I’ve noticed a minor spelling error, “Energy card” should be “Energy cards”.
While I’m here, the card says “return any number”, so can you choose the number “0” and play Energy Flow without returning any attached Energy cards, if any exist, to your hand? If you’re allowed, I hope the rulings are consistent and it applies to all other effects like it, including draw effects, like “draw up to X” cards.
You are not allowed to purposely play a trainer card to no effect.
You can still, for example, play a Level Ball and not find an appropriate Pokémon in your deck (even if there’s actually one). But when all the information involved is public knowledge (like Energy Flow), you can’t do that.
The exception to this rule is the Omega Barrier Ancient Trait. You can play a card that targets a Pokémon with that trait even if you know the effect will be cancelled.
So to clarify: If you play Energy Flow, you must choose 1 to X attached Energy cards to return (choosing to return 0 is considered purposely playing Energy Flow to no effect, which you cannot do)?
MarxForever
Take that Venusaur! Now Blastoise can be super cost effective with Pokemon Centers too.
Shiny Shinx
Seeing as Espeon · Aquapolis (AQ) #11 is banned under U150 rules, this is essentially a like-for-like replacement.
Devianter
I’ve noticed a minor spelling error, “Energy card” should be “Energy cards”.
While I’m here, the card says “return any number”, so can you choose the number “0” and play Energy Flow without returning any attached Energy cards, if any exist, to your hand? If you’re allowed, I hope the rulings are consistent and it applies to all other effects like it, including draw effects, like “draw up to X” cards.
Elias Sant'Ana
You are not allowed to purposely play a trainer card to no effect.
You can still, for example, play a Level Ball and not find an appropriate Pokémon in your deck (even if there’s actually one). But when all the information involved is public knowledge (like Energy Flow), you can’t do that.
The exception to this rule is the Omega Barrier Ancient Trait. You can play a card that targets a Pokémon with that trait even if you know the effect will be cancelled.
Devianter
So to clarify: If you play Energy Flow, you must choose 1 to X attached Energy cards to return (choosing to return 0 is considered purposely playing Energy Flow to no effect, which you cannot do)?
Elias Sant'Ana
Exactly.
Ambassador
This card appears to have been mistranslated. The original text allows you to only return Basic Energy cards to your hand;
あなたの場のポケモンについている「基本エネルギーカード」を好きなだけはがし、手札に戻してよい。
The card also got a reprint in Pokémon VS and still only worked with Basic Energy cards;
自分の場のポケモン全員についている「基本エネルギーカード」を、好きなだけ選び、自分の手札にもどす。
Ambassador
Yep. https://jklaczpokemon.com/wotc-erratas/#energy-flow