Removal of Attack Effects
Hello fellow Pokémon community members.
I’m posting this discussion to provide clarification into the matter of Attack Effects being removed once the Pokémon returns to bench.
I have researched and found feedback within the forum to the same question I had getting back into playing TCG recently, and encountering a similar situation not just of TCG Live, but also within participating in League Challenges. The matter being whether “Attack Effects” are removed just like “Status Effects”, i.e. poison, confused, paralyzed, etc., once the active Pokémon returns to bench. And the answer, to the matter of the similar removal of Status Effects, is yes. Attack effects, like status effects are removed once the active Pokémon returns to bench.
Prime example that I had in similar question in battle was in the case of SVI, Miraidon EX, in which the context of the attack, Photon Blaster, states, “during your next turn, this Pokémon can’t attack”. This “attack effect” can be removed by returning the active Pokémon to bench, and can be used within the same turn by the same Pokémon being brought back to being active.
It is specified in the rule book on page 20, Category: Full Details of Attacking, under sub-category B), which states;
B) Apply any effects that might alter or cancel the attack. For example, if an attack that was used against your Pokémon last turn says, “If the Defending Pokémon tries to attack during your opponent’s next turn, your opponent flips a coin. If tails, that attack doesn’t happen.” (But remember—if an Active Pokémon moves to the Bench, all effects of attacks go away. So if your Active Pokémon has changed since your opponent used the attack in this example, you don’t have to flip a coin.)
This same principal would apply to the SVI, Miraidon EX, Photon Blaster attack. I hope this clarifies the removal of Attack Effects for anyone else just getting back into playing TCG, or just starting.
Maybe I'll play against some of you along the way, towards our trainer's journey to becoming the very best.
Cheers!