Last edited: Thursday, February 14th, 2002 (Added February 14th Chat Rulings) xxxxxxxxx1xxxxxxxxx2xxxxxxxxx3xxxxxxxxx4xxxxxxxxx5xxxxxxxxx6xxxxxxxxx7xxxxxxxxx8 This edition of the Rulings Compendium includes: | | | * February 14th 2002 WotC Online Rules Chat -- (*) -- xxxxxxxxx1xxxxxxxxx2xxxxxxxxx3xxxxxxxxx4xxxxxxxxx5xxxxxxxxx6xxxxxxxxx7xxxxxxxxx8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ERRATA ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- POKEMON POWERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- == CRYSTAL BODY (Suicune - Neo: Revelation Expansion) * Suicune and all similar affects (Haunter's Transparency, Agility, etc.) have been clarified and finalized. Please ignore the previous Suicune rulings released in Nov/Dec 2001. As stated in that rules release they were only temporary until they were correctly figured out. While attacks are still always against the Defending Pokemon, regardless of where their effects end up, the effects end up on a specific Pokemon. So Suicune's Crystal Body Power which reads: "Prevent all effects of your opponent's attacks, other than damage, done to Suicune", means that ONLY effects done TO Suicune are prevented. So, an attack that does 20 damage and paralyzes would still do 20 damage but would NOT Paralyze a Defending Suicune. If the attacking Pokemon (with Suicune as the Defending Pokemon) does damage to a Benched Pokemon, Suicune's Crystal Body Power does NOT prevent that effect or damage as it is NOT being done to Suicune. Any additional effects the attack may have (such as having to discard an energy in order to use the attack, or self-inflicted damage) is NOT prevented as it is NOT done to Suicune. If Suicune is a Benched Pokemon and Dark Arbok uses its Stare attack against it ("Choose 1 of your opponent's Pokemon. This attack does 10 damage to that Pokemon. Don't apply Weakness and Resistance for this attack. (Any other effects that would happen after applying Weakness and Resistance still happen.) If that Pokemon has a Pokemon Power, that power stops working until the end of your opponent's next turn."), Suicune would still take the 10 damage but its Crystal Body Pokemon Power would prevent the Stare's effect of shutting off the Pokemon Power. It is important to recognize that attacks are always against the Defending Pokemon, which is why Cleffa's Eeeeeeek can be prevented by a Smokescreen effect or any other attack prevention even though the Eeeeeeek! attack does not do anything to the Defending Pokemon. So, Crystal Body, Agility, and Haunter's Transparency do NOT prevent Eeeeeeek!, only effects of attacks that are done TO them. (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q18) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** * 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 WOtC's Online Pokemon Rules) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** 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 [Ed.Note: the number to the right of the text] will happen while the Crystal Body Pokemon power is active. It would also prevent damage done by the Attacking Pokemon (against Suicune) that hits itself. (Nov 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q41) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** Q. Would Suicune's Crystal Body stop, say, Eeeeeeek? A. Yes. OK, here is the official answer from Japan. All attacks and all EFFECTS of attacks are considered to be done against the defending Pokemon, regardless of what those effects actually do. So Agility, or Suicune's Crystal Body can prevent all effects of the opponent's Active Pokemon. Meaning no Eeeeeking, no Fetch, no bench attacks, etc. Pretty strong huh? (Oct 18, 2001 WotC Chat, Q66; Nov 15, 2001 WotC Chat, Q99) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** Q. Given the new ruling about Crystal Body, would it prevent things like shuffling Water Energy back into your deck if you used Feraligatr's Riptide Attack? A. Yes, it would. Parasect's effect without the Parasect. (Nov 15, 2001 WotC Chat, Q124) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** Q. N3 Suicune is Teleport Blasted by Dark Alakazam. Do we get a blast with no Teleport? A. Correct. [Ed.Note: The damage is done, but the Teleport effect is not.] (Nov 15, 2001 WotC Chat, Q210) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** 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) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** Q. Eh, then what about Feint Attack against Suicune [with Crystal Body power]? No damage at all? A. That is correct. (Dec 6, 2001 WotC Chat, Q352) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** Q. Does 'Crystal Body' prevent bench attack damage? A. Yes. (Oct 18, 2001 WotC Chat, Q76) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS NOW BEEN REINSTATED; See Above ***** Q. Would Suicune etc. not prevent bench damage from Feint Attack? A. Suicune doesn't stop damage anyway, so it would not stop the Feint damage done. It only stops all other effects of an attack. It also does