Something about the translation of Electrode SW

[Rainbowgym]

While I was sending Bangiras a question about the spoiler/translation she made of the card, I found out almost the same question was posted in Ask the Masters.

I don't know how to explain, but there is a significant difference between the spoiler and the released English language card.
I cannot read any Japanese but if the Japanese card leaves no space for other intepretation I would say the English one is wrong.

So my question is: does the original card say (or suggest) the power only being used DURING your turn?

As far as I understand we are following the way the Japanese do play the game, so if the card is played different in Japan it will need an errata.
I didn't want to put this up in Ask the Masters, but if needed I hope the moderators will move it.
Putting it up here might be better so people can insert their point of view on it, I can be wrong in my motivation.


Spoiler Translation

Poke-Power: Energy Shift
You can use this Power once, when this Pokemon’s HP is reduced to 0 by damage from an attack. This Pokemon is Knocked Out, discard all cards except this card, and attach it to 1 of your Pokemon as an Energy. As long as this card is attached to a Pokemon, treat it as a Special Energy card providing 1 Energy of every type.

Actual card

Energy Shift
Once during your 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 Pokemon. 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.) "

 

[PokePop]

I'll copy it over so you can have both.

 

[Rainbowgym]

Thanks POP,

I would say the translation could be just this:

If this 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 Pokemon. 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.) "

Leaving out the "once during your turn" would make it the same as the spoiler.
Again I don't know if the original card says it should work this way.

@ Bangiras/Nanimonoka
I am not trying to say the translation from Japanese is wrong.
I only learned that translating from Japanese to English is difficult and do sometimes (or not) give space to interprent them different.
I hope you can give a direction on this.

 

[Pinsir52]

That doesn't make sense! How is he gonna get knocked out from damage by an attack during YOUR turn? I think it would HAVE to be during your opponents turn, huh?

 

[Rainbowgym]

That doesn't make sense! How is he gonna get knocked out from damage by an attack during YOUR turn? I think it would HAVE to be during your opponents turn, huh?

If you read the attack

You may do 40 damage plus 60 more damage. If you do Electrode does 100 damage to itself.

You will know it's very good possible to become KO during your own turn.

 

[tglilly]

But the Japanese one seems to state that if you get knocked out you can use the power (like if you opponent knocks u out) you can still attach this as an energy. While the English translation says only during your turn when u get knocked out u can use this power. There is a huge difference here so which one would u fallow? (Asumming that the translation was correct)

 

[ShadowTogetic]

I believe it should've been worded "Whenever Electrode is Knocked Out by an attack (yours or your opponent's), you may use this power."

The card seems playable for its attack (100 for 2?) and its ability to get a free Rainbow energy without the damage counter. It would've been less playable if you didn't get the energy attachment from an opponent's attack.

 

[Ky00ber the III]

Not to mention it activates scrambles.

 

[Professor Elm]

Not to mention it activates scrambles.

No it doesn't
Well, it possibly does, but 9 times out of 10 it won't, depending on how you are playing the deck.

Trode will KO the defending Pokemon more often than not, unless you are playing Blissey or you let your opponent get set up (which is a no-no when playing a good Trode deck)
It needs a partner to abuse the energy though. I think Vire (SW) works amazingly with it.

 

[bangiras]

Here is the text from Ene-Shift:

ワザによるダメージで、このポケモンの残りHPがなくなったとき、1回使える。
Can be used 1 time, when this Pokemon's remaining HP becomes 0 as a result of damage from an attack.

このポケモンがきぜつしても、このカード1枚だけはトラッシュせず、エネルギーとして、自分のポケモンにつける。
Although this Pokemon is Knocked Out, this 1 card is not discarded, attach it to your Pokemon as Energy.

ポケモンについているかぎり、このカードは、特殊エネルギーとしてあつかわれ、すべてのタイプのエネルギー1個ぶんとしてはたらく。
As long as it's attached to Pokemon, this card is treated as a Special Energy, and works as 1 unit of Energy of every Energy Type.


Here are some questions relating to Electrode from the PCL site

Q: I have 1 Basic Energy attached to my Active Electrode and its HP is reduced to 0 by an opponent's attack, I use Energy Shift to attach it as Energy to my Benched Pokemon. In this situation, can I use Lanturn's Energy Grounding to move a Basic Energy from Electrode to Lanturn?
A: Yes, you can.

Q: After my Electrode is Knocked Out, I use Electrode's Poke-Body (sic)"Energy Shift". If I already have a "Multi Energy" attached to my Pokemon, does either card function as Energy?
A: Yes, the Electrode that's attached as Energy provides 1 unit of Energy of every Energy type, and the "Multi Energy" provides 1 unit of :colorless: Energy.

Q: When Electrode's Poke-Power "Energy Shift" is used, attaching it to a Pokemon as Special Energy, does it have the effects of things like :darkness: (Special Energy)?
A: No, it doesn't have the effects.

Q: If the effect of Electrode's Poke-Power "Energy Shift" causes you to exceed the number of Special Energy cards allowed by deck card-limit regulations, is that a vioation of the rules?
A: Aside from the rule that you can have up to 2 cards of the same name in a 30 card deck and up to 4 cards of the same name in a 60 card deck, there are no card-limit regulations concerning Special Energy.

