How Rotation Works
1999–2001: No rotation. All printed cards were legal.
2001–2019: Set-based rotation. Each year, older sets rotated out. Legality defined as "Set X through Set Y."
2020–present: Regulation mark rotation. Cards printed with letter marks (D, E, F, G, H…). Rotation removes all cards below a mark threshold.
Base–Fossil
January 1999 – December 1999
Base–Team Rocket
April 2000 – August 2001
Base–Gym (Classic Extended)
August 2000 – September 2001
Base–Neo
December 2000 – September 2001
Rocket-On (2001–02 Modified)
September 2001 – September 2002
Neo–Skyridge (2002–03)
September 2002 – September 2003
e-Card (2003–04)
September 2003 – August 2004
EX 2005 (RS–EM)
September 2004 – August 2005
EX 2006 (HL–HP)
September 2005 – August 2006
EX 2007 (DX–DP)
September 2006 – August 2007
HP-On (2008)
September 2007 – August 2008
DP-On (2009)
September 2008 – August 2009
DP-UL (2010)
September 2008 – August 2010
MD–CL (2011)
September 2010 – July 2011
HGSS–BLW (2011)
July 2011 – August 2011
HGSS–NVI (Pre-EX 2012)
September 2011 – February 2012
HGSS–DEX (2012)
February 2012 – August 2012
BLW-On (2013)
September 2012 – August 2013
NXD-On (2014)
September 2013 – August 2014
BCR-On / Standard 2015
September 2014 – August 2015
XY Standard 2016
September 2015 – August 2016
Standard 2017
September 2016 – August 2017
Standard 2018
September 2017 – August 2018
SUM–LOT
September 2018 – February 2019
Standard 2019 Worlds
September 2018 – August 2019
Standard 2020
September 2019 – August 2020
POG (UPR–DAA)
September 2020 – August 2021
Standard 2021
September 2020 – August 2021
Standard 2022
September 2021 – August 2022
Standard 2023 (F-On)
April 2023 – March 2024
Standard 2024 (G-On)
April 2024 – March 2025
Standard 2025 (G-On)
April 2025 – March 2026
Expanded
2014 – Present (Black & White onward)
Unlimited
1999 – Present (All cards legal)
Gym Leader Challenge (GLC)
2020 – Present (Community Format)
Standard 2026 (H-On)
April 2026 – Present
More formats being added — from Neo-Skyridge (2002) through Standard 2026. Check back soon.
Build Decks from Any Format
Professor's Research supports all 36+ formats in the deck builder with full legality validation.