Question Rare Candy...

[zman22674]

I always understood you cannot play a card without effect. I have an Absol (Baleful Wind) active and my opponent has a Rare Candy in his hand and decides to play it, but not evolve his Pokemon so I won't be able to discard it from his hand using Baleful Wind. I told him he cannot do that because he cannot play a card with no effect on the game. Our local judge said it was legal.

My question, is it legal to use a Rare Candy when not evolving a Pokemon? I think that it is activating a card without effect with a "known" situation knowing you have no evolution Pokemon in the hand to play.

Thanks.

Z

 

[Big Daddy Snorlax]

You are correct, Rare Candy cannot be played unless you evolve something. You might politely suggest that the judge in question check out the compendium LVX. This ruling is in there:

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 1 or Stage 2 card, or you cannot use the Rare Candy. (Oct 30, 2003 PUI Rules Team; Dec 4, 2003 PUI Rules Team)

BDS

 

[PokePop]

Where the judge may be getting mixed up is in thinking that a deck search can fail since it is not public knowledge.
But a hand is not the deck, and while it is not public knowledge, it is plainly visible to the player at all times.