The Best Cards in Temporal Forces: A Complete Guide for Players & Collectors

When Pokémon TCG players ask “What are the best cards in Temporal Forces?” they’re really asking three different questions: Which cards are worth the most money? Which cards dominate competitive play? And which cards are the most coveted for their stunning artwork? The Scarlet & Violet—Temporal Forces expansion, released in March 2024, delivers exceptional value across all three categories, but understanding which cards truly deserve the title of “best” requires looking beyond surface-level hype.

This comprehensive guide breaks down every angle of what makes a Temporal Forces card truly exceptional, from the ultra-rare Special Illustration Rares commanding hundreds of dollars to the unassuming commons that have revolutionized competitive deck building. Whether you’re a collector chasing investment pieces, a competitive player seeking meta-defining cards, or an enthusiast who appreciates artistic excellence, you’ll find your definitive roadmap here.

Key Takeaways

• Raging Bolt ex (Special Illustration Rare) leads the value charts at $200+ for PSA 10 graded copies
• Prime Catcher has emerged as the set’s most impactful competitive card, fundamentally changing tournament play
• Special Illustration Rares have extremely low pull rates (1 in 86 packs), making them genuine chase cards
• Several “budget” cards like Buddy-Buddy Poffin provide exceptional competitive value without premium pricing
• The set’s unique matrix of high-value, high-viability cards offers unprecedented opportunities for both collectors and players

The Most Valuable Cards in Temporal Forces (The Collector’s Chase List)

For collectors and investors, Temporal Forces delivers some of the most valuable Pokémon cards in recent memory. The set’s Special Illustration Rares command premium prices due to their extraordinary rarity—with pull rates of just 1.17%, you’ll find only one SIR in roughly every 86 booster packs. When combined with stunning artwork and popular Pokémon, these cards become genuine treasure hunts.

#1 Raging Bolt ex (Special Illustration Rare) – $200+

The crown jewel of Temporal Forces, this card perfectly embodies why certain pieces transcend mere collectibles to become investment-grade assets. The Special Illustration Rare version showcases Raging Bolt in dynamic action against a stormy backdrop, with artwork that immediately captures attention. Market data from PriceCharting shows ungraded copies averaging $70, while pristine PSA 10 graded versions command over $210.

The card’s value stems from multiple factors: Raging Bolt represents one of the new Paradox Pokémon that fans have embraced enthusiastically, the pull rate of approximately 1 in 855 packs for this specific card makes it genuinely scarce, and the artwork quality sets a new standard for Special Illustration Rares.

#2 Iron Crown ex (Special Illustration Rare) – $150+

Iron Crown ex represents the perfect storm of competitive viability and collectible appeal. Unlike many high-value cards that derive worth purely from rarity, Iron Crown ex actually sees significant tournament play, creating dual demand from both collectors and competitive players. The Special Illustration Rare version features intricate mechanical details that showcase the Future Paradox Pokémon aesthetic.

This card demonstrates an important principle in Pokémon TCG investing: cards with both high rarity and genuine playability tend to maintain their value more consistently than purely collectible pieces.

#3 Gastly (Illustration Rare) – $120+

Perhaps the most surprising high-value card in the set, this Illustration Rare Gastly has captured collectors’ hearts and wallets. The “Gengar tax”—the premium collectors pay for anything related to the beloved Ghost-type evolutionary line—is in full effect here. The card features Gastly in a hauntingly beautiful nighttime scene that perfectly captures the Pokémon’s mysterious nature.

What makes this particularly interesting is that it’s “just” an Illustration Rare, not a Special Illustration Rare, yet it commands prices comparable to many SIRs due to character popularity and exceptional artwork quality.

#4 Walking Wake ex (Special Illustration Rare) – $100+

Walking Wake represents another Paradox Pokémon success story, with its Special Illustration Rare version showcasing the ancient Water-type in a prehistoric landscape. The card appeals particularly to collectors who appreciate the lore connections to classic Pokémon like Suicune, while the artwork quality ensures it stands out in any collection.

