Trainers - Pokémon Rulings Compendium

Can a player use Moonlit Hill stadium's effect to discard a Basic Psychic energy from their hand even if there are no damage counters on any of their Pokemon?: No, the Psychic energy discard is a cost in order to do the effect of healing.

Source: TPCi Rules Team (2024-02-15)

If I use Shining Jirachi's "Stellar Reign" attack against a Stage 2 Pokemon that evolved from a Stage 1 which was put directly into play via Pokemon Research Lab, would my opponent put both the Stage 1 & Stage 2 cards into their hand (since both cards are "evolution cards") or does the Stage 1 card remain in play (since you can't "devolve" into nothing)?: Since you can't devolve into nothing, the Stage 1 card would remain in play.

Source: TPCi Rules Team (2024-02-15)

If I use Boost Shake to evolve Togetic into Togekiss, can I use Togekiss' "Precious Gift" ability, or does the effect of Boost Shake prevent me from doing so?: Precious Gift takes place at the end of the turn, so you still get to do it after using Boost Shake.

Source: TPCi Rules Team (2024-01-11)

In a Standard Format game I use "Technical Machine: Evolution" and the two Pokemon I choose are both Raichu. Does the game still recognize that Raichu BREAK exists despite it not being legal for play in that format, therefore allowing me to search my deck?: No, since Raichu BREAK is not currently legal in Standard Format you cannot attempt to search for it.

Source: TPCi Rules Team (2024-01-04)

I use Psyduck's "Overthink" attack to cause flips to be treated as Tails whenever your opponent flips a coin on the next turn. But if my opponent plays Will, which allows the player to choose the outcome of the first coin flip required for an attack, does my opponent get to choose heads for their first coin flip or is it still tails due to "Overthink"?: Overthink will cause the flip to be treated Tails regardless of Will, since Overthink is in effect whenever your opponent flips.

Source: TPCi Rules Team (2024-01-04)

If my opponent has Tool Jammer activated, do I discard any of my attached Technical Machines at the end of my turn or not?: The discard text on Technical Machine tools is an effect, so the tool is not discarded at the end of the turn.

Source: TPCi Rules Team (2023-12-14)

How does Skater's Park work if I have Toedscruel with the "Slime Mold Colony" Ability active?: Slime Mold Colony only affects your opponent's discard pile. However, while Skater's Park is in play, the basic Energy that would be discarded when your opponent retreats never makes it to the discard pile, so those cards would go into their hand.

Source: TPCi Rules Team (2023-12-14)

How does PokeStop work if I have Toedscruel with the "Slime Mold Colony" Ability active?: Slime Mold Colony only affects your opponent's discard pile and their Abilities or Trainer cards (it doesn't do anything to its owner), so the behavior of the PokeStop stadium depends on which player owns it. For example, if I have Toedscruel and my opponent uses their own PokeStop, they would be able to discard 3 cards from the top of their deck but they wouldn't be able to put any of those discarded Item cards into their hand. However, if I have Toedscruel and my opponent uses *my* PokeStop, it works normally because Slime Mold Colony does not affect *my* PokeStop.

Source: TPCi Rules Team (2023-12-14)

If my opponent has a Ting-Lu ex with "Cursed Land" Ability active and a Gapejaw Bog stadium in play, when I put Spiritomb with the "Fettered in Misfortune" Ability into play is there a brief moment where Spiritomb's Ability is active before the damage counters from Gapejaw Bog are placed onto Spiritomb which in turn triggers "Cursed Land"? For example, making Honchkrow V with the "Boss Pockets" Ability discard all but one of its Tools before "Fettered in Misfortune" turns off?: The order of effects in this scenario are as follows: 1) When Spiritomb is played onto the Bench its Fettered in Misfortune Ability immediately cancels out the Boss Pockets Ability of Honchkrow V, thus causing all but one of the Tool cards attached to Honchkrow V to be discarded. 2) Gapejaw Bog's effect puts damage counters on Spiritomb. 3) The Cursed Land Ability of Ting-Lu ex cancels out Spiritomb's Fettered in Misfortune Ability.

Source: TPCi Rules Team (2023-11-16)

Say Gapejaw Bog stadium is in play and Ting-Lu ex with "Cursed Land" Ability is in the Active Spot. If I put Pumpkaboo onto the Bench, can I use its "Pumpkin Pit" Ability to discard Gapejaw Bog before it places damage counters on Pumpkaboo?: Since Pumpkin Pit and Gapejaw Bog are simultaneous effects, it is up to the player to choose the order in which they will be applied. If the Stadium discard effect is resolved first, no damage counters will be placed on Pumpkaboo. However, if the player chooses to put the damage counters from Gapejaw Bog first, then Pumpkin Pit won't work because Ting-Lu ex's Cursed Land would shut off Pumpkin Pit.

Source: TPCi Rules Team (2023-11-16)