where to Buy Them | Most expensive and rarest Pokemon cards | What do the symbols mean on Pokemon cards? | Most expensive Charizard cards | How many Pokemon cards are there? | Are Golden Pokemon cards real? Golden cards explained | Most valuable Pokemon Energy cards you can add to your collection | Can you sell your Pokemon cards at GameStop? |