The wording is not official yet, but we’ve been asked to get the word out. Here’s the summary

1. For Looker’s Investigation, declare the number of cards you will draw before you start drawing; if you don’t declare, you will draw the maximum.
2. An active protected by Guard or Anticipation can be switched by an attack that targets an unprotected benched Pokemon (see below).
3. There is a return to the “simultaneous-trigger for different effects allows the controlling player to choose the order in which the effects are applied” meta-ruling and this affects Conductivity (see below).

———————————————————————-
POKEMON POWERS (P) AND ATTACKS (A)
———————————————————————-

P== ANTICIPATION (Toxicroak [G] – PL:Platinum)
P== GUARD (Unown G – DP:Great Encounters)
A== INVITING TRAP (Trapinch – DP:Secret Wonders)
A== LURING FLAME (Blaziken [FB] – PL:Supreme Victors)

Q. If my opponent has a Toxicroak [G] with the “Anticipation” Poke-BODY or a Pokemon with Unown-G attached as a tool with its “GUARD” Poke-Power active, can I use my Trapinch’s “Inviting Trap” attack or Blaziken [FB]‘s “Luring Flame” attack and choose to switch the Defending Pokemon with one of their benched Pokemon?
A. Yes, it can. The intended wording of Trapinch’s Inviting Trap and Blaziken [FB]‘s Luring Flame place an effect on the Benched Pokemon, so even if the Defending Pokemon has a condition that prevent effects of attacks the switch can still occur. (Aug 5, 2010 PUI Rules Team)

Q. If my opponent has a Toxicroak [G] with the “Anticipation” Poke-BODY on their bench, or a Pokemon with Unown-G attached as a tool with its “GUARD” Poke-Power on their bench, can I use my Trapinch’s “Inviting Trap” attack or Blaziken [FB]‘s “Luring Flame” attack and choose to switch the Defending Pokemon with one of those on the bench?
A. No, you cannot.  The intended wording of Trapinch’s Inviting Trap and Blaziken [FB]‘s Luring Flame place an effect on the Benched Pokemon, so if the Benched Pokemon has a condition that prevents effects of attacks excluding damage done, the switch cannot occur.  (Aug 5, 2010 PUI Rules Team)

P== CONDUCTIVITY (Dark Ampharos – Neo:Destiny; Ampharos EX – EX:Dragon; Ampharos – HS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver)
P== AQUA REACTION (Helix Fossil – DP:Majestic Dawn; Helix Fossil – PL:Arceus)
P== ROCK REACTION (Dome Fossil – DP:Majestic Dawn; Dome Fossil – PL:Arceus)

Q. What happens if Ampharos with the “Conductivity” Poke-BODY is in play and I attach the appropriate energy card to my Dome Fossil or Helix Fossil to activate their “Rock Reaction” or “Aqua Reaction” Poke-BODY?
A. Attaching an Energy card to Dome Fossil or Helix Fossil causes its Poke-BODY and Ampharos’ Conductivity to trigger at the same time, so the player can resolve them in the order of their choosing.  If you resolve Conductivity first, the Fossil Pokemon takes a damage counter and then evolves.  However, if you resolve Rock Reaction or Aqua Reaction first, the Fossil’s Poke-BODY searches for a card and evolves, but Conductivity no longer sees the Pokemon that triggered it, so no damage counter is placed. (Aug 5, 2010 PUI Rules Team)

***** OLD CONDUCTIVITY RULINGS THAT NOW APPLY ONCE AGAIN: *****
Q. Would Flygon’s “Energy Shower” attack set off Ampharos-EX’s “Conductivity” power? Like if I set down 6 energy, it would do 60 Damage (however I set down the energy)? And if yes, would the damage be done to Flygon or to each separate Pokemon. that I attach an energy to?
A. Yes, Flygon would indeed trigger Ampharos-EX’s Conductivity; it also works the same way for Azumarill’s “Drizzle” attack. And the damage would be done to each individual Pokemon that gets an energy attached to it. (Jan 29, 2004 PUI Rules Team)