#5 Morty’s Conviction (Special Illustration Rare) – $90+

Trainer cards with exceptional artwork have always held special appeal for collectors, and Morty’s Conviction exemplifies this trend. The card features Morty, the Gym Leader from Johto, in dramatic action alongside his Ghost-type Pokémon. The nostalgia factor combined with stunning visual storytelling makes this a must-have for many collectors.

The Most Powerful & Meta-Defining Cards in Temporal Forces (The Player’s Tier List)

Competitive players evaluate cards through an entirely different lens, focusing on strategic impact, deck synergies, and tournament results. Temporal Forces has delivered several cards that have fundamentally altered the competitive landscape, with some humble commons proving more impactful than their rare counterparts.

S-Tier: Prime Catcher (ACE SPEC)

Prime Catcher stands as arguably the most game-changing card in Temporal Forces, fundamentally altering how competitive matches unfold. This ACE SPEC card allows players to switch their opponent’s Active Pokémon with one of their Benched Pokémon, then deal 30 damage to the new Active Pokémon. While this might seem modest, the strategic implications are enormous.

The card excels at “prize racing”—the crucial endgame scenarios where both players are close to victory. Prime Catcher allows you to target damaged Pokémon hiding on your opponent’s bench, potentially securing game-winning knockouts that would otherwise be impossible. Tournament data from Limitless TCG shows Prime Catcher appearing in over 60% of top-performing decks since its release.

What makes Prime Catcher particularly powerful is its versatility. Unlike other ACE SPEC cards that serve specific strategies, Prime Catcher enhances virtually every competitive archetype. Whether you’re playing aggressive decks that need to secure crucial knockouts or control decks that benefit from disrupting opponent setup, Prime Catcher delivers immediate value.

S-Tier: Buddy-Buddy Poffin

Don’t let the cute name fool you—Buddy-Buddy Poffin has become the foundation of evolution-based strategies in the post-rotation format. This unassuming Trainer card allows you to search your deck for up to 2 Pokémon with 70 HP or less, revealing them and putting them into your hand.

The card essentially replaced the rotated Battle VIP Pass as the premier setup tool, but with important distinctions. While Battle VIP Pass only worked on your first turn, Buddy-Buddy Poffin provides consistent value throughout the game. This flexibility has made it indispensable for decks built around evolution strategies.

Consider popular archetypes like Cinccino control decks, which rely on evolving multiple Stage 1 Pokémon. Buddy-Buddy Poffin allows these decks to find their evolution targets reliably, creating the consistent setup that competitive success demands.

A-Tier: Iron Crown ex

Iron Crown ex demonstrates how Future Paradox Pokémon can impact competitive play beyond their collectible appeal. With 220 HP and the powerful “Gigaton Bash” attack dealing 180 damage for three Energy, Iron Crown ex provides the raw power needed to compete in the current format.

The card’s real strength lies in its ability to trade efficiently with popular threats while maintaining energy efficiency. Many current meta decks struggle to achieve consistent 180+ damage output, making Iron Crown ex a reliable counter-pick in tournament environments.

A-Tier: Cinccino

Cinccino represents one of the most interesting strategic developments in Temporal Forces, transforming from an overlooked evolution into a meta-defining control piece. Its “Make Do” ability allows you to discard cards from your hand to draw cards until you have 5 cards in hand, providing powerful card selection and deck thinning.

The most successful Cinccino strategy pairs it with Lugia VSTAR for a unique mill strategy. By using Cinccino’s ability to rapidly cycle through your deck while using Lugia VSTAR’s “Summoning Star” VSTAR Power to set up multiple attackers, skilled players can create a deck-out win condition that many opponents struggle to counter.

