The Pokémon Trading Card Game Rulings Compendium is a compilation of official rulings from The Pokémon Company, International (TPCi) for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. This document is compiled and published by Team Compendium, Inc.
Sources
There have been 4 editions of The Pokémon Trading Card Game Rulings Compendium: The Compendium, The Compendium EX, The Compendium LvX and The Compendium BW (this document).
Only official sources are used for the rulings published in these documents, which, so far, includes:
online documents published via the Pokémon website (http://www.pokemon.com/ )
chat logs from Wizards of the Coast (WotC),
from the time when they published the game
Compendium Updates from the Pokémon Rules Team Discussions (which are approved by TPCi before publishing).
If you have doubts as to the accuracy of the Compendium, we have provided the source for each and every one of these rulings, so that you may verify them if you wish. The vast majority of these rulings are literal "copy-and-paste" from WotC chat transcripts or PUI/TPCi Rules Team update logs, although we have taken the liberty of cleaning up spelling, grammar and punctuation (which are often less than optimal in real-time chats) and we have edited for clarity. In some cases, we have added wording for clarity. These additions are inside [brackets]. This editing ensures the copyright of this work and will also help us to verify any uncredited, "stolen" versions of the Rulings Compendium that might surface out there as unauthorized copies of our work. Naughty, naughty!
Note, however, although we try to be accurate, we are not responsible for any inaccuracies that may have crept into the work. If you believe you have found one, we certainly would be happy to have it brought to our attention so that we can verify it and correct it, if needed. Please read our FAQ first, however, before sending us any correspondence.
In case you are wondering about the legitimacy of using the older WotC rulings:
Q. What is the status of rulings that were made while WotC was in control of the property?
A. Anything that was done for Pokémon, goes to PUI or... well, we're allowed to have whatever work they produced for Pokémon. (Sep 11, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Q.So unless something changes the way a card works, those rules should be OK
A. Yes! (Sep 11, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
If you are wondering about the status of this Compendium itself, there is this:
Q. Will PUI endorse the Compendium as a ruling source for Players, League Leaders, TOs and Judges, just as WotC has done in the past?
A. You can say that Pokémon USA thinks you're a great resource. Endorse? Sure. (Sep 11, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
You can't get any better praise than that!
Purpose
This Compendium was designed to facilitate rulings at Pokémon tournaments. There may not (yet) be an official judge accreditation procedure, but there are a surprisingly large amount of rulings and errata that judges and those taking the Professor test need to know!
Copyright
While all the information in here may be available elsewhere (namely, by asking PUI or by perusing their website or archives), it has been sorted, cleaned up and organized by our team. It represents a sizable expenditure of our time and effort in compiling it and keeping it current.
Limited Use Authorization. We give permission for individuals to make copies of the Compendium for personal use. We also authorize limited, free distribution. If you are a participant or Judge in a Pokemon Trading Card Game Tournament or a League, we authorize the free distribution to other participants and/or Judges. We do not authorize the distribution if it involves any charges or fees for this document. This includes, but is not limited to, fees for copying or paper. If you have been charged a fee for this document, please contact us at compendium ~at~ pokegym?net to alert us.
The Pokémon Trading Card Game Rulings Compendium Black and White must be copied and printed intact, including this notice and all credit and reference information. We do allow you to quote rulings from the Compendium in message boards, chats, or correspondence; as long as you credit this source by its home web site (http://compendium.pokegym.net/) or the full title of the document "The Pokémon Trading Card Game Rulings Compendium BW" or the short title "Compendium BW".
Team
Team Compendium participates regularly on the TPCi Rules Team in order to nominate, test and record official rulings made by TPCi, and to publish them in the Compendium.
THE COMPENDIUM BW TEAM MEMBERS
Big Daddy Snorlax | bulbasnore | Chrisbo | Gym Leader Blaine | PokePop
Translation Team Leads:
Spanish Translation: IvesRountree | German Translation: Glumanda
Special thanks to:
Master Trainer Exobyte for leading the TPCi Rules Team since 2009
Master Trainer Jimmer for his time and work leading the PUI Rules Team (2003-2008)
Koribouros, our inspiration and the original founder of this document
Thanks for using the Compendium. We hope this Compendium BW provides the answers you need for competing and judging in the amazing Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Sincerely,
Team Compendium
Link to compendium.pokegym.net! Please email us if you do so, so that we may express our appreciation.
Link to the Compendium Home Page by placing our link button code on your website, or personal home page.
Simply paste the code at right into your web page.
In order to maintain the integrity of the Compendium, at this time we cannot allow this document to be posted on other websites than at compendium.pokegym.net
Rulings
Current rulings are organized into major categories, below. An alphabetical index of rulings by individual entry groups is found at the end of the document.
* EX Hidden Legends Feebas is receiving errata for its "Ascension" attack to bring it in line with the Japanese version of the card. It should read, "Flip a coin. If heads, search your deck for a card that evolves from Feebas and put it on Feebas. (This counts as evolving Feebas.) Shuffle your deck afterward." Please note that this only affects Feebas; Vulpix's "Ascension" attack does not require a coin flip. (Jul 22, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Balloon Berry copied!
* In the Japanese card, there is a text saying "If Balloon Berry is attached to one of your Pokémon., the Pokémon.'s retreat cost is 0". So, you should play Balloon Berry as if it negates the Pokémon.'s retreat cost while attached to that Pokémon., not just when it actually attempts to retreat. For example, Muk-EX's "Slimy Water" attack damage will be reduced to only 40 against a Pokémon. with Balloon Berry attached to it. (Nov 13, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Blaze Roar copied!
Entei's "Blaze Roar" attack should say "discard 2 Fire Energy CARDS" rather than just "discard 2 Fire Energy". (Nov 16, 2007 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Brick Smash copied!
* EX Hidden Legends Machamp is receiving errata for its "Brick Smash" attack to bring it in line with the Japanese version of the card. Weakness should be applied to the damage that Machamp deals. It should read, "This attack's damage isn't affected by Resistance, Poké-Powers, Poké-Bodies, or any other effects on the Defending Pokémon." (Aug 21, 2004 Pokémon World Championships Announcements)
Buffer copied!
* The Poké-BODY "Buffer" found on Hoppip, Skiploom, and Jumpluff should read, "If Hoppip/Skiploom/Jumpluff would be Knocked Out by damage from an opponent's attack, flip a coin...". So only attacks that do damage (not "place counters") would cause Buffer to be invoked. (Apr 5, 2005 PUI Announcements; Apr 7, 2005 PUI Rules Team)
Buzzap Thunder (Electrode - Evolutions) copied!
* Due to an error in the card text for Electrode's "Buzzap Thunder" Ability, the text on this card will be changed. The original text for this Ability says, "Once during your turn (before your attack), you may Knock Out this Pokémon and attach it to one of your Lightning-type Pokémon as a Special Energy card. This card provides 2 Lightning Energy only while this card is attached to a Lightning-type Pokémon." The original intention of this Ability was for Electrode to provide 2 Lightning Energy as long as it's attached to any Pokémon, not just a Lightning-type Pokémon. The new text will say, "Once during your turn (before your attack), you may Knock Out this Pokémon and attach it to one of your Lightning-type Pokémon as a Special Energy card. This card provides 2 Lightning Energy only while this card is attached to a Pokémon." Effective immediately, Electrode's Buzzap Thunder Ability will use this updated text instead of the original text. (Jan 19, 2017 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Claw Fossil copied!
* While in play, Mysterious Fossil, Claw Fossil, and Root Fossil, count as both Trainer cards and as Pokémon. Previous rulings did not consider them to be "Trainer cards" while in play. (Apr 5, 2005 PUI Announcements; Apr 7, 2005 PUI Rules Team)
Cold Crush copied!
* Blastoise-EX and Articuno-EX each have an attack that discards an Energy card from the Defending Pokémon. The player using those attacks is also the player who chooses the Energy card to be discarded. (Jul 25, 2006 PUI Announcements)
Craggy Face copied!
* Some abilities referring to "Stage 2 Evolved Pokémon" are receiving errata. These cards do not care if the Pokémon is evolved or not, only if it is a Stage 2 Pokémon. So, Stage 2 Pokémon put into play with abilities like Garchomp LV.X's "Restore" attack still count for these abilities. Glalie's correct card text should read: "(Poké-Body) Craggy Face - As long as Glalie is your Active Pokémon, any damage done by attacks from your opponent's Stage 2 Pokémon is reduced by 20 (after applying Weakness and Resistance)". (May 1, 2009 Pokemon Organized Play News; May 7, 2009 PUI Rules Team)
Crush and Burn copied!
* Electrode-EX's "Crush and Burn" attack does extra damage based on the number of Energy cards discarded, not the amount of Energy provided. Official Wording: You may discard as many Energy cards as you like attached to your Pokémon in play. If you do, this attack does 30 damage plus 20 more damage for each Energy card you discarded. (Dec 16, 2004 PUI Announcements)
CURE copied!
* Unown's "CURE" Poke-POWER should read, "Once during your turn, when you put Unown from your hand onto your Bench, you may remove all Special Conditions from your Active Pokémon." Use of this Poke-POWER is optional. (Apr 11, 2011 TPCi Announcements; May 5, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Cyrus {*} (Ultra Prism) copied!
* The text on Cyrus{*} should say, "You can play this card only if your Active Pokémon is a {W} or {M} Pokémon". The original text says you can?t play this card unless you have a {W} or {M} Pokémon in play, but the intended requirement is to have a {W} or {M} Pokémon as your Active Pokémon. (Jan 24, 2018 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Darkness Chant copied!
Q. Does Darkness Chant require the owning player to count either Basics OR Evolutions in the discard pile, or can both be counted together?
A. The attack is intended to count both Basics AND Evolutions, not one or the other. (Jun 17, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Defender copied!
* The wording of Defender is now as follows, "Attach Defender to 1 of your Pokémon. Discard this card at the end of your opponent?s next turn. Any damage done to the Pokémon Defender is attached to by attacks is reduced by 20 (after applying Weakness and Resistance)." Defender now protects against all attacks, even ones not made by the opponent. (Apr 11, 2011 TPCi Announcements; May 5, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Dialga copied!
* Dialga from the Platinum expansion is receiving errata to address an incorrect card template for the parallel holo version of the card. Dialga (Platinum, 23/127) should use the Metal-type card template, rather than the Colorless-type card template. (Feb 26, 2009 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Discharge copied!
* Electivire's "Discharge" attack should say "for each Electric Energy CARD" rather than just "for each Electric Energy". (Nov 16, 2007 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Double Rainbow Energy copied!
* Double Rainbow Energy should be applied *before* applying Weakness and Resistance. This brings it in line with the Japanese version of the card. (Oct 1, 2004 PUI Announcements)
Double Thread (Galvantula - Steam Siege) copied!
* Due to an error in card text, Galvantula's "Double Thread" attack has been changed. The original text says, "This attack does 30 damage to 2 of your opponent's Pokémon. Also apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon". The text has been changed to match the original intention of the attack, which is to affect only Benched Pokémon. Double Thread is updated to say, "This attack does 30 damage to 2 of your opponent's Benched Pokémon. Apply Weakness and Resistance". Effective immediately, Galvantula's "Double Thread" attack will use this updated attack text instead of the original text. (Aug 8, 2016 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Drowzee copied!
* For purposes of proper Pokémon names, treat all cards referring to "Drowsee" as "Drowzee". For example, you cannot have four "Drowsee" plus four "Drowzee" in your deck. (Sep 2, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Energy Healer copied!
* Three cards have been added to the list of errata for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. [...] The text below reflects what the card should say, not what was originally printed. "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. (May 6, 2010 PUI Rules Team; May 7, 2010 TPCi TCG Errata Update)
Energy Retrieval (Various Sets) copied!
* The wording of Energy Retrieval is now as follows, "Put up to 2 basic Energy cards from your discard pile into your hand." (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Energy Shift copied!
* Electrode is receiving errata for the card to reflect that its Poké-Power can trigger when any attack Knocks Out Electrode, not just during its owner's turn. "If Electrode would be Knocked Out by damage from an attack, you may use this power. Electrode isn?t discarded. Instead, attach it as an Energy card to 1 of your Pokémon. While attached, this card is a Special Energy card and provides every type of Energy but provides only 1 Energy at a time. (Has no effect other than providing Energy.)" (Dec 6, 2007 PUI Rules Team; Jan 29, 2008 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Evolutionary Gas copied!
* Skuntank is receiving errata for its "Evolutionary Gas" Poké-Power. Evolutionary Gas's effect ends when the Defending Pokémon is no longer the opponent's Active Pokémon. The correct card text should read, "Once during your turn (before your attack), when you play Skuntank from your hand to evolve 1 of your Active Pokémon, you may choose 1 of the Defending Pokémon. If that Pokémon tries to attack during your opponent's next turn, that attack does nothing. (If the Defending Pokémon is no longer your opponent's Active Pokémon, this effect ends.)" (Feb 26, 2009 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Exp. Share (Dragon Vault) copied!
* This version of Exp. Share [from Dragon Vault] was printed without the Pokémon Tool rule box. This card should have that rule box, matching Black & White - Next Destinies #87/99. (Oct 17, 2012 TPCi Errata Update; Feb 7, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Fainting Spell copied!
* Gengar is receiving errata for its Poke-POWER, "Fainting Spell". Fainting Spell affects your opponent's Attacking Pokemon, not your Defending Pokemon. The correct card text should read, "Once during your opponent's turn, if Gengar would be Knocked Out by damage from an attack, you may flip a coin. If heads, the Attacking Pokémon is Knocked Out." (Nov 7, 2008 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Fighting Stadium (Furious Fists) copied!
* The wording of Fighting Stadium is now as follows, "The attacks of each {F} Pokémon in play (both yours and your opponent?s) do 20 more damage to the opponent?s Active Pokémon if it is a Pokémon-EX (before applying Weakness and Resistance)." This stadium should only impact the Active Pokémon-EX belonging to the opponent of the attacking Pokémon. (Nov 18, 2014 TPCi Announcements; Nov 20, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Flame Bluster copied!
* Magmortar LV.X's "Flame Bluster" attack should say "discard 2 Fire Energy CARDS" rather than just "discard 2 Fire Energy". (Nov 16, 2007 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Ghost Head copied!
* Banette is receiving errata for its first attack, Ghost Head. Ghost Head can't cause Banette to Knock Out itself ... the attack has to leave Banette with at least 10 HP. "Put as many damage counters as you like on Banette. (You can't Knock Out Banette.) Put that many damage counters on the Defending Pokémon." (Jan 29, 2008 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Great Ball copied!
* The wording of Great Ball is now as follows, "Look at the top 7 cards of your deck. You may reveal a Pokémon you find there and put it into your hand. Shuffle the other cards back into your deck." This card works very differently now; it can no longer search the entire deck for a Pokémon and put it directly onto Bench. (Apr 11, 2011 TPCi Announcements; May 5, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
GUARD copied!
Q. Does Unown G's "GUARD" Poke-POWER prevent effects from attacks that the Unown G is attached to?
A. No, the Poke-POWER only prevent effects from an opponent's attacks, not your own. Unown-G's "GUARD" Poke-POWER should say, "As long as Unown G is attached to a Pokemon, prevent all effects of attacks, excluding damage, done to that Pokemon by your opponent's Pokemon". (Feb 21, 2008 PUI Rules Team; Feb 28, 2008 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Hidden Poison copied!
* Roserade is receiving errata for its Poke-BODY, "Hidden Poison". Hidden Poison affects your opponent's Attacking Pokemon, not your Defending Pokemon. The correct card text should read, "If Roserade is your Active Pokemon and is damaged by an opponent's attack (even if Roserade is Knocked Out), the Attacking Pokemon is now Poisoned." (Nov 7, 2008 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Holon Energy WP copied!
* Holon Energy WP and Ancient Technical Machine [Ice] only prevent effects that come from attacks, not all effects in play. Trainer cards, Poké-Powers, and Poké-Bodies are not prevented by those cards. (Jul 25, 2006 PUI Announcements)
Hyper Potion (Sword & Shield) copied!
* The wording of Hyper Potion is now as follows, "Heal 120 damage from 1 of your Pokémon that has at least 2 Energy attached. If you healed any damage in this way, discard 2 Energy from it." (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Hyper Whirlpool copied!
* Blastoise-EX and Articuno-EX each have an attack that discards an Energy card from the Defending Pokémon. The player using those attacks is also the player who chooses the Energy card to be discarded. (Jul 25, 2006 PUI Announcements)
Ice Generator copied!
* Holon Energy WP and Ancient Technical Machine [Ice] only prevent effects that come from attacks, not all effects in play. Trainer cards, Poké-Powers, and Poké-Bodies are not prevented by those cards. (Jul 25, 2006 PUI Announcements)
Iron Shell copied!
* Forretress's "Iron Shell" Poke-BODY is not optional; you *MUST* flip a coin whenever attaching a Basic Energy Card to Forretress. (Aug 28, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Jamming Net (Phantom Forces) copied!
* The wording of Jamming Net is now as follows, "The attacks of the Pokémon this card is attached to do 20 less damage to each of the opponent?s Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance). (Don?t apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.)" This tool should only impact the Pokémon belonging to the opponent of the attacking Pokémon. (Nov 18, 2014 TPCi Announcements; Nov 20, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Knockout Gas copied!
* The Poké-BODY "Knockout Gas" found on Koffing should read, "If Koffing is your Active Pokémon and is Knocked Out by damage from an opponent's attack, the Attacking Pokémon is now Confused and Poisoned." So only attacks that do damage (not "place counters") would cause Knockout Gas to be invoked. (Jun 23, 2005 PUI Rules Team)
Lightning Twister copied!
* Manectric's "Lightning Twister" attack should say, "Does 20 damage times the amount of Energy from basic Energy cards attached to Manectric." (Feb 28, 2008 Pokemon Organized Play News; Mar 13, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Lucky Egg copied!
* Three cards have been added to the list of errata for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. [...] The text below reflects what the card should say, not what was originally printed. "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. (May 7, 2010 TPCi TCG Errata Update)
Lum Berry (Sword & Shield) copied!
* The wording of Lum Berry is now as follows, "At the end of each turn, if the Pokemon this card is attached to is affected by any Special Conditions, it recovers from all of them, and discard this card." (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Magnemite copied!
Q. I got a Reverse Holo Magnemite, and the resistance symbol is an empty white circle (like the colorless symbol without the star in the middle).
A. It's just a grey circle (means nothing) where the foil is normally cut out for Resistance. However for clarification, there should not be any Resistance on that particular card - the non-foil of that version doesn't have a Resistance either. (Nov 20, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Marill copied!
Q. In the EX:Sandstorm set, there are 2 identical versions of Marill, but one has a retreat cost and one does not. Which one is the correct version and how shall the 2 different versions be played?
A. This appears to be a fairly common mistake in the set. Play the card as written; if you have the Marill with the free retreat you may play it as such. (Sep 11, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Mt. Moon copied!
* Mt. Moon should read: "Any Pokémon (both yours and your opponent's) with maximum HP of 70 or less can't use any Poké-Powers." This errata replaces text of "less than 70" with "70 or less". If a Pokémon has a maximum HP of 70, that Pokémon cannot use a Poké-POWER while this Stadium card is in play. (Oct 1, 2004 PUI Announcements)
Mysterious Fossil copied!
* While in play, Mysterious Fossil, Claw Fossil, and Root Fossil, count as both Trainer cards and as Pokémon. Previous rulings did not consider them to be "Trainer cards" while in play. (Apr 5, 2005 PUI Announcements; Apr 7, 2005 PUI Rules Team)
Pal Pad (Sword & Shield) copied!
* The wording of Pal Pad is now as follows, "Shuffle up to 2 Supporter cards from your discard pile into your deck." (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
* The wording of Pokemon Catcher is now as follows, "Flip a coin. If heads, switch 1 of your opponent's Benched Pokemon with his or her Active Pokemon." This card now requires a coin flip; making it functionally identical to Pokemon Reversal. (Oct 1, 2013 TPCi Announcements; Nov 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Pokémon Reversal copied!
Q. The wording on the "Pokémon Reversal" trainer changed significantly between the Expedition version and the EX:Ruby/Sapphire version. How should we play this card? Do we play each one "as written", or should we play them all the way the latest (or older) version of the card says?
A. It should read like the Expedition version, with a slight tweak to make it 2-on-2 applicable. "Choose 1 of your opponent's Benched Pokémon. Flip a coin. If heads, your opponent switches that Pokémon. with 1 of his or her Defending Pokémon." The opponent chooses the defending, but the person playing the card chooses the benched. (Apr 8, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Potion copied!
* The wording of Potion now heals 30 damage from 1 of your Pokémon instead of 20 damage. (Apr 11, 2011 TPCi Announcements; May 5, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Power Whip copied!
* Tangrowth's "Power Whip" attack should say, "This attack does 10 damage for each Energy from basic Energy cards attached to Tangrowth to that Pokemon." (Feb 28, 2008 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Professor Juniper (Black & White; others) copied!
* While there are no functional changes to these cards [Professor Juniper and Professor Sycamore], you may not include both of them in your deck. That is, you may have up to 4 copies of Professor Juniper or up to 4 copies of Professor Sycamore - but if you have any Professor Juniper cards in your deck, you may not put any Professor Sycamore cards in your deck, and vice versa. (Oct 1, 2013 TPCi Announcements; Nov 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
* In the Expanded format, there's already a rule that says you can't include Professor Sycamore and Professor Juniper in the same deck; players must choose one or the other. The same rule applies to Professor's Research, meaning it cannot be in the same deck as Professor Sycamore or Professor Juniper. (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Professor Sycamore (XY) copied!
* While there are no functional changes to these cards [Professor Juniper and Professor Sycamore], you may not include both of them in your deck. That is, you may have up to 4 copies of Professor Juniper or up to 4 copies of Professor Sycamore - but if you have any Professor Juniper cards in your deck, you may not put any Professor Sycamore cards in your deck, and vice versa. (Oct 1, 2013 TPCi Announcements; Nov 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
* In the Expanded format, there's already a rule that says you can't include Professor Sycamore and Professor Juniper in the same deck; players must choose one or the other. The same rule applies to Professor's Research, meaning it cannot be in the same deck as Professor Sycamore or Professor Juniper. (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Professor's Research (Sword & Shield) copied!
* In the Expanded format, there's already a rule that says you can't include Professor Sycamore and Professor Juniper in the same deck; players must choose one or the other. The same rule applies to Professor's Research, meaning it cannot be in the same deck as Professor Sycamore or Professor Juniper. (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Protect Wing copied!
* Some abilities referring to "Stage 2 Evolved Pokémon" are receiving errata. These cards do not care if the Pokémon is evolved or not, only if it is a Stage 2 Pokémon. So, Stage 2 Pokémon put into play with abilities like Garchomp LV.X's "Restore" attack still count for these abilities. Staraptor's correct card text should read: "(Poké-Body) Protect Wing - As long as Staraptor is your Active Pokémon, any damage done by attacks from your opponent's Stage 2 Pokémon is reduced by 20 (after applying Weakness and Resistance)". (May 1, 2009 Pokemon Organized Play News; May 7, 2009 PUI Rules Team)
Psychic Guard copied!
* Some abilities referring to "Stage 2 Evolved Pokémon" are receiving errata. These cards do not care if the Pokémon is evolved or not, only if it is a Stage 2 Pokémon. So, Stage 2 Pokémon put into play with abilities like Garchomp LV.X's "Restore" attack still count for these abilities. Alakazam's correct card text should read: "Psychic Guard (50) - During your opponent's next turn, any damage done to Alakazam by attacks from your opponent's Stage 2 Pokémon is reduced by 30 (after applying Weakness and Resistance)." (May 1, 2009 Pokemon Organized Play News; May 7, 2009 PUI Rules Team)
Quick Ball (Sword & Shield) copied!
* The wording of Quick Ball is now as follows, "You can play this card only if you discard another card from your hand. Search your deck for a Basic Pokémon, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck." (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Rare Candy copied!
* The wording of Rare Candy is now as follows, "Choose 1 of your Basic Pokémon in play. If you have a Stage 2 card in your hand that evolves from that Pokémon, put that card on the Basic Pokémon. (This counts as evolving that Pokémon.) You can't use this card during your first turn or on a Basic Pokémon that was put into play this turn." So now it can't be used on your first turn, and it can't be used on a Pokémon played this turn. (Apr 11, 2011 TPCi Announcements; May 5, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Ripples copied!
* Mantine's Poké-POWER only works when it is the player's Active Pokémon. Official Wording: Once during your turn (before your attack), if Mantine is your Active Pokémon, you may remove 1 damage counter from 1 of your Pokémon (excluding Mantine). This power can't be used if Mantine is affected by a Special Condition. (Dec 16, 2004 PUI Announcements)
Root Fossil copied!
* While in play, Mysterious Fossil, Claw Fossil, and Root Fossil, count as both Trainer cards and as Pokémon. Previous rulings did not consider them to be "Trainer cards" while in play. (Apr 5, 2005 PUI Announcements; Apr 7, 2005 PUI Rules Team)
Sandy Cloak copied!
* Wormadam's "Sandy Cloak" Poke-BODY should say, "Prevent all effects of attacks, excluding damage, done to Wormadam Sandy Cloak by your opponent?s Pokemon". (Feb 28, 2008 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Scorching Fire (Charizard - Plasma Storm) copied!
* The attack cost for Scorching Fire [from Plasma Storm] was misprinted. It should be {R}{C}{C}{C}{C}, as opposed to the printed {F}{C}{C}{C}{C}. (Jan 28, 2013 TPCi Errata Update; Feb 7, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Seed Flare copied!
* Shaymin LV.X is receiving errata for its "Seed Flare" attack. Seed Flare does additional damage for each Grass Energy card attached during the attack, rather than each Grass Energy attached during the attack. The correct card text should read, "Choose as many Grass Energy cards from your hand as you like and attach them to your Pokémon in any way you like. If you do, this attack does 40 damage plus 20 more damage for each Grass Energy card attached in this way." (Feb 26, 2009 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Sharpedo copied!
Q. I have an Italian-language Sharpedo, and it's Poké-BODY says it puts 1 damage counter if it's hurt in an attack. English-language Sharpedo's say 2 counters. How do I play the card?
A. Play the Sharpedo as if it did 2 damage counters. It didn't get weaker as it swam the Atlantic. (Feb 26, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Shield Energy (Primal Clash) copied!
* The wording of Shield Energy is now as follows, "This card can only be attached to {M} Pokémon. This card provides {M} Energy only while this card is attached to a {M} Pokémon. Any damage done to the {M} Pokémon this card is attached to by an opponent's attack is reduced by 10 (after applying Weakness and Resistance). (If this card is attached to anything other than a {M} Pokémon, discard this card.)". Damage should be reduced *after* applying Weakness and Resistance. Templating changed to reflect the reduction of damage being taken. (Apr 24, 2015 TPCi Announcement; May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Sitrus Berry (Sword & Shield) copied!
* The wording of Sitrus Berry is now as follows, "At the end of each turn, if the Pokémon this card is attached to has 3 or more damage counters on it, heal 30 damage from it and discard this card." (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Steven's Advice copied!
* Steven's Advice should read: "Draw a number of cards up to the number of your opponent's Pokémon in play. If you have 7 or more cards (including this one) in your hand, you can't play this card." This errata replaces text of "more than 7" with "7 or more". If a player has 7 cards in his or her hand (including Steven's Advice), they cannot play the card. (Oct 1, 2004 PUI Announcements)
Sticky copied!
Q. If I have an Ariados with "Sticky" Poke-BODY on the bench and another one as my Active Pokemon, does the Active Ariados have +1 added to its Retreat Cost or not?
A. Ariados' "Sticky" Poke-BODY should say, "The Retreat Cost for each player's Pokemon (excluding any Ariados) is {C} more". So Sticky prevents adding +1 to *ANY* Ariados' Retreat Cost, including your opponent's Ariados. Keep in mind that this does NOT include "Dark Ariados", just any Pokemon named "Ariados". (Feb 21, 2008 PUI Rules Team; Feb 28, 2008 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Strength Charm copied!
* Strength Charm should read: "Whenever an attack from the Pokémon that Strength Charm is attached to does damage to the Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance), the attack does 10 more damage. At the end of the turn in which the player attacks with the Pokémon that this card is attached to, discard Strength Charm." This errata replaces text of "after applying Weakness and Resistance with before applying Weakness and Resistance". It is also clarified that it is removed after ANY attack that the Pokémon makes, not just attacks that do damage. (Oct 1, 2004 PUI Announcements)
String Bomb copied!
* Exeggutor's "String Bomb" attack should say, "Flip a coin for each Energy from basic Energy cards attached to Exeggutor and to the Defending Pokémon." (Feb 28, 2008 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Supreme Command copied!
Empoleon LV.X from Diamond & Pearl contains an error. Its Poké-POWER symbol was printed with the Poké-Body symbol. In all cases, play Empoleon's effect as a Poké-Power. The game play of the effect remains unchanged. (May 25, 2007 PUI Announcements)
Vacation copied!
* Poké-Powers that end your turn are receiving errata to make it clear that you still end your turn if the Poké-Power is canceled, such as with Team Galactic's Invention G-103 Power Spray or by Alakazam's "Power Cancel" Poké-Power. Unown V's correct card text should read: "(Poké-Power) Vacation - Once during your turn (before your attack), you may use this power. If you do, your turn ends. Remove 2 damage counters from each of your Pokémon. This power can't be used if Unown V is affected by a Special Condition". (May 1, 2009 Pokemon Organized Play News; May 7, 2009 PUI Rules Team)
Waterlog copied!
* Poké-Powers that end your turn are receiving errata to make it clear that you still end your turn if the Poké-Power is canceled, such as with Team Galactic's Invention G-103 Power Spray or by Alakazam's "Power Cancel" Poké-Power. Blastoise's correct card text should read: "(Poké-Power) Waterlog - Once during your turn (before your attack), you may use this power. If you do, your turn ends. Attach as many basic {W} Energy cards from your hand to any of your Pokémon in any way you like. This power can't be used if Blastoise is affected by a Special Condition." (May 1, 2009 Pokemon Organized Play News; May 7, 2009 PUI Rules Team)
An attack has to do "some" damage before an effect can add "more" damage to it. (Jan 31, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Placing damage counters is not the same as doing damage. Things that add to or subtract from damage done do not affect placing counters. (Jan 31, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
You cannot have more than 6 Pokemon in play, including Active and Benched Pokemon, unless the card specifically allows for it (e.g. Sky Field). (Jan 31, 2008 PUI Rules Team; Jul 26, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
If a Retreat Cost is set to zero by an effect, it cannot be increased. Note this is different than a Retreat Cost that was reduced to zero by subtraction. (Jan 31, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
You cannot play a card if it is public knowledge that it will have no game effect. Paying a cost does not satisfy the requirement that the card has a game effect. (Jan 31, 2008 PUI Rules Team; Mar 12, 2009 PUI Rules Team)
Mandatory game actions cannot be forgotten or missed; they must be done. Examples: Drawing a Prize card, checking for Asleep, etc. (Jan 31, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
A player must always have an Active Pokemon. There is no time in which they don't, not even after a KO. Replacement must be done immediately. (Apr 17, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Benching a Pokemon removes all Special Conditions on that Pokemon including Poisoned and Burned, and all Attack effects on that Pokemon that do not place a Marker (such as Imprison). (Apr 17, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
An attack that copies another Pokemon's attack can only copy attacks printed on that Pokemon, not other attacks that the Pokemon may use due to Poke-POWERs, Poke-BODYs, Stadiums, etc. (with the exception of Lv.X Pokemon since they are considered "extensions" of the original Pokemon). (Apr 17, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Prior to the "Black & White" series, when a Pokemon refers to itself by name, interpret that card as though the text reads "this Pokemon". This has the practical effect of not including other Pokemon of the same name; if a Pokemon copies that text, it refers to itself, not the original Pokemon. Beginning with "Black & White", when a Pokemon refers to itself by name, this extends to other Pokemon of the same name; if a Pokemon copies that text, it refers to other Pokemon of the same name. Also, when a Pokemon refers to "this Pokemon", this has the practical effect of not including other Pokemon of the same name; if a Pokemon copies that text it refers to itself, not the original Pokemon. (Apr 17, 2008 PUI Rules Team; May 16, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
The game has no knowledge of the contents of your deck. For example, if you search your deck for something and fail, you can still use other cards or effects to search for the exact same thing. (Apr 17, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
The contents of your deck are technically unknown. If an effect calls on you to search your deck for a specific card or category of card, you may choose not to find a card, even if it is present in the deck. (Worlds 2006 PCL Announcement; May 8, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Effects on the attacking Pokemon are applied before weakness and resistance. Effects on the defending Pokemon are applied after weakness and resistance. (Jan 15, 2009 PUI Rules Team)
Effects of Poke-Powers and Poke-Bodies do not end when a Pokemon is moved from Active to Bench and vice-versa. (Feb 26, 2009 PUI Rules Team)
Whether a card's effect is optional or not is determined from the card text. If there is no explicit indication that you have a choice, then you don't have one and the effect is mandatory. (Sep 29, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Attacks and Abilities on a Pokémon that refers to itself now use the phrase "This Pokémon" instead of the name of that Pokémon. This should clear up confusion during any situation where Abilities can be copied. (Dec 1, 2011 TPCi Rules Team)
Effects that prevent you from healing or from removing damage counters do not affect moving those damage counters between Pokémon. (Dec 1, 2011 TPCi Rules Team)
Whenever any cards move from a Zone anyone can see (such as the Discard Pile) to one not anyone can see (such as hour Hand), that card must be revealed to all players. (Dec 1, 2011 TPCi Rules Team)
The term ?any effects? does not include effects that alter Weakness and Resistance. (May 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Changes Announcement; May 18, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What's the exact definition of "Defending Pokémon"?
A. It is your opponent's Active Pokemon when you are attacking. (Jul 19, 2001 WotC Chat, Q40)
Q. Can I attack with a Pokémon if I just played it?
A. Yes, as long as it's your Active Pokémon (only your Active Pokémon can attack) and as long as it has the required amount of Energy for the attack. (Basic FAQ, WotC Website)
Q. When I attack, do I discard the Energy card(s) I used to power the attack?
A. Energy is not used up by an attack. Unless that attack specifically says to discard an Energy, it stays attached to the Pokémon. (Basic FAQ, WotC Website)
Q. Moves that have a Pokémon's own name in the attack, like Scyther's Swords Dance, does it mean ALL Scythers you have in play at the moment? Or does it only affect the Scyther that used it?
A. Those particular attacks only affect the Pokémon that used it, not all Pokémon of the same name. (Jan 20 WotC Chat)
Q. Do you have to attack if you have enough Energy cards attached to your Pokémon?
A. No, you always have the choice whether to attack on your turn or not. (Jan 27 WotC Chat)
Q. Say you are using a Golduck (from the Fossil set) and you use his Psybeam. Would this be a Psychic or Water attack?
A. A Water attack as Psyduck is a Water Pokémon. [Ed. Note: This answer can be generalized further: When a Pokémon attacks, that attack is considered to be an attack of that Pokémon's type; it's not dependent on the energy requirement.] (Aug 31, 2000 WotC Chat Q76)
Q. When a card's attack "does damage to itself", is this damage considered to be an ATTACK against the Defending Pokémon? Let's say you had an Electabuzz versus a Team Rocket Porygon and Team Rocket Porygon switched Electabuzz's Weakness to Lightning. You Thunderpunched with Electabuzz and flipped tails. Would Electabuzz receive 10 or 20 damage? Furthermore, would Defender prevent this damage? (Defender prevents damage from attacks).
A1. Well, assuming it was an attack that did damage to itself then defender would help with that damage. (Aug 3 2000 WotC Chat, Q4)
A2. 20, it is considered an attack. (Aug 3 2000 WotC Chat, Q81)
It has been ruled that W/R does not apply to the bench unless specifically mandated by the card. Period. That is a meta-game rule. It was never intended that the W/R would apply to the bench unless specifically stated. Yes we do know that some Pokemon say not to apply W/R to the Bench. [But] if it doesn't say then you wouldn't apply Weakness and Resistance (the default for benched Pokemon is to NOT apply Weakness and Resistance). This has been verified. (May 3, 2001 WotC Chat Announcements & Q44)
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.] (Sep 27, 2001 WotC Chat, after-Q53; Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q18; May 23, 2002 WotC Chat, Q266)
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. (Mar 14, 2007 POP Announcement, POP Professor Forums; Mar 15, 2007 PUI Rules Team)
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. (Sep 23, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
If an attack has an energy discard requirement, a Pokémon copying that attack must also be able to do that discard in order to copy the attack. (Mar 15, 2007 PUI Rules Team)
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. (Mar 15, 2007 PUI Rules Team)
If a Pokémon attack copies another attack that says "discard all [X] Energy", then you must be able to discard at least one energy card of that type in order to use that effect or attack requirement. (Mar 15, 2007 PUI Rules Team)
Q. 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?
A. 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". (Sep 18, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I have Clefairy's "Metronome" copy a GX attack, and if so does it use up my "one GX attack per game"?
A. Yes you can, and yes it does. Also if you?ve already used your GX attack for the game, then you cannot choose a GX attack with Metronome. (Jan 5, 2017 TPCi Rules Team; Sun & Moon FAQ)
Abyssal Sleep (Darkrai - Promo) copied!
Q. If Darkrai attacks with "Abyssal Sleep", can Pokemon Ranger clear the effect of flipping 2 coins when Asleep?
A. Asleep, Poisoned, etc. are Special Conditions, regardless of how many coins you need to flip or how much damage the poison condition does. Therefore they are not altered by Pokemon Ranger. (Nov 10, 2016 TPCi Rules Team; Dec 8, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Focus Sash attached to Marshadow & Machamp GX and then use its "Acme of Heroism GX" attack, which one takes precedence if Marshadow & Machamp GX would be KO'd by damage from an opponent's attack?
A. You would choose, as they have the same effect, you choose the order of resolution. (Jun 27, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
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, 2000 WotC Chat)
Q. If my Pokémon uses Agility and get heads then on my opponent's next turn he benches his Pokémon, does that [Ed. Note: Agility's effect] end? If that Pokémon was Knocked Out, would Agility still be on the next Pokémon that he sends up?
A. Since the Agility Attack references Rapidash, only Benching or Evolving him ends the effect. Also since it only refers to Rapidash it would still be in effect if the other player benched. (6-30-00 WotC Chat)
Q. If a Raichu (or whatever) does Agility and flips heads, does an attack that would do damage to benched pokemon, or some other effect that does NOT do damage or something to Raichu work?
A. Yes it would, while all attacks are considered against the defending Pokemon (which is why something that prevents attacks would stop it in this case), Agility only prevents the effects of that attack if they affect Raichu only. (Jul 19, 2001 WotC Chat, Q83)
Q. When using Raichu's Agility attack it states that if heads, Raichu will not receive damage until after the opponent's turn. If Raichu is poisoned and then gets heads, will he take damage from poison at the end of his turn?
A. Yes, Agility is referring to effects of attacks on Raichu during your opponent's next turn. (June 1, 2000 WotC Chat, Q87)
Q. If I flipped heads on Seadra's Agility attack, would that prevent Cradily's Spiral Drain from removing damage counters?
A. Agility only prevents damage and effects done to Seadra, not other effects that may extend to other Pokémon. (Mar 25, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Player A attacks and flips a heads for "Agility". Then Player B uses Machamp's "Brick Smash" attack; would this ignore Agility?
A. In this case, Agility would be considered an "effect on the Defending Pokémon" and therefore Brick Smash would be able to overcome Agility. (Feb 17, 2005 PUI Rules Team)
Allergic Shock (Beedrill - Primal Clash) copied!
Q. If I use Beedrill's "Allergic Shock" attack, and then on the following turn I use an attack that does damage and the Defending Pokemon is KO'd, can the opponent add extra damage if they use an attack like "Revenge" or "Retaliate"?
A. If damage from your attack on the following turn is enough to KO the Pokemon, then the opponent would get to add extra damage for Revenge/Retaliate because their Pokemon was KO'd due to damage. But if there wasn't enough damage to KO the Pokemon and it gets KO'd due to the effect of Allergic Shock, then the opponent would NOT get to add extra damage for Revenge/Retaliate. (Feb 26, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I use Arceus & Dialga & Palkia GX's "Altered Creation GX" attack do I take an extra Prize card only if I Knock Out that Active Pokemon with an attack, or do I take an extra Prize for ANY of my opponent's Active Pokemon that get KO'd by my attacks during the rest of the game?
A. You get to take an extra prize if your Pokemon's attack Knocks Out ANY of your opponent's Active Pokemon during the rest of the game, not just the one that was the Defending Pokemon at the time of the Altered Creation GX attack. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I use Arceus & Dialga & Palkia GX's "Altered Creation GX" attack do I take a Prize card if I Knock Out Lillie's Poke Doll?
A. No, you have to be able to take a prize card in order to take "an extra prize card". (Nov 14, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Channeler negate the effects of Arceus & Dialga & Palkia GX's "Altered Creation GX" attack?
A. It depends on who is playing the Channeler. If the player who used Altered Creation GX uses Channeler then the effects are removed; the player's Pokemon no longer do +30 damage and the player does not get to take any extra prizes from the effect. However, if the player's opponent plays Channeler, then Altered Creation GX effects are not removed as they reside on the other player (who did not play Channeler). (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say Zoroark GX has Unit Energy {F}{D}{Y} and Rainbow energy attached and uses its "Trickster GX" attack to copy Arceus & Dialga & Palkia GX's "Altered Creation GX" attack. Can Zoroark GX use the extra effect of +1 prize for every KO from Altered Creation GX?
A. Nope, the two energy attached to Zoroark GX are used to pay for the Trickster GX attack (regardless of how much energy is required for the attack being copied), so in this case there is no "extra Water Energy" to permit the extra +1 prize effect. (Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Cinccino uses "Amazing Plea" and there are zero cards in the discard pile, do I automatically do 80 damage? Or what if I only have one card in the discard pile?
A. The answer is the same regardless of the number of cards in the discard pile. Your opponent decides whether you take the cards (even if it's 0) or do 80 damage. (Crimson Invasion FAQ; Nov 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Wooper uses Amnesia on Scyther's Slash, then Scyther retreats for another Pokémon, then that Pokémon [is Switched] for Scyther again, can Scyther use Slash?
A. Amnesia references the defending Pokemon, when that Pokemon is benched the effect ends. (Apr 12, 2001 WotC Chat, Q269)
Q. If my opponent has Celebi-EX with "Time Recall" in play, can I use Golduck's "Amnesia" attack to prevent the Defending Pokemon from using one of its previous evolution's attacks?
A. No, you can only use Amnesia on the attacks that are present on the opponent's card at the time of your attack. (Mar 10, 2005 PUI Rules Team; Boundaries Crossed FAQ; Nov 8, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Aqua Swirl (Milotic - Primal Clash) copied!
Q. For Milotic's "Aqua Swirl" attack who gets to choose which Benched Pokemon becomes the new Active Pokemon?
A. First off, since the attack says "you may" the attacking player gets to choose if any switching happens at all. Then if so, the opponent gets to choose which the Benched Pokemon becomes their new Active Pokemon. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Vulpix's or Zorua's "Ascension" attack on the first turn of the game?
A. Yes. This attack can evolve a Pokémon, even during the first turn of the game. (Jun 17, 2004 PUI Rules Team; May 10, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Assault Gate (Hoopa - Darkness Ablaze) copied!
Q. If I use Hoopa's "Assault Gate" attack after I move it up to replace a Pokemon that was KO'd by an opponent's attack, does it do anything?
A. No, Hoopa was moved to the Active Spot during the opponent?s turn, not during "this turn". (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say I have taken 5 prize cards during the game, but then my opponent uses Naganadel GX's "Stinger GX" attack to bring both players' prize count back to three prizes remaining. So if I then use Stakataka GX's "Assembly GX" attack on my next turn, how many prizes would I count when calculating the amount of damage to be done?
A. Even though the Stinger GX attack added cards back into your prizes, you have still taken five prizes during the game. So Assembly GX would do 50 damage plus 250 (five times 50) for the prize cards you have already taken. (Aug 9, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does using Beast Ball count as "taking a prize" for the purpose of calculating damage for Stakataka GX's "Assembly GX" attack?
A. No, it does not. You are switching cards, not taking a prize. (Aug 16, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have a Liepard with 3 Darkness Energies on it and I use "Assist", can I use Charizard's "Scorching Fire" attack despite not having a Fire Energy to discard?
A. Yes, you can. The damage amount is done regardless of whether Liepard has any Fire Energy attached to it or not, but if you do have a Fire Energy attached to Liepard you must discard it. (Nov 29, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say I have Liepard active and Raikou-EX and Victini on my bench. I attack with Liepard's "Assist", flip heads and choose to copy Raikou-EX's "Thunder Fang" attack but flip tails for "Thunder Fang's" paralysis part. If I then use Victini's "Victory Star" Ability to re-flip the coins, assuming I get heads for "Assist" could I choose a different benched Pokemon's attack or would I have to choose "Thunder Fang" again?
A. Since Victory Star rewound all the coin flips it's as if the Assist attack never happened. So yes, you could choose a different benched Pokemon's attack, if you flip heads for Assist of course. (Jan 31, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Barrier (Mewtwo - Evolutions) copied!
Q. If my Mewtwo attacked with "Barrier" last turn, and this turn I retreat it and use Switch to make it active again, can I attack with "Barrier" again?
A. No. The prohibition against using Barrier if it was used last turn is not an effect, it is a Game State check. So it can't be cleared by moving Mewtwo to the bench. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I used Mewtwo's "Barrier" attack last turn and this turn I play Pokemon Ranger, does that clear the effect so I can use "Barrier" again this turn?
A. No, Barrier does not "place an effect" to prevent its use on the next turn (unlike attacks such as "Volcanic Heat" which says "this Pokemon" cannot attack next turn). Instead, the attack does a Game State check to see if it was used last turn. Since there is no effect to clear, Pokemon Ranger won't allow you to use Barrier two turns in a row. (Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team; Dec 1, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Beak Catch (Cramorant V - Sword & Shield) copied!
Q. If I use Cramorant V's "Beak Catch" attack, can I choose to fail to get any cards from my deck?
A. Only if there are no cards left in your deck. Since you can get any type of card, and it is known that you have cards in your deck, you must take at least 1 card if you are able to. (Sword & Shield FAQ; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Bell of Silence (Chimecho - Crimson Invasion) copied!
Q. Does using Trumbeak's "Mountain Pass" Ability count as playing it from the hand? If so, would it be blocked if my opponent used Chimecho's "Bell of Silence" attack on the previous turn?
A. No, it is not being played from the hand. You are revealing the Trumbeak and then putting it into the Lost Zone; that is not blocked by Bell of Silence. (Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Berserk (Drampa GX - Guardians Rising) copied!
Q. When using Drampa GX's "Berserk" attack, must ALL Benched Pokemon have at least 1 damage counter or do you only need 1 Benched Pokemon with a damage counter on it to add the +70 damage?
A. If any of your Benched Pokemon have damage counters it will add the +70 damage. If it required all of them it would have said "all" or "each" in the attack text. (Jul 6, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Bewitching Eyes (Sableye - Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. Can I use Sableye's "Bewitching Eyes" attack to copy my opponent's "Archie's Ace in the Hole" or "Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick" supporter?
A. Yes you can, as long as you meet the requirement of having no cards in your hand when doing so. (Sep 17, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Blaze Out GX (Blaziken GX - Celestial Storm) copied!
Q. For Blaziken GX's "Blaze Out GX" attack, can I choose to discard two DCE's if I want?
A. Yes, you can choose to discard one energy from each of the two DCE's, resulting in both cards being discarded. (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Blazer (Blacephalon - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If a player has some face up prize cards from using Blacephelon's "Blazer" attack and then takes a multi-prize knockout, do they take their prizes one at a time or must they take all of them at once?
A. Whenever you take more than one prize in a single action, each prize can be taken one at a time. (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. For Mandibuzz's "Blindside" attack, who chooses which of the opponent's Pokemon receives the damage?
A. The attacking player chooses which of the opponent's Pokemon receives damage from the attack, but remember the opponent's Pokemon must already have damage counters on it first. (Black & White FAQ; Apr 28, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Emolga's "Bounce" attack if I have no bench?
A. Yes, you do as much of the attack as you can. First you do the damage, then you perform the switch if Emolga is able to go to the Bench. (Next Destinies FAQ; Feb 9, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Breeze Away GX (Virizion GX - Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. Can I scoop up Virizion GX as part of its own "Breeze Away GX" attack?
A. Yes, you can. (Lost Thunder FAQ; Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Do I have to take any cards from my deck if I use Charizard & Braixen GX's "Brilliant Flare" attack?
A. It says "may", so you can choose to not search your deck; but if you do search you must take at least one card from it. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Bring Down (Greninja - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If one of my Pokemon has the least HP remaining and I use Greninja's "Bring Down" attack, would it Knock Out my own Pokemon?
A. Yes! And your opponent gets to take the Prize card(s) for it. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Bubble Net (Araquanid - Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. If I use Araquanid's "Bubble Net" attack and my opponent switches in a new Active Pokemon, can they attach an Energy to it during their turn?
A. Yes they can. The effect was on that specific Defending Pokemon and was removed when it went to the Bench. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Bubble Trap (Araquanid - Forbidden Light) copied!
Q. Does Araquanid's "Bubble Trap" attack get its bonus damage if the Pokemon that used "Bubble" on my previous turn was Knocked Out or is no longer in play?
A. Yes, you get the bonus damage. The effect of "using Bubble" is on the player, not on the Pokemon. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Combusken's "Bulk Up" attack says "during your next turn, each of Combusken's attacks does 30 more damage to the Defending Pokemon". Does that mean the effect of "Bulk Up" only works if both Combusken AND the Defending Pokemon remain active?
A. The effect of Bulk Up only resides on Combusken's attacks. If the Defending Pokemon retreats, evolves, etc. the effect still remains on Combusken. (May 8, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Burst GX (Blacephalon GX - Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. When using Blacephalon GX's "Burst GX" attack, does that count as "taking a Prize card" for the purposes of other attacks that do more damage "for each Prize card you/your opponent has taken"?
A. No, using Burst GX to put a prize card into the Discard Pile does not count as taking a prize card. (Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Am I allowed to use Gossifleur's "Call for Family" attack if my Bench is already full?
A. You can use the attack, but since it's public knowledge that you can't put any Pokemon onto your Bench the entire effect of the attack fails; you can't even search your deck. (Supreme Victors FAQ; Aug 27, 2009 PUI Rules Team; May 7, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Eevee's "Call for Family" to search through my deck if I already have four Eevee's in play or in the discard pile?
A. Yes you could use Call for Family, because contents of a deck search cannot be deduced, even on the basis of public knowledge. As long as you meet the requirements to use an attack, you follow what it does (in this case, searching your deck). (Jul 17, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can an attack which looks for Basic Pokemon, such as Stantler's "Call for Family", get LEGEND Pokemon cards from the deck?
A. Neither the LEGEND halves in the deck nor the LEGEND cards in play are Basic Pokemon. They are LEGEND Pokemon. You cannot select them with any effect that is looking for Basic Pokemon. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Emolga with a Grass energy attached is poisoned and uses its "Call For Family" attack to get Virizion EX with "Verdant Wind" ability. Does it take poison damage or not?
A. No, because Virizion EX is in play before the end of the turn and Poison damage is taken between turns. (Jan 2, 2014 TPCi Rules Team; May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. 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?
A. No, you cannot search for a Fossil trainer with any Pokémon searching technique. (Jul 7, 2005 PUI Rules Team)
Captivate (Steenee - Darkness Ablaze) copied!
Q. If I use Steenee's "Captivate" attack while Spikemuth stadium is in play, does the opponent put any damage counters on their Pokemon?
A. No, Captivate would not trigger Spikemuth since it was not moved during the opponent's turn. (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent has no benched Pokemon, does their Active Pokemon become Confused when I use Delcatty's "Captivating Tail" attack?
A. No. Confusion is only done to the "new Active Pokemon". If there is no switch, the Active Pokemon is not Confused. (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Charge Order (Pawniard - Steam Siege) copied!
Q. Does Pawniard's "Change Order" attack only include Pawniard in play, or does it also include any Pawniard cards in the Discard Pile?
A. It only counts Pawniard in play, including itself. It does not include any in the Discard Pile. (Steam Siege FAQ; Aug 4, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Chip Away copied!
Q. Does Conkeldurr's "Chip Away" attack ignore effects such as Weakness and Resistance?
A. No, Weakness and Resistance are not considered effects; they are basic game mechanics and are not ignored by Chip Away. (Noble Victories FAQ; Nov 17, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When Throh attacks with "Circle Throw", who chooses which of the opponent's Benched Pokemon get brought forward?
A. The attack says "Your opponent switches the Defending Pokemon..." so the opponent gets to choose. (Black & White FAQ; Apr 28, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent has used Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack, do I get to draw 7 cards if I use Hala?
A. If you already used your GX Attack before Clear Vision GX, then yes you get to draw 7 cards for Hala. Otherwise no, getting hit by Clear Vision GX doesn?t mean you have used your GX attack for the game. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team; Aug 29, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent has used Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack, can I use a GX attack that ignores effects?
A. No, because you don't even get to start using the GX attack. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent has used Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack, would my Keldeo GX be able to use its "Resolute Blade GX" attack?
A. Yes. The effect of Clear Vision GX is placed on each of the opponent's Pokemon, and since Keldeo GX's Pure Heart Ability prevents all effects of attacks done to it by your opponent's Pokemon GX, it is unaffected by Clear Vision GX. (Sep 5, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I put a Keldeo GX with "Pure Heart" Ability into play after my opponent has used Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack? Would my Keldeo GX be able to use its "Resolute Blade GX" attack or not?
A. As long as the Pure Heart ability is not blocked or turned off when Keldeo GX comes into play, it would be unaffected by Clear Vision GX. (Dec 5, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say I have Keldeo GX already in play, and my opponent uses Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack with Power Plant in play. If I play a different Stadium to get rid of Power Plant, can I use Keldeo-GX's "Resolute Blade GX" attack now?
A. Yes, you can. When Power Plant is removed Keldeo GX's Pure Heart Ability turns back on, and Keldeo GX is no longer hit by the global effect of Clear Vision GX. If an attack does not place an effect on Keldeo GX directly, like an attack that puts an effect that isn't removed when returning to the Bench, it can be removed by reactivating Pure Heart. (Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent used Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack on me, could I use Bonnie to allow my Zygarde-GX to use its GX attack?
A. No, you cannot. Although Bonnie would normally let Zygarde-GX re-use its GX attack, the effect of Clear Vision GX is on Zygarde-GX and that still prevents using *ANY* GX attacks. (Sep 5, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent used Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack on me, could I use Channeler to remove that effect?
A. Yes, you could. (Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Coil (Sandaconda - Sword & Shield) copied!
Q. If I used Sandaconda's "Coil" attack and my opponent retreats their Active Pokemon, do I still do an extra 120 damage to the new Defending Pokemon?
A. Yes. The attack states "your opponent's Active Pokemon". That is referencing any Pokemon that is in their Active Spot. (Sword & Shield FAQ; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Maractus' "Constant Rattle" attack says what to do if you flip 1, 2, or all heads, but what happens if you flip no heads?
A. If you flip no heads, the attack does nothing. (Black & White FAQ; Apr 28, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Contact (Deoxys - Roaring Skies) copied!
Q. Can I use Contact after my first turn, or only during my very first turn of the game?
A. You can use it on any turn, including your turn if you go first (when you normally would not be allowed to attack). (Roaring Skies FAQ; May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Conversion 3 (Porygon - Evolutions) copied!
Q. If my Active Pokemon has no Weakness and my opponent uses Porygon's "Conversion 3" attack to make its Weakness {F}, what happens if it is attacked by a {F} Type Pokemon next turn? How much extra damage is done?
A. If a Pokemon has no Weakness printed on the card, Conversion 3 will give that Pokemon a x2 Weakness of the chosen type. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team; Dec 1, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Copy Anything (Ditto - Detective Pikachu) copied!
Q. If I use Ditto's "Copy Anything" attack to copy one of my opponent's Tag Team GX attacks with a bonus effect for extra energy attached, do you count the extra energy starting at Energy #2, or after you take into account the "necessary Energy to use that attack"? For example, if it copies Pikachu & Zekrom GX's "Tag Bolt GX" attack, does it need 6 {L} attached or just 4 in order to get the bonus effect?
A. You count based on the required energy that normally has to be attached for the attack. So for Tag Bolt GX, Ditto would need 6 {L} energy attached to get the bonus effect. (Apr 18, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Copycat (Mimikyu - Team Up) copied!
