Trash or Treasure? Temporal Forces Format Update

The Temporal Forces format kicked things off with a bang here in the west, coupled with our annual rotation to F block onwards. There has been a flurry of tournaments across all continents in rapid succession, giving us plenty of results and data to look at. The format’s progression only loosely followed the results of Japan’s Champions League Fukuoka, showing that there was lots of room for the format to grow and develop, as well as warning us that a sample size of one large tournament doesn’t necessarily indicate hard-set rules for our format.

Champions League Fukuoka

[cardimg name=”Lugia VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”211″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

When Japan’s Fukuoka tournament took place about a month and a half before our rotation, we paid much more attention to it than usual because it was the only major tournament data for us. [card name=”Lugia VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] won that event and proceeded to flop massively at all subsequent western tournaments. Lugia VSTAR earned not a single Top 16 at EUIC or Orlando Regionals despite being a popular deck, though it did make Top 8 at Regionals in Perth and Sao Paulo. I’ll pat myself on the back for calling out Lugia VSTAR as mid at the format’s inception; the deck is strong, but a bit inconsistent. Its Weakness to [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] worried me at first, but I’m starting to think this might be acceptable going forward. [card name=”Arceus VSTAR” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Alolan Vulpix VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”34″ c=”name”][/card] placed second in Japan, but we all know that deck is not real, and the same goes for the Japan-dominating [card name=”Snorlax” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] stall deck. These decks were great plays for Japan’s early-stage meta at the time, but our format outgrew them pretty quickly.

[card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] did alright in Japan, and lists for it have evolved quickly. We knew Charizard ex was going to be the best deck in the format, and it’s exceeding even those expectations despite the bar being so high. Arceus VSTAR / [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card] also did well in Japan, following this up with few major results — it did terribly at EUIC, though somehow got two Top 16s at Orlando and a Top 8 in Sao Paulo. Lost Zone box was one of the most played decks in Japan, and it was somewhat successful but has remained similarly mid to Arceus VSTAR / Giratina VSTAR. With a single Top 16 at both EUIC and Orlando, it surprisingly got second at Sao Paulo. All things considered though, it’s still not a top-tier deck in the format.

The main thing that remained consistent is the format’s diversity; Japan’s Top 16 had a smattering of different decks, and we’ve continued to see a wide variety of decks perform well here and there. Due to how many decks are viable, it’s possible for some to be overlooked simply because nobody good is playing them. Lost Zone box, for example, has a few isolated performances despite low overall numbers.

EUIC

EUIC further demonstrated Charizard ex’s dominance in terms of placements and list innovation. The disruptive version saw a lot of play, but ultimately Tord’s version came out on top, setting the standard going forward. Isaiah Bradner debuted [card name=”Banette ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] in Giratina VSTAR, though this did not gain a lot of traction despite its second-place finish. Another introduction was [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card] control, an interesting deck that many were unsure about — it took two Top 8 placements despite low representation, showing off the deck’s power.

[card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”223″ c=”name”][/card] overperformed as well, also taking two Top 8 spots. This has been hard to replicate going forward, as the deck struggles against Charizard ex. [card name=”Roaring Moon ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Dudunsparce” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card] snuck into the Top 8 out of absolutely nowhere, again demonstrating the format’s diversity. If these performances weren’t enough of a surprise for everyone, we also saw [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] bubble at ninth. These results were completely all over the place, with plenty of unexpected decks doing well. What’s interesting is that most of these decks simply lose to Charizard ex, making them questionable plays going forward due to that deck’s dominance, however, at EUIC, players and lists were still in the early stages of the format, giving the edge to practiced players with refined lists more than matchups. Continuing the trend that Japan started, there was a wide variety of decks in the Top 16.

The Regionals

[cardimg name=”Charizard ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”234″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

EUIC was immediately followed by Orlando and Perth Regionals on the same weekend, with Sao Paulo Regionals most recently after that. [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] won every single one of these tournaments and put up solid results overall. With that, Charizard ex won four majors in a row and cemented itself as the king of the format. Sao Paulo and Orlando had some diversity, with five other decks in the Top 8. Perth was mostly Charizard ex though.

