Do you HAVE to Start the Fossil?

[Rogue Archetype]

At the beginning of a game, if you ONLY have a FOSSIL in your first 7 (and no other Basic Pokemon)...

Are you REQUIRED to play the Fossil as your opening Basic Pokemon

OR ... is it optional ?
(Whereas you can lay down your hand, claim the mulligan, reshuffle and redraw?)

I'm familiar with the ruling against being able to bench the Fossil if you're the first to play (as it is classified to be a Trainer now), BUT I don't know if you can use the "Trainer" classification to your own convienience and call the Mulligan at the start of the game.

Thanks.
RA

P.S.
I DID try to look this up in the CompendiumX before asking. I apologize if it's right there in Big Bold Letters, flashing ant-trails, and flash intro-audio or something. :redface:

 

[Big Daddy Snorlax]

If you have a Fossil and no other Pokemon in your starting hand you do have to use it to start the game.

BDS

 

[PokePop]

FYI: The ruling can be found in the "General Gameplay: Starting the Game" section.
We might want to copy that into the Fossil section as well...