Q. When I use Mimikyu's "Copycat" attack, do I need to have the same required energy as the opponent's previous attack?
A. No, you only need whatever energy is required on Mimikyu in order to use its Copycat attack. However, if the attack requires you to do something with a particular type of energy you don't have, you cannot use that part of the copied attack. (Team Up FAQ; Jan 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Mimikyu's "Copycat" attack to copy an attack like "Flare Strike" that says "this Pokemon can't use Flare Strike during your next turn" and then on my next turn use "Copycat" to copy that same attack again?
A. Attacks like Flare Strike put an effect on the Pokemon that prohibits using that particular attack on your next turn. But Mimikyu's Copycat attack doesn't have that restriction; so yes, you can use Copycat to copy Flare Strike multiple turns in succession. (Nov 14, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Core Enforcer (Zygarde - Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. If I have Florges with "Calming Aroma" in play my attacks cost one Fairy Energy less. So I think I can use Zygarde's "Core Enforcer" attack without a Fairy energy attached, but what about the part of the attack that says to discard one Dark and one Fairy energy from this Pokemon?
A. You do as much of the attack text as you can, which in your situation means simply discarding one Dark energy. (Sep 21, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have a Dark Energy, a Rainbow Energy, and a non-Fairy energy card attached to Zygarde, when I use Zygarde's "Core Enforcer" attack can I discard the Rainbow Energy first for the Darkness discard, and then without a Fairy energy attached I'm done?
A. No, since you have Rainbow satisfying the Fairy Energy condition you would have to discard both the Rainbow and the Dark Energy. (Sep 21, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Counter (Cinderace VMAX - Rebel Clash) copied!
Q. Does Cinderace VMAX's "Counter" attack do extra damage if Cinderace VMAX goes to the Bench and then returns to the Active Slot?
A. It doesn't matter where Cinderace VMAX was when it was damaged during your opponent's last turn, nor whether it has switched in or out of the Active Slot. If it was damaged by an attack during your opponent's last turn Counter will do that much more damage. This is not an effect to be removed when the Pokemon goes to the bench. Counter is performing a game state check asking if something happened; since it did, it uses that game state information to calculate how much damage Counter will do. (May 7, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I use Machamp's "Crushing Punch" attack, but the opponent does not have any Special Energy cards attached to the Defending Pokemon?
A. You still get to do the damage, you just don't get to discard any energy cards from the Defending Pokemon. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I use Machamp's "Crushing Punch" attack and decide to discard a Special Metal energy card attached to a Metal Pokemon, will I do 50 damage or 60?
A. 50 damage. The energry card is discarded after the damage is applied. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Crystal Ray (Glaceon EX - Fates Collide) copied!
* Glaceon-EX's "Crystal Ray" attack makes it immune to damage done by attacks from "Evolution Pokemon". This is a new term that means any Pokemon that is an evolution card. So a Stage 1 Frogadier brought to the Bench by "Water Duplicates" would be affected by this. Basic Pokemon and Restored Pokemon are not affected. (Fates Collide FAQ; May 5, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Gengar's "Cursed Drop" attack, can I put damage counters on more than one of my opponent's Pokemon, or do I have to put all four counters on one Pokemon?
A. You can put the 4 damage counters on their Pokemon in any way that you like. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Cyclone Slash (Staraptor - BREAKthrough) copied!
Q. Does Staraptor's "Cyclone Slash" attack do any damage if the opponent has no Benched Pokemon to switch with their Active Pokemon?
A. Yes, it does the damage even if no Pokemon are switched. (BREAKthrough FAQ; Nov 19, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Damage Change (Mewtwo EX - BREAKthrough) copied!
Q. What happens if Mewtwo EX uses its "Damage Change" attack against a Pokemon that blocks effects of attacks? Does nothing happen, or does Mewtwo EX get to remove its damage counters?
A. Mewtwo-EX would remove its damage counters, but the opponent's Active Pokemon would not remove nor receive any. If you try to move damage *to* something that blocks effects, the damage disappears. If you try to move damage *from* something that blocks effects, the damage stays there. (Oct 29, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Damage Transport copied!
Q. What happens during Drifblim's "Damage Transport" Attack if I have less than 4 damage counters on one or more of my Pokemon?
A. If there are 4 or less damage counters on one of your Pokemon you must move all of them. (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I choose to move less than 4 damage counters on one or more of my Pokemon when using Drifblim's "Damage Transport" Attack? Or can I choose to skip any of my Pokemon?
A. No, if you have 4 or fewer damage counters on any of your Pokemon you must move them. (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Damakinesis copied!
Q. Do the six damage counters for Beheeyem's "Damakinesis" attack have to all come from the same Pokemon, or can I move a total of six from multiple Pokemon I have in play?
A. You can choose as many Pokemon as you have in play, moving a total of six damage counters. If you have less than six damage counters on all your Pokemon in play, you move all of them. (Plasma Storm FAQ; Feb 7, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I choose to move less than six damage counters for Beheeyem's "Damakinesis" attack?
A. If you have six damage counters in play, you must move six of them. (Plasma Storm FAQ; Feb 7, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say you have Silver Mirror attached to one of your non-EX Pokemon, and it is the only remaining Pokemon. If your opponent's Beheeyem tries to attack with "Damakinesis", the six damage counters obviously don't get moved to the Pokemon with Silver Mirror since Beheeyem is a Team Plasma Pokemon; but do the damage counters get removed and then discarded, or do they not move at all?
A. The non-EX Pokemon with Silver Mirror attached is a valid target for the choice of where to move the damage counters to, but since Silver Mirror prevents all effects of attacks done by Team Plasma Pokemon the damage counters would be discarded rather than attached to the Defending Pokemon. (Sep 26, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Dark Call GX (Umbreon GX - Sun & Moon) copied!
Q. Does Umbreon GX's "Dark Call GX" attack have to discard 2 energy from a single Pokemon, or can I discard 1 energy from two separate Pokemon? Or does it mean to discard 2 energy from each of my opponent's Pokemon??
A. The term "Pokemon" in the attack is plural, but it doesn't mean all of your opponent's Pokemon. You may discard 2 energy from one Pokemon, or you may discard 1 energy each from two Pokemon. (Jan 26, 2017 TPCi Rules Team; Jun 27, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Umbreon-GX's "Dark Call GX" attack to discard 2 Double Colorless Energy?
A. Yes, you can select 1 Energy of each Double Colorless Energy to discard both of them. This applies for discarding your own Energy for an attack and for retreating as well. So if you used Hoopa-EX's "Hyperspace Fury" attack or paid its Retreat Cost of 2, discarding 2 Double Colorless Energy would be legal options. (Jan 26, 2017 TPCi Rules Team; Jun 27, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Dark Corridor (Gengar EX - Phantom Forces) copied!
Q. If I use Kyogre EX's "Smash Turn" or Celebi EX's "Wind Whisk" or Gengar EX's "Dark Corridor" attack, can I switch it with my benched Sigilyph that has the "Safeguard" Ability?
A. Since the attacking Pokemon is the target of the switch effect, Sigilyph can be moved in this situation. (Jan 31, 2013, TPCi Rules Team; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Which player chooses the card to discard with the effect of Houndoom's "Dark Roar" attack, the owner of the Houndoom who used the attack, or the opponent?
A. The opponent gets to choose which card they will discard. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Dark Union GX (Greninja & Zoroark GX - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I use Greninja & Zoroark GX's "Dark Union GX" attack, can I put Honchkrow GX or other {D} type Evolution Pokemon GX directly onto the bench?
A. Yes, you can. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If an Evolution Pokemon has been put directly into play by using Greninja & Zoroark GX's "Dark Union GX" attack can I attach Triple Acceleration Energy to it?
A. Yes, as long as the Evolution Pokemon says "Evolves from..." on it. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If you have no Pokemon in play that can evolve, can you still use Spiritomb's "Darkness Grace" attack to search through your deck?
A. Yes. As long as you can pay the attack cost of an attack, you can use it and do as much of it as you can. (Dec 10, 2009 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I use Beartic's "Daunt" attack, but then Beartic is KO'd by Poison, does the effect of Daunt reducing damage done by attacks from the Defending Pokemon go away?
A. No, the effect of Daunt resides on the Defending Pokemon, not on Beartic. However, if the Pokemon that was attacked by Daunt evolves, goes to the Bench, or leaves play then the effect of Daunt goes away. (Next Destinies FAQ; Feb 9, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I have no cards in my hand and use Manaphy's "Deep Sea Swirl" attack?
A. You always have a hand, even it you have zero cards in it. So you shuffle your deck and draw 5 cards. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Despair Ray (M Gardevoir EX - Steam Siege) copied!
Q. When I discard my Benched Pokemon for M Gardevoir-EX's "Despair Ray" attack, does my opponent get to take prizes for them?
A. No, you are discarding the Benched Pokemon, not knocking them out. (Steam Siege FAQ; Aug 4, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If the Defending Pokemon has no Energy attached to it, can it still be Paralyzed by the effect of Mawile's "Destructive Jaw" attack if the coin flip is heads?
A. Yes, it can. Even if Energy can't be discarded from the Defending Pokemon, it can still become Paralyzed as long as no other effects are preventing it. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Devilish Hands GX (Hoopa GX - Team Up) copied!
Q. When using Hoopa GX's "Devilish Hands GX" attack, can I keep choosing a Pokemon that would already be Knocked Out by previous choices, or do I have to choose a different Pokemon once I have done enough damage to KO the first one?
A. You make all 6 choices before doing any damage; so if you wish, you can do more damage than you need to a Pokemon in order to knock it out. (Team Up FAQ; Jan 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Technical Machine TS-2's "Devoluter" attack says to choose an opponent's evolved pokemon (excluding Lv.X). Does this mean I remove the Stage 2 but leave the Level X card?
A. No. It means that you cannot target any Pokemon that has a Level X Pokemon attached to it. You can't use Devoluter against it at all. (Aug 28, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Devolution Punch copied!
Q. What happens if Golurk uses "Devolution Punch" against a Basic Pokemon without any evolution cards attached?
A. Devolution Punch will do the damage but will not put a Basic Pokemon back into the opponent's hand. (Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Devolution Spray or Golurk's "Devolution Punch" attack against a Mega Pokemon, and if so what happens to the Mega Pokemon?
A. Mega Pokemon are evolved Pokemon, so the Mega Pokemon card is removed, but the underlying Pokemon and all other cards attached stay in play (unless the Pokemon is KO'd, of course). (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Dizzying Wind (Venomoth - Phantom Forces) copied!
Q. If a player uses Venomoth's "Dizzying Wind" attack and the opponent tries to play a Supporter during his/her following turn and flips tails, will they have used up their Supporter for the turn?
A. Yes, they have. He/she will not be able to attempt to play another Supporter during that turn. (Nov 20, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If a player uses Venomoth's "Dizzying Wind" attack and the opponent tries to play a Stadium during his/her following turn and flips tails, will they have used up their Stadium for the turn? And what happens to a Stadium already in play, does it get discarded or not?
A. If the oppnent flips Tails, he/she will not be able to attempt to play another Stadium during that turn, and the existing Stadium will remain in play. (Dec 4, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I used Venomoth's "Dizzying Wind" attack and my opponent plays a Tool and flips tails, is it discarded?
A. Yes, even though it would not normally be discarded. (Phantom Forces FAQ; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. I am playing a Robo Substitute from my hand to my Bench, but my opponent used Venomoth's "Dizzying Wind" attack last turn. Do I have to flip to play it?
A. Yes, Robo Substitute is a Trainer card when it is played. (Phantom Forces FAQ; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Doom Desire (Jirachi - Roaring Skies) copied!
Q. Both players have 1 prize left. Player-A uses Jirachi's "Doom Desire" attack. Player-B attacks Jirachi with enough damage to KO it with the same Pokemon that got hit by "Doom Desire". Who wins? Or is it a tie?
A. The KO from Player-B's attack happens before the end of his turn, so the game is over before Doom Desire's effect gets to happen. Player-B wins. (May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Reshiram & Charizard GX has the extra 3 Fire Energy for "Double Blaze GX's" bonus effect and attacks a Whimsicott GX with "Fluffy Cotton" Ability, does the Whimsicott GX get to flip for "Fluffy Cotton" or does the "Double Blaze GX" attack go through automatically?
A. Technically speaking you still flip for Fluffy Cotton, but regardless of the flip's outcome the Double Blaze GX attack ignores the effect and does the damage anyway. (Jun 27, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Double Freeze copied!
Q. If I use Vanilluxe's "Double Freeze" attack against a sleeping Cleffa with the "Sweet Sleeping Face" Ability active, can I paralyze Cleffa first and then do damage to it?
A. No, the order of the attack is to do the damage first (which would be blocked by Sweet Sleeping Face while it's Asleep), and then do effects like Paralyzing the Pokemon. (Dec 15, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Double Link (Duosion - Fates Collide) copied!
Q. If I have Solosis and Duosion on my bench, does Duosion's "Double Link" attack do +90 more damage (30+60)?
A. Yes, the attack does additional damage for both Solosis and Duosion if both of them are on your bench. But you do not get to add the benefit multiple times if there are multiples of the same name; for example, if you have two Solosis, you don't get to add the +30 twice. (Fates Collide FAQ; May 5, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Double Thread (Galvantula - Steam Siege) copied!
* Due to an error in card text, Galvantula's "Double Thread" attack has been changed. The original text says, "This attack does 30 damage to 2 of your opponent's Pokémon. Also apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon". The text has been changed to match the original intention of the attack, which is to affect only Benched Pokémon. Double Thread is updated to say, "This attack does 30 damage to 2 of your opponent's Benched Pokémon. Apply Weakness and Resistance". Effective immediately, Galvantula's "Double Thread" attack will use this updated attack text instead of the original text. (Aug 8, 2016 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Draco Melody (Altaria - Crimson Invasion) copied!
Q. Can I use Altaria's "Draco Melody" attack to place a Stage 1 or Stage 2 Dragon type Pokemon directly onto my Bench?
A. Yes, you can. Per the attack, you are not limited to Basic Pokemon. (Crimson Invasion FAQ; Nov 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Drag Off (Nidoking - Team Up) copied!
Q. If my opponent has no benched Pokemon, do I do 50 damage to their active Pokemon when I use Nidoking's "Drag Off" attack?
A. No. Damage is only done to the "new Active Pokemon". If there is no switch, then no damage is done. (Team Up FAQ; Jan 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Venusaur's "Jungle Totem" Ability boost the damage output of Rayquaza GX's "Dragon Break" attack since "each Basic {G} Energy attached to your Pokemon provides {G}{G} Energy"?
A. Yes, just because the Basic Energy card is now providing two units of energy doesn't change the fact that it's still Basic Energy. (Aug 9, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you discard a Blend Energy card when using Rayquaza EX's "Dragon Burst" attack to do extra damage?
A. No, you cannot. The Blend Energy cards are not Basic Energy cards, so they cannot be discarded for this attack. (Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Dragon Dance (Haxorus - BREAKthrough) copied!
Q. What happens if Zoroark uses its "Foul Play" attack to copy Haxorus' "Dragon Dance" attack? Would it apply to Zoroark or not (because its name is not Haxorus)?
A. Zoroark's Foul Play can choose Dragon Dance, but since its name is not "Haxorus" the attack will basically have no effect. Dragon Dance specifically refers to Haxorus, so any Pokemon not named Haxorus cannot receive the damage boost. (Oct 29, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Garchomp [C] Lv.X has Special Energy cards attached and discards all of them when using its "Dragon Rush" attack, can it do damage to a Scizor that has the "Red Armor" Poke-BODY?
A. No. First choose which two energies to discard, then do the damage (before any other effects), then you actually discard the energy at the end of the attack. So it will still be attached at the point when damage would be done, but the damage will be blocked. (Aug 19, 2010 PUI Rules Team; Sep 2, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. How much damage does Kingdra's "Dragon Steam" attack do if a LEGEND Pokemon with Entei is in play?
A. Since Entei's Fire type applies to the types on the card, Dragon Steam's damage is reduced to 20. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Dragon's Wish (Dragonair - Sun & Moon) copied!
Q. On the turn after using Dragonair's "Dragon's Wish" attack, when I attach any number of Energy cards from my hand do I have to attach them all at once, or can I attach them whenever I want during my turn?
A. You do not have to attach them all at once. You can attach them from your hand whenever you like during the duration of your turn following Dragon's Wish. (Sun & Moon FAQ; Feb 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Dragonair's "Dragon's Wish" attack and then on the following turn evolve it to Dragonite, can I still attach the energies or not?
A. Yes, absolutely! The Dragon's Wish effect resides on the player, not on the Pokemon. (Sun & Moon FAQ; Feb 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Dragonite GX's "Dragonporter GX" attack to place a Stage 1 or Stage 2 Dragon type Pokemon directly onto my Bench?
A. Yes, you can. Per the attack, you are not limited to Basic Pokemon. (Sep 27, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Dual Blizzard (Dewgong - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. Does Dewgong's "Dual Blizzard" attack let you do 60 damage each to two separate Pokemon, or does it do 60 total damage split between the two any way I like?
A. It does 60 damage to each of the two Pokemon separately. And don't forget to apply Weakness & Resistance where applicable. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Misdreavus' "Dual Draw" attack, do the players have to draw all 3 cards, or can they just draw 1 or 2 (or none)?
A. You must draw all three if you are able to (or as many as you can if you have less than three). The attack does not say "up to 3 cards". (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Dust Storm (Palossand - Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. If I use Palossand's "Dust Storm" attack against a Stage 2 Pokemon, do I discard the Basic and Stage 1 cards attached to the Stage 2 Pokemon?
A. No. The Basic and Stage 1 as well as the Sandygast are part of their respective Pokemon and are not discarded. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Guzzlord GX's "Eat Sloppily" attack and discard a Beast Energy {*} card, would it get attached to the Guzzlord GX, or would it go straight to the Lost Zone because it was discarded?
A. When "discarding the top 5 cards of your deck", any revealed Energy cards get attached to Guzzlord GX immediately, before they reach the Discard Pile. Therefore, Beast Energy {*} gets attached to Guzzlord GX rather than going to the Discard Pile or Lost Zone. (May 31, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use the effect of Cleffa's "Eeeeeeek" attack to put Cleffa to sleep when I don't have any cards in my deck or in my hand?
A. Yes, Eeeeeeek will still put Cleffa to sleep. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use the effect of Cleffa's "Eeeeeeek" attack to draw cards from my deck when I don't have any cards in my hand?
A. Yes, but you must shuffle your deck first before you draw. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use the effect of Cleffa's "Eeeeeeek" attack to shuffle cards into my deck when I don't have any cards in my deck?
A. Yes, but you must draw 6 cards after you shuffle in your hand. After shuffling, if you have 6 or fewer cards in your deck, draw them all. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Electro Wheel (Morpeko V - Sword & Shield) copied!
Q. What happens if I use Morpeko V's "Electro Wheel" attack but I don't have any Benched Pokemon?
A. You still have to discard an Energy if you can, but since there are no Benched Pokemon to switch with, Morpeko V stays in the Active Spot. (Sword & Shield FAQ; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. May I use Smoochum's "Energy Antics" attack if my opponent only has an Active Pokemon and no Benched Pokemon?
A. Yes you can, although it won't move or discard the energy. There must be a Pokemon on the bench or you can't move the energy off the defending Pokemon. (Feb 18, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Does Smoochum's "Energy Antics" attack work like Ambipom [G]'s "Tail Code" attack in regards to Unown-G? That is, if you try to move an energy from one Pokemon to another Pokemon who has Unown-G attached, you discard the energy instead?
A. Yes, that is correct. (Feb 18, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I use Ho-Oh GX's "Eternal Flame GX" attack, can I place a Stage 2 Pokemon like Charizard GX from my discard pile directly onto my Bench?
A. Yes. The attack does not specify that the selected Pokemon have to be Basic Pokemon. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I put a Charizard GX in play using Ho Oh GX's "Eternal Flame GX" attack, and my opponent evolves into Porygon-Z and uses its "Initialize" Ability, does Charizard GX go back into my hand?
A. No. Charizard GX is in play as an "unevolved Pokemon" and so is not affected by the Ability. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Even Game (Luvdisc - Celestial Storm) copied!
Q. If my bench is full and I use Luvdisc's "Even Game" attack, does that allow me to exceed my normal bench size like Sky Field does?
A. Sorry, but no. You can't put more Pokemon on your bench than you are allowed to. (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Evil Admonition (Weavile - Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. For Weavile's "Evil Admonition" attack, can I count Pokemon in the discard pile with Abilities too, or just the Pokemon in play on the field?
A. In this case the phrase "your opponent's Pokemon" refers to the Pokemon in play on the field, not to your opponent's Pokemon cards in the discard pile or elsewhere. Generally when referring to "your opponent's Pokemon" it means in play unless another specific game zone (like the Discard Pile) is mentioned; if they don't specify a zone, then "in play" is assumed. (Jul 26, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent used Banette's "Evolution Jammer" attack, can I use a Pokemon with the "Delta Evolution" Ancient Trait to evolve anyway?
A. No, Delta Evolution does not override Evolution Jammer. (Roaring Skies FAQ; May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Eye Opener (Poipole - Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. When I look at my face-down Prize cards with Poipole's "Eye Opener" attack, do I have to put them back in the same order?
A. Yes, you only get to look at them, you don't get to rearrange them. (Lost Thunder FAQ; Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I use Teddiursa's "Fake Tears" attack and flip tails?
A. Fake Tears does nothing at all if you flip tails. (Call of Legends FAQ; Feb 10, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I copy Swanna's "Feather Dance" attack to add 40 damage to each of this Pokemon's attacks for example with Mew's "Lost Link" Poke-BODY, and then the following turn it copies an attack like Tyranitar's "Darkness Howl" that does 20 damage to each Pokemon in play, would the +40 damage be applied to Benched Pokemon or only to the Active Pokemon?
A. Swanna's Feather Dance applies to all damage done. So the attack would do 60 damage to each player's non-Darkness Pokemon, but you ignore Weakness & Resistance on the Benched Pokemon. (Dec 15, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If Mukrow has 2 Darkness Energy attached, and attacks the Defending Pokémon with Feint Attack, how much damage does the Defending Pokémon receive? And if Mukrow attacks a benched Pokémon with Feint Attack, how much damage does that Pokémon receive?
A. 40 HP damage [if attacking a Defending Pokémon]; 20 [if attacking a Benched Pokémon]. Darkness will only add extra if you attack the Defending Pokémon with the attack. (Dec 21, 2000 WotC Chat, Q9 & Q12 & Q101)
Q. If Shiftry uses "Feint Attack" against Whiscash with "Submerge" Poké-BODY on the bench, which one prevails? The attack or the Poké-BODY?
A. 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). (Jan 8, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If Shiftry uses "Feint Attack" against a Pokémon that successfully used "Agility" the previous turn, would Agility prevent the Feint Attack or not?
A. No, the Feint Attack ignores any effects on the Defending Pokémon, including Agility, Wonder Guard, etc. (Jan 8, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If Shiftry uses "Feint Attack" against a Pokémon that used "Smokescreen" the previous turn, would it have to flip for Smokescreen or not?
A. Yes it would have to flip. The effect of Smokescreen lies on the Shiftry, and Feint Attack only ignores effects on the DEFENDING Pokémon (Jan 8, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Fighting Fangs (Boltund - Sword & Shield) copied!
Q. Are Pokemon VMAX considered as "Pokemon V" for the purposes of Boltund's "Fighting Fangs" attack?
A. Yes, Pokemon VMAX are always considered to be Pokemon V. (May 7, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have a Rainbow Energy attached to Simisage, would its "Fire's Power" attack put a Burned Special Condition on the Defending Pokemon?
A. Yes, Rainbow Energy counts as all types of energy when in play, so it would count as Fire for that purpose. (BW:Emerging Powers FAQ; Sep 1, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
First Impression (Golisopod GX - Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. If I move Wimpod to the Active position and then evolve it into Golisopod GX, would I get the bonus damage from "First Impression"?
A. No. Wimpod is not the same Pokemon as Golisopod GX. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I can't discard a Fire energy from my hand, can I attack with Numel's "Flare Bonus"?
A. Yes, but the attack does nothing. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When I use Typhlosion's "Flare Destroy" attack, which player chooses the Energy card to discard from the Defending Pokemon?
A. The player that used the attack gets to choose which Energy cards get discarded from both the Active and Defending Pokemon. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If the Defending Pokemon doesn't have any Energy cards attached to it, does Typhlosion's "Flare Destroy" attack still require Typhlosion to discard an Energy from itself?
A. Yes, if the attacking Pokemon has any Energy cards attached, it must discard one of them. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When Manectric attacks with "Flash Impact", can you choose to put the 20 damage onto Manectric or does it have to be put onto one of your benched Pokemon.
A. The recoil damage from Flash Impact can be placed on any of your Pokemon, including the one performing the attack. (Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Flying Flip (Tapu Koko - Promo) copied!
Q. Does Mewtwo's "Pressure" Ability block all of Tapu Koko's "Flying Flip" Attack's damage, even to the bench?
A. Pressure says, "your opponent's Active Pokemon's attacks do 20 less damage." Since it does not specifically designate Active or Benched Pokemon it reduces damage by -20 to each Pokemon that would be damaged by the attack. (Jul 26, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Mamoswine's "Forceful Tackle" attack, can I put enough damage counters on Mamoswine to knock it out? In other words, can I put more damage counters on it than it has HP remaining?
A. Yes, you can put up to 9 damage counters on it even if it doesn't have that much HP remaining. The extra damage will be done, and at the end of the attack Mamoswine will be knocked out. (Crimson Invasion FAQ; Nov 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
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. (Oct 16, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use dice or cards to indicate my throw in Rock-Paper-Scissors?
A. You may not use dice to indicate your choice, as it is too 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. (Oct 16, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Is Rock-Paper-Scissors played by pumping my arm 2 times then throwing my choice, or pumping 3 times then throw?
A. According to the current "Play! Pokemon TCG Tournament Rules and Formats" document, the procedure is a three-count priming and then the simultaneous throw of the choice, for example, "Rock-Paper-Scissors-Shoot" with the choice thrown on "shoot". (Oct 16, 2008 PUI Rules Team; Nov 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Do I have to meet the energy requirements for the attack I choose with Zoroark's "Foul Play"?
A. No, you do not have to meet the energy requirements for the attack. However, if the attack says you must do something or the attack does nothing, that part still has to be done. (Black & White FAQ; Apr 28, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If Zoroark uses "Foul Play" to copy Reshiram's "Blue Flare" attack, what happens if I don't have have any Fire Energy attached to Zoroark?
A. The damage amount is done regardless of whether Zororark has any Fire Energy attached to it or not, but if you have one or two Fire Energy attached to Zoroark you must discard them. (Black & White FAQ; Apr 28, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If Zoroark uses "Foul Play" to copy Blastoise's "Hydro Launcher" attack, do I have to be able to return 2 Water Energies to my hand in order to do the 100 damage?
A. No, the attack does not say "in order to" so you do as much of the attack text as you can. (Jun 9, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. What happens if Zoroark uses its "Foul Play" attack to copy Haxorus' "Dragon Dance" attack? Would it apply to Zoroark or not (because its name is not Haxorus)?
A. Zoroark's Foul Play can choose Dragon Dance, but since its name is not "Haxorus" the attack will basically have no effect. Dragon Dance specifically refers to Haxorus, so any Pokemon not named Haxorus cannot receive the damage boost. (Oct 29, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Centiscorch VMAX's "G-Max Centiferno" attack, do I get +40 more damage for the Fire energy I attach during the attack?
A. No, the attachment of Fire Energy from the discard pile takes place after the damage calculation of the attack is done. Also, you don't get to attach the Fire Energy if the attack didn't do any damage. (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Centiscorch VMAX's "G-Max Centiferno" attack, can I get a Heat Energy from my discard pile?
A. No, you may not. Heat Energy only counts as a Fire Energy card while it is attached to a Pokemon, not when it is in the discard pile or anywhere else. (Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Lysandre Labs is in play and I use Primal Groudon's "Gaia Volcano" attack to discard the stadium and do enough damage for KO, what happens if the full HP Fighting-type Defending Pokemon has Focus Sash attached to it?
A. While Lysandre Labs is in play Focus Sash has no effect. However, Lysandre Labs is discarded as part of the attack before KO's are checked. So the Focus Sash would be in effect and if all of its conditions are met the Defending Pokemon is not KO'd but has 10HP remaining. (May 31, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Gastro Acid (Arbok - XY) copied!
Q. Arbok's "Gastro Acid" attack says the Defending Pokemon has no Abilities until end of your next turn. Does retreating get rid of the effect so you can use Abilities?
A. Yes, it does. (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Arbok's "Gastro Acid" attack says the Defending Pokemon has no Abilities until end of your next turn. Is that referring to the opponent's next turn or the attacking player's next turn?
A. It refers to the end of the next turn of the player who used Arbok's attack. (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. My active Arbok uses its "Gastro Acid" attack against Weezing with the "Aftermath" Ability. Then on my opponent's turn he uses Weezing's "Smogbank" attack to do 20 damage to each of my Pokemon. If I have Latias-EX with the "Bright Down" Ability on my bench, would it take damage or not?
A. Since Weezing has no Abilities due to Arbok's attack, it would do 20 damage to Latias-EX. (May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens to Piloswine's "Gathering Footsteps" attack if Mamoswine has a Float Stone attached to it?
A. Float Stone reduces Mamoswine's Retreat Cost to zero, so you would not get to add any damage from it for Gathering Footsteps. (BREAKthrough FAQ; Nov 19, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Garchomp & Giratina GX's "GG End GX" attack to remove all of my opponent's Pokemon from play?
A. Yes, if your opponent only has 1 (or 2, with the extra energy) in play, you could remove those Pokemon. Then you win the game! (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Giga Drain (Dhelmise - Celestial Storm) copied!
Q. If Dhelmise does "Giga Drain" and the Defending Pokemon only has 10 HP left, does Dhelmise still heal itself for 30 damage?
A. Yes, because the 30 damage is still done, even though it is more than enough to KO the Defending Pokemon. (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Gigaton Shake (Steelix - Unified Minds) copied!
Q. What happens if I use Steelix's "Gigaton Shake" attack, and then my opponent uses Mawile GX's "Captivating Wink" Ability during their turn? Would those Pokemon I put into play be able to attack on my next turn (since it was not during MY turn)?
A. No, they would not be able to attack. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I used Steelix's "Gigaton Shake" on my previous turn, would Channeler allow my Pokemon to attack this turn?
A. Yes, the effect of Gigaton Shake would be removed, and your Pokemon would be able to attack. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have a Double Colorless Energy attached to Tangrowth, will its "Grind" attack do an extra 20 or 40 damage for that energy card?
A. It will do an extra 40 damage. Grind looks at the total amount of energy attached, not energy cards. (Call of Legends FAQ; Feb 10, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Mantine's "Group Swim" attack to put one half of a Lugia LEGEND card in my hand?
A. Yes. Either half of the Lugia LEGEND card is still considered "a Water-type Pokemon", so you can search for it with Group Swim. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I use Bronzong's "Gyro Ball" attack but I don't have any benched Pokemon?
A. You have to switch Bronzong if you are able to; the "if you do" part refers to when you have no Benched Pokemon. So if Bronzong doesn't switch the opponent's Active Pokemon doesn't switch either. (Rebel Clash FAQ; Apr 30, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. The version of "Gyro Ball" attack on Forretress says "you may switch..." as an optional action, but the version of "Gyro Ball" on Ferrothorn indicates the switching part of the attack is mandatory. Which way is correct?
A. The effect may vary from card to card, so you should play each attack as it is written on its card. So for Forretress the switch is optional, but for Ferrothorn it is mandatory. (BW:Emerging Powers FAQ; Sep 1, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Hand Control (Hypno - Furious Fists) copied!
Q. If I use Hypno's "Hand Control" attack and I find a Supporter that searches my opponent's deck, can I choose to use it to search their deck, find a valid target in their deck, and fail that search?
A. Yes, you can have the opponent search their deck (within the game's time limits for a search) and you can choose for them to fail that search. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Hypno's "Hand Control" attack and I find a Supporter that searches my opponent's deck, do I have to let my opponent see the deck while I'm searching through it?
A. Technically speaking it is the opponent who searches through the deck, but since you are the one making the choice you are allowed to see the deck contents while they are searching. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Harden (Seedot - Celestial Storm) copied!
Q. If I use Seedot's "Harden" attack which prevents any attack damage that is 40 or less during the opponent's next turn, does that come before or after calculating for Weakness/Resistance?
A. Weakness & Resistance are factored in before determining whether Harden blocks it or not. So if a fire Pokemon's attack does 30 damage to Seedot and then +30 more is added for Seedot's Weakness, Harden would not prevent the damage. However, if the fire Pokemon's attack does 20 damage to Seedot and then +20 more is added for Seedot's Weakness, Harden would prevent the damage. (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Harmonize (Imakuni?'s Doduo - Evolutions) copied!
[*NOTE* This card cannot be used at official tournaments; these rulings are for casual play only!]
Q. If the Defending Pokemon retreats while the song for Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Harmonize" attack is being sung, does that prevent the damage?
A. No, since the damage does not take place until the song is finished, the opponent's Active Pokemon at the end of the song will receive the damage. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if Imakuni?'s Doduo is KO'd or retreats with "Frenzied Escape" while singing for its "Harmonize" attack?
A. The singing continues and the damage is placed when the song is finished. Just because Imakuni?'s Doduo is not in play doesn't mean its attack stops. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Harmonize" attack, what happens if the song is not finished before my next turn?
A. No matter how long it takes, the damage placement is delayed until the song is finished even if it takes many, many, many turns. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Harmonize" attack, if I'm still singing when it comes back to my turn, can I use "Harmonize" again?
A. The attack says "from the moment you use this attack you must begin to sing a song". So if you use Harmonize again you have to start a song over from the beginning (you may sing the same song if you wish) and the prior attack's damage gets placed immediately. It does not stack, sorry. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Harmonize" attack, what happens if I forget the words to the song?
A. As soon as you stop singing, the damage is done to the current Defending Pokemon. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Harmonize" attack, can I just play a recording of a song?
A. You may have musical accompaniment as long as it is not disruptive, but you MUST actually sing the song. Lip-syncing and humming do not count. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Greninja GX's "Haze Slash" attack to shuffle it back into my deck and also Knock Out the Defending Pokemon, who promotes a new Active Pokemon first?
A. In this case you promote first. Greninja GX is shuffled back in as an effect of the attack before KO's are checked, so it must be replaced before either player checks for KO's. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Head Hunt (Zangoose - Team Up) copied!
Q. When I use Zangoose's "Head Hunt" attack, do I have to put all Pokemon I find into my hand, or can I choose to discard some or all of them?
A. Since you get to choose which Pokemon to reveal, you can choose to discard some or all of them. (Team Up FAQ; Jan 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Pidgeot attacks with "Headwind" against Yanmega with the "Insight" Poke-BODY, will "Headwind" increase Yanmega's attack costs or will "Insight" reset them to zero?
A. If an Attack Cost is set to zero by an effect, it cannot be increased. Note this is different than an Attack Cost that was reduced to zero by subtraction. Once a Pokemon's Attack Cost is set to zero by an effect, it stays at zero until that particular effect wears off. (Sep 29, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Heart Wink (Luvdisc - Flashfire) copied!
Q. If my opponent has no deck and I use Luvdisc's "Heart Wink" attack and flip heads on my turn, does my opponent lose or does the game continue?
A. Regardless of whether Luvdisc's attack permits them to draw or not, if a player has no card to draw at the start of their turn they lose the game. (May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Helix Force copied!
Q. If I use Deoxys-EX's "Helix Force" attack against a Pokemon with a DCE attached, does it do 30+60 damage?
A. If Deoxys-EX has the required Plasma Energy attached, it does 30+60 damage. The extra damage, as the card says, is 30 for each energy attached to the defending Pokemon, and DCE provides two energy. (Jun 20, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can the {R}{R} energy used for Volcanion's "High-Heat Blast" attack count as part of the "at least 4 {R} Energy in play" bonus damage?
A. Yes, it can. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Homing Pidove (Pidove - Roaring Skies) copied!
Q. What happens with the "Homing Pidove" attack if I choose not to shuffle my deck?
A. Homing Pidove tells you to look at the top card of your deck. You don't get to keep that card, so you put it back onto the top of your deck. Then you can choose whether to shuffle your deck or leave it the way it is. (Roaring Skies FAQ; May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Horror House GX (Gengar & Mimikyu GX - Team Up) copied!
Q. Does Gengar & Mimikyu GX's "Horror House GX" attack prevent me from using Viridian Forest?
A. No, it does not. Discarding a card from your hand is not the same as playing a card from your hand; the card goes to the discard pile, not "in play". (Aug 22, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Hunt (Sharpedo EX - Primal Clash) copied!
Q. Does Sharpedo EX's "Hunt" attack do 30 damage if the opponent cannot switch their Active Pokemon to the Bench or if the Bench is empty?
A. If you cannot switch the opponent's Pokemon there is no "new Active Pokemon" to be damaged, so no damage is done. (Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Gengar's "Hurl into Darkness" attack, can I put a LEGEND Pokemon card (the top or bottom half) in the Lost Zone?
A. Yes, you can. Each half of a LEGEND Pokemon is treated as 1 Pokemon card. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I have no Benched Pokemon and attack with Tornadus' "Hurricane", do I have to discard an energy?
A. No. If you have no Benched Pokemon there is no place to move an energy card, so you would not do that part of the attack. (BW:Emerging Powers FAQ; Sep 1, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I have only Special Energies attached (no Basic Energy) and use Tornadus' "Hurricane" attack, do I have to discard an energy or what?
A. If you don't have any Basic Energy cards attached to Tornadus, you simply ignore that part of the Hurricane attack. (Nov 3, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If Zoroark uses "Foul Play" to copy Blastoise's "Hydro Launcher" attack, do I have to be able to return 2 Water Energies to my hand in order to do the 100 damage?
A. No, the attack does not say "in order to" so you do as much of the attack text as you can. (Jun 9, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Hyperspace Fury (Hoopa EX - Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. Can I use Umbreon-GX's "Dark Call GX" attack to discard 2 Double Colorless Energy?
A. Yes, you can select 1 Energy of each Double Colorless Energy to discard both of them. This applies for discarding your own Energy for an attack and for retreating as well. So if you used Hoopa-EX's "Hyperspace Fury" attack or paid its Retreat Cost of 2, discarding 2 Double Colorless Energy would be legal options. (Jan 26, 2017 TPCi Rules Team; Jun 27, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Hypnotic Reign (Malamar - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. When I use one of my opponent's Pokemon's non-GX attacks with Malamar's "Hypnotic Reign", do I need to have the energy required in order to use that attack?
A. No you do not, but you need to do any necessary effects such as discarding Energy. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have no hand, can I use Sableye's "Impersonate" attack to get & discard a Bebe's Search? I can't use the effect of Bebe's Search because I can't put a card on top of the deck before I search, Does this also mean that I can't select Bebe's Search to begin with?
A. You can use Impersonate to search for the card, discard it, then shuffle your deck. But since you don't meet the requirements for using Bebe's Search you cannot use its effect. (Apr 2, 2009 PUI Rules Team)
Impersonation (Mimikyu - Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
Q. If I'm not allowed to play a Supporter card for some reason, can I still use Mimikyu's "Impersonation" attack to use the effect of a Supporter?
A. Sure. You are not playing the Supporter, just using its effect. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Mimikyu's "Impersonation" attack, do I get to use the "when you play this card" part of Tag Team Supporters or not?
A. Impersonation gets to use all effects of the card; you still do the entire part of the card even if you're not "playing" it (but you still have to pay any required costs). (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Mimikyu's "Impersonation" attack, can I discard a Supporter like Green's Exploration or Morgan and bypass the requirement that says you can only play the Supporter if you do such-and-such?
A. You can discard those types of Supporter cards with Impersonation, but if you don't meet the Supporter card's requirements you cannot do what is says. (Dec 5, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Mimikyu's "Impersonation" attack to discard an opponent's Whitney, does that Whitney count for the "draw 2 cards for each other Whitney in your Discard Pile" because you're not actually playing that Whitney, just using its effect?
A. No, you still cannot count that Whitney towards the number of cards to be drawn because its text only includes any OTHER Whitney in your Discard Pile. (Dec 5, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I use Naganadel GX's "Injection GX" attack, am I allowed to mix up my opponent's prize cards so they don't know which card I added to their prizes?
A. No, you may not. When Injection GX adds a card from the discard pile you must not disturb the placement of any prize cards the opponent still has in play. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Naganadel GX's "Injection GX" attack during a Tiebreaker game, do I win?
A. Yes. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If your opponent used Sandshrew's "Sand Attack" on the previous turn, and you attack with Passimian's "Intentional Grounding" which requires you to discard a Tool from your hand or the attack does nothing, do you discard the Tool before you flip for the Sand Attack effect or after?
A. Flip for the Sand Attack effect first; if it's tails your attack ends immediately, or if it's heads you proceed with your attack as normal. (Dec 14, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Inviting Poison (Roserade - Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. If my opponent has no benched Pokemon, does the current Active Pokemon become poisoned if I attack with Roserade's "Inviting Poison"?
A. No, it does not become poisoned. If there's no switch to the bench there's no "new Active Pokemon" to become poisoned. (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Jagged Saber (M Sceptile EX - Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. If I use Mega Sceptile EX's "Jagged Saber" attack against Giratina EX with the "Renegade Pulse" Ancient Trait, does Mega Sceptile EX's "Theta Stop" Ancient Trait prevent "Renegade Pulse" from blocking the damage? If not, then does "Renegade Pulse" prevent "Jagged Saber" from attaching any Grass Energy?
A. Renegade Pulse prevents all effects of attacks done to Giratina EX, but it does not "do anything" to Mega Sceptile EX for its Theta Stop to kick in. So the damage part is blocked by Renegade Pulse, but the effect of attaching energy is not being done to Giratina EX so that part of the attack does not get blocked. (Sep 3, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I attach a Grass energy from my hand using M Sceptile EX's "Jagged Saber" attack to a benched Malamar EX, will I be able to use Malamar EX's "Hyper Hypnosis" Ability to put my opponent's Active Pokemon to sleep?
A. Yes, you can. An Energy is being attached from your hand to Malamar-EX, so Hyper Hypnosis can be used. (Oct 29, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Jet Shoot (Talonflame - Phantom Forces) copied!
Q. Talonflame's "Jet Shoot" attack says, "during your opponent's next turn, any damage done to this Pokemon by attacks is increased by 40 (after applying Weakness and Resistance)." But what if on the next turn the opponent attacks with a Fighting Pokemon that normally only does 10 damage? Since Talonflame has -20 Resistance to Fighting, does the damage reduce to zero and then +40 for the "Jet Shoot"?
A. No, since the damage was reduced to zero there is no damage done for Jet Shoot to increase. The attack ends up doing zero damage, period. (Dec 3, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have a Hard Charm attached to Talonflame and use its "Jet Shoot" attack, then next turn my opponent does a simple attack that does 20 damage, can I pick the order of when to apply the Hard Charm's -20 reduction and "Jet Shoot's" +40 recoil? If I use Hard Charm to reduce the net damage to zero (20-20), could I then negate the "Jet Shoot" recoil?
A. No, it doesn't work like that. The check for effects on the defending player's Active Pokemon, such as Hard Charm and Jet Shoot, both happen at the same step in the damage calculation process. So you don't stop damage calculations mid-step just because the calculation was less than or equal to zero. The net effect of Hard Charm & Jet Shoot result in +20 damage at that step in the calculation process. (Dec 10, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Junk Hunt copied!
Q. When using Sableye's "Junk Hunt" attack, do I have to show my opponent which 2 Item cards I put from my discard pile into my hand?
A. Yes, you do. The Discard Pile is a public zone, and you can't do anything to it that your opponent isn't fully aware of. (Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I used Poipole's "Knockout Reviver" attack, but then on my opponent's next turn they play Channeler, would that allow them to take a prize for KO'ing Poipole?
A. No, it would not. The effect of Knockout Reviver resides on Poipole, and the opponent's Channeler only clears effects on the opponent or their Pokemon. (Aug 22, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Machoke's "Knuckle Down" attack says the amount of damage is "not affected by Poke-Powers, Poke-Bodies, or any other effects on the Defending Pokemon". Does that mean it ignores Weakness & Resistance too?
A. Weakness & Resistance are not considered as effects on the Defending Pokemon, so they are not ignored. (Jun 9, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I attack with Venonat's Leech Life and do 10 damage, how many damage counters do I remove from Venonat?
A. You remove one damage counter, which equals 10 damage. (Jungle FAQ, WotC Website)
Q. If Ariados' "Leech Life" attack does 30 damage but the opponent's Active Pokemon has only 10 HP remaining, how many damage counters will be removed from Ariados?
A. Leech Life does 30 damage, which is not affected by the fact that the KO only required 10 damage. Therefore, Ariados will remove 3 damage counters, or all if there are less than 3. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I use Bronzong's "Legend Ceremony" attack, can I choose halves from different Pokemon LEGENDs?
A. No, both halves must be from the same Pokemon LEGEND. (Feb 3, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I use Bronzong's "Legend Ceremony" attack, can I search my deck for only one Pokemon LEGEND half?
A. No. If you cannot find both halves, you can't get any Legend pieces. It's both halves or nothing. (Feb 3, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Lifesplosion (Cradily - Plasma Blast) copied!
Q. For Cradily's "Lifesplosion" attack, do I need to have the corresponding Stage 1 Pokemon in play in order to put the Stage 2 Pokemon on my bench?
A. No, the Stage 2 Pokemon card goes directly onto the bench, even though it does not count as a "Basic Pokemon". (Plasma Blast FAQ; Aug 15, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Lighting GX (Xurkitree GX - Promo) copied!
Q. If I use Xurkitree GX's "Lighting GX" attack to put a card from my opponent's hand face-down as one of their prize cards, should we mix up the prizes so he doesn't know which one it is or does it stay wherever I put it?
A. Rearranging the prize cards is not part of the attack, so wherever you put the new prize card is where it should stay until some other action causes the prize cards to be rearranged. (Dec 7, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Link Fusion (Reuniclus - Fates Collide) copied!
Q. If I have Solosis and Duosion and Reuniclus on my bench, does Reuniclus' "Link Fusion" attack do +180 more damage (30+60+90)?
A. Yes, the attack does additional damage for all three of them if they are on your bench. But you do not get to add the benefit multiple times if there are multiples of the same name; for example, if you have two Solosis, you don't get to add the +30 twice. (Fates Collide FAQ; May 5, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Little Grudge (Gsatly - Evolutions) copied!
Q. If Gastly attacks with "Little Grudge" and on the next turn is KO'd by Blastoise-EX's "Rapid Spin" attack, does the Energy get discarded from Blastoise EX or from the Pokemon that replaces it? Neither?
A. Blastoise EX was the "attacking Pokemon", so it loses an energy. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Loll Roll Spin (M Slowbro EX - Evolutions) copied!
Q. If M Slowbro EX attacked with "Loll Roll Spin" last turn, then next turn attacks when it is Confused and flips tails, does it do 130 damage to itself?
A. No, a failed Confusion flip does not do damage, it places 3 Damage Counters. The 100 bonus damage is not applied to damage counters being placed. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Magnezone's "Lost Burn" attack and put 0 energy into the Lost Zone in order to do 0 damage?
A. Yes, that is permitted. (Sep 15, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If Magnezone has Special Energy cards attached and discards all of them when using its "Lost Burn" attack, can it do damage to a Scizor that has the "Red Armor" Poke-BODY?
A. No. First choose which energies to put into the Lost Zone, then do the damage (before any other effects), then you actually put the energy into the Lost Zone at the end of the attack. So it will still be attached at the point when damage would be done, but the damage will be blocked by Red Armor. (Nov 3, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Lost Purge GX (Lugia GX - Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. Does using Lugia GX's "Lost Purge GX" attack count as KO'ing a Pokemon?
A. No, it does not. You are moving the opponent's Active Pokemon and all cards attached to the Lost Zone, and since it does not count as a KO you don't get to take any prizes for it. (Lost Thunder FAQ; Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. A Vespiquen that used its "Mach Wind" attack on my previous turn was hit by Grimer's "Sticky Liquid" attack during my opponent's turn. In this instance, what is Vespiquen's retreat cost during my next turn?
A. It has no Retreat Cost. When effects that increase something like Retreat Cost by a particular amount are stacked on top of effects that make something like Retreat Cost vanish, the vanishing effect takes priority. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. What happens if my bench is full when I use Wishiwashi GX's "Massive Catch GX" attack? Can I put down more Pokemon than I would normally have space for on my bench?
A. Sorry, but no. You can't put more Pokemon on your bench than you are allowed to. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Metal Defender copied!
Q. If my opponent used Steelix's "Metal Defender" attack on his or her turn, then I send it to the bench and bring it back out on my turn, can I apply weakness to Steelix with my Fire Pokemon's attack?
A. Yes, you can. Benching Steelix ends Metal Defender's effect. (Plasma Freeze FAQ; May 16, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Meteor Mash (Metagross - Celestial Storm) copied!
Q. If I use Metagross' "Meteor Mash" attack several turns in succession, does the damage keep piling up as 60, 120, 180, 240, etc.?
A. No, Meteor Mash tops out at 120. It only adds +60 to the base 60 damage, it does not accumulate on successive turns. (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Jynx's "Mimic" attack to draw cards from my deck when I don't have any cards in my hand?
A. Yes, but you must shuffle your deck first before you draw. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Jynx's "Mimic" attack to shuffle my hand into my deck when my opponent has no cards in his or her hand?
A. Yes, but you won't draw any cards after you shuffle it in. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Mind Blown (Blacephalon GX - Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. If Blacephalon GX uses its "Mind Blown" attack to discard a Beast Energy as one of the Fire Energy discarded, does it still get the +30 damage bonus from Beast Energy?
A. Yes, it does. The energy cards are chosen, then Damage is calculated before the cards are sent to the Lost Zone. (Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Mini Link (Solosis - Fates Collide) copied!
Q. If I have more than one Solosis on my Bench, does Solosis' "Mini Link" attack do +30 for each of them?
A. No, you only get a maximum of 30 more damage regardless of how many Solosis are on the Bench. (Fates Collide FAQ; May 5, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Mining Rush (Diggersby - Rebel Clash) copied!
Q. When using Diggersby's "Mining Rush" attack, can I discard cards one at a time or do I have to discard them all at once?
A. You may discard cards one by one for Mining Rush and stop any time before you reach the maximum amount specified in the attack. You do not have to declare up front how many cards you're going to discard. (May 7, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Miraculous Shine (Espeon EX - BREAKpoint) copied!
Q. If a Frogadier is in play by itself from the "Water Duplicates" attack, will Espeon-EX's "Miraculous Shine" attack return it to its player's hand?
A. No. In this case, Frogadier is in play as an Unevolved Stage 1, so there is no evolution to return to the hand. (BREAKpoint FAQ; Feb 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Mirror Move (Pidgeot EX - Evolutions) copied!
Q. Can you do Pidgeot EX's "Mirror Move" attack if the opponent's last attack "placed damage counters" (as opposed to "doing damage")?
A. No. Placing damage counters is an effect. Mirror Move does not copy any other types of effects from the last attack either. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If an opponent's attack damages my benched Pidgeot EX, can it do "Mirror Move" during my next turn and attack for the amount of damage it received while on the bench?
A. Yes, it can. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Let's say I have Machop active with a Focus Sash attached, and my opponent's Mewtwo-EX uses "X Ball" for 360 damage with four Double Colorless Energy and a Muscle Band attached. The Focus Sash leaves Machop with 10 HP remaining. If I then use Ninja Boy to switch Machop with Pidgeot-EX and then use its "Mirror Move" attack, does Pidgeot-EX do 360 damage in return?
A. Yes, it would. When using Ninja Boy the amount of damage done last turn is remembered by the new Pokemon, so Mirror Move would do 360 damage to your opponent's Active Pokemon. (Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent uses "Mirror Shot" on my Active Pokemon, would I still have to flip a coin for my attack if I retreat?
A. No, retreating would clear the effect of Mirror Shot. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent used Magnemite's "Mirror Shot" attack last turn, and I try to use my GX attack this turn and flip tails, do I lose the ability to use a GX attack for the rest of the game?
A. No, because since you flipped tails the attack "doesn't happen". (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Darkrai & Cresselia LEGEND's "Moon's Invite" attack, can you move damage counters to/from more than one Pokemon?
A. Yes. Basically the attack let's you rearrange your opponent's damage counters any way you want, as long as other effects, Poke-POWERs, Poke-BODYs, etc. will allow. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When using Darkrai & Cresselia LEGEND's "Moon's Invite" attack, can you put more damage counters on a Pokemon than it has HP left?
A. Yes, you can put as many on a Pokemon as you want to, as long as you have enough to move, of course. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Moongeist Beam (Lunala GX - Sun & Moon) copied!
Q. If a Pokemon was attacked with Lunala GX's "Moongeist Beam", does that block Mallow & Lana from healing it?
A. The first part of Mallow & Lana says to switch your Active Pokemon with one of your Benched Pokemon. When your Pokemon is switched the effect of Moongeist Beam is removed, so then you can heal the Pokemon once it is on the Bench. (Feb 27, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. My Larvitar is poisoned with 10 HP left. My opponent has one prize remaining and no cards in the deck. Can I attack with "Mountain Eater" and win the game?
A. You can attack, but if you can't discard the card you don't get to remove two damage counters. Larvitar will be KO'd between turns and your opponent will take the last prize. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Multiply (Exeggcute - Forbidden Light) copied!
Q. The wording of Exeggcute's "Multiply" attack is a little ambiguous. Does it mean you can only search for one Exeggcute, or as many Exeggcute as you want?
A. Just one. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Mysterious Evolution copied!
Q. Karrablast's & Shelmet's "Mysterious Evolution" attacks say "if Shelmet/Karrablast is in play, search your deck...". Does this mean that Shelmet/Karrablast can be in play on either player's side, or does it have to be in play on the side of the attacking player?
A. Mysterious Evolution will work if either player has the corresponding Shelmet/Karrablast in play. (Dec 1, 2011 TPCi Rules Team)
Night Slash (Ninjask - Dragons Exalted) copied!
Q. Ninjask's "Night Slash" attack has an effect where it may switch with a Benched Pokemon. If it switches, would the Defending Pokemon's Rock Guard effect take place on Ninjask or on the new Pokemon?
A. Rock Guard references putting counters on "the Attacking Pokemon", so Ninjask would still take the damage counters even if it goes to the Bench. (Nov 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Nightcap (Nihilego - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I use Nihilego's "Nightcap" attack to copy my opponent's Pikachu & Zekrom GX's "Tag Bolt GX" attack, does it need 6 {L} attached or just an additional 3 {L} attached in order to get the bonus effect?
A. Nightcap replaces the normal amount of energy required by the opponent's attack with a single Psychic Energy cost. So for Tag Bolt GX, Nihilego would need 4 total Energy (1 to pay for Nightcap + 3 extra Lightning) to get the bonus effect. (May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Nine-Tailed Shapeshifter (Ninetales V - Rebel Clash) copied!
Q. When using Ninetales V's "Nine-Tailed Shapeshifter" attack, do I need to have the correct amount and types of energy that match the opponent's Active Pokemon?s attack that I'm choosing?
A. No, you do not. You only need the energy required by the Nine-Tailed Shapeshifter attack. (Rebel Clash FAQ; Apr 30, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If the damage dealt by Gliscor's "Ninja Fang" attack is reduced to 0 by damage-reducing effects like Special Metal Energy or the Trainer card "Defender", does the Defending Pokemon become Paralyzed or not?
A. No, it does not. The Defending Pokemon can only be Paralyzed if Ninja Fang does 10 damage or more after all other affects have been evaluated. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Leavanny's "Nurturing" attack to evolve a Pokemon that was just played or evolved that turn?
A. Yes. Since the evolution is from an effect, it can be evolved that same turn. (BW:Emerging Powers FAQ; Sep 1, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Octolock (Grapploct - Sword & Shield) copied!
Q. Grapploct's "Octolock" attack says its effect can't be applied more than once. What does that mean?
A. It means that if the Defending Pokemon is already under the effect of Octolock you cannot do it again for an additional {C}{C} cost. In other words, it does not stack. (Sword & Shield FAQ; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Grapploct's "Octolock" attack to a new Defending Pokemon if the previous one switches out?
A. If you use the attack again, yes. You just can't apply more than one Octolock effect to the same Defending Pokemon. (Sword & Shield FAQ; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Pale Moon GX (Trevenant & Dusknoir GX - Promo) copied!
Q. Say my opponent uses Trevenant & Dusknoir GX's "Pale Moon GX" attack on my Keldeo GX with "Pure Heart" while Power Plant stadium is in play. If I replace the Power Plant with another stadium during my next turn, does Keldeo GX get knocked out at the end of the turn or not?