Q: When the effect of Electrode's Poke-Power "Energy Shift" has the card being treated Energy, can it be attached to a Pokemon as Energy for your turn? Also, can something like "Energy Switch" work to move the Electrode as Energy?
A: No, it can't be attached. As for attaching it as Energy, Electrode's Poke-Power "Energy Shift" can only be used while it's in play as a Pokemon. Also, it can't be moved with "Energy Switch". Energy Switch can only choose Basic Energy.

Q: When I use Electrode's attack "Ion Blast" and also do 100 damage to myself, making Electrode's HP 0, can the Poke-Power "Energy Shift" be used?
A: Yes, it can be used.

Q: In a situation where Electrode has the Pokemon Tool "Energy Root" attached and Electrode gets Knocked Out, can the Poke-Power "Energy Shift" be used?
A: No, it can't be used. Since the Pokemon Tool "Energy Root" is attached, all Poke-Powers or Poke-Bodies stop working and can't be used.

Q: When turning Electrode into Energy with the effect of the Poke-Power "Energy Shift", what is the order of events? Electrode's Knock Out -> attaching as Energy to another of your Pokemon -> in between turns effects -> your turn? Also, as far as attaching the Energy, can it only be your Pokemon in play?
A: The order of events is, Electrode's Knock Out -> attaching as Energy to another of your Pokemon -> advancing the new Active Pokemon -> opponent draws a prize -> opponent's turn ends -> in between turns effects -> your turn. If Electrode is Knocked Out during your turn, the Poke-Power "Energy Shift" can be used. Also, as for attaching the Energy, it can only be to a Pokemon you have in play when Electrode is Knocked Out.

Q: When Ho-oh's Poke-Power "Phoenix Turn" is used, are Electrodes being used as Energy and Special Energy cards also treated as undiscardable Energy?
A: Yes, treat them as undiscardable Energy. Since as long as it's attached to Ho-oh, Electrode is treated as a "Special Energy", it doesn't need to be discarded. The reason is that in this case you're hanging on to "Energy", which includes Basic Energy and all Special Energy.

Q: Electrode, which was hit by the opponent's Meganium (delta)'s attack "Delta Reduction" on the opponent's last turn, increases the damage of its attack "Ion Blast" by 60 damage on my turn. In this case, is the self-damage of 100 also reduced by 30?
A: Yes, it's reduced by 30.

Q: Can the Poke-Power "Energy Shift" be used even if Electrode is Knocked Out by using its own "Ion Blast" attack?
A: Yes, it can be used.

Q: So, if Electrode is Knocked Out by damage from an attack, after the opponent draws a prize card, the Poke-Power "Energy Shift" works, treating it as a Special Energy?
A: With the effect of Electrode's Poke-Power "Energy Shift", it is treated as an Energy from the time it's attached to a Pokemon as Energy. The order of events is: check for Knock Out -> use effect of Poke-Power -> advance new Active Pokemon -> opponent draws prize card.

 

[Rainbowgym]

Q: When I use Electrode's attack "Ion Blast" and also do 100 damage to myself, making Electrode's HP 0, can the Poke-Power "Energy Shift" be used?
A: Yes, it can be used.

Q: When turning Electrode into Energy with the effect of the Poke-Power "Energy Shift", what is the order of events? Electrode's Knock Out -> attaching as Energy to another of your Pokemon -> in between turns effects -> your turn? Also, as far as attaching the Energy, can it only be your Pokemon in play?
A: The order of events is, Electrode's Knock Out -> attaching as Energy to another of your Pokemon -> advancing the new Active Pokemon -> opponent draws a prize -> opponent's turn ends -> in between turns effects -> your turn. If Electrode is Knocked Out during your turn, the Poke-Power "Energy Shift" can be used. Also, as for attaching the Energy, it can only be to a Pokemon you have in play when Electrode is Knocked Out.

Q: Can the Poke-Power "Energy Shift" be used even if Electrode is Knocked Out by using its own "Ion Blast" attack?
A: Yes, it can be used.

Those 3 make me very clear that "Energy Shift" should be also working when your opponent KO's Electrode while doing damage.
But the 2nd one is the most clear about it when you take the order of events, it's for sure the Power is used when the opponent makes the KO during his/her turn it works.

Thnx Bangiras.

 

[Zegnarfol]

"You can use this Power once" does not equal "Once during your turn".

The second point, as Rainbowgym says, is most clear.
"Opponent's turn ends" before which Electrode is attached as an energy to another of your Pokemon in play.

The "Once during your turn" direction on the English card may not be read as "Only during your turn". It may instead mean "If 2 Electrodes(or more) are Knocked Out by damage from an attack (both yours and your opponent's), only one Electrode is allowed to be attached to another of your Pokemon". For example, one of your active Pokemon (e.g., Whishcash's Magnitude attack) may be used to attack an opponent, and as part of that attack your bench also takes damage. That damage may be sufficient to Knock Out 2 or more of your benched Electrodes, but only one of these can be used as an energy attachment. Perhaps it was this scenario that the wording on the English translation was wanting to take into account, rather than not allowing Electrode to be attached after an opponent's attack knocks it out?

The literal Japanese translation, however, seems to cover all the ground.

 

[NoPoke]

On Poke-POWERS that are restricted to one per turn it is specified that You can't use more than 1 xxxxx Poke-POWER each turn

I suspect that the once qualification on the English card is intended to prevent the player from changing their mind during the turn that the Electrode is knocked out. You move it and it stays attached to that Pokémon. You don't get to move it again if it turns out that you could have made a better choice.

This may turn out to be a templating problem much like the English usage of a Pokemon's name on the card instead of this Pokemon which leads us to needing the self-referencing rule.