Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Illegal starting pokemon

lalalalulullama

New Member
What would happen if a player placed a card as his active, and both players flipped their pokemon, but the card was then revealed to be a trainer and the player had a mulligan hand? The non-cheating player would have flipped over their active and revealed it. I need help, because there is no ruling on this.
 
What would happen if a player placed a card as his active, and both players flipped their pokemon, but the card was then revealed to be a trainer and the player had a mulligan hand? The non-cheating player would have flipped over their active and revealed it. I need help, because there is no ruling on this.

Lets not jump into cheating so quickly. Let me rewrite your scenario.

Player A and Player B are setting up to begin their game. Both players put a card in the active position. Player A actually put something that is not an active Pokemon in the active position.

The timing of the flip of the cards is important.

If Player A and Player B flips over at the same time when a staff member announce you may begin, and then Players realize that something that is not an basic Pokemon is in play... this is likely mistake with no malicious intent.

If Player A puts an "active pokemon" face down first and waits for player B to put down a pokemon... then reveals his/her mulligan... we might be in the realm of cheating now.

What is your scenario?
Also, why the sock puppet account?
 
What age group?

I've had really new Juniors put down a stage 2 as their starting Pokemon when they are just learning to play. I'd give them a caution, and would then help them start the game correctly.

If you are talking about an experienced Senior or Master Division player, it sounds like the player is intentionally committing an infraction to gain an advantage. That meets the description of Cheating (7.6.4 in the Penalty Guidelines) and should result in a disqualification. If the hand really was a mulligan, the player would have a difficult time arguing that their actions were not intentional.

If the opening hand really wasn't a mulligan, the offending player may be able to argue that they were rushing the setup, and grabbed the wrong card by mistake. If that was the case, I might lower the penalty. I'd want to talk to both players to try and get a good picture of the situation.
 
What age group?

I've had really new Juniors put down a stage 2 as their starting Pokemon when they are just learning to play. I'd give them a caution, and would then help them start the game correctly.

If you are talking about an experienced Senior or Master Division player, it sounds like the player is intentionally committing an infraction to gain an advantage. That meets the description of Cheating (7.6.4 in the Penalty Guidelines) and should result in a disqualification. If the hand really was a mulligan, the player would have a difficult time arguing that their actions were not intentional.

If the opening hand really wasn't a mulligan, the offending player may be able to argue that they were rushing the setup, and grabbed the wrong card by mistake. If that was the case, I might lower the penalty. I'd want to talk to both players to try and get a good picture of the situation.

100% agree with David on all points.
 
I believe this exact scenario happened at a regionals in winter if i recall. The player who played his "basic pokemon" and waited for his opponent to set one revealed the mulligan after the opponent placed his active. Judge was called, and a GL was issued.

But i agree with David as well for the exact same reasons.
 
If Player A and Player B flips over at the same time when a staff member announce you may begin, and then Players realize that something that is not an basic Pokemon is in play... this is likely mistake with no malicious intent.

this is what i mean, done intentionally.
 
Didn't Exobyte clarify the starting procedure to circumvent players feeling that they needed to delay their mulligan announcement to avoid a perceived disadvantage?

[Avoiding a disadvantage that is not intended by the rules is not the same as ignoring the rules to gain an advantage]

Found the thread http://pokegym.net/forums/showthread.php?181111-New-Mulligan-Rules

TLDR: If you have a mulligan you now have to announce it immediately. On the plus side you do not have to reveal until after the opponent is set up.
 
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