Well, this is another big set and we have a lot of FAQs for you to use at your events that start tomorrow. Let’s get right into it. We have a pdf file attached to this article as well as the FAQs posted right here. Use whichever works better for you:

FAQ-SM10 noted

SM: Unbroken Bonds – FAQ

POKEMON ABILITIES:

== BATTERY (Charjabug – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. Would Honchkrow GX’s “Ruler of the Night” Ability prevent me from using Charjabug’ “Battery” Ability to attach it to Vikavolt as an Energy card?
A. Yes it would prevent that because Charjabug would be a Special Energy card being played from your hand.

== DEDECHANGE (Dedenne – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. For Dedenne’s “Dedechange” Ability, can I use it if I have no hand to discard?
A. Yes, you can. A hand of zero cards is still a hand, so you would discard nothing and then draw six cards.

== EMERGE (Metapod – SM:Unbroken Bonds)
Q. If I use Caterpie’s “Pupate” Poke-POWER to successfully evolve into Metapod, can I then immediately use Metapod’s “Emerge” Poke-POWER to attempt to evolve into Butterfree, all on the same turn?
A. Yes, you can. (Feb 21, 2008 PUI Rules Team)

Q. Can I use Caterpie’s “Pupate” Ability or Metapod’s “Emerge” Ability on the first turn of the game or the turn that the Pokemon came into play?
A. Yes. There is no restriction on the Ability.

== FORCE CANCELER (Celesteela GX – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

A. If I have Celesteela GX with “Force Canceler” Ability active, what happens if my opponent uses Venomoth GX’s “Ten-Card Return GX” attack?
Q. It works normally. Nothing is being done to YOUR Pokemon so nothing is blocked. {Note: The damage would be blocked since it is done to Celesteela GX. The ruling is about the effect of shuffling and drawing cards. – Pop}

== INTIMIDATING FANG (Sandile – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. Does Sandile’s “Intimidating Fang” Ability also reduce damage done to Benched Pokemon?
A. Yes, it reduces all damage done by the opponent’s Active Pokemon. Damage to your Defending Pokemon, your Benched Pokemon, and even damage done to your opponent’s own Pokemon!

== METAL EATER (Melmetal – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. Can I use Melmetal’s “Metal Eater” Ability to discard a {M} Pokemon from my hand if Melmetal is not damaged?
A. Yes you can. The first part of Metal Eater is to discard a {M} Pokemon from your hand, period. Then you do as much of the rest of the Ability as you are able to.

== PUPATE (Caterpie – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. If I use Caterpie’s “Pupate” Poke-POWER to successfully evolve into Metapod, can I then immediately use Metapod’s “Emerge” Poke-POWER to attempt to evolve into Butterfree, all on the same turn?
A. Yes, you can. (Feb 21, 2008 PUI Rules Team)

Q. Can I use Caterpie’s “Pupate” Ability or Metapod’s “Emerge” Ability on the first turn of the game or the turn that the Pokemon came into play?
A. Yes. There is no restriction on those Abilities.

== RULER OF THE NIGHT (Honchcrow GX – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. Would Honchkrow GX’s “Ruler of the Night” Ability prevent me from using Charjabug’s “Battery” Ability to attach it to Vikavolt as an Energy card?
A. Yes it would prevent that because Charjabug would be a Special Energy card being played from your hand.

== SWELLING SPITE (Gastly – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. If Gastly with the “Swelling Spite” Ability is my last Pokemon in play and is Knocked Out, do I get to search for 2 Haunter and put them on my Bench or do I lose the game?
A. Yes, you get to use the Ability before you lose. Gastly is Knocked Out, the opponent takes a Prize card, and then you search your deck for 2 Haunter and put them onto your Bench. (Then you would have to promote one of the Haunter as your new Active Pokemon.)

POKEMON ATTACKS:

== BRING DOWN (Greninja – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. If one of my Pokemon has the least HP remaining and I use Greninja’s “Bring Down” attack, would it Knock Out my own Pokemon?
A. Yes! And your opponent gets to take the Prize card(s) for it.

== DARK UNION GX (Greninja & Zoroark GX – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. If I use Greninja & Zoroark GX’s “Dark Union GX” attack, can I put Honchkrow GX or other {D} type Evolution Pokemon GX directly onto the bench?
A. Yes, you can.

Q. If an Evolution Pokemon has been put directly into play by using Greninja & Zoroark GX’s “Dark Union GX” attack can I attach Triple Acceleration Energy to it?
A. Yes, as long as the Evolution Pokemon says “Evolves from…” on it.

== DUAL BLIZZARD (Dewgong – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. Does Dewgong’s “Dual Blizzard” attack let you do 60 damage each to two separate Pokemon, or does it do 60 total damage split between the two any way I like?
A. It does 60 damage to each of the two Pokemon separately. And don’t forget to apply Weakness & Resistance where applicable.

== HIGH-HEAT BLAST (Volcanion – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. Can the {R}{R} energy used for Volcanion’s “High-Heat Blast” attack count as part of the “at least 4 {R} Energy in play” bonus damage?
A. Yes, it can.

== HYPNOTIC REIGN (Malamar – SM:Unbroken Bonds)
Q. When I use one of my opponent’s Pokemon’s non-GX attacks with Malamar’s “Hypnotic Reign”, do I need to have the energy required in order to use that attack?
A. No you do not, but you need to do any necessary effects such as discarding Energy

== PERPLEXING EYES (Meowstic – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. When I use Meowstic’s “Perplexing Eyes” attack does it change my opponent’s active Pokemon’s weakness before I do damage?
A. No. Do damage first, then apply effects.

