How does Lost Box Sableye dropping damage counters work? (vs Brilliant Stars Manaphy)

Sci1968 · February 26

Hi Guys,

It's my first post here and I've been playing the TCG for just under a year (mostly casually with some friends, never been to tournaments or participated in local shop events). I have just played a game against a lost box deck and had a question about the final turn of the match. I had a Manaphy (brilliant stars) on my bench (the one that stops damage to benched Pokemon) and the opponent brought in Sableye into the active - note there was a Path to the Peak in play at the time. They had the 10 cards in their lost zone and used Lost Mine to drop damage onto two Pokemon on my bench (one was the aforementioned Manaphy and one was a Paldean Fates Frigibax) and KO the Frigibax (as far as I can remember) and take their final prize card to win the match.

So I wanted to ask why this happened. Did Path to the Peak affect Manaphy even though it has no rule box? Does Sableye dropping damage counters not count as normal damage, and thus Manaphy wasn't doing anything in this situation? or is this a glitch in the online game rn?

It could also be the case that as I have been writing this I'm remembering this turn incorrectly and they KOed the Manaphy, so does its ability not affect itself?

I hope to get some clarity in asking this. I look forward to your responses :)

pikayou · February 26

I swear if this reply has to be approved and it gets posted after three other people saying the same thing lol

But you're right, placing damage counters is an effect of an attack not directly damage, so Manaphy doesn't block it (and nor does any other effect that only blocks damage, like Mimikyu's Safeguard). You'll have to use a card that prevents effects, like Toedscruel ex, or a card that stops damage counters from being placed like Jirachi from Paradox Rift.

PachirisuFan1 · February 26

Damage counters are a separate mechanic from raw damage, so any affects reducing or preventing damage won't stop it. PAR Jirachi can block damage counters from sableye though.

toedscruel ex's ability also prevents damage counter placement on any mons with energy attached.

also, damage counters are placed all at pnce effectively, so even if a mon with an ability tht blocks it on the bench was gusted in, it will still block for that turn even if it gets knocked out itself. Radiant greninja can't get 2 kos at once just by gusting manaphy in and targeting it, for example.