Lorcana Core and Infinity after the 2026 rotation
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After Lorcana's 2026 rotation, Core Constructed uses cards from set 9 onwards, among sets already released and authorised for the event. Sets 5–8 rotated with set 13, Attack of the Vine; sets 1–4 had already rotated with set 9. Infinity does not apply that rotation, but it has its own banned list.
This check is dated 2 October 2026. An older printing can remain usable in Core if the same card has a legal reprint. Do not decide eligibility solely from the set symbol printed on the copy you own.
Core and Infinity use different card pools
Core Constructed limits its card pool through the rotation schedule. For a player, the practical task is identifying which cards remain eligible before preparing a deck. A list used before rotation needs review even though none of its physical cards has changed.
Infinity Constructed allows cards from any set under its other rules. That preserves a playing use for cards that leave Core, but it is not an unrestricted format. Its banned list is separate and must be consulted when the event specifies Infinity.
Both follow general Constructed requirements: at least 60 cards, no more than two ink types and up to four copies of a card identified by its full English name. For characters and locations, the full name includes the version; different versions of one character can be distinct cards.
Moving from Core to Infinity therefore does not let you combine every ink or ignore copy limits. The available sets and applicable banned list change. Deck construction and current card text still need their ordinary checks.
What changed with set 13
The July 2026 tournament rules set out two milestones: sets 1–4 left with set 9, and sets 5–8 leave with set 13. Official September 2026 coverage already discusses the environment following this second rotation.
| Set group | Core position after set 13 | General Infinity position |
|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | Outside the pool after the first rotation | Available subject to other restrictions |
| 5–8 | Outside the pool after the set 13 rotation | Available subject to other restrictions |
| 9 onwards | Within the pool once released and authorised | Available subject to other restrictions |
| An older card with a legal reprint | An earlier printing may remain usable | Still check the banned list |
“Set 9 onwards” does not automatically authorise previewed cards from an announced future release. Applicable legality dates still matter. If your event follows another product launch, check the instructions effective for that event's date rather than treating an announcement as immediate permission.
Likewise, do not freeze the pool as a permanent list of sets 9–13. Subsequent releases can expand it before another rotation. This guide explains the 2026 change and the checking method; the final eligible pool depends on your tournament date and current policy.
Keeping an older printing after a reprint
The tournament rules allow any printing of a card when that card is legal in the format. Consequently, a copy carrying a rotated set symbol can remain eligible in Core when the same card has a legal reprint within the current pool.
Identity must genuinely match. Sharing a character is insufficient: one Ariel version does not become another Ariel version. Check the full name, including the version, and the appropriate current text. Different artwork can conceal an exact match, while a familiar character can conceal a different card.
For an identity example, Ariel—On Human Legs and Ariel—Spectacular Singer have different full names. The rules use them to explain copy limits. A reprint of one does not automatically legalise the other. This example demonstrates card identity rather than claiming both are currently Core-legal.
Different printings of the same card count together towards the copy limit. Two older copies plus two newer copies already make four. Foil treatment, artwork and language do not create a separate allowance of four for each presentation.
This can prevent unnecessary purchases. You may need another card to repair a strategy, but you do not necessarily need a newer printing of a card you already own if a reprint preserves its eligibility. Check identity and legal status before paying to replace the physical edition.
Bans are an independent filter
The July document checked here lists no current Core bans and lists Hiram Flaversham—Toymaker for Infinity. This demonstrates why one banned list cannot be applied indiscriminately to both formats. A wider card pool can have a restriction that does not appear in the rotating format.
Keep the date attached to that information. “No bans in this document” is not a promise that Core will never have bans. Check the current version and official announcements before attending; a later ban can change eligibility even without another rotation.
A card appearing in an eligible set does not automatically pass the ban check. Compare its full name against the format's list. An older printing, promo or alternate artwork does not evade a ban on that game card.
Special versions and promos do not receive an automatically permanent pool. Tournament policy connects their rotation to the relevant set. The general reprint rule can then preserve use of an earlier printing when the same card has an eligible reprint.
Reviewing a deck after rotation
Record the intended format and tournament date first. Identify every card by its full name, flag those relying on sets that have left and investigate eligible reprints. Keep unresolved cards separate from purely strategic choices so the two questions do not become tangled.
Ask what must change for legality separately from what you want to change for performance. A legal card can lose the support that made it useful. A rotated card can remain essential to an old strategy. The first position calls for a strategic decision; the second requires a replacement or another format.
When looking for replacements, describe the job: drawing cards, controlling a character, singing a song or gaining lore. Another version of the same character is not automatically an equivalent substitute. Compare cost, ink, conditions and actual effect rather than matching only the character's name.
Recount cards, inks and copies after editing. A repaired list can accidentally introduce a third ink or fall below the minimum even after rotation is addressed. A final construction check prevents the search for alternatives from hiding a new deck-building problem.
Keep a short record of why an old printing remains legal when the reason is a reprint. A reference to the matching current card is easier to revisit than a remembered community answer. It also lets you distinguish confirmed eligibility from a card you merely expect to return later.
What rotated cards can still offer
A rotated card remains a genuine collectible. You may want it for Infinity, agreed casual games, artwork or its character. That does not guarantee demand or resale value: personal usefulness and monetary valuation are separate questions that should not be merged.
If you organise by playability, add a dated format tag to your inventory rather than marking the card. “Outside Core after set 13” is more informative than “unusable.” Record any eligible reprint exception as well, so an old set symbol does not cause you to discard a valid printing.
For a group using pre-rotation decks, agree the pool clearly. That can be a useful way to play together, but it should not be presented as current official Core. A clear agreement avoids someone buying cards with the expectation that the same list can attend a different tournament later.
Checking an event or a complete-deck listing
Before registering, establish whether the event specifies Core, Infinity or a Limited format. A listing saying only “Lorcana tournament” leaves a key question unanswered. Do not infer the format from the decks played at the same store during a previous month.
Before buying a complete deck, ask for its intended format and date. “Competitive deck” does not establish continued legality after rotation. Check its components even if the seller recently used the list; what matters is eligibility for the event you plan to attend.
Use the official resources page as the place to find current documents. An old screenshot or a pre-rotation video can explain a useful strategy, but it does not prove October 2026 legality. Current pool checks should accompany decisions that depend on the format's eligible cards.
For a later tournament, repeat the process instead of preserving this snapshot indefinitely. New releases, updated bans or a revised rotation schedule can affect different parts of the check. The durable skill is recognising which document answers each question, rather than memorising today's set numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Does Infinity permit every card without bans?
It admits sets from every period, but retains its own bans and construction rules. The July 2026 rules list Hiram Flaversham—Toymaker. Check the effective banned list, rather than treating the wider pool as unrestricted permission.
Must I buy the newest printing of a reprinted card?
Not necessarily. When the same card is legal, an older printing can be used under tournament policy. Verify the full name and version; sharing a character or part of a name is not enough to establish that they are the same card.
Does Core rotation change my Draft deck?
Draft uses its authorised event pool and Limited requirements. Do not build it by automatically applying Core rotation. Check the product being opened and the instructions for the particular Limited event.