A. If Keldeo GX remains the Active Pokemon it will be Knocked Out. Keldeo GX's Pure Heart Ability *prevents* effects, but it does not *remove* existing effects. If an attack like Pale Moon GX places an effect directly on Keldeo GX, that effect cannot be removed by reactivating Pure Heart; in other words, effects that are removed when returning to the Bench can't be removed by Pure Heart. (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Parabolic Charge (Heliolisk - Flashfire) copied!
Q. Can I search for Special Energy Cards like "Double Colorless Energy" or "Rainbow Energy" with Heliolisk's "Parabolic Charge" attack?
A. Yes, you can. (Flashfire FAQ; May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I use Meowstic's "Perplexing Eyes" attack does it change my opponent's active Pokemon's weakness before I do damage?
A. No. Do damage first, then apply effects. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent has no Weakness and I use Meowstic's "Perplexing Eyes" attack, will I do extra damage on my next turn due to Weakness?
A. If a Pokemon has no Weakness printed on the card, Perplexing Eyes will give that Pokemon a x2 Weakness to Psychic. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team; May 16, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Phantom Gate (M Gengar EX - Phantom Forces) copied!
Q. Does Mega Gengar EX have to have the correct types of Energy attached to it to do an attack that is copied by "Phantom Gate"?
A. No, it just needs the Energy required by Phantom Gate. (Phantom Forces FAQ; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if M Gengar EX uses its "Phantom Gate" attack to copy Xerneas EX's "X Blast" attack? Can it use "Phantom Gate" again the following turn at all or not? Or would it just not be able to copy "X Blast" twice in a row?
A. The X Blast attack puts an effect on Gengar that prohibits using that particular attack next turn. But M Gengar EX is using its Phantom Gate attack on the following turn, so yes it is able to copy X Blast twice in a row. (Jan 22, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I try to use Volbeat's "Pheromone Catch" attack, but Illumise was KO'd during my opponent's previous turn?
A. Volbeat's Pheromone Catch is a game state check; it doesn't matter if Illumise is even in play anymore. As long as one of your Illumise used Pheromone Signals during your previous turn, you get the bonus when using Pheromone Catch. (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I pick up old pre-Black & White style Trainers, Supporters, or Stadiums with Lillipup's "Pickup" attack?
A. You can get pre-Black & White "Trainer" cards, but not "Supporter" nor "Stadium" cards. (Black & White FAQ; Apr 28, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. What happens to the opponent's Energy if I use Krookodile's "Piston Headbutt" attack, but my opponent's Pokemon has Silver Mirror attached to it?
A. If Silver Mirror is attached to the Defending Pokemon and it is not a Pokemon-EX you cannot move an Energy off of it. If the Defending Pokemon does not have Silver Mirror attached, a Benched non-EX Pokemon with Silver Mirror is a valid target for the choice of where to move the Energy to, but since Silver Mirror prevents all effects of attacks done by Team Plasma Pokemon the Energy would be discarded rather than attached to the Benched Pokemon. (Oct 9, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Rotom's "Plasma Arrow" attack, I get to choose one of the opponent's Pokemon and do 20 damage for each Energy attached to it; but do I do the damage to the Defending Pokemon, or to the Pokemon I chose?
A. To the Pokemon that was chosen. If the damage were to be done to the Defending Pokemon, there would be a "20x" value in the damage field of the attack. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Edit Article
Q. If my opponent uses Pichu's "Playground" attack on the first turn of the game, and I am going second, can I evolve the Pokemon I put onto my Bench with "Playground" since I did not put them in play on my turn?
A. It is a basic game rule that neither player can normally evolve any Pokemon on their first turn of the game, even if they are going second. (Feb 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If neither player puts any Basic Pokemon onto their Bench as an effect of Pichu's "Playground" attack, does Pichu fall Asleep?
A. Yes. The phrase "Pichu is now Asleep" is activated at the end of the attack, independent of the other results of the attack. The corresponding phrase acts the same way for the attacks of all the HGSS set's Pokemon with the "Sweet Sleeping Face" Poke-BODY (e.g. Cleffa's "Eeeeeeek", Smoochum's "Energy Antics", etc.). (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Poison Up (Croagunk - Steam Siege) copied!
Q. If I use Croagunk's "Poison Up" to attack the same Defending Pokemon on successive turns, does the amount of damage counters due to Poison increase? For example, the first time I use it the poisoned Defending Pokemon starts taking 3 more damage counters between turns, then if I use it again it starts taking 6 more damage counters (3+3), then 9 more damage counters (3+3+3), and so on?
A. Yes, each time you use Poison Up it increases the amount of poison damage by "3 more" than what the Defending Pokemon was already taking at the time of the attack. (Steam Siege FAQ; Aug 4, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Marowak's "Bodyguard" Ability prevent me from revealing my hand from an opponent's Trevenant's "Poltergeist" attack?
A. Yes, it does. (May 18, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. The damage from Tyranitar's "Power Claw" attack isn't affected by Poke-POWERS, Poke-BODIES, or any other effects on the Defending Pokemon. Would you apply weakness and resistance to its damage?
A. Yes, weakness or resistance to Tyrantitar's type would be applied where appropriate. These are game rules and not considered effects on the Defending Pokemon. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Power Creation (Xerneas - BREAKthrough) copied!
Q. For Xerneas' "Power Creation" attack, do I need to heal all damage from Xerneas in order for the attack to do +80 more damage, or can I just heal some damage in order to get the benefit?
A. As long as you have healed any damage from Xerneas this turn, you get the bonus damage effect. (BREAKthrough FAQ; Nov 19, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. For Xerneas' "Power Creation" attack, does moving damage counters off of Xerneas to another Pokemon count as "Healing"?
A. No, moving damage counters off a Pokemon is not the same as healing damage (similar as to how moving damage counters onto a Pokemon is not the same as doing damage to it). (BREAKthrough FAQ; Nov 19, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Pinsir's "Power Pinch" attack says "flip two coins; for each heads, discard an Energy attached to the Defending Pokemon". If I flip only one heads, can I discard a Double Colorless Energy (DCE) from the Defending Pokemon?
A. Yes, you can. (Next Destinies FAQ; Feb 9, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Pinsir's "Power Pinch" attack says "flip two coins; for each heads, discard an Energy attached to the Defending Pokemon". If I flip two heads, can I discard two Double Colorless Energy (DCE) cards from the Defending Pokemon?
A. Yes, you can. (Next Destinies FAQ; Feb 9, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Power Poison (Sceptile - Primal Clash) copied!
Q. If I attack with Sceptile's "Power Poison" attack, do I have to discard an Energy card if I don't want to Poison the opponent's Pokemon?
A. It is not optional. Even if the damage would be enough to Knock Out the Pokemon, you still have to discard an Energy and Poison it. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Pump-up Smash copied!
Q. Can you use Terrakion EX's "Pump-up Smash" attack if you don't have 2 basic Energy cards in your hand?
A. Yes, you can. You do the 80 damage then attach either one or no Basic Energy, depending on what you have in your hand. (Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Gourgeist's "Pumpkin Bomb" attack says to ?discard any number of Pokemon Tool cards from your Pokemon?, but can I choose a different Pokemon other than Gourgeist for this attack?
A. The term "Pokemon" in the attack is plural, so you can choose any or all of your Pokemon and discard as many Tool cards as you like from them. (Crimson Invasion FAQ; Nov 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Sawsbuck attacks with "Push Down", who chooses which benched Pokemon to make active?
A. It says "your opponent switches", so the defending player chooses. (Emerging Powers FAQ; Sep 1, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I use Tornadus' "Push Down" attack, who chooses which Pokemon to switch?
A. Your opponent chooses. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Raging Thunder (Zapdos - Roaring Skies) copied!
Q. Sky Pillar says, "Prevent all effects of the opponent's attacks, including damage, done to Benched Pokemon (both yours and your opponent's)". So does this mean if I use an attack like Zapdos' "Raging Thunder" that I do not apply the bench damage to my own Pokemon?
A. No, only bench damage done from an opponent's attacks is prevented by Sky Pillar. If your attack does damage to your own Benched Pokemon it is not prevented. (Aug 9, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Blend Energy count for 4 types with regard to Ho-Oh EX's "Rainbow Burn" attack?
A. The Rainbow Burn attack only uses Basic Energy cards to calculate the amount of damage done. Since Blend Energy cards are not Basic Energy cards, they would not add to the amount of damage for this attack. (Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Rainbow Force (Xerneas - BREAKthrough) copied!
Q. Are colorless Pokemon considered a 'type' in regards to Xerneas' "Rainbow Force" attack?
A. Yes, Pokemon may be of a "Colorless" type. (Jan 7, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Will a multitype Pokemon such as Golurk with the "Double Type" Ability count for two different types of Pokemon for Xerneas' "Rainbow Force" attack?
A. Yes, Rainbow Force checks for the number of types of Pokemon on your Bench, not how many Pokemon there are. (Jan 7, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Slowpoke's "Rambunctious Party" attack, can I choose no Basic Pokemon even if some are in the top 5 cards I drew?
A. Yes, you can choose as many or as few (including zero) as you like. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Slowpoke's "Rambunctious Party" attack if my Bench is full?
A. Yes you can perform the attack, but all you get to do is look at the top 5 cards and then shuffle them all back into your deck. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Rapid Spin (Blastoise EX - Evolutions) copied!
Q. If Gastly attacks with "Little Grudge" and on the next turn is KO'd by Blastoise-EX's "Rapid Spin" attack, does the Energy get discarded from Blastoise EX or from the Pokemon that replaces it? Neither?
A. Blastoise EX was the "attacking Pokemon", so it loses an energy. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Voltorb is attacked by Blastoise EX's "Rapid Spin" which pushes it to the Bench after doing damage, do you still flip for Voltorb's "Destiny Burst" Ability or not?
A. Yes. Destiny Burst checks for two things: Voltorb was damaged by an attack while it was your Active Pokemon, and Voltorb was Knocked Out by that attack. So even though you don't check for a KO until the attack is completed, the criteria for using Destiny Burst has been met, so it can be used. This holds true for any similar Ability that triggers when the Pokemon is Active and gets damaged by an attack. (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team; Aug 9, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Recall (Charizard - Generations) copied!
Q. If I use Charizard's "Recall" attack to use Charmeleon's "Slash" attack, do I need to have the required energy cost to use "Slash"?
A. No, Charizard just needs the one energy required to use Recall. You do not need to meet the energy requirement from the previous Evolution's attack, but if that attack requires you to do something with energy (like discarding an energy card) you must follow that attack's instructions. (Feb 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team; Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have no bench, what happens when I use Lanturn's "Reflect Energy" attack?
A. Since there is no bench, you can't move the energy, but the damage is still done. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If the Defending Pokemon is Knocked Out by Dialga-G Lv.X's "Remove Lost" attack, is a coin still flipped to see if the Energy attached to the Defending Pokemon will be sent to the Lost Zone?
A. Yes, you calculate the damage dealt first, then flip for the energies to go to the Lost Zone, and finally remove any Pokemon that are knocked out. (Apr 2, 2009 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent has used Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack, would my Keldeo GX be able to use its "Resolute Blade GX" attack?
A. Yes. The effect of Clear Vision GX is placed on each of the opponent's Pokemon, and since Keldeo GX's Pure Heart Ability prevents all effects of attacks done to it by your opponent's Pokemon GX, it is unaffected by Clear Vision GX. (Sep 5, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent KO's my Active "Robo Substitute", would I get the extra benefits from Terrakion's "Retailiate" Attack or Toxicroak's "Revenge" Attack?
A. Yes, you would. Even though Robo Substitute does not give up a prize card, it still counts as a KO'd Pokemon. (Dec 4, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Dunsparce's "Return" attack with 6 or more cards in my hand?
A. Yes, it will do 10 base damage and you will not draw any cards. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When using Carnivine's "Return" attack, do I have to draw until there are five cards in my hand, or may I stop with less than five?
A. You do not have to draw any cards, but if you choose to do so you must end up with exactly five cards in your hand; no more, no less. (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Returning Echo (Swoobat - BREAKthrough) copied!
Q. For Swoobat's "Returning Echo" attack, if it is my only Pokemon in play do I have to flip a coin for the attack?
A. Yes, and if you get tails your Swoobat will leave play and you will have no Pokemon remaining on the field. (BREAKthrough FAQ; Nov 19, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Revenge (Toxicroak - Boundaries Crossed) copied!
Q. If my opponent KO's my Active "Robo Substitute", would I get the extra benefits from Terrakion's "Retailiate" Attack or Toxicroak's "Revenge" Attack?
A. Yes, you would. Even though Robo Substitute does not give up a prize card, it still counts as a KO'd Pokemon. (Dec 4, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If the Defending Pokemon is currently protected from effects of attacks, do I apply Resistance to Donphan's "Rock Hurl" attack or not?
A. No, because the phrase "Don't apply Resistance" is part of the damage calculation, not an effect of the attack. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Roll Call (Politoed - Guardians Rising) copied!
Q. What happens if I have less than three spaces on my bench when using Politoed's "Roll Call" attack? Or what if I don't have any room on my bench at all?
A. You can use the attack no matter how many Pokemon are on your Bench, but you can only get as many Pokemon as you have spaces on your Bench. (Guardians Rising FAQ; May 4, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I use Politoed's "Roll Call" attack and cannot find a Poliwag, Poliwhirl and/or Poliwrath in my deck?
A. When performing an attack you do as much of it as you can. And since the contents of the deck are unknown you can also voluntarily fail to find one or more of the Pokemon you are searching for. (Guardians Rising FAQ; May 4, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Spearow has less than 4 damage counters can I use its "Roost" attack?
A. Yes. You do as much as you can to perform the effect of the attack; in this case remove all the damage counters. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Rule of Evil (Weavile - Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. Weavile's "Rule of Evil" attack does damage to each Pokemon that has an Ability. But if Garbodor's "Garbotoxin" Ability is activated would "Rule of Evil" only damage Garbodor?
A. That's right, because Garbotoxin says each Pokemon (except those with Garbotoxin) have no Abilities. (Sep 14, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Sage's Riddle (Oranguru - Unified Minds) copied!
Q. For Oranguru's "Sage's Riddle" attack, if I put down a Pokemon with more than one type does the opponent have to guess both of its types?
A. No, they only have to guess one of the Pokemon's types in order to get it right. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Sand Attack (Sandshrew - Evolutions) copied!
Q. If your opponent used Sandshrew's "Sand Attack" on the previous turn, and you attack with Passimian's "Intentional Grounding" which requires you to discard a Tool from your hand or the attack does nothing, do you discard the Tool before you flip for the Sand Attack effect or after?
A. Flip for the Sand Attack effect first; if it's tails your attack ends immediately, or if it's heads you proceed with your attack as normal. (Dec 14, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I had used Muk & Alolan Muk GX's "Severe Poison" attack that places extra Poison damage counters and in the next turn use Koga's Trap, do they still place the extra Poison damage?
A. No, they don't. The new, normal Poison Special Condition replaces the old Severe Poison Special Condition. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I Switch my Active Pokemon that is affected by Poison from Muk & Alolan Muk GX's "Severe Poison" attack and Dust Island is in play, does my new Active Pokemon take the extra damage counters?
A. Yes, it does. Dust Island specifies that it is affected by "that Special Condition". (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Shadow Drain (Umbreon - Dark Explorers) copied!
Q. If you use Umbreon's "Shadow Drain" attack against a Pokemon with {D} weakness and a Bursting Balloon attached, what are the correct order of operations for placing and healing damage?
A. Umbreon's healing effect takes place within the context of the attack, so healing has to be completed before the attack is finished. Since Bursting Balloon is triggered by damage and you can't interrupt the attack's other effect (healing) to place those damage counters, you would heal Umbreon first and then place the damage counters for Bursting Balloon. (Jun 9, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Gengar uses "Shadow Room" against a Lv.X Pokemon that has no Poke-POWER, but the card underneath the Lv.X *does* have a Poke-POWER, does "Shadow Room" place three or six damage counters?
A. The Lv.X Pokemon has the Poke-POWERs and Poke-BODYs from the card underneath it, so Shadow Room would place six damage counters in this situation. (Nov 20, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Shadow Seeker (Absol - Team Up) copied!
Q. Does the extra Retreat cost placed by Absol's "Dark Ambition" Ability increase the damage done by Absol's "Shadow Seeker" attack?
A. Yes it does. (Team Up FAQ; Jan 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Shadow Stitching (Greninja - BREAKpoint) copied!
Q. If I have Suicune with the "Wind Charm" Ability Active and my opponent attacks with Greninja's "Shadow Stitching", are all my Abilities turned off including "Wind Charm", or does "Wind Charm" prevent "Shadow Stitching" from disabling my Pokemon's Abilities?
A. Wind Charm prevents Shadow Stitching from disabling your Pokemon's Abilities. However, if Suicune goes to the Bench, Wind Charm's effect goes away and your Pokemon will no longer have Abilities that turn. Suicune also does not protect any Pokemon not already in play. (BREAKpoint FAQ; Feb 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Marowak's "Bodyguard" ability is in effect, preventing the effects of attacks on me and my hand, does Greninja's "Shadow Stitching" attack turn off abilities of Pokemon in my hand or not?
A. Shadow Stitching turns off the Bodyguard ability, so until the end of your next turn none of your Pokemon will have Abilities. (May 5, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Bronzong with the "Metal Fortress" Ability is in play, are benched Pokemon protected from Greninja's "Shadow Stitching" attack? If so, does it also protect Pokemon that come into play on the bench during the opponent's turn?
A. If Bronzong is on the Bench, all benched Pokemon are protected, including ones put into play after the attack has happened (for example, Shaymin-EX's "Set Up" Ability will work in this scenario); however, the Active Pokemon is not protected, even if it goes to the Bench it will not get its Ability back. If Bronzong is Active and has its Metal Fortress shut off, the Benched Pokemon are not protected; even if it moves to the Bench, it will not get its Ability back. Finally, if Bronzong is on the Bench and becomes the Active Pokemon during your turn, it loses its Ability and the Benched Pokémon are no longer protected. (Jun 23, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Magearna EX with the "Mystic Heart" Ability is in play, are all Pokemon with Metal Energy attached protected from Greninja's "Shadow Stitching" attack?
A. If Magearna EX has a Metal Energy attached to it, all Pokemon with Metal Energy attached are protected; however, if Magearna EX does not have a Metal Energy attached to it, its Mystic Heart Ability is shut off and no Pokemon with Metal Energy attached are protected. (Feb 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Shake It Off (Exeggutor - Roaring Skies) copied!
Q. If my opponent has a Robo Substitute on the bench, does that add 20 damage to Exeggutor's "Shake It Off" attack?
A. Yes, Robo Substitute counts as a {C} Pokemon while in play. (Roaring Skies FAQ; May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Shatter (Salamence - Roaring Skies) copied!
Q. Say the "Sky Field" stadium is in play and I have 8 Pokemon on my Bench. My opponent uses Salamence's "Shatter" attack to KO my Active Pokemon and discard the stadium. Do I promote one of my Benched Pokemon first, or do I reduce my bench size to 5 Pokemon before promoting?
A. When the Sky Field stadium is discarded during the attack, the bench size is reduced immediately before going any farther. So after promoting your new Active Pokemon there will be 4 Pokemon on your Bench. (Apr 30, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say my opponent used Turtonator GX's "Shell Trap" attack last turn, then on my turn I attack it with Shaymin EX's "Sky Return" attack. What happens to the 8 damage counters effect from "Shell Trap"?
A. Sky Return puts Shaymin EX into the hand as part of its attack before the damage counters are placed for Shell Trap's effect. (Jun 8, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say my opponent used Turtonator GX's "Shell Trap" attack last turn, then on my turn I attack it with Tapu Bulu GX's "Tapu Wilderness GX" attack. Does "Shell Trap" place its damage counters before or after the healing part of "Tapu Wilderness GX"?
A. Tapu Wilderness GX heals Tapu Bulu GX as part of its attack before the damage counters are placed for Shell Trap's effect. So in the end Tapu Bulu GX will have 8 damage counters on it. (Jun 8, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent used Turtonator GX's "Shell Trap" attack and I have Magearna EX with the "Mystic Heart" Ability in play, will my Pokemon with Metal energy attached get the 8 damage counters from "Shell Trap" if I attack and do damage to Turtonator GX?
A. No, it will not receive the 8 damage counters. Mystic Heart prevents all effects of your opponent's attacks, and Shell Trap's damage counters are an effect of your opponent's attack. (Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Shining Wind (Gardevoir EX - Primal Clash) copied!
Q. If my opponent used Gardevoir EX's "Shining Wind" attack to gain "no Weakness" and I play Pokemon Ranger when it is my turn, does their Gardevoir EX have a Weakness again?
A. Yes. The ruling about effects on Weakness and Resistance not being ignored has to do with damage calculations [see "General Gameplay -> Weakness and Resistance" section for reference], not about whether a Pokemon HAS Weakness or Resistance. Pokemon Ranger removes attack effects, including this one; so yes, Gardevoir EX would have Weakness again after using Pokemon Ranger. (Nov 15, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Shred copied!
Q. Does Giratina EX's "Shred" attack ignore effects such as Weakness and Resistance?
A. No, Weakness and Resistance are not considered effects; they are basic game mechanics and are not ignored by Shred. (Oct 4, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Vileplume's "Allergy Panic" Ability is in effect, does Rayquaza's "Shred" attack consider a Defending Pokemon's weakness as x2 or x4?
A. Shred isn't affected by "any effects on the Defending Pokemon", but the term "any effects" does not include effects that alter Weakness or Resistance. So in this case the Defending Pokemon's Weakness would be x4 due to Allergy Panic. (Feb 28, 2013 TPCi Rules Team; May 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Changes Announcement; May 18, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use "Signs of Evolution" to get two of the same cards that evolve from Eevee if I don't have 3 different ones in my deck?
A. No. Each one you take out of your deck must be a differently typed evolution of Eevee; you may not retrieve more than one Pokemon of the same type. (Plasma Freeze FAQ; May 16, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use "Signs of Evolution" to get a Vaporeon and a Glaceon from my deck?
A. No, you may not. Vaporeon & Glaceon are both Water types, and the three Pokemon retrieved by Signs of Evolution must all be different types. (Plasma Freeze FAQ; May 16, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does retreating get rid of the effect from Drowzee's "Sinister Suggestion" attack?
A. No. The effect is on the Player, not on the Active Pokemon. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. I attack my opponent?s Burned and Asleep Pokemon with Drowzee?s "Sinister Suggestion". When my opponent flips for Burned and Asleep, are those flips automatically tails?
A. No. Those flips are between turns, not during your opponent's turn as required by the attack. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have a single Rainbow Energy attached to Moltres & Zapdos & Articuno GX, can I use the extra effect of its "Sky Legends GX" attack?
A. No, even though Rainbow Energy provides all energy types simultaneously, it only provides one unit of energy. You can use it for either the Fire or the Water or the Lightning, but you still need additional units of energy for the other required types. (Nov 14, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Sky Return (Shaymin EX - Roaring Skies) copied!
Q. Say my opponent used Turtonator GX's "Shell Trap" attack last turn, then on my turn I attack it with Shaymin EX's "Sky Return" attack. What happens to the 8 damage counters effect from "Shell Trap"?
A. Sky Return puts Shaymin EX into the hand as part of its attack before the damage counters are placed for Shell Trap's effect. (Jun 8, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When Muk attacks with "Sludge Drag", who chooses which of the opponent's Benched Pokemon get brought forward?
A. The attacking player gets to choose. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When using Boldore's "Smack Down" attack that does 60 more damage if the Defending Pokemon has Resistance to Fighting, does that mean it gets to ignore the Resistance altogether?
A. No, it does not. You do the Base 20 damage first, then add the +60 damage, and then subtract for the Fighting Resistance amount. (BW:Emerging Powers FAQ; Sep 1, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Small Appetite (Eelektrik - Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. If I use Eelektrik's "Small Appetite" attack against a Pokemon with 90 HP but it has the "Bodybuilding Dumbbells" Pokemon Tool attached, do I do 50 damage or 0?
A. You do 0 damage. The HP from Bodybuilding Dumbbells counts toward the Pokemon's maximum HP, putting it out of range of the Small Appetite attack. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When Smokescreen stops an attack, does it stop all effects of the attack, even those that might be done to the attacking Pokémon?
A. Yes, it stops all effects. (May 4, 2000 WotC Chat, Q123)
Q. What about cards that do not state when the effect ends? Like Fossil Magmar's Smokescreen? I think for only one turn (the opponent's next turn), but some Apprentice people say it lasts until Magmar is Benched!
A. The effect says tries to attack during your opponent's next turn, so it only works on the next turn after you use the attack. (May 4, 2000 WotC Chat, Q131)
Q. If you use Smokescreen then retreat the Pokémon that is Smoke screened or if Magmar Retreats is it still in effect?
A. Smokescreen references the defending Pokémon, so if you bench that Pokémon the effect ends. If you bench Magmar then Smokescreen is in effect. (April 6, 2000 WotC Chat Q11)
Q. If your Pokémon has been Smokescreened on the previous turn, and you choose an attack that requires you to do something (such as discarding Energy) in order to use the Attack, do you pay the attack costs before you flip for the Smokescreen Effect?
A. Yes before, you still attempt the attack; the Smokescreen might just stop it from having any effect. (Apr 13, 2000 WotC Chat, Q20; Apr 5, 2001 WotC Chat, Q27)
Q. If Magmar's Smokescreen Knocks Out the Defending Pokémon, does the new Active have to flip to see if its attack is effective?
A. No, it only effects the Defending Pokémon the attack was done against. (Feb 24 WotC Chat)
Q. Does Magmar's Smokescreen effect end if the Defending Pokémon evolves?
A. Since Magmar's Smokescreen attack references the Defending Pokémon, by it evolving, it removes that effect. (Feb 3 WotC Chat)
Q. Would Magmar's Smokescreen stop Kangaskhan's Fetch?
A. Yes, it would, since Fetch is an attack. (Feb 10 WotC Chat)
Q. If a Gloom Confused you, and next turn a Magmar Smokescreened you, do you flip for Confusion or Smokescreen first?
A. Checking for Confusion should be the very first thing you deal with after announcing what attack you want to use. So as soon as you announce your attack, the check for Confusion happens immediately. If that passes, then you flip for Smokescreen's effect. (Jul 13, 2000 WotC Chat, Q328; Sep 25, 2014 TPCi Rules Team; Jan 7, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. My Koffing used its "Smokescreen" attack on the Defending Pokemon which was already Confused. If that Pokemon attacks during my opponent's next turn, do they flip 2 coins and the attack fails if both coins aren't heads?
A. No, your opponent must flip each coin separately. First, flip a coin for the effect of Confusion. If the first flip is heads, then flip a second time for the effect of Smokescreen. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team; Sep 25, 2014 TPCi Rules Team; Jan 7, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Espeon's "Solar Suggestion" attack, do I have to move all four damage counters from one of my Pokemon to one of my opponent's Pokemon, or can I split the damage counters from multiple different Pokemon on each player's side?
A. You can choose up to 4 counters from as many of your own Pokemon as you like, and can split them up on your opponent's Pokemon in any way you want. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I choose 4 damage counters on my Pokemon with Espeon's "Solar Suggestion" attack, can I then place 3 or fewer damage counters on my opponent's Pokemon?
A. No, you can't. You must place the same number of damage counters on your opponent's Pokemon as you removed from your own Pokemon. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can Espeon's "Solar Suggestion" attack place damage counters onto a Jolteon that can't be hit by effects due to a successful coin flip during its "Agility" attack, or onto a Toxicroak [G] with its "Anticipation" Poke-BODY enabled? If I can't place them, what do I do with the damage counters I removed from my Pokemon?
A. You cannot place damage counters onto that Jolteon or Toxicroak [G], but you can still remove damage counters from your own Pokemon. If you select a Pokemon under the status of not receiving effects, the damage counters that would be placed onto that Pokemon simply disappear from play. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Diancie's "Sparkling Wish" attack to evolve a Pokemon that I just put into play this turn?
A. Yes, you can do that. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Diancie's "Sparkling Wish" Attack to search your deck for an Evolution card even if you have no valid targets to evolve?
A. Yes, you can, but only because it is an attack. You do as much of the attack as you can, so you can search through your deck but nothing more. (Aug 31, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Weedle's "Speed Evolution" attack on my first turn of the game or the turn it comes into play?
A. Yes. An attack can override the normal rules for evolution. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Weedle's "Speed Evolution" attack to search my deck for Beedrill and place it on Weedle?
A. No, you can't choose Beedrill from the deck. Beedrill states it evolves from Kakuna, so it is not a card that evolves from Weedle. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When using Chandelure's "Spirit Burner" attack, can I place any discarded Stage 1 or Stage 2 Pokemon directly onto my bench?
A. Yes, you can. However, because of the order of this attack, you cannot put a Prism Star card onto your Bench. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Spiteful Sigh (Froslass - Unified Minds) copied!
Q. When using Froslass' "Spiteful Sigh" attack, can you put more damage counters on Froslass than it has remaining HP?
A. Yes, you can. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Froslass' "Spiteful Sigh" attack to put enough damage counters on Froslass to leave less than 40 HP on it, will its attack be prevented if Blizzard Town is in play?
A. No, its remaining HP is checked for Blizzard Town before you place the damage counters onto Froslass. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I attach Memory Berry to Mareep, evolve it to Ampharos, then attack with "Static Electricity", would I search my deck for energies based on the number of Mareep or the number of Ampharos in play?
A. In the latter part of the Static Electricity attack Where the English card says "attach them to Mareep", the Japanese card actually says "attach them to this Pokemon". So, you would count the number of Mareep in play and attach that many Lightning energy to Ampharos. (Jul 15, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. What happens if Shining Jirachi with Choice Band attached uses its "Stellar Reign" attack against an undamaged, evolved, Lucario GX with Focus Sash attached? Does Focus Sash save the Pokemon from a KO?
A. During the attack Stellar Reign would do 80 damage (10 for the attack plus 30 for the Choice Band, then times 2 for Weakness). Then the devolution part of Stellar Reign would return all Evolution cards to the opponent's hand. However, when KO's are checked the devolved Pokemon is not the same Pokemon that was attacked, so Focus Sash would not protect the newly devolved Pokemon. The original Pokemon took damage from the attack, and the lower Stage just happens to have enough damage on it for a KO. (May 31, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. A Vespiquen that used its "Mach Wind" attack on my previous turn was hit by Grimer's "Sticky Liquid" attack during my opponent's turn. In this instance, what is Vespiquen's retreat cost during my next turn?
A. It has no Retreat Cost. When effects that increase something like Retreat Cost by a particular amount are stacked on top of effects that make something like Retreat Cost vanish, the vanishing effect takes priority. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Say I have taken 5 prize cards during the game, but then my opponent uses Naganadel GX's "Stinger GX" attack to bring both players' prize count back to three prizes remaining. So if I then use Stakataka GX's "Assembly GX" attack on my next turn, how many prizes would I count when calculating the amount of damage to be done?
A. Even though the Stinger GX attack added cards back into your prizes, you have still taken five prizes during the game. So Assembly GX would do 50 damage plus 250 (five times 50) for the prize cards you have already taken. (Aug 9, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I attack with Naganadel GX's "Stinger GX" attack, how would it work if my opponent has received a "Double Prize Loss" or a "Quad Prize Loss" penalty earlier in the game?
A. For a "Double Prize Loss" you only need to take one more prize from the remaining three to win the game. If your opponent received a "Quad Prize Loss" you win the game. (May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What if both players have received a "Quad Prize Loss" or 2 "Double Prize Loss" penalties and one of the players uses Naganadel GX's "Stinger GX" attack?
A. In that situation both players win at same time. Play a sudden death game to decide the outcome. (May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Super Intense Poison (Toxapex GX - Guardians Rising) copied!
Q. Does Seviper's "More Poison" Ability stack with the effect of Toxapex GX's "Super Intense Poison" attack?
A. Yes, you first put 10 damage counters for the Super Intense Poison attack and then you get to add 1 damage counter for each More Poison ability. (Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Superpower (Golurk - Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. Does Golurk's "Superpower" attack apply Resistance to the +20 damage it does to itself?
A. Yes, as long as Golurk is Fighting Type at the time of the attack, Resistance would be applied. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. For Pyukumuku's "Surprise Fist" attack, what happens if Rock-Paper-Scissors ends in a tie?
A. You have to play R-P-S until there is a winner; you cannot end it in a tie. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Surprise Punch copied!
Q. If I use Nuzleaf's "Surprise Punch" and my opponent has no Benched Pokemon, what happens to the Energy on the Defending Pokemon?
A. If there are no Benched Pokemon you just do as much as you can. You do 20 damage but no energy is moved or discarded. (Next Destinies FAQ; Feb 9, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I move Yanmega from being an Active Pokemon to the Bench, and then back to Active again in the same turn, does it get the bonus damage?
A. Yes. (Phantom Forces FAQ; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Murkrow's "Switcheroo" attack to move an opponent's "Energy Gain" to a non-SP Pokemon?
A. Yes you can, but if the Pokemon you move the Energy Gain to is not a Pokemon-SP then the tool would be discarded after it gets moved. (Nov 18, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When using Nihilego GX's "Symbiont GX" attack, can you place more prizes than your opponent started the game with?
A. Yes, you can. The prize pile is not limited to any maximum amount. (Nov 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. In a single-elimination match that goes to time and is tied during the final game, if I add prizes to my opponent's field with Nihilego GX's "Symbiont GX" attack on my turn, do I win?
A. Yes. After regulation time (plus any additional turns) is completed, once you have fewer prizes remaining than your opponent, you win. (Nov 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. In a Sudden Death game, if I add prizes to my opponent's field with Nihilego GX's "Symbiont GX" attack, is the game won by the next player to take a prize, or the first player to take their last prize?
A. A Sudden Death match is complete when a player has taken all of their prizes, regardless of whether there is more than one or not. So adding prizes in this scenario makes it more difficult for the opponent to win. (Nov 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Synchronoise (Bruxish - Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. If I use Bruxish's "Synchronoise" attack against my opponent's dual type Pokemon like Volcanion EX, and there are other Volcanion EX on the Bench, do they take 40 damage or 20?
A. They take 20 damage. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Tag Team Spark (Electivire - Furious Fists) copied!
Q. For Electivire's "Tag Team Spark", do you count the energy on each of your Magmortar, or do you choose only one of them?
A. You count the energy attached to all of your Magmortar. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Ambipom [G]'s "Tail Code" attack to move an energy card from the Defending Pokemon to one of my opponent's Pokemon that has an Unown-G attached to it, what happens?
A. While Unown-G prevents the attachment of the energy to the protected Pokemon, it does not prevent the removal of the energy card from the Defending Pokemon. The energy card is discarded. (Jan 14, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. May I use Ambipom [G]'s "Tail Code" attack if my opponent only has an Active Pokemon and no Benched Pokemon?
A. Yes you can, although it won't move or discard the energy. There must be a Pokemon on the bench or you can't move the energy off the defending Pokemon. (Jan 28, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. What happens if one of the players doesn't have a benched Pokemon when using Drifblim's "Take Away" attack?
A. There is no restriction on using the attack if there is no benched Pokemon. If a player has no Benched Pokemon, that player loses. If neither player has Benched Pokemon, then it is a tie and a game of Sudden Death must be played. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Tapu Wilderness GX (Tapu Bulu GX - Promo) copied!
Q. Say my opponent used Turtonator GX's "Shell Trap" attack last turn, then on my turn I attack it with Tapu Bulu GX's "Tapu Wilderness GX" attack. Does "Shell Trap" place its damage counters before or after the healing part of "Tapu Wilderness GX"?
A. Tapu Wilderness GX heals Tapu Bulu GX as part of its attack before the damage counters are placed for Shell Trap's effect. So in the end Tapu Bulu GX will have 8 damage counters on it. (Jun 8, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When Liepard attacks with "Taunt", who chooses which of the opponent's Benched Pokemon get brought forward?
A. The attack says "Switch the Defending Pokemon..." so the attacking player gets to choose. (Black & White FAQ; Apr 28, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Team Attack (Falinks - Rebel Clash) copied!
Q. When using Falinks V's "Iron Defense Formation" Ability or Falinks' "Team Attack" attack, do I get to count any Falinks V I have in play too?
A. Yes, because Falinks V has "Falinks" in its name. (Rebel Clash FAQ; Apr 30, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Venomoth GX's "Ten-Card Return GX" attack if I have no cards in my hand?
A. Yes, but you must shuffle your deck before drawing cards. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Celesteela GX with "Force Canceler" Ability active, what happens if my opponent uses Venomoth GX's "Ten-Card Return GX" attack?
A. The damage portion gets blocked, but your opponent still gets to shuffle their hand into their deck and draw 10 cards because that part is not being done to YOUR Pokemon. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 9, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Thunderous Assault (Zapdos - Team Up) copied!
Q. If my opponent Knocks Out my Active Pokemon and I promote my Zapdos to be Active after the attack, do I get the bonus 70 damage for "Thunderous Assault"?
A. No. In this scenario you promoted the Zapdos while it was still your opponent's turn. In order to get Thunderous Assault's additional damage it would have to become Active during YOUR turn. (Team Up FAQ; Jan 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Ticking Knock Out (Aegislash - Forbidden Light) copied!
Q. If I use Aegislash's "Ticking Knock Out" attack but my opponent moves the Defending Pokemon to the bench, on my next turn if I bring that Pokemon active and damage it or if I damage it on the bench is it knocked out?
A. Only if you do enough damage to meet or exceed that Pokemon's remaining HP. The effect of "Ticking Knock Out" is on the Defending Pokemon and is cleared when it moves to the bench, so you would have to knock it out by normal means rather than by simply doing any amount of damage to it. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Palkia & Dialga LEGEND's "Time Control" attack, can you place more prizes than your opponent started the match with?
A. Yes, you can. The prize pile is not limited to any maximum amount. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If the opponent has already drawn 2 prizes in the game, and then I use Dialga & Palkia LEGEND's "Time Control" attack to add two more prizes, how much damage would my Mismagius [GL]'s "Grudge" attack do on the following turn?
A. Even though the Time Control attack added two prizes to your opponent's pile, they have still taken two prizes during the game. So Grudge would do 20 damage plus 10 more for each of the prize cards they have already taken. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. In a game that goes to time and is tied, if I add prizes to my opponent's field with Palkia & Dialga LEGEND's "Time Control" attack on my next turn, do I win?
A. Yes. After regulation time (plus any additional turns) is completed, once you have fewer prizes remaining than your opponent, you win. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. In a Sudden Death game, if I add prizes to my opponent's field with Palkia & Dialga LEGEND's "Time Control" attack, is the game won by the next player to take a prize, or the first player to take their last prize?
A. A Sudden Death match is complete when a player has taken all of their prizes, regardless of whether there is more than one or not. So adding prizes in this scenario makes it more difficult for the opponent to win. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I apply Jirachi's "Time Hollow" attack to a Stage 2 Pokemon and also the Stage 1 underneath it?
A. No. You only remove the highest stage evolution from the Pokemon you choose at the start of the attack. You cannot choose the same Pokemon more than once in order to remove additional Stages. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Time Spiral (Celebi - Unified Minds) copied!
Q. If I have Eternatus VMAX with "Eternal Zone" Ability in play and my opponent uses Celebi's "Time Spiral" attack to devolve one of my benched Darkness type Pokemon to a non-Darkness type Pokemon with enough damage already on the devolved Pokemon to knock it out, is it KO'd before having to reduce my Bench down to 5 Pokemon, or if I discard it to reduce my bench is it not KO'd?
A. You would discard your Bench down to 5 first, then check for a KO. That means you could discard the newly devolved Pokemon to avoid a KO, even if Eternatus VMAX is the one being devolved! (Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Timeless GX (Dialga GX - Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. When you use Dialga GX's "Timeless GX" attack does Poison still happen in between turns?
A. Nope, the attack says to "skip the between-turns step", so Asleep, Poisoned, Burned, and any other between turn effects also get skipped." (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. After time is called at the end of a match, what happens if I use Dialga GX's "Timeless GX" attack during the "plus three turns" part?
A. If you use Timeless GX when time is called during your turn, you would then get "Turn 1" instead of your opponent. Likewise, if you use it during Turn 1 you would also get Turn 2 and your opponent would get Turn 3, and so on... However, if you use it on the final turn of the match you do not get an extra turn. (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens to Gothitelle's "Tractorbeam" attack if the opponent has no benched Pokemon?
A. If you can't switch a new Pokemon, the attack doesn?t do any damage. (Guardians Rising FAQ; May 4, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Transfer Junk copied!
Q. With Raticate's "Transfer Junk" attack, what if I don't have all 3 types of Team Plasma cards, Pokemon, Trainer & Energy in my discard?
A. Take one of each type that you do have. (Plasma Freeze FAQ; May 16, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Tri Hazard GX (Alolan Muk-GX - Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. If my opponent has no Benched Pokemon, can I still use Alolan Muk-GX's "Tri Hazard-GX" attack?
A. You can use it, but it won't have any effect, and it will count as having used your GX attack for the game. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Trick (Mr. Mime - Primal Clash) copied!
Q. Can I use Mr. Mime's "Trick" Attack to move a Team Flare Tool card from a Pokemon-EX to a non EX Pokemon?
A. Yes, and it would immediately go to its owner's discard pile. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Pachirisu's "Trick Sticker" attack says, "the Defending Pokemon's Weakness is now {L} until the end of your next turn". Does that mean the weakness is applied "now" before the damage is done for this attack?
A. Nice try, but no. Like all attacks that don't explicitly say otherwise, the effects of attacks are not applied until after damage is done. (May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Zoroark GX's "Trickster GX" attack allows you to copy an attack from any of your opponent's Pokemon. Does this allow you to copy an opponent's GX attack or not? If so, what if your opponent has already used up their GX attack for the game?
A. Yes, Trickster GX can copy an opponent's GX attack, even if the opponent has already used up their GX attack for the game. It does not count as using 2 GX attacks. (Dec 7, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say Zoroark GX has Unit Energy {F}{D}{Y} and Rainbow energy attached and uses its "Trickster GX" attack to copy Arceus & Dialga & Palkia GX's "Altered Creation GX" attack. Can Zoroark GX use the extra effect of +1 prize for every KO from Altered Creation GX?
A. Nope, the two energy attached to Zoroark GX are used to pay for the Trickster GX attack (regardless of how much energy is required for the attack being copied), so in this case there is no "extra Water Energy" to permit the extra +1 prize effect. (Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Turbo Energize copied!
Q. If I use Victini-EX's "Turbo Energize" attack but choose to attach the two Basic Energy cards from my deck to Sigilyph with "Safeguard", what happens?
A. Sigiliph is a valid target for the choice of Benched Pokemon, but since Safeguard prevents all effects of attacks done by Pokemon-EX the energies would be discarded rather than attached to Sigilyph. (Jun 20, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Pidgeotto's "Twister" attack says to discard an Energy attached to the Defending Pokemon for each heads flipped. Does that mean if I only flip one heads I cannot discard a Double Colorless Energy?
A. Actually, you can discard a DCE with a single heads. It's like paying a Retreat Cost with an Energy Card that has more energy than required to retreat. Total the number of flips, then discard Energy Cards one at a time until the condition has been met. So if you flip one heads you can discard a single Energy Card with one or more energy on it. But if you flip two heads you can either choose a card with one energy then another card with one or more energy, or you can choose a single card with two or more energy on it. (Nov 3, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Type Switch (Arceus - Promo) copied!
Q. If I use Arceus' "Type Switch" attack and choose a type, what happens if I use Ninja Boy to switch Arceus for a Basic Pokemon of a different type? Does the new Pokemon become both types or does the new type supersede the choice from "Type Switch"? Or what if you Ninja Boy for a dual-type Pokemon like Volcanion EX that is Fire/Water?
A. The type chosen by Type Switch overrides the Pokemon's actual type, so the new Pokemon would become the type chosen rather than its regular type. And in the case of a dual-type Pokemon it would become the single type that you chose for Type Switch. (Dec 21, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Untamed Punch (Pangoro - Forbidden Light) copied!
Q. If I use "Untamed Punch" with an undamaged Pangoro, does it still get the Confusion effect?
A. No, damage counters on your attacking Pangoro are required for both the Confusion and the extra damage. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Vengeful Wish copied!
Q. Is the effect of Jellicent's "Vengeful Wish" attack cancelled if the damage from last turn was done while it was on the bench, or if the Pokemon that damaged it retreats or is KO'd?
A. Vengeful Wish is not an effect that can be cleared; it simply looks to see if damage was done to Jellicent by an attack last turn then does that amount of base damage to the current Defending Pokemon. (Next Destinies FAQ; Feb 9, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Watch and Learn (Sudowoodo - BREAKpoint) copied!
Q. Say my opponent's Rattata used its "Dangerous Suspicion" attack which moves it to the Bench. On my next turn, could I use Sudowoodo's "Watch and Learn" attack to copy "Dangerous Suspicion"?
A. Yes, you can. A Pokemon being benched or leaving play does not keep the attack from being copied by Watch and Learn. (BREAKpoint FAQ; Feb 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent uses Sudowoodo's "Watch and Learn" attack to copy the attack my Pokemon used last turn, what would happen if I use my own Sudowoodo's "Watch and Learn" attack on my following turn?
A. Your Sudowoodo would copy your opponent's Watch and Learn attack, not the attack your opponent copied. So unfortunately your Watch and Learn would do nothing. (Dec 7, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Sudowoodo's "Watch and Learn" attack on the turn after my opponent's Mew EX used its "Versatile" Ability, can "Watch and Learn" copy the attack that Mew EX used?
A. Yes, that works. (Feb 15, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent used Zoroark's "Foul Play" attack their previous turn, could I play Guzma to bring up a benched Pokemon and have Sudowoodo's "Watch and Learn" attack use "Foul Play" to copy one of the new Defending Pokemon's attcks?
A, Yep, that works. (Mar 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if my opponent failed a Confusion check last turn and I try to use Sudowoodo's "Watch and Learn" attack? Would Sudowoodo take 3 damage counters?
A. If the Pokemon failed its attack because of Confused, an attack was not used. Sudowoodo?s Watch and Learn would simply do nothing. (Mar 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Sudowoodo's "Watch and Learn" attack to copy an opponent's GX Attack used on their previous turn? If yes, does this count as my GX Attack for the game? And if I have already used my GX Attack for the game, does the "Watch and Learn" attack fail?
A. Yes, yes, and sort of. If you have already used your GX Attack you can still use Watch and Learn, but the effect of the copied GX Attack would fail. (May 24, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Water Duplicates (Frogadier - BREAKpoint) copied!
Q. If a Frogadier is in play by itself from the "Water Duplicates" attack, will Espeon-EX's "Miraculous Shine" attack return it to its player's hand?
A. No. In this case, Frogadier is in play as an Unevolved Stage 1, so there is no evolution to return to the hand. (BREAKpoint FAQ; Feb 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Wink Wink (Sylveon - Forbidden Light) copied!
Q. If I've already played a Supporter this turn and use Sylveon's "Wink Wink" attack, can I still use the effect of a Supporter I discard from my opponent's hand?
A. Yes. You are not playing a second supporter, but using its effect via an attack. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Sylveon's "Wink Wink" attack and discard my opponent's Diantha, can I get 2 cards from my discard pile even it 1 of my {Y} Pokemon was not Knocked Out on my Opponent's last turn?
A. No, you still have to meet the requirements of the card's text. You can discard the Diantha, though. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Sylveon's "Wink Wink" attack to have my opponent discard Ilima, can I use Victini's "Victory Star" Ability to force my opponent to re-flip their coins?
A. Yes, you can. If your opponent flips a coin as part of your Pokemon's attack, you can use "Victory Star" to force them to re-flip those coins; but keep in mind you will have to re-flip your coins for Ilima too. (Nov 15, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Wring Out (Servine - Legendary Treasures) copied!
Q. Servine uses the attack "Wring Out" and flips heads against a Virizion EX with a single Grass Energy attached. It deals 30 damage, and the Grass Energy is discarded. Can the paralysis Special Condition be applied?
A. The Paralysis condition occurs within the attack text before discarding the energy. Since Virizion EX's Verdant Wind ability is still active the Paralysis is prevented, and then the energy is discarded. (Jan 2, 2014 TPCi Rules Team; May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I intend to use a Poke-POWER [or Ability], do I have to announce its name or can I just take the action specified?
A. You have to clearly communicate your intent to use a Poke-POWER [or Ability] by some method other than just performing its game effect. Show or tell your opponent which Pokémon is going to use what Power. (Nov 13, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use the "Pokémon Power" [or Ability] of a Benched Pokémon?
A. Yes. (Basic FAQ, WotC Website)
Q. Can Pokémon Powers [or Ability] be used all the time?
A. Each Power [or Ability] tells you specifically when or how often it can be used. (Feb 17, 2000 WotC Chat)
Q. If I have 2 of the same Pokémon in play that have a Pokémon Power [or Ability], can I use that power twice? What powers wouldn't be useable twice, or more for that matter?
A. Sure, depends on the particular power though. If you had two Muks for example, then only one power is necessary. (May 11, 2000 WotC Chat, Q60 & Q81)
Q. Can you use Pokémon Powers [or Ability] that can be used "anytime" while the effect of another power is in progress?
A. No. (Jan 25, 2001 WotC Chat, Q96)
* Ancient Traits in General copied!
Q. Are Omega and Alpha effects considered Abilities? Will things that affect Abilities affect them too?
A. They are neither Attacks nor Abilities. They are something different called "Ancient Traits". Effects that apply to Attacks or Abilities don't apply to Ancient Traits. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When can I use Scatterbug's "Abnormal Outbreak" Ability?
A. It's pretty clear. If you are not taking the first turn of the game, then when you get your first turn (i.e. the second turn of the game) you may use Abnormal Outbreak. This is the only turn of the game when this Ability may be used. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Suppose I have two Scatterbugs in play on the second turn of the game and it's my turn; can I use "Abnormal Outbreak" twice?
A. Yes, you can use it once for each Scatterbug you have in play during that turn. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Caterpie's "Adaptive Evolution" Ability to evolve into Metapod, then immediately use Metapod's "Adaptive Evolution" Ability to evolve into Butterfree all on the same turn?
A. Yes, you can. (Flashfire FAQ; May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Evosoda on a Caterpie the first turn of the game or the turn that Caterpie is played since "Adaptive Evolution" says it can evolve in those cases?
A. No, you can't use Evosoda to evolve in either of those conditions because the text on Evosoda specifically prevents it. (May 29, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Aero Trail (Tapu Koko GX - Guardians Rising) copied!
Q. When using Tapu Koko GX's "Aero Trail" Ability, can I choose to move zero energy cards and switch it with the Active Pokemon?
A. No, you may not. It says if you do move energy, and moving "zero energy" is not moving energy; therefore you do not get to switch Tapu Koko GX with your Active Pokemon. (Jul 6, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can Typhlosion's "Afterburner" Poke-POWER be used if there is no Energy in the discard pile, just to place a damage counter on one of my Pokemon?
A. No. Since you can't attach an Energy from your discard pile to one of your Pokemon, you can't use the rest of the power. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Say a player announced "double Afterburner" for his two Typhlosions in play. However his Discard Pile only has one Fire Energy card for him to use. Does that mean his second "Afterburner" Poke-POWER is used up, or can he use it later in the turn since nothing happened for the second one?
A. Since you cannot use an Ability for no effect, if the player only has one Fire Energy card in the Discard Pile the first Afterburner Poke-POWER may be used but the second cannot. So since it is not used up the player could use the second one later during the turn if a Fire Energy card somehow ends up in the Discard Pile. (Jan 12, 2012 TPCi Rules Team; Jul 26, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I still play Supporters or Stadiums while Vileplume's "Allergy Flower" Poke-BODY is in effect?
A. Yes. They are not Trainers. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Allergy Panic copied!
Q. If a Pokemon normally has no Weakness, does Vileplume's "Allergy Panic" Ability give it a x4 Weakness instead?
A. No, if a Pokemon doesn't have Weakness, you cannot *apply* any Weakness multiplier to it at all. (Boundaries Crossed FAQ; Nov 8, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Cresselia-EX's "Psychic Protection" attack, does Vileplume's "Allergy Panic" Ability override and give it a x4 Weakness instead?
A. No, since there is no longer a weakness there is nothing for Allergy Panic to multiply. (Boundaries Crossed FAQ; Nov 8, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Vileplume's "Allergy Panic" Ability is in effect, does Rayquaza's "Shred" attack consider a Defending Pokemon's weakness as x2 or x4?
A. Shred isn't affected by "any effects on the Defending Pokemon", but the term "any effects" does not include effects that alter Weakness or Resistance. So in this case the Defending Pokemon's Weakness would be x4 due to Allergy Panic. (Feb 28, 2013 TPCi Rules Team; May 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Changes Announcement; May 18, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Almighty Evolution (Ditto {*} - Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. Can you evolve Ditto {*} into a Stage 1 Pokemon and then on a later turn place a new, different Stage 1 Pokemon onto it?
A. No, not unless you have devolved Ditto {*} somehow during a previous turn. (Lost Thunder FAQ; Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have placed a Stage 1 Pokemon onto Ditto {*}, can I later evolve that into the corresponding Stage 2 Pokemon?
A. Yes, you can! (Lost Thunder FAQ; Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Alpha Growth (Primal Clash) copied!
Q. The "Alpha Growth" Ancient Trait says "When you attach an Energy card from your hand to this Pokemon... you may attach 2 Energy cards." Does that mean I get to attach one additional Energy card or two additional Energy cards?
A. You only get to attach one additional Energy card, for a total of two cards attached at that time. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Ancient Custom (Carracosta - Unified Minds) copied!
Q. Does Carracosta's "Ancient Custom" Ability negate Stealthy Hood? Or does Stealthy Hood prevent "Ancient Custom" from affecting the Pokemon Stealthy Hood is attached to?
A. Stealthy Hood prevents Ancient Custom's effect on the Pokemon Stealthy Hood is attached to. (Mar 12, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Ancient Power copied!
Q. Does Archeops' "Ancient Power" Ability stop attacks that evolve Pokemon, such as Karrablast's "Mysterious Evolution"?
A. Ancient Power only prevents you from playing Pokemon from your hand to evolve other Pokemon. Mysterious Evolution's effect is not stopped because it evolves the Pokemon from a card in the deck, not a card in your hand. (Noble Victories FAQ; Nov 17, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Does Rare Candy override evolution-preventing effects such as Archeops' "Ancient Power" Ability?
A. Ancient Power does not allow you to use a Pokemon's attack or play a Trainer card to evolve your Benched or Active Pokemon, unless the Evolution card you would be putting into play comes from somewhere other than your hand. So Rare Candy cannot be used while Archeops' Ancient Power Ability is in effect. (Noble Victories FAQ; Nov 17, 2011 PUI Rules Team; Nov 21, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Aqua Effect (Vaporeon - Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. If Flareon's "Flare Effect" ability or Vaporeon's "Aqua Effect" ability or Jolteon's "Electric Effect" ability adds Fire or Water or Electric type to a Darkness Type Pokemon, does Dangerous Energy get discarded since it says, "If this card is attached to anything other than a {D} Pokemon, discard this card"?
A. No, it is not discarded. Even with the addition of another type to the Darkness Pokemon it is still also a Darkness Pokemon. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If "Flare Effect" or "Aqua Effect" or "Electric Effect" has added {R} or {W} or {L} to my {G} Ariados' type, when I use its "Poisonous Nest" Ability to poison all Active Pokemon except {G} type, is Ariados poisoned or not?
A. Ariados is not poisoned, because it is still {G} type. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Golurk's "Double Type" ability which says "As long as this Pokemon is in play it is both {P} and {F} type" block Flareon's "Flare Effect" ability or Vaporeon's "Aqua Effect" ability or Jolteon's "Electric Effect" ability which adds {R} or {W} or {L} to any stage 1 Pokemon?
A. No. Golurk would have all 5 types if all of those Abilities were present. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does a BREAK Evolved Pokemon such as Raichu BREAK or Marowak BREAK still have access to the type changes from Flareon's "Flare Effect" ability or Vaporeon's "Aqua Effect" ability or Jolteon's "Electric Effect" ability? Or do those Abilities no longer apply after the Stage 1 Pokemon becomes a BREAK Evolved Pokemon?
A. Pokemon BREAK are their own classification, so they are not considered Stage 1 Pokemon. Although BREAK Evolved Pokemon share many of the traits of the Pokemon it evolves from, it is no longer a Pokemon of the previous stage it evolved from. Since it is no longer a Stage 1 Pokemon, the Flareon's/Vaporeon's/Jolteon's abilities do not apply. (Oct 29, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Battery (Charjabug - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I use Charjabug's "Battery" ability, is that an extra Energy card attachment or does it count as my one attachment for the turn?
A. It is an extra Energy attachment. You still get to attach one other Energy card as your normal attachment for the turn. (May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Would Honchkrow GX's "Ruler of the Night" Ability prevent me from using Charjabug's "Battery" Ability to attach it to Vikavolt as an Energy card?
