Giratina (SM - Lost Thunder 97/214) versus Slaking (SM - Celestial Storm 115/168)

[Otaku]

My question is as follows:

How does the "Lazy" Ability found on Slaking (SM - Celestial Storm 115/168), or any other form of Ability denial that only applies to Pokémon "in play" and not other places like the hand or discard pile, interact with an Ability like "Distortion Door" found on Giratina (SM - Lost Thunder 97/214)? This assumes an Active Slaking with nothing else that would interfere with either Ability. I am also assuming that "in play" does not include the discard pile; if I've misunderstood that or something else, please let me know.

I can think of three probable outcomes:

1) Distortion Door resolves normally because it began working while the card in question was in a location where Abilities were not being ignored due to Lazy.

2) Distortion Door does not work at all because it would be moved to a location where the Ability is ignored.

3) Distortion Door moves the Giratina in question from the discard pile to the Bench, at which point the rest of the Ability is ignored, which includes checking to see if the conditions for Distortion Door placing damage counters has been satisfied.

I am thinking it is the third option, but assumptions can be rather dangerous.

 

[bulbasnore]

From our Nov 15 rulings submission (triggered by your question and answered somewhat later):

== DISTORTION DOOR (Giratina - SM: Lost Thunder)

Q. How does Slaking's "Lazy" Ability or any other form of Ability denial that only applies to Pokemon "in play" interact with Abilities like Giratina's "Distortion Door" Ability that puts a Pokemon card from the discard pile onto your bench?
A. Since Distortion Door happens when Giratina is not in play, you can use it to put Giratina onto the bench regardless of Lazy or other similar Abilities. You also get to put the damage counters onto your opponent's benched Pokemon too, because you must complete the action of Distortion Door prior to it being shutoff due to Lazy. (Nov 15, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)


== LAZY (Slaking - SM: Celestial Storm)

Q. How does Slaking's "Lazy" Ability or any other form of Ability denial that only applies to Pokemon "in play" interact with Abilities like Giratina's "Distortion Door" Ability that puts a Pokemon card from the discard pile onto your bench?
A. Since Distortion Door happens when Giratina is not in play, you can use it to put Giratina onto the bench regardless of Lazy or other similar Abilities. You also get to put the damage counters onto your opponent's benched Pokemon too, because you must complete the action of Distortion Door prior to it being shutoff due to Lazy. (Nov 15, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)