New Myst/Root/Claw Fossil ruling

[SteveP]

FYI, thanks to 'Sensei for posting the PUI rulings meeting minutes, here's a new ruling:

Q. At the beginning of the game, can I start with a Mysterious/Claw/Root Fossil as my Active Pokemon even if I have another "real" pokemon on the bench?
A. Yes, you can start with a Fossil Trainer card as your Active Pokemon, at the start of the game.(Oct 2,2003 PUI Rules Team Meeting)

Now, that's certainly a change from the past. But, be careful. Don't take the Answer out of context from the Question; otherwise, players might think you can play a Mysterious/Root/Claw Fossil as your ONLY Pokemon, with no other "real" Pokemon on the bench. Or, am I wrong?

[dkates]

As I understand it, this also means you don't even have to have the real thing in your hand. However, this was not explicitly stated; I am making an inference based on the ruling. I would be interested to know if I am right -- if I am, it opens up possibilities for a certain kind of extremely rogue deck...

[Rabid Raichu]

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--- it opens up possibilities for a certain kind of extremely rogue deck...

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It does, if you are thinking of nothing but fossil trainers in the deck. ;) Probably best as a stall deck. The problem is you need some way to get trainers (ie the fossils) back into your hand from the discard pile. Another possibility will depend on a ruling yet to be made on this question -- Can Root, Claw or Mysterious Fossils make use of MultiTechnical Machine 01 or the various Mystery Plates? It could make for a very strange game.

[SteveP]

dkates, IMO, you can't infer what you've stated (play a Fossil trainer without a "real" Pokemon on the bench). Don't take the answer out-of-context from the question. Do remember, that in the early days when Fossil just came out, you COULD play a Mysterious Fossil as you starting active, so long as you also had a "real" basic on the bench. That was later overturned by WOTC so that Mysterious Fossil could NEVER be one of you starting Pokemon (neither bench nor active).

Anyway, I do agree that this ruling needs further clarification. Maybe you CAN start with Root/Claw as your only active (it would be absolution stupid to start with only Mysterious if you weren't going first).

[NoPoke]

Its in the themedeck rule book...if you have a fossil in your hand but no other basics then you choose either to muligan or play the fossil. So yes you can start with a lone fossil.

[dkates]

OK. And, just to be sure, I asked that very question in the Ask the Master Trainers Forum.

[Orange Soda]

Originally Posted by Rabid Raichu

Can Root, Claw or Mysterious Fossils make use of MultiTechnical Machine 01 or the various Mystery Plates?

There's an interesting prospect. Looking at the three fossils, they only say "X Fossil has no attacks of its own." It doesn't say anything about being unable to attack.

[dkates]

I believe it's been ruled on, and the answer is yes. I could be wrong, though.

[SteveP]

OK, I'm wrong. I guess you CAN start with a lone Fossil trainer according to the new rulebook (p. 2 Sandstorm Rulebook), or any number of Fossil-only trainers. My bad.

[Sensei]

Your welcome Steve.In fact,I just updated it with some new stuff along with the last weeks rulings that didn`t get uploaded to the Compendium yet so everyone can have them for this weekend.

`Sensei

[pokepsy]

can you use rare candy to evolve a mysterious fossil into an omastar or kabutops or use it on a root/claw fossil to evolve into its last stage?

[beatlerat]

Originally Posted by SteveP

OK, I'm wrong. I guess you CAN start with a lone Fossil trainer according to the new rulebook (p. 2 Sandstorm Rulebook), or any number of Fossil-only trainers. My bad.

[LEFT]

How would this affect the Floor Rules where it states "The player going first checks to see if he or she has a basic Pokemon card in their hand." Does this mean that a Fossil Trainer can be played if they have another basic 'in their hand' or that it can be played as the active either way?

The Sandstorm rules do indeed state that "if you start a game without Basic Pokemon in your hand, but have any number of Fossil Trainers, you have the choice of whether or not to shuffle your hand back into your deck." It never states that you can actually play the card. Before that, it states "These Trainer cards act exactly like Basic Pokemon cards, once they are in play."

So what is the ruling?

[SteveP]

Good question beatlerat. Playing Fossils as your starting Pokemon is your option according to the Sandstorm Rulebook. Now, the Floor Rules don't say anything about Fossils, but I'd say that the intent is there to allow Fossils to be played. But, who knows? Hopefully the Floor Rules will be updated real soon to include the Fossil option.

[beatlerat]

According to the Sandstorm rules, You have the option only if you start the game without basic pokemon in your hand. Since they are trainers until put into play, then they MUST be considered basic Pokemon if they are allowed to be put into play at the start of the game. If you do have a basic in your hand, then are they still allowed to be played? That would not reflect the Sandstorm rule.
Confusing? Yes. This is just another example where the card makers and the rules just don't agree. It is too bad someone cannot review the cards from the rules committee, and change the wording before they are printed. Or play the card as written and according to the rules. Either way, I am confused.
(Flips and gets tails, does damage to myself)
And then, if you play a trainer card at the start of the game, do you have to show your hand to show that you do, or do not (depending on the ruling), have another basic in your hand?

Remember, you must have a basic to start the game. Or do you?

However, Trainer cards (fossil) should not be exempt from being returned to the deck by use of other Trainers (they are not basic Pokemon), such as Town Volunteers, and similar Trainers. They also do not get prizes collected for being knocked out.
If they were allowed to be played at the start of the game as long as you have a basic in your hand, then I think that could be incorporated into the floor rules easily.

[NoPoke]

The floor rules were probably written before the release of Sandstorm.

I going to credit PUSA OP staffwith enough common sense to change the floor rules to reflect the ability to start with a Fossil.