[card name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] performed exceptionally well in Orlando, taking several top spots, and interestingly, Ancient box preyed upon them and managed to take second place. Just when everyone thought Lost Zone box was down for the count, it took second at Sao Paulo. Aside from these, there were a wide variety of decks occupying the top spots, solidifying this format as a diverse and interesting one.

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Going Forward

Charizard ex

Charizard ex has that interesting characteristic that many top decks tend to have; its matchup spread isn’t anything crazy, but the deck is so inherently broken that it doesn’t matter. Charizard ex has a close matchup against other top decks such as Chien-Pao ex, [card name=”Arceus VSTAR” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Lugia VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card], and it’s actually bad into Giratina VSTAR and control/stall. Aside from that, Charizard ex functions as an oppressive gatekeeper for many other decks, as it crushes gimmicky decks such as Ancient box, [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] that would otherwise have the potential for greatness. At Regionals, especially in this format, you’re going to run into a variety of random decks, and Charizard ex does great in such an environment. Even if you face the mirror, it’s a 50-50 matchup with a relevant skill element, so you’re doing alright into most decks. Factor in Charizard ex’s attribute as a superior deck, and it’s easy to see why it has been so dominant.

Although [card name=”Prime Catcher” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] has been in all of these winning lists, I would still prefer to play [card name=”Maximum Belt” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card] as the deck’s ACE SPEC. Maximum Belt is extremely powerful in the all-important mirror match. It’s also quite helpful against Iron Hands ex and can be useful against Chien-Pao ex or [card name=”Roaring Moon ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] too. It can be useless, but Prime Catcher’s effect can be replicated easily enough with [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”132″ c=”name”][/card]. Maximum Belt essentially lets you do something that the deck can’t otherwise do, whereas Prime Catcher is simply a busted card. That said, the [card name=”Regieleki” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] build should still play Prime Catcher due to its increased reliance on switching and ability to reuse the Prime Catcher. I also don’t love [card name=”Roxanne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card] — while it’s plainly better than [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card] at some points, I’d rather have the early-game consistency of another Iono or [card name=”Arven” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”166″ c=”name”][/card], and Roxanne’s effect is closely replicated by Iono anyway.

Charizard ex will continue to perform well. The deck is simply amazing, and it’s also chosen by many strong players. I personally wouldn’t want to play one of the many decks with a losing Charizard ex matchup, but people do it anyway, so Charizard ex can feast upon them. Aside from the ones I already mentioned, Roaring Moon ex / [card name=”Dudunsparce” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card] and Lost Zone box are also good matchups for it. I have considered Charizard ex for this format’s major tournaments and will continue to do so, but of course, it’s hard to turn down the decks that beat it, few and far between they may be. You should be prepared for Charizard ex at any upcoming tournaments, and if your deck loses to it, it better compensate heavily in other areas.

Chien-Pao ex

[cardimg name=”Canceling Cologne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”136″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Aside from [card name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card]’s standout success in Orlando, it has had rather lackluster results given how popular it has been. That said, it’s probably unfair to disparage the deck because it did pull through in Orlando if nothing else. Chien-Pao ex is more or less the same as it was before; it’s a swingy deck with high highs and low lows. The deck feels to be high variance and relies on luck more than others, but of course, when it works, it absolutely steamrolls whatever is in front of it. Chien-Pao ex boasts an even-to-slightly-favorable Charizard matchup, which is quite appealing. Chien-Pao ex itself one-shots any big Pokemon, and the combo of Iron Hands ex and [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card] punish little ones. This combo is undeniably powerful, and it’s no surprise that the deck has been so popular at major events.

Some lists have cut [card name=”Canceling Cologne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card], which is insane to me! Canceling Cologne is such a strong card and wins games on its own against relevant meta decks such as [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card]. If you draw it or Prime Catcher early, you can [card name=”Irida” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”147″ c=”name”][/card] for the other one and wreck the opponent’s boards with Radiant Greninja. Even if you don’t get the combo until later, you can oftentimes still use it, leveraging Radiant Greninja to swing a Prize trade into your favor. [card name=”Cyllene” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] has become standard, which is a card I initially disliked, however, Chien-Pao ex can easily lose to random [card name=”Eri” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”146″ c=”name”][/card], which Cyllene helps with. Recycling Prime Catcher is also incredible, but Cyllene is a bit inconsistent and hard to find at the right time.