NOT prevent any self inflicted effects, only those done by your opponent. Otherwise, it stops ALL non-damage attacks done by the defending Pokemon, period. (Nov 15, 2001 WotC Chat, Q173 & Q190) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS NOW BEEN REINSTATED; See Above ***** Q. Okay. Now you're saying Suicune doesn't block any damage, but before you said it blocks bench damage. Which is it? A. Suicune does not prevent damage in any way, whether damage done to it or to the bench, my apologies for not being clear about it. (Nov 15, 2001 WotC Chat, Q199) == PSYLINK (Sabrina's Alakazam - Gym: Challenge Expansion) * If a Pokemon has copies of other Pokemon's attacks on it (such as Sabrina's Alakazam), it will NOT have multiple copies of identical attacks. This means that is Sabrina's Alakazam was your Active Pokemon and you had a Mind Shock attack that does 30 damage and a Mind Shock attack that does 40 damage on the bench, you would gain a copy of each of those attacks as they are NOT identical (the amount of damage done is different). Different attacks can have the same name. An attack is considered identical if it has the same attack cost, name, and does identical damage and effects. If Amnesia ("Choose 1 of your opponent's attacks, that attack cannot be used next turn") is done against the Sabrina's Alakazam in this example, the attacker would have to choose the Mind Shock that does 30 damage or the Mind Shock that does 40 damage, NOT just "Mind Shock". (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q18) == TRANSPARENCY (Haunter - Fossil Expansion) * Suicune and all similar affects (Haunter's Transparency, Agility, etc.) have been clarified and finalized. While attacks are still always against the Defending Pokemon, regardless of where their effects end up, the effects end up on a specific Pokemon. So Suicune's Crystal Body Power which reads: "Prevent all effects of your opponent's attacks, other than damage, done to Suicune", means that ONLY effects done TO Suicune are prevented. [...] It is important to recognize that attacks are always against the Defending Pokemon, which is why Cleffa's Eeeeeeek can be prevented by a Smokescreen effect or any other attack prevention even though the Eeeeeeek! attack does not do anything to the Defending Pokemon. So, Crystal Body, Agility, and Haunter's Transparency do NOT prevent Eeeeeeek!, only effects of attacks that are done TO them. (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q18) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** Q. [Ed.Note: Following a similar question about Crystal Body power preventing Eeeeeeek...] What about Fossil Haunter's Transparency? Does it have to be active? A. Yup, works the same way. Yes, the Haunter must be active in order to stop things like Eeeeeeek and so on. OK, here is the official answer from Japan. All attacks and all EFFECTS of attacks are considered to be done against the defending Pokemon, regardless of what those effects actually do. So Agility, or Suicune's Crystal Body can prevent all effects of the opponent's Active Pokemon. Meaning no Eeeeeking, no Fetch, no bench attacks, etc. Pretty strong huh? (Nov 15, 2001 WotC Chat, Q99 & Q116 & Q130) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- POKEMON ATTACKS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- == AGILITY (Raichu - Base Set, Rapidash - Jungle Expansion, others) * Suicune and all similar affects (Haunter's Transparency, Agility, etc.) have been clarified and finalized. While attacks are still always against the Defending Pokemon, regardless of where their effects end up, the effects end up on a specific Pokemon. So Suicune's Crystal Body Power which reads: "Prevent all effects of your opponent's attacks, other than damage, done to Suicune", means that ONLY effects done TO Suicune are prevented. [...] It is important to recognize that attacks are always against the Defending Pokemon, which is why Cleffa's Eeeeeeek can be prevented by a Smokescreen effect or any other attack prevention even though the Eeeeeeek! attack does not do anything to the Defending Pokemon. So, Crystal Body, Agility, and Haunter's Transparency do NOT prevent Eeeeeeek!, only effects of attacks that are done TO them. (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q18) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** * 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 WOtC's Online Pokemon Rules) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** Q. What's this I've been hearing about Agility and N3 Holo Suicune? A. Ok, here is the official answer from Japan. All attacks and all EFFECTS of attacks are considered to be done against the defending Pokemon, regardless of what those effects actually do. So Agility, or Suicune's Crystal Body can prevent all effects of the opponent's Active Pokemon. Meaning no Eeeeeking, no Fetch, no bench attacks, etc. Pretty strong huh? (Nov 15, 2001 WotC Chat, Q99) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS NOW BEEN REINSTATED; See Above ***** Q. Does