Evolving Skies FAQ

Here are the FAQs for the new Pokemon set. Prereleases run from August 14 2021 through August 22 2021.

POKEMON ABILITIES:

== DEW GUARD (Milotic – SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. Does Milotic’s “Dew Guard” Ability prevent Supporter cards from removing Tools or Energy from my Pokemon?

A. No, Pokemon in play are not part of “you or your hand”. But it will prevent your opponent from using something like Marnie to make you put your hand on the bottom of your deck and draw a new hand.

== ENTHUSIASTIC DANCE (Ludicolo – SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. If I use Ludicolo’s “Enthusiastic Dance” Ability and then play down a new Basic Pokemon after I use the Ability, would that new Pokemon do 100 extra damage this turn?

A. Yes, it doesn’t matter when the Pokemon came into play.

== FLUFFY BARRAGE (Jumpluff – SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. If I attack using Jumpluff with the “Fluffy Barrage” Ability, can I do things like attach an Energy or play a Trainer between attacks?

A. No, you would resolve all effects from the first attack and then either perform your second attack or pass. You don’t get to go back into the main part of your turn again.

Q. What happens for “Fluffy Barrage” if Jumpluff is Confused?

A. You need to flip for Confusion twice if you choose to attack twice. One flip for the first attack, then flip again if you decide to attack again.

== PHANTOM TRANSFORMATION (Zoroark – SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. If I use Zoroark’s “Phantom Transformation” Ability to put a Stage 1 Pokemon from my discard pile in its place, what happens to any damage counters or Special Conditions or effects that were on the Zoroark?

A. The damage counters and any Special Conditions and any effects will be removed from the newly swapped in Pokemon.

Q. If I use Zoroark’s “Phantom Transformation” Ability to put a Stage 1 Pokemon from my discard pile in its place, may I evolve it into a Stage 2 Pokemon right away?

A. The Stage 1 Pokemon you’re putting in play is completely new; nothing carries over, and you can’t evolve a Stage 1 that came into play that turn.

== SOLAR EVOLUTION (Skiploom – SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. If I attach an Energy card to Skiploom on the same turn it came into play, can I use its “Solar Evolution” Ability to evolve it right away?

A. Yes, you can.

POKEMON ATTACKS:

== BUBBLE POD (Vaporeon VMAX – SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. Vaporeon VMAX’s “Bubble Pod” attack says “put a {W} Pokemon from your discard pile onto your Bench”.  Does that allow me to put a Stage 2 or VMAX Pokemon directly onto the Bench?

A. As long as it’s a {W} type yes, that’s how it works.

Q. Can I use Golurk V’s “Rewind Beam” attack to put a Stage 2 Pokemon that was put into play via Vaporeon VMAX’s “Bubble Pod” attack into my opponent’s hand?

A. No, because while the Stage 2 is considered an “Evolution Pokemon”, it is not an “evolved Pokemon” as required by the Rewind Beam attack.

== ELEMENT CHAIN (Cryogonal – SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. Do I have to attach all of the Energy cards that I find using Cryogonal’s “Element Chain” attack?

A. No. Since you are not revealing the cards to your opponent, you can choose not to attach any Energy cards if you don’t want to and put them back into your deck.

== LIVE PAINTING (Smeargle – SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. If I reveal 5 {R} Energy with Smeargle’s “Live Painting” attack, does it do 30 more damage for each one?

A. No, you only count once for each type that’s revealed. Even if you reveal 5 {R} Energy, it would only add +30 damage because it’s only one type.

== MAX BURST (Rayquaza VMAX – SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. Can I discard a combination of {R} and {L} Energy for Rayquaza V’s “Spiral Burst” or Rayquaza VMAX’s “Max Burst” attacks?

A. No, you must choose either only {R} or only {L}, not a mix of the two Energy types.

== PRIMEVAL BEAK (Dracozolt V – SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. If my opponent attacks with Dracozolt V’s “Primeval Beak” attack, can I still attach Energy cards to my benched Pokemon during my turn?

A. Yes you may.  Primeval Beak only affects the Pokemon that was defending when Dracozolt V attacked.

Q. If my opponent attacks with Dracozolt V’s “Primeval Beak” attack, then on my turn I retreat the Pokemon that was attacked, can I attach Energy cards to that Pokemon?

A. Yes you may.  The effect of Primeval Beak is removed when that Pokemon retreats, evolves, is switched to the Bench, etc.

== REWIND BEAM (Golurk V – SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. Can I use Golurk V’s “Rewind Beam” attack to put a Stage 2 Pokemon that was put into play via Vaporeon VMAX’s “Bubble Pod” attack into my opponent’s hand?

A. No, because while the Stage 2 is considered an “Evolution Pokemon”, it is not an “evolved Pokemon” as required by the Rewind Beam attack.

== SPIRAL BURST (Rayquaza V – SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. Can I discard a combination of {R} and {L} Energy for Rayquaza V’s “Spiral Burst” and Rayquaza VMAX’s “Max Burst” attacks?

A. No, you must choose either only {R} or only {L}, not a mix of the two Energy types.

== YOGA LOOP (Medicham V – SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. If I use Medicham V’s “Yoga Loop” attack and KO one of my opponent’s Pokemon I get to take another turn, but “Yoga Loop” also says if 1 of my Pokemon used Yoga Loop during my last turn, this attack can’t be used.  Is the second part about my last turn referring to the turn before I used Yoga Loop the first time or the second turn after using Yoga Loop?

A. If you take another turn after using Yoga Loop you cannot use it on that second turn.

Q. If I use Medicham V’s “Yoga Loop” attack and take another turn, do I get to draw a card for that extra turn?

A. Yes, absolutely! If you take another turn after using Yoga Loop you have to do everything you would normally do as part of your turn.

TRAINER CARDS:

== RAIHAN (SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. Can I use Raihan if I don’t have any basic Energy cards in my discard pile to attach to 1 of my Pokemon?

A. No, the main effect of Raihan is attaching a basic Energy card from your discard pile to 1 of your Pokemon, so you can’t play the card if you can’t do that.

== RAPID STRIKE SCROLL OF THE FLYING DRAGON (SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. Can I attach Rapid Strike Scroll of the Flying Dragon to a non-Rapid Strike Pokemon?

A. Yes, but that Pokemon won’t be able to take advantage of its Meteor attack.

== RESCUE CARRIER (SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. When I use Rescue Carrier, can I take 2 Pokemon that each have 90 HP or less, or does their total HP have to be 90 or less?

A. You can take 2 Pokemon that have 90 HP or less. The total amount of HP doesn’t matter.

== SINGLE STRIKE SCROLL OF THE FANGED DRAGON (SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. Can I attach Single Strike Scroll of the Fanged Dragon to a non-Single Strike Pokemon?

A. Yes, but that Pokemon won’t be able to take advantage of its Superstrong Slash attack.

== SPIRIT MASK (SW:Evolving Skies)

Q. If I Knock Out a Pokemon that has Spirit Mask attached, do I draw my Prize card(s) before or after discarding a card from my hand?

A. The effect of Spirit Mask happens before Prize cards are taken.