2020 Season Pokémon TCG Format Rotation Announced!

[grriffinn]

I didn't see a thread about this, but TPCi has announced the 2020 Season format rotation on the main site. We're officially moving to an Ultra Prism-on Standard format! Expanded has no changes, but that's expected at this point.

So far, here's what's getting rotated. Sets labeled with a * have cards that are surviving the rotation due to reprints found in 2020 Season-legal sets.

• Sun & Moon*
• Guardians Rising
• Burning Shadows
• Crimson Invasion*
• Shining Legends
• Black Star Promos labeled SM 1 through SM 93

And here's what's staying...

• Ultra Prism
• Forbidden Light
• Celestial Storm
• Lost Thunder
• Team Up
• Dragon Majesty
• Detective Pikachu
• Black Star Promos labeled SM 94 and up

The only funky sets are the McDonalds' promo sets, but those will go on a case-by-case basis. For example, the McDonalds promo Energy Evolution Eevee is NOT legal due to not being in a 2020 Standard-legal set, but Magnemite IS since it's a reprint of a card from an Ultra Prism-on set.

With that all said and done, what's your take on this?

[SKBellmore]

Zoroark No!

[Otakutron]

17 minutes ago, grriffinn said:

The only funky sets are the McDonalds' promo sets, but those will go on a case-by-case basis. For example, the McDonalds promo Energy Evolution Eevee is NOT legal due to not being in a 2020 Standard-legal set, but Magnemite IS since it's a reprint of a card from an Ultra Prism-on set.

 

This isn't even "funky", other than how they're explaining it.  As long as there are no substantial differences, previous printings of cards that have a more recent release in a Standard-legal set are Standard-legal themselves.  Maybe so as not to scare younger players - or their parents who would have otherwise bought them more cards after getting a few at McDonald's -  they are wording it so oddly.

Or am I just missing how what is actually being done is different than saying "The McDonald's sets have all rotated out of Standard Format play."?

[SandaledOtter]

26 minutes ago, Otakutron said:

This isn't even "funky", other than how they're explaining it.  As long as there are no substantial differences, previous printings of cards that have a more recent release in a Standard-legal set are Standard-legal themselves.  Maybe so as not to scare younger players - or their parents who would have otherwise bought them more cards after getting a few at McDonald's -  they are wording it so oddly.

Or am I just missing how what is actually being done is different than saying "The McDonald's sets have all rotated out of Standard Format play."?

I'm just guessing, as I've never seen these at a McD, but I think they may have been printed AFTER the official sets. So there might be post-Ultra Prism McD cards that are from pre-Ultra Prism sets and are therefore going away, as if they don't count as real sets.

[grriffinn]

4 minutes ago, SandaledOtter said:

I'm just guessing, as I've never seen these at a McD, but I think they may have been printed AFTER the official sets. So there might be post-Ultra Prism McD cards that are from pre-Ultra Prism sets and are therefore going away, as if they don't count as real sets.

That's the gist of it, that's why I cited Energy Evolution Eevee (a card from SM that's been printed multiple times as both alternate holo promo and an Alternate Art Promo) as a card that wouldn't be legal in the next season despite being printed in a separate 2018 set.

[Otakutron]

1 hour ago, SandaledOtter said:

I'm just guessing, as I've never seen these at a McD, but I think they may have been printed AFTER the official sets. So there might be post-Ultra Prism McD cards that are from pre-Ultra Prism sets and are therefore going away, as if they don't count as real sets.

Which doesn't change what I'm saying.  For the 2020 Standard Format, none of the McDonald's promos are going to be legal unless they have a counterpart from an expansion that is already Standard Format legal.  So, for the McDonald's promos that have already released, this just makes it needlessly complicated.

However, I think I have figured it out... or maybe I'm just being thick and the following is what you're saying:

Future McDonald's "sets" are not automatically legal, either, but will use the above rules as well.  This way, the-powers-that-be can release whatever they want into the Happy Meals - even banned cards! - without affecting what is legal for the Standard Format.  Again, if that is what you were both saying, forgive me for being so confused I didn't understand and then thought I came up with it. XP

[grriffinn]

4 minutes ago, Otakutron said:

Future McDonald's "sets" are not automatically legal, either, but will use the above rules as well.  This way, the-powers-that-be can release whatever they want into the Happy Meals - even banned cards! - without affecting what is legal for the Standard Format.  Again, if that is what you were both saying, forgive me for being so confused I didn't understand and then thought I came up with it. XP

Yeah, I have a feeling it's mostly for future-proofing later McDonald's sets and possibly other "pseudo-sets" like it. 

Edited April 18, 2019 by grriffinn
Missing letter/minor grammer

[WingsofFire1014]

Wow. No Tapu-Lele GX or Zoroark GX. There are a bunch of others good cards that are leaving too.

 

I'm sure that they have a bunch of tricks up their sleeves though. There will be replacements for these cards.

[SKBellmore]

1 hour ago, WingsofFire1014 said:

Wow. No Tapu-Lele GX or Zoroark GX. There are a bunch of others good cards that are leaving too.

 

I'm sure that they have a bunch of tricks up their sleeves though. There will be replacements for these cards.

We already have seen some replacements for some cards we have currently.

 

Dedenne GX will be the Tapu Lele of this format.

 

We’re getting a Xurkitree in August that’s pretty much Baby Buzzwole but for 3 prizes instead of 4.

 

And I’m sure we’ll see more.

[AutumnAlchemist]

Hold up...  This means that someone, somewhere, went to a tournament with a bunch of cards from Mcdonalds.  I don't know who they are, but I'm proud of them.