Rapidash's Agility Stop Kangaskhan's fetch? A. No. Agility only stops effects that target Rapidash. (Feb 24 WotC Chat) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS NOW BEEN REINSTATED; See Above ***** Q. Does Fearow's Agility attack block Kangaskhan's Fetch? A. Actually it does not; Fearow's Agility says stops damage done to Fearow, and the Fetch just draws a card. This is the new ruling from R&D. (Feb 3 WotC Chat) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS NOW BEEN REINSTATED; See Above ***** Q. If Rapidash uses agility and I flip heads am I still affected by Moltres' Wild Fire? A. Gee, I was asked this one last week. Same answer as for the Eevee/Tail Wag scenario. The Agility would prevent Moltres' WildFire Attack. (Jan 27 WotC Chat) == AMNESIA (Poliwhirl - Base Set, Wooper - Neo: Genesis Expansion, others) * If a Pokemon has copies of other Pokemon's attacks on it (such as Sabrina's Alakazam), it will NOT have multiple copies of identical attacks. This means that is Sabrina's Alakazam was your Active Pokemon and you had a Mind Shock attack that does 30 damage and a Mind Shock attack that does 40 damage on the bench, you would gain a copy of each of those attacks as they are NOT identical (the amount of damage done is different). Different attacks can have the same name. An attack is considered identical if it has the same attack cost, name, and does identical damage and effects. If Amnesia ("Choose 1 of your opponent's attacks, that attack cannot be used next turn") is done against the Sabrina's Alakazam in this example, the attacker would have to choose the Mind Shock that does 30 damage or the Mind Shock that does 40 damage, NOT just "Mind Shock". (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q18) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** Q. If a Dark Alakazam gets its Mind Shock attack Amnesiaed, he can't recall Dark Kadabra's Mind Shock, right? A. No you wouldn't be able to...it's still an attack called Mind Shock. Or, right...you are correct. Sorry. (Aug 30, 2001 WotC Chat, Q134) == FEINT ATTACK (Murkrow - Neo: Genesis Expansion, Umbreon - Neo: Discovery Expansion) * Feint attacks (against the Defending Pokemon) and Swift attacks ignore ANY effect attempting to reduce their damage. This means that Murkrow's Feint attack if done against the Defending Pokemon is NOT reduced by Unown D's Darkness Pokemon Power. This also means that a colorless Pokemon using a Swift or Feint attack is NOT reduced by a Sprout Tower either. These attacks cannot have their damage reduced by any game effect. [ED. NOTE: This rule only applies to attacks against the DEFENDING Pokemon; attacks against the bench may have damage reduced by other game effects, etc.] (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q18) ***** PREVIOUS RULING: THIS ONE HAS SINCE BEEN OVERRULED; See Above ***** Q. Does Murkrow's Feint Attack get through Agility? A. Nope. (Dec 6, 2001 WotC Chat, Q364) == MIRROR MOVE (Pidgeotto - Jungle Expansion, Spearow - Base Set) Q. If your Pokémon gets heads on Focus Band, how would you calculate Damage done by a subsequent Mirror Move Attack? Total Damage by Opponent's Attack or amount of Damage counters placed? A. When using Mirror Move the "Final Result of an attack" is what is done to a Pokemon BEFORE it is Knocked Out. If the Defending Pokemon has a Weakness or Resistance this is calculated BEFORE naming the final result of the attack. Focus Band takes place OUTSIDE of the normal timing sequence of attack resolution and has no effect on this definition of the Final result. It is a replacement effect that takes place before a Pokemon is Knocked out. If Pidgeotto has a Focus Band attached to it, the Final Result of an attack against it does NOT count anything that Focus Band may or may not do. Meaning if an attack against Pidgeotto does 100 damage and a Focus Band triggers successfully reducing Pidgeotto's remaining HP to 10, the Final result of the attack against this Pokemon is 100 damage, NOT reducing the Defending Pokemon to 10 hp. So if Pidgeotto take 50 damage from a Lightning Pokemon, this is doubled due to its Weakness and the Final Result is 100 damage, regardless of whether Focus Band saves Pidgeotto from being Knocked out or not. The Focus Band alters the final outcome of what happens to Pidgeotto it does NOT alter the Final result of the attack. If the attack also has a special condition, you would do that back as well (like poison). (Feb 7, 2002 WotC Chat, Q300 & Q302; Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q12 & Q18 & Q39) Q1. How does Helping Hand (Sabrina's Jynx, GC) interact with Mirror Move? A1. You would duplicate the exact effect that was done. So you would get to choose an opponent's Pokemon and you would have to try and remove the same number of damage counters that the attacker chose and then draw that many cards. The cool thing would be that you could would be able to choose an opponent's Pokemon that DIDN'T have any damage on it (as that is not a prerequisite of the attack). You