Last edited: Thursday, November 29th, 2001 (Added November 29th Chat Rulings and November 17th Rules Updates) xxxxxxxxx1xxxxxxxxx2xxxxxxxxx3xxxxxxxxx4xxxxxxxxx5xxxxxxxxx6xxxxxxxxx7xxxxxxxxx8 This edition of the Rulings Compendium includes: | | | * November 17th 2001 WotC Pokemon Master Rules Updates * November 22th 2001 -- CHAT CANCELLED. * November 29th 2001 WotC Online Rules Chat -- (*) -- xxxxxxxxx1xxxxxxxxx2xxxxxxxxx3xxxxxxxxx4xxxxxxxxx5xxxxxxxxx6xxxxxxxxx7xxxxxxxxx8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ERRATA ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- POKEMON POWERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- == CRYSTAL BODY (Suicune - Neo: Revelation Expansion) * Pokémon Attacks are always against the Defending Pokémon regardless of what the effects of the attack are (meaning an Eeeeeeek! is considered against the Defending Pokémon which is why it can be prevented). This means that the Suicune (LV 33) with the Crystal Body Pokémon Power will prevent all effects of attacks done by the opposing Pokémon EXCEPT for damage done to Suicune when Suicune is the Defending Pokémon. This means that Suicune's Crystal Body WILL prevent Eeeeeeek! This ruling is consistent with previous rulings dealing with Agility and Fetch. Any other effects that can prevent attack effects against the Defending Pokémon work the same way (such as Agility or Haunter's Transparency). Also, attacks done by a Pokémon against a Benched Pokémon are considered attack effects and are also prevented by Suicune and Agility like effects. This means that an attack that would do 20 damage to one of the Benched Pokémon WOULD be prevented by an active Suicune or a Defending Pokémon with an Agility status effect on it. This also means that Suicune's Crystal Body Pokémon Power is not effective when Suicune is on the Bench. Since all attacks and effects of attacks are against the Defending Pokémon, there is no effect targeting Suicune specifically to prevent, even if the attack results in something happening to Suicune. (Nov 17, 2001 Pokemon Master Rules Updates, Item #1 [http://www.wizards.com/pokemon/main.asp?x=rules/PKRules_11272001]) Q. So with Suicune, does ANYTHING besides base damage happen? And if Pikachu uses Thunder Jolt and flips tails, does Pikachu take 10? A. To be clear, the current rule is that nothing besides base damage will happen while the Crystal Body Pokemon power is active. It would also prevent damage done by the Attacking Pokemon (againt Suicune) that hits itself. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q41) Q. Blaine's Moltres vs. Holo Suicine: does Moltres still have to flip? Does Suicine's PP prevent Blaine's Moltres from being shuffled into the deck? A. Blaine's Moltres doesn't have to flip; that effect is prevented. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q31 & Q44) Q. If I play a Koga card and attack my opponent's Holo Suicune with a Koga's Pokémon, is the Suicune then poisoned, and why or why not? A. It would not be poisoned. The Koga's card is adding an effect to the attack (even with the quantifier of doing damage). Effects of attacks against an Active Suicune do not take place. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q115) Q. If I play Goop Gas attack and Mean Look my opponen't Holo Suicune, how long will the Mean Look effect last? A. Suicune's power coming back on will not remove Mean Look. Just like Snorlax doesn't remove poison if it is poisoned when its power is shut off. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q146) == ENERGY CONVERTER (Porygon2 - Neo: Revelation Expansion) Q. What can Porygon2's PP do to a Buzzapped Electrode? A. Porygon 2 can only affect a basic energy card, a buzzap'd Electrode is not one of those. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q73) Q. If my active pokemon's attack says discard all lightning energies attached, and my Porygon2 has changed one of those lightning energies to something else, do I still have to discard it? A. That energy would now be treated as the new type, and would NOT have to be discarded in this case. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q48) == LEGENDARY BODY (Entei, Raikou, & Suicune - Neo: Revelation Expansion) Q. About the 3 non-holo Dogs, does a Pluspower/Defender on the opponent apply? How about Goop Gas? A. Plus Powers and Defenders will still work because they are figured in prior to the Defending Pokemon's Power being checked. Goop Gas will not effect any of the non-holo dogs when they're active. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q57) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** Q. Does the Legendary Body Pokemon Power prevent effects of Trainer cards like Plus Power that add to Attack done by Raikou/Entei/Suicune? A. Yes it does prevent them. (Nov 1, 2001 WotC Chat, Q10) == PREHISTORIC MEMORY (Aerodactyl - Neo: Revelation Expansion) Q. If you have a Psychic evolved pokemon on your bench and an Aerodactyl (Neo 3) in play, can Sabrina's Alakazam use that Psychic pokemon's earlier stages? Does it matter if the earlier stages were Psychic or not? A. No, it cannot. