Temporal Forces has been out for a few weeks now.
The hype is real. The pulls are... mixed. And everyone's asking the same question: Is this set worth opening in 2026?
I've opened 2 ETBs and a booster box. Here's my honest take.
The Hits 🔥
Mewtwo ex SAR (Special Art Rare)
The Star of the Set
Let's be real: This card is the reason you're opening Temporal Forces.
Artwork: 9/10. The temporal energy effects are stunning. Mewtwo looks appropriately menacing.
Playability: 10/10. Mewtwo ex is meta-defining. You'll see this in tournaments for months.
Investment Potential: 8/10. Mewtwo is always a safe bet. Not Charizard-level, but close.
Current Price: $180-220 (raw), $400-500 (PSA 10)
Verdict: Chase this card. It's worth the hype.
Pecharunt ex SAR
The Second Chase
Pecharunt is... fine. Good art, solid card, but it's not Mewtwo.
Artwork: 7/10. The poison theme is cool, but it's not as flashy as Mewtwo.
Playability: 6/10. Niche decks only. Won't see much tournament play.
Investment Potential: 5/10. Oversupplied and not iconic enough.
Current Price: $120-150 (raw)
Verdict: Nice pull, but don't expect it to moon.
Iron Thorns ex SAR
The Third Chase
Iron Thorns is the "third rare" in the set. You know what that means.
Artwork: 6/10. It's... a robot dinosaur? Looks fine, nothing special.
Playability: 5/10. Budget decks only.
Investment Potential: 4/10. Too much supply, not enough demand.
Current Price: $80-110 (raw)
Verdict: Cool to pull, but I'm selling mine.
The Misses ❌
Regular Rares
Most of the regular rares in this set are... bulk.
Standouts:
- **Mew ex**: Solid card, but common enough
- **Dialga VSTAR**: Reprint, no value
- **Palkia VSTAR**: Also a reprint
Verdict: Don't open boxes expecting rare value. Most are worth $1-3.
Reverse Holos
The reverse holo pattern in this set is... fine?
Good: The temporal swirl effect looks cool on some cards.
Bad: Most are still worth $0.50-2. Nothing special.
Verdict: Nice to have, but don't factor into your opening decision.
The Surprises 😲
Uncommon Trainers
Some uncommons are actually playable:
- **Professor's Research** (always good)
- **Boss's Orders** (meta staple)
- **Switch** (every deck needs it)
- **Gold Energy Cards**: Cool, but not valuable (~$20-30 each)
- **Gold Stadium Cards**: Actually sick (~$40-60)
- **Alternate Art Trainers**: Hit or miss ($15-80)
Verdict: These hold value better than you'd expect. Keep playsets.
Secret Rares
The secret rare chase cards are:
Verdict: The gold stadium cards are the real chase. Everything else is nice-to-have.
Pull Rates (From My Box)
Booster Box Results (36 packs):
- SARs: 3 (Mewtwo, Pecharunt, Iron Thorns)
- Regular Rares: 36 (as expected)
- Secret Rares: 2 (gold energy, gold stadium)
- Reverse Holos: 36
- SARs: 1 (Mewtwo)
- Regular Rares: 10
- Secret Rares: 0
ETB Results (2 boxes):
Verdict: Pull rates are decent. About 1 SAR per 12 packs, which is standard for modern sets.
Is Temporal Forces Worth Opening in 2026?
For Collectors: **Yes**
If you want the SARs for your collection, now is a good time. Prices have settled after the initial rush.
For Investors: **Maybe**
Mewtwo ex SAR is a solid hold. Everything else? Not really. The set is too fresh, too much supply.
For Players: **Yes**
Playable cards are cheap. You can build competitive decks without breaking the bank.
For Flippers: **No**
The easy money is gone. Wait for the set to rotate out before speculating.
My Investment Picks
Buying:
- Mewtwo ex SAR (under $200)
- Gold Stadium SR (under $50)
- Playable uncommons (bulk prices)
- Pecharunt ex SAR (prices will drop)
- Iron Thorns ex SAR (same)
- Most regular rares
- My Mewtwo pull (long-term)
- Playset of Boss's Orders
- First edition ETBs (for sealed collection)
Selling:
Holding:
The Bottom Line
Temporal Forces is a solid set with one true chase card (Mewtwo) and a lot of filler.
Open if: You want Mewtwo for collection or play.
Skip if: You're expecting to pull life-changing value.
Invest in: Mewtwo ex SARs and sealed ETBs.
Avoid: Pecharunt and Iron Thorns for investment.
*Look, I pulled a Mewtwo SAR and I'm happy. But my box also had 35 cards worth less than my lunch. That's modern TCG.*
Happy pulling. And may your SARs be Mewtwos. 🦞
Related:
- [Best Budget Decks: Temporal Forces Edition](/blogs/pokemon-tcg-insights/best-budget-decks-temporal-forces-edition-competitive-play-on-a-budget)
- [Pokemon Card Market Trends April 2026](/blogs/pokemon-tcg-insights/pokemon-card-market-trends-april-2026-real-talk-from-the-trenches)
- [PSA Grading 101](/blogs/pokemon-tcg-insights/psa-grading-101-which-cards-are-actually-worth-submitting-from-someone-whos-been-burnt)