***** OLD CONDUCTIVITY RULINGS THAT NOW APPLY ONCE AGAIN: *****
Q. If I have Quagsire and my opponent has Ampharos-EX in play and I attach an energy card to my Quagsire from my hand, which Poke-POWER gets applied first, Saturation or Conductivity?
A. Conductivity and Saturation happen at the same time, so the player attaching energy would get to decide which effect to apply first. (Mar 3, 2005 PUI Rules Team)

Please note the three cards are receiving errata to address text changes. The text below reflects what the card should say, not what was originally printed. Additionally, we have added notes to help understand what has changed on the cards. You can see a complete list of TCG Errata on the rules and resources page.

Lucky Egg (Platinum—Arceus, 88/89)
When the Pokémon this card is attached to is Knocked Out by damage from an opponent’s attack and put into your discard pile, draw cards until you have 7 cards in your hand.

If the Pokémon does not go to the discard pile (for example, if it goes to the Lost Zone, etc.), you do not get to draw the cards.

Onix (HS—Unleashed, 56/95)
(Poké-Body) Energy Healer
When you attach an Energy card from your hand to Onix, remove a damage counter from Onix.

This Poké-Body only works when you attach an Energy card to Onix.

PlusPower (HS—Unleashed, 80/95)
If the Pokémon PlusPower is attached to attacks, the attack does 10 more damage to the Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance).

This is to match past versions of the card. Also, if the Pokémon uses an attack that would damage itself, PlusPower would also affect that damage.

When the awesome Diamond and Pearl expansion first came out a New Additions document was published describing most of the changes to the game rules. Google claims that this document is not linked anywhere anymore (we’ll fix that). Some of the points in that document are still being asked about in 2009, but those points were not fully reproduced in the “What’s new in the Diamond & Pearl expansion?” summary in the basic online rulebook. Most of the points from the Lv.X section of the above document ARE covered in the printed rule books that come with the pre-constructed theme decks in each expansion.

As an aside, did we mention that judges should buy a theme deck or trade their players to obtain a recent rule book? Well, I recommend doing that and also keeping it with you during tournaments… it resolves some questions that your other references do not!

Back to our Lv.X archaeology, here is a quote of the Lv.X section from the New Additions document:

Pokémon LV. X

The Diamond & Pearl expansion introduces a new type of Pokémon—Pokémon LV. X! These cards represent the most powerful extremes that a Pokémon can reach, granting extra abilities, attacks, and more HP. They are played similarly to an Evolution card but have special rules as well.

• A Pokémon LV. X can’t be played on a Pokémon that evolved that turn or on a LV. X already in play. (For example, if you evolved your Pokémon to Torterra this turn, you could not play Torterra LV. X on that Pokémon.)
• When a Pokémon LV. X is played, it keeps all cards attached to it as well as any damage counters it already had. It also keeps all attacks, Poké‐Powers, and Poké‐Bodies from the earlier level.
• When a Pokémon LV. X is played, it removes all Special Conditions and other effects from that Pokémon.
• A Pokémon LV. X shares the same name as the Pokémon it is put on top of. (For example, you can only have 4 Torterra in your deck—you could have 2 Torterra and 2 Torterra LV. X but not 4 of each.)
• A Pokémon LV. X is not considered an Evolution card. Cards that allow a player to search his or her deck for an Evolution card only (such as Professor Elm’s Training Method) cannot be used to retrieve a Pokémon LV. X. If an effect removes the highest Stage Evolution card from a Pokémon LV. X, both the earlier evolution that the Pokémon LV. X is on top of and the Pokémon LV. X are removed.

Some of those statements are irrelevant to the current format (i.e. Professor Elm’s Training Method), but others relate to questions that are still being asked in 2009.