A. Yes it would prevent that because Charjabug would be a Special Energy card being played from your hand. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Bench Barrier (Mr.Mime - Generations) copied!
Q. Can a Pokemon with an attack that does damage to the opponent's Bench get through Mr. Mime's "Bench Barrier" Ability if the Attacking Pokemon has Stealthy Hood attached?
A. No, it does not get through. The Bench Barrier Ability is not "being done" to the Attacking Pokemon. (May 30, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Bide Barricade (Wobbuffet - Phantom Forces) copied!
Q. What happens if Kecleon with "Color Change" and Wobbuffet with "Bide Barricade" end up as Active Pokemon opposite each other? Does Kecleon change to Psychic, or does Wobbuffet shut off its power and Kecleon stays Colorless?
A. If Kecleon starts out as Psychic and then Wobbuffet becomes Active, Kecleon stays Psychic. But if Wobbuffet is Active first, or if they both become Active at the same time (including as the starting Pokemon), then Kecleon stays Colorless. (Dec 4, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If a Pokemon with an Ability also has the "Theta Stop" Ancient Trait, would it prevent Wobbuffet's "Bide Barricade" from stopping that Ability?
A. Yes it would because Bide Barricade is an effect that is targeting the Pokemon, so Theta Stop would prevent Bide Barricade from blocking the Pokemon's Ability. (Sep 3, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Yveltal with "Fright Night" Ability knocks out Wobbuffet with the "Bide Barricade" Ability which was turning "Fright Night" off. Does Exp. Share on the Benched Pokemon behind Wobbuffet work?
A. Yes, since Wobbuffet was not yet in the Discard Pile, Fright Night remains off and Exp. Share works. (Apr 20, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say I have Slaking with "Lazy" as my Active Pokemon and my opponent has Wobbuffet with "Bide Barricade" as their Active Pokemon; also my opponent has Garbodor on the Bench and currently "Garbotoxin" is disabling all other Abilities. If I play Field Blower to discard the Pokemon Tool from Garbodor so "Garbotoxin" is no longer in effect, does my "Lazy" or my opponent's "Bide Barricade" go into effect first?
A. In this scenario Lazy activates first. If Abilities activate at the same time, Abilities of the player whose turn it is activate first; therefore, Slaking's Ability activates first, since it's the player with Slaking's turn. (Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When Braviary uses its "Big Wing" Ability, who chooses which of the opponent's Benched Pokemon get brought forward?
A. The ability says "have your opponent switch..." so the opponent gets to choose. (Plasma Storm FAQ; Feb 7, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Using Lanturn's "Blinking Lights" Ability, may I repeatedly look at the top card of my opponent's deck, even if the deck has not changed?
A. Yes, as long as it does not waste time or interfere with your opponent's play. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my Active Pokemon is Snorlax with the "Block" Ability, what happens to my opponent's Active Pokemon if I play Escape Rope?
A. Escape Rope causes the Pokemon to switch, but Block only prevents Retreating. The opponent switches their Active Pokemon when Escape Rope is played. (Plasma Storm FAQ; Feb 7, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent's Active Pokemon is Snorlax with the "Block" Ability, what happens to my Active Pokemon if I play Scramble Switch?
A. Scramble Switch causes your Pokemon to switch, but Block only prevents Retreating. You can switch your Active Pokemon when Scramble Switch is played. (Plasma Storm FAQ; Feb 7, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Lycanroc-GX's "Bloodthirsty Eyes to target an opponent?s Pokemon with Stealthy Hood attached?
A. Bloodthirsty Eyes can target a Benched Pokemon with Stealthy Hood attached, but its effect would be immediately blocked. However, if the Pokemon with Stealthy Hood is Active, Bloodthirsty Eyes can target a Benched Pokemon without a Stealthy Hood and the switch would take place. (May 30, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Blow-Away Bomb (Koffing - Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
Q. When I use Roxie to discard two Pokemon that each have the "Blow-Away Bomb" Ability, do those abilities stack so I can place two damage counters on each of my opponent's Pokemon?
A. Yes, each of the Pokemon gets to use their own "Blow-Away Bomb" Ability when discarded by Roxie. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Bodyguard (Marowak - Fates Collide) copied!
Q. If Marowak's "Bodyguard" ability is in effect, preventing the effects of attacks on me and my hand, does Greninja's "Shadow Stitching" attack turn off abilities of Pokemon in my hand or not?
A. Shadow Stitching turns off the Bodyguard ability, so until the end of your next turn none of your Pokemon will have Abilities. (May 5, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I used Volcanion EX's "Volcanic Heat" attack last turn, then on this turn I play Marowak and use its "Bodyguard" ability that says to "remove any existing effects", does that mean I can use Volcanion EX's "Volcanic Heat" attack on this turn?
A. Sorry, but no. You can only remove effects that were done by your opponent's Pokemon, not effects done by your own Pokemon. (Dec 8, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Marowak's "Bodyguard" Ability prevent me from revealing my hand from an opponent's Trevenant's "Poltergeist" attack?
A. Yes, it does. (May 18, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Bright Down (Latias EX - Plasma Freeze) copied!
Q. My active Arbok uses its "Gastro Acid" attack against Weezing with the "Aftermath" Ability. Then on my opponent's turn he uses Weezing's "Smogbank" attack to do 20 damage to each of my Pokemon. If I have Latias-EX with the "Bright Down" Ability on my bench, would it take damage or not?
A. Since Weezing has no Abilities due to Arbok's attack, it would do 20 damage to Latias-EX. (May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I use Ninetales' "Bright Look" Ability, which player chooses which Pokemon becomes active?
A. The player using the ability chooses which of his or her opponent's Pokemon becomes active. (Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Bright Veil copied!
Q. If my Active Pokemon is Togekiss with the "Bright Veil" Ability, do I bring up one of my benched Pokemon when my opponent plays an Escape Rope?
A. No. Bright Veil prevents your part of the "Each player switches his or her Active Pokemon" part of Escape Rope, so your Active Pokemon stays put and you can't bring up a benched Pokemon. However, your opponent does switch. (Plasma Storm FAQ; Feb 7, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have an opponent's Pokemon Tool F card attached to my Pokemon-EX, does its effect stop working if I evolve into Togekiss with the "Bright Veil" ability and make it my Active Pokemon?
A. Bright Veil only affects the play of an Item. That means the act of playing it. If it is already in play, enabling Bright Veil has no impact on it. It will stay in play and keep doing what it is doing. (Nov 20, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent has Togekiss with the "Bright Veil" ability Active, does that prevent me from attaching Pokemon Tool F cards like Jamming Net or Head Ringer to their Pokemon?
A. No, Bright Veil does not prevent you from attaching the Pokemon Tool F card to your opponent. (Nov 20, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Burning Road (Arcanine - Evolutions) copied!
Q. Can I use Arcanine's "Burning Road" Ability any time during my turn, or do I have to use it the moment Arcanine becomes Active?
A. As soon as Arcanine goes from the Bench to become Active you must choose immediately whether you're going to use Burning Road or not; you cannot delay the action until later in the turn. If you choose not to use Burning Road at that time, you could use it later if Arcanine somehow goes back to the Bench and becomes Active again. Also, if you use an attack like Growlithe's "Hind Kick" and Arcanine becomes Active, you could use Burning Road if you haven't already used it that turn. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Heatran GX's "Burning Road" Ability work if it becomes your Active Pokemon as a result of an attack like Archeops' "U-turn"?
A. As long as Heatran GX becomes your Active Pokemon during YOUR turn, it can use Burning Road. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I evolve my Shroomish into Breloom (which has the Spore attack), can I use Amoonguss's "Bursting Spores" Ability?
A. Yes, because you have played a Pokemon that has the Spore attack from your hand during your turn. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Busybody copied!
Q. Can you use Audino's "Busybody" Ability if there is no damage and no Special Conditions on your Active Pokemon?
A. No, you cannot. You have to heal something in order to use Busybody. (Nov 1, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Buzzap Thunder (Electrode - Evolutions) copied!
* Due to an error in the card text for Electrode's "Buzzap Thunder" Ability, the text on this card will be changed. The original text for this Ability says, "Once during your turn (before your attack), you may Knock Out this Pokémon and attach it to one of your Lightning-type Pokémon as a Special Energy card. This card provides 2 Lightning Energy only while this card is attached to a Lightning-type Pokémon." The original intention of this Ability was for Electrode to provide 2 Lightning Energy as long as it's attached to any Pokémon, not just a Lightning-type Pokémon. The new text will say, "Once during your turn (before your attack), you may Knock Out this Pokémon and attach it to one of your Lightning-type Pokémon as a Special Energy card. This card provides 2 Lightning Energy only while this card is attached to a Pokémon." Effective immediately, Electrode's Buzzap Thunder Ability will use this updated text instead of the original text. (Jan 19, 2017 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Calming Aroma (Florges - BREAKthrough) copied!
Q. If I have Florges with "Calming Aroma" in play my attacks cost one Fairy Energy less. So I think I can use Zygarde's "Core Enforcer" attack without a Fairy energy attached, but what about the part of the attack that says to discard one Dark and one Fairy energy from this Pokemon?
A. You do as much of the attack text as you can, which in your situation means simply discarding one Dark energy. (Sep 21, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Mawile GX's "Captivating Wink" Ability says to put any number of Basic Pokemon you find in your opponent's hand onto their Bench. Does this allow you to put more than 5 Pokemon on the bench?
A. No, Captivating Wink does not allow you to exceed the normal limits of the game. You can put any number of Basic Pokemon onto your opponent's Bench up to the maximum size of the Bench. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Mawile GX's "Captivating Wink" Ability if your opponent's Bench is full?
A. No. It's public knowledge that you can't put down any additional Basic Pokemon on your opponent's Bench, so you cannot use the Ability. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Mawile GX's "Captivating Wink" Ability to put Pokemon onto my opponent's Bench, are they allowed to evolve those Pokemon on their next turn since they just came into play?
A. Yes, as long as it's not the opponent's first turn of the game they can evolve those Pokemon if they are able to do so. It is a basic game rule that neither player can normally evolve any Pokemon on their first turn of the game, even if they are going second. (Mar 12, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I use Steelix's "Gigaton Shake" attack, and then my opponent uses Mawile GX's "Captivating Wink" Ability during their turn? Would those Pokemon I put into play be able to attack on my next turn (since it was not during MY turn)?
A. No, they would not be able to attack. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I put Shedinja onto my bench using Ninjask's "Cast-off Shell" Ability, can Eviolite help protect it from damage?
A. No, because Shedinja is not a "Basic Pokemon"; it is an unevolved Stage-1 Pokemon. (Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If an opponent's evolved Pokemon is Knocked Out while Gengar is Active, does the "Catastrophe" Poke-BODY put all of the evolution stage cards and Basic Pokemon card in the Lost Zone, or just the highest stage Evolution card?
A. The evolved Pokemon and any of its pre-evolved stages and Lv.X cards go to the Lost Zone, and all attached Energy, Tools, etc. go to the Discard Pile. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If my Active Pokemon does an attack that Knocks Out an opponent's Pokemon, but also switches my Active Pokemon to the Bench, would the Knocked Out Pokemon go to the Lost Zone if I bring up Gengar with the "Castastrophe" Poke-BODY?
A. Yes. Gengar is active at the end of the attack when Knock Out conditions are evaluated. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I use an attack that Knocks Out a defending Gengar with the "Castastrophe" Poke-BODY, but it also knocks itself out, does the attacking Pokemon go to the Lost Zone, or is "Catastrophe" no longer in effect when Gengar is KO'd?
A. Since both Pokemon are KO'd at the same time, Gengar's Catastrophe Poke-BODY is still working at the point when Knock Outs are evaluated. So the attacking Pokemon would go to the Lost Zone. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When I use Shaymin's "Celebration Wind" Poke-POWER, can I move my energy cards in play around to any and all of my Pokemon that I want, or just to one Pokemon?
A. You can move the energy cards from more than one Pokemon and move them to more than one Pokemon, as desired. However, once you have taken another action, like playing a Pokemon card onto your bench, attaching an energy card from your hand, retreating your Active Pokemon, etc. you can no longer move any energy cards around. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Charmed Charm (Tapu Lele - Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. Can you choose to not Confuse your opponent's active Pokemon if you attach Fairy Charm to a Tapu Lele that has the "Charmed Charm" Ability?
A. Yes, it is optional. (Lost Thunder FAQ; Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Clear Humming (Altaria - Roaring Skies) copied!
Q. Altaria has a printed weakness to Lightning, but it also has the "Clear Humming" Ability which creates an effect that gives it no weakness. What happens if it is attacked by Zebstrika with the "Zap Zone" Ability which makes its attack's damage ignore effects on the defending Pokemon? When Zebstrika attacks Altaria, is the damage altered by weakness or not?
A. Zap Zone refers to "any effects on your opponent's Active Pokemon", but the term "any effects" does not include effects that alter Weakness or Resistance. So in this case Zebstrika's attack will NOT be increased for Weakness, due to Clear Humming. (Mar 24, 2016 TPCi Rules Team; May 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Changes Announcement; May 18, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Color Change (Kecleon - Plasma Freeze) copied!
Q. What happens if Kecleon with "Color Change" and Wobbuffet with "Bide Barricade" end up as Active Pokemon opposite each other? Does Kecleon change to Psychic, or does Wobbuffet shut off its power and Kecleon stays Colorless?
A. If Kecleon starts out as Psychic and then Wobbuffet becomes Active, Kecleon stays Psychic. But if Wobbuffet is Active first, or if they both become Active at the same time (including as the starting Pokemon), then Kecleon stays Colorless. (Dec 4, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
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)
Q. If Pachirisu's "Self-Generation" Poke-POWER is used to attach two Lightning Energy to Pachirisu, and the opponent has 4 Ampharos Primes with "Conductivity" in play, what is the result?
A. Pachirisu would be have 8 damage counters placed on it due to Conductivity. (Jun 9, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
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)
Crazy Code (Porygon-Z - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I have Porygon-Z with "Crazy Code", but my opponent has Honchkrow GX with "Ruler of the Night" active, which Ability takes precedence?
A. Even though you're using an Ability to attach the Special Energy card, Honchkrow GX's Ability prevents you from playing it from your hand. (Jun 6, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
* Unknown's "CURE" Poke-POWER should read, "Once during your turn, when you put Unown from your hand onto your Bench, you may remove all Special Conditions from your Active Pokémon." Use of this Poke-POWER is optional. (Apr 11, 2011 TPCi Announcements; May 5, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Cursed Shadow copied!
Q. When using Chandelure's "Cursed Shadow" ability, can I place more damage counters onto a Pokemon than it takes to knock it out?
A. Yes, you can. (Dec 8, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When using Chandelure's "Cursed Shadow" ability, if I place one damage counter and KO a Pokemon, would all the normal KO procedures (take a prize, opponent promotes, etc.) occur before or after you place the remaining two damage counters?
A. Each action must be completed before you move on to another action. In this case, placing a damage counter is not the action; the action is the triggering and use of the Cursed Shadow Ability. So you must place all three damage counters and then check for any Pokemon that are KO'd. (Dec 8, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Reuniclus' "Damage Swap" ability to move all of my damage counters onto one Pokemon and then knock it out?
A. You can only move one damage counter at a time with Damage Swap (even though you can re-use the ability many times), so as soon as the number of damage counters on the Pokemon equals its HP, it would be KO'd immediately. In other words, you cannot move ten damage counters onto a Pokemon with only 50 HP and then knock it out. (Black & White FAQ; Apr 28, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Dance of the Ancients (Tapu Koko {*} - Team Up) copied!
Q. If I have Tapu Koko {*} and only one other Pokemon on the bench, can I use "Dance of the Ancients" to put 2 {L} Energy on that one other Benched Pokemon?
A. No, in this case, you can put only one {L} Energy on that Benched Pokemon. The second {L} Energy would have to go onto Tapu Koko {*}, but then gets discarded immediately anyway when Tapu Koko {*} goes to the Lost Zone. (Team Up FAQ; Jan 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I only have one {L} Energy in my discard pile, can I use Tapu Koko {*}'s "Dance of the Ancients" Ability to put it on one of my Benched Pokemon?
A. Yes, you would do as much as you can. (Team Up FAQ; Jan 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Dance of Tribute (Oricorio GX - Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
Q. If my Lillie's Poke Doll was Knocked Out by my opponent, can I use Oricorio GX's "Dance of Tribute" Ability?
A. Yes, even though they didn't take a prize, Lillie's Poke Doll was still considered a Knock Out of one of your Pokemon. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Dark Ambition (Absol - Team Up) copied!
Q. Does the extra Retreat cost placed by Absol's "Dark Ambition" Ability increase the damage done by Absol's "Shadow Seeker" attack?
A. Yes it does. (Team Up FAQ; Jan 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Dark Asset (Crobat V - Darkness Ablaze) copied!
Q. If I play Crobat V to the bench and use its "Dark Asset" Ability, can I use Super Scoop Up to bring it back to my hand then put it down to use "Dark Asset" again on the same turn?
A. Sorry, but the ability says that you may use ONLY ONE Dark Asset per turn, this applies regardless of whether any other Pokemon have used it. (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Hydreigon's "Dark Aura" Ability override the original type of attached energy, or is it in addition to the energy's original type?
A. Dark Aura replaces the attached energy's original type or types with Darkness type. In other words, a Fire Energy card no longer provides fire energy when Dark Aura affects it. (Noble Victories FAQ; Nov 17, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. What happens to Rainbow Energy when it's attached to Hydreigon? Does "Dark Aura" Ability change it to ONLY produce Darkness Energy rather than all energy types simultaneously?
A. Since Dark Aura replaces the attached energy's original types with Darkness type, Rainbow Energy would lose its effect to produce all types of energy while Dark Aura is in effect. However, Rainbow Energy is still considered a "Special Energy Card" in this situation. (Noble Victories FAQ; Nov 17, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Dark Invitation (Dusknoir - Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. Can you use Dusknoir's "Dark Invitation" Ability if your opponent's Bench is full?
A. No, you may not. It's public knowledge that you can't put down any additional Basic Pokemon on your opponent's Bench, so you cannot use the Ability. (Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Dark Shade copied!
Q. Is Umbreon's "Dark Shade" Ability stackable?
A. Yes, it is. Your Team Plasma Pokemon get +20 HP per each Pokemon with the Dark Shade Ability you have in play. (Plasma Freeze FAQ; May 16, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Rhyperior V's "Drill Run" attack against a Darkrai with "Darkness Guard" Ability and only one Darkness Energy card attached, does Darkrai take 20 less damage before discarding the Darkness Energy or is the energy card discarded before the damage is reduced?
A. If an attack discards energy from the Defending Pokemon, the damage reduction happens first and then apply any attack effects. (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I try to use Chandelure's "Shady Move" Ability to move a damage counter from my Pokemon to one of my opponent's Pokemon while they have a Machoke with "Daunting Pose" Ability in play? And what happens if I try to move one of my opponent's damage counters from one Pokemon to one of their Benched Pokemon.
A. In both cases Shady Move would remove the damage counter from the first Pokemon, but the second Pokemon would not receive it because it is protected by Daunting Pose. If you try to move damage *to* something that blocks effects, the damage disappears; if you try to move damage *from* something that blocks effects, the damage stays there. But Daunting Pose only prevents putting damage counters ON your Benched Pokemon; it does not prevent taking damage counters OFF your Pokemon. (Guardians Rising FAQ; May 4, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Machoke's "Daunting Pose" Ability prevent my opponent's Decidueye GX's "Feather Arrow" Ability from placing damage counters on my benched Pokemon?
A. Yes it does. Decidueye GX can still use the ability against one of your benched Pokemon, but placing any damage counters would be blocked. (Jun 1, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Dedechange (Dedenne - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. For Dedenne's "Dedechange" Ability, can I use it if I have no hand to discard?
A. Yes, you can. A hand of zero cards is still a hand, so you would discard nothing and then draw six cards. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you use the "Dedechange" Ability when you play Dedenne GX from your hand while Power Plant is in play?
A. No, you cannot. Dedechange does not activate until Dedenne GX is on the Bench, at which time it is considered "in play" and therefore blocked by Power Plant. (Aug 22, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Delta Evolution (Roaring Skies) copied!
Q. Can I discard a Pokemon with the "Delta Evolution" Ancient Trait to evolve ANY Pokemon in play?
A. No, that's not how it works. You can only play the Pokemon with the Delta Evolution Ancient Trait on top of a Pokemon it can normally evolve from. (Roaring Skies FAQ; May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Rare Candy to evolve a Basic Pokemon into a Stage 2 Pokemon with the "Delta Evolution" Ancient Trait on my first turn or on the Basic Pokemon's first turn in play?
A. No, you may not. (Roaring Skies FAQ; May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Destiny Burst (Voltorb - XY) copied!
Q. If Voltorb is attacked by Blastoise EX's "Rapid Spin" which pushes it to the Bench after doing damage, do you still flip for Voltorb's "Destiny Burst" Ability or not?
A. Yes. Destiny Burst checks for two things: Voltorb was damaged by an attack while it was your Active Pokemon, and Voltorb was Knocked Out by that attack. So even though you don't check for a KO until the attack is completed, the criteria for using Destiny Burst has been met, so it can be used. This holds true for any similar Ability that triggers when the Pokemon is Active and gets damaged by an attack. (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team; Aug 9, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Detention Gas (Weezing - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If Weezing has 10 HP left and is Poisoned, would it be Knocked Out before its "Detention Gas" Ability takes place?
A. No. Even if a Pokemon receives more damage counters from Special Conditions, Abilities, etc. than its remaining HP, that Pokemon isn't Knocked Out until "between turns" is over. (Jun 6, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. My Active Pokemon got Knocked Out between turns because it was poisoned and Weezing now becomes the Active Pokemon; does its "Detention Gas" Ability work?
A. No, because you wouldn't replace your KO'd Pokemon until the between turn phase is over. When Weezing comes up, it's too late for Detention Gas at that time. (Jun 6, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Distortion Door (Giratina - Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. How does Slaking's "Lazy" Ability or any other form of Ability denial that only applies to Pokemon "in play" interact with Abilities like Giratina's "Distortion Door" Ability that puts a Pokemon card from the discard pile onto your bench?
A. Since Distortion Door happens when Giratina is not in play, you can use it to put Giratina onto the bench regardless of Lazy or other similar Abilities. You also get to put the damage counters onto your opponent's benched Pokemon too, because you must complete the action of Distortion Door prior to it being shutoff due to Lazy. (Nov 15, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Diving Draw copied!
Q. Can I use Empoleon's "Diving Draw" Ability if I have no cards left in my deck, and just discard a card from my hand?
A. Yes, you can. The first sentence of Diving Draw says to discard a card from your hand. Then if you can do that, you do as much of the rest of the Ability as you can, which in this case is draw no cards. (Oct 4, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Double Type (Golurk - Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. Does Golurk's "Double Type" ability which says "As long as this Pokemon is in play it is both {P} and {F} type" block Flareon's "Flare Effect" ability or Vaporeon's "Aqua Effect" ability or Jolteon's "Electric Effect" ability which adds {R} or {W} or {L} to any stage 1 Pokemon?
A. No. Golurk would have all 5 types if all of those Abilities were present. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Drifblim's "Drifting Balloon" Ability affect the attacks from the Drifloon beneath it when Celebi EX with "Time Recall" is in play?
A. Yes, the attacks used from Drifloon will cost one less energy for each of the opponent's Team Plasma Pokemon in play. (May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Dual Armor (Lucario - Plasma Storm) copied!
Q. Can I attach a Shield Energy to Lucario with the "Dual Armor" Ability?
A. It depends on when the Shield Energy is being attached. If Lucario already has a Metal Energy attached to it Dual Armor makes Lucario both Fighting & Metal types, so you CAN attach Shield Energy at that point. However, if Lucario does not already have a Metal Energy attached or if its Dual Armor ability has been shut off, then you CANNOT attach a Shield Energy to Lucario. (Feb 25, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Lucario with "Dual Armor" Ability has one Basic Metal and one Shield Energy attached, what happens if the Basic Metal Energy card is removed? Does Lucario remain a Metal type or would I have to discard the Shield Energy?
A. Once Lucario gains Metal typing due to Dual Armor it stays that way as long as a Metal Energy is attached. And Shield Energy provides a Metal Energy as long as it is attached to a Metal type Pokemon. So if only the Shield Energy remains, Lucario stays Metal type and the Shield Energy remains attached. (Feb 25, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Dual Brains copied!
Q. If I have two Magnezones in play with the "Dual Brains" Ability, does that mean I can play 4 Supporters during my turn?
A. No, you cannot. Dual Brains says you may play 2 Supporters, period; it doesn't say "an extra supporter" for each Magnezone. (Plasma Storm FAQ; Feb 7, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Durable Blade (Aegislash - Unified Minds) copied!
Q. If Aegislash with the "Durable Blade" Ability is Knocked Out by damage from my opponent's attack, do I put its underlying Doublade and/or Honedge cards into my hand or into the Discard Pile?
A. You put all the Pokemon in the evolution line into your hand. Any other cards attached such as Tools or Energy are discarded. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Electric Effect (Jolteon - Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. If Flareon's "Flare Effect" ability or Vaporeon's "Aqua Effect" ability or Jolteon's "Electric Effect" ability adds Fire or Water or Electric type to a Darkness Type Pokemon, does Dangerous Energy get discarded since it says, "If this card is attached to anything other than a {D} Pokemon, discard this card"?
A. No, it is not discarded. Even with the addition of another type to the Darkness Pokemon it is still also a Darkness Pokemon. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If "Flare Effect" or "Aqua Effect" or "Electric Effect" has added {R} or {W} or {L} to my {G} Ariados' type, when I use its "Poisonous Nest" Ability to poison all Active Pokemon except {G} type, is Ariados poisoned or not?
A. Ariados is not poisoned, because it is still {G} type. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Golurk's "Double Type" ability which says "As long as this Pokemon is in play it is both {P} and {F} type" block Flareon's "Flare Effect" ability or Vaporeon's "Aqua Effect" ability or Jolteon's "Electric Effect" ability which adds {R} or {W} or {L} to any stage 1 Pokemon?
A. No. Golurk would have all 5 types if all of those Abilities were present. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does a BREAK Evolved Pokemon such as Raichu BREAK or Marowak BREAK still have access to the type changes from Flareon's "Flare Effect" ability or Vaporeon's "Aqua Effect" ability or Jolteon's "Electric Effect" ability? Or do those Abilities no longer apply after the Stage 1 Pokemon becomes a BREAK Evolved Pokemon?
A. Pokemon BREAK are their own classification, so they are not considered Stage 1 Pokemon. Although BREAK Evolved Pokemon share many of the traits of the Pokemon it evolves from, it is no longer a Pokemon of the previous stage it evolved from. Since it is no longer a Stage 1 Pokemon, the Flareon's/Vaporeon's/Jolteon's abilities do not apply. (Oct 29, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Electromagnetic Wall copied!
Q. Would the two Basic energy cards attached by Terrakion EX's "Pump-up Smash" attack trigger Ampharos' "Electromagnetic Wall" Ability twice or only once (or not at all)?
A. Any energies attached from the hand would trigger Electromagnetic Wall, once for each energy card being attached. (Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent has Ampharos with "Electromagnetic Wall" in play, when I attach a Double Colorless Energy to one of my Pokemon, do I place 3 or 6 damage counters?
A. You place 3 because there was only one attachment, even though the attachment provided multiple energies. (Sep 13, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Would Emboar's "Inferno Fandango" Ability trigger Ampharos' "Electromagnetic Wall" Ability? Or does "Electromagnetic Wall" only apply to the opponent's normal once-per-turn energy attachment?
A. Any energies attached from the hand would trigger Electromagnetic Wall, regardless of whether they're attached due to an Ability or the normal once-per-turn energy attachment. (Sep 13, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Elusive Master (Greninja GX - Promo) copied!
Q. Can you use Greninja GX's "Elusive Master" Ability while Power Plant is in play?
A. Yes, you can. You get to put Greninja GX onto your bench AND draw three cards because Elusive Master activates while it is in your hand before it comes into play, and therefore is not blocked by Power Plant. (Aug 22, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Emerge (Metapod - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I use Caterpie's "Pupate" Poke-POWER to successfully evolve into Metapod, can I then immediately use Metapod's "Emerge" Poke-POWER to attempt to evolve into Butterfree, all on the same turn?
A. Yes, you can. (Feb 21, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Caterpie's "Pupate" Ability or Metapod's "Emerge" Ability on the first turn of the game or the turn that the Pokemon came into play?
A. Yes. There is no restriction on the Ability. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Garbodor's "Garbotoxin" is present when Shedinja with the "Empty Shell" Ability is KO'd, do you take a prize?
A. Yes, Empty Shell is turned off by Garbotoxin. (Jun 23, 2005 PUI Rules Team; BW:Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Would Giratina EX's "Shred" attack allow my opponent to knock out my Shednija (with "Empty Shell") and take a prize since the attack says its not affected by any effects on the Defending Pokemon?
A. The damage done by Shred is not affected by Empty Shell, but that has nothing to do with whether you take a prize or not. You still get no prize because of "Empty Shell". (Jan 12, 2006 PUI Rules Team; BW:Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Energy Evolution (Eevee - Furious Fists) copied!
Q. For Eevee, can you attach an energy and use its "Energy Evolution" ability and evolve on your first turn? How about on Eevee's first turn in play?
A. Yes. You can evolve on your first turn and also on the turn that you played Eevee via this Ability. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Will Eevee's "Energy Evolution" ability still trigger if it has an Energy attached to it while it's affected by a Special Condition?
A. There is no text on the card to say it's shut off, so it still works even when afflicted by a Special Condition. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I attach a Rainbow Energy to Eevee, what Energy type does it count as for "Energy Evolution"?
A. Rainbow Energy is not a Basic Energy card. It will not trigger the Ability. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I attach a Fighting Energy type to Eevee?
A. You still get to search your deck even though you would not be able to find a suitable evolution card. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say I attach a Water Energy to Eevee and do "Energy Evolution". I want to find a Glaceon but unfortunately I only have a Vaporeon in my deck. Do I have to attach the Vaporeon to Eevee?
A. No. Any search for a specific card or type of card in your deck can be "failed" at your option. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I attach a Basic Energy to Eevee and trigger its "Energy Evolution" ability but choose an evolution belonging to Team Plasma, would I take the damage from Frozen City stadium or not?
A. The mandatory effect of the Frozen City stadium comes before the optional effect of Energy Evolution. If the Eevee is not a Team Plasma Pokemon before choosing whether to use Energy Evolution, you would take the damage from Frozen City. (Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Eevee only has 10hp left and Frozen City is in play, would it be KO'd before I have a chance to use its "Energy Evolution" ability by attaching a Basic Energy?
A. No, it would not. All triggered effects have to be resolved before checking for KO's, so you would take the +10 damage for Frozen City first, then use Energy Evolution to search your deck. Of course, if you fail the search and Eevee's damage is greater than or equal to its HP, then Eevee is KO'd. (Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Energy Grace (Milotic - Flashfire) copied!
* The correct order for Milotic's "Energy Grace" Ability should be this:
1) Attach 3 basic Energy cards from your discard pile to 1 of your Pokemon (excluding Pokemon-EX)
2) Milotic is Knocked Out
That means you cannot use "Energy Grace" if you have no basic Energy in your discard pile, and you can't use "Energy Grace" to get back any Energy that are attached to Milotic. (Mar 8, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
* Three cards have been added to the list of errata for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. [...] The text below reflects what the card should say, not what was originally printed. "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. (May 6, 2010 PUI Rules Team; May 7, 2010 TPCi TCG Errata Update)
Q. What happens if I attach a Rainbow Energy to Roserade with the "Energy Signal" Poke-POWER? Do I get to use both effects?
A. If the Energy card you attached provides all types (for example, Rainbow Energy), then both effects would trigger. Energy Signal would both Confuse and Poison the Defending Pokemon. (Sep 30, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Energy Thunder (Electrode - Evolutions) copied!
Q. Can I use Electrode's "Energy Thunder" Ability when I have no other {L} Pokemon in play?
A. No, you cannot. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can Venusaur put other energies on Fire Pokémon?
A. Only other grass energy. (May 11, 2000 WotC Chat, Q13)
Q. If Porygon2 has changed a Grass energy to Lightning, would it be fair to say that Venusaur could not Energy Trans it (for the rest of the turn)?
A. Correct. (Jan 17, 2002 WotC Chat, Q1384)
Q. Can you "Energy Trans" or "Dark Trance" a Rainbow Energy, Multi Energy, or any other special energy cards?
A. As long as they are providing the proper energy type and don't violate any other restrictions written on the card, then yes you may. (May 6, 2004 PUI Rules Team; Nov 17, 2005 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I have less than 7 cards remaining in my deck, can I use Electrode's "Energymite" Poke-POWER or not?
A. Yes, you can use Energymite even if there are zero cards left in your deck. (Jan 5, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Eternal Zone (Eternatus VMAX - Darkness Ablaze) copied!
Q. If you have 2 Darkness Pokemon on the bench and an Eternatus VMAX with the "Eternal Zone" Ability, can you play a non-Darkness Pokemon onto your bench?
A. No, you cannot put any non-Darkness type Pokemon into play. This includes things that would put Darkness type Pokemon directly into play, not just playing them from your hand! (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If you have 8 Darkness Pokemon on your bench including a Weavile, and you devolve it into a Water type Sneasel, can you discard just the Sneasel and stop, or do you have to continue discarding benched Pokemon down to 5?
A. Once you begin discarding Pokemon you must complete the full action of getting down to 5 benched Pokemon, even if you don't have any non-Darkness Pokemon on your bench any more. (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have an Eternatus VMAX with "Eternal Zone" Ability and less than 8 Pokemon (all Darkness type) on my bench, can I use Giratina's "Distortion Door" Ability to put it from the discard pile onto my bench and use its effect before it is discarded?
A. No, you cannot even put it onto your bench because it is a non-Darkness Pokemon. (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can a dual-type Pokemon like Bisharp from Steam Siege (being both a Darkness type and Metal type) be played onto the bench while Eternatus VMAX's "Eternal Zone" ability is on?
A. Yes, as long as the Pokemon is Darkness type it can be played onto the bench. (Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Eternatus VMAX with "Eternal Zone" Ability in play and I use Devolution Spray Z to devolve one of my benched Darkness type Pokemon to a non-Darkness type Pokemon with enough damage already on the devolved Pokemon to knock it out, is it KO'd before having to reduce my Bench down to 5 Pokemon, or if I discard it to reduce my bench is it not KO'd?
A. You would discard your Bench down to 5 first, then check for a KO. That means you could discard the newly devolved Pokemon to avoid a KO, even if Eternatus VMAX is the one being devolved! (Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Eternatus VMAX with "Eternal Zone" Ability in play and my opponent uses Celebi's "Time Spiral" attack to devolve one of my benched Darkness type Pokemon to a non-Darkness type Pokemon with enough damage already on the devolved Pokemon to knock it out, is it KO'd before having to reduce my Bench down to 5 Pokemon, or if I discard it to reduce my bench is it not KO'd?
A. You would discard your Bench down to 5 first, then check for a KO. That means you could discard the newly devolved Pokemon to avoid a KO, even if Eternatus VMAX is the one being devolved! (Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Devolution Spray Z to devolve Eternatus VMAX with "Eternal Zone" Ability with enough damage already on the devolved Eternatus V to knock it out, is it KO'd before having to reduce my Bench down to 5 Pokemon, or if I discard it to reduce my bench is it not KO'd?
A. Well if the Eternatus VMAX is active it would get KO'd after reducing the Bench, but if the devolved Eternatus V is on the bench you could discard it as part of the bench reduction to avoid a KO. (Aug 20, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my only Eternatus VMAX with "Eternal Zone" Ability is Active and gets KO'd, do I reduce my bench size down to 5 Pokemon before or after promoting one to the Active Slot?
A. You discard down to 5 Benched Pokemon before promoting a new Active Pokemon in this scenario. (Aug 20, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Shinx have to be in play at the beginning of the turn in order to use its "Evolutionary Advantage" Ability?
A. It doesn't matter whether it was already in play or not, as long as it's during "the first turn of the person going second". (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Evoshock (Raichu - Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. If I use Raichu's "Evoshock" Ability to paralyze my opponent's Active Pokemon, does the Paralyzed status condition get removed if my opponent attaches a Stealthy Hood to that Pokemon on their next turn?
A. The Evoshock Ability's effect is to Paralyze the opponent's Pokemon; once that Special Condition has been placed it is no longer considered an effect of the Ability at the time your opponent attaches the Stealthy Hood. Therefore, your opponent's Pokemon remains Paralyzed. (Jun 6, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Extend (Metagross - Celestial Storm) copied!
Q. If you move Metagross with the "Extend" Ability to your bench after playing Steven's Resolve, will your turn immediately end?
A. No, Extend only prevents your turn from ending as a result of playing Steven's Resolve, after which your turn simply continues as normal. (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Farewell Letter (Unown - Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. Can I play Unown onto my bench, activate its "Farewell Letter" ability to discard it, and then use Revive to put it back onto the bench and use "Farewell Letter" again?
A. Yes, you can. (Dec 3, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Unown's "Farewell Letter" Ability to discard it from my bench if there are no cards left in my deck to draw from?
A. No, you cannot. The order of operations for Farewell Letter should be to draw a card first, then discard Unown. If you are unable to draw a card, then you cannot discard the Unown. (Mar 28, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Feather Arrow (Decidueye GX - Sun & Moon) copied!
Q. Does Machoke's "Daunting Pose" Ability prevent my opponent's Decidueye GX's "Feather Arrow" Ability from placing damage counters on my benched Pokemon?
A. Yes it does. Decidueye GX can still use the ability against one of your benched Pokemon, but placing any damage counters would be blocked. (Jun 1, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I attach a Rainbow Energy to Shuckle with "Fermenting Liquid" Poke-BODY that has 5 damage counters on it, would it be knocked out prior to its Poke-BODY being applied or would I get to draw the card before it's knocked out?
A. It is a Poke-BODY that is automatically triggered, so you would get to draw the card. (Mar 15, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Field Runner (Cinderace V - Rebel Clash) copied!
Q. What happens if Cinderace V with the "Field Runner" Ability is in play while Galar Mine is also in play?
A. Cinderace V would have no Retreat Cost. When effects that increase something like Retreat Cost by a particular amount are stacked on top of effects that make something like Retreat Cost vanish, the vanishing effect takes priority. (Rebel Clash FAQ; Apr 30, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Fight Song copied!
Q. Is Altaria's "Fight Song" Ability stackable so attacks from Dragon type Pokemon can do an additional +20 damage for each Altaria in play?
A. Yes, it does. (Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Fighting Fury (Machamp - Furious Fists) copied!
Q. If I have more than one Machamp in play, do I get +20 damage for each one of them?
A. Yes, but only for each one that has the "Fighting Fury" Ability. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Machamp's "Fighting Tag" Poke-POWER to switch him with the Active Pokemon if the current Active has no Fighting Energy attached to it?
A. No, if you don't move any Fighting energy you cannot switch Machamp with the Active Pokemon. (Nov 18, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Flaming Fighter (Infernape - Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. If I have multiple Infernapes in play, does each of their "Flaming Fighter" Abilities add 6 more damage to my opponent's burned Pokemon in between turns?
A. No, Infernape's Flaming Fighter ability does not stack. You are simply placing 6 damage counters instead of 2, regardless of how many Infernapes are in play. (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Flare Effect (Flareon - Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. If Flareon's "Flare Effect" ability or Vaporeon's "Aqua Effect" ability or Jolteon's "Electric Effect" ability adds Fire or Water or Electric type to a Darkness Type Pokemon, does Dangerous Energy get discarded since it says, "If this card is attached to anything other than a {D} Pokemon, discard this card"?
A. No, it is not discarded. Even with the addition of another type to the Darkness Pokemon it is still also a Darkness Pokemon. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If "Flare Effect" or "Aqua Effect" or "Electric Effect" has added {R} or {W} or {L} to my {G} Ariados' type, when I use its "Poisonous Nest" Ability to poison all Active Pokemon except {G} type, is Ariados poisoned or not?
A. Ariados is not poisoned, because it is still {G} type. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Golurk's "Double Type" ability which says "As long as this Pokemon is in play it is both {P} and {F} type" block Flareon's "Flare Effect" ability or Vaporeon's "Aqua Effect" ability or Jolteon's "Electric Effect" ability which adds {R} or {W} or {L} to any stage 1 Pokemon?
A. No. Golurk would have all 5 types if all of those Abilities were present. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does a BREAK Evolved Pokemon such as Raichu BREAK or Marowak BREAK still have access to the type changes from Flareon's "Flare Effect" ability or Vaporeon's "Aqua Effect" ability or Jolteon's "Electric Effect" ability? Or do those Abilities no longer apply after the Stage 1 Pokemon becomes a BREAK Evolved Pokemon?
A. Pokemon BREAK are their own classification, so they are not considered Stage 1 Pokemon. Although BREAK Evolved Pokemon share many of the traits of the Pokemon it evolves from, it is no longer a Pokemon of the previous stage it evolved from. Since it is no longer a Stage 1 Pokemon, the Flareon's/Vaporeon's/Jolteon's abilities do not apply. (Oct 29, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Floral Path to the Sky (Skiploom - Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. What happens if I use Skiploom's "Floral Path to the Sky" Ability but fail to find a Jumpluff in my deck?
A. Skiploom stays in play, and since you searched your deck the ability is used up for the turn. (Lost Thunder FAQ; Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens to any damage counters on Skiploom when it uses its "Floral Path to the Sky" Ability? Do they go on the Jumpluff that takes Skiploom's place?
A. Any damage counters on Skiploom are removed when it goes to the Lost Zone; they do not transfer to the Jumpluff that takes its place. Special conditions are not transferred to the new Jumpluff either. (Lost Thunder FAQ; Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Flower Picking (Florges - Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
Q. With Florges' "Flower Picking" Ability, can I use it when my opponent only has one card in their hand? Or can I use it to shuffle in only one card instead of two if my opponent has two or more cards?
A. If the opponent only has one card in their hand you do as much as you can, so they reveal & shuffle in the one card. But if your opponent has two or more cards in their hand you must choose two of them, not just one. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Flower Veil (Floette - Flashfire) copied!
Q. Is Floette's "Flower Veil" Ability stackable, such that if you have more than one in play it adds +20 for each "Flower Veil"?
A. Yes, that is correct. (Flashfire FAQ; May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Reshiram & Charizard GX has the extra 3 Fire Energy for "Double Blaze GX's" bonus effect and attacks a Whimsicott GX with "Fluffy Cotton" Ability, does the Whimsicott GX get to flip for "Fluffy Cotton" or does the "Double Blaze GX" attack go through automatically?
A. Technically speaking you still flip for Fluffy Cotton, but regardless of the flip's outcome the Double Blaze GX attack ignores the effect and does the damage anyway. (Jun 27, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Force Canceler (Celesteela GX - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I have Celesteela GX with "Force Canceler" Ability active, what happens if my opponent uses Venomoth GX's "Ten-Card Return GX" attack?
A. The damage portion gets blocked, but your opponent still gets to shuffle their hand into their deck and draw 10 cards because that part is not being done to YOUR Pokemon. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 9, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Freeze Zone copied!
Q. Is Glaceon's "Freeze Zone" Ability stackable?
A. Yes, it is. Your Team Plasma Pokemon's Retreat Cost is two less energy per each Pokemon with the Freeze Zone Ability you have in play. (Plasma Freeze FAQ; May 16, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Freezing Gaze (Glaceon GX - Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. If my Tyranitar GX knocks out an opponent's Glaceon GX with the "Freezing Gaze" Ability, does Tyranitar GX's "Lost Out" Ability turn on in time for it to send Glaceon GX to the Lost Zone?
A. Nope, Freezing Gaze is still active when Glaceon GX is KO'd, so Tyranitar GX does not get to use its Lost Out Ability. (Dec 27, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
[*NOTE* This card cannot be used at official tournaments; these rulings are for casual play only!]
Q. Does Garbodor's "Garbotoxin" Ability shut off Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Frenzied Escape" Pokemon Power?
A. No, Frenzied Escape is a Pokemon Power, not an Ability. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I use Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Frenzied Escape" Pokemon Power, can I put it onto my bench after throwing the card?
A. No, you cannot; it ran away, remember??? It is out of play for the rest of the game. (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I use Imakuni?'s Doduo's "Frenzied Escape" Pokemon Power, can I put the card into a top-loader to prevent it from getting damaged when I throw it?
A. No, that would cause a "marked card" situation and is not allowed. Besides, you could really hurt someone flinging a top-loader like that (shame, shame)! (Evolutions FAQ; Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Fright Night (Yveltal - BREAKthrough) copied!
Q. If a Pokemon with Bursting Balloon tool attached is attacked by an Yveltal with the "Fright Night" Ability no damage is placed on the attacker, but is the tool discarded at the end of the turn as its text indicates?
A. The Bursting Balloon damage placement effect is turned off, but the discard text is also an effect, so the tool is not discarded at the end of the turn. (Mar 24, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say I have a Yveltal with "Fright Night" Ability as my Active Pokemon with Bursting Balloon attached, then I play Hex Maniac. What happens at the end of my opponent's turn, when they attack and do damage to Yveltal?
A. Hex Maniac works until the end of your opponent's turn. At the end of your opponent's turn, you check to see if Bursting Balloon gets discarded. So Bursting Balloon places the 6 damage counters, Hex Maniac's effect wears off, and then Fright Night is reactivated preventing Bursting Balloon from being discarded. (Sep 8, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my Yveltal with "Fright Night" Ability gets KO'd, am I then able to use Exp.Share on one of my Benched Pokemon to recover one of Yveltal's Basic Energy cards?
A. Sorry, but no. Fright Night would still be working so Exp.Share would not enable before Yveltal hits the Discard Pile. (Jan 5, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Yveltal with "Fright Night" Ability knocks out Wobbuffet with the "Bide Barricade" Ability which was turning "Fright Night" off. Does Exp. Share on the Benched Pokemon behind Wobbuffet work?
A. Yes, since Wobbuffet was not yet in the Discard Pile, Fright Night remains off and Exp. Share works. (Apr 20, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Gale Wings (Talonflame - Steam Siege) copied!
* Talonflame's "Gale Wings" Ability says if it's in your hand when you are setting up to play, you may put it face down as your Active Pokemon. If your opening hand has no Basics but you do have Talonflame, you can choose to put it out as your Active OR show you have no basics and mulligan... YOU DECIDE. (Steam Siege FAQ; Aug 4, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Garbotoxin copied!
Q. Does "Garbotoxin" prevent "Bright Look" on Ninetales coming from your hand, "Electromagnetic Wall" on Ampharos in play and "Rebirth" on Ho-Oh EX in your discard pile?
A. Yes, Garbotoxin makes it so that each Pokemon in play, in each player's hand, and in each player's discard pile has no Abilities. (Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q.If my Lugia EX knocks out an opponent's Garbodor with the "Garbotoxin" Ability and a tool attached, does Lugia EX's "Overflow" Ability turn on in time for it to take two prizes?
A. Nope, Garbotoxin is still active when Garbodor is KO'd, so Lugia EX does not get to take 1 more prize card for Overflow. (Feb 28, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Weavile's "Rule of Evil" attack does damage to each Pokemon that has an Ability. But if Garbodor's "Garbotoxin" Ability is activated would "Rule of Evil" only damage Garbodor?
A. That's right, because Garbotoxin says each Pokemon (except those with Garbotoxin) have no Abilities. (Sep 14, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if both Slaking with "Lazy" and Garbodor with "Garbotoxin" in play? Do they cancel each other out or what?
A. It depends on the order in which each Ability gets activated. Both Lazy & Garbotoxin require a condition in order to activate (either being the Active Pokemon or having a Tool attached), so when one of the abilities is active the other one is prevented. But if the ability gets disabled (like if Slaking is no longer the Active Pokemon or if Garbodor loses its attached Tool), then the other ability can activate even if it was previously prevented. (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say I have Slaking with "Lazy" as my Active Pokemon and my opponent has Wobbuffet with "Bide Barricade" as their Active Pokemon; also my opponent has Garbodor on the Bench and currently "Garbotoxin" is disabling all other Abilities. If I play Field Blower to discard the Pokemon Tool from Garbodor so "Garbotoxin" is no longer in effect, does my "Lazy" or my opponent's "Bide Barricade" go into effect first?
A. In this scenario Lazy activates first. If Abilities activate at the same time, Abilities of the player whose turn it is activate first; therefore, Slaking's Ability activates first, since it's the player with Slaking's turn. (Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Gathering of Cats (Persian - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I have a Memory Energy attached to an Incineroar that evolved from a Litten with the "Caturday" attack, with Persian's "Gathering of Cats" Ability are all my Incineroar's attacks now free?
A. No, it doesn't work like that. Memory Energy lets you USE attacks from its previous Evolutions, but it doesn't GIVE it those attacks. Therefore, Gathering of Cats would have no effect on the Incineroar. (May 9, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Gnawing Curse (Gengar - Crimson Invasion) copied!
Q. If there are two Gengar in play with the "Gnawing Curse" Ability, how many damage counters would be applied if the opponent attached an energy card to one of their Pokemon?
A. They would place 4 damage counters on that Pokemon. (Crimson Invasion FAQ; Nov 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I have Miltank with the "Moomoo Malt" Ability and my opponent has Gengar with the "Gnawing Curse" Ability in play? Which Ability goes first? Or does it even matter?
A. The player that owns the affected Pokemon gets to choose the order that the two simultaneous Abilities are applied. However, keep in mind that you cannot go below zero damage done; for example, if you have 50 damage and you use Moomoo Malt first, you can't "go negative" and then have Gnawing Curse's counters simply disappear. Also remember, if you choose Gnawing Curse first and the damage counters put the Pokemon over its maximum HP you still get to use Moomoo Malt before checking for KO's. (Nov 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Gooey Regeneration (Goodra - Flashfire) copied!
Q. Can I use Goodra's "Gooey Regeneration" Ability to discard attached Energy cards if there is no damage on Goodra.
A. Yes, you can. (Flashfire FAQ; May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Gothic Fear (Haunter - BREAKthrough) copied!
Q. For Haunter's "Gothic Fear" Ability, can I choose to confuse only one of the Active Pokemon or must BOTH of them be Confused?
A. It's either both or none; you cannot choose only yours or only your opponent's Active Pokemon to be Confused. (BREAKthrough FAQ; Nov 19, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Gourgantic (Gourgeist - Phantom Forces) copied!
Q. Suppose that I have a Gourgeist with the "Gourgantic" Ability, with a Grass Energy and Heavy Boots attached and a Training Center in play. Would its max HP be 200 or 250?
A. Gourgantic essentially replaces Gourgeist's printed HP, so reductions and additions to HP work as normal. You can stack the additional HP effects of Heavy Boots and Training Center, so in this case the resulting HP would be 250. (Jun 9, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Bronzong with the "Heal Block" Ability in play, can Pokemon Center stadium be used to heal any Pokemon in play?
A. No, you may not. (Next Destinies FAQ; Feb 9, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have a Solrock in play so that Lunatone's "Heal Block" ability is activated, does it apply to all Pokemon in play or just the two active Pokemon?
A. It applies to all Pokemon in play. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)Q
Q. Can I play "Acerola" to return a damaged Pokemon and all cards attached to it to my hand when Lunatone's "Heal Block" ability is activated?
A. Yes, you can return the Pokemon and attached cards to your hand. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Hot Poison (Salazzle - Guardians Rising) copied!
Q. For Salazzle's "Hot Poison" Ability, can I choose to only Poison or only Burn the opponent's Active Pokemon? Or do I have to do them both?
A. No, you must either apply both Special Conditions (if you are able to), or not use the Ability. (Guardians Rising FAQ; May 4, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Hyper Hypnosis (Malamar EX - Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. If I attach a Grass energy from my hand using M Sceptile EX's "Jagged Saber" attack to a benched Malamar EX, will I be able to use Malamar EX's "Hyper Hypnosis" Ability to put my opponent's Active Pokemon to sleep?
A. Yes, you can. An Energy is being attached from your hand to Malamar-EX, so Hyper Hypnosis can be used. (Oct 29, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Initialize (Porygon Z - Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. If I put a Charizard GX in play using Ho Oh GX's "Eternal Flame GX" attack, and my opponent evolves into Porygon-Z and uses its "Initialize" Ability, does Charizard GX go back into my hand?
A. No. Charizard GX is in play as an "unevolved Pokemon" and so is not affected by the Ability. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When Yanmega tries to attack, do you evaluate the number of cards in your hand for the "Insight" Poke-BODY before or after discarding a card for Giratina Lv.X's "Invisible Tentacles" Poke-BODY?
A. The Insight Poke-BODY is evaluated before your attack even begins; therefore it is checked before discarding any cards for Invisible Tentacles. (Nov 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If Pidgeot attacks with "Headwind" against Yanmega with the "Insight" Poke-BODY, will "Headwind" increase Yanmega's attack costs or will "Insight" reset them to zero?
A. If an Attack Cost is set to zero by an effect, it cannot be increased. Note this is different than an Attack Cost that was reduced to zero by subtraction. Once a Pokemon's Attack Cost is set to zero by an effect, it stays at zero until that particular effect wears off. (Sep 29, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Does Sandile's "Intimidating Fang" Ability also reduce damage done to Benched Pokemon?
A. Yes, it reduces all damage done by the opponent's Active Pokemon. Damage to your Defending Pokemon, your Benched Pokemon, and even damage done to your opponent?s own Pokemon! (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Iron Defense Formation (Falinks V - Rebel Clash) copied!
Q. When using Falinks V's "Iron Defense Formation" Ability or Falinks' "Team Attack" attack, do I get to count any Falinks V I have in play too?
A. Yes, because Falinks V has "Falinks" in its name. (Rebel Clash FAQ; Apr 30, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I discard a {W} energy card from my hand using Volcanion {*}'s "Jet Geyser" Ability if my opponent has no Benched Pokemon?
A. Yes, you may. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Jungle Totem (Venusaur - Shining Legends) copied!
Q. Does Venusaur's "Jungle Totem" Ability boost the damage output of Rayquaza GX's "Dragon Break" attack since "each Basic {G} Energy attached to your Pokemon provides {G}{G} Energy"?
A. Yes, just because the Basic Energy card is now providing two units of energy doesn't change the fact that it's still Basic Energy. (Aug 9, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Lazy copied!
Q. What happens if both Slaking with "Lazy" and Garbodor with "Garbotoxin" in play? Do they cancel each other out or what?
A. It depends on the order in which each Ability gets activated. Both Lazy & Garbotoxin require a condition in order to activate (either being the Active Pokemon or having a Tool attached), so when one of the abilities is active the other one is prevented. But if the ability gets disabled (like if Slaking is no longer the Active Pokemon or if Garbodor loses its attached Tool), then the other ability can activate even if it was previously prevented. (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say I have Slaking with "Lazy" as my Active Pokemon and my opponent has Wobbuffet with "Bide Barricade" as their Active Pokemon; also my opponent has Garbodor on the Bench and currently "Garbotoxin" is disabling all other Abilities. If I play Field Blower to discard the Pokemon Tool from Garbodor so "Garbotoxin" is no longer in effect, does my "Lazy" or my opponent's "Bide Barricade" go into effect first?
A. In this scenario Lazy activates first. If Abilities activate at the same time, Abilities of the player whose turn it is activate first; therefore, Slaking's Ability activates first, since it's the player with Slaking's turn. (Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. How does Slaking's "Lazy" Ability or any other form of Ability denial that only applies to Pokemon "in play" interact with Abilities like Giratina's "Distortion Door" Ability that puts a Pokemon card from the discard pile onto your bench?
A. Since Distortion Door happens when Giratina is not in play, you can use it to put Giratina onto the bench regardless of Lazy or other similar Abilities. You also get to put the damage counters onto your opponent's benched Pokemon too, because you must complete the action of Distortion Door prior to it being shutoff due to Lazy. (Nov 15, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can Mew's "Lost Link" Poke-BODY use the attack of one half of a LEGEND Pokemon if its card is in the Lost Zone? Or what if both halves of the LEGEND Pokemon are in the Lost Zone?
A. No, you cannot. If a LEGEND Pokemon's cards are not in play, you cannot reference its attacks, Poke-POWER, Poke-BODY, etc. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Lost Out (Tyranitar GX - Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. If you Knock Out a Pokemon using one of Tyranitar GX's attacks, do you get to take a prize card if the Pokemon is sent to the Lost Zone due to Tyranitar GX's "Lost Out" Ability?
A. Yes, you do. It is still Knocked Out. (Lost Thunder FAQ; Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my Tyranitar GX knocks out an opponent's Glaceon GX with the "Freezing Gaze" Ability, does Tyranitar GX's "Lost Out" Ability turn on in time for it to send Glaceon GX to the Lost Zone?