Chien-Pao ex doesn’t have much of a concept of matchups. You hope to draw well. I don’t prefer these types of decks, but this deck is undeniably strong and seems to be quite popular, especially in the US. It’s worth preparing to face this deck, but it’s also possible you won’t run into any in a tournament.

Giratina VSTAR

Giratina VSTAR is an all-around solid deck right now. I recently wrote about it, so I don’t have a lot to add in addition to that. In essence, Giratina VSTAR’s biggest strength is that it beats Charizard ex. Past that, its matchup spread is neither great nor terrible. Giratina VSTAR has no glaring weaknesses, so it has a decent chance in any matchup, but besides Charizard ex, there’s nothing you particularly want to face up against. I’m surprised Giratina VSTAR hasn’t caught on much, even though it took second place at EUIC with the interesting [card name=”Banette ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] build.

I don’t think the Banette ex version is necessary, but it’s not bad. In the non-Banette ex build, the [card name=”Spiritomb” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Temple of Sinnoh” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”155″ c=”name”][/card] are optional techs. Spiritomb has lost value over time, although it was great for EUIC. [card name=”Snorlax” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] stall was the main matchup for it, which is no longer a real threat. Spiritomb is helpful against Charizard ex, but it’s not entirely necessary, and there’s no guarantee you’re able to get it in time. Temple of Sinnoh gives you a chance against [card name=”Lugia VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] and is useful in some other situations, so I think it’s worth keeping around. [card name=”Manaphy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] is too valuable in its respective matchups, so it’s worth running as well. Giratina VSTAR is worth considering playing for tournaments — like everything that isn’t Charizard ex, there’s a decent chance of running into it as well as a decent chance of avoiding it. When thinking about this category of decks (Tier 2, or just not Charizard ex), you want to be prepared for as many as possible, while accepting a few strategic bad matchups in the mix.

Lugia VSTAR

[cardimg name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”248″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Lugia VSTAR is the textbook definition of a bad deck with great matchups. It only really loses to [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card], which means its matchup spread is unparalleled. This makes Lugia VSTAR seem like a great play… until you have to deal with its crippling inconsistency. Of course, like [card name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card], it is nigh-unstoppable once set up, giving it some appeal for those who don’t want to burn through all of their brain cells in nonstop sweaty games.

Lugia VSTAR had tons of initial hype going into this format but it’s trending downward after it failed to perform. The only real optional inclusions are Snorlax and [card name=”Lumineon V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]; I’ve gone back and forth on Snorlax, and ultimately I don’t think it’s needed — Snorlax definitely can be useful, but reworking the Energy lineup to accommodate it is rather annoying. The second Lumineon V is obviously great… aside from the increased chance of starting with it, which can lose games in several matchups. The deck has a hard time finding its [card name=”Collapsed Stadium” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] at the right time, so you may not want to risk playing the second Lumineon V. I went to one Lumineon V after trying two, but I wouldn’t fault anyone for playing the second copy.

Iron Hands ex

[card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] is an obscenely powerful deck that burst onto the scene with a stellar showing at EUIC. Despite this, it’s also trending down. Iron Hands ex can’t get over its weak [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, and there are fewer Lugia VSTAR to prey upon than before. Iron Hands ex also struggles against [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card], but although it destroys plenty of other decks, it is simply positioned poorly in the meta right now. It shouldn’t be surprising to run into Iron Hands ex and see it get some wins, but overall, I think its matchup spread is much too dangerous to play the deck.

