Attacks » *Attacks in General
Once you have declared an attack, you cannot leave the attack step without your opponent's permission. If you declare an "illegal" attack (e.g., you don't have the proper energy required to perform the attack), you may ask your opponent's permission to back out of the attack step. If he or she says "yes", you can go back and take any actions that you could have taken prior to the attack step. If he or she says "no", you may either select an attack that is legal or you may pass.
Source: Organized Play Announcement (2007-03-14), PUI Rules Team (2007-03-15)
Attacks » *Attacks in General
If an attack has an *optional* effect triggered by a discard, a Pokémon copying that attack must be able to do that discard in order to get the additional effect; if they cannot perform the optional discard, it still gets the base effect and damage.
Source: PUI Rules Team (2007-03-15)
Attacks » Call for Friends
Can you use Strike and Run, or Call for Friends type attacks to retrieve Fossils from your deck? What about using Pokémon Retriever to get them from your discard pile?
No, you cannot search for a Fossil trainer with any Pokémon searching technique.
Source: PUI Rules Team (2005-07-07)
Attacks » *Attacks in General
Damage effects applied by the attacker (i.e. Nidoking's "Power Gene" adding +10 to Nidoqueen) are handled before weakness and resistance. Damage effects applied by the Defending Pokémon are handled after weakness and resistance.
Source: PUI Rules Team (2004-09-23)
Attacks » Agility
If I flipped heads on Seadra's Agility attack, would that prevent Cradily's Spiral Drain from removing damage counters?
Agility only prevents damage and effects done to Seadra, not other effects that may extend to other Pokémon.
Source: PUI Rules Team (2004-03-25)
Attacks » Feint Attack
If Shiftry uses "Feint Attack" against a Pokémon that used "Smokescreen" the previous turn, would it have to flip for Smokescreen or not?
Yes it would have to flip. The effect of Smokescreen lies on the Shiftry, and Feint Attack only ignores effects on the DEFENDING Pokémon
Source: PUI Rules Team (2004-01-08)
Attacks » Feint Attack
If Shiftry uses "Feint Attack" against Whiscash with "Submerge" Poké-BODY on the bench, which one prevails? The attack or the Poké-BODY?
Feint Attack ignores ANY effect on that Pokémon which attempts to prevent its damage; the attack itself specifically states that the attack's damage isn't affected by Poké-Powers and Poké-Bodies (and other things as well).
Source: PUI Rules Team (2004-01-08)
Attacks » Feint Attack
If Shiftry uses "Feint Attack" against a Pokémon that successfully used "Agility" the previous turn, would Agility prevent the Feint Attack or not?
No, the Feint Attack ignores any effects on the Defending Pokémon, including Agility, Wonder Guard, etc.
Source: PUI Rules Team (2004-01-08)
Attacks » *Attacks in General
I've noticed that some cards say "Does 10 damage to the Defending Pokémon", whereas others say "Put 1 damage counter on the defending Pokémon". Is there any reason for the different wording? I've spoken to someone who says that you do not apply weakness or resistance for attacks where it specifies Damage Counters; is this the case?
There is a difference. As you mention, weakness and resistance are not applied when placing counters. Also, things like Defender and Metal Energy will not block Placing Damage Counters. It will not trigger things like Base Set Machamp's Strike Back. In the steps of resolving an Attack, "placing Damage Counters" counts as an Effect of the attack, it is not part of "doing damage".
Source: PUI Rules Team (2003-09-18)
Attacks » *Attacks in General
ANY Pokemon attack or Power that can only be used once per turn, is reset if that Pokemon evolves or devolves or leaves play and that power or attack could be used again if that Pokemon came into play again that same turn. The "can't use this attack next turn" sets up a status effect that can be ended through the normal means: benching, leaving play, evolving or devolving. With Pokemon Powers though, you can't get around the once per turn by benching. Benching a Pokemon does NOT get around these effects as they are still the same Pokemon and still in play. [Ed.Note: This does not apply to Tentacool Lv.10 (Fossil) which specifically states in the text of the power that it cannot be used on the same turn it comes into play.]
Source: WotC Chat (2001-09-27), WotC Chat (2002-02-14), WotC Chat (2002-05-23)