A. Nope, Freezing Gaze is still active when Glaceon GX is KO'd, so Tyranitar GX does not get to use its Lost Out Ability. (Dec 27, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can Choice Band be used to get around Mr.Mime GX's "Magic Evens" Ability that blocks even amounts of damage?
A. Yes, the Choice Band and all other effects that may adjust the attack total are factored into the amount of damage being done before Mr.Mime GX's Ability is checked. (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Gothitelle is Active, does its "Magic Room" Ability prevent the opponent from playing older pre-BW Trainer cards that don't say Item on them?
A. Trainer cards from Diamond & Pearl through Call of Legends should be considered "Trainer?Item" cards. So the older Trainers would be blocked, but not Supporters or Stadiums. (BW:Emerging Powers FAQ; Sep 1, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Magma Switch (Team Magma's Claydol - Double Crisis) copied!
Q. Can I use Team Magma's Claydol's "Magma Switch" Ability to move an energy from a non Team Magma Pokemon?
A. Yes, you may. Only the receiving Pokemon needs to belong to Team Magma. (Apr 23, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say a player calls Magnezone's "Magnetic Draw" Poke-POWER, but then realizes they already have six or more cards in their hand. Does that mean his "Magnetic Draw" Poke-POWER is used up, or can he use it later in the turn since nothing happened?
A. Magnetic Draw says "you may draw cards until you have 6 cards in your hand"; if you have too many cards you cannot "draw zero" so the Magnetic Draw Poke-POWER is not used up. (Jan 12, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Make Do (Cinccino - Sword & Shield) copied!
Q. For Cinccino's "Make Do" Ability, can I use it when I'm discarding a card as part of some action or effect?
A. No. Discarding a card from your hand is part of the cost of using the Ability. You can't use a discard done from some other effect or game action. (Sword & Shield FAQ; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Cinccino's "Make Do" Ability to discard a card, then do other game actions such as play a Cynthia, and then finally draw the two cards later in my turn?
A. That's not how it works. You have to perform all of the actions of the Ability before moving on to other game actions. (Sword & Shield FAQ; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Cinccino's "Make Do" Ability if there are no cards in my deck, just to discard a card?
A. No, you can't use Make Do if there aren't any cards left in your deck. (Sword & Shield FAQ; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Metal Eater copied!
Q. Can I use Melmetal's "Metal Eater" Ability to discard a {M} Pokemon from my hand if Melmetal is not damaged?
A. Yes you can. The first part of Metal Eater is to discard a {M} Pokemon from your hand, period. Then you do as much of the rest of the Ability as you are able to. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Metal Fortress (Bronzong - Fates Collide) copied!
Q. If Bronzong with the "Metal Fortress" Ability is in play, are benched Pokemon protected from Greninja's "Shadow Stitching" attack? If so, does it also protect Pokemon that come into play on the bench during the opponent's turn?
A. If Bronzong is on the Bench, all benched Pokemon are protected, including ones put into play after the attack has happened (for example, Shaymin-EX's "Set Up" Ability will work in this scenario); however, the Active Pokemon is not protected, even if it goes to the Bench it will not get its Ability back. If Bronzong is Active and has its Metal Fortress shut off, the Benched Pokemon are not protected; even if it moves to the Bench, it will not get its Ability back. Finally, if Bronzong is on the Bench and becomes the Active Pokemon during your turn, it loses its Ability and the Benched Pokémon are no longer protected. (Jun 23, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Mind Hat (Hatterene - Rebel Clash) copied!
Q. Can I use Hatterene's "Mind Hat" Ability if I don't have any cards in my hand? Or if my opponent doesn't have any cards in their hand?
A. As long as either player has a card in their hand, you can use Mind Hat. (Rebel Clash FAQ; Apr 30, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I switch a Prize card and a card from my Deck with Rotom's "Mischievous Trick" Poke-POWER, can I look at either card?
A. No, you cannot. Keep both cards face-down when you switch them. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Rotom's "Mischievous Trick" Poke-POWER when I have no cards in my deck, to put a Prize card into my deck?
A. No, you can't. That would be far too mischievous. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Moomoo Malt (Miltank - Crimson Invasion) copied!
Q. What happens if I have Miltank with the "Moomoo Malt" Ability and my opponent has Gengar with the "Gnawing Curse" Ability in play? Which Ability goes first? Or does it even matter?
A. The player that owns the affected Pokemon gets to choose the order that the two simultaneous Abilities are applied. However, keep in mind that you cannot go below zero damage done; for example, if you have 50 damage and you use Moomoo Malt first, you can't "go negative" and then have Gnawing Curse's counters simply disappear. Also remember, if you choose Gnawing Curse first and the damage counters put the Pokemon over its maximum HP you still get to use Moomoo Malt before checking for KO's. (Nov 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Miltank with the "Moomoo Malt" Ability as my Active Pokemon and I use Welder to attach 2 Fire Energy cards to a Benched Pokemon, does it heal 90 or 180 damage?
A. Any energies attached from the hand would trigger Moomoo Malt, once for each energy card being attached. So in this case you would heal 180 damage. (May 9, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have two Clefables in play, can I use "Moon Guidance" twice on the same Pokemon assuming I flip heads for both?
A. Yes, you can. (Feb 28, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
More Poison (Seviper - Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. Does Seviper's "More Poison" Ability stack if I have more than one of them in play?
A. Yes, each of your Pokemon with a "More Poison" ability will add an additional damage counter to your opponent's Poisoned Pokemon in between turns. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have two Toxicroak in play with the "More Poison" Ability, will my opponent put 4 more damage counters on their Poisoned Pokemon?
A. Yes, because the Ability says to "put 2 more" and not "instead of". (Sword & Shield FAQ; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Seviper's "More Poison" Ability stack with the effect of Toxapex GX's "Super Intense Poison" attack?
A. Yes, you first put 10 damage counters for the Super Intense Poison attack and then you get to add 1 damage counter for each More Poison ability. (Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Mountain Pass (Trumbeak - Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. Does using Trumbeak's "Mountain Pass" Ability count as playing it from the hand? If so, would it be blocked if my opponent used Chimecho's "Bell of Silence" attack on the previous turn?
A. No, it is not being played from the hand. You are revealing the Trumbeak and then putting it into the Lost Zone; that is not blocked by Bell of Silence. (Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Mystic Heart (Magearna EX - Steam Siege) copied!
Q. If Magearna EX with the "Mystic Heart" Ability is in play, are all Pokemon with Metal Energy attached protected from Greninja's "Shadow Stitching" attack?
A. If Magearna EX has a Metal Energy attached to it, all Pokemon with Metal Energy attached are protected; however, if Magearna EX does not have a Metal Energy attached to it, its Mystic Heart Ability is shut off and no Pokemon with Metal Energy attached are protected. (Feb 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent used Turtonator GX's "Shell Trap" attack and I have Magearna EX with the "Mystic Heart" Ability in play, will my Pokemon with Metal energy attached get the 8 damage counters from "Shell Trap" if I attack and do damage to Turtonator GX?
A. No, it will not receive the 8 damage counters. Mystic Heart prevents all effects of your opponent's attacks, and Shell Trap's damage counters are an effect of your opponent's attack. (Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Nine Temptations (Ninetales - Team Up) copied!
Q. Can I use Ninetales' "Nine Temptations" Ability if my opponent has no benched Pokemon?
A. Yes, you can discard 2 {R} Energy cards from your hand, and that's it. (Team Up FAQ; Jan 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Nurture and Heal (Sceptile - Primal Clash) copied!
Q. If I use Sceptile's "Nurture and Heal" ability, is that an extra Energy card attachment or does it count as my one attachment for the turn?
A. It is an extra Energy attachment. You still get to attach one other Energy card as your normal attachment for the turn. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Sceptile's "Nurture and Heal" ability to attach a {G} Energy to a Pokemon that doesn't have any damage on it?
A. Yes, you can. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Omega Barrage (Primal Clash) copied!
Q. If I attack using a Pokemon that has the "Omega Barrage" Ancient Trait, can I do things like attach an Energy or play a Trainer between attacks?
A. No, you would resolve all effects from the first attack and then either perform your second attack or pass. You don't get to go back into the main part of your turn again. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I only have one energy card attached to Excadrill, can I use its "Omega Barrage" to attack with "Dredge" first to attach two energy cards, then attack a second time with "Mach Claw"?
A. Yes, that would work. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens for Omega Barrage if the Pokemon is Confused?
A. You need to flip for Confusion twice if you choose to attack twice. One flip for the first attack, then flip again if you decide to attack again. (Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Omega Barrier (Primal Clash) copied!
Q. Can I attach a Team Flare "Pokemon Tool F" card to my opponent's Pokemon-EX if it has the "Omega Barrier" Ancient Trait?
A. Yes, you can. The text of Omega Barrier says its effect excludes Pokemon Tools and Stadium cards. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Escape Rope but my opponent's Active Pokemon has the "Omega Barrier" Ancient Trait does he or she have to switch it? Or if they have a Pokemon with "Omega Barrier" on the bench can he or she choose that and not switch it to Active?
A. If your opponent has an Active Pokemon with "Omega Barrier", then Escape Rope's effect will be blocked. If a Pokemon with "Omega Barrier" is on the bench, choosing that Pokemon will not stop the effect as the Active was the target of Escape Rope. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent's Active Pokemon has the "Omega Barrier" Ancient Trait, can I use Lysandre to switch one of my benched Pokemon with it?
A. If your opponent's Benched Pokemon has "Omega Barrier", then Lysandre's effect will be blocked. But choosing a Benched Pokemon without "Omega Barrier" will cause it to switch with the Active Pokemon because the Benched Pokemon is the target of Lysandre. (Apr 9, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I play Captivating Poke Puff and find a Pokemon with the Omega Barrier Ancient Trait in my opponent's hand, can I choose that Pokemon to be benched or does Omega Barrier block the Captivating Poke Puff?
A. Yes, you can put that Pokemon onto the Bench. Ancient Traits are only active when that Pokemon is in play. (Mar 30, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I play Target Whistle and choose a Basic Pokemon in the Discard Pile with the Omega Barrier Ancient Trait, or does Omega Barrier block the Target Whistle?
A. Yes, you can put that Pokemon from the Discard Pile onto the Bench. Ancient Traits are only active when that Pokemon is in play. (Mar 30, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. I have 3 Pokemon on my Bench, and 1 of them has the "Omega Barrier" Ancient Trait. My opponent plays Cyrus {*}, and I choose to keep the 2 Pokemon that don't have "Omega Barrier". Does the Pokemon with "Omega Barrier" get shuffled into my deck?
A. Yes, it does. The effect of Cyrus {*} is on the player, not on the Pokemon with Omega Barrier. (May 31, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Slowking's "Opponent's Choice" Poke-POWER, do you have to show your opponent what the cards are since it says 'you may reveal the top 2 cards'?
A. Of course you have to show the opponent what the cards are. The "you may" refers to using the power, not to being able to use it without showing them the cards. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Overflow copied!
Q.If my Lugia EX knocks out an opponent's Garbodor with the "Garbotoxin" Ability and a tool attached, does Lugia EX's "Overflow" Ability turn on in time for it to take two prizes?
A. Nope, Garbotoxin is still active when Garbodor is KO'd, so Lugia EX does not get to take 1 more prize card for Overflow. (Feb 28, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Pantomime (Mr.Mime - Detective Pikachu) copied!
Q. When using Mr. Mime's "Pantomime" Ability, can I look at my prize cards when choosing which one to switch with the top card of my deck?
A. No, you cannot look at the prize card that you are switching out. (Apr 18, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Aerodactyl GX's "Primal Winds" Ability add {*} to the cost of an attack used by Mewtwo & Mew GX's "Perfection" Ability if it tries to use an attack from a non-Basic Pokemon?
A. Yes, it does. Mewtwo & Mew GX is still a Basic Pokemon; it doesn't matter whether Perfection uses the attack from a non-Basic Pokemon or not. (Mar 12, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Play Ball (Foongus - Steam Siege) copied!
Q. Can I use Foongus' "Play Ball" Ability to retrieve any Ultra Ball, Great Ball, Dive Ball, Repeat Ball, etc. cards from the Discard Pile?
A. Nope, Play Ball only works for plain old Poke Ball cards. (Steam Siege FAQ; Aug 4, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Poisonous Nest (Ariados - Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. Can I use Ariados' "Poisonous Nest" Ability if both my and the opponent's Active Pokemon are Grass type?
A. No, you cannot. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If "Flare Effect" or "Aqua Effect" or "Electric Effect" has added {R} or {W} or {L} to my {G} Ariados' type, when I use its "Poisonous Nest" Ability to poison all Active Pokemon except {G} type, is Ariados poisoned or not?
A. Ariados is not poisoned, because it is still {G} type. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Smeargle's "Portrait" Poke-POWER if I have already used a Supporter this turn?
A. Yes, you are not playing a second Supporter, you are just using the Supporter's effect as the effect of the power. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When I use Smeargle's "Portrait" Poke-POWER to look at my opponent's hand, can I terminate the power's effect without choosing a Supporter card?
A. No, you cannot. You must choose a Supporter card when you use the effect if the opponent has one in their hand. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When using Smeargle's "Portrait" Poke-POWER, can I choose a Supporter that will have no effect?
A. You cannot pick a supporter you couldn't normally use; for example you can't choose "Twins" unless you are behind on prizes at that time, nor Aaron's Collection if you don't have anything in your Discard Pile. You would have to choose a different Supporter if one is available. (Dec 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I use Smeargle's "Portrait" Poke-POWER, but I cannot satisfy the conditions of any of my opponent's Supporters?
A. You get to look at the opponent's hand, and that's all. (Dec 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I use Smeargle's "Portrait" Poke-POWER and find "Engineer's Adjustments" in my opponent's hand, do I have to use it if I have an Energy card in my hand?
A. Yes, if you have an energy card and you choose Engineer's Adjustments, you have to discard the energy and draw 4 cards. (Dec 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team; Mar 17, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Power Connect copied!
Q. Is Deoxys EX's "Power Connect" Ability stackable?
A. Yes, it is. (Plasma Freeze FAQ; May 16, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Deoxys EX's "Power Connect" Ability refers to "your Team Plasma Pokémon's attacks (excluding Deoxys-EX)". Does that mean to exclude ALL of your Deoxys EX in play, or just one with the "Power Connect" Ability?
A. It refers to all of your Deoxys EX in play. (Plasma Freeze FAQ; May 16, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Deoxys EX's "Power Connect" Ability add to damage done from G Booster?
A. Yes, the attacks of any Team Plasma Pokemon get the added bonus, including attacks from attached Tools. (May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Power Draw (Swampert - Celestial Storm) copied!
Q. Can I use Swampert's "Power Draw" Ability to discard a card from my hand if there are no cards left in my deck?
A. Yes you can. The first part of Power Draw is to discard a card from your hand, period. Then you do as much of the rest of the Ability as you are able to. (Mar 21, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Power Huddle (Passimian - Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. If I have multiple Passimians in play, does each of their "Power Huddle" Abilities add 30 more damage to my Passimian's attacks?
A. Yes, Passimian's Power Huddle ability is stackable. Each Power Huddle does 30 more damage in addition to any damage Passimian's attack already does. (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Power of Alchemy (Alolan Muk - Sun & Moon) copied!
Q. Say my opponent has a Sudowoodo with the "Roadblock" Ability on his bench, but it's currently disabled due to my active Alolan Muk's "Power of Alchemy" Ability. If I have five Pokemon on my bench when Alolan Muk gets KO'd and "Roadblock" becomes enabled, do I have to discard one of my five benched Pokemon before promoting a new Active Pokemon or not?
A. When you remove your Active Pokemon after resolving all effects that caused it to be KO'd, you must replace it immediately before resolving any other new effects that take place. (Dec 6, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Power Saver (Team Magma's Groudon EX - Double Crisis) copied!
Q. How many Team Magma/Aqua Pokemon need to be in play in order to attack with Team Magma's Groudon EX or Team Aqua's Kyogre EX with the "Power Saver" ability?
A. Five. If there are only four or less, it can't attack. But keep in mind that it counts Team Pokemon on both sides of the play field, including itself. (Apr 23, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Pressure (Lugia - Fates Collide) copied!
Q. Does Mewtwo's "Pressure" Ability block all of Tapu Koko's "Flying Flip" Attack's damage, even to the bench?
A. Pressure says, "your opponent's Active Pokemon's attacks do 20 less damage." Since it does not specifically designate Active or Benched Pokemon it reduces damage by -20 to each Pokemon that would be damaged by the attack. (Jul 26, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Primal Law (Dracovich - Darkness Ablaze) copied!
Q. Can you use Pokemon Breeder's Nurturing to evolve Pokemon if Dracovich's "Primal Law" Ability is active?
A. Yes, you can still use Pokemon Breeder's Nurturing since the Pokemon is coming from the deck and not from your hand. (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Aerodactyl GX's "Primal Winds" Ability add {*} to the cost of an attack used by Mewtwo & Mew GX's "Perfection" Ability if it tries to use an attack from a non-Basic Pokemon?
A. Yes, it does. Mewtwo & Mew GX is still a Basic Pokemon; it doesn't matter whether Perfection uses the attack from a non-Basic Pokemon or not. (Mar 12, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Is there an order to Oranguru's "Primate Wisdom" Ability? For example, can a player look at the top card before picking a card from their hand to put on the top of your deck? Or do they have to pick the card from their hand first?
A. The text of Primate Wisdom says to switch the card. This happens at the same time, so no you do not get to look at the top card of your deck first. (Feb 27, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Propagation copied!
Q. If I use Exeggcute's "Propagation" Ability to retrieve it from the Discard Pile into my hand, then use something like Ultra Ball or Computer Search to discard Exeggcute, would I be able to use "Propagation" again to retrieve it from the Discard Pile?
A. Yes, whenever Exeggcute is in the Discard Pile, you may use Propagation during your turn as long as its Ability has not been disabled. (Plasma Freeze FAQ; May 16, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Weavile's "Vilify" attack to discard one or more Exeggcute, can I use Exeggcute's "Propagation" Ability to immediately retrieve it back into my hand?
A. No, you cannot. Propagation can only be used on your turn before your attack, not during your attack nor afterward. (Plasma Freeze FAQ; May 16, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Psychic Transfer (Lunala GX - Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. Can I use Lunala GX's "Psychic Transfer" Ability to move a {P} energy back to where I got it from on the same turn? How about if I move it between the same two Pokemon several times in a row?
A. You have to advance the game state with your actions. If your Psychic Transfers are mindless, then you are not advancing the game state and it could result in a penalty. (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Psychic Zone (Jirachi GX - Unified Minds) copied!
Q. If my opponent has Jirachi GX with "Psychic Zone" Ability, does Golurk's "Theta Stop" Ancient Trait bypass "Psychic Zone" and apply Weakness?
A. Psychic Zone will not be applied to Golurk because of Theta Stop, so any attacks done to Golurk would still apply Weakness. Attacks done by Golurk wouldn?t be affected (Mar 12, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Pupate (Caterpie - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I use Caterpie's "Pupate" Poke-POWER to successfully evolve into Metapod, can I then immediately use Metapod's "Emerge" Poke-POWER to attempt to evolve into Butterfree, all on the same turn?
A. Yes, you can. (Feb 21, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Caterpie's "Pupate" Ability or Metapod's "Emerge" Ability on the first turn of the game or the turn that the Pokemon came into play?
A. Yes. There is no restriction on the Ability. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Pure Heart (Keldeo GX - Unified Minds) copied!
Q. If my opponent has used Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack, would my Keldeo GX be able to use its "Resolute Blade GX" attack?
A. Yes. The effect of Clear Vision GX is placed on each of the opponent's Pokemon, and since Keldeo GX's Pure Heart Ability prevents all effects of attacks done to it by your opponent's Pokemon GX, it is unaffected by Clear Vision GX. (Sep 5, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I put a Keldeo GX with "Pure Heart" Ability into play after my opponent has used Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack? Would my Keldeo GX be able to use its "Resolute Blade GX" attack or not?
A. As long as the Pure Heart ability is not blocked or turned off when Keldeo GX comes into play, it would be unaffected by Clear Vision GX. (Dec 5, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say I have Keldeo GX already in play, and my opponent uses Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack with Power Plant in play. If I play a different Stadium to get rid of Power Plant, can I use Keldeo-GX's "Resolute Blade GX" attack now?
A. Yes, you can. When Power Plant is removed Keldeo GX's Pure Heart Ability turns back on, and Keldeo GX is no longer hit by the global effect of Clear Vision GX. If an attack does not place an effect on Keldeo GX directly, like an attack that puts an effect that isn't removed when returning to the Bench, it can be removed by reactivating Pure Heart. (Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say my opponent uses Trevenant & Dusknoir GX's "Pale Moon GX" attack on my Keldeo GX with "Pure Heart" while Power Plant stadium is in play. If I replace the Power Plant with another stadium during my next turn, does Keldeo GX get knocked out at the end of the turn or not?
A. If Keldeo GX remains the Active Pokemon it will be Knocked Out. Keldeo GX's Pure Heart Ability *prevents* effects, but it does not *remove* existing effects. If an attack like Pale Moon GX places an effect directly on Keldeo GX, that effect cannot be removed by reactivating Pure Heart; in other words, effects that are removed when returning to the Bench can't be removed by Pure Heart. (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Queenly Majesty (Tsareena - Sun & Moon) copied!
Q. When you use Tsareena's "Queenly Majesty" Ability, when the opponent reveals their hand do you get to choose which card to discard or is it random?
A. You get to choose. (Sun & Moon FAQ; Feb 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have two Ho-Oh EX in my discard pile and flip tails for "Rebirth", can I flip a second time?
A. You can flip once for each Ho-Oh EX in your discard pile, but each coin flip is treated individually. (Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I flip heads for Ho-Oh EX's "Rebirth" Ability, if I only have one Fire and two Lightning energy cards in the discard pile, can I take all three of those?
A. No, you can only take one of each different type of energy, up to three total. So in this case you could only take one Fire and one Lightning. (Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I try to use Ho-Oh EX's "Rebirth" Ability but my bench is full? Is the Ability used up, or is it not used and I can try it again later after I have some space on my bench?
A. If you know the Ability will not affect the game state, you cannot use it. If your Bench is already full, you cannot use Rebirth. (Jun 9, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Garchomp [C] Lv.X has Special Energy cards attached and discards all of them when using its "Dragon Rush" attack, can it do damage to a Scizor that has the "Red Armor" Poke-BODY?
A. No. First choose which two energies to discard, then do the damage (before any other effects), then you actually discard the energy at the end of the attack. So it will still be attached at the point when damage would be done, but the damage will be blocked. (Aug 19, 2010 PUI Rules Team; Sep 2, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If Magnezone has Special Energy cards attached and discards all of them when using its "Lost Burn" attack, can it do damage to a Scizor that has the "Red Armor" Poke-BODY?
A. No. First choose which energies to put into the Lost Zone, then do the damage (before any other effects), then you actually put the energy into the Lost Zone at the end of the attack. So it will still be attached at the point when damage would be done, but the damage will be blocked by Red Armor. (Nov 3, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Renegade Pulse (Giratina EX - Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. If I use Mega Sceptile EX's "Jagged Saber" attack against Giratina EX with the "Renegade Pulse" Ancient Trait, does Mega Sceptile EX's "Theta Stop" Ancient Trait prevent "Renegade Pulse" from blocking the damage? If not, then does "Renegade Pulse" prevent "Jagged Saber" from attaching any Grass Energy?
A. Renegade Pulse prevents all effects of attacks done to Giratina EX, but it does not "do anything" to Mega Sceptile EX for its Theta Stop to kick in. So the damage part is blocked by Renegade Pulse, but the effect of attaching energy is not being done to Giratina EX so that part of the attack does not get blocked. (Sep 3, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say Sky Field is in play and I have 8 Benched Pokemon, then I use Marshadow's "Resetting Hole" Ability. Do I discard Marshadow first and then discard down to 5 Benched Pokemon for the removal of Sky Field, or do I discard down to 5 Benched Pokemon first and then discard Marshadow?
A. The player who owns Marshadow can choose the order of discarding Benched Pokemon, either before or after the removal of Sky Field. (Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Darkrai-GX in my discard pile but no Darkness Energy, can I use its "Restoration" Ability?
A. Yes, Restoration only requires that Darkrai-GX is in the discard pile (and that you have space on your Bench for it). (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Darkrai GX's "Restoration" Ability and then somehow it gets back into the Discard Pile (e.g. Parallel City, followed by Field Blower), could I use "Restoration" again to retrieve it from the Discard Pile?
A. Yes, whenever Darkrai GX is in the Discard Pile, you may use Restoration during your turn as long as its Ability has not been disabled. (Aug 31, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you play Darkrai GX with "Restoration" Ability from your Discard Pile if Power Plant is in play? And if so, do you do all of its effects?
A. Since the Discard Pile is not considered "in play", Darkrai GX can use its Restoration Ability to put it onto the Bench and attach a Darkness Energy card from the Discard Pile to it. Once all of the Ability's effects are complete, then Power Plant shuts off the Ability. (Jun 6, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Roadblock (Sudowoodo - Guardians Rising) copied!
Q. My opponent and I both have Sudowoodo with "Roadblock"Ability in play. I use Hex Maniac on my turn to shut off "Roadblock", and then I play 5 Pokemon on my Bench. My opponent plays 5 Pokemon on their Bench during their turn. At the end of my opponent's turn, Hex Maniac's effect ends, so "Roadblock" activates again. Who discards their Pokemon first? If the first player discards their Sudowoodo, would the other person need to discard a Benched Pokemon?
A. It's the opponent's turn, so their Roadblock goes into effect first. You would discard your Pokemon first, and then your opponent would discard theirs. Even if you chose to discard your Sudowoodo, your opponent would have to discard down to 4 Benched Pokémon because the Roadblock effects happen simultaneously. (May 25, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say my opponent has a Sudowoodo with the "Roadblock" Ability on his bench, but it's currently disabled due to my active Alolan Muk's "Power of Alchemy" Ability. If I have five Pokemon on my bench when Alolan Muk gets KO'd and "Roadblock" becomes enabled, do I have to discard one of my five benched Pokemon before promoting a new Active Pokemon or not?
A. When you remove your Active Pokemon after resolving all effects that caused it to be KO'd, you must replace it immediately before resolving any other new effects that take place. (Dec 6, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Roaring Resolve (Charizard - Team Up) copied!
Q. If I use Charizard's "Roaring Resolve" Ability with only 10hp left, does he get KO'd when I place the 2 damage counters before or after I search & attach 2 {R} Energy cards?
A. You must finish all the text of the Ability before checking for knockouts, so yes you would search your deck and attach {R} Energy cards before KO'ing Charizard. (Team Up FAQ; Jan 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Ninetales' "Roast Reveal" Poke-POWER when I have no cards in my deck?
A. Yes, you do as much of the power as you are able; discard 1 Fire Energy card from your hand, then the Poke-POWER's effect ends, without drawing any cards. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Do I have to use Serperior's "Royal Heal" ability if I don't want to?
A. Royal Heal is not an optional ability. You must use this ability at some point in between turns. (Black & White FAQ; Apr 28, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If you have Flygon with "Sand Slammer" active, but the opponent has Serperior with "Royal Heal" in play, which Ability goes first? The one that places damage or the one that heals damage?
A. In this situation, the player whose Pokemon are being affected gets to choose the order of when the abilities take place. (Nov 1, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Ruler of the Night (Honchkrow GX - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. Would Honchkrow GX's "Ruler of the Night" Ability prevent me from using Charjabug's "Battery" Ability to attach it to Vikavolt as an Energy card?
A. Yes it would prevent that because Charjabug would be a Special Energy card being played from your hand. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Porygon-Z with "Crazy Code", but my opponent has Honchkrow GX with "Ruler of the Night" active, which Ability takes precedence?
A. Even though you're using an Ability to attach the Special Energy card, Honchkrow GX's Ability prevents you from playing it from your hand. (Jun 6, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Kyogre EX's "Smash Turn" or Celebi EX's "Wind Whisk" or Gengar EX's "Dark Corridor" attack, can I switch it with my benched Sigilyph that has the "Safeguard" Ability?
A. Since the attacking Pokemon is the target of the switch effect, Sigilyph can be moved in this situation. (Jan 31, 2013, TPCi Rules Team; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Victini-EX's "Turbo Energize" attack but choose to attach the two Basic Energy cards from my deck to Sigilyph with "Safeguard", what happens?
A. Sigiliph is a valid target for the choice of Benched Pokemon, but since Safeguard prevents all effects of attacks done by Pokemon-EX the energies would be discarded rather than attached to Sigilyph. (Jun 20, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Sand Slammer copied!
Q. If you have Flygon with "Sand Slammer" active, but the opponent has Serperior with "Royal Heal" in play, which Ability goes first? The one that places damage or the one that heals damage?
A. In this situation, the player whose Pokemon are being affected gets to choose the order of when the abilities take place. (Nov 1, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Scatter (Wishiwashi - Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
Q. For Wishiwashi's "Scatter" Ability, when does this check for damage counters happen, before "in between turns" when Poison counters are placed or afterward?
A. After your opponent concludes their end of turn actions including all effects of attack and cleaning up any KO, then before in between turns you check for any damage counters on Wishiwashi that would trigger Scatter to shuffle Wishiwashi and all cards attached into your deck. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Scoop-Up Block (Mr.Mime - Team Up) copied!
Q. What happens if I play Acerola or Super Scoop Up for a Pokemon with damage counters on it, but my opponent has Mr. Mime with the "Scoop-Up Block" Ability in play?
A. You can play the Acerola or Super Scoop Up, but its effect will be blocked and it goes to the discard pile without doing anything. (Mar 28, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Mr. Mime's "Scoop-Up Block" Ability prevent Recycle Energy or U-Turn Board from going back in to the hand?
A. Yes, it does. (Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Search the Premises (Gumshoos GX - Sun & Moon) copied!
Q. If I have multiple Gumshoos GX in play, can I use each of their "Search the Premises" Abilities or am I limited to only one total per turn?
A. Each Gumshoos GX can use its own ability once per turn. So if you have two of them you can use the first Search the Premises to have your opponent reveal their hand, then use a Trainer card such as N to have the opponent shuffle their hand into their deck and draw new cards, and then use the second Search the Premises to have your opponent reveal their hand again. (Sun & Moon FAQ; Feb 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent has less than 3 cards in his or her deck, so that I can't reorder the top 3 cards, can I still use Slowking's "Second Sight" Poke-POWER to look at the remaining cards in the deck?
A. Yes, you look at your opponent's remaining cards, then put them back in the deck in any order. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Secret Key (Klefki - Furious Fists) copied!
Q. Is Klefki's "Secret Key" ability stackable? Can you increase Resistance by -40 for each of them?
A. No, regardless of how many Klefki you have in play you only get a maximum Resistance of -40 from Secret Key. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Pachirisu's "Self-Generation" Poke-POWER is used to attach two Lightning Energy to Pachirisu, and the opponent has 4 Ampharos Primes with "Conductivity" in play, what is the result?
A. Pachirisu would be have 8 damage counters placed on it due to Conductivity. (Jun 9, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Shadow Hunt (Marshadow GX - Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. Can Marshadow GX's "Shadow Hunt" Ability allow you to attack on your first turn using Pheromosa GX's "Fast Raid" attack if Pheromosa GX is in the Discard Pile?
A. Yes, it can because going first is part of the Fast Raid attack that is being copied. (Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. For Chandelure's "Shady Move" Ability, am I allowed to move a damage counter from one of my Pokemon to one of my opponent's Pokemon?
A. Yes, you can. (Guardians Rising FAQ; May 4, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What are the rules for using Banette GX's "Shady Move" Ability?
A. You can move 1 damage counter from any Pokemon in play to another Pokemon in play; it can be different player's Pokemon or it can be the same player's Pokemon (either you or your opponent). (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If there is more than one Banette GX in play can the player perform "Shady Move" more than once (i.e. perform Shady Move with active, then retreat, switch, etc., perform it again with the new active)?
A. Yes, you could do that. However, going to the bench does not allow the same Banette GX to do Shady Move again; you are limited to one Shady Move per Banette GX per turn, assuming you can get them into the active slot. (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if I try to use Chandelure's "Shady Move" Ability to move a damage counter from my Pokemon to one of my opponent's Pokemon while they have a Machoke with "Daunting Pose" Ability in play? And what happens if I try to move one of my opponent's damage counters from one Pokemon to one of their Benched Pokemon.
A. In both cases Shady Move would remove the damage counter from the first Pokemon, but the second Pokemon would not receive it because it is protected by Daunting Pose. If you try to move damage *to* something that blocks effects, the damage disappears; if you try to move damage *from* something that blocks effects, the damage stays there. But Daunting Pose only prevents putting damage counters ON your Benched Pokemon; it does not prevent taking damage counters OFF your Pokemon. (Guardians Rising FAQ; May 4, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Shining Body (Raikou - BREAKthrough) copied!
Q. If I have more than one {L} Energy attached to Raikou, does its "Shining Body" Ability reduce the damage done to it by 20 for each {L} Energy?
A. No, you only get a maximum of 20 damage reduced from this Ability. (BREAKthrough FAQ; Nov 19, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Sinister Hand (Dusknoir - Boundaries Crossed) copied!
Q. If I use Dusknoir's "Sinister Hand" Ability to KO my opponent's Active Pokemon, can I wait until my opponent replaces his or her Active Pokemon before taking my prize(s)?
A. No, per the rulebook you must take your prizes first, and then the opponent replaces his or her Active Pokemon. (Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Six Feet Under copied!
Q. If I use Cofagrigus' "Six Feet Under" Ability and Cofagrigus is either my last Pokemon in play and/or is my opponent's last prize, but the three damage counters placed onto my opponent's Pokemon allow me to KO their last Pokemon and/or take my last prize, what happens next?
A. If both players arrived at a win condition at the same time but one player has more win conditions than the other (like KO'ing the last Pokemon AND taking their sixth prize), the player with the most win conditions met wins the game. However, if both players have the same number of win conditions, the game is declared a Draw and a one-prize Sudden Death game takes place to determine the winner. (Plasma Freeze FAQ; May 16, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Slip Trip (Goodra - Phantom Forces) copied!
Q. If I or my opponent have Goodra with "Slip Trip" in play, can I still attach a Team Flare Tool to my opponent's Pokemon?
A. Yes. It does not prevent a player from attaching a Tool to another player's Pokemon. (Phantom Forces FAQ; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Slippery Soles copied!
Q. Can I use Vanilluxe's "Slippery Soles" Ability to make my opponent switch Pokemon if I don't have any Benched Pokemon?
A. No you may not. Slippery Soles requires you to switch your Active Pokemon with one of your Benched Pokemon first. (Next Destinies FAQ; Feb 9, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Smooth Coat copied!
Q. Is Cinccino's "Smooth Coat" Ability checked to prevent damage done by your own Pokemon's attacks?
A. Yes, it is. (Next Destinies FAQ; Feb 9, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Cinccino with the "Smooth Coat" ability also has "Rocky Helmet" attached to it, can I choose to activate Rocky Helmet first, and then flip for Smooth Coat?
A. You would need to know whether Cinccino takes damage or not in order for Rocky Helmet to work, so in this scenario you would have to flip for Smooth Coat first. (Mar 15, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Snack Search (Munchlax - Unified Minds) copied!
Q. If I try to use Munchlax's "Snack Search" Ability and flip Tails, is my turn still over?
A. Yes, it is. Even if you don't flip Heads, the Ability is still considered "used". (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Solar Revelation copied!
Q. Does Espeon's "Solar Revelation" Ability prevent moving or placing damage counters?
A. In the steps of resolving an Attack, moving or "placing Damage Counters" counts as an Effect of the attack; it is not part of "doing damage". Therefore, as an Effect it would be prevented by Solar Revelation. (May 10, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Espeon's "Solar Revelation" Ability prevent damage done to Benched Pokemon?
A. No, it does not. Unlike placing damage counters, doing damage to a Benched Pokemon is not prevented by Solar Revelation. (May 10, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Espeon's "Solar Revelation" Ability prevent the flipping of coins for an attack that does damage times the number of heads flipped?
A. No, it does not. Flipping coins in this context is used to calculate how much damage is to be done. Since "doing damage" is not prevented, the flipping is not prevented either. (May 10, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Space Beacon (Starmie - Evolutions) copied!
Q. Can I use Starmie's "Space Beacon" Ability to discard a card from my hand if there are no Basic Energies in my Discard Pile?
A. Yes you can. The first part of Space Beacon is to discard a card from your hand, period. Then you do as much of the rest of the Ability as you are able to. (Jan 5, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Sprint (Zebstrika - Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. Can I use Zebstrika's "Sprint" Ability to discard my hand if there are no cards left in my deck?
A. No, you cannot. Discarding your hand is a cost not the effect, and you cannot use Abilities for no effect. (Mar 21, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Zebstrika's "Sprint" Ability if I have no cards in my hand?
A. Yes, since you can have a hand of zero cards you can use Sprint as long as there are cards in your deck to draw from. (Mar 21, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Stance (Lucario - Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. If my Active Pokemon evolves into Lucario and uses its "Stance" Ability, does its effect get cleared if it moves to the Bench?
A. No, its effect remains. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Stance Change (Aegislash - XY) copied!
Q. When using Aegislash's "Stance Change" Ability, what do I do with the card after I switch it with an Aegislash from my hand?
A. The Aegislash that was in play goes into your hand. (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Aegislash's "Stance Change" Ability, do I have to switch the Doublade & Honedge underneath it too?
A. No, you only switch one Aegislash card for another Aegislash card. (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Aegislash's "Stance Change" Ability, to switch for another Aegislash, can I then use the new Aegislash's "Stance Change" if I want to?
A. No, even though you have switched to a new Aegislash card you cannot use Stance Change again because the effect of using it remains on that Pokemon. (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Steam Up (Volcanion EX - Steam Siege) copied!
Q. Can I use Volcanion EX's "Steam Up" Ability on the very first turn of the game?
A. Yes you can. (Apr 27, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Steelworker (Dhelmise - Guardians Rising) copied!
Q. If I have more than one Dhelmise in play, do I get to add 10 damage for Metal Pokemon attacks for each one of their "Steelworker" Abilities?
A. Yes, they will stack. (Guardians Rising FAQ; May 4, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Stickiness copied!
Q. If a Pokemon normally has no Retreat Cost, does Jellicent's "Stickiness" Ability give it a Retreat Cost of (*) instead?
A. Yes, Stickiness adds +1 to each of the opponent's Pokemon's Retreat Costs. However, if the Retreat Costs are set to zero by an effect such as Darkrai-EX's "Dark Cloak" Ability, they cannot be increased by Stickiness. (Boundaries Crossed FAQ; Nov 8, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Sticky Membrane (Goomy - Forbidden Light) copied!
Q. Does Goomy's "Sticky Membrane" Ability increase the attack cost of no energy attacks like Alolan Marowak's "Limbo Limbo" attack?
A. Yes, it does. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Goomy's "Sticky Membrane" Ability increase the attack cost of attacks where the cost is ignored, such as when "Roto Motor" applies?
A. No, it does not. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if you use Rayquaza GX's "Stormy Winds" Ability, but can only discard less than 3 cards from your deck? Do you get to attach a basic Energy card from your discard pile to Rayquaza GX or not?
A. If you can discard at least 1 card from your deck, you can use the Ability and attach a Basic Energy card from your discard pile. If you can?t discard any cards, you can?t use it. (Aug 16, 2018 TPCi Rules Team; Sep 6, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have multiple Cherrim in play, can I use more than one "Sunny Heal" Poke-POWER?
A. Yes, you can. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Does Mime Jr's "Sweet Sleeping Face" Poke-BODY also stop Damage Counters from being placed on Mime Jr?
A. No, because placing Damage Counters does not count as damage done to a Pokemon. (Call of Legends FAQ; Feb 10, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Is it possible to evolve Pichu from the "Heart Gold/Soul Silver" expansion into Pikachu or Raichu?
A. No, because Pikachu would need to have "Evolves from Pichu" printed on the card in order to do this. Pichu cards from other sets with the "Baby Evolution" Poke-POWER provide a way to bypass this requirement, but this isn't possible with Pichu from "Heart Gold/Soul Silver". None of the HGSS set's Pokemon with the "Sweet Sleeping Face" Poke-BODY can evolve without a corresponding card that says it evolves from them. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If neither player puts any Basic Pokemon onto their Bench as an effect of Pichu's "Playground" attack, does Pichu fall Asleep?
A. Yes. The phrase "Pichu is now Asleep" is activated at the end of the attack, independent of the other results of the attack. The corresponding phrase acts the same way for the attacks of all the HGSS set's Pokemon with the "Sweet Sleeping Face" Poke-BODY (e.g. Cleffa's "Eeeeeeek", Smoochum's "Energy Antics", etc.). (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I use Vanilluxe's "Double Freeze" attack against a sleeping Cleffa with the "Sweet Sleeping Face" Ability active, can I paralyze Cleffa first and then do damage to it?
A. No, the order of the attack is to do the damage first (which would be blocked by Sweet Sleeping Face while it's Asleep), and then do effects like Paralyzing the Pokemon. (Dec 15, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Swelling Spite (Gastly - Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If Gastly with the "Swelling Spite" Ability is my last Pokemon in play and is Knocked Out, do I get to search for 2 Haunter and put them on my Bench or do I lose the game?
A. Yes, you get to use the Ability before you lose. Gastly is Knocked Out, the opponent takes a Prize card, and then you search your deck for 2 Haunter and put them onto your Bench. (Then you would have to promote one of the Haunter as your new Active Pokemon.) (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Theta Stop (Sceptile EX - Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. If Sceptile-EX has its Spirit Link tool attached, but Banette's "Tool Concealment" Ability is in play, what happens if you evolve to Mega Sceptile-EX with the "Theta Stop" Ancient Trait?
A. Theta Stop prevents the effect of Banette's ability against Mega Sceptile-EX in time for the Spirit Link tool to turn back on and not make you end your turn. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent has Jirachi GX with "Psychic Zone" Ability, does Golurk's "Theta Stop" Ancient Trait bypass "Psychic Zone" and apply Weakness?
A. Psychic Zone will not be applied to Golurk because of Theta Stop, so any attacks done to Golurk would still apply Weakness. Attacks done by Golurk wouldn?t be affected (Mar 12, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If a Pokemon with an Ability also has the "Theta Stop" Ancient Trait, would it prevent Wobbuffet's "Bide Barricade" from stopping that Ability?
A. Yes it would because Bide Barricade is an effect that is targeting the Pokemon, so Theta Stop would prevent Bide Barricade from blocking the Pokemon's Ability. (Sep 3, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Absol's "Cursed Eyes" Ability to move three damage counters from one of my opponent's Pokemon to another, what happens if I choose a Pokemon with the "Theta Stop" Ancient Trait?
A. Since Theta Stop prevents all effects of Abilities done by your Pokemon, if you choose to move the damage counters to a Pokemon with Theta Stop the damage counters would be discarded rather than moved onto that Pokemon. However, if you choose a Pokemon with Theta Stop as the source of where the damage counters would be moved from, they simply are not moved and the Cursed Eyes ability stops there. (Sep 3, 2015 TPCi Rules Team; Sep 24, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Time Recall (Celebi EX - Boundaries Crossed) copied!
Q. Does Drifblim's "Drifting Balloon" Ability affect the attacks from the Drifloon beneath it when Celebi EX with "Time Recall" is in play?
A. Yes, the attacks used from Drifloon will cost one less energy for each of the opponent's Team Plasma Pokemon in play. (May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
* Banette's "Tool Concealment" ability means Pokemon Tool cards simply have no effect. They are still considered as Items and Pokemon Tool cards, so "Garbotoxin" still works, "Startling Megaphone" would be able to remove them, etc. (Roaring Skies FAQ; May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Banette's "Tool Concealment" ability is active, can I attach multiple Tool cards to my Pokemon?
A. No, you cannot. (Roaring Skies FAQ; May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Toolbox (Sigilyph - Plasma Blast) copied!
Q. If Sigilyph with the "Toolbox" Ability gets attacked with something that discards a Pokemon Tool who gets to choose which tool gets discarded?
A. If an attack says to discard a Pokemon Tool it will discard all tools attached to that Pokemon, not just one. So poor Sigilyph would lose all of his tools. (Plasma Blast FAQ; Aug 15, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Sigilyph with the "Toolbox" Ability has Plasma Badge and Reversal Trigger attached, do I get to search my deck for a card when it is KO'd by an attack?
A. Yes, you can. The tools are still present on the Pokemon when it's KO'd (assuming the attack does not discard the tools first), so you would get to use the effect of Reversal Trigger since Plasma Badge makes Sigilyph a Plasma Pokemon. (Aug 15, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you attach more than one tool of the same name to Sigilyph with the "Toolbox" Ability? And if so, do the effects of the tools stack?
A. Yes to both questions. (Aug 15, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Top Entry (Lampent - Rebel Clash) copied!
Q. If I draw a Pokemon with the "Top Entry" Ability during my first turn of the game, can I put it onto my bench right away?
A. Sure, but remember you must do this BEFORE it gets into your hand. (Rebel Clash FAQ; Apr 30, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have a Pokemon with the "Top Entry" Ability in my starting hand at the beginning of the game, can I put it onto my Bench?
A. No, you may not. In order to use Top Entry it has to be drawn from your deck at the beginning of your turn, but your turn has not started while you're setting up at the beginning of the game. (Rebel Clash FAQ; Apr 30, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Trade (Zoroark GX - Shining Legends) copied!
Q. Can I use Zoroark GX's "Trade" Ability to discard a card from my hand if there are no cards left in my deck?
A. Yes you can. The first part of Trade is to discard a card from your hand, period. Then you do as much of the rest of the Ability as you are able to. (Mar 21, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Ditto with "Transform" in play this turn, on my next turn can I put a Basic Pokemon from my hand on top of Ditto and then immediately evolve it into a Stage 1 or use Rare Candy to evolve it to Stage 2?
A. Yes, you can. Ditto says "Any cards attached to this Pokemon, damage counters, Special Conditions, turns in play, and any other effects remain on the new Pokemon"; so as long as Ditto has been in play for more than a turn it satisfies the evolutionary requirement, and the Basic Pokemon card placed on Ditto can be evolved or used with Rare Candy immediately. (Boundaries Crossed FAQ; Nov 8, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say Ditto uses its "Transform" Ability to become a Klefki, then Klefki uses its "Wonder Lock" Ability to attach it to another Pokemon as a tool. When doing this what happens to the Ditto and Klefki cards?
A. The Ditto card gets discarded when Klefki is attached as a tool. (Jan 24, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I don't have any cards in my hand, can I use my Mr. Mime's "Trick Reveal" Poke-POWER to look at my opponent's hand?
A. Yes. You still have a hand, it just has no cards in it. Show your (empty) hand when your opponent shows their hand. (Call of Legends FAQ; Feb 10, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Unnerve (Pyroar - Forbidden Light) copied!
Q. Can I play Eneporter to try and fail to move a Special Energy onto a Pyroar that is protected by its "Unnerve" Ability, or would I not be able to play Eneporter at all?
A. The fact that its effect will be blocked by another effect such as Unnerve does not prevent an Item or Supporter card from being played. For example, your opponent may play Eneporter to try moving a Special Energy and Pyroar is a valid target, but Unnerve blocks the effect even though Eneporter was played. Playing a card for no effect happens when the game state itself prevents any effect from taking place and in that case the card would not be played, but that is not what this example is referring to. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Rare Candy to play Galarian Obstagoon, can I use its "Untamed Shout" Ability to place 3 damage counters on my opponent's Pokemon?
A. Yes, because it is still being played from your hand. (Sword & Shield FAQ; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Upside-Down Evolution (Inkay - XY) copied!
Q. If I use Inkay's "Upside-Down Evolution" Ability, does it remain Confused after evolving?
A. No, it does not. The phrase "this counts as evolving this Pokemon" refers to evolution rules that remove Special Conditions on that Pokemon. (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I put Inkay into play, confuse it somehow, and use its "Upside-Down Evolution" Ability all on the same turn?
A. Yes, you may. (Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Verdant Wind (Virizion EX - Plasma Blast) copied!
Q. If I have Virizion EX in play and use Hydreigon's "Dark Trance" ability to move a Blend Energy GPRD onto a Pokemon affected by a status condition, will Virizion EX's "Verdant Wind" Ability remove the Special Condition?
A. Yes, it does. Any time a Grass Energy card becomes attached to a Pokemon while Verdant Wind is enabled causes Special Conditions to be removed. (Aug 15, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Virizion EX on the bench and my Active Pokemon has a Grass Energy attached, would my opponent be able to play Hypnotoxic Laser since the Pokemon with Grass Energy attached "can't be affected by special conditions"?
A. The opponent can play Hypnotoxic Laser, but its effect would be blocked. (Aug 15, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Emolga with a Grass energy attached is poisoned and uses its "Call For Family" attack to get Virizion EX with "Verdant Wind" ability. Does it take poison damage or not?
A. No, because Virizion EX is in play before the end of the turn and Poison damage is taken between turns. (Jan 2, 2014 TPCi Rules Team; May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Servine uses the attack "Wring Out" and flips heads against a Virizion EX with a single Grass Energy attached. It deals 30 damage, and the Grass Energy is discarded. Can the paralysis Special Condition be applied?
A. The Paralysis condition occurs within the attack text before discarding the energy. Since Virizion EX's Verdant Wind ability is still active the Paralysis is prevented, and then the energy is discarded. (Jan 2, 2014 TPCi Rules Team; May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. For Mew EX's "Versatile" Ability, do I need to have the same energy types as the attack I'm copying, or will any type of energy work as long as I have the correct number of energies?
A. You must meet the energy requirements as to both type and number for the attack Mew EX is copying. So if the attack requires two Water energy, you will need to have at least two Water energy attached to Mew EX. (Feb 16, 2006 PUI Rules Team; BW:Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Since a BREAK Pokemon "retains the attacks, Abilities, Weakness, Resistance, and Retreat Cost of its previous Evolution" can a Mew EX with the "Versatile" Ability use an attack of the Pokemon that the BREAK Pokemon evolved from (providing it meets energy requirements, etc.)?
A. Yes, it can. The underlying Pokemon's attacks are part of the BREAK Evolved Pokemon and are therefore able to be copied by Versatile. (Dec 3, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my Wailord uses "Giant Wave" this turn, can my opponent's Mew EX's "Versatile" Ability use that attack on the turn following mine?
A. Yes. The effect of "this Pokemon can't use Giant Wave next turn" applies only to the Pokemon that attacked with it. (Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if Mew EX uses its "Versatile" ability to copy Xerneas EX's "X Blast" attack? Can it use "X Blast" again the following turn or not?
A. When Mew EX attacks, Versatile uses the attack name specified. So when it attacks with X Blast, Mew EX cannot use that attack twice in a row. (Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Sudowoodo's "Watch and Learn" attack on the turn after my opponent's Mew EX used its "Versatile" Ability, can "Watch and Learn" copy the attack that Mew EX used?
A. Yes, that works. (Feb 15, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Vessel of Life (Shedinja - Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. When using Shedinja's "Vessel of Life" Ability is the underlying Nincada discarded, or does it get attached as part of the Pokemon Tool?
A. The Nincada is discarded; only the Shedinja card gets attached as a Pokemon Tool. (Dec 27, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Shedinja's "Vessel of Life" Ability to attach it to a Pokemon that already has another Pokemon Tool card attached?
A. No, you cannot; the rulebook states "each Pokemon can have only 1 Pokemon Tool attached at any time". However, if there's an effect that overrides that rule, such as Genesect GX's "Double Drive" Ability, then you would be able to attach Shedinja to a Pokemon that already has another Pokemon Tool card attached. (Dec 27, 2018 TPCi Rules Team; Jan 3, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Victory Star copied!
Q. Can I use Victini's "Victory Star" ability to reflip just the tails flips from an attack?
A. No. You must reflip all of the flips for an attack if you use Victory Star. (Noble Victories FAQ; Nov 17, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Victini's "Victory Star" ability to reflip the flips from a trainer such as Xtransceiver or ability like Carracosta's Solid Rock?
A. No. Victory Star applies only to flips from attacks. (Noble Victories FAQ; Nov 17, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Victini's "Victory Star" ability to reflip for a failed Confusion check?
A. No, Victory Star only applies to flips that are done as part of the attack. You cannot use it for checking status effects. (Noble Victories FAQ; Nov 17, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I use Grumpig's "Bench Manipulation" attack to have my opponent flip a coin for each of his or her Benched Pokemon, can I use Victini's "Victory Star" ability to force my opponent to re-flip those coins?
A. Yes, you can. If your opponent flips a coin as part of your Pokemon's attack, you can use "Victory Star" to force them to re-flip those coins. (Jan 12, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Sylveon's "Wink Wink" attack to have my opponent discard Ilima, can I use Victini's "Victory Star" Ability to force my opponent to re-flip their coins?
A. Yes, you can. If your opponent flips a coin as part of your Pokemon's attack, you can use "Victory Star" to force them to re-flip those coins; but keep in mind you will have to re-flip your coins for Ilima too. (Nov 15, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent used Scyther's "Afterimage Strike" last turn, and on my turn I use an attack like "Double Slap" to flip two coins and do 30x the number of heads, if the opponent gets heads on "Afterimage Strike" to prevent the damage, can I use Victini's "Victory Star" Ability to reflip my coins for "Double Slap" and start the process all over again?
A. No, you cannot. Victory Star must be invoked prior to determining the amount of damage being done, which in turn is prior to the opponent performing the flip for Afterimage Strike. (Jan 12, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. How and when would you use Victini's "Victory Star" Ability to reflip coins when using Mamoswine's "Ramming Strike" attack?
A. Anytime during the course of Ramming Strike, you can use Victory Star once to start the attack over from the beginning. Any damage counters placed on Mamoswine during the course of the attack would be erased, even if it is enough for Mamoswine to be KO'd, and Mamoswine basically gets one more chance at using the Ramming Strike attack. (Dec 15, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Say I have Liepard active and Raikou-EX and Victini on my bench. I attack with Liepard's "Assist", flip heads and choose to copy Raikou-EX's "Thunder Fang" attack but flip tails for "Thunder Fang's" paralysis part. If I then use Victini's "Victory Star" Ability to re-flip the coins, assuming I get heads for "Assist" could I choose a different benched Pokemon's attack or would I have to choose "Thunder Fang" again?
A. Since Victory Star rewound all the coin flips it's as if the Assist attack never happened. So yes, you could choose a different benched Pokemon's attack, if you flip heads for Assist of course. (Jan 31, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Naganadel & Guzzlord GX's "Violent Appetite" Ability to discard a Pokemon if Naganadel & Guzzlord GX is not damaged?
A. Yes, you can. The main effect of this Ability is to discard a Pokemon from your hand. (Feb 27, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Phione's "Whirlpool Suction" Ability and target my opponent's Pokemon with Stealthy Hood attached I know the Pokemon with Stealthy Hood does not move. But would I be able to discard all cards attached to Phione and put it on the bottom of my deck?
A. No. Since Stealthy Hood blocks the move effect of Whirlpool Suction, the "if you do" clause fails and Phione stays in play. (Feb 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. I understand if I use Phione's "Whirlpool Suction" Ability and target my opponent's Pokemon with Stealthy Hood attached the effects get blocked. But what happens if later in that turn I use Tool Scrapper to remove Stealthy Hood. Would I then be able to use Phione's "Whirlpool Suction" Ability or has it already been used up at that point?
A. Sorry, even though Stealthy Hood blocked the Whirlpool Suction Ability it's considered to be already used. You attempt to use the Ability and the effect doesn?t work, but you have still used the Ability and cannot try again. (Mar 12, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Wimp Out (Wimpod - Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. Can I use Heavy Ball to search for Wimpod that has the "Wimp Out" Ability on my first turn?
A. Yes, you can. Abilities only work when in play (unless the card says otherwise), so Wimp Out is not active while Wimpod is still in the deck. (Sep 14, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Wind Charm (Suicune - BREAKpoint) copied!
Q. If I have Suicune with the "Wind Charm" Ability Active and my opponent attacks with Greninja's "Shadow Stitching", are all my Abilities turned off including "Wind Charm", or does "Wind Charm" prevent "Shadow Stitching" from disabling my Pokemon's Abilities?
A. Wind Charm prevents Shadow Stitching from disabling your Pokemon's Abilities. However, if Suicune goes to the Bench, Wind Charm's effect goes away and your Pokemon will no longer have Abilities that turn. Suicune also does not protect any Pokemon not already in play. (BREAKpoint FAQ; Feb 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Wish Upon a Star (Jirachi {*} - Celestial Storm) copied!
Q. What do I do with Jirachi {*}'s "Wish Upon a Star" Ability if my bench is full?
A. If you cannot put Jirachi {*} onto the bench, you just put it into your hand but do not draw another prize. (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Gladion and choose to put Jirachi {*} into my hand, can I use Jirachi {*}'s "Wish Upon a Star" Ability?
