Quick Question

[pmarckoue]

Can a Max Potion be used on a pokemon with no energies? I was under the impression that doing something similar is not legal.

Max Potion: "Heal all damage from 1 of your Pokémon. Then, discard all Energy attached to that Pokémon."

[donavannj]

As far as I'm aware, you can.

And after a check of the compendium on PokeGym, it is confirmed that you indeed can use it on a Pokemon with damage on it but no energy. You cannot, however, use it on a Pokemon with energy on it but no damage counters.

[pmarckoue]

Oh ok. I was kind of comparing it to attacks that pretty much say the same thing. Like if Zoroark used Reshis Blue Flare, but Zoroark didn't have any fire energies on it, so it can't do that attack. Or is that alright to do too?

[P-Sign]

Originally Posted by pmarckoue

Oh ok. I was kind of comparing it to attacks that pretty much say the same thing. Like if Zoroark used Reshis Blue Flare, but Zoroark didn't have any fire energies on it, so it can't do that attack. Or is that alright to do too?

I've seen people using Blue Flare via Foul Play while the Zoroark didn't have two Fire Energy attached on tournaments. Before copying Blue Flare without two Fire Energy attached, double check it please, as I'm not sure.

[Drakow]

I am pretty sure Zoroark can indeed copy Reshiram's attack without having to discard energy.

[pmarckoue]

Originally Posted by Drakow

I am pretty sure Zoroark can indeed copy Reshiram's attack without having to discard energy.

Really? I was told by my league leader that you had to discard in order for the attack to take affect.

[donavannj]

Your league leader is wrong in this instance. The attack does not say "in order to use this attack" when mentioning the discard cost. Here's the ruling from the compendium over at PokeGym:

Q. If Zoroark uses "Foul Play" to copy Reshiram's "Blue Flare" attack, what happens if I don't have have any Fire Energy attached to Zoroark?
A. The damage amount is done regardless of whether Zororark has any Fire Energy attached to it or not, but if you have one or two Fire Energy attached to Zoroark you must discard them. (Black & White FAQ; Apr 28, 2011 PUI Rules Team)

[pmarckoue]

Aww man, I would've won a LOT of tournaments then. I also have another question, which has to do with the 4 card rule. With Blend energy GFPD and WLFM, can you have 4 of each, or still would have to have just 4 all together? And with those types of cards, also like Prism Energy, would you have to discard those with an attack like "Blue Flare"?

[Tanaki]

Originally Posted by pmarckoue

With Blend energy GFPD and WLFM, can you have 4 of each, or still would have to have just 4 all together? And with those types of cards, also like Prism Energy, would you have to discard those with an attack like "Blue Flare"?

Both Blend Energy are different cards, so you can run 4 of each.

And if an attack like Blue Flare or any attack like it calls for you to discard X type of energy, and a special energy meets that requirement then it counts.

If the attack specifically requests basic energy, then it has to be basic.

[pmarckoue]

So, based on the rule with "Zoroark using Blue Flare without discarding," does that mean you can run two DCE on Tornadus (EP) and do Hurricane without discarding?

[donavannj]

From the compendium:

Hurricane (Tornadus - Emerging Powers; Tornadus - Emerging Powers; Crobat - Unleashed; Others)

Q. If I have no Benched Pokemon and attack with Tornadus' "Hurricane", do I have to discard an energy?
A. No. If you have no Benched Pokemon there is no place to move an energy card, so you would not do that part of the attack. (BW:Emerging Powers FAQ; Sep 1, 2011 PUI Rules Team)

Q. If I have only Special Energies attached (no Basic Energy) and use Tornadus' "Hurricane" attack, do I have to discard an energy or what?
A. If you don't have any Basic Energy cards attached to Tornadus, you simply ignore that part of the Hurricane attack. (Nov 3, 2011 PUI Rules Team)

Since it's an effect of the attack, you don't have to do it if you can't.

[Tanaki]

Originally Posted by pmarckoue

So, based on the rule with "Zoroark using Blue Flare without discarding," does that mean you can run two DCE on Tornadus (EP) and do Hurricane without discarding?

Tornadus doesn't discard energy. It would just sit there with 2 DCE's attached to it since Hurricane specifically states it moves Basic energy to a benched pokemon, which is non-optional since it does not state "you may" in the text. But obviously if you have no bench none of that card's attacks have any additional effect.

When it comes to Zororak it's important to note that the attack cost of the opposing pokemon is irrelevant, but the effects associated with the attack are always taken into account.

In the attacking process, the attack cost of the attacking pokemon takes priority over effects of the attack. Without meeting the cost of the attack on the card the attack cannot be used in the first place.

Reshiram Needs RRC to use Blue Flare, so you have to provide 2 fire and 1 of any other energy. Then the effect of Blue Flare activates and it says to discard 2 fire. Reshiram has 2 on it, so the energies are discarded and the effect resolves.

With Zoroark, Foul Play reads "Choose 1 of the defending pokemon's attacks and use it as this attack." It lacks the text on cards like Mew that read "(You still need the necessary Energy to use each attack.)"

So Zoroark's attack process says it needs CC to use Foul Play to use Blue Flare, so you can provide any 2 energy. Then Blue Flare says to discard 2 fire energy, and if any of the energies are fire(basic/rainbow/blend, whatever), they are discarded. If not, there isn't text saying the attack won't work if the energies are not discarded. So the energy discarding process only happens if it is applicable, then the effect resolves.

I really hope I explained that well.