I think the [card name=”Technical Machine: Crisis Punch” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] addition to the deck was exceptionally clever, as it is a simple high-value card that wasn’t widely known about pre-EUIC. The other interesting tech that showed up was [card name=”Erika’s Invitation” set=”151″ no=”160″ c=”name”][/card], which I think is bad; and it’s even worse now that people know it exists. Psychic Energy has quickly become standard, as it should. Some people also play [card name=”Iron Leaves ex” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card], which is ineffective copium, if you ask me. Even if you get a two-for-two trade against Charizard ex with it, those Energy cannot be preserved by [card name=”Heavy Baton” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card], and good luck hitting your [card name=”Electric Generator” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”170″ c=”name”][/card] when your Energy are split between three types.

Ancient Box

Ancient box has an overall better and slightly less polarizing matchup spread than Iron Hands ex, notably beating Chien-Pao ex and Giratina VSTAR. Unfortunately, Ancient box simply loses to Charizard ex, making it difficult to justify playing. That said, Ancient box is annoying for any other deck to deal with, and it does have a solid matchup spread if you ignore the glaring weakness to Charizard ex. Taking the loss to the number-one deck in exchange for most other matchups isn’t an uncommon strategy, but it’s one I typically avoid. Since Ancient box was nearly non-existent at the inception of the format, it is gaining traction despite its weakness to Charizard ex. It also placed second at Orlando Regionals, making it more popular.

The Fire Energy was a neat inclusion to try to counter [card name=”Noivern ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card], but I think this is unnecessary going forward, as you have a higher chance of getting struck by lightning than facing Noivern ex in tournaments in the current meta. The EUIC Top 4 did have one, hence the Fire Energy tech, but there’s no reason to play it right now with the way the meta has developed. I also think the [card name=”Great Tusk” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t ideal, risking a bad starter. That said, I haven’t played enough of the deck to see if Great Tusk wins games and I don’t know what situations it actually matters in. Aside from that, all lists are cookie-cutter, and you can probably expect to face one or two at your next Regional.

Roaring Moon With Dudunsparce

[cardimg name=”Dudunsparce” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”129″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This deck managed to spike a Top 8 finish at EUIC and Orlando apiece, and people seem to be jumping aboard the bandwagon. After playing this deck, there is absolutely nothing special about it and it loses to Charizard ex, so I wouldn’t recommend or respect it much. The lists are all the same, and I think people are only playing it because it’s relatively new, interesting, and fairly accessible. Some lists play [card name=”Penny” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”183″ c=”name”][/card] with others opting for [card name=”Thorton” set=”Lost Origin” no=”167″ c=”name”][/card], but neither seem particularly high-value, so I think it’s fine to cut them if you’re so inclined. The two copies of [card name=”Roaring Moon ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] with two [card name=”Super Rod” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”188″ c=”name”][/card] are better than the three-one split because starting with the ex is catastrophic. This deck is certainly not bad but I didn’t find it to be particularly noteworthy.

Gardevoir ex

I do not understand how this deck is doing well in tournaments. It gets mauled by [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], anything with [card name=”Roaring Moon” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], and anything with [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card]. It’s slow and fragile and has no redeeming qualities. [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] does seem to be trending up for whatever reason, and if you don’t happen to be playing any of the bad matchups I listed, you might get punked by it. I don’t think it’s worth spending any more time discussing or worrying about it.

Lost Zone Box

Lost Zone box is a deck I initially wrote off because it loses to Charizard ex, however, it placed second at Sao Paulo and the list looked pretty clean. If you get a fast enough snipe on [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card], you can disrupt their chain of [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card] and attackers. They should prepare a second [card name=”Pidgey” set=”151″ no=”16″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”Manaphy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”126″ c=”name”][/card] protecting their Bench, which gives Lost Zone box a tough time. That said, that’s a lot of Pokemon that need to not be prized, and Lost Zone box is great at punishing slow starts if Charizard ex doesn’t happen to draw the nuts. This is worth looking into some more, as Lost Zone box is a deck I haven’t played much since the rotation.

Conclusion

Thanks for reading! Hopefully, this article helped catch you up to speed on the progression of the tournament metagame in the new regulation F format. I was aiming to provide some snippets of insight that might offer some direction in this vastly diverse and interesting format. Of course, there’s also the control archetype, which I just recently wrote about. That deck is difficult but strong, losing to [card name=”Lugia VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] but beating Charizard ex with every other matchup somewhere in between.

That’s all for today!

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