A. Sorry, but Wish Upon a Star only triggers when you are taking it as a face-down prize card, not when you are trading it with another card. (Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens with Jirachi {*}'s "Wish Upon a Star" Ability if Garbodor's "Garbotoxin" Ability or "Hex Maniac" are active?
A. Jirachi (*) is never in the zones mentioned by those cards when you use its Ability, so Wish Upon a Star will work. (Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Wonder Lock (Klefki - Steam Siege) copied!
Q. Can I use Klefki's "Wonder Lock" Ability if Klefki doesn't have any cards attached to it?
A. Yes, you may. (Steam Siege FAQ; Aug 4, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Klefki with the "Wonder Lock" Ability is attached to a Pokemon as a Tool card, what happens if "Silent Lab" stadium comes into play? Does "Wonder Lock" shut off and Klefki get discarded, or does it remain attached to the Pokemon?
A. Once Klefki is attached as a Pokemon Tool card it retains its effect even when its Ability has been disabled. Once it's attached, it is essentially treated as a Tool with that text, so shutting off its Ability doesn't matter at that point. However, if something such as Lysandre Labs is in effect, Klefki won't be discarded at the end of your opponent?s turn. (Jan 3, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say Ditto uses its "Transform" Ability to become a Klefki, then Klefki uses its "Wonder Lock" Ability to attach it to another Pokemon as a tool. When doing this what happens to the Ditto and Klefki cards?
A. The Ditto card gets discarded when Klefki is attached as a tool. (Jan 24, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Zap Zone (Zebstrika - BREAKpoint) copied!
Q. If my Zebstrika with the "Zap Zone" Ability attacks a Pokemon with {L} Weakness, does the Weakness get ignored because of "Zap Zone"?
A. No, Weakness & Resistance are game mechanics, they are not effects that would be ignored because of Zap Zone. (BREAKpoint FAQ; Feb 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Altaria has a printed weakness to Lightning, but it also has the "Clear Humming" Ability which creates an effect that gives it no weakness. What happens if it is attacked by Zebstrika with the "Zap Zone" Ability which makes its attack's damage ignore effects on the defending Pokemon? When Zebstrika attacks Altaria, is the damage altered by weakness or not?
A. Zap Zone refers to "any effects on your opponent's Active Pokemon", but the term "any effects" does not include effects that alter Weakness or Resistance. So in this case Zebstrika's attack will NOT be increased for Weakness, due to Clear Humming. (Mar 24, 2016 TPCi Rules Team; May 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Changes Announcement; May 18, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I play more than one Trainer card on my turn?
A. Yes. (Basic FAQ, WotC Website)
* When you use a Trainer card, first you pay the cost (if any), then you resolve the effect of the Trainer card, then you discard that Trainer card. So you could NOT use Item Finder to bring itself back from the discard pile (you would discard 2 other cards from your hand, then pull a Trainer card from your discard pile to your hand, THEN you would discard the Item Finder). (Mar 2, 2000 WotC Chat)
Q. What's the proper way to play a Trainer like Ultra Ball?
A. When playing a Trainer you first put it onto the playing field (not directly into the Discard Pile). Then you do what the card says, such as discarding two cards (those go into the Discard Pile right away), searching your Deck, showing the selected Pokemon to your opponent before putting it directly into your hand, shuffling your Deck, etc. Finally, after everything is done, put the Trainer card into the Discard Pile. (Sep 18, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can a Pokémon Tool be attached to a Pokémon that already has another trainer card (Defender,Plus Power,etc...) attached to it?
A. Yes you could attach a tool to a Pokémon that had another trainer on it (as long as it isn't a Tool as well). (Dec 21, 2000 WotC Chat, Q29 & Q184)
Q. Do Pokémon Tools stay attached to the Pokémon when it evolves?
A. Yup. (Dec 21, 2000 WotC Chat, Q24)
Q. Can you play 2 TM's together on your active Pokemon?
A. Yup. One attack per turn, doesn't matter if you have two copies of it. You can only use one cube to attack. You don't have two attacks. (Feb 13, 2003 WotC Chat, Q970 & Q992)
Q. Last week you said that many cards (Lass, etc.) don't require shuffling their deck if they don't have any cards in their hand (Nov 30, 2000, Q4 & Q15). But, a previous ruling for Gambler said that you DO have to shuffle (May 11, 2000, Q131). Please clarify & confirm. Thanks.
A. Read every card...on Gambler it specifically states 'shuffle your hand into your deck'. Since your 'hand' can be a 'hand' of zero cards you could shuffle if you had no cards in your hand in this case. However, cards that say trade a card in your hand for one in your deck, and you don't have one to trade; you can't shuffle in that case. Lass says 'shuffle all Trainer cards in your hand back into your deck. If you have no trainers, you can't shuffle your deck. (Dec 7, 2000 WotC Chat, Q20)
Q. When you use a Trainer that requires you to shuffle your hand into your deck does that Trainer get shuffled back into the Deck too or does it go to the Discard Pile?
A. No, the trainer that you play doesn't go back into your deck. {When you played it, you put it down on the table. It is no longer in your hand] (Mar 29, 2001 WotC Chat, Q190 & Q207)
Q. If I use Pokémon Trader or Energy Search and there aren't any Pokémon or Energy in my deck, do I have to show my deck to my opponent? If there isn't any in my deck, do I get to put the Pokémon Trader or Energy Search back in my hand either?
A. You don't have to show your deck and you don't put the trainer back in your hand [Ed. note: It goes into the discard pile]. (August 17, 2000 WotC Chat Q80)
Q. Can Pokemon be Knocked Out partway through completing the Trainer card?
A. A Pokemon cannot be Knocked Out partway through the Trainer card. You must complete all of the actions of a Trainer card BEFORE you check for game state checks (to see if a Pokemon is Knocked out for example). (Mar 6, 2002 WotC Rules Team Update; Mar 7, 2002 WotC Chat, Q550)
Q. Could I use the effect of a Stadium card already in play, then play a Stadium card from my hand to remove the old stadium, and still be able to use my new stadium's effect?
A. Yes, provided you have not already played a Stadium card that turn [and the new one has a different name]. (Nov 6, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Could I play a trainer if it's obvious that it will have no effect (i.e. Life Herb on a Pokémon without any damage and with no Special Conditions on it)?
A. No, you cannot play a card if it is obvious that you cannot do what the card is supposed to do at that moment. (Sep 22, 2005 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can you play Professor Juniper or Fiery Torch, or any draw Trainer, with no cards in your deck?
A. No, you cannot play a Trainer when it is known that it will have no effect. (Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. I have never had this come up and I can't find anything saying you can't, but can you attach 2 Technical Machines to the same Pokémon at the same time?
A. There are no restrictions on TM's that say you cannot, so yes you can. (Jan 26, 2006 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can you attach multiple copies of the same TM to the same Pokémon?
A. Sure. (Feb 23, 2006 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can you choose the order of effects when playing a Tag Team Supporter, or do you have to do them in the order stated on the card?
A. You must do them in the order stated on the card. However, you don't have to meet the criteria for the first effect in order to do the second effect; for example, if the first effect says to search your deck but you don?t have any cards in your deck you can still do the second effect as long as you meet its criteria. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Ace Trainer (Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. If I play "Ace Trainer" does my opponent draw 6 cards and then draw 3 cards?
A. No. After you shuffle your hands in, you will draw 6 and your opponent will only draw 3. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Acerola (Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. Can I play "Acerola" to return a damaged Pokemon and all cards attached to it to my hand when Lunatone's "Heal Block" ability is activated?
A. Yes, you can return the Pokemon and attached cards to your hand. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Acro Bike (Celestial Storm) copied!
Q. Can I play Acro Bike if there's only one card left in my deck? And if so, do I put that one card into my hand or discard it, or do I get to choose?
A. You can play Acro Bike with only one card left in your deck; but you have to put it into your hand, you cannot discard it. (Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I have 4 copies of each Alph Lithograph card in my deck?
A. No, you may not. Each variant of Alph Lithograph does something different, but they all have the same card name. Just like you can have no more than 4 Pikachu in any combination, you can only have a maximum of 4 Alph Lithograph cards in your deck. When entering onto a decklist, make sure to list them on separate lines and include the set and card number on each line for clarity. (Sep 15, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Alph Lithograph Four copied!
Q. Can I rearrange the order of my prize cards after using Alph Lithograph (number 4)?
A. Yes, you can. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Apricorn Maker (Celestial Storm) copied!
Q. Can Apricorn Maker be used to search for the Trainer "Bursting Balloon"? Taking the card literally, Bursting *BALL*oon contains the exact same "Ball" as given on Apricorn Maker.
A. Of course not, don't be silly! You can only search for cards like Poke Ball, Ultra Ball, Beast Ball, etc. (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can Apricorn Maker be used to search for "Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick" since it has the word "Ball" in its name?
A. Nope, Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick is a Supporter, not an Item card. (Celestial Storm FAQ; Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Aqua Diffuser (Double Crisis) copied!
Q. Can I use a regular attack and Aqua Diffuser/Magma Pointer as well, for a total of two attacks on the same turn?
A. No, you cannot. The text just means that you also have this attack available as a choice for your one attack for the turn. (Apr 23, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Archie's Ace in the Hole (Primal Clash) copied!
Q. Can I use "Archie's Ace in the Hole" or "Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick" to put a Stage 2 or Mega Pokemon directly onto my bench?
A. Yes, they're very sneaky like that. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. With "Archie's Ace in the Hole" and "Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick", does a Stage 2 Pokemon put on the bench count as a Basic Pokemon?
A. No, it is an unevolved Stage 2 Pokemon. It is still considered an "Evolution Pokemon", but it is not a "Basic Pokemon". (Apr 27, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use "Archie's Ace in the Hole" or "Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick" to put a Mega Pokemon or Primal Reversion directly onto my bench, does my turn end?
A. No, it does not. The Mega and Primal Reversion rules say your turn ends "when one of your Pokemon becomes" that way. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I play "Archie's Ace in the Hole" or "Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick" if I don't have a Water/Fighting Pokemon in my discard pile?
A. No, you cannot. If you can't put one of those Pokemon onto your bench you don't get to draw 5 cards. (Feb 26, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
AZ (Phantom Forces) copied!
Q. When playing the AZ supporter, do I put all Pokemon stages into my hand, or just the Basic or highest stage?
A. You put all of the Pokemon cards into your hand, including all Stages and Mega cards. (Phantom Forces FAQ; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Beast Ball (Celestial Storm) copied!
Q. Does using Beast Ball count as "taking a prize" for the purpose of calculating damage for Stakataka GX's "Assembly GX" attack?
A. No, it does not. You are switching cards, not taking a prize. (Aug 16, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Beast Bringer (Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I'm playing in a Prerelease with 4 Prize Cards, what happens if I have Beast Bringer attached to an Ultra Beast and I Knock Out a GX Pokemon as my first Knock Out?
A. Nothing happens. The card specifies that you must have exactly 6 Prize cards remaining but you only have 4. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Bellelba & Brycen-Man (Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
* You can play Bellelba & Brycen-Man as long as there's at least 1 card in either player's deck. It can also be played by discarding 3 cards from your hand if at least 1 player has more than 3 Benched Pokemon. But if at least 1 player doesn't have more than 3 Benched Pokemon, you cannot discard cards from your hand. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Billowing Smoke (Darkness Ablaze) copied!
Q. How does Billowing Smoke work with Greedy Dice or Jirachi {*} and its "Wish Upon a Star" Ability?
A. If you KO a Pokemon with Billowing Smoke attached, you do not get to use Greedy Dice nor Wish Upon a Star since neither of those cards would be going into your hand. Any Prize cards that would be taken for a Pokemon that has Billowing Smoke attached are discarded, not taken. (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Bird Keeper (Darkness Ablaze) copied!
Q. What happens if I play Bird Keeper but there aren't any Pokemon on my bench?
A. If you only have one Pokemon in play, you cannot play Bird Keeper. (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have more prizes remaining than my opponent and I play Black Belt, but then I KO one or more of my opponent's Pokemon before I attack, would I still be able to use the effect of Black Belt if I'm no longer behind on prizes?
A. Yes, you can. The requirement of being behind on prizes is just for playing the card, and once it's in play you can use its effect even if you are no longer behind. (Jan 27, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Black Market {*} (Team Up) copied!
Q. If Black Market {*} is in play, and an Active Darkness Pokemon with up to 3 Darkness energy and a Wishful Baton is Knocked Out by damage from an attack, can the player move all of the Darkness Energy from that Pokemon to another Pokemon and still get Black Market {*}'s effect?
A. Sorry, but no. Taking prizes is the last step when a Pokemon is knocked out; so after all the Darkness Energy is moved, the opponent would not take one fewer Prize card. (Mar 28, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Blaine's Quiz Show (Unified Minds) copied!
Q. Could I play Blaine's Quiz Show and put down Munchlax which has no attack?
A. No. You can only choose to put down a Pokemon that has an attack you can declare to your opponent. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say I play Blaine's Quiz Show and put Giratina Prism Star down, but my opponent just says "Giratina". Do I get 4 cards?
A. Yes, you do. Your opponent needs to name the full name on the card. (Jan 18, 2001 WotC Chat, Q14b; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I play Blaine's Quiz Show and put down "Celebi and Venusaur GX", do I win if the opponent says "Venusaur and Celebi GX" instead?
A. As long as they get both Pokemon of the Tag Team correct and they include the "GX" part, you shouldn't get that nit-picky about which Pokemon is billed first. (Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Blue's Tactics (Unified Minds) copied!
Q. Can I play Blue's Tactics if I have more than 8 cards in my hand?
A. Yes, because you could still have less than 8 cards in your hand by the end of your turn. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Blue's Tactics and then later KO an opponent's Pokemon, do I take prize cards and then draw until I have 8 or can I choose the order this happens in?
A. You take your Prize cards first, and then at the end of your turn you draw for Blue's Tactics. (Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Bodybuilding Dumbbells (Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. If I use Eelektrik's "Small Appetite" attack against a Pokemon with 90 HP but it has the "Bodybuilding Dumbbells" Pokemon Tool attached, do I do 50 damage or 0?
A. You do 0 damage. The HP from Bodybuilding Dumbbells counts toward the Pokemon's maximum HP, putting it out of range of the Small Appetite attack. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Bonnie (Forbidden Light) copied!
Q. If my opponent used Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack on me, could I use Bonnie to allow my Zygarde-GX to use its GX attack?
A. No, you cannot. Although Bonnie would normally let Zygarde-GX re-use its GX attack, the effect of Clear Vision GX is on Zygarde-GX and that still prevents using *ANY* GX attacks. (Sep 5, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Boss's Orders (Rebel Clash) copied!
* Lysandre and Boss's Orders cannot be included in the same deck. This is similar to the rule that says Professor Juniper, Professor Sycamore, and Professor's Research cannot be included in the same deck. (Apr 16, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Apr 30, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Brooklet Hill (Guardians Rising) copied!
Q. Can I use Brooklet Hill to search through my deck even if my Bench is full?
A. No. Since your Bench is already full it's public knowledge that Brooklet Hill won't have any effect, so you cannot search your deck. (Jun 27, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Bursting Balloon (BREAKpoint) copied!
Q. If a Pokemon with Bursting Balloon tool attached is attacked by an Yveltal with the "Fright Night" Ability no damage is placed on the attacker, but is the tool discarded at the end of the turn as its text indicates?
A. The Bursting Balloon damage placement effect is turned off, but the discard text is also an effect, so the tool is not discarded at the end of the turn. (Mar 24, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say I have a Yveltal with "Fright Night" Ability as my Active Pokemon with Bursting Balloon attached, then I play Hex Maniac. What happens at the end of my opponent's turn, when they attack and do damage to Yveltal?
A. Hex Maniac works until the end of your opponent's turn. At the end of your opponent's turn, you check to see if Bursting Balloon gets discarded. So Bursting Balloon places the 6 damage counters, Hex Maniac's effect wears off, and then Fright Night is reactivated preventing Bursting Balloon from being discarded. (Sep 8, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If you use Umbreon's "Shadow Drain" attack against a Pokemon with {D} weakness and a Bursting Balloon attached, what are the correct order of operations for placing and healing damage?
A. Umbreon's healing effect takes place within the context of the attack, so healing has to be completed before the attack is finished. Since Bursting Balloon is triggered by damage and you can't interrupt the attack's other effect (healing) to place those damage counters, you would heal Umbreon first and then place the damage counters for Bursting Balloon. (Jun 9, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Captivating Poke Puff (Steam Siege) copied!
Q. If I use Captivating Poke Puff and put one of my opponent's Basic Pokemon on the bench that has an Ability (like Shaymin EX's "Setup"), does the opponent get to use that Ability right away?
A. No, Captivating Poke Puff does not trigger any coming into play Abilities. (Steam Siege FAQ; Aug 4, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I play Captivating Poke Puff and find a Pokemon with the Omega Barrier Ancient Trait in my opponent's hand, can I choose that Pokemon to be benched or does Omega Barrier block the Captivating Poke Puff?
A. Yes, you can put that Pokemon onto the Bench. Ancient Traits are only active when that Pokemon is in play. (Mar 30, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Captivating Poke Puff says to put any number of Basic Pokemon you find in your opponent's hand onto their Bench. Does this allow you to put more than 5 Pokemon on the bench?
A. No, Captivating Poke Puff does not allow you to exceed the normal limits of the game. You can put any number of Basic Pokemon onto your opponent's Bench up to the maximum size of the Bench. (Steam Siege FAQ; Aug 4, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Captivating Poke Puff can I choose to NOT put any Basic Pokemon onto my opponent's bench, or do I have to put at least one down if I'm able to?
A. No, you don't have to put any Basic Pokemon onto your opponent's bench if you don't want to. (Aug 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you play Captivating Poke Puff if your opponent's Bench is full?
A. No. It?s public knowledge that you can?t put down any additional Basic Pokemon on your opponent?s Bench, so you cannot play the card. (Aug 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you play Captivating Poke Puff if your opponent has no cards in their hand?
A. No, you cannot. You cannot play a Trainer card for no net effect. (Aug 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Cedric Juniper (Legendary Treasures) copied!
Q. For Cedric Juniper, can the opponent look at any face up cards around them to figure out the height of a Pokemon. Can he/she look at an open binder nearby?
A. You could look at other Pokemon that are in play but not at a binder. Just on the field, in your hand, or in the Discard Pile for either player. (Nov 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Cedric Juniper, my opponent asks for the height of a Pokemon in play on the field. Is it legal for him to cover that card up?
A. Nope. (Nov 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Channeler (Unified Minds) copied!
Q. If I used Steelix's "Gigaton Shake" on my previous turn, would Channeler allow my Pokemon to attack this turn?
A. Yes, the effect of Gigaton Shake would be removed, and your Pokemon would be able to attack. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent used Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack on me, could I use Channeler to remove that effect?
A. Yes you could, because Channeler removes effects from both you and your Pokemon. (Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team; Sep 5, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I used Poipole's "Knockout Reviver" attack, but then on my opponent's next turn they play Channeler, would that allow them to take a prize for KO'ing Poipole?
A. No, it would not. The effect of Knockout Reviver resides on Poipole, and the opponent's Channeler only clears effects on the opponent or their Pokemon. (Aug 22, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Channeler negate the effects of Arceus & Dialga & Palkia GX's "Altered Creation GX" attack?
A. It depends on who is playing the Channeler. If the player who used Altered Creation GX uses Channeler then the effects are removed; the player's Pokemon no longer do +30 damage and the player does not get to take any extra prizes from the effect. However, if the player's opponent plays Channeler, then Altered Creation GX effects are not removed as they reside on the other player (who did not play Channeler). (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Chaotic Swell (Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
Q. If I try to play a Stadium card but it is discarded by the effect of Chaotic Swell stadium, can I play another one?
A. No, it was immediately discarded without effect, but you already played a Stadium card which can only be done once per turn. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Colress copied!
Q. If my opponent has no cards in their hand, and I only have 1 Colress in my hand, and neither player has any Benched Pokemon, am I allowed to play Colress or not?
A. Yes, you can. You would shuffle your "hand of zero cards" into your deck and draw nothing. (Mar 7, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Colress Machine copied!
Q. If I have four Plasma Energy in play, either on the field and/or in the Discard Pile, can I use Colress Machine to search through my deck, find nothing, and shuffle my deck?
A. Yes you could use Colress Machine, because the game does not deduce the contents of a deck based on public knowledge such as the discard pile or cards in play. (Feb 28, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Computer Search and fail to find a card in your deck?
A. No, you cannot. When searching for a Pokemon, Trainer, or other particular type of card you can voluntarily fail the search because the contents of the deck are unknown; but when searching for "a card" of any kind the game can tell whether there are cards in the deck and you must take one if instructed to do so. Although the contents of the deck are unknown, the quantity of cards in the deck is known. (Aug 15, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use the Supporter "Copycat" when my opponent has no cards in his or her hand?
A. Yes, you can. Shuffle your hand into your deck, but don't draw any cards. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I play the Supporter "Copycat" when it's the only card in my hand?
A. Yes, you can. Shuffle your deck, then draw cards equal to the number of cards in your opponent's hand. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Cover Fossil copied!
Q. Can you use Cover Fossil or Plume Fossil if your Bench is full?
A. No, since your Bench is full you cannot play Cover Fossil or Plume Fossil. (Dec 1, 2011 TPCi Rules Team)
Crystal Wall copied!
Q. If Crystal Wall is attached to Black Kyurem-EX, can anything raise its maximum HP beyond 300 (ike if it were somehow made Colorless and Aspertia City Gym is in play)?
A. Crystal Wall essentially replaces Black Kyurem-EX's printed HP with 300, and anything to add or reduce HP would work accordingly. (Boundaries Crossed FAQ; Nov 8, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Cynthia & Caitlin (Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
* You can play Cynthia & Caitlin as long as there's a Supporter card in your discard pile. You can also play it by discarding a card from your hand if there's at least 1 card in your deck. But if you have no cards in your deck, you cannot discard a card from your hand. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Cyrus {*} (Ultra Prism) copied!
* The text on Cyrus{*} should say, "You can play this card only if your Active Pokémon is a {W} or {M} Pokémon". The original text says you can?t play this card unless you have a {W} or {M} Pokémon in play, but the intended requirement is to have a {W} or {M} Pokémon as your Active Pokémon. (Jan 24, 2018 Pokemon Organized Play News)
Q. When using Cyrus{*} does my opponent shuffle in their Active Pokemon too?
A. No, your opponent only shuffles in their Benched Pokemon except for the 2 that were chosen. (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. I have 3 Pokemon on my Bench, and 1 of them has the "Omega Barrier" Ancient Trait. My opponent plays Cyrus {*}, and I choose to keep the 2 Pokemon that don't have "Omega Barrier". Does the Pokemon with "Omega Barrier" get shuffled into my deck?
A. Yes, it does. The effect of Cyrus {*} is on the player, not on the Pokemon with Omega Barrier. (May 31, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
* The wording of Defender is now as follows, "Attach Defender to 1 of your Pokémon. Discard this card at the end of your opponent?s next turn. Any damage done to the Pokémon Defender is attached to by attacks is reduced by 20 (after applying Weakness and Resistance)." Defender now protects against all attacks, even ones not made by the opponent. (Apr 11, 2011 TPCi Announcements; May 5, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Delinquent (BREAKpoint) copied!
Q. Can I use the effect of a Stadium like Rough Seas, then play Delinquent to remove the Stadium, then play another Stadium of the same name as the original and use its effect too?
A. Yes, that is permissible. (Feb 25, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use two Devolution Sprays on the same Pokemon in the same turn, to devolve from a Stage 2 to Stage 1 and then to Basic?
A. Yes, you can. (Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you evolve a Pokemon then use Devolution Spray on it during the same turn?
A. Yes, you can. (Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Rare Candy on a Pokemon that was devolved on that same turn (i.e. Devolution Spray, Hyper Devolution Spray, etc.)?
A. No, you cannot. A Pokemon must be in play since the beginning of the turn in which you are using Rare Candy. A devolved Pokemon counts as just coming into play. (Jun 3, 2004 PUI Rules Team; Jun 9, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Devolution Spray or Golurk's "Devolution Punch" attack against a Mega Pokemon, and if so what happens to the Mega Pokemon?
A. Mega Pokemon are evolved Pokemon, so the Mega Pokemon card is removed, but the underlying Pokemon and all other cards attached stay in play (unless the Pokemon is KO'd, of course). (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Eternatus VMAX with "Eternal Zone" Ability in play and I use Devolution Spray Z to devolve one of my benched Darkness type Pokemon to a non-Darkness type Pokemon with enough damage already on the devolved Pokemon to knock it out, is it KO'd before having to reduce my Bench down to 5 Pokemon, or if I discard it to reduce my bench is it not KO'd?
A. You would discard your Bench down to 5 first, then check for a KO. That means you could discard the newly devolved Pokemon to avoid a KO, even if Eternatus VMAX is the one being devolved! (Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Dimension Valley (Phantom Forces) copied!
Q, When Dimension Valley is in play, if Mew EX uses its "Versatile" Ability to copy an attack from another Pokemon, will the attack's Energy cost be reduced by (C)?
A. Yes. (Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q, When Dimension Valley is in play, if Mew EX uses its "Versatile" Ability to copy an attack from another Psychic Pokemon, will the attack's Energy cost be reduced by (CC)?
A. No. When Versatile copies the attack it uses the original attack cost regardless of the opponent's Pokemon's type, and then Dimension Valley reduces the cost by (C) since Mew EX is Psychic. (Nov 20, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Dowsing Machine copied!
Q. Can I use Dowsing Machine, discarding something + 1 Item card to get that 1 Item card back into my hand?
A. No, you cannot return cards to your hand that you used to pay this card's cost. (Plasma Storm FAQ; Feb 7, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I flip two heads with "Dual Ball" can I choose both halves of a LEGEND Pokemon?
A. No, because LEGEND are not Basic Pokemon, you cannot choose them with Dual Ball. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Dusk Stone (Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. Can you use Dusk Stone to evolve directly from Litwick to Chandelure, or from Honedge directly to Aegislash?
A. No, because Chandelure & Aegislash (Stage 2) do not evolve from Litwick or Honedge (Basic); but you could use Dusk Stone to evolve them from Lampent or Doublade. (Aug 22, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Dust Island (Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I use a Trainer card to switch my Active Pokemon that is affected by Poison from Muk & Alolan Muk GX's "Severe Poison" attack and Dust Island is in play, does my new Active Pokemon take the extra damage counters?
A. Yes, it does. Dust Island specifies that it is affected by "that Special Condition". (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent uses Pokemon Catcher or Escape Rope while Dust Island is in play, is my new Active Pokemon still poisoned.
A. No, it is not. Dust Island only works when a Trainer card is used to switch your own Pokemon; it does not apply when the Trainer card is played by your opponent. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Eneporter (Forbidden Light) copied!
Q. Can I play Eneporter to try and fail to move a Special Energy onto a Pyroar that is protected by its "Unnerve" Ability, or would I not be able to play Eneporter at all?
A. The fact that its effect will be blocked by another effect such as Unnerve does not prevent an Item or Supporter card from being played. For example, your opponent may play Eneporter to try moving a Special Energy and Pyroar is a valid target, but Unnerve blocks the effect even though Eneporter was played. Playing a card for no effect happens when the game state itself prevents any effect from taking place and in that case the card would not be played, but that is not what this example is referring to. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
ENERGIE - RÜCKGEWINNUNG copied!
Q. In Germany we have two different Trainer Cards with the same translation for the name. Both Energy Retrieval and Energy Returner are called "Energie - Rückgewinnung". How would this be handled in a Decklist? Can I have 4 of both?
A. In Japanese and English those are two different cards with completely different actions. You may have up to 4 of each in your deck, but on the decklist you should list them on separate lines and include the set and card number on each line for clarity. (Sep 15, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Energy Exchanger to trade a Basic Energy for a Special Energy card?
A. Yes, the Trainer does not restrict its effect to only Basic Energy cards. (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Energy Pouch (Fates Collide) copied!
Q. Say I have an Active Pokemon with Energy Pouch attached and a Benched Pokemon with Exp. Share attached. If the Active Pokemon is KO'd, how do the effects of the tools resolve?
A. You may choose the order in which the tools' effects resolve. There is no preference of one tool over the other in this situation. (Apr 20, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
* The wording of Energy Retrieval is now as follows, "Put up to 2 basic Energy cards from your discard pile into your hand." (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. In Germany we have two different Trainer Cards with the same translation for the name. Both Energy Retrieval and Energy Returner are called "Energie - Rückgewinnung". How would this be handled in a Decklist? Can I have 4 of both?
A. In Japanese and English those are two different cards with completely different actions. You may have up to 4 of each in your deck, but on the decklist you should list them on separate lines and include the set and card number on each line for clarity. (Sep 15, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I have less than 4 energy cards in my discard pile, can I play "Energy Returner"?
A. Only if you have at least one energy in your discard. If you have less than 4 energy, return all of them to your deck. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. In Germany we have two different Trainer Cards with the same translation for the name. Both Energy Retrieval and Energy Returner are called "Energie - Rückgewinnung". How would this be handled in a Decklist? Can I have 4 of both?
A. In Japanese and English those are two different cards with completely different actions. You may have up to 4 of each in your deck, but on the decklist you should list them on separate lines and include the set and card number on each line for clarity. (Sep 15, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If you use an Energy Search and don't find any Basic Energy, do you still discard the Energy Search?
A. Yes, you would still discard it. (Jan 15, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If you use an Energy Search and don't find any Basic Energy, can you then play another Energy Search even though you know it will fail?
A. Yes, you can search for energy cards even if you know you won't find them. They exist as legal cards, therefore they can be searched for. (Jan 15, 2004 PUI Rules Team; Jan 22, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I don't discard an energy, can I play "Engineer's Adjustments"?
A. No. You must be able to discard an energy to play the card. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Erika (Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
Q. Can I play Erika if both I and my opponent decide not to draw any cards?
A. Yes, because it is not known by you or the game whether your opponent will draw cards or not. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Escape Rope (Primal Clash) copied!
Q. If I use Escape Rope but my opponent's Active Pokemon has the "Omega Barrier" Ancient Trait does he or she have to switch it? Or if they have a Pokemon with "Omega Barrier" on the bench can he or she choose that and not switch it to Active?
A. If your opponent has an Active Pokemon with "Omega Barrier", then Escape Rope's effect will be blocked. If a Pokemon with "Omega Barrier" is on the bench, choosing that Pokemon will not stop the effect as the Active was the target of Escape Rope. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Eviolite copied!
Q. If Eviolite if attached to Zekrom, would its "Bolt Strike" attack do 40 or 20 damage to itself?
A. Eviolite reduces any damage done to the Basic Pokemon by attacks from either player. So Bolt Strike's self-damage would also be reduced by -20. (Noble Victories FAQ; Nov 17, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When I put Shedinja onto my bench using Ninjask's "Cast-off Shell" Ability, can Eviolite help protect it from damage?
A. No, because Shedinja is not a "Basic Pokemon"; it is an unevolved Stage-1 Pokemon. (Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Evosoda (XY) copied!
Q. If a Basic Pokemon was put into play last turn, can I use Evosoda on it twice to bring it all the way to a Stage 2?
A. No, you cannot. When you evolve a Pokemon it is a new Pokemon, and since it was put into play this turn you cannot use Evosoda on it until next turn. (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Evosoda to search for a Mega Pokemon?
A. As long as it evolves from the Pokemon you choose, yes. (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Wally or Evosoda on a Snorlax to search my deck, even though there is {currently} no evolution of Snorlax?
A. No, there has to at least be the possibility of a valid evolution in order to use this card. Sorry. (Jul 26, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Wally or Evosoda to search my deck for a card that is not in the current tournament format? For example, could I use it on Raichu to search for a Raichu BREAK after it rotates out?
A. Yes, you can. Even though a card may not be in the tournament format it still exists and can be searched for even though it is known to fail. (Jul 26, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Evosoda on a Caterpie the first turn of the game or the turn that Caterpie is played since "Adaptive Evolution" says it can evolve in those cases?
A. No, you can't use Evosoda to evolve in either of those conditions because the text on Evosoda specifically prevents it. (May 29, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Evosoda to evolve my Basic Pokemon into a Stage 1, can I then use Wally to further evolve it into a Stage 2 on that same turn.
A. Yes, but be careful of the order in which you play the cards. Wally says you can use it on a Pokemon that was put into play this turn, but Evosoda says you cannot use it on a Pokemon that was put into play this turn. So you can play Evosoda first then Wally, but you cannot play Wally then Evosoda (on the same Pokemon, of course). (Mar 16, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Exp. Share (Primal Clash) copied!
Q. If a player with Exp. Share on a benched Pokemon has discarded their Active Pokemon and its attached energy due to KO from an attack and already promoted a new Active Pokemon, have they missed the opportunity to use Exp. Share?
A. Promoting a new Active Pokemon takes place after the knockout, so at that point it would be too late to use Exp. Share. (Oct 27, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my Yveltal with "Fright Night" Ability gets KO'd, am I then able to use Exp.Share on one of my Benched Pokemon to recover one of Yveltal's Basic Energy cards?
A. Sorry, but no. Fright Night would still be working so Exp.Share would not enable before Yveltal hits the Discard Pile. (Jan 5, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Yveltal with "Fright Night" Ability knocks out Wobbuffet with the "Bide Barricade" Ability which was turning "Fright Night" off. Does Exp. Share on the Benched Pokemon behind Wobbuffet work?
A. Yes, since Wobbuffet was not yet in the Discard Pile, Fright Night remains off and Exp. Share works. (Apr 20, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say I have an Active Pokemon with Energy Pouch attached and a Benched Pokemon with Exp. Share attached. If the Active Pokemon is KO'd, how do the effects of the tools resolve?
A. You may choose the order in which the tools' effects resolve. There is no preference of one tool over the other in this situation. (Apr 20, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Faded Town (Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. Do Primal EX-Pokemon count as Mega Evolved Pokemon? And will they take damage if the "Faded Town" Stadium is in play?
A. Yes. They have "Mega" printed on them, so they will receive 2 damage counters for Faded Town. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Fiery Flint (Dragon Majesty) copied!
Q. Can I play Fiery Flint if I only have 1 card in my hand to discard?
A. No, you must be able to discard 2 cards in order to use Fiery Flint. (Sep 27, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I play Fiery Flint and discard two cards if there are no cards left in my deck?
A. No, you cannot. Discarding the two cards is a cost not the effect, and you cannot play Trainer cards for no effect. (Mar 21, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Fighting Stadium (Furious Fists) copied!
* The wording of Fighting Stadium is now as follows, "The attacks of each {F} Pokémon in play (both yours and your opponent?s) do 20 more damage to the opponent?s Active Pokémon if it is a Pokémon-EX (before applying Weakness and Resistance)." This stadium should only impact the Active Pokémon-EX belonging to the opponent of the attacking Pokémon. (Nov 18, 2014 TPCi Announcements; Nov 20, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Is the damage bonus from Fighting Stadium applied to all Defending Pokemon-EX, or only the opponent's Active Pokemon-EX?
A. It will apply only to an opponent's Active Pokemon-EX, not to any Benched Pokemon-EX. (Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
First Ticket copied!
Q. With the rule change effective November 8, 2013 about performing the coin flip before each player draws their starting hand, how does First Ticket work now?
A. You can still use First Ticket in your deck, but it essentially becomes ineffective since the coin flip has already taken place before the point when First Ticket can be played. (Nov 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I use the Supporter "Fisherman," can I put less than 4 Basic Energy cards from my discard pile into my hand?
A. If you have 4 or more Basic Energy cards in the discard pile you must put exactly 4 of them into your hand. But if there are less than 4 Basic Energy cards in the discard pile, you must take them all. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Floral Crown (Generations) copied!
Q. If I have Floral Crown attached to my Active Pokemon, and my opponent does just enough damage to knock it out, can I use Floral Crown to reduce the damage so it is not Knocked Out?
A. No. You have to resolve all effects and triggered results from the attack first, including Knockouts and taking Prizes. After that, if the Pokemon with Floral Crown is still in play, then you would heal 20 damage. It will not save a Pokemon from a Knock Out due to an attack. (Feb 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using "Flower Shop Lady", do I have to put all 3 Pokemon and all 3 Basic Energy cards into my deck, or can I choose to return only 1 or 2 (or none) of each?
A. You must return all three of each if you are able to (or as many as you can if you have less than three). The card does not say "up to 3". (HS:Undaunted FAQ; Sep 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Focus Sash (Furious Fists) copied!
Q. If the Pokemon that Focus Sash is attached to is attacked with an attack such as Cobalion EX's "Steel Bullet" that ignores effects on the Defending Pokemon, is it Knocked Out?
A. No. The full damage would be done first, and then afterwards the effect of Focus Sash would reduce the damage counters to leave 10 HP remaining. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Lysandre Labs is in play and I use Primal Groudon's "Gaia Volcano" attack to discard the stadium and do enough damage for KO, what happens if the full HP Fighting-type Defending Pokemon has Focus Sash attached to it?
A. While Lysandre Labs is in play Focus Sash has no effect. However, Lysandre Labs is discarded as part of the attack before KO's are checked. So the Focus Sash would be in effect and if all of its conditions are met the Defending Pokemon is not KO'd but has 10HP remaining. (May 31, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if Shining Jirachi with Choice Band attached uses its "Stellar Reign" attack against an undamaged, evolved, Lucario GX with Focus Sash attached? Does Focus Sash save the Pokemon from a KO?
A. During the attack Stellar Reign would do 80 damage (10 for the attack plus 30 for the Choice Band, then times 2 for Weakness). Then the devolution part of Stellar Reign would return all Evolution cards to the opponent's hand. However, when KO's are checked the devolved Pokemon is not the same Pokemon that was attacked, so Focus Sash would not protect the newly devolved Pokemon. The original Pokemon took damage from the attack, and the lower Stage just happens to have enough damage on it for a KO. (May 31, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Focus Sash attached to Marshadow & Machamp GX and then use its "Acme of Heroism GX" attack, which one takes precedence if Marshadow & Machamp GX would be KO'd by damage from an opponent's attack?
A. You would choose, as they have the same effect, you choose the order of resolution. (Jun 27, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Forest of Giant Plants (Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. With the "Forest of Giant Plants" Stadium in play, could I evolve from Oddish to Gloom to Vileplume all in the same turn?
A. Yes. Oddish can evolve into Gloom on the turn it comes into play, and since Gloom has come into play that turn the stadium would allow it evolve into Vileplume right away too. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Frozen City copied!
Q. How does the stadium card Frozen City interact when a player attaches Double Colorless Energy to a non-Team Plasma Pokemon?
A. You only place 2 damage counters because there was just one attachment, even though the attachment provided multiple energies. (May 16, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I attach a Basic Energy to Eevee and trigger its "Energy Evolution" ability but choose an evolution belonging to Team Plasma, would I take the damage from Frozen City stadium or not?
A. The mandatory effect of the Frozen City stadium comes before the optional effect of Energy Evolution. If the Eevee is not a Team Plasma Pokemon before choosing whether to use Energy Evolution, you would take the damage from Frozen City. (Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Eevee only has 10hp left and Frozen City is in play, would it be KO'd before I have a chance to use its "Energy Evolution" ability by attaching a Basic Energy?
A. No, it would not. All triggered effects have to be resolved before checking for KO's, so you would take the +10 damage for Frozen City first, then use Energy Evolution to search your deck. Of course, if you fail the search and Eevee's damage is greater than or equal to its HP, then Eevee is KO'd. (Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
G Booster (Plasma Storm) copied!
Q. Would Genesect EX be able to attack with "G-Booster" if the Defending Pokemon has Silver Mirror attached?
A. G Booster gets through because it ignores all effects on the Defending Pokemon, including Silver Mirror. (Aug 15, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Deoxys EX's "Power Connect" Ability add to damage done from G Booster?
A. Yes, the attacks of any Team Plasma Pokemon get the added bonus, including attacks from attached Tools. (May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Genesect EX uses "G Booster" to attack a Pokemon with Grass Weakness but that Pokemon has a Weakness Policy Tool attached, is Weakness applied or not?
A. G Booster isn't affected by "any effects on the Defending Pokemon", but the term "any effects" does not include effects that alter Weakness or Resistance. So in this case, Weakness is NOT applied. (Feb 26, 2015 TPCi Rules Team; May 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Changes Announcement; May 18, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Galar Mine (Rebel Clash) copied!
Q. What happens if Cinderace V with the "Field Runner" Ability is in play while Galar Mine is also in play?
A. Cinderace V would have no Retreat Cost. When effects that increase something like Retreat Cost by a particular amount are stacked on top of effects that make something like Retreat Cost vanish, the vanishing effect takes priority. (Rebel Clash FAQ; Apr 30, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Ghetsis copied!
Q. What happens if you play Ghetsis but your opponent does not have any Item cards in their hand?
A. Your opponent shuffles their deck (even though they did not put any cards into it) and you do not get to draw any additional cards. (Jun 20, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Giant Hearth (Unified Minds) copied!
Q. Can I use Giant Hearth if I have no cards left in my deck, and just discard a card from my hand?
A. Yes, you can. The first sentence of Giant Hearth says to discard a card from your hand. Then if you can do that, you do as much of the rest of the card as you can, which in this case is draw no cards. (Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Giovanni's Scheme (BREAKthrough) copied!
Q. If I play "Giovanni's Scheme" and choose one of its effects, can I change to the other effect later in my turn as long as I haven't attacked yet?
A. No. You choose which effect to use when you play it and you're locked in with that effect until the end of your turn. (BREAKthrough FAQ; Nov 19, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Gladion (Crimson Invasion) copied!
Q. If I use Gladion can I choose Greedy Dice from my prizes and play it right then?
A. Greedy Dice can be played only if it's taken as a face-down Prize card. Gladion doesn?t count as "taking a Prize card." (Mar 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Gladion and choose to put Jirachi {*} into my hand, can I use Jirachi {*}'s "Wish Upon a Star" Ability?
A. Sorry, but Wish Upon a Star only triggers when you are taking it as a face-down prize card, not when you are trading it with another card. (Aug 2, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If you have don't have a Pokemon or a Trainer in your discard pile, can you play "Good Rod"?
A. No. You can't play a trainer or supporter if it's public knowledge that it won't have any game effect. If you have at least one Trainer or Pokemon in your discard pile, you can play Good Rod. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
* The wording of Great Ball is now as follows, "Look at the top 7 cards of your deck. You may reveal a Pokémon you find there and put it into your hand. Shuffle the other cards back into your deck." This card works very differently now; it can no longer search the entire deck for a Pokémon and put it directly onto Bench. (Apr 11, 2011 TPCi Announcements; May 5, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Greedy Dice (Steam Siege) copied!
Q. If I use Gladion can I choose Greedy Dice from my prizes and play it right then?
A. Greedy Dice can be played only if it's taken as a face-down Prize card. Gladion doesn?t count as "taking a Prize card." (Mar 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Green's Exploration (Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I have Pokemon GX with Abilities in play and the Power Plant Stadium is also play, can I now play Green?s Exploration since those Pokemon "have no Abilities"?
A. Yes, you would be able to play Green's Exploration in that case. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Sabrina's Suggestion to copy an opponent's Green's Exploration in their hand if I have a Pokemon in play with Abilities?
A. Nope sorry, you still have to obey the restrictions on the copied Trainer card. Since you have a Pokemon with Abilities in play you cannot use Green's Exploration even from your opponent's hand. (Sep 12, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Guzma (Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. If I play "Guzma", who chooses which Pokemon to switch for each player?
A. You make all of those choices. (Burning Shadows FAQ; Aug 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I play Guzma if my opponent doesn't have any Pokemon on their Bench?
A. No, you cannot. If the opponent doesn't have a bench there's no way to do the second part of the trainer, and you cannot play a Trainer card for no effect. (Aug 31, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Guzma and choose my opponent's Primal Groudon-EX that has the "Omega Barrier" Ancient Trait, do I still get to switch my own Pokemon?
A. Since Omega Barrier prevents the first effect of Guzma, you do not get to switch your Pokemon. (Aug 31, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Guzma & Hala (Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
* You can do any part of Guzma & Hala as long as there's at least 1 card in your deck. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I play Guzma & Hala, can I discard the Stadium I searched for as one of the 2 cards discarded to search for the Tool and Special Energy?
A. If you want to do the second effect you have to discard 2 cards "when you play this card", that is before you search for the Stadium. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I play Guzma & Hala, after I search my deck for a Stadium, do I have to shuffle first if I'm also going to search for Special Energy and a Tool?
A. You can skip the shuffling after the Stadium search as long as you clearly tell your opponent you're doing the second part of the card. So if you're doing both parts you first discard two cards from your hand, then search for any Stadium you're going to take, then search for the Tool and Special Energy, then shuffle your deck. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Hala (Guardians Rising) copied!
Q. If my opponent has used Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack, do I get to draw 7 cards if I use Hala?
A. If you already used your GX Attack before Clear Vision GX, then yes you get to draw 7 cards for Hala. Otherwise no, getting hit by Clear Vision GX doesn?t mean you have used your GX attack for the game. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team; Aug 29, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Hapu (Unified Minds) copied!
Q. What happens if I play Hapu with less than 6 cards in my deck?
A. You would put 2 cards (or 1 if you only have 1 card in your deck) in your hand and discard the rest. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Hard Charm (XY) copied!
Q. If I have a Hard Charm attached to Talonflame and use its "Jet Shoot" attack, then next turn my opponent does a simple attack that does 20 damage, can I pick the order of when to apply the Hard Charm's -20 reduction and "Jet Shoot's" +40 recoil? If I use Hard Charm to reduce the net damage to zero (20-20), could I then negate the "Jet Shoot" recoil?
A. No, it doesn't work like that. The check for effects on the defending player's Active Pokemon, such as Hard Charm and Jet Shoot, both happen at the same step in the damage calculation process. So you don't stop damage calculations mid-step just because the calculation was less than or equal to zero. The net effect of Hard Charm & Jet Shoot result in +20 damage at that step in the calculation process. (Dec 10, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Head Ringer (Phantom Forces) copied!
Q. If I have a Pokemon-EX with Head Ringer attached to it, what happens if I use Ninja Boy to swap it with a non-EX Pokemon?
A. Since it is no longer a Pokemon-EX the Head Ringer would get discarded. (Mar 16, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have an opponent's Pokemon Tool F card attached to my Pokemon-EX, does its effect stop working if I evolve into Togekiss with the "Bright Veil" ability and make it my Active Pokemon?
A. Bright Veil only affects the play of an Item. That means the act of playing it. If it is already in play, enabling Bright Veil has no impact on it. It will stay in play and keep doing what it is doing. (Nov 20, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent has Togekiss with the "Bright Veil" ability Active, does that prevent me from attaching Pokemon Tool F cards like Jamming Net or Head Ringer to their Pokemon?
A. No, Bright Veil does not prevent you from attaching the Pokemon Tool F card to your opponent. (Nov 20, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Heavy Ball copied!
Q. If Skyarrow Bridge is in play, can I still use Heavy Ball to search for a Basic Pokemon with a Retreat Cost of 3?
A. Yes, you can. The Retreat Cost reduction only applies to Basic Pokemon in play, and cards in your deck are not in play. (Next Destinies FAQ; Feb 9, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Heavy Ball to look for a LEGEND Pokemon half?
A. No, you cannot. The Retreat Cost is only printed on one half of the LEGEND Pokemon. If it is printed on both cards, then it is a common attribute for both pieces; but since it is printed on only one half it only applies to the LEGEND Pokemon when both pieces are in play. (Apr 5, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Heavy Ball to search for Chesnaught BREAK since it has the retreat cost of Chesnaught?
A. No. While not in play, the card has no Retreat Cost. (BREAKthrough FAQ; Nov 19, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Heavy Ball to search for Wimpod that has the "Wimp Out" Ability on my first turn?
A. Yes, you can. Abilities only work when in play (unless the card says otherwise), so Wimp Out is not active while Wimpod is still in the deck. (Sep 14, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Hex Maniac (Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. Say I have a Yveltal with "Fright Night" Ability as my Active Pokemon with Bursting Balloon attached, then I play Hex Maniac. What happens at the end of my opponent's turn, when they attack and do damage to Yveltal?
A. Hex Maniac works until the end of your opponent's turn. At the end of your opponent's turn, you check to see if Bursting Balloon gets discarded. So Bursting Balloon places the 6 damage counters, Hex Maniac's effect wears off, and then Fright Night is reactivated preventing Bursting Balloon from being discarded. (Sep 8, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. My opponent and I both have Sudowoodo with "Roadblock"Ability in play. I use Hex Maniac on my turn to shut off "Roadblock", and then I play 5 Pokemon on my Bench. My opponent plays 5 Pokemon on their Bench during their turn. At the end of my opponent's turn, Hex Maniac's effect ends, so "Roadblock" activates again. Who discards their Pokemon first? If the first player discards their Sudowoodo, would the other person need to discard a Benched Pokemon?
A. It's the opponent's turn, so their Roadblock goes into effect first. You would discard your Pokemon first, and then your opponent would discard theirs. Even if you chose to discard your Sudowoodo, your opponent would have to discard down to 4 Benched Pokémon because the Roadblock effects happen simultaneously. (May 25, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Hugh copied!
Q. If I have 6 cards in my hand including a Hugh, and my opponent has 5 cards, can I play Hugh or not?
A. No, you cannot. After playing Hugh both players would have exactly 5 cards in their hands, and you cannot play a Trainer card for no effect. (Jan 3, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Hyper Potion (Sword & Shield) copied!
* The wording of Hyper Potion is now as follows, "Heal 120 damage from 1 of your Pokémon that has at least 2 Energy attached. If you healed any damage in this way, discard 2 Energy from it." (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Hyper Potion to heal a Pokemon with less than 120 damage on it or if I have less than 2 Energy attached to it?
A. You have to heal at least 10 damage to play the card. You must also have at least 2 Energy attached to the Pokemon you?re healing; if there are less than 2 Energy attached you cannot use this card. (Sword & Shield FAQ; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Hypnotoxic Laser copied!
Q. If the Defending Pokemon is already Asleep & Poisoned, can you use Hypnotoxic Laser or not?
A. No, you cannot. (Feb 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If the Defending Pokemon is already Asleep & Poisoned with a condition that places more than one damage counter in between turns, can you use Hypnotoxic Laser to change the number of counters to be placed?
A. Yes, the new single-counter Poison condition replaces the multi-counter Poison condition. (Feb 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Ilima (Sun & Moon) copied!
Q. If I use Sylveon's "Wink Wink" attack to have my opponent discard Ilima, can I use Victini's "Victory Star" Ability to force my opponent to re-flip their coins?
A. Yes, you can. If your opponent flips a coin as part of your Pokemon's attack, you can use "Victory Star" to force them to re-flip those coins; but keep in mind you will have to re-flip your coins for Ilima too. (Nov 15, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Ingo and Emmet (Team Up) copied!
Q. When using Ingo & Emmet, if I choose to draw 5 cards from the bottom or my deck, what happens to the top card that I looked at?
A. You put it back on top before you draw the 5 cards from the bottom. (Team Up FAQ; Jan 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I use "Interviewer's Questions" and I don't want to choose some or all of the energy I find, do I show those energy cards to my opponent?
A. Show only the energy cards you chose to your opponent. Don't reveal any cards you will shuffle back in. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Iris (Plasma Blast) copied!
Q. In a prerelease or booster draft tournament where each player starts with only 4 prize cards, will Iris add 20 damage even if no prizes have been taken?
A. No, it does not. Limited format tournaments may start out with fewer prizes than the standard six, but that does not mean those fewer prizes count as being taken. (Plasma Blast FAQ; Aug 15, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does the effect of Iris occur when you play it or when you attack?
A. Iris' effect looks at the game state at the time of the attack, not at the time when you play it. (Jan 2, 2014 TPCi Rules Team; May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Iris when your opponent has taken no prizes?
A. Yes, because it's possible for your opponent to take a prize during your turn if one of your Pokemon gets KO'd. (Jan 2, 2014 TPCi Rules Team; May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Island Challenge Amulet (Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
Q. If I attach Island Challenge Amulet to a Pokemon-GX that has less than 100 HP left and it's Knocked Out, does my opponent take only 1 prize?
A. No. You only get the reduction in Prize Cards taken if it is Knocked Out by damage from an opponent's attack. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Jamming Net (Phantom Forces) copied!
* The wording of Jamming Net is now as follows, "The attacks of the Pokémon this card is attached to do 20 less damage to each of the opponent?s Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance). (Don?t apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.)" This tool should only impact the Pokémon belonging to the opponent of the attacking Pokémon. (Nov 18, 2014 TPCi Announcements; Nov 20, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have an opponent's Pokemon Tool F card attached to my Pokemon-EX, does its effect stop working if I evolve into Togekiss with the "Bright Veil" ability and make it my Active Pokemon?
A. Bright Veil only affects the play of an Item. That means the act of playing it. If it is already in play, enabling Bright Veil has no impact on it. It will stay in play and keep doing what it is doing. (Nov 20, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent has Togekiss with the "Bright Veil" ability Active, does that prevent me from attaching Pokemon Tool F cards like Jamming Net or Head Ringer to their Pokemon?
A. No, Bright Veil does not prevent you from attaching the Pokemon Tool F card to your opponent. (Nov 20, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if a player has no hand when "Judge" is played?
A. The player shuffles his or her deck and draws 4 cards (or as many cards as possible if the deck contains less than 4 cards). (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Judge Whistle (Team Up) copied!
Q. If I use Judge Whistle and choose to put a "Judge" card from my discard pile into my hand, can I put a "Judge Whistle" into my hand?
A. No, that choice only allows you to put a card named "Judge" into your hand; it does not allow you to get a card "with Judge in its name". (Team Up FAQ; Jan 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Junk Arm if there aren't any trainer cards already in the Discard Pile?
A. No, you cannot play Junk Arm unless there is at least one Trainer card other than Junk Arm already in the Discard Pile beforehand. (Dec 9, 2010 PUI Rules Team; Jun 16, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When the Junk Arm trainer says "you can't choose Junk Arm", does it mean any Junk Arm already in the Discard Pile, or just this specific card?
A. It means you can't get any Junk Arm cards from the Discard Pile. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Junk Arm, discarding something + 1 Item card to get that 1 Item card back into my hand?
A. No, you cannot return cards to your hand that you used to pay this card's cost. (Nov 3, 2011 PUI Rules Team; Feb 7, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Kahili (Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. Can I play Kahili if there's only one card left in my deck?
A. If you can draw at least 1 card from your deck, you can use Kahili and do the coin flip part. But if you can?t draw any cards, you can?t use it. (Lost Thunder FAQ; Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Koga's Trap (Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I had used Muk & Alolan Muk GX's "Severe Poison" attack that places extra Poison damage counters and in the next turn use Koga's Trap, do they still place the extra Poison damage?
A. No, they don't. The new, normal Poison Special Condition replaces the old Severe Poison Special Condition. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Korrina (Furious Fists) copied!
Q. If I search my deck for an Item and a Fighting Pokemon with Korrina, can I just take one if I don't have the other?
A. Yes. Do as much as you can. However, remember that you can fail any deck search for a specific card or type of card voluntarily. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. In Unlimited, can I use Korrina to get old Trainer cards like Professor Oak, Item Finder, etc.?
A. Yes. If a card is not a Supporter or a Stadium card, it would be considered an Item card by a new card effect. (Sep 4, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. On the part of Legend Box where it talks about "you can play only 1 Pokemon LEGEND in this way", is that just for the play of the card, or for the entire game?
A. It only lasts for as long as the Trainer is being used. It just means that if you reveal two or more complete Pokemon LEGENDs that you can only put one of them onto your bench for that trainer card played. (Sep 23, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Lillie's Poke Doll (Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
Q. If my Lillie's Poke Doll was Knocked Out by my opponent, can I use Oricorio GX's "Dance of Tribute" Ability?
A. Yes, even though they didn't take a prize, Lillie's Poke Doll was still considered a Knock Out of one of your Pokemon. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I use Arceus & Dialga & Palkia GX's "Altered Creation GX" attack do I take a Prize card if I Knock Out Lillie's Poke Doll?
A. No, you have to be able to take a prize card in order to take "an extra prize card". (Nov 14, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Looker Whistle (Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. Can I use Looker Whistle to search my deck for another Looker Whistle since "Looker" is part of its name?
A. No, you cannot. You can only search for the card named "Looker". (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Lost Blender (Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. Can I play Lost Blender if I only have one card in my hand to put into the Lost Zone?
A. No, you cannot play Lost Blender unless you put 2 cards from your hand in the Lost Zone. (Jan 3, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I play Lost Blender if there are no cards left in my deck to draw from?