Q. If my opponent has no Weakness and I use Meowstic’s “Perplexing Eyes” attack, will I do extra damage on my next turn due to Weakness?
A. If a Pokemon has no Weakness printed on the card, Perplexing Eyes will give that Pokemon a x2 Weakness to {P}.

== SEVERE POISON (Muk & Alolan Muk GX – SM:Unbroken Bonds; Crobat – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. If I had used Muk & Alolan Muk GX’s “Severe Poison” attack that places extra Poison damage counters and in the next turn use Koga’s Trap, do they still place the extra Poison damage?
A. No, they don’t. The new, normal Poison Special Condition replaces the old Severe Poison Special Condition.

Q. If I use a Trainer card to switch my Active Pokemon that is affected by Poison from Muk & Alolan Muk GX’s “Severe Poison” attack and Dust Island is in play, does my new Active Pokemon take the extra damage counters?
A. Yes, it does. Dust Island specifies that it is affected by “that Special Condition”.

== SURPRISE FIST (Pyukumuku – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. For Pyukumuku’s “Surprise Fist” attack, what happens if Rock-Paper-Scissors ends in a tie?
A. You have to play R-P-S until there is a winner; you cannot end it in a tie.

Q. Is it OK to roll a dice to randomize my Rock-Paper-Scissors choice?
A. No. R-P-S is a game of strategy. You must not appear to be randomizing your choice by any method. (Oct 16, 2008 PUI Rules Team)

Q. Can I use dice or cards to indicate my throw in Rock-Paper-Scissors?
A. You may not use dice to indicate your choice, as it is too easy to manipulate the dice while it is covered. The requirements for R-P-S cards are that they must have identical backs, that they clearly say “Rock” or “Paper” or “Scissors” on the front and that all themes on the cards be appropriate for a Pokemon Event as determined by the Head Judge. (Oct 16, 2008 PUI Rules Team)

Q. Is Rock-Paper-Scissors played by pumping my arm 2 times then throwing my choice, or pumping 3 times then throw?
A. According to the current “Play! Pokemon TCG Tournament Rules and Formats” document, the procedure is a three-count priming and then the simultaneous throw of the choice, for example, “Rock-Paper-Scissors-Shoot” with the choice thrown on “shoot”. (Oct 16, 2008 PUI Rules Team; Nov 21, 2013 TPCi Rules Team)

== TEN-CARD RETURN GX (Venomoth GX – SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. Can I use Venomoth GX’s “Ten-Card Return GX” attack if I have no cards in my hand?
A. Yes, but you must shuffle your deck before drawing cards.

Q. If I have Celesteela GX with “Force Canceler” Ability active, what happens if my opponent uses Venomoth GX’s “Ten-Card Return GX” attack?
A. It works normally. Nothing is being done to YOUR Pokemon so nothing is blocked.

TRAINER CARDS:

== BEAST BRINGER (SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q.If I’m playing in a Prerelease with 4 Prize Cards, what happens if I have Beast Bringer attached to an Ultra Beast and I Knock Out a GX Pokemon as my first Knock Out?
A. Nothing happens. The card specifies that you must have exactly 6 Prize cards remaining but you only have 4.

== DUST ISLAND (SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. If I use a Trainer card to switch my Active Pokemon that is affected by Poison from Muk & Alolan Muk GX’s “Severe Poison” attack and Dust Island is in play, does my new Active Pokemon take the extra damage counters?
A. Yes, it does. Dust Island specifies that it is affected by “that Special Condition”.

Q. If my opponent uses Pokemon Catcher or Escape Rope while Dust Island is in play, is my new Active Pokemon still poisoned.

A. No, it is not. Dust Island only works when a Trainer card is used to switch your own Pokemon; it does not apply when the Trainer card is played by your opponent.

== GREEN’S EXPLORATION (SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. If I have Pokemon GX with Abilities in play and the Power Plant Stadium is also play, can I now play Green’s Exploration since those Pokemon “have no Abilities”?
A. Yes, you would be able to play Green’s Exploration in that case.

== KOGA’S TRAP (SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. If I had used Muk & Alolan Muk GX’s “Severe Poison” attack that places extra Poison damage counters and in the next turn use Koga’s Trap, do they still place the extra Poison damage?
A. No, they don’t. The new, normal Poison Special Condition replaces the old Severe Poison Special Condition.

== LT. SURGE’S STRATEGY (SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. If I have already played a Supporter, can I then play Lt. Surge’s Strategy since I would be able to play 3 Supporters in total?
A. No. You would have to play Lt. Surge’s Strategy as your first Supporter in order to be able to play any additional Supporters during your turn.

Q. If I play Lt. Surge’s Strategy first, can I then play a second (or third) Lt. Surge’s Strategy to play more than 3 Supporters?
A. Nope, no matter how many Lt. Surge’s Strategy cards you play the total number of Supporter cards you can play during this turn is still only 3.

== POWER PLANT (SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. If I have Pokemon GX with Abilities in play and the Power Plant Stadium is also play, can I now play Green’s Exploration since those Pokemon “have no Abilities”?
A. Yes, you would be able to play Green’s Exploration in that case.

== RED’S CHALLENGE (SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. Can I play Red’s Challenge and fail the deck search?
A. No, because you are not searching for a specific type of card. It is public knowledge that your deck does have cards in it.

== WELDER (SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. If I use Welder to attach {R} Energy to my Pokemon, do I still get to use my one energy attachment for the turn?
A. Yes, you do. Doing something via an effect does not use up the normal actions you get during your turn.

ENERGY CARDS:

== TRIPLE ACCELERATION ENERGY (SM:Unbroken Bonds)

Q. If an Evolution Pokemon has been put directly into play by using Greninja & Zoroark GX’s “Dark Union GX” attack can I attach Triple Acceleration Energy to it?
A. Yes, as long as the Evolution Pokemon says “Evolves from…” on it.