would attempt to remove the same number of counters that were done to you (say it was 5). And even though you would not be able to remove 5 damage counters you would draw 5 cards as that was already determined. Of course this will NEVER happen in the real world. (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q42) Q2. RE: Mirror Move/Helping Hand: But wasn't the card drawing portion of the attack not something done by the attack to the Mirror Moving Pokémon ("of that attack on (name)") A2. Right! Sorry, didn't look clearly enouh at the card. Mirror Move only copies any damage or effects done from an attack ON Pidgeotto, ignore the previous answer for Helping Hand, I was wrong. (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q62) == SHADOW IMAGES (Rocket's Scyther - Gym: Heroes Expansion) Q. If a Rocket's Scyther with 10 HP and a Focus Band had used Shadow Images, and the opponent flips heads for their attack, but the flip for Focus Band is also heads, does that make the Shadow Images affect disappear? A. [Yes,] the Pokemon is taking damage but its final state is altered by the Focus Band. (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q28) == PSYKISS (Smoochum - Neo: Revelation Expansion) * A Special Energy Card remains a Special Energy card regardless of what happens to it. A Fire Burned Rainbow Energy may only produce Fire energy but it would still be considered a Special Energy card as well. This is important for Smoochum's Psykiss attack. (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q18) == SWIFT (Misty's Staryu - Gym: Heroes Expansion, Cyndaquil - Neo: Genesis Expansion, Electabuzz - Neo: Genesis Expansion) * Feint attacks (against the Defending Pokemon) and Swift attacks ignore ANY effect attempting to reduce their damage. This also means that a colorless Pokemon using a Swift or Feint attack is NOT reduced by a Sprout Tower either. These attacks cannot have their damage reduced by any game effect. (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q18) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- UNOWN CARDS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TRAINER CARDS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- == FOCUS BAND (Neo: Genesis Expansion) Q. If your Pokémon gets heads on Focus Band, how would you calculate Damage done by a subsequent Mirror Move Attack? Total Damage by Opponent's Attack or amount of Damage counters placed? A. When using Mirror Move the "Final Result of an attack" is what is done to a Pokemon BEFORE it is Knocked Out. If the Defending Pokemon has a Weakness or Resistance this is calculated BEFORE naming the final result of the attack. Focus Band takes place OUTSIDE of the normal timing sequence of attack resolution and has no effect on this definition of the Final result. It is a replacement effect that takes place before a Pokemon is Knocked out. If Pidgeotto has a Focus Band attached to it, the Final Result of an attack against it does NOT count anything that Focus Band may or may not do. Meaning if an attack against Pidgeotto does 100 damage and a Focus Band triggers successfully reducing Pidgeotto's remaining HP to 10, the Final result of the attack against this Pokemon is 100 damage, NOT reducing the Defending Pokemon to 10 hp. The Focus Band alters the final outcome of what happens to Pidgeotto it does NOT alter the Final result of the attack. (Feb 7, 2002 WotC Chat, Q300 & Q302; Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q12 & Q18 & Q39) * Focus Band only prevents a Pokemon from being Knocked out if any effect or damage from an attack would Knock it out during that turn. This means that if Mew's Devolution Beam would Knock out the Defending Pokemon, Focus Band would trigger (this effect takes place during the attack). Any effect caused by an attack that would Knock out the Defending Pokemon AFTER the attack such as Poison or Char would NOT trigger Focus Band. (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q18) Q. When a Pokémon with a Focus Band is attacked for damage when it has 10 HP left and the Focus Band flip is heads, does the attack count as doing damage? This is for the purpose of Pokémon Powers like Energy Drain (Koga's Muk) and Strikes Back (Machamp). A. Yes, Focus band does not alter what the attack did. (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q25) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ENERGY CARDS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- == ENERGY CARDS IN GENERAL * A Special Energy Card remains a Special Energy card regardless of what happens to it. A Fire Burned Rainbow Energy may only produce Fire energy but it would still be considered a Special Energy card as well. This is important for Smoochum's Psykiss attack. (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q18) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GENERAL GAMEPLAY ---------------------------------------------------------------------- xxxxxxxxx1xxxxxxxxx2xxxxxxxxx3xxxxxxxxx4xxxxxxxxx5xxxxxxxxx6xxxxxxxxx7xxxxxxxxx8