A. Yes, you can. Putting cards into the Lost Zone is the main effect, so you can use this even if you have no cards in your deck. However, you cannot play it unless you can put 2 cards from your hand in the Lost Zone. (Jan 3, 2019 TPCi Rules Team; Mar 21, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent has 6 or more Pokemon cards in his or her Lost Zone after my Pokemon uses its attack, but prior to the start of my opponent's turn, can I declare myself the winner with the effect of the "Lost World" Stadium?
A. No, you can't. You can only declare victory with the effect of Lost World prior to your Pokemon using an attack. Once you begin your attack, you cannot use Lost World's effect. (Call of Legends FAQ; Feb 10, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Let's say I have no cards left in my deck when my opponent's turn ends, the "Lost World" Stadium is in play and my opponent has 6 Pokemon cards in the Lost Zone. Can I declare myself the winner at the beginning of my turn, before drawing a card from my deck?
A. No you can't. You can only declare yourself the winner with the effect of Lost World during your turn, but since you can't draw a card from your Deck you cannot start your turn, and therefore you lose. (Call of Legends FAQ; Feb 10, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If a Stage 2 Pokemon or Leveled Up Pokemon is put in the Lost Zone, does that count as one Pokemon towards the 6 Pokemon needed for a player to declare themselves a winner when "Lost World" is in play?
A. No. Each Pokemon card counts toward the 6, including Basic, Stage 1, Stage 2, and Level Up Pokemon cards. (Call of Legends FAQ; Feb 10, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Do the individual pieces of LEGEND Pokemon count toward the 6 Pokemon needed for a player to declare themselves a winner when "Lost World" is in play?
A. Yes, each LEGEND Pokemon card counts as one Pokemon toward the requirement. (Call of Legends FAQ; Feb 10, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If an Unown-Q is put into the Lost Zone while it is attached to a Pokemon as a Tool, would it count toward the 6 Pokemon needed for a player to declare themselves a winner when "Lost World" is in play?
A. Yes. Once it is no longer in play, it reverts to being a Pokemon card again. (Call of Legends FAQ; Feb 10, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Lt. Surge's Strategy (Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I have already played a Supporter, can I then play Lt. Surge's Strategy since I would be able to play 3 Supporters in total?
A. No. You would have to play Lt. Surge's Strategy as your first Supporter in order to be able to play any additional Supporters during your turn. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I play Lt. Surge's Strategy first, can I then play a second (or third) Lt. Surge's Strategy to play more than 3 Supporters?
A. Nope, that doesn't work. The second Lt. Surge's Strategy does not add to the number of additional Supporter cards you can play, so you can't play the second one at all because you cannot play Trainer cards for no effect. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 9, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Lum Berry (Sword & Shield) copied!
* The wording of Lum Berry is now as follows, "At the end of each turn, if the Pokemon this card is attached to is affected by any Special Conditions, it recovers from all of them, and discard this card." (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Lusamine {*} (Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. Is there any way to clear the effect of Lusamine {*}?
A. No, however any attacks that ignore effects on the Defending Pokemon would get through its effect. (Lost Thunder FAQ; Nov 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Lysandre (Flashfire) copied!
* Lysandre and Boss's Orders cannot be included in the same deck. This is similar to the rule that says Professor Juniper, Professor Sycamore, and Professor's Research cannot be included in the same deck. (Apr 16, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Apr 30, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When playing Lysandre, who chooses which of the opponent's Benched Pokemon get brought forward?
A. The card says "Switch one of your opponent's Benched Pokemon..." so the person playing Lysandre gets to choose. (Flashfire FAQ; May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent's Active Pokemon has the "Omega Barrier" Ancient Trait, can I use Lysandre to switch one of my benched Pokemon with it?
A. If your opponent's Benched Pokemon has "Omega Barrier", then Lysandre's effect will be blocked. But choosing a Benched Pokemon without "Omega Barrier" will cause it to switch with the Active Pokemon because the Benched Pokemon is the target of Lysandre. (Apr 9, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Lysandre Labs (Forbidden Light) copied!
Q. Does Lysandre Labs stop U-Turn board from going back to your hand when discarded?
A. Yes, that is correct. (Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Lysandre Labs is in play, do effects that depend on the presence of Tool cards, such as the damage increase of Doublade's "Curse of the Blade" attack or the energy cost modification of Rotom's "Roto Motor" Ability still work?
A. If an effect depends simply on the presence of a Tool card in a certain location, the effect still works. It is the Tool card's effects that are cancelled, not effects based on the presence of a Tool. (Forbidden Light FAQ; May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Lysandre Labs is in play and I use Primal Groudon's "Gaia Volcano" attack to discard the stadium and do enough damage for KO, what happens if the full HP Fighting-type Defending Pokemon has Focus Sash attached to it?
A. While Lysandre Labs is in play Focus Sash has no effect. However, Lysandre Labs is discarded as part of the attack before KO's are checked. So the Focus Sash would be in effect and if all of its conditions are met the Defending Pokemon is not KO'd but has 10HP remaining. (May 31, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Klefki with the "Wonder Lock" Ability is attached to a Pokemon as a Tool card, what happens if "Silent Lab" stadium comes into play? Does "Wonder Lock" shut off and Klefki get discarded, or does it remain attached to the Pokemon?
A. Once Klefki is attached as a Pokemon Tool card it retains its effect even when its Ability has been disabled. Once it's attached, it is essentially treated as a Tool with that text, so shutting off its Ability doesn't matter at that point. However, if something such as Lysandre Labs is in effect, Klefki won't be discarded at the end of your opponent?s turn. (Jan 3, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Lysandre's Trump Card (Phantom Forces) copied!
Q. If I play Lysandre's Trump Card and I have a Lysandre's Trump Card from a previous turn in the Discard pile does that card get shuffled back into my deck?
A. No, the wording on Lysandre's Trump Card that says "except for Lysandre's Trump Card" is referring to all Lysandre's Trump Cards in the Discard pile. (Phantom Forces FAQ; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Magma Pointer (Double Crisis) copied!
Q. Can I use a regular attack and Aqua Diffuser/Magma Pointer as well, for a total of two attacks on the same turn?
A. No, you cannot. The text just means that you also have this attack available as a choice for your one attack for the turn. (Apr 23, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Maintenance (Furious Fists) copied!
Q. If I only have one card to shuffle into my deck, can I use Maintenance on the principle of 'do as much as you can'?
A. In this case, the card specifically prohibits you from using it unless you have two cards to shuffle into your deck. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Mallow & Lana (Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
* You can play Mallow & Lana as long as you have a Benched Pokemon. But if your Active Pokemon is not damaged, you cannot discard 2 cards from your hand. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If a Pokemon was attacked with Lunala GX's "Moongeist Beam", does that block Mallow & Lana from healing it?
A. The first part of Mallow & Lana says to switch your Active Pokemon with one of your Benched Pokemon. When your Pokemon is switched the effect of Moongeist Beam is removed, so then you can heal the Pokemon once it is on the Bench. (Feb 27, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Marnie (Sword & Shield) copied!
Q. Does a player need to offer a cut when shuffling something other than their deck, such as when playing Marnie?
A. Yes. The purpose of a cut is to reduce the opportunity for cheating; that applies anytime a player is randomizing their cards. (Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Mars (Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. If I use Mars with only 1 card left in my deck, can I still discard a random card from my opponent's hand?
A. Yes, as long as you can draw at least 1 card you get the other effect. Of course if you can't draw any cards, you can't play Mars. (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Martial Arts Dojo (Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. Does Martial Arts Dojo stadium's +40 more damage apply to Benched Pokemon?
A. Although the secondary effect is missing the "to the opponent's Active Pokemon" phrase, the intent is for the +40 more damage to only apply to the opponent's Active Pokemon. (May 9, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Max Potion to heal a Pokemon that doesn't have any energy attached to it?
A. Yes, you can. (BW:Emerging Powers FAQ; Sep 1, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Max Potion on a Pokemon with Energies attached but no damage on it?
A. No, you cannot. If you don't have any damage, you cannot use Max Potion on that Pokemon. (Feb 16, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Max Revive (XY) copied!
Q. When using Max Revive, if I choose Blastoise can I put Wartortle & Squirtle into my deck too?
A. No, you only get to choose one Pokemon card, not an entire evolution line. (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick (Primal Clash) copied!
Q. Can I use "Archie's Ace in the Hole" or "Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick" to put a Stage 2 or Mega Pokemon directly onto my bench?
A. Yes, they're very sneaky like that. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. With "Archie's Ace in the Hole" and "Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick", does a Stage 2 Pokemon put on the bench count as a Basic Pokemon?
A. No, it is an unevolved Stage 2 Pokemon. It is still considered an "Evolution Pokemon", but it is not a "Basic Pokemon". (Apr 27, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use "Archie's Ace in the Hole" or "Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick" to put a Mega Pokemon or Primal Reversion directly onto my bench, does my turn end?
A. No, it does not. The Mega and Primal Reversion rules say your turn ends "when one of your Pokemon becomes" that way. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I play "Archie's Ace in the Hole" or "Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick" if I don't have a Water/Fighting Pokemon in my discard pile?
A. No, you cannot. If you can't put one of those Pokemon onto your bench you don't get to draw 5 cards. (Feb 26, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Mega Turbo (Roaring Skies) copied!
Q. Can I use the effect of Mega Turbo on Primal Groudon EX or Primal Kyogre EX?
A. Yes. They do say that they are Mega Pokemon on their cards. (Roaring Skies FAQ; May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Missing Clover (Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. If you somehow get 4 Missing Clover back into your hand, can you play them all again a second time to take another prize card?
A. Yes, you can. (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Misty & Lorelei (Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
* You can play Misty & Lorelei for the base effect as long as there's at least 1 card in your deck. You can always play it by discarding 5 cards from your hand. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When I play Misty & Lorelei, can I discard one or more of the 3 {W} energy I searched for as part of the 5 cards discarded to get the re-use of my GX attack on this turn?
A. No. You have to discard 5 cards "when you play this card". That is before you search for the {W} energy cards. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use the second part of Misty & Lorelei to discard 5 cards if I have not already used my GX attack for the game?
A. No, you cannot. If you haven?t used your GX attack yet, you can?t discard 5 cards from your hand. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Do I need to have a current version of "Moomoo Milk" outside my deck if I'm playing the older versions of the card in Modified Format?
A. Technically speaking the "Heart Gold/Soul Silver" version is a different card and it does not do the same thing as the older versions used to (it removes more damage counters now). So you cannot play "Moo-Moo Milk" from "Neo Genesis" nor "Expedition" in the current 2009-2010 Modified Format. (Feb 18, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Mysterious Treasure (Forbidden Light) copied!
Q. Can I play Mysterious Treasure and discard a card if there are no cards left in my deck?
A. No, you cannot. Discarding the card is a cost not the effect, and you cannot play Trainer cards for no effect. (Mar 21, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
N copied!
Q. If my opponent receives a "Double Prize Loss" penalty where the prizes remain on the table and I play N, do I draw cards for the two penalty prizes or do I ignore those cards?
A. For N you draw cards based on how many prizes are still on the table, not based on how many prizes are needed to win. (Apr 26, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
N's Resolve (Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
Q. Can you use N's Resolve if you have no Dragon Pokemon on your Bench?
A. No. You have to have a Dragon Pokemon in play in order to play this card. The intention is that the main effect of the card is to attach basic Energy cards to your Benched Dragon type Pokemon, so if you don't have a Dragon type Pokemon on your Bench, you can't play the card. (You also can't play the card if you have 0 cards remaining in your deck.) (Dec 5, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Ninja Boy (Steam Siege) copied!
Q. When I use Ninja Boy to swap out a heavily damaged EX Pokemon for one that is not an EX, if there's enough damage to KO it does the opponent take one prize or two?
A. Since the swapped in Pokemon is not an EX Pokemon, your opponent takes only one prize card for the KO. (Steam Siege FAQ; Aug 4, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have a Pokemon-EX with Head Ringer attached to it, what happens if I use Ninja Boy to swap it with a non-EX Pokemon?
A. Since it is no longer a Pokemon-EX the Head Ringer would get discarded. (Mar 16, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Let's say I have Machop active with a Focus Sash attached, and my opponent's Mewtwo-EX uses "X Ball" for 360 damage with four Double Colorless Energy and a Muscle Band attached. The Focus Sash leaves Machop with 10 HP remaining. If I then use Ninja Boy to switch Machop with Pidgeot-EX and then use its "Mirror Move" attack, does Pidgeot-EX do 360 damage in return?
A. Yes, it would. When using Ninja Boy the amount of damage done last turn is remembered by the new Pokemon, so Mirror Move would do 360 damage to your opponent's Active Pokemon. (Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Volcanion EX in play and I use its "Steam Up" Ability, can I then use Ninja Boy to switch it with a different Volcanion EX and use "Steam Up" from the new Volcanion EX?
A. No, that won't work. Even though the new Volcanion EX is a different Pokemon than the first one, it remembers the Steam Up ability was already used this turn so you cannot use it again on that Pokemon. (Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Arceus' "Type Switch" attack and choose a type, what happens if I use Ninja Boy to switch Arceus for a Basic Pokemon of a different type? Does the new Pokemon become both types or does the new type supersede the choice from "Type Switch"? Or what if you Ninja Boy for a dual-type Pokemon like Volcanion EX that is Fire/Water?
A. The type chosen by Type Switch overrides the Pokemon's actual type, so the new Pokemon would become the type chosen rather than its regular type. And in the case of a dual-type Pokemon it would become the single type that you chose for Type Switch. (Dec 21, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Pal Pad (Sword & Shield) copied!
* The wording of Pal Pad is now as follows, "Shuffle up to 2 Supporter cards from your discard pile into your deck." (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Parallel City (BREAKthrough) copied!
Q. If the Parallel City Stadium is already in play, can either player replace it with another Parallel City card facing the opposite direction?
A. No. Stadium cards can only be replaced by another Stadium card with a different name; direction of the card does not matter. (BREAKthrough FAQ; Nov 19, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Peeking Red Card (Crimson Invasion) copied!
Q. I'm confused by the text on Peeking Red Card. After the opponent shuffles their hand into their deck, who gets to draw that many cards, the opponent or me?
A. The opponent gets to draw that many cards. (Crimson Invasion FAQ; Nov 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Plume Fossil copied!
Q. Can you use Cover Fossil or Plume Fossil if your Bench is full?
A. No, since your Bench is full you cannot play Cover Fossil or Plume Fossil. (Dec 1, 2011 TPCi Rules Team)
Plumeria (Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. Can I play Plumeria and discard two cards if my if my opponent has no energy attached to any of their Pokemon?
A. No, you cannot. Discarding the two cards is a cost not the effect, and you cannot play Trainer cards for no effect. (Mar 21, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
* The wording of PlusPower is now as follows, "During this turn, your Pokémon's attacks do 10 more damage to the Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance)." This card no longer attaches to a Pokémon when used. (Apr 11, 2011 TPCi Announcements; May 5, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can you [play] more than one PlusPower[?] 2,3,4?
A. Well you can have up to 4 in your deck, so if you had all 4 in your hand you could use them all at once yes. (May 18, 2000 WotC Chat, Q157)
Q. Can I play a PlusPower then a Gambler, and play another PlusPower I got from the Gambler?
A. Yes, you can. (Feb 24 WotC Chat)
Q. If you use a PlusPower on a attack that does 0 damage, will it do 10 damage? Like for example, Kangaskhan's Fetch will it do 10 damage with a PlusPower?
A. No, PlusPower will only add 10, *if* damage is done. Fetch doesn't do damage. (June 1, 2000 WotC Chat, Q30)
Q. Does a PlusPower work with Hitmonlee's Stretch Kick attack?
A. It does not. Pluspower only adds to the total if the attack does damage to the [Active] Pokémon only. (May 11, 2000 WotC Chat, Q87)
Q. Can I use cards that search for a Pokemon, like "Bebe's Search" or "Poke Ball" to get a Pokemon LEGEND card from my deck?
A. Any effect that lets you search your deck or discard pile or do something from your hand with "a Pokemon" will let you use that effect on one half of a Pokemon LEGEND set, but not both halves. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Pokemon Breeder's Nurturing to evolve Pokemon if Dracovich's "Primal Law" Ability is active?
A. Yes, you can still use Pokemon Breeder's Nurturing since the Pokemon is coming from the deck and not from your hand. (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
* The wording of Pokemon Catcher is now as follows, "Flip a coin. If heads, switch 1 of your opponent's Benched Pokemon with his or her Active Pokemon." This card now requires a coin flip; making it functionally identical to Pokémon Reversal. (Oct 1, 2013 TPCi Announcements; Nov 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When using Pokemon Catcher, who chooses which of the opponent's Benched Pokemon to bring Active?
A. The person playing Pokemon Catcher gets to choose the Benched Pokemon. (BW:Emerging Powers FAQ; Sep 1, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I have Bronzong with the "Heal Block" Ability in play, can Pokemon Center stadium be used to heal any Pokemon in play?
A. No, you may not. (Next Destinies FAQ; Feb 9, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I play "Pokemon Circulator" if my opponent doesn't have any benched Pokemon?
A. Since Pokemon Circulator requires your opponent to switch with a benched Pokemon, you can't play it unless your opponent has a Pokemon on the bench. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use "Pokemon Collector" to choose Pokemon LEGEND cards as part of the 3 Basic Pokemon I search for in my deck?
A. No, because Pokemon Collector only lets you choose Basic Pokemon. Pokemon LEGEND are considered "Unevolved Pokemon" when in play, but they are not considered "Basic Pokemon". (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If I use Pokemon Communication to put a Pokemon into my deck, am I allowed to voluntarily fail and choose to take no Pokemon out of my deck?
A. The contents of your deck is not public knowledge so the deck search can fail, even if you've just put a Pokemon into the deck. (Feb 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Pokemon Ranger (Steam Siege) copied!
Q. Can I play Pokemon Ranger if there are currently NO effects on either player or their Pokemon?
A. No, you cannot. You cannot play a Trainer card for no net effect. (Sep 8, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Pokemon Ranger says "remove all effects of attacks on each player and his or her Pokemon." Does that mean it gets to remove any Poison, Paralyze, etc. effects that were caused by an attack?
A. No, Pokemon Ranger does not remove any Special Conditions. It removes effects like "the Defending Pokemon cannot retreat", "the opponent cannot play any Item cards from his or her hand", and things like that. (Aug 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Darkrai attacks with "Abyssal Sleep", can Pokemon Ranger clear the effect of flipping 2 coins when Asleep?
A. Asleep, Poisoned, etc. are Special Conditions, regardless of how many coins you need to flip or how much damage the poison condition does. Therefore they are not altered by Pokemon Ranger. (Nov 10, 2016 TPCi Rules Team; Dec 8, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent used Gardevoir EX's "Shining Wind" attack to gain "no Weakness" and I play Pokemon Ranger when it is my turn, does their Gardevoir EX have a Weakness again?
A. Yes. The ruling about effects on Weakness and Resistance not being ignored has to do with damage calculations [see "General Gameplay -> Weakness and Resistance" section for reference], not about whether a Pokemon HAS Weakness or Resistance. Pokemon Ranger removes attack effects, including this one; so yes, Gardevoir EX would have Weakness again after using Pokemon Ranger. (Nov 15, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I used Mewtwo's "Barrier" attack last turn and this turn I play Pokemon Ranger, does that clear the effect so I can use "Barrier" again this turn?
A. No, Barrier does not "place an effect" to prevent its use on the next turn (unlike attacks such as "Volcanic Heat" which says "this Pokemon" cannot attack next turn). Instead, the attack does a Game State check to see if it was used last turn. Since there is no effect to clear, Pokemon Ranger won't allow you to use Barrier two turns in a row. (Nov 3, 2016 TPCi Rules Team; Dec 1, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
* The wording of Potion now heals 30 damage from 1 of your Pokémon instead of 20 damage. (Apr 11, 2011 TPCi Announcements; May 5, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When using Potion, can I choose to heal less than 30 damage from my Pokemon?
A. If the Pokemon has 30 or more damage on it you must heal 30 damage, but if it has less than 30 damage you do as much as you can and heal all of it. (May 18, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Power Plant (Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I have Pokemon GX with Abilities in play and the Power Plant Stadium is also play, can I now play Green?s Exploration since those Pokemon "have no Abilities"?
A. Yes, you would be able to play Green's Exploration in that case. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you play Darkrai GX with "Restoration" Ability from your Discard Pile if Power Plant is in play? And if so, do you do all of its effects?
A. Since the Discard Pile is not considered "in play", Darkrai GX can use its Restoration Ability to put it onto the Bench and attach a Darkness Energy card from the Discard Pile to it. Once all of the Ability's effects are complete, then Power Plant shuts off the Ability. (Jun 6, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Greninja GX's "Elusive Master" Ability while Power Plant is in play?
A. Yes, you can. You get to put Greninja GX onto your bench AND draw three cards because Elusive Master activates while it is in your hand before it comes into play, and therefore is not blocked by Power Plant. (Aug 22, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you use the "Dedechange" Ability when you play Dedenne GX from your hand while Power Plant is in play?
A. No, you cannot. Dedechange does not activate until Dedenne GX is on the Bench, at which time it is considered "in play" and therefore blocked by Power Plant. (Aug 22, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say I have Keldeo GX already in play, and my opponent uses Latios GX's "Clear Vision GX" attack with Power Plant in play. If I play a different Stadium to get rid of Power Plant, can I use Keldeo-GX's "Resolute Blade GX" attack now?
A. Yes, you can. When Power Plant is removed Keldeo GX's Pure Heart Ability turns back on, and Keldeo GX is no longer hit by the global effect of Clear Vision GX. If an attack does not place an effect on Keldeo GX directly, like an attack that puts an effect that isn't removed when returning to the Bench, it can be removed by reactivating Pure Heart. (Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say my opponent uses Trevenant & Dusknoir GX's "Pale Moon GX" attack on my Keldeo GX with "Pure Heart" while Power Plant stadium is in play. If I replace the Power Plant with another stadium during my next turn, does Keldeo GX get knocked out at the end of the turn or not?
A. If Keldeo GX remains the Active Pokemon it will be Knocked Out. Keldeo GX's Pure Heart Ability *prevents* effects, but it does not *remove* existing effects. If an attack like Pale Moon GX places an effect directly on Keldeo GX, that effect cannot be removed by reactivating Pure Heart; in other words, effects that are removed when returning to the Bench can't be removed by Pure Heart. (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Professor Elm's Training Method if there are zero cards left in my deck?
A. No, you cannot search through your deck if there's nothing there to search. If there are cards in the deck you can fail to find a Pokemon because you don't know what may be in a deck, but since you do know whether there are ANY cards or not you cannot search through an empty deck. (Sep 22, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
* While there are no functional changes to these cards [Professor Juniper and Professor Sycamore], you may not include both of them in your deck. That is, you may have up to 4 copies of Professor Juniper or up to 4 copies of Professor Sycamore - but if you have any Professor Juniper cards in your deck, you may not put any Professor Sycamore cards in your deck, and vice versa. (Oct 1, 2013 TPCi Announcements; Nov 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
* In the Expanded format, there's already a rule that says you can't include Professor Sycamore and Professor Juniper in the same deck; players must choose one or the other. The same rule applies to Professor's Research, meaning it cannot be in the same deck as Professor Sycamore or Professor Juniper. (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I play Professor Juniper if it is the only card in my hand, and then draw 7 cards?
A. Yes, you basically discard your remaining hand of zero cards, then you draw 7 cards from your deck. (Black & White FAQ; Apr 28, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Professor Juniper or Professor Sycamore with no cards in your deck, just to discard your hand?
A. No, you cannot. Discarding your hand is a cost not the effect, and you cannot play Trainer cards for no effect. (Apr 27, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Professor Kukui (Sun & Moon) copied!
Q. Can I play Professor Kukui if I have no cards left in my deck?
A. Yes you can, because you still get to do the +20 bonus damage for your Pokemon's attacks. (Jan 26, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Professor Sycamore (X/Y) copied!
* While there are no functional changes to these cards [Professor Juniper and Professor Sycamore], you may not include both of them in your deck. That is, you may have up to 4 copies of Professor Juniper or up to 4 copies of Professor Sycamore - but if you have any Professor Juniper cards in your deck, you may not put any Professor Sycamore cards in your deck, and vice versa. (Oct 1, 2013 TPCi Announcements; Nov 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
* In the Expanded format, there's already a rule that says you can't include Professor Sycamore and Professor Juniper in the same deck; players must choose one or the other. The same rule applies to Professor's Research, meaning it cannot be in the same deck as Professor Sycamore or Professor Juniper. (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Professor Juniper or Professor Sycamore with no cards in your deck, just to discard your hand?
A. No, you cannot. Discarding your hand is a cost not the effect, and you cannot play Trainer cards for no effect. (Apr 27, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Professor's Research (Sword & Shield) copied!
* In the Expanded format, there's already a rule that says you can't include Professor Sycamore and Professor Juniper in the same deck; players must choose one or the other. The same rule applies to Professor's Research, meaning it cannot be in the same deck as Professor Sycamore or Professor Juniper. (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Psychic's Third Eye (BREAKpoint) copied!
Q. If I play "Psychic's Third Eye", do I get to discard cards from my opponent's hand?
A. No. You look at their hand, but you discard from your own hand. (BREAKpoint FAQ; Feb 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
* The wording of Quick Ball is now as follows, "You can play this card only if you discard another card from your hand. Search your deck for a Basic Pokémon, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck." (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Quick Ball and the very first card revealed is a Pokemon, do I still have to shuffle my deck?
A. Yes, you must shuffle your deck regardless of how many cards were revealed for Quick Ball. (Oct 25, 2007 PUI Rules Team; Sep 13, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Random Receiver copied!
Q. If I use Random Receiver and the very first card revealed is a Supporter, do I still have to shuffle my deck?
A. Yes, you must shuffle your deck regardless of how many cards were revealed for Random Receiver. (Sep 13, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Where do I put the Supporter card revealed with Random Receiver?
A. Read the Random Receiver card and you'll see it goes from the revealed cards into your hand before you shuffle. You do not put the card aside face up on the field nor shuffle before putting it into your hand. This applies to other cards that use the "reveal... put it in your hand... shuffle" template like Ultra Ball, etc. (Aug 15, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
* The wording of Rare Candy is now as follows, "Choose 1 of your Basic Pokémon in play. If you have a Stage 2 card in your hand that evolves from that Pokémon, put that card on the Basic Pokémon. (This counts as evolving that Pokémon.) You can't use this card during your first turn or on a Basic Pokémon that was put into play this turn." So now it can't be used on your first turn, and it can't be used on a Pokémon played this turn. (Apr 11, 2011 TPCi Announcements; May 5, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Could you Rare Candy a Pokémon and NOT play an evolution on it just to get rid of the Rare Candy?
A. No, you cannot discard a card for free. You must be able to attach the Stage 2 card, or you cannot use the Rare Candy. (Oct 30, 2003 PUI Rules Team; Dec 4, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Rare Candy on [my] first turn of a game (when Pokémon are not normally allowed to evolve)?
A. No, this is no longer permissible [per BW rules changes]. (Jul 22, 2004 PUI Rules Team; Apr 11, 2011 TPCi Announcements; May 5, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Rare Candy on a Pokémon's first turn in play? For example, can I place down a Wurmple and then use Rare Candy on the same turn to evolve it into Dustox or Beautifly?
A. No, this is no longer permissible [per BW rules changes]. (Sep 11, 2003 PUI Rules Team; Jul 22, 2004 PUI Rules Team; Apr 11, 2011 TPCi Announcements; May 5, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Rare Candy on a Pokémon that has already evolved normally that turn?
A. No you cannot, because Rare Candy can only evolve Basic Pokémon If you evolved a Pokémon already this turn, it would not be a Basic any more. (Oct 23, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Rare Candy on a Pokémon that was devolved on that same turn (i.e. Devolution Spray, Hyper Devolution Spray, etc.)?
A. No, you cannot. A Pokemon must be in play since the beginning of the turn in which you are using Rare Candy. A devolved Pokemon counts as just coming into play. (Jun 3, 2004 PUI Rules Team; Jun 9, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Does Rare Candy override evolution-preventing effects such as Fossil Aerodactyl's "Prehistoric Power"?
A. Yes, you can use Rare Candy when Aerodactyl's Prehistoric Power is in play. (Sep 18, 2003 PUI Rules Team; Jul 22, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Does Rare Candy override evolution-preventing effects such as Archeops' "Ancient Power" Ability?
A. Ancient Power does not allow you to use a Pokemon's attack or play a Trainer card to evolve your Benched or Active Pokemon, unless the Evolution card you would be putting into play comes from somewhere other than your hand. So Rare Candy cannot be used while Archeops' Ancient Power Ability is in effect. (Noble Victories FAQ; Nov 17, 2011 PUI Rules Team; Nov 21, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If you use Rare Candy to evolve a Pokémon, and the evo card has a "Coming into Play" Pokémon Power (such as Dark Crobat), does that coming into play power get activated?
A. Using Powers, Attacks, or Trainers that let you put a Pokémon in the game from your hand will allow coming into play Powers to activate. This is a reversal from previous rulings. (Oct 23, 2003 PUI Rules Team; Apr 14, 2005 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I play Rare Candy on a Basic Pokémon to evolve it into a Stage 1 even though that Pokémon could evolve that turn normally?
A. No, this is no longer permissible [per BW rules changes]. (Jan 5, 2006 PUI Rules Team; Apr 11, 2011 TPCi Announcements; May 5, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If the Broken Time-Space stadium is in play, can I use Rare Candy on a Basic Pokemon that just came into play this turn?
A. No, the wording of Rare Candy specifically says "you can't use this card during your first turn or on a Basic Pokémon that was put into play this turn". Broken Time-Space does not allow you to override that. (Jun 9, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. What does "This counts as evolving that Pokémon" mean, in game terms?
A. It counts towards the one evolution per turn for that Pokémon (with exceptions for Trainers and Pokémon Powers that break that rule) and removes Special Conditions on that Pokémon. (Sep 26, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Rare Candy to evolve a Mysterious Fossil into an Omastar or Kabutops, or use it on a Root/Claw Fossil to evolve into Cradily/Armaldo?
A. It can. It counts as a basic Pokémon while in play. Omastar, Kabutops, Cradily, and Armaldo are Stage 2 Pokémon; you could use Rare Candy on the Fossil trainer to skip to them. (Oct 16, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Rare Candy to evolve from Dome Fossil to one of the Kabutops from older expansions that evolve from Mysterious Fossil?
A. Since Kabutops can evolve from Kabuto of any expansion, you may use Rare Candy to evolve either Dome Fossil or Mysterious Fossil into any Kabutops, regardless of expansion. (May 22, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I evolve Dratini in play to Dark Dragonite by using Rare Candy?
A. Yes. [This is true as long as there is a normal evolutionary path between the basic and the Stage 2 "Dark" Pokémon.] (Feb 10, 2005 PUI Rules Team)
Q. My opponent used a Recycle but I didn't see the card they put on top of their deck. Do they have to show it to me even though it does not say that on the card any longer?
A. Yes, even when it is not printed on the card, you must still clearly indicate which card you are moving because your Discard Pile is open to all players. (Dec 1, 2011 TPCi Rules Team)
Red & Blue (Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
* You can do any part of Red & Blue as long as there's a Pokemon in play that can evolve into a Pokemon-GX AND there's at least 1 card in your deck. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Red's Challenge (Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. Can I play Red's Challenge and fail the deck search?
A. No, because you are not searching for a specific type of card. It is public knowledge that your deck does have cards in it. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Repeat Ball (Primal Clash) copied!
Q. If I play Repeat Ball and I have Kyogre in play, can I search for a Kyogre EX card?
A. No. The name has to be exactly the same. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Rescue Scarf copied!
Q. If an evolved Pokemon is Knocked Out with Rescue Scarf attached to it, do you get to put all of the evolution stage cards and Basic Pokemon card back into your hand, or just the highest stage Evolution card?
A. All of them go to back into your hand. (Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if a Volcanion {*} with Splash Energy or Rescue Scarf attached is Knocked Out; does it go to the Lost Zone or to your hand?
A. You can return Volcanion {*} to your hand. (Sep 6, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I place all 4 cards that I looked at with the Trainer card "Research Record" at the bottom of my deck? Or can I place all 4 cards on top of my deck?
A. Yes, you can put as many of the four cards on the top or on the bottom any way you like (except face-up). (Call of Legends FAQ; Feb 10, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Robo Substitute (Phantom Forces) copied!
Q. Can Robo Substitute be affected by Special conditions or not?
A. Yes, it can. (Phantom Forces FAQ; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you attach Energy cards or Tools to Robo Substitute?
A. Yes, you can. For purposes of attaching cards you treat Robo Substitute as a Pokemon while it's in play. (Phantom Forces FAQ; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Super Scoop Up or AZ on a Robo Substitute?
A. Yes. (Phantom Forces FAQ; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent has a Robo Substitute on the bench, does that add 20 damage to Exeggutor's "Shake It Off" attack?
A. Yes, Robo Substitute counts as a {C} Pokemon while in play. (Roaring Skies FAQ; May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you put Robo Substitute on your Bench or make it your Active Pokemon during game startup?
A. No, you cannot. This is an Item card before it is in play, so you cannot put this card out as a Pokemon when you are preparing for battle. (Phantom Forces FAQ; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. I am playing a Robo Substitute from my hand to my Bench, but my opponent used Venomoth's "Dizzying Wind" attack last turn. Do I have to flip to play it?
A. Yes, Robo Substitute is a Trainer card when it is played. (Phantom Forces FAQ; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Target Whistle on an opponent's discarded Robo Substitute?
A. Target Whistle says that it can bring back a Basic Pokemon card, but the Robo Substitute in the discard pile is a Trainer card, not a Basic Pokemon. (Phantom Forces FAQ; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent KO's my Active "Robo Substitute", would I get the extra benefits from Terrakion's "Retailiate" Attack or Toxicroak's "Revenge" Attack?
A. Yes, you would. Even though Robo Substitute does not give up a prize card, it still counts as a KO'd Pokemon. (Dec 4, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Rock Guard (Plasma Freeze) copied!
Q. Ninjask's "Night Slash" attack has an effect where it may switch with a Benched Pokemon. If it switches, would the Defending Pokemon's Rock Guard effect take place on Ninjask or on the new Pokemon?
A. Rock Guard references putting counters on "the Attacking Pokemon", so Ninjask would still take the damage counters even if it goes to the Bench. (Nov 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Rocky Helmet copied!
Q. If Rocky Helmet is attached to a Pokemon with an effect such as Donphan's "Exoskeleton" Poke-BODY or a Defender attached, will an attack that normally deals 20 or less damage trigger the effects of Rocky Helmet or not?
A. If the net effect of the attack results in zero damage done to the Defending Pokemon, Rocky Helmet does not trigger. (Dec 15, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If Cinccino with the "Smooth Coat" ability also has "Rocky Helmet" attached to it, can I choose to activate Rocky Helmet first, and then flip for Smooth Coat?
A. You would need to know whether Cinccino takes damage or not in order for Rocky Helmet to work, so in this scenario you would have to flip for Smooth Coat first. (Mar 15, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Rough Seas (Primal Clash) copied!
Q. When using Rough Seas, can I choose to heal only some of my {W} and {L} Pokemon or do I have to heal all of them?
A. If you choose to use Rough Seas you must heal all {W} or {L} Pokemon with damage counters on them. (May 18, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Roxie (Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
Q. When I use Roxie to discard two Pokemon that each have the "Blow-Away Bomb" Ability, do those abilities stack so I can place two damage counters on each of my opponents Pokemon?
A. Yes, each of the Pokemon gets to use their own "Blow-Away Bomb" Ability when discarded by Roxie. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Sabrina's Suggestion (Team Up) copied!
Q. Can I use Sabrina's Suggestion to copy an opponent's Green's Exploration in their hand if I have a Pokemon in play with Abilities?
A. Nope sorry, you still have to obey the restrictions on the copied Trainer card. Since you have a Pokemon with Abilities in play you cannot use Green's Exploration even from your opponent's hand. (Sep 12, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Scoop Up Net (Rebel Clash) copied!
Q. When playing Scoop Up Net, do I put all Pokemon stages into my hand or just the Basic or highest stage?
A. You put all of the Pokemon cards into your hand, including all Stages if applicable. (Rebel Clash FAQ; Apr 30, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Seeker if either player has no Benched Pokemon, or do both players need to have at least one Pokemon on the Bench?
A. If there's a Pokemon on either player's Bench, Seeker can be used. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Sightseer (Lost Thunder) copied!
Q. When I have seven cards in my hand, can I discard only one with "Sightseer"?
A. No, you cannot. You must discard until your hand has 4 or fewer cards when using Sightseer. (Dec 6, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Silent Lab (Primal Clash) copied!
Q. If Silent Lab stadium is in play and one of my Basic Pokemon evolves into a BREAK Pokemon, would it be able to use the Ability from the underlying Basic Pokemon or not?
A. When it evolves into a BREAK Pokemon it is no longer a Basic Pokemon, so Silent Lab no longer affects it and you would be able to use the underlying Basic Pokemon's Abilities. (Jun 23, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does "Silent Lab" stadium shut off "Alpha" and "Omega" abilities?
A. No, those are considered Ancient Traits, they are not Abilities. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Klefki with the "Wonder Lock" Ability is attached to a Pokemon as a Tool card, what happens if "Silent Lab" stadium comes into play? Does "Wonder Lock" shut off and Klefki get discarded, or does it remain attached to the Pokemon?
A. Once Klefki is attached as a Pokemon Tool card it retains its effect even when its Ability has been disabled. Once it's attached, it is essentially treated as a Tool with that text, so shutting off its Ability doesn't matter at that point. However, if something such as Lysandre Labs is in effect, Klefki won't be discarded at the end of your opponent?s turn. (Jan 3, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Silver Bangle (Plasma Blast) copied!
Q. Can I attach Silver Bangle or Silver Mirror to a Pokemon-EX?
A. Yes you can, but it won't do anything other than count as an attached tool. (Plasma Blast FAQ; Aug 15, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Silver Mirror (Plasma Blast) copied!
Q. Can I attach Silver Bangle or Silver Mirror to a Pokemon-EX?
A. Yes you can, but it won't do anything other than count as an attached tool. (Plasma Blast FAQ; Aug 15, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Would Genesect EX be able to attack with "G-Booster" if the Defending Pokemon has Silver Mirror attached?
A. G Booster gets through because it ignores all effects on the Defending Pokemon, including Silver Mirror. (Aug 15, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say you have Silver Mirror attached to one of your non-EX Pokemon, and it is the only remaining Pokemon. If your opponent's Beheeyem tries to attack with "Damakinesis", the six damage counters obviously don't get moved to the Pokemon with Silver Mirror since Beheeyem is a Team Plasma Pokemon; but do the damage counters get removed and then discarded, or do they not move at all?
A. The non-EX Pokemon with Silver Mirror attached is a valid target for the choice of where to move the damage counters to, but since Silver Mirror prevents all effects of attacks done by Team Plasma Pokemon the damage counters would be discarded rather than attached to the Defending Pokemon. (Sep 26, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens to the opponent's Energy if I use Krookodile's "Piston Headbutt" attack, but my opponent's Pokemon has Silver Mirror attached to it?
A. If Silver Mirror is attached to the Defending Pokemon and it is not a Pokemon-EX you cannot move an Energy off of it. If the Defending Pokemon does not have Silver Mirror attached, a Benched non-EX Pokemon with Silver Mirror is a valid target for the choice of where to move the Energy to, but since Silver Mirror prevents all effects of attacks done by Team Plasma Pokemon the Energy would be discarded rather than attached to the Benched Pokemon. (Oct 9, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Sitrus Berry (Sword & Shield) copied!
* The wording of Sitrus Berry is now as follows, "At the end of each turn, if the Pokémon this card is attached to has 3 or more damage counters on it, heal 30 damage from it and discard this card." (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Announcements; Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If an attack would KO a Pokemon, can you use Sitrus Berry to heal it first?
A. No. KO's have to be resolved before the end of the turn, and Sitrus Berry heals at the end of the turn after KO's have been evaluated. (Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Sitrus Berry to heal damage received from Poison/Burn in between turns?
A. No, you cannot. Sitrus Berry only works at the end of a turn. (Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Sky Field (Roaring Skies) copied!
Q. Say the "Sky Field" stadium is in play and I have 8 Pokemon on my Bench. My opponent uses Salamence's "Shatter" attack to KO my Active Pokemon and discard the stadium. Do I promote one of my Benched Pokemon first, or do I reduce my bench size to 5 Pokemon before promoting?
A. When the Sky Field stadium is discarded during the attack, the bench size is reduced immediately before going any farther. So after promoting your new Active Pokemon there will be 4 Pokemon on your Bench. (Apr 30, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Say Sky Field is in play and I have 8 Benched Pokemon, then I use Marshadow's "Resetting Hole" Ability. Do I discard Marshadow first and then discard down to 5 Benched Pokemon for the removal of Sky Field, or do I discard down to 5 Benched Pokemon first and then discard Marshadow?
A. The player who owns Marshadow can choose the order of discarding Benched Pokemon, either before or after the removal of Sky Field. (Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Sky Pillar (Celestial Storm) copied!
Q. Sky Pillar says, "Prevent all effects of the opponent's attacks, including damage, done to Benched Pokemon (both yours and your opponent's)". So does this mean if I use an attack like Zapdos' "Raging Thunder" that I do not apply the bench damage to my own Pokemon?
A. No, only bench damage done from an opponent's attacks is prevented by Sky Pillar. If your attack does damage to your own Benched Pokemon it is not prevented. (Aug 9, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Skyarrow Bridge copied!
Q. If Skyarrow Bridge is in play, can I still use Heavy Ball to search for a Basic Pokemon with a Retreat Cost of 3?
A. Yes, you can. The Retreat Cost reduction only applies to Basic Pokemon in play, and cards in your deck are not in play. (Next Destinies FAQ; Feb 9, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Skyla copied!
Q. Since Skyla says "Search your deck for a Trainer card", does this allow me to search for any kind of Trainer including Supporters, and Stadiums?
A. Yes, it does. The current definition of "Trainers" includes Items, Supporters, and Staduims. (Boundaries Crossed FAQ; Nov 8, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Sonia (Rebel Clash) copied!
Q. When using Sonia can I get one Pokemon and one Basic Energy card?
A. No, you can get up to two of one kind or the other; you cannot mix & match. (Rebel Clash FAQ; Apr 30, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Sophocles (Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. Can I play Sophocles and discard two cards if there are no cards left in my deck?
A. No, you cannot. Discarding the two cards is a cost not the effect, and you cannot play Trainer cards for no effect. (Mar 21, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Spikemuth (Darkness Ablaze) copied!
Q. If I use Steenee's "Captivate" attack while Spikemuth stadium is in play, does the opponent put any damage counters on their Pokemon?
A. No, Captivate would not trigger Spikemuth since it was not moved during the opponent's turn. (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Stealthy Hood (Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. Does Carracosta's "Ancient Custom" Ability negate Stealthy Hood? Or does Stealthy Hood prevent "Ancient Custom" from affecting the Pokemon Stealthy Hood is attached to?
A. Stealthy Hood prevents Ancient Custom's effect on the Pokemon Stealthy Hood is attached to. (Mar 12, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can a Pokemon with an attack that does damage to the opponent's Bench get through Mr. Mime's "Bench Barrier" Ability if the Attacking Pokemon has Stealthy Hood attached?
A. No, it does not get through. The Bench Barrier Ability is not "being done" to the Attacking Pokemon. (May 30, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Lycanroc-GX's "Bloodthirsty Eyes to target an opponent?s Pokemon with Stealthy Hood attached?
A. Bloodthirsty Eyes can target a Benched Pokemon with Stealthy Hood attached, but its effect would be immediately blocked. However, if the Pokemon with Stealthy Hood is Active, Bloodthirsty Eyes can target a Benched Pokemon without a Stealthy Hood and the switch would take place. (May 30, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Raichu's "Evoshock" Ability to paralyze my opponent's Active Pokemon, does the Paralyzed status condition get removed if my opponent attaches a Stealthy Hood to that Pokemon on their next turn?
A. The Evoshock Ability's effect is to Paralyze the opponent's Pokemon; once that Special Condition has been placed it is no longer considered an effect of the Ability at the time your opponent attaches the Stealthy Hood. Therefore, your opponent's Pokemon remains Paralyzed. (Jun 6, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Super Potion (XY) copied!
Q. What happens if you play Super Potion for a Pokemon that doesn't have any energy cards attached to it?
A. You still remove 60 damage (or as much as you can), but that's all. (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Superior Energy Retrieval copied!
Q. If I already have four Fire Energy cards in my Discard Pile, can I use Superior Energy Retrieval to discard two Fire Energy cards from my hand and retrieve the other four from my Discard Pile?
A. Yes, you may retrieve the other four. The restriction is you cannot return any of the cards to your hand that you used to pay this card's cost. (Plasma Freeze FAQ; May 16, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can the Switch card be used to retreat a Paralyzed, Confused, or Sleeping Pokémon?
A. Yes, you can use a Switch card to retreat a Confused, Asleep or Paralyzed Pokémon. (Feb 3, 2000 WotC Chat)
Q. The new modified rules state you may only retreat once per turn. If you use a trainer to Switch your Pokémon, can you still retreat that Pokémon? Or does the Switch count as your one retreat per turn?
A. Switch does not count as your one retreat per turn. If it did affect it, I would imagine it being written as "(This counts as retreating your Pokémon)". (Jun 3, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Tag Switch (Unified Minds) copied!
Q. Let's say I have two copies of Garchomp & Giratina GX in play, and one of them has a Double Dragon Energy and a basic Psychic Energy card attached to it. If I play Tag Switch, am I able to select only one of the Energy being provided by Double Dragon Energy, so that I may also move the Psychic Energy too? Or if I had two Double Dragon Energy cards attached, could I pick one Energy from each Double Dragon Energy for Tag Switch and move both cards?
A. Yes, you can either select 1 Energy from each Double Dragon Energy to move both cards, or you could select 2 Energy from one Double Dragon Energy to move just one card. (Sep 12, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Target Whistle (Phantom Forces) copied!
Q. Can you use Target Whistle on an opponent's discarded Robo Substitute?
A. Target Whistle says that it can bring back a Basic Pokemon card, but the Robo Substitute in the discard pile is a Trainer card, not a Basic Pokemon. (Phantom Forces FAQ; Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I play Target Whistle and choose a Basic Pokemon in the Discard Pile with the Omega Barrier Ancient Trait, or does Omega Barrier block the Target Whistle?
A. Yes, you can put that Pokemon from the Discard Pile onto the Bench. Ancient Traits are only active when that Pokemon is in play. (Mar 30, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Teammates (Primal Clash) copied!
Q. Can I use "Teammates" if my Pokemon was KO'd due to Poison damage?
A. No, you cannot. You can only use Teammates if your Pokemon was KO'd *during* your opponent's last turn, but Poison damage takes place *in between* turns. (Primal Clash FAQ; Feb 5, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Thunder Mountain {*} (Unified Minds) copied!
Q. If Thunder Mountain {*} is in play, does Pikachu & Zekrom GX's "Tag Bolt GX" attack need 5 {L} attached or 6 {L} attached in order to get its bonus effect?
A. The base energy requirement of the attack is one {L} less for Thunder Mountain {*}, but it does not apply to the additional energy required for its bonus effect. You need 5 {L} attached in order to get the bonus when Thunder Mountain {*} is in play. (Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Training Center (Furious Fists) copied!
Q. If Training Center is in play, do Mega Pokemon EX get the bonus HP?
A. No. Although they are Evolved Pokemon, they are not Stage 1 or Stage 2 per the text on their cards. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Do I have to choose 2 cards when I play Twins and search my deck?
A. Yes, since the card says "any 2 cards" and not "up to 2 cards". And if you only have 1 card remaining in your deck, you must take that card. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
U-Turn Board (Unified Minds) copied!
Q. Does Mr. Mime's "Scoop-Up Block" Ability prevent Recycle Energy or U-Turn Board from going back in to the hand?
A. Yes, it does. (Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Lysandre Labs stop U-Turn board from going back to your hand when discarded?
A. Yes, that is correct. (Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Ultra Ball (Flashfire) copied!
Q. What's the proper way to play a Trainer like Ultra Ball?
A. When playing a Trainer you first put it onto the playing field (not directly into the Discard Pile). Then you do what the card says, such as discarding two cards (those go into the Discard Pile right away), searching your Deck, showing the selected Pokemon to your opponent before putting it directly into your hand, shuffling your Deck, etc. Finally, after everything is done, put the Trainer card into the Discard Pile. (Sep 18, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I play Ultra Ball if there are no cards left in my deck?
A. No, you cannot. Discarding the two cards is a cost not the effect, and you cannot play Trainer cards for no effect. (Apr 27, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Unidentified Fossil (Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. Can I choose to play Unidentified Fossil as one of my starting Pokemon?
A. No, you cannot. It's considered a Trainer while in your hand, so it doesn't count as a Basic Pokemon during setup. (Feb 8, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If an opponent KO's my Unidentified Fossil do they get to take a prize?
A. Yes, that's part of being treated as if it were a "Basic Pokemon". Your opponent takes a prize when Unidentified Fossil is knocked out, but not if you discard it from play. (Feb 8, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use an Ability to move enough damage counters onto my Unidentified Fossil to knock it out, but then discard it from play before it gets KO'd?
A. No, that won't work. As soon as you're done using the ability you would check for KO before being able to discard the Unidentified Fossil. (Feb 8, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Virbank City Gym copied!
Q. If a Pokemon has a poison condition that places more than one damage counter per turn, like from Crobat's "Ultra-Toxic Fang" attack, does Virbank City Gym work or not?
A. Yes, it works. You place 4 damage counters for Crobat's "Ultra-Toxic Fang", then you place 2 more for Virbank City Gym making a total of 6 counters placed. (Feb 28, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Viridian Forest (Team Up) copied!
Q. Can I use Viridian Forest if I have no cards left in my deck, and just discard a card from my hand?
A. Yes, you can. The first sentence of Viridian Forest says to discard a card from your hand. Then if you can do that, you do as much of the rest of the card as you can, which in this case is draw no cards. (Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Gengar & Mimikyu GX's "Horror House GX" attack prevent me from using Viridian Forest?
A. No, it does not. Discarding a card from your hand is not the same as playing a card from your hand; the card goes to the discard pile, not "in play". (Aug 22, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Volkner (Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. Can you get Speed {L} Energy with Volkner?
A. No, you cannot. Speed {L} Energy only counts as Lightning Energy when it is attached to a Pokemon. (May 7, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
VS Seeker (Fire Red Leaf Green) copied!
Q. Can I use VS Seeker to retrieve a Supporter that was played during this turn or do I have to wait until my next turn?
A. You can use VS Seeker whenever a Supporter card is in the Discard Pile, even if it was played during this turn. (Apr 28, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Wally (Roaring Skies) copied!
Q. Can I use Wally or Evosoda on a Snorlax to search my deck, even though there is {currently} no evolution of Snorlax?
A. No, there has to at least be the possibility of a valid evolution in order to use this card. Sorry. (Jul 26, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Wally or Evosoda to search my deck for a card that is not in the current tournament format? For example, could I use it on Raichu to search for a Raichu BREAK after it rotates out?
A. Yes, you can. Even though a card may not be in the tournament format it still exists and can be searched for even though it is known to fail. (Jul 26, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Evosoda to evolve my Basic Pokemon into a Stage 1, can I then use Wally to further evolve it into a Stage 2 on that same turn.
A. Yes, but be careful of the order in which you play the cards. Wally says you can use it on a Pokemon that was put into play this turn, but Evosoda says you cannot use it on a Pokemon that was put into play this turn. So you can play Evosoda first then Wally, but you cannot play Wally then Evosoda (on the same Pokemon, of course). (Mar 16, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Weakness Policy (Primal Clash) copied!
Q. If Genesect EX uses "G Booster" to attack a Pokemon with Grass Weakness but that Pokemon has a Weakness Policy Tool attached, is Weakness applied or not?
A. G Booster isn't affected by "any effects on the Defending Pokemon", but the term "any effects" does not include effects that alter Weakness or Resistance. So in this case, Weakness is NOT applied. (Feb 26, 2015 TPCi Rules Team; May 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Changes Announcement; May 18, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Welder (Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I use Welder to attach {R} Energy to my Pokemon, do I still get to use my one energy attachment for the turn?
A. Yes, you do. Doing something via an effect does not use up the normal actions you get during your turn. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Welder if there are no Fire Energy cards in my hand?
A. No, you cannot. You must be able to attach at least 1 Fire Energy card in order to use Welder. (May 9, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Miltank with the "Moomoo Malt" Ability as my Active Pokemon and I use Welder to attach 2 Fire Energy cards to a Benched Pokemon, does it heal 90 or 180 damage?
A. Any energies attached from the hand would trigger Moomoo Malt, once for each energy card being attached. So in this case you would heal 180 damage. (May 9, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Welder and attach a Fire Energy to an Eevee that has the "Energy Evolution" Ability, do I draw the cards for Welder first or search for a Flareon due to "Energy Evolution" first (or is it a choice)?
A. Since they are simultaneous actions, it is the player's choice of which order they can do this. (May 9, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Wide Lens (Roaring Skies) copied!
* Wide Lens says to apply Weakness and Resistance for attacks that do damage to the opponent's Benched Pokemon. This will not affect attacks that say "this attack isn't affected by Weakness, Resistance, or any other effects" or "ignore all effects including Weakness and Resistance"; Weakness and Resistance is still ignored for those attacks. (Roaring Skies FAQ; May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Will (Cosmic Eclipse) copied!
Q. If my Pokemon is Confused, can I use the effect of Will to choose Heads for the Special Condition?
A. No, that isn't something that Will can affect. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent used Magnemite's "Mirror Shot" attack last turn, can I use the effect of Will to choose heads for the effect of the attack?
A. Yes, that is considered an effect of an attack, so that works. (Cosmic Eclipse FAQ; Oct 31, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Wishful Baton (Burning Shadows) copied!
Q. If Black Market {*} is in play, and an Active Darkness Pokemon with up to 3 Darkness energy and a Wishful Baton is Knocked Out by damage from an attack, can the player move all of the Darkness Energy from that Pokemon to another Pokemon and still get Black Market {*}'s effect?
A. Sorry, but no. Taking prizes is the last step when a Pokemon is knocked out; so after all the Darkness Energy is moved, the opponent would not take one fewer Prize card. (Mar 28, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Wondrous Labyrinth {*} (Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If Wondrous Labyrinth {*} stadium is in play, how many energy are needed for energyless attacks?
A. Any attacks that normally cost no energy now require at least one energy to be attached when Wondrous Labyrinth {*} is in play. However, if an effect like Persian's "Gathering of Cats" Ability sets an attack's cost to zero energy, Wondrous Labyrinth {*} does not add an additional energy requirement to it. (May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I attach Energy cards to Benched Pokémon?
A. Yes. (Basic FAQ, WotC Website)
Q. Can I lay a Double Colorless Energy and another Energy down on the same turn?
A. No, you can only attach 1 Energy card per turn. (2-10-00 & 6-30-00 WotC Chats)
Q. Do you have to add Energy to a Pokémon and attack with your active Pokémon if you have Energies in your hand?
A. No, you don't have to. (Feb 17, 2000 WotC Chat)
Q. Can players mark the energies in their deck by turning them all upside-down?
A. No, all cards should be facing the same way. (August 17, 2000 WotC Chat Q81)
* Most Special Energy cards that provide a particular energy type do not provide that type when it is in the deck, the discard pile, or in your hand. Please read the text of the Special Energy card for clarification. (Jul 6, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
* 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. (Feb 14, 2002 WotC Chat, Q18)
* If a card gives off Energy of any type then that card COUNTS as an Energy card of that type. This means a Buzzap'd Electrode that was chosen to give 2 Grass Energy COUNTS as a Grass Energy Card and can be Energy Transferred by Venusaur's Pokémon Power. (Mar 30 WotC Chat)
* Any card that provides Energy is considered an Energy card of the type it provides. So if you were to Energy Burn a DCE, it counts as a Fire Energy card that provides 2 fire Energy until the end of the turn. So it could be Gathered by Team Rocket Charmander but would only provide 1 coin flip for the Continuous Fireball attack on Dark Charizard. (Jul 6, 2000 WotC Chat Announcements)
* The [default or normal] amount of energy an Energy card provides is equal to the number of energy symbols in the upper right or left corner of the card, regardless of how many different types of energy is provided. (Apr 8, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Aurora Energy (Sword & Shield) copied!
* The discard cost on Aurora Energy only applies when attaching the card from your hand. If you attach it from somewhere else, you don?t have to discard a card from your hand. (Sword & Shield FAQ; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Frosmoth?s "Ice Dance" Ability to attach Aurora Energy?
A. No. Because Aurora Energy does not count as any type while it is in your hand. (Sword & Shield FAQ; Feb 6, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Beast Energy {*} (Forbidden Light) copied!