1. Can I level up one Shaymin Lv.X card with the other, and if I do, can I use the attacks on the previous card?
   This seemed like a head-scratcher at first, but it seems it’s addressed directly in the first bullet in the New Additions document: No.
2. Can I Level-up a Pokémon I just evolved or was just played this turn?
   No.

As far as I can tell, you can’t find rules statement related to question #1 in a document anywhere online, other than this the New Additions and a somewhat oblique reference in the Compendium Lv.X. And, statements answering question #2 is found nowhere online outside the New Additions document (and maybe Ask the Rules Team forum). Please post links that I didn’t find!

So, above, for your enjoyment is a link the “New Additions” document. Enjoy! It should show up soon on a Rules Team agenda to see what items need to be submitted for rulings; any rulings received will, of course, be recorded in the Compendium Lv.X.

Gengar

This beastie’s Poké-POWER, Fainting Spell, is going to be one you will encounter and need to be sharp about. In no particular order:

• Psychic Lock doesn’t interact with Fainting Spell anymore than it did with Phoenix Turn.
• Fainting Spell is not turned off by special conditions.
• Fainting Spell is not triggered by:
  • being devolved
  • KO by special conditions
  • KO by placing damage counters
• It is NOT a mandatory game action (no POWER is)
  • watch out for rushing by the opponent to short-circuit the activation
  • don’t force it to be applied or rewind to it when someone legitimately forgot to apply it

Tyranitar

Ttar’s Poké-BODY, Darkness Drive, happens AFTER the effect of any Poké-POWER, so of course it can pick up a Darkness energy discarded from your deck by a POWER.

Type Casting

As you know, Stormfront Infernape and Torterra don’t get the benefit of abilities like Wild Growth and Heat Metal because of their type… until they level up. The Lv.X card’s type applies when it is in play.

Our old friend Charizard, in like manner gets the benefit of Heat Metal when it is Fire type, even if the attached energy is natively, say Darkness type. However, if you change Charizard’s type, say with Weavile, then you can’t get the benefit of Heat Metal.

1 time, 2 times and half a time

Luxury Ball can’t be used if another copy is in the discard. Using the effect one time is good but using the effect of a second copy is bad. You might want to huddle up with the HJ & TO and decide your approaches to this, if it happens. In my opinion, it’s not quite as game breaking as past abuses, such as a double Quick Search or POW! Hand Extension while ahead on prizes. It is kind of on the order of leaving a Protective Orb on a basic while you Rocket’s Admin… a little *illegal* edge.

Raichu’s Link Lightning let’s your players attack twice in a turn. Players can use Voltage Shoot twice, if they have the requirements. However, if there are two KO’s from the attacks, the opponent replaces his or her active after the first KO and the Raichu player takes a prize before the second attack!

The Poke … + cards — Healer, Blower, Drawer — can be played for ‘half the effect’. Again, what if a player drops one Poke Blower + and summons his opponent’s Pokemon from the bench? This is something, like flipping cards for Gallade’s Psychic Cut, which needs to be done all at once. Again, you might huddle up ahead of time and decide how you’re going to work through the situation if it comes up… either accidentally or on purpose.

If you want to follow up on any of these things, look up the italicized terms in the index of the Rulings Compendium LvX and reference the cards themselves in the Researching Tower.

Your discard pile can be organized or sorted, but not separated into more than one pile
Q.    Can I separate my discard pile in two stacks to make it easier to count energy?
A.     No, you have to have a single neatly stacked discard pile. You may sort or turn cards neatly in that pile if it helps the game go more quickly, but they must all be touching.

Your deck cannot be placed ‘sideways’ but your discard pile can (this one hurt, because I love a sideways deck, but I’ll live!)
Q.    I like to keep my deck and discard pile sideways to help me keep them separate from my bench. Is that OK?
A.    Your deck must be oriented vertically, to avoid revealing information during handling or cuts. You may turn your discard pile ‘sideways’, to help you distinguish it from your bench.

