Rulings for 2-on-2.

[P_A]

Sorry Nintendo if I’m rushing you, I don’t mean to. Since you announced a new style of play (2-on-2), I’m sure a lot of people have wondered how certain rulings would work. I realize you haven’t got a pokemon chat going yet, or even a forum at the pokemon-tcg site yet where we can discuss certain things. Some of the people at our gym have desired to work on some decks for 2-on-2. Being a gym leader, they have asked me for advice and rulings for cards and strategies, but due to lack of definitive answers, I have only been able to advise, and not make any proper rulings. Some of the problem also hinges on what type of format you are going to make for “modified”, and what the format will be for the 2-on-2 battles if it is something other than unlimited. Hopefully a decision will be made soon to be able to be communicated to the rest of us. I won’t give my answers to these just in case, but here is a few of the ruling questions that have come up:

- If you start with 1 active pokemon, when you draw a second pokemon that you want to put in play, must you make it active as well? Many of the following questions depend upon the answer to this question.
- If 1 active pokemon is knocked out, must you replace it with one from your bench?
- When you use your 1 retreat per turn, must you place another active from your bench if you have one?
- When a player uses double gust or gust of wind, who determines which active is switched out? Seeing that a player already has another active must they put the one specified from the bench to the active slot?
- One player brings Ditto into the active slot. The opposing player has 2 active. Does player 1 have to announce which pokemon he is imitating? Can player 1 change Ditto’s “makeup” during his turn to take advantage of both of player 2’s active pokemon’s pokemon power? If not, can player 1 change ditto into the other pokemon on the next turn, and does player 1 have to announce it?
- Can you direct the attack at one active, doing damage to one and doing the effect to the other like you can with feint attack? How about with other attacks like Gyarados’ Bubblebeam?
- Who determines which pokemon is switched out in the case of Base Ninetales and Jungle Victreebel’s Lure, Pidgey and Pidgeotto’s Whirlwind, Jungle Butterfree, Dark Machoke’s Drag off and Knock back, Dark Persian’s Fascinate, etc.
- Base Jynx – 10 more damage for the energy on the defending, is that 10 for the one you direct the attack to, or can it be for the energy on both active?
- Mr. Mime- can you count the damage counters from 1 active and direct the attack at the other active?
- What’s the penalty for drawing on your first turn if you go first?
- Can you still have 5 pokemon on your bench if you only have 1 active pokemon?
- What’s the penalty for placing the fifth pokemon on your bench if you have 2 active?
- Jungle Cubone’s Snivel- does it apply to both active or just to the one you direct the attack?

I’m sure there will be many more ruling questions but these are ones I have gotten to for the moment. Perhaps if someone has the definitive ruling on some of these questions, we can all benefit from the answers.

[dkates]

As far as I know, the rule for 2-on-2 is that you must have 2 Active Pokemon unless you only have 1 Pokemon. That should answer many of your questions. For most of the others, remember that whichever Pokemon you identify as the "Defending Pokemon" remains the Defending Pokemon throughout, unless the attack specifically says otherwise (like Dark Machoke's Drag Off). If the Defending Pokemon is not mentioned in an attack's text, the effect "resides" on the Pokemon that used the attack, in which case which Pokemon your opponent uses is irrelevant. To answer the question about Ninetails, Victreebel, etc., the player using the attack does when he announces the attack.

[P_A]

Please don't think that I don't apreciate your reply. :thumb: Really I do. In fact I've ruled the same way except in one instance. The point I was trying to make is that there are many rulings that need to be heard in regard to 2-on-2. Some are easily remedied with a little thought. But in all, we need to have a definitive answer from someone in authority, to some of these questions. That's what everyone is looking for. Does anyone have any other ruling questions in regard to 2-on-2 that you think needs to be addressed?

[dkates]

Just curious, what's the one instance?

[BJJ763]

- If you start with 1 active pokemon, when you draw a second pokemon that you want to put in play, must you make it active as well? Many of the following questions depend upon the answer to this question.

Since it's a 2-on-2, when you draw a second Pokémon, it becomes your second Active. You can only Bench Pokémon once you have 2 Active Pokémon.

- If 1 active pokemon is knocked out, must you replace it with one from your bench?

Yes you must replace one from the Bench. Why wouldn't it? You must have 2 Active Pokémon at all times (unless you only have 1 Pokémon).

- When you use your 1 retreat per turn, must you place another active from your bench if you have one?

Again 2-on-2 requires you to have 2 Active, so if you Retreat one, you must send up another from your Bench.

- When a player uses double gust or gust of wind, who determines which active is switched out? Seeing that a player already has another active must they put the one specified from the bench to the active slot?

Will either card be legal in a 2-on-2 game? The Benched Pokémon specified becomes an Active Pokémon. For DG, the owner of the Acitve chooses which one to Bench. GoW the person playing GoW would decide.

- One player brings Ditto into the active slot. The opposing player has 2 active. Does player 1 have to announce which pokemon he is imitating? Can player 1 change Ditto’s “makeup” during his turn to take advantage of both of player 2’s active pokemon’s pokemon power? If not, can player 1 change ditto into the other pokemon on the next turn, and does player 1 have to announce it?

Fossil Ditto will never see 2-on-2 play. Ditto would be a copy of one Defending Pokémon when Ditto becomes Active. It would stay as that picked Defending until Ditto is Benched or the picked Defending is no longer Active (it was KOed, Benched, Evolved, Devolved, etc)

- Can you direct the attack at one active, doing damage to one and doing the effect to the other like you can with feint attack? How about with other attacks like Gyarados’ Bubblebeam?

No all effects of attacks are done to the Defending Pokémon that is being attacked.

- Who determines which pokemon is switched out in the case of Base Ninetales and Jungle Victreebel’s Lure, Pidgey and Pidgeotto’s Whirlwind, Jungle Butterfree, Dark Machoke’s Drag off and Knock back, Dark Persian’s Fascinate, etc.

Again it depends upon the wording. If you switch a Benched with the Active, you choose the Active (like Ninetales' Lure). If it states your opponent does the switching, your opponent does the choosing (like with Whirlwind).

- Base Jynx – 10 more damage for the energy on the defending, is that 10 for the one you direct the attack to, or can it be for the energy on both active?

References the Defending, which means the one Pokémon Jynx is attacking.

- Mr. Mime- can you count the damage counters from 1 active and direct the attack at the other active?

No.

- What’s the penalty for drawing on your first turn if you go first?

Have to wait until the Penalty guide line is published.

- Can you still have 5 pokemon on your bench if you only have 1 active pokemon?

No. You can only have 4 Benched Pokémon in a 2-on-2 battle.

- What’s the penalty for placing the fifth pokemon on your bench if you have 2 active?

Again have to wait.

- Jungle Cubone’s Snivel- does it apply to both active or just to the one you direct the attack?

Only the Active that was attacked. Does nothing to the other Active.