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q166) == THICK SKINNED (Snorlax - Jungle Expansion) Q. If Snorlax is poisoned during Goop Gas Attack by a base Weedle, and then Nidoking comes in and uses Toxic (after Goop's effect ends), does Snorlax stay single poisoned, become double poisoned, or is poison removed? A. Stays single poisoned. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q160) == TIME TRAVEL (Celebi - Neo: Revelation Expansion) Q. If I have a Focus Band on a Holo Celebi that would be knocked out by an attack, I may choose whether to flip for the Pokémon Power or the Focus Band first, correct? A. You choose...right. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q170) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- POKEMON ATTACKS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- == AGILITY (Raichu - Base Set, Rapidash - Jungle Expansion, others) * Pokémon Attacks are always against the Defending Pokémon regardless of what the effects of the attack are (meaning an Eeeeeeek! is considered against the Defending Pokémon which is why it can be prevented). This means that the Suicune (LV 33) with the Crystal Body Pokémon Power will prevent all effects of attacks done by the opposing Pokémon EXCEPT for damage done to Suicune when Suicune is the Defending Pokémon. This means that Suicune's Crystal Body WILL prevent Eeeeeeek! This ruling is consistent with previous rulings dealing with Agility and Fetch. Any other effects that can prevent attack effects against the Defending Pokémon work the same way (such as Agility or Haunter's Transparency). Also, attacks done by a Pokémon against a Benched Pokémon are considered attack effects and are also prevented by Suicune and Agility like effects. This means that an attack that would do 20 damage to one of the Benched Pokémon WOULD be prevented by an active Suicune or a Defending Pokémon with an Agility status effect on it. This also means that Suicune's Crystal Body Pokémon Power is not effective when Suicune is on the Bench. Since all attacks and effects of attacks are against the Defending Pokémon, there is no effect targeting Suicune specifically to prevent, even if the attack results in something happening to Suicune. (Nov 17, 2001 Pokemon Master Rules Updates, Item #1 [http://www.wizards.com/pokemon/main.asp?x=rules/PKRules_11272001]) Q. If a Pokémon gets a heads on Agility, then the other pokemon uses Agility, is it still vulnerable even if it flips heads (in other words, can agility be prevented by another agility as an effect of an attack)? A. Sure. The CURRENT Rule is that Agility prevents effects of attacks that are being done against the Pokemon with Agility. There is no targeting in that case. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q24 & Q37) == CROSSCOUNTER (Rocket's Hitmonchan - Gym: Heroes Expansion) Q. Does crosscounter activate Focus Band? A. No it doesn't. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q49) Q. If Rocket's Hitmonchan uses Crosscounter on my turn, goes to the bench on my opponent's turn and is brought back out again and attacked, will Crosscounter's effect still trigger? A. No, it's removed by benching since that effect 'sits' on Rocket's Hitmochan. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q92) == DEVOLUTION BEAM (Mew - Promo) Q. If I use Promo Mew's Devolution Beam on an opposing Typhosion with 90 damage and a Focus Band on it, does Focus Band trigger? A. Yes, if the attack causes the Pokemon to be KO'd during that player's turn (read: not poison) then the Focus Band will trigger. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q161 & Q169) == LIGHTNING STRIKE (Raichu - Neo: Revelation Expansion) * Raichu's Lightning Strike attack says "You may discard all lightning energy attached to Raichu. If you do so, this attack does 80 damage." If this attack is copied by another Pokémon (Clefable's Metronome, Smeargle's Sketch, Ditto, etc.) that copying Pokémon can choose to discard all attached lightning energy cards to have the attack do 80 damage as well. This can be done REGARDLESS of whether there are any attached lightning energy or not (you can discard 0 lightning energy to make this choice as long as there aren't any lightning actually attached). (Nov 17, 2001 Pokemon Master Rules Updates, Item #5 [http://www.wizards.com/pokemon/main.asp?x=rules/PKRules_11272001]) == SWIPE (Sneasel - Neo: Revelation Expansion) * Sneasel's Swipe attack (Flip a coin, if heads, discard all Trainer cards attached to your opponent's Pokémon) affects ALL of your opponent's Pokémon. This means that a succesful head flip will remove ALL attached Trainer cards on ALL of your opponent's Pokémon. (Nov 17, 2001 Pokemon Master Rules Updates, Item #2 [http://www.wizards.com/pokemon/main.asp?x=rules/PKRules_11272001]) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** Q. The wording on Neo:R Sneasel's Swipe attack says, "If heads, discard all Trainer cards attached to your opponent's Pokemon." Does that mean Trainers attached to their Benched Pokemon too? A. No, I think that's just referring to the defending Pokemon. You can consider that our answer for today. We will get official clarification as always from the rules team. (Nov 15, 2001 WotC Chat, Q82 & Q100) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- UNOWN CARDS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- == KEEP (Unown-K - Neo: Revelation Expansion) * The Keep Pokémon Power is played as written. Whether Unown K is Asleep, Paralyzed, or Confused this Pokémon Power still functions. (Nov 17, 2001 Pokemon Master Rules Updates, Item #3 [http://www.wizards.com/pokemon/main.asp?x=rules/PKRules_11272001]) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** Q. Does Unown K's power continue even if it's Asleep, Confused or Paralyzed? The card does not say. A. You're right it doesn't. Assume the usual, if confused, paralyzed, or asleep, the Pokemon power is shut off. (Nov 15, 2001 WotC Chat, Q163) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TRAINER CARDS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- == FOCUS BAND (Neo: Genesis Expansion) Q. Does crosscounter activate Focus Band? A. No it doesn't. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q49) Q. If a Pokemon is KO'd by an attack that places damage counters (ie Pain Split) and has a Focus Band attached, do you flip for Focus Band? (Is it KO'd by the attack or game state?) A. Yes, you do flip for Focus Band. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q54) Q. If I use Promo Mew's Devolution Beam on an opposing Typhosion with 90 damage and a Focus Band on it, does Focus Band trigger? A. Yes, if the attack causes the Pokemon to be KO'd during that player's turn (read: not poison) then the Focus Band will trigger. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q161 & Q169) Q. If Dark Golduck has no damage and a Rocket's Hideout is in play, and Brock's Primape uses Mega Thrash, would Focus Band be activated? A. Yes, it would. [ED. NOTE: The Mega Thrash attack causes the Stadium in play to be discarded]. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q55) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** Q. If an attack discards Rocket's Hideout causing a KO, is that an "attack causing the KO" for Focus Band purposes? A. No it is not. The Pokemon was knocked out due to a game state effect (more damage than HP), not from damage done by the attack. (Oct 18, 2001 WotC Chat, Q9) Q. What about putting a Ditto with 7 Damage Counters to sleep, would that trigger a Band? A. It is a current rules clarification. So yes, the sleep atttack against Ditto in that case would trigger the focus band. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q169) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** Q. If an Attack's effect caused a Pokemon to be KO'ed would that trigger Focus Band? Example: A Ditto with 6 Damage Counters is put to sleep by Wigglytuff. A. No, that is not a direct effect of the attack. (Aug 23, 2001 WotC Chat, Q173) == HEALING FIELD (Neo: Revelation Expansion) * If you have flipped to use an in-play Healing Field and then play another Healing Field you would be able to flip to use its once-per turn ability. When the previous Stadium card is discarded, it's once per turn status effect is removed as well. (Nov 17, 2001 Pokemon Master Rules Updates, Item #4 [http://www.wizards.com/pokemon/main.asp?x=rules/PKRules_11272001]) == KOGA (Gym: Challenge Expansion) Q. If I play a Koga card and attack my opponent's Holo Suicune with a Koga's Pokémon, is the Suicune then poisoned, and why or why not? A. It would not be poisoned. The Koga's card is adding an effect to the attack (even with the quantifier of doing damage). Effects of attacks against an Active Suicune do not take place. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q115) == RECALL (Gym: Heroes Expansion) Q. If Brock's Ninetails has a ton of evolution cards Shapeshifted onto it, and you use Recall, can you use an attack from the 40 HP Vulpix? A. No you can't. Brock's Ninetales will never count or be able to count as any previously attached evolution cards (for its shapeshift power) that are still in play. If you use Recall when it is Brock's Ninetails sure. If it is shapeshifted into some other Pokemon (treated as that Pokemon) then Recall doesn't work. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q137 & Q152 & Q154 & Q155) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ENERGY CARDS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GENERAL GAMEPLAY ---------------------------------------------------------------------- xxxxxxxxx1xxxxxxxxx2xxxxxxxxx3xxxxxxxxx4xxxxxxxxx5xxxxxxxxx6xxxxxxxxx7xxxxxxxxx8