You can use RPS cards, but you can’t randomize your choice of card (or throw).
Q.    Is it OK to roll a dice to randomize my Rock-Paper-Scissors choice?
A.    No. R-P-S is a game of strategy. You must not appear to be randomizing your choice by any method.

Your RPS cards MUST have the word rock, paper or scissors printed on them; dice are not allowed at all!
Q. I found some cool cards and dice to indicate my throw in Rock-Paper-Scissors. Can I use them?
A.    You may not use dice to indicate your choice, as it is to easy to manipulate the dice while it is covered. The requirements for R-P-S cards are that they must have identical backs, that they clearly say “Rock” or “Paper” or “Scissors” on the front and that all themes on the cards be appropriate for a Pokemon Event as determined by the Head Judge.

RPS should be 1-2-3-throw, not 1-2-throw (again, not how we do it where I’m from, but we’ll adjust!)
Q.     Is Rock-Paper-Scissors played by pumping my arm 2 times then throwing my choice, or pumping 3 times then throw?
A.    Players should agree on this between themselves before playing. If they can’t agree, the default to be used will be a three-count priming and then the simultaneous throw of the choice, for example, “Rock-Paper-Scissors-Shoot” with the choice thrown on “shoot”.

You can’t use codes or deception in your notes. Your notes must be open/readable by your opponent
Q.    Can I take notes in code or make deceptive notes during a match?
A.    Per the tournament rules, your notes must be taken timely, restricted to changes in game state and open to review by the other player. Codes hinder both review and timeliness, because you have to explain them to the opponent. Of course, dubious game actions intended to deceive the opponent may earn a disqualification for unsporting conduct (i.e. no deceptive notes).

The rulings above, in our standard Q/A format, have been uploaded to the Compendium LvX. We are still waiting on a batch of card rulings from previous questions; thanks for your patiences. Meantime, we’re beginning to work on Storm Front rulings for the cards that have been previewed by PUI. Also, note that the index in the online version has been fixed so that it accommodates all the current entries; it was previously cut off after entry 200.

P.S. Here’s an example of RPS dice, contributed by Matt & Jeff McDiarmid

As you can see, unless you’re going to randomize your ‘throw’ by rolling the dice (not allowed) it was deemed that the dice is too easy to manipulate while it is covered, and the use of dice to indicate the throw was disallowed.

You can read the individual rulings in Compendium LvX or under the Latest Rulings Updates heading for Sept 11, 2008 in the sidebar.

Froslass’ Destiny Bond is the more obvious ruling. I saw it used a few times this last weekend to stall while waiting for a topdeck. Froslass wasn’t facing Unown G at the time I was asked for a ruling. The player wanted to know whether retreating the active “attacked by” Destiny Bond would allow another Pokémon to attack Frosslass. As shown in this ruling, the protection from Destiny Bond is an effect on Frosslass rather than the defending Pokémon. Not only is Unown G irrelevant in this situation, but so is retreating the defending. Now, if you could send Frosslass to the bench, with say Warp Point, then you will remove the protective effect and can attack it.

Sonic Blade puts damage counters on your defending Pokémon and you have to choose a benched Pokémon to switch with it. I know the wording on the card is from the attacker’s point of view, but this is mechanically what happens from the defender’s side. What if you choose a benched Pokémon to switch that can’t be moved by attack effects… perhaps one with Unown G attached? Is that legal? Do you have to choose a movable one, if available? As it turns out, you can choose one to switch that can’t be switched. This calls into question some other rulings… stay tuned, but don’t hold your breath!

Spike Armor is an interesting case… I’ll hold comment on this ruling we received until a future date perhaps.

Looking up Spike Armor in the Compendium LvX makes me notice that the hyperlinked index at the end of the document is truncated before it prints out all the index entries. I’ll work on that and try to get it fixed within the next few weeks.

Thanks for reading this, using the Compendium and for contributing your rulings questions in Ask the Masters.