See Pokémon’s Best Starters In The TCG’s Temporal Forces Expansion

Pokemon TCG Turtwig art

The next expansion for the Pokémon trading card game, Paldean Fates, is just days away, and in the leadup to its launch, The Pokémon Company has been revealing new cards for the set. After Paldean Fates, though, the next full expansion for the TCG is Temporal Forces, and while we don’t know all of the cards in that set yet, we are starting to get a glimpse at it.

Paldean Fates is a special limited expansion, like Pokémon 151 before it, which means that it won’t have standalone boosters sold; the expansion is notable for its inclusion of shiny Pokémon. Temporal Forces on the other hand sees the return of ACE SPEC cards, super powerful cards of which only one of any kind can be included in a deck. Sadly we haven’t been able to get our hands on any ACE SPEC cards, but we have got a neat little exclusive that’s almost as exciting.

GLHF has been offered an exclusive reveal at three cards in the upcoming Temporal Forces set, and it’s a pretty fun evolutionary line — it’s the best Pokémon starter in the entire series, Turtwig. The Pokémon Company has provided us with a look at all three Pokémon in the line, Turtwig, Grotle, and Torterra, the latter of which is a powerful EX card.

Let’s take a look.

Turtwig – TEF 010/162

The first card we got our hands on was the cutest Grass-type starter, Turtwig, and it’s a pretty interesting card. It’s got the Solid Shell ability, which means it takes 20 less damage from every attack, making it a solid card to make active while building up towards a Torterra, either the active card or on the bench.

Other than that, it’s a bit of a strange card, having a 30 HP damage Leafage attack requiring one Grass and two Colorless Energy, which is quite high for such a weak move. It also has a retreat cost of three Colorless Energy, which is also very high for a basic Pokémon, really giving the sense that it’s all about bulking up and delaying until you’re ready with a Grotle and Torterra.

Grotle – TEF 011/162

When you evolve your Turtwig into a Grotle, you’ll get a decent amount of extra HP – you’re now running with 120 HP – and a much less costly move, in a 20 damage Cut, which requires just one Grass Energy. It’s lost its ability, but it makes up for it with its new move, Ramming Shell, which deals 50 damage and makes Grotle take 20 less damage from attacks in the next turn. Its retreat cost is also bumped up to four Colorless Energy.

On the art side of things, Grotle’s artwork is actually pretty cool, with a very dynamic pose that looks like Grotle has been hit hard by an attack and is bracing itself as it’s pushed back. It’s illustrated by Uninori, who’s done well in TCG illustration contests in the past, and it’s just delightful.

Torterra EX – TEF 012/162

And here we are, the final stage for this line and a chunky monster of a card in more ways than one. Like Grotle, Torterra doesn’t have an ability, and doesn’t even have a way to reduce damage like its predecessors, but with 340 HP, it doesn’t really need it. Plus, it’s got some healing up its sleeve.

Torterra EX has two moves, the first being Forest March, which costs one Grass Energy and deals 30 damage for each Grass Pokémon in play, up to 150 damage. It also has Jungle Hammer, a very powerful move that deals 150 damage and heals 50 HP, more than making up for its lack of a damage-reducing ability or move.

Pokémon: Temporal Forces will start rolling out from March 22, 2024, and is set to feature over 160 new cards.