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Each year, the Standard Rotation for Pokémon TCG changes. In 2024, it is going to follow the launch of the Temporal Forces set. New cards are being introduced into the legal bracket, while others are being siphoned out.
In our guide to this year’s rotation, we’re going to cover what cards are coming into the Standard Rotation, when exactly it begins, and how it’s going to change the game for you.
When does the Standard Rotation for 2024 begin?
The Standard Rotation will start on April 5th, just a few weeks after the Temporal Forces release date. While it’s not often that the new rotation begins this soon after a set is announced, this year is different. It’s going to shake things up slightly, totally changing the meta of the game as ACE SPEC cards begin to shape the game differently.
This date has been confirmed for the physical trading card game, though those playing digitally on Pokémon TCG Live will get to experience the new rotation early on March 21st.
Pokémon TCG Standard Rotation (2024)
Checking whether or not your cards are in the Standard Rotation is as easy as looking at them. In the bottom left of the card, you will see a letter in a bubble, on the left of the card number. The Pokémon Company’s example shows off the Battle VIP Pass card with an E on it.
Prices will fall
The Standard Rotation was announced way back in January. Since then, the prices of cards marked E has dropped significantly. As an example, the Battle VIP Pass was worth anywhere between $3-7 in December, and is now only worth $1. It might be too late, but ahead of 2025’s Standard Rotation you can begin to sell off cards that will lose value.
Pokémon cards marked with an E are no longer considered legal within the Standard Rotation in 2024. This coincides with the fact that cards marked F, G and H will continue to be legal in the Standard Format.
It’s not all doom and gloom for cards such as the Exp. Share. Though in prior sets it will have been marked with an E, later sets will have retconned this with a G. It’s worth checking up on the official Pokémon TCG site for exact details on which cards have been re-inserted into rotation.
| Legality in Standard | Card Letter |
|---|---|
| Illegal | E |
| Legal | F |
| Legal | G |
| Legal | H |
What cards are rotating out of Standard in 2024?
While the changes to how Standard Rotation works in 2024 means that it’s no longer blanket rotations on specific sets, there are some patterns in how the rotation is working. For example, the following sets are effectively now removed from Standard;
- Battle Styles
- Chilling Reign
- Evolving Skies
- Celebrations
- Fusion Strike
There are quite a few Crown Zenith cards that have also left rotation, however, the usage of the letter system means that not all of them have lost their relevancy in Standard, which is a huge win for cards like Giratina VSTAR, Charizard VSTAR and Radiant Charizard.
Prepare to say goodbye to plenty of cards leaving rotation, of which we’ve listed the ones we will miss the most:
| The best cards leaving Standard Rotation in 2024 |
|---|
| Battle VIP Pass |
| Escape Rope |
| Mew VMAX |
| Gengar VMAX |
| Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX |
| Calyrex VMAX |
| Avery |
| Path to the Peak |
Say goodbye to Path to the Peak
Path to the Peak finally leaving rotation is going to cause a bit of a stir, alongside Battle VIP Pass and Escape Rope. These three cards have been extremely common in Standard over the past couple of years, and they’re certainly going to be making way for a new meta in which ACE SPEC cards are more prevalent.
Path’s absence is especially notable, considering the fact that it’s going to significantly nerf V and ex cards.
Best cards remaining in Standard Rotation
Many of the Pokémon TCG’s archetypes are safe from the Standard Rotation. This is generally the case as newer cards and sets bring stronger cards, while older cards from aging sets are replaced by better versions and reprints.
Charizard ex
The Charizard ex archetype often appears in the best decks for Pokémon TCG, while also leading the way in the best decks from the Temporal Forces expansion. With the introduction of Buddy Poffin, you’re going to be able to search for Stage 1 and Stage 2 evolution cards in your deck easily, which means the losses to Battle VIP Pass and Level Ball are less damaging.
Charizard ex will continue to pair well with Bibarel’s Industrious Incisors, now set up by the Cryptomaniac from Temporal Forces instead.
Chien-Pao ex
The main reason Chien-Pao ex will return as a strong archetype post-rotation and post-Temporal Forces is due to the fact it plays pretty independently of E-Tier cards. If you’ve picked up a Chien-Pao ex Battle Deck, though it’s not necessarily one of the best battle decks in the whole Pokémon TCG, you can easily upgrade it into a powerful competitive deck with some ACE SPEC cards and supporting archetypes.
How long will the Standard Rotation last?
It’s expected that this Standard Rotation will continue until April 2025. This is mainly based on the fact that last year’s rotation kicked off in April too. However, there’s not much strength in that claim considering that 2022’s didn’t begin until September. Whatever the case, expect anywhere between 8-12 months before you need to start considering how the changing meta will affect your decks.
What is the current Standard Rotation in Pokémon TCG?
At the moment, the Standard Rotation in Pokémon TCG covers all of the Scarlet and Violet expansions and a few from Sword and Shield; Twilight Masquerade, Temporal Forces, Paldean Fates, Paradox Rift, SV 151, Obsidian Flames, Paldea Evolved, Silver Tempest, Lost Origin, Astral Radiance, and Brilliant Stars. A few cards from Crown Zenith have left rotation, though.