Q. If I use Guzzlord GX's "Eat Sloppily" attack and discard a Beast Energy {*} card, would it get attached to the Guzzlord GX, or would it go straight to the Lost Zone because it was discarded?
A. When "discarding the top 5 cards of your deck", any revealed Energy cards get attached to Guzzlord GX immediately, before they reach the Discard Pile. Therefore, Beast Energy {*} gets attached to Guzzlord GX rather than going to the Discard Pile or Lost Zone. (May 31, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Blend Energy copied!
Q. Can I have 4 Blend Energy {G}{R}{P}{D} and 4 Blend Energy {W}{L}{F}{M} in my deck?
A. Yes, you can. The symbols {W}{L}{F}{M} and {G}{R}{P}{D} are part of the name of the card, so they are counted as different cards. (Dragons Exalted FAQ; Aug 23, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Dangerous Energy (Ancient Origins) copied!
Q. If I use an attack that says to "discard an Energy attached to your opponent's Active Pokemon" and I choose to discard their "Dangerous Energy" card, would I still receive the 2 damage counters from "Dangerous Energy" or not?
A. You would not receive the 2 damage counters. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Flareon's "Flare Effect" ability or Vaporeon's "Aqua Effect" ability or Jolteon's "Electric Effect" ability adds Fire or Water or Electric type to a Darkness Type Pokemon, does Dangerous Energy get discarded since it says, "If this card is attached to anything other than a {D} Pokemon, discard this card"?
A. No, it is not discarded. Even with the addition of another type to the Darkness Pokemon it is still also a Darkness Pokemon. (Ancient Origins FAQ; Aug 13, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Darkness Energy (Special) copied!
Q. The wording on Darkness Energy from the EX:Ruby/Sapphire expansion says, "if the Pokémon Darkness Energy is attached to attacks, the attack does 10 more damage to the Active Pokémon" Does this mean that you get to add +10 even if an attack does no damage at all to the Defending Pokémon (i.e. EX:Sandstorm Murkrow's "Surprise" attack)?
A. No, it still applies only if there was initial damage to add to. So in other words, you still have to do some damage in order to have "10 more" done. (Sep 18, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Double Dragon Energy (Roaring Skies) copied!
Q. Let's say I have two copies of Garchomp & Giratina GX in play, and one of them has a Double Dragon Energy and a basic Psychic Energy card attached to it. If I play Tag Switch, am I able to select only one of the Energy being provided by Double Dragon Energy, so that I may also move the Psychic Energy too? Or if I had two Double Dragon Energy cards attached, could I pick one Energy from each Double Dragon Energy for Tag Switch and move both cards?
A. Yes, you can either select 1 Energy from each Double Dragon Energy to move both cards, or you could select 2 Energy from one Double Dragon Energy to move just one card. (Sep 12, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Heat Energy (Darkness Ablaze) copied!
Q. When using Centiscorch VMAX's "G-Max Centiferno" attack, can I get a Heat Energy from my discard pile?
A. No, you may not. Heat Energy only counts as a Fire Energy card while it is attached to a Pokemon, not when it is in the discard pile or anywhere else. (Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Herbal Energy (Furious Fists) copied!
Q. Can I attach Herbal Energy to a non-Grass type Pokemon?
A. No, the text says you can't. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Hiding Energy (Darkness Ablaze) copied!
Q. Does Galar Mine add {*}{*} to the Retreat Cost of a Darkness Pokemon with Hiding Energy attached?
A. Nope, if a Pokemon's Retreat Cost is set to zero by an effect such as Hiding Energy, it cannot be increased by Galar Mine.
Memory Energy (Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If I have a Memory Energy attached to an Incineroar that evolved from a Litten with the "Caturday" attack, with Persian's "Gathering of Cats" Ability are all my Incineroar's attacks now free?
A. No, it doesn't work like that. Memory Energy lets you USE attacks from its previous Evolutions, but it doesn't GIVE it those attacks. Therefore, Gathering of Cats would have no effect on the Incineroar. (May 9, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Metal Energy (Special) copied!
Q. Does special Metal Energy reduce damage done to me from attacks by my own Pokemon?
A. Yes, as long as it is attached to a metal type Pokemon. But keep in mind that Metal Energy does NOT prevent the "placing of damage counters" (not same as "damage done"). (Sep 11, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Mystery Energy (Phantom Forces) copied!
Q. If I have a Mystery Energy attached to an active Trevenant with a Retreat Cost of {3} could I pay for my one Retreat Cost using the Mystery Energy?
A. Yes, Mystery Energy will reduce the Retreat Cost, and you can discard it to pay for the final energy. The Pokemon is on the Bench before the Energy Cost returns to normal. (Nov 13, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Powerful Energy (Darkness Ablaze) copied!
Q. Does Poweful Energy stack?
A. Yes, it does. (Darkness Ablaze FAQ; Aug 13, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can you have more then 4-rainbow energies since it changes into a basic energy?
A. No, since it's not a basic energy you can only use 4 in a deck. (April 13, 2000 WotC Chat Q124)
Q. If an attack says to discard a specific type of energy card to use that attack, can a Rainbow Energy be used to pay that cost? There a few new cards that that would be important to based on the wordings.
A. Yes, you can. (Oct 11, 2001 WotC Chat, Q30)
Q. If I have an attack that says to discard a Fire Energy and a Water Energy, may I discard a single Rainbow Energy card or Multi Energy card to satisfy that requirement?
A. No, even though Rainbow and Multi provide all energy types simultaneously, they only provide one unit of energy. You can discard it for either the Fire or the Water, but you would still need to discard at least one additional card of the required type. (Dec 11, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If Mewtwo "Energy Absorbs" a Rainbow Energy and then Venusaur "Energy Trans" it, does the receiving Pokémon take damage?
A. Nope, it only does [places] the damage [counter] when you play the card from your hand. (June 22, 2000 WotC Chat, Q72)
Q. Can you Energy Trans a Rainbow Energy?
A. Sure. (June 22, 2000 WotC Chat, Q228)
Q. Can you Rain Dance Rainbow Energy?
A. No. Because it does not count as any type while in your hand. (June 22, 2000 WotC Chat, Q247)
Q. Can movie promo Pikachu use Recharge to get a Rainbow Energy from the deck, or does it have to be a basic Electric Energy card?
A. That would not work. Rainbow Energy only counts as all-basic energy types WHILE IN PLAY. This is not the case when it is in the deck. (April 27, 2000 WotC Chat Q6)
Q. If I have two Rainbow energy attached to a Dark Charizard and I flip two heads, can I discard the Rainbow Energy or do I have to have Fire Energy cards?
A. You could discard the Rainbow Energy as they do count as all basic energy types. (June 22, 2000 WotC Chat, Q227)
Q. When Neo comes out, will Rainbow Energy count as Darkness and Metal energy???
A. For the purposes of paying the cost of an attack, yes. Though the additional effects will not be provided. (Nov 9, 2000 WotC Chat, Q669)
Q. What happens if I attach a Rainbow Energy to Roserade with the "Energy Signal" Poke-POWER? Do I get to use both effects?
A. If the Energy card you attached provides all types (for example, Rainbow Energy), then both effects would trigger. Energy Signal would both Confuse and Poison the Defending Pokemon. (Sep 30, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Recycle Energy (Unified Minds) copied!
Q. Is the old print of Recycle Energy from Neo:Genesis legal for tournament play since it has slightly different wording that the latest version from SM:Unified Minds?
A. No, the wording is different in that the old version works after Recycle Energy has reached the discard pile, but the new version works even before Recycle Energy reaches the discard pile. You must use the newer version of the card in tournament play. (Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Recycle Energy go back into your hand if it is discarded by your opponent's Giratina's "Dimension Breach" Ability?
A. Yes it would. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does "Recycle Energy" go back into your hand if you discard it as part of a retreat cost? Does it go back into your hand if it's attached to a Pokemon that gets knocked out?
A. Yes in both cases. But don't be discarding it from your hand as part of an effect or Trainer cost and expect to get it back though. Also, if something sends Recycle Energy to the Lost Zone, you won't get it back from there. (Unified Minds FAQ; Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does Mr. Mime's "Scoop-Up Block" Ability prevent Recycle Energy or U-Turn Board from going back in to the hand?
A. Yes, it does. (Aug 1, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If an evolved Pokemon is Knocked Out with Rescue Energy attached to it, do you get to put all of the evolution stage cards and Basic Pokemon card back into your hand, or just the highest stage Evolution card?
A. All of them go to back into your hand. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. What happens if a Pokemon with Rescue Energy attached is Knocked Out by an attack that normally sends cards to the Lost Zone?
A. The order of resolution for the effects can be decided by the owner of the Pokemon with Rescue Energy attached to it. So the Pokemon can either go to the Lost Zone and stay there, or use Rescue Energy to return the Pokemon to your hand. Any other cards such as Energy, Tools, etc. would still go to the Lost Zone if the attack specifies. (HS:Triumphant FAQ; Nov 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I choose to put the Pokemon Rescue Energy is attached to in my Discard pile instead of back to my hand?
A. No, Rescue Energy states that you have to put all Pokemon cards back into your hand when it's KO'd by damage from an attack. (Sep 29, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Shield Energy (Roaring Skies) copied!
* The wording of Shield Energy is now as follows, "This card can only be attached to {M} Pokémon. This card provides {M} Energy only while this card is attached to a {M} Pokémon. Any damage done to the {M} Pokémon this card is attached to by an opponent's attack is reduced by 10 (after applying Weakness and Resistance). (If this card is attached to anything other than a {M} Pokémon, discard this card.)". Damage should be reduced *after* applying Weakness and Resistance. Templating changed to reflect the reduction of damage being taken. (Apr 24, 2015 TPCi Announcement; May 7, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I attach a Shield Energy to Lucario with the "Dual Armor" Ability?
A. It depends on when the Shield Energy is being attached. If Lucario already has a Metal Energy attached to it Dual Armor makes Lucario both Fighting & Metal types, so you CAN attach Shield Energy at that point. However, if Lucario does not already have a Metal Energy attached or if its Dual Armor ability has been shut off, then you CANNOT attach a Shield Energy to Lucario. (Feb 25, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Lucario with "Dual Armor" Ability has one Basic Metal and one Shield Energy attached, what happens if the Basic Metal Energy card is removed? Does Lucario remain a Metal type or would I have to discard the Shield Energy?
A. Once Lucario gains Metal typing due to Dual Armor it stays that way as long as a Metal Energy is attached. And Shield Energy provides a Metal Energy as long as it is attached to a Metal type Pokemon. So if only the Shield Energy remains, Lucario stays Metal type and the Shield Energy remains attached. (Feb 25, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Speed Energy (Rebel Clash) copied!
Q. Can you get Speed {L} Energy with Volkner?
A. No, you cannot. Speed {L} Energy only counts as Lightning Energy when it is attached to a Pokemon. (May 7, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Splash Energy (BREAKpoint) copied!
Q. If Greninja has Splash Energy attached and is Knocked Out by damage from my opponent's attack, do I put the Greninja card into my hand or to the Discard Pile?
A. No, you put all the Pokemon in the evolution line into your hand, including Mega and Break evolutions. Any other cards attached such as Tools or Energy are discarded. (BREAKpoint FAQ; Feb 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if a Volcanion {*} with Splash Energy or Rescue Scarf attached is Knocked Out; does it go to the Lost Zone or to your hand?
A. You can return Volcanion {*} to your hand. (Sep 6, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Strong Energy (Furious Fists) copied!
Q. Can I attach Strong Energy to a non-Fighting type Pokemon?
A. No, the text says you can't. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Strong Energy attached to a Trapinch and it evolves into a Vibrava, what happens?
A. When you evolve from a Fighting type Pokemon to another type (Dragon, in this case), the Strong Energy is immediately discarded. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I have Strong Energy attached to a Fighting type Pokemon and use an attack that says to discard an energy, do I get the bonus damage from Strong Energy before I discard it or not?
A. Yes, you do. (Furious Fists FAQ; Aug 28, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Super Boost Energy {*} (Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. If I have 3 or more Stage 2 Pokemon in play, can I attach Super Boost Energy {*} to any of my Pokemon (regardless if it's Stage 2 or not) and get the 4-Energy effect?
A. No, you only get the multiple energy and rainbow effects when it's attached to a Stage 2 Pokemon. (Feb 8, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Triple Acceleration Energy (Unbroken Bonds) copied!
Q. If an Evolution Pokemon has been put directly into play by using Greninja & Zoroark GX's "Dark Union GX" attack can I attach Triple Acceleration Energy to it?
A. Yes, as long as the Evolution Pokemon says "Evolves from..." on it. (Unbroken Bonds FAQ; May 2, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Unit Energy (Ultra Prism) copied!
Q. Can I have 4 Unit Energy {G}{R}{W} and 4 Unit Energy {L}{P}{M} in my deck?
A. Yes, you can. The symbols {G}{R}{W} and {L}{P}{M} are part of the name of the card, so they are counted as different cards. When adding Unit Energy cards to a decklist, be sure to include the symbols as part of the card name on your list; you may list them as "Unit Energy GRW" and "Unit Energy LPM". (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Dark Dragonite's Pokémon Power does not have the "you cannot use this Power if your bench is already full" text like most other Bench-building powers and attacks do. Does this mean that by using Dark Dragonite you can bypass the normal five-Pokémon limit to your bench?
A. C'mon. That's silly. There isn't room to put the reminder text on every single card. The rule is the bench can only have 5 max (EVER). (April 27, 2000 WotC Chat Q43)
Edit Article
Cards in General copied!
Q. Are Promos legal in tourney and league play?
A. Promo cards are legal in tourney and league play [As long as they have been released in the local area]. (Jan 27 WotC Chat)
Q. When the text for a previously released card changes in a new set, how are the older cards played?
A. You will need to start using the new text as soon as the set is released. (Sep 5, 2002 WotC Chat, Q185)
Q. What is a marked card?
A. A card that you can tell what it is by a glance (without seeing the front). It might have a different back, be scratched or written on in some way, be more worn out than the other cards, etc." (Aug 3 2000 WotC Chat, Q186)
Q. Can people have more then one card in a sleeve, I have caught people trying to cheat this way. Will you get DQ'ed for it ?
A. Having 2 cards in a sleeve counts as a marked card. There are rules and punishments for this infraction listed on the tournament floor rules. (Jun 14, 2001 WotC Chat, Q72)
Q. What is an opaque card sleeve?
A. An opaque card sleeve is one that has a backing you cannot see through...common opaque [sleeves] are red and/or black (7-27-00 WotC Chat)
Deck copied!
Q. Can I have say 4 Blaine's Arcanine and four regular Arcanine?
A. In one deck? Sure, they have different names. (Jun 22, 2000 WotC Chat, Q10)
Q. Can I have 4 Deoxys Attack Forme and 4 Deoxys Speed Forme in my deck?
A. Yes, the "Forme" is part of the name, so you can have 4 of each. (Aug 7, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Q. How many Shellos/Gastrodons of the East Sea or West Sea variety can you have in a deck?
A. You may have four of each. "Shellos East Sea" and "Shellos West Sea" are different Pokemon. (Apr 30, 2009 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Are you allowed to have as many DCE as you want in a deck like normal Energy or only four like any other card?
A. Only 4 maximum, it is NOT a basic Energy card (the only type you can have more than 4 of in your deck). (Jan 27 WotC Chat)
Q. Can you have more than 4 Metal [Special] energy cards in a deck legally?
A. No. [Ed. Note: Same rule applies to Darkness [Special] Energy too.] (Dec 21, 2000 WotC Chat, Q253)
Q. Can I have an English Dark Blastoise on the side while having a water energy with Dark Blastoise written on it in my deck and play it in a tournament?
A. No, you'll have to use the Dark Blastoise. (May 4, 2000 WotC Chat, Q98)
Q. Is it required to have a Basic Pokémon in your deck? For example, could I make a deck with just the fossils and no other Basic Pokémon in it?
A. Starting with EX:Delta Species, there is now a requirement to have at least 1 Basic Pokémon in a deck in order to be considered a legal deck. (Jan 12, 2006 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can you have 4 Electabuzz and 4 Electabuzz-EX in the same deck?
A. Yes, you can play 4 Electabuzz and 4 Electabuzz EX in the same deck, as they are considered different cards (similar to the ruling for Trainer Pokémon). (Sep 11, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can you have 4 Electivire and 4 Electivire Lv.X in the same deck?
A. No, Lv.X Pokemon are considered the same as other pokemon with the same name. You may only have a maximum of 4 combined in your deck (i.e. 3 Electivire, 1 Electivire Lv.X). (Sep 25, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When constructing a deck, am I limited to 4 total Raichu, including Raichu BREAK?
A. Actually, BREAK is part of the Pokemon's name. So you can play up to 4 Raichu and up to 4 Raichu BREAK in your deck. (BREAKthrough FAQ; Nov 19, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I put 4 each of the Unown with the "RETURN" Poke-POWER and the Unown with the "FLASH" Poke-POWER in a 60 card deck?
A. No, you can't. In the case of cards like "Unown G" and "Unown R" where the Unown's letter is in its name, they are considered different names, and you can have 4 of each in your deck. When only "Unown" is written these are cards with the same name, so you can only put up to 4 copies of any with that exact name in a 60 card deck. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can you mix Team Magma and Team Aqua cards in the same deck?
A. Yes. There is no rule preventing you from playing rival teams in the same deck. The cards generally work better within the same team, but it's up to the player how they build their decks. (Team Magma vs Team Aqua Prerelease FAQ, Q2)
Q. Can a World Championship deck card be used as a local language reference?
A. Yes, it can be used. The card is not being played in a deck, it is being used as a reference. (Feb 3, 2005 PUI Rules Team)
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. (Oct 16, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Must I have my Deck and Discard Pile on the right side of the field, or can I have it on the left side (it's easier for me on the left because I am left-handed)?
A. The standard play layout is to have the Deck & Discard Pile on the right side and prizes on the left side, but having them the other way around is also permitted. (Sep 10, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Must I have my Deck above my Discard Pile on the field, or can I have it the other way around?
A. The Deck and Discard Pile must be on the same side of the field (either left or right), arranged one above the other. The standard play layout is to have the Discard Pile below the deck, but having the Deck below the Discard Pile is also permitted. (Sep 10, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. The "Prism Star rule" on the card says "you can't have more than one {*} card of the same name in your deck", but can I have more than one Prism Star cards of different names in my deck?
A. You can have several Prism Star cards in your deck as long as they are different names, but only one copy of each. For example, you can have one Giratina {*} and one Lunala {*} and one Super Boost Energy {*}, and so on. This rule is not ignored for Limited tournaments such as Prereleases, Drafts, etc. (Ultra Prism FAQ; Feb 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Discard Pile copied!
* Whenever any cards move from a Zone anyone can see (such as the Discard Pile) to one not anyone can see (such as hour Hand), that card must be revealed to all players. (Dec 1, 2011 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Some players freely examine their own discard pile (or their opponent's) whenever they want. Is this allowed? Or can a discard pile only be examined when you have official business there (like after playing Item Finder).
A. Discard piles are open knowledge (either player could look through them). (April 6, 2000 WotC Chat Q97)
Q. During a game is it legal to count your Discard pile? Is it also legal to count your deck as long as you do not look at the cards front?
A. Sure, though if you do it too often during a timed tournament it could be deemed stalling. (Aug 31, 2000 WotC Chat, Q154)
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. (Oct 16, 2008 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Must I have my Deck and Discard Pile on the right side of the field, or can I have it on the left side (it's easier for me on the left because I am left-handed)?
A. The standard play layout is to have the Deck & Discard Pile on the right side and prizes on the left side, but having them the other way around is also permitted. (Sep 10, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Must I have my Deck above my Discard Pile on the field, or can I have it the other way around?
A. The Deck and Discard Pile must be on the same side of the field (either left or right), arranged one above the other. The standard play layout is to have the Discard Pile below the deck, but having the Deck below the Discard Pile is also permitted. (Sep 10, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Evolving/Devolving copied!
Q. How do I evolve a Pokémon?
A. You just play the evolved version of that Pokémon on top of the Pokémon you want to evolve. In other words, you have to have the unevolved version already on the table and the evolved version in your hand, and then you just put the evolved version on top of the unevolved version. You can evolve an Active or a Benched Pokémon. (Basic FAQ, WotC Website)
Q. You ruled that Team Rocket's Magikarp's Rapid Evolution can be used the turn those Pokémon come into play [Ed.Note: see also "Rapid Evolution" (Jul 13, 2000 WotC Chat Announcements)]. Does that mean that if I had played TR Magikarp down on the first turn of the game, I could evolve him (I know that this is not possible, i.e., I cannot get 3 [W] Energy on Magikarp but if we ignore this limitation) ... would it be possible since Rapid Evolution ignores the normal evolution rule?
A. Yes, *if* you could get three water energy on Team Rocket Magikarp. (Jul 20, 2000 WotC Chat, Q141)
* Certain attacks & powers (like Erika's Clefairy's Lunar Power attack, Koga's Kakuna's Emerge Pokémon Power, or TR Magikarp's Rapid Evolution attack), can break the standard "can't evolve turn 1 or the turn it was played" rule. You CAN play them on the first turn and you can sometimes even choose a Pokémon on your Bench that you just played this turn. To make it easier to understand, the standard evolution rules ("can't evolve turn 1 or the turn it was played") deal with the standard means of evolving; meaning taking the next Stage Pokémon from your hand and placing it on a Pokémon. Since these attacks and powers have you take a card from your deck and place it, they are NOT stopped by the standard evolution limits. This also falls under the term "played". Aerodactyl's Pokémon Power "Prehistoric Power" says No more Evolution cards can be played. The above attacks and powers would NOT be affected by this as those cards are not "played" (meaning played from your hand). (Nov 30, 2000 WotC Chat Announcements)
* Dark Pokémon evolve from Basic Pokémon. Once you evolve a Basic Pokémon into a Dark Stage 1 Pokémon, it CANNOT evolve into a non-Dark Stage 2 Pokémon, only a Dark Stage 2. "Once you walk down the Dark Path, forever will it dominate your destiny" - Yoda the non-Pokémon. (Apr 13 WotC Chat)
Q. Can I still use the abilities of the Basic Pokémon after I've evolved it?
A. No. (Basic FAQ, WotC Website)
Q. In the Team Rocket set does a Stage 2 Dark Pokémon have to evolve from a Dark Pokémon or can I put it on a plain one?
A. It has to evolve from a Dark Stage 1 Pokémon (unless you use Breeder of course). (May 18, 2000 WotC Chat, Q52)
Q. Can I evolve a Dratini from the rocket set into a Dragonair from the first set of Pokémon?
A. Yes. (May 11, 2000 WotC Chat, Q117)
* Evolution effects may take place on the first turn of the game, unless specifically stated on the card. This will affect Trainer cards, Poké-Powers, and effects of attacks. In the past, it was ruled that such an effect would have to state "This may be used on the first turn of the game." The correct usage is the card would have to specifically state "This may not be used on the first turn of the game." (Jul 22, 2004 PUI Rules Team; Jul 30, 2004 PUI Rules Update)
* A guiding rule for evolving Pokémon... If it's not in play at the start of that player's turn, it can't be evolved normally. And effects that say "this counts as evolving the Pokémon" count against being able to evolve a Pokémon normally afterward. So, you can use Wally's Training after evolving normally, but you can't use Wally's Training then evolve. (Oct 30, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Q. What does "This counts as evolving that Pokémon" mean, in game terms?
A. It counts towards the one evolution per turn for that Pokémon (with exceptions for Trainers and Pokémon Powers that break that rule) and removes Special Conditions on that Pokémon. (Sep 26, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Is it possible to evolve Pichu from the "Heart Gold/Soul Silver" expansion into Pikachu or Raichu?
A. No, because Pikachu would need to have "Evolves from Pichu" printed on the card in order to do this. Pichu cards from other sets with the "Baby Evolution" Poke-POWER provide a way to bypass this requirement, but this isn't possible with Pichu from "Heart Gold/Soul Silver". None of the HGSS set's Pokemon with the "Sweet Sleeping Face" Poke-BODY can evolve without a corresponding card that says it evolves from them. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can you use Devolution Spray or Golurk's "Devolution Punch" attack against a Mega Pokemon, and if so what happens to the Mega Pokemon?
A. Mega Pokemon are evolved Pokemon, so the Mega Pokemon card is removed, but the underlying Pokemon and all other cards attached stay in play (unless the Pokemon is KO'd, of course). (XY FAQ; Feb 6, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I evolve to a BREAK Pokemon while it is on the bench?
A. Yes. If follows the normal rules of Evolution. (BREAKthrough FAQ; Nov 19, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I use Greninja's "Water Shuriken" ability first and then evolve to Greninja BREAK on the same turn, would I be able to use its "Water Shuriken" ability again?
A. No, you cannot. Even though Greninja evolved into Greninja BREAK and retains the Abilities of its previous evolution, it still remembers that it has already used up its once-per-turn Water Shuriken ability for that turn. (Feb 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Game Actions copied!
* If an action is mandatory (e.g., draw a card at the beginning of your turn, take a prize for knocking out a Pokémon, place damage counters for an attack, etc.), and you forget to take that action, you do not need your opponent's permission to do it. However, you should immediately call a judge so that things don't get muddled. (Mar 14, 2007 POP Announcement, POP Professor Forums)
* If an action is *optional* (e.g., playing a Trainer, attaching an Energy, attacking your opponent's Pokémon, etc.), and you forget to take that action, you may ask your opponent for permission to take that action. For example, if you attach a Grass Energy to your Pokémon, and you wanted to attach a Fire Energy, you may ask your opponent's permission to take back the Grass Energy and attach the Fire energy instead. If he or she says no, you're stuck with the Grass Energy. (Mar 14, 2007 POP Announcement, POP Professor Forums)
Hand copied!
Q. How many cards can I have in my hand?
A. You can have as many cards as you draw. There is no limit to hand size. (Basic FAQ, WotC Website)
Q. Is there any penalty for accidentally seeing your opponents hand?
A. As long as you both agree it was accidental, then no. (Aug 31, 2000 WotC Chat Q183)
Knock Outs & Prizes copied!
Q. If I Knock Out my own Pokémon, does my opponent still get to take a Prize?
A. Yes. (Basic FAQ, WotC Website)
Q. When an Active Pokemon is Knocked Out, does the opponent take their prize first or does player have to promote a new Active Pokemon first?
A. When a Pokemon is Knocked Out prizes are taken first. Then if there is no Active Pokemon a new one is moved up from the Bench. (Apr 5, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. When you Knock Out more than one of your opponent's Pokémon in a turn (i.e. using Selfdestruct or Raichu's Gigashock attack) do you receive a Prize for each Knocked Out enemy Pokémon?
A. Yes you do. And if you knock out some of your own, your opponent gets to draw prizes as well. (Jan 27 WotC Chat)
Q. When both active Pokémon are knocked out, who places a new active first?
A. The player whose turn would be next. (Nov 30, 2000 WotC Chat, Q220)
Q. In the case where both players have Pokemon Knocked Out simultaneously, which player takes their prizes first?
A. The player whose turn would be next takes their prizes first and then the other player takes their prizes. Then the player whose turn would be next promotes a new Active Pokemon if needed, followed by the other player if they need to promote a new Active Pokemon. (Apr 5, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If one of my opponent's Pokemon is Knocked Out in the middle of a turn before the attack, can I take my prize(s) right away or do I have to wait until the end of the turn?
A. No matter when a Pokemon gets Knocked Out during a turn, the opponent takes their prize(s) as soon as all triggered effects have finished resolving. You do not wait until the end of the turn to resolve KO's and prizes. (Apr 5, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If a player has some face up prize cards from using Blacephelon's "Blazer" attack and then takes a multi-prize knockout, do they take their prizes one at a time or must they take all of them at once?
A. Whenever you take more than one prize in a single action, each prize can be taken one at a time. (Jan 9, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If Gastly (Fossil) uses Lick and Knocks Out the other Pokémon, does your opponent bring out another Pokémon and then you do the status effect?
A. No, a Pokémon is SLATED to be removed when it has sufficient damage assigned to it. Attack effects resolve BEFORE a replacement Pokémon is brought up. (Aug 31, 2000 WotC Chat Q232)
Q. Do you apply Pokémon Powers before status effects?
A. Check under 'How do you figure damage' in the Pokémon rules. Existing status effects are applied first, then Pokémon powers, then damage is assigned, then lastly new status effects from the attack are applied (basically). (Sep 7, 2000 WotC Chat, Q62)
Q. If Black Market {*} is in play, and an Active Darkness Pokemon with up to 3 Darkness energy and a Wishful Baton is Knocked Out by damage from an attack, can the player move all of the Darkness Energy from that Pokemon to another Pokemon and still get Black Market {*}'s effect?
A. Sorry, but no. Taking prizes is the last step when a Pokemon is knocked out; so after all the Darkness Energy is moved, the opponent would not take one fewer Prize card. (Mar 28, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If one of your Pokémon was Poisoned, and a few turns later it is KO'd by the Poison, does your opponent take a Prize card although the Poison KO'd the Pokémon, and not your opponents Pokémon?
A. Yes, he would still draw a Prize card. Whenever a Pokémon is Knocked Out, the other player gets Prize cards -- even if you Knock Out your own. (Feb 10 WotC Chat)
Q. This is probably an incredibly silly question, but I can't find the answer to it anywhere. If an opponent knocks out one of my Pokémon, and they forget to draw a prize, are they entitled to it if they remember later?
A. Technically yes. It is the responsibility of BOTH players to make sure everything is done correctly. If you spot it and he forgets you can BOTH get a warning in a tournament if you don't catch it. (August 17, 2000 WotC Chat Q102)
Q. If my opponent receives two "Double Prize Loss" penalties and I only have four prizes left in a six prize game, what happens?
A. As soon as the number of prize penalties meets or exceeds the number of remaining prizes needed to win, the game is over. In this situation you win. (Apr 26, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I decline to take the benefit of a "Double Prize Loss" or a "Quad Prize Loss" penalty given to my opponent?
A. No, it simply changes the number of prizes needed to be taken to achieve a win condition. You and your opponent MUST sign any required Prize Card Penalty Slips, keep track of the new number of remaining prizes needed to win, and anything else necessary to implement the penalty. (Apr 26, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I attack with Naganadel GX's "Stinger GX" attack, how would it work if my opponent has received a "Double Prize Loss" or a "Quad Prize Loss" penalty earlier in the game?
A. For a "Double Prize Loss" you only need to take one more prize from the remaining three to win the game. If your opponent received a "Quad Prize Loss" you win the game because you have less than four prizes remaining. (May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What if both players have received a "Quad Prize Loss" or 2 "Double Prize Loss" penalties and one of the players uses Naganadel GX's "Stinger GX" attack?
A. In that situation both players win at same time. Play a sudden death game to decide the outcome. (May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
LEGEND Pokemon copied!
Q. Do Pokemon LEGEND count as one Pokemon or two for purposes of bench space, prizes taken, attack effects, Poke-POWERs, Poke-BODYs, and calculating damage?
A. A Pokemon LEGEND is made up of two Pokemon cards each consisting of 1 half of the Pokemon, but it counts as a single Pokemon while in play; one bench space, one prize per KO [unless noted otherwise on the card] , etc. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Do the LEGEND cards with two Pokemon on them (i.e. "Entei & Raikou LEGEND", etc.) count as two Pokemon while in play?
A. No, they only count as a single Pokemon when in play, even if your opponent takes 2 Prize cards when they are knocked out. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If "Raikou & Suicune LEGEND" attacks "Suicune & Entei LEGEND", how is weakness calculated?
A. Since "Suicune & Entei LEGEND" is weak to both of "Raikou & Suicune LEGEND's" types (Electric and Water), you would multiply the damage x4. (HS:Unleashed FAQ; May 13, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use cards that search for a Pokemon, like "Bebe's Search" or "Poke Ball" to get a Pokemon LEGEND card from my deck?
A. Any effect that lets you search your deck or discard pile or do something from your hand with "a Pokemon" will let you use that effect on one half of a Pokemon LEGEND set, but not both halves. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use "Pokemon Collector" to choose Pokemon LEGEND cards as part of the 3 Basic Pokemon I search for in my deck?
A. No, because Pokemon Collector only lets you choose Basic Pokemon. Pokemon LEGEND are considered "Unevolved Pokemon" when in play, but they are not considered "Basic Pokemon". (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Mantine's "Group Swim" attack to put one half of a Lugia LEGEND card in my hand?
A. Yes. Either half of the Lugia LEGEND card is still considered "a Water-type Pokemon", so you can search for it with Group Swim. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. How many of each half of the Pokemon LEGEND cards can I have in my 60 card deck? Is it 4 total or 4 of each half?
A. You can put up to 4 total halves of each Pokemon LEGEND in your deck (e.g. 4 Ho-Oh LEGEND halves and 4 Lugia LEGEND halves), but you cannot put 4 of each half of a Pokemon LEGEND in your deck (e.g. you couldn't have 4 Lugia LEGEND top half and 4 Lugia LEGEND bottom half). (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I put three halves of one Pokemon LEGEND card and one of the other half in my deck?
A. Yes, that is legal if you wish. You do not need to have the same number of each half in your deck. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Is LEGEND part of the Pokemon name? Can I have 4 Lugia and 2 Lugia LEGEND sets in a 60 card deck?
A. LEGEND is part of the name, similar to past sets that contained Pokemon with "Dark" or "-ex" as part of their name. They are not considered the same as their normal counterpart, so yes you can have 4 "Lugia" and 4 "Lugia LEGEND" halves in your deck. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I play a Pokemon LEGEND as my Active Pokemon or on my Bench during setup?
A. No. Since a Pokemon LEGEND is not a Basic Pokemon you cannot play it during setup, even if you have both halves. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. What if during setup the only Pokemon cards in my hand are Pokemon LEGEND halves?
A. Since you have no Basic Pokemon to place Active you will let your opponent look at your hand, then shuffle and redraw your hand as described in the rulebook. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. If Primeape's "Top Drop" attack reveals a LEGEND Pokemon card with no HP printed on it, how much damage does it do (if any)?
A. No damage is done regardless of which LEGEND half is revealed by Top Drop, because even the half with HP written on it is not considered "a Pokemon" while in the Discard Pile. (Feb 4, 2010 PUI Rules Team; Feb 18, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Heavy Ball to look for a LEGEND Pokemon half?
A. No, you cannot. The Retreat Cost is only printed on one half of the LEGEND Pokemon. If it is printed on both cards, then it is a common attribute for both pieces; but since it is printed on only one half it only applies to the LEGEND Pokemon when both pieces are in play. (Apr 5, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Mew's "Re-creation" attack to choose a Lugia LEGEND card with the attack "Elemental Blast" written on it from my opponent's discard pile, and use that attack?
A. No, you can't use any attacks from a Pokemon LEGEND unless both pieces are in play. (Feb 18, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Randomizers (Coins, Dice, etc) copied!
Q. Is it allowable for a player in a tourney to refuse to let someone use their randomizer (coin)?
A. Nope. This is done to keep players from gaining an edge with a possibly unbalnaced randomizer. (Jan 11, 2001 WotC Chat, Q80 & Q115)
Q. A Judging question -- a Pokemon that has 5 or 6 cards attached to it is on the table. A player throws a six sided dice and it lands half on the table and half sitting on this big stack of cards at about a 25 or 30 degree tilt. Is this similar to the "flat coin ruling where the coin flip counts even if it lands in the damage counter or half on cards. What do we do? An experienced player gently pushed the cards out from under the dice to see if they stayed put. Two new players started debating just where the dice actually landed -- under a lot of cards or just a few???
A. Anything less then a 45 degree angle is fine. (Feb 20, 2003 WotC Chat, Q76)
Retreating copied!
Q. If I have Zubat (no retreat cost) as my Active and retreat him, can I bring him back as Active or do I have to bring up another Benched Pokémon?
A. When you retreat a Pokémon, you are swapping it (a switch) with another on the bench. So in this case, Zubat goes to the bench, and you bring up a different Pokémon from your bench. (Feb 17 WotC Chat; May 11, 2000 WotC Chat, Q31)
Q. When I retreat my Pokémon, do I discard the Energy from my hand or from the Pokémon?
A. From the Pokémon. (Basic FAQ, WotC Website)
Q. Can you over pay retreat cost? I mean like if you wanted to get rid of a Darkness Energy from a free retreat pokemon, could you discard the darkness anyway when you retreat?
A. No. (Aug 9, 2001 WotC Chat, Q311)
Q. Can I use Umbreon-GX's "Dark Call GX" attack to discard 2 Double Colorless Energy?
A. Yes, you can select 1 Energy of each Double Colorless Energy to discard both of them. This applies for discarding your own Energy for an attack and for retreating as well. So if you used Hoopa-EX's "Hyperspace Fury" attack or paid its Retreat Cost of 2, discarding 2 Double Colorless Energy would be legal options. (Jan 26, 2017 TPCi Rules Team; Jun 27, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my Active Pokémon has taken damage and I retreat it, does the damage go away?
A. No. Retreating does not remove damage. (But it does remove Poison, Confusion, Sleep, or anything else that's the result of a Pokémon's attack, including special attacks like Porygon's Conversion.) (Basic FAQ, WotC Website)
Q. Can I retreat my Active Pokémon if my bench is full?
A. Yup, when you retreat you are switching your active for one on your bench. (Jul 13, 2000 WotC Chat, Q222)
Q. Team Aqua Hideout increases the Retreat Cost for certain types of Pokémon - how does this affect a Pokémon that has a Poké-BODY that reduces the cost to zero, or a Pokémon that doesn't have a cost to retreat?
A. If a Pokémon doesn't have a Retreat Cost, it now has a cost of one. If a Poké-BODY reduces the cost to zero, the cost remains zero. (Team Magma vs Team Aqua Prerelease FAQ, Q8)
Searching (Deck or Discard) copied!
Q. Is a player allowed to count the number of cards in his/her deck during a game, provided he/she doesn't change the order of the cards? And if so, is it permissible to count your opponent's deck as well?
A. Yes, the number of cards in both your and your opponent's deck are public information. Although it is recommended that the player counts his or her cards during their opponent's turn, in a manner that doesn't disrupt or slow down the game. (May 6, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Could I use a Poké-POWER, Poké-BODY, Attack, or Trainer to search through my deck for a particular card if I already know that card is not in my deck (i.e. using Energy Search if you know there are no basic Energy left in the deck due to previous unsuccessful searches)?
A. Yes you may, but if done repeatedly a judge may evaluate whether it's being used legitimately or merely as a stalling tactic. (Dec 8, 2005 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I use Professor Elm's Training Method if there are zero cards left in my deck?
A. No, you cannot search through your deck if there's nothing there to search. If there are cards in the deck you can fail to find a Pokemon because you don't know what may be in a deck, but since you do know whether there are ANY cards or not you cannot search through an empty deck. (Sep 22, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When searching my deck, at what point can I no longer change my mind on which cards I am choosing?
A. When something says to search your deck for cards you should search the deck, make your choice, and shuffle afterward. Once you begin shuffling you may not go back and change your choice unless your opponent allows you to do so. (Jul 6, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If a player earns a penalty for "failing to set up Prize cards at the beginning of the game", would playing Acro Bike or Great Ball count as a search for escalation purposes?
A. A search is classified as an action that occurs following the direction of card text "Search your deck...". It does not include "drawing cards" for things like Acro Bike, nor "looking at the top/bottom X cards" for things like Great Ball, due to the drastically reduced portion of the deck that is accessed. (Mar 28, 2019 TPCi Rules Team)
Shuffling copied!
Q. I was playing with this guy and he rearranged the order of the cards in his deck prior to shuffle it, would this be allowed in a tournament?
A. Yes but you would have the right to shuffle it yourself or cut it as well if you were uncomfortable with his shuffling method. (Sep 14, 2000 WotC Chat, Q125)
Q. At any time during a battle, are you or your opponent allowed to shuffle your deck?
A. NO! [Ed. Note: This references shuffling at random times, not when appropriate] (6-29-00 WotC Chat)
Q. Is it illegal to randomly shuffle your deck, and if yes what are the penalties from doing so?
A. Yes it is illegal. The penalties depend on the tournament rules. (Aug 31, 2000 WotC Chat Q166)
Q. I play an Oracle, and search for two cards. While I am searching, I find that I have a HUGE energy pocket coming up. So I break it up and add some trainers in between them. I then shuffle and put 2 cards on top. Is that legal?
A. As long as you shuffle sufficiently afterward. (Mar 25, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
Special Conditions copied!
Q. In the rules it states that when a Pokémon evolves it becomes free of Poison, Sleep, Confusion, Paralysis, or anything else that may be the result of an attack. Does this mean that damage is also taken off of it when it evolves?
A. No. (April 27, 2000 WotC Chat Q49)
Q. Do I flip a coin to see if my Asleep Pokémon wakes up at the end of the same turn that it fell Asleep?
A. Yes. You also [place] Poison damage at the end of the same turn a Pokémon got Poisoned. (Basic FAQ, WotC Website)
Q. If you use an attack that puts your opponent's Pokémon to Sleep (like Haunter's Nightmare), and the Defending Pokémon was already Asleep before you attacked, do you still have to flip a coin after the attack to see if it wakes up?
A. Yes, they get to flip at the end of each player's turn. (Feb 10 WotC Chat)
Q. If my Pokémon fell asleep and it wakes up next turn will it be able to attack on that turn or the next?
A. You flip at the end of each player's turn. If it wakes up after the other players turn, BEFORE yours then it would act normal on your turn. (May 11, 2000 WotC Chat, Q135)
Q. If your Active Pokémon is Asleep, do you have to flip at the end of each turn, or can you stay Asleep if you wish?
A. You have to flip. (April 20, 2000 WotC Chat Q121)
Q. When a Pokémon is put to Asleep who flips the coin at the end of the turn?
A. The person whose Pokémon is asleep. (Aug 31, 2000 WotC Chat Q123)
Q. When both active Pokemon are asleep, who tries to wake up first?
A. Umm, we have no idea why it would matter. Usually you do them at the same time. If for some future reason it would matter, then the player whose turn is next would flip first. (Nov 21, 2002 WotC Chat, Q105)
* Checking for Confusion should be the very first thing you deal with after you announce what attack you want to use. Contrary to the "Full Details of Attacking" steps found in some older rulebooks, it must be done prior to making any choices the attack requires (such as choosing an opponent's Pokemon), paying any costs (such as discarding energy), flipping a coin to see if the attack fails, etc. So as soon as you announce which attack you are going to use, you must check for Confusion immediately before proceeding with any requirements of the attack or effects on the attacking Pokemon. (Sep 25, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my Confused Pokemon tries to use a GX attack and flips Tails, does that use up my "one GX attack per game"?
A. No, if you flip tails the attack fails and you don't use up your GX attack. (Jan 26, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What happens if my opponent failed a Confusion check last turn and I try to use Sudowoodo's "Watch and Learn" attack? Would Sudowoodo take 3 damage counters?
A. If the Pokemon failed its attack because of Confused, an attack was not used. Sudowoodo?s Watch and Learn would simply do nothing. (Mar 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If the Defending Pokémon has a status change (like Poison) but an attack requires you to flip to see if the same condition is afflicted, do you still have to flip? (Eg - Weedle's poison sting reads "Flip a coin. If heads, the Defending Pokémon is Ö.) No?
A. Yes, you have to though I can understand why you would consider it redundant. (May 11, 2000 WotC Chat, Q118)
Q. My opponent attacks my Active, which causes 20 damage and Poisons it. Her turn is over. Do I then have to put 1 more damage [counter] on it because it is still Poisoned?
A. Yes. (Feb 24, 2000 WotC Chat)
Q. How long does Poisoning last?
A. Until the Pokémon is Benched, Evolved, or Knocked Out. (Mar 30, 2000 WotC Chat)
Q. If an opponent already has Nidoking's Toxic double-poison, then next turn I use a "normal-poison" attack, does the opponent retain Toxic's double-poison condition or does it now become a single-poison condition?
A. It would gain a single poison effect (the new effect replaces the old one). (April 27, 2000 WotC Chat Q19)
Q. Can you explain the process of Paralysis for me?
A. I paralyze your Pokémon on MY TURN. On YOUR TURN its Paralyzed, and at the end of YOUR turn it is UNPARALYZED. Back on MY TURN, it is NOT PARALYZED, comprendez? (May 18, 2000 WotC Chat, Q112)
Q. In the card game if you "Paralyzed" your partners Active Pokémon and then use an attack that says "10 + Flip a coin, if heads confused" is that attack a forced check or optional?
A. It is a forced check. (Jul 13, 2000 WotC Chat, Q297)
* The Burned special condition has changed from Sun & Moon and onward. Now when a Pokemon is Burned in between turns you first put two damage counters on that Pokemon then flip to see if the Burned condition is removed (heads) or if it remains (tails). (Sun & Moon FAQ; Feb 2, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Does benching ALWAYS 'reset' the Pokémon completely?
A. Benching always reset attack effects. (April 13, 2000 WotC Chat Q43)
Q. In the new Tournament rules, it is said that when time is called, the active player is allowed to finish his or her turn. After this, do players still check for Burn, Poison, and other relevant Special Conditions, or is the game over before the Special Conditions can take place?
A. When time is called, the end of the game would trigger at the end of the current player's turn after resolving all of the effects that occur during that player's turn, but before addressing any actions that happen between turns such as Special Conditions. (Oct 16, 2003 PUI Rules Team)
Starting the Game copied!
Q. Do you have to draw [a] card when your opponent Mulligans?
A. No, you don't. You MAY draw [an]extra card. (Mar 2, 2000 WotC Chat; Feb 16, 2012 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. In a sanctioned Tournament, does the player have to show his hand in the event they have no Basics at the start of the game? The Floor Rules don't explicitly say that they have to.
A. Yes, you still reveal your hand before you shuffle it back into your deck. The rules from the rulebook still apply unless specifically stated otherwise. (Oct 16, 2003 PUI Rules Team; Jan 26, 2006 PUI Rules Team)
Q. When my opponent fails to draw a Basic Pokemon in their opening hand do I have to draw my card right away, or can I wait to see if there are more Mulligans before drawing my cards?
A. The Advanced Rules section of the current rulebook indicates the player who did not start over may draw a card for each additional time his or her opponent took a mulligan *after* the player with no Basic Pokemon finally draws a Basic. (Jan 3, 2013 TPCi Rules Team; Nov 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent mulligans several times during setup, may I choose to take 1 card from the top of my deck, look at it, and then decide whether to continue drawing my next mulligan?
A. When drawing cards for mulligans you must announce how many cards you are going to draw, up to the maximum allowed. If you don't announce a number ahead of time, then you must draw the maximum amount. You don't get to look and decide as each card is drawn. (Nov 19, 2015 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Before starting the game, Player-A has a Basic Pokémon but Player-B does not. On Player-A's draw 1 card for mulligan, say they draw a better choice for starting Pokémon; are they allowed to switch it out with the one they chose to be their 1st active before the mulligan? And if they choose to switch, must it stay on the field and not allowed to be put back into hand?
A. Player A continues his or her setup and can choose to draw an extra card after setting aside his or her Prize cards. Once placed, the active cannot be changed during setup, but a mulligan card can be placed onto the bench. (May 5, 2005 PUI Rules Team; Feb 9, 2006 PUI Rules Team)
Q. My opponent MUST put their basic down first before they draw 1 card for my mulligan, right? Say my opponent draws a better choice starter Pokémon when I mulligan, are they allowed to switch it out with another from their hand?
A. They must place their active Pokémon and their prizes before optionally drawing a card for the mulligan. Once placed, the active cannot be changed during setup; but you are allowed to add a new Pokémon to your bench, if there is room. (Jun 16, 2005 PUI Rules Team; Feb 9, 2006 PUI Rules Team; Jul 27, 2006 PUI Rules Team)
Q. Can I play a Pokemon LEGEND as my Active Pokemon or on my Bench during setup?
A. No. Since a Pokemon LEGEND is not a Basic Pokemon you cannot play it during setup, even if you have both halves. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Q. What if during setup the only Pokemon cards in my hand are Pokemon LEGEND halves?
A. Since you have no Basic Pokemon to place Active you will let your opponent look at your hand, then shuffle and redraw your hand as described in the rulebook. (GS:Heart Gold/Soul Silver FAQ; Feb 11, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
V Pokemon copied!
Q. Are Pokemon VMAX considered as "Pokemon V" for the purposes of Boltund's "Fighting Fangs" attack?
A. Yes, Pokemon VMAX are always considered to be Pokemon V. (May 7, 2020 TPCi Rules Team)
Weakness and Resistance copied!
Q. At a recent tournament, the TO ruled that if a Pokémon has resistance to a particular type, and a dual-type Pokémon is that type and something else, it doesn't affect that Pokémon's attack at all. Is this true?
A. No. If a Pokémon has more than one type, each type still counts against the Defending Pokémon's Weaknesses or Resistances. (May 20, 2004 PUI Rules Team)
* The term ?any effects? does not include effects that alter Weakness and Resistance. (May 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Changes Announcement; May 18, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my Zebstrika with the "Zap Zone" Ability attacks a Pokemon with {L} Weakness, does the Weakness get ignored because of "Zap Zone"?
A. No, Weakness & Resistance are game mechanics, they are not effects that would be ignored because of Zap Zone. (BREAKpoint FAQ; Feb 11, 2016 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Altaria has a printed weakness to Lightning, but it also has the "Clear Humming" Ability which creates an effect that gives it no weakness. What happens if it is attacked by Zebstrika with the "Zap Zone" Ability which makes its attack's damage ignore effects on the defending Pokemon? When Zebstrika attacks Altaria, is the damage altered by weakness or not?
A. Zap Zone refers to "any effects on your opponent's Active Pokemon", but the term "any effects" does not include effects that alter Weakness or Resistance. So in this case Zebstrika's attack will NOT be increased for Weakness, due to Clear Humming. (Mar 24, 2016 TPCi Rules Team; May 3, 2017 TPCi Rules Changes Announcement; May 18, 2017 TPCi Rules Team)
Win States copied!
Q. How do I win?
A. You win when you draw your last Prize or when your opponent loses his or her Active Pokémon and doesn't have a Pokémon on the Bench to replace it. You also win if your opponent can't draw a card at the beginning of his or her turn because his or her deck ran out of cards, but this doesn't happen very often. (Basic FAQ, WotC Website)
Q. If I draw my last card. It is an Electric Energy so I use Raichu's Gigashock and it kills all of my opponents. Who wins?
A. You do, because you won't actually lose for being out of cards until the beginning of your next turn. (Feb 24 WotC Chat)
Q. If my opponent had 3 cards left in his deck and I used Wildfire to discard the three cards, on his/her next turn do I win?
A. Yup, you would, if someone cannot draw a card at the start of their turn like they are supposed to, they lose. (Mar 9 WotC Chat)
Q. At the end of a long match, I Selfdestruct Magneton. My opponent and I both take our last Prize cards. Who wins?
A. Well, if one of you has a Benched Pokémon to replace your Active Pokémon and the other player doesn't, then the person who can replace his or her Active Pokémon wins. Otherwise, you play Sudden Death. This is explained in the Pokémon rules in the Expert Rules section under "What Happens if Both Players Win at the Same Time?" (Fossil FAQ, WotC Website)
Q. Scenario: It's down to one prize each, your turn with 10HP left, and you're poisoned. You attack and KO your opponent to draw your last prize. But you take poison damage and would be KO'd now too. Do you win or does it go to Sudden Death?
A. You win, you must complete the rest of the combat sequence, but then if you win BEFORE the end of the turn, you win, period. Poison doesn't happen until after the end of your turn. (Oct 5, 2000 WotC Chat, Q6)
Q. What happens if I use Professor [Juniper] and have less than 7 cards left in my deck? Do I lose immediately, or do I draw out the remainder of my deck and lose at the beginning of my next turn (if I don't do anything to replenish the deck like Recycle, Mr.Fuji,
A. You only lose when you don't have any cards to draw on; the card draw you must do on the start of your turn. So you would lose on your next turn if you didn't somehow get some cards back into your [draw] deck. (Aug 3 2000 WotC Chat, Q43)
Q. I have Hidden Legends Electrode and use "Mass Destruction" to knock out Electode and the defending Pokémon. If I have only one prize left and my opponent has more, but I have no bench and my opponent has a bench, do I still win?
A. No, in this situation it would go to Sudden Death. However, if the opponent did not have any Pokémon on their bench, the Electrode player would have two win conditions vs. one, and would therefore win the game. (Mar 10, 2005 PUI Rules Team)
Q. What happens if a Double Game Loss occurs in Game 1, 2 or 3 in match play swiss? In match play single elimination?
A. The principle is that two game losses is a match loss. A double game loss in Game 1 starts the next game, but the winner of Game 2 wins the match as one player already has two losses in a best of three format. A double loss in Game 2 means the person who won Game 1 is the winner. A double game loss in Game 3 means a double match loss in swiss, but starts a sudden death game in single elimination rounds. (May 8, 2014 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If my opponent receives two "Double Prize Loss" penalties and I only have four prizes left in a six prize game, what happens?
A. As soon as the number of prize penalties meets or exceeds the number of remaining prizes needed to win, the game is over. In this situation you win. (Apr 26, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. Can I decline to take the benefit of a "Double Prize Loss" or a "Quad Prize Loss" penalty given to my opponent?
A. No, it simply changes the number of prizes needed to be taken to achieve a win condition. You and your opponent MUST sign any required Prize Card Penalty Slips, keep track of the new number of remaining prizes needed to win, and anything else necessary to implement the penalty. (Apr 26, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. If I attack with Naganadel GX's "Stinger GX" attack, how would it work if my opponent has received a "Double Prize Loss" or a "Quad Prize Loss" penalty earlier in the game?
A. For a "Double Prize Loss" you only need to take one more prize from the remaining three to win the game. If your opponent received a "Quad Prize Loss" you win the game because you have less than four prizes remaining. (May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. What if both players have received a "Quad Prize Loss" or 2 "Double Prize Loss" penalties and one of the players uses Naganadel GX's "Stinger GX" attack?
A. In that situation both players win at same time. Play a sudden death game to decide the outcome. (May 3, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)
Q. In Team Play, when an attack like Kakuna's "Secrete Poison" or "Agility" specifies the phrase "during your opponent's next turn", does that count for both opponents or do you have to choose one of the opponents to have the effect during their turn only?
A. You would have to specify which opponent. (May 23, 2002 WotC Chat, Q303)
Q. When using Agility in Team Play, can you specify which of the opposing team's Active Pokemon is affected by the Agility effect, or does it HAVE to be the Defending Pokemon that you are attacking with Agility?
A. It does have a you or your in it, so you would be able to select which opponent's active Pokemon it affects. (Jul 18, 2002 WotC Chat, Q22)
Energy Trans copied!
Q. In team battle, can I use my Venusaur to switch grass energy between my teammate's pokemon (not moving them between owners)?
A. Yes. (Jun 27, 2002 WotC Chat, Q71)
Lost World copied!
Q. When using the Lost World stadium in Team Gameplay, can you check if the entire opposing team has 6 Pokemon in both of their Lost Zones combined? Or does it have to be 6 Pokemon in either of your opponent's individual Lost Zones?
A. Since each player has their own individual Lost Zone, you would have to have all 6 Pokemon in one opponent's Lost Zone in order to declare your team the winner. (Feb 3, 2011 PUI Rules Team)
Team Battle in General copied!
Team Gameplay was restored as a Fun Format, for both Limited and Constructed tournaments (Pokémon Organized Play, Tournament Formats 2007-2008, Sept 1, 2007).
Q. In TMP, if I play a Supporter on my opponent...since it's played on him I cannot use any more supporters my turn...but he can use them on his turn correct?
A. Correct. [Ed. Note: Just for clarification, the supporter action itself must be played during the current turn; it cannot be held over until the opponent's turn. The answer here indicates that the other player may play a Supporter on their turn if they wish.] (Sep 19, 2002 WotC Chat, Q427)
Q. We cannot attack our partner in Team Battle - I had somebody try that at Worlds while I was judging team. They didn't want to flip to use an Eeeeeeek attack so they aimed at their patner.
A. Correct, you cannot attack your teammate. (Jun 12, 2003 WotC Chat, Q1902)
Team Galactic's Wager copied!
Q. How do we play Team Galactic's Wager in Team Battle, when it says, "Each player shuffles..."?
A. For this card, treat the text "each player" like "you and your opponent". Under POP team play rules, this means: pick someone on your team and someone on the other team. Then only each of those players shuffle their hand, etc. (Feb 18, 2010 PUI Rules Team)
Warp Point copied!
Q. When you play a Warp Point in Team Multiplay, how does it work?
A. Play the card as written. The player who uses the card gets to decide which opponent it affects and which member of his or her team it affects. Each of those players gets to choose which Pokemon they switch up from their own bench. (Sep 16, 2002 WotC Rules Team Update, Item 15)