B-Tier: Eri, Maximum Belt, Roaring Moon, Flutter Mane

These cards round out the competitive tier list, each serving specific strategic niches:

• Eri: A disruptive Supporter that forces both players to shuffle Special Energy cards from their discard pile into their deck
• Maximum Belt: A Tool card that increases HP by 50, helping key Pokémon survive crucial knockouts
• Roaring Moon: A versatile attacker with energy acceleration potential
• Flutter Mane: Provides strategic utility in specific matchups, particularly against Pokémon with certain weaknesses

The Ultimate Temporal Forces Matrix: Value vs. Viability

Understanding the relationship between a card’s market value and competitive viability reveals the most strategic acquisition targets. This analysis plots cards based on their financial worth (Y-axis) and tournament impact (X-axis), creating four distinct quadrants that guide both collectors and players.

The Kings (High Value, High Viability) – Iron Crown ex SIR

Iron Crown ex (Special Illustration Rare) represents the Holy Grail of Temporal Forces cards—simultaneously commanding premium collector prices and delivering tournament-winning performance. At $150+ for high-grade copies, it satisfies collectors seeking artwork and rarity, while its 220 HP and powerful attacks make it a legitimate competitive threat.

This quadrant represents the safest long-term investments, as cards maintain value through both speculative collecting and practical play demand. Even if competitive interest wanes, the rarity and artwork preserve collector appeal, while tournament success protects against pure speculative bubbles.

The Collector’s Trophies (High Value, Low Viability) – Gastly IR

Cards like the Illustration Rare Gastly command impressive prices ($120+) despite minimal competitive impact. These represent pure collectible plays, where value derives entirely from rarity, artwork quality, and character popularity rather than strategic utility.

While potentially rewarding for collectors who appreciate the artistry, these cards carry higher risk as investments since their value depends entirely on sustained collector interest rather than the dual demand sources enjoyed by competitively viable cards.

The Player’s Staples (Low Value, High Viability) – Buddy-Buddy Poffin

This quadrant offers exceptional value for competitive players, featuring cards that dramatically impact tournament success without premium price tags. Buddy-Buddy Poffin, typically available for under $5, appears in the majority of successful evolution-based decks, making it among the highest impact-per-dollar cards in the format.

Smart players prioritize these acquisitions for immediate competitive advantage, while savvy collectors may consider them for long-term holds if they become format staples across multiple expansions.

The Niche Picks (Low Value, Low Viability)

Most cards in any expansion fall into this category, serving specific strategic purposes or collector niches without broad appeal. While not investment targets, many provide essential support roles in specialized strategies and complete collections.

FAQ: Your Temporal Forces Questions Answered

Final Verdict: What Are the True “Best” Cards to Get?

The answer depends entirely on your goals, but here’s your actionable roadmap:

For Pure Players on a Budget: Prioritize Buddy-Buddy Poffin (under $5) and Prime Catcher (around $20-30) as immediate competitive upgrades. These cards appear in the majority of successful decks and provide exceptional impact per dollar spent.

For Pure Collectors: Target the Raging Bolt ex Special Illustration Rare as your centerpiece chase card, supplemented by Iron Crown ex SIR and the Gastly Illustration Rare. These represent the set’s premium collectible tier with strong long-term appreciation potential.

For Those Who Want the Best of Both Worlds: Iron Crown ex (Special Illustration Rare) represents the ultimate prize—a card that satisfies both competitive and collectible demands. While expensive, it offers the dual utility that justifies premium pricing.

The Temporal Forces expansion succeeds where many sets fail by offering genuine value across multiple player segments. Whether you’re drawn by competitive power, artistic excellence, or investment potential, the set delivers cards worthy of their “best” designation. The key is understanding which definition of “best” aligns with your priorities and building your acquisition strategy accordingly.

Remember that the Pokémon TCG market remains dynamic, with both competitive viability and collectible values shifting based on tournament results, meta developments, and broader collector trends. The cards identified here represent the current state of excellence, but staying informed about ongoing developments will help you make the smartest long-term decisions.

Fatima Al-Fassi

With a degree in mythology and folklore, Fatima is our RPG Lore Master. She delves into the vast open worlds of RPGs to uncover hidden narratives, cultural inspirations, and thematic connections. Her features are for players who want to fully immerse themselves in the history and lore of their favorite games.