The Pokémon TCG Standard format is gearing up for its 2024 rotation, where all cards marked with the E regulation will no longer be allowed in the format. This year’s rotation takes effect on April 5 for competitive events and March 21 for Pokémon TCG Live matches.
This means that nearly all cards from the Battle Styles, Chilling Reign, Evolving Skies, Celebrations, and Fusion Strike sets will no longer be allowed in competitive Pokémon TCG events using the Standard format and will have to be used in the Expanded format instead. Cards with the E regulation mark that are still playable have been reprinted in later sets with newer regulation marks (like Exp. Share, which received a G Regulation mark in Scarlet & Violet). Since the Standard rotation determines a card’s legality based on its Regulation mark, sets that contain a mix of E and F regulation cards, like Crown Zenith, will see their E cards banned while F cards remain legal.
Biggest card losses of the Pokémon TCG 2024 Standard rotation
- Battle VIP Pass
- Path to the Peak
- Mew VMAX deck (Fusion Strike)
- Inteleon VMAX deck
- Zacian V
- Level Ball
- CRE Kirlia and Gardevoir
- CEL Mew
- Escape Rope
The 2024 Pokémon TCG Standard Rotation significantly impacts the game by making all Rapid Strike decks, like Inteleon/Urshifu VMAX and the powerful Fusion Strike Mew VMAX, illegal. This rotation excludes about half of the V Pokémon previously allowed in Standard, but it spares key cards such as Giratina VSTAR, Lumineon V, and Arceus VSTAR.
In terms of Trainer cards, the most notable losses include Battle VIP Pass and Path to the Peak. Battle VIP Pass, which is essential in nearly any deck for a quick start, especially benefits strategies like Lost Box and those dependent on Stage 2 Pokémon, such as Charizard ex. The soon-to-arrive Temporal Forces set introduces Buddy-Buddy Poffin, offering a similar effect by allowing the placement of two Pokémon with 70 HP or less on the field at any turn. This suggests many decks might swap Battle VIP Pass for Buddy-Buddy Poffin, though decks relying on Battle VIP Pass for basic Pokémon V will face challenges.
Path to the Peak’s absence could significantly change the meta because it disrupts the abilities of Pokémon V and ex, with no immediate replacement in sight. This could lead to a surge in decks featuring Pokémon ex with potent abilities, potentially boosting Charizard ex decks even further.
How long will the 2024 Standard rotation last?
The Pokémon TCG 2024 Standard Rotation is expected to last until early April 2025, though the exact date hasn’t been announced. This timing is based on the pattern of previous rotations for Regulations E and F, which occurred in early April, suggesting this is the current schedule for competitive play.
