Greetings Organizers, Judges and Players of the Pokémon Trading Card Game,
The*State, Province and Territory Championships are almost upon us and we’d like to make a couple things clear before they begin:
FIRST, Team Compendium has*learned from TPCi R&D that Shield Energy’s reduction in damage occurs AFTER applying weakness and resistance. This is consistent with the normal pattern for damage modifying effects on defending Pokémon. You can expect an errata from *TPCi soon, and possibly a ruling Q/A published by Team Compendium in the meantime. However, we wanted to get this out there, ASAP as you’re planning your decks and informing your judges. Thanks to Pokepop and some players asking him about this effect for the catch!
SECOND, I heard from a totally awesome judge at a Regionals who was under the impression that if you make a wrong ruling at an event, you keep ruling it that way for the balance of the event. I’ve heard this from some organizers, and even heard this pitched by some players before. But, I was a little surprised to hear this had carried over into the VG side of Pokémon Organized Play, albeit as a hypothetical. I was shocked and my reaction was (mentally using June Clanton’s “really” voice) Really? REEALLLLYYY? (/June). Oh my goodness!*NO you do not keep on with that wrong ruling. Absolutely not. Here’s how it goes: 1) you find out that you the HJ made a bad ruling, 2) you inform your team the right ruling, 3) you find the players affected, explain the correct ruling and apologize and 4) you make sure the ruling is made the right way the rest of the event. In bold for posterity and for those in doubt about any similar*scenario that might be or might not be on the Professor exam:*If you find out you made a*bad ruling at an event,*you*make sure the right ruling is used for the rest of the event.*
The*State, Province and Territory Championships are almost upon us and we’d like to make a couple things clear before they begin:
FIRST, Team Compendium has*learned from TPCi R&D that Shield Energy’s reduction in damage occurs AFTER applying weakness and resistance. This is consistent with the normal pattern for damage modifying effects on defending Pokémon. You can expect an errata from *TPCi soon, and possibly a ruling Q/A published by Team Compendium in the meantime. However, we wanted to get this out there, ASAP as you’re planning your decks and informing your judges. Thanks to Pokepop and some players asking him about this effect for the catch!
SECOND, I heard from a totally awesome judge at a Regionals who was under the impression that if you make a wrong ruling at an event, you keep ruling it that way for the balance of the event. I’ve heard this from some organizers, and even heard this pitched by some players before. But, I was a little surprised to hear this had carried over into the VG side of Pokémon Organized Play, albeit as a hypothetical. I was shocked and my reaction was (mentally using June Clanton’s “really” voice) Really? REEALLLLYYY? (/June). Oh my goodness!*NO you do not keep on with that wrong ruling. Absolutely not. Here’s how it goes: 1) you find out that you the HJ made a bad ruling, 2) you inform your team the right ruling, 3) you find the players affected, explain the correct ruling and apologize and 4) you make sure the ruling is made the right way the rest of the event. In bold for posterity and for those in doubt about any similar*scenario that might be or might not be on the Professor exam:*If you find out you made a*bad ruling at an event,*you*make sure the right ruling is used for the rest of the event.*