Smeargle Trace Attack: How does it work?

[Clueless in Seattle]

Last night I stayed up late giving my card collection a long overdue sorting out and came across a Basic Pokemon called Smeargle (SW 66/132) with an intriguing attack called "Trace."

Flip a coin, if heads choose an attack on 1 of your opponent's Benched Pokemon. Trace copies that attack except for its Energy cost (You must still must do anything else required for that attack) Smeargle performs that attack.​

I want to make sure I understand correctly what is meant by "Trace copies that attack except for its Energy cost ."

My first reading of that is that it means that my Active Pokemon may use the attack from the chosen Benched Pokemon, even though my Active Pokemon may not have the required energy cards for that attack. Did I get that right?

But, does it also mean that my Active Pokemon may use the attack from one of my opponent's Benched Pokemon, even when that Benched Pokemon doesn't have the required energy cards for that attack?

 

[TheGeneral]

If you use trace, you may choose any attack off of their benched pokemon, regardless of energies you have attached, and perform the attack. Just make sure you do anything required (discard energies, not attacking next turn, etc.) so use the attack successfully.

 

[Prime]

Correct on both accounts.

Smeargle does not need to have the energy required on the copied attack (the energy symbols to the left of the attack)to perform the trace attack copying it . Also, Smeargle's trace attack is not dependent on whether the pokemon whose attack is being copied is able to perform the attack at that moment.

In the future, you can get a more official answer by asking your question in the "Ask the Rules Team" section of this forum.

 

[Austino]

This will be the ULTIMATE anti-Flygon tech.

 

[Riq]

This will be the ULTIMATE anti-Flygon tech.

LoL not really =/ smeargle is too flippy and flygon will own smeargle anyday

 

[Austino]

I should've "/sarcasm" tagged it. lol

Actually, it is pretty decent getting a heads on trace against flygon. Especially if you OHKO them with your own evolutions on the bench.

 

[nnaann]

Gallade is fun to trace as well. More or less 1HKO their active pokemon - and get to see all of your prizes, all from a single energy attack from a Basic Pokemon.

 

[vegitalian]

I should've "/sarcasm" tagged it. lol

Actually, it is pretty decent getting a heads on trace against flygon. Especially if you OHKO them with your own evolutions on the bench.

Well if you flip a heads vs. a Flygon X, that's a OHKO right there

 

[PokePop]

Note that if the attack requires the discard of a certain type of energy, you still have to be able to do that or the attack does nothing!

 

[ApachePrime]

Well if you flip a heads vs. a Flygon X, that's a OHKO right there

Only if the Flygon is benched. Warp Point is your friend.

 

[Prime]

Remember, you don't apply weakness or resistance on the bench.