Question! Please help!

[Cynder47]

So, I've been rather confused about this, so I figured I should ask. My friend uses a Beartic that knows sheer cold which does 50 damage and says "The defending pokemon cannot attack during your opponents next turn." If I were to switch out my active pokemon that was hit by sheer cold to another pokemon, would that pokemon be able to attack or no?

 

[donavannj]

If my memory serves, retreating your Active Pokemon negates that effect. I'll have to double-check that, though.

And that effect is indeed negated when you retreat your Active Pokemon!

 

[Tanaki]

Indeed, if you switch out, the new defending pokemon can attack. Sheer Cold targets the defending pokemon, and effects that apply to the defending pokemon and all status conditions leave upon switching/retreating.

If Beartic targeted itself for the attack, it would likely be a defensive effect that works on a coin flip, which would stop working if Beartic was forced out of the active position by a card like catcher.

Effects that target defending pokemon basically just disappear upon switch/retreat. If an effect targets the player, it stays until it is resolved.