Pikachu · Scarlet & Violet Promos (SVP) #088

2 comments

1. 

   JP

   (1 year ago)

   This is a functional reprint of Pikachu PAL, and so it makes sense that it’s word-for-word the same, including this phrase in the effect of the first attack: “the Defending Pokémon’s attacks do 20 less damage.” Since “Defending Pokémon’s attacks” is possessive, we might reasonably interpret this to mean “attacks of the Defending Pokémon” → “attacks the Defending Pokémon has.”

   But on Mabosstiff ex, released in English just slightly before this card (2/23/2024), it’s phrased like this: “attacks used by the Defending Pokémon do 50 less damage.”

   Comparing the original Japanese phrasing, for the Pikachu we have:
   このワザを受けたポケモンが使うワザのダメージは「-20」される

   And for the Mabosstiff ex we have:
   このワザを受けたポケモンが使うワザのダメージは「-50」される

   They’re identical except for the amount of damage reduction! Google Translate gives “the damage of the attack used by the Pokémon that received this attack will be reduced by -20/-50.”

   So it seems in Japanese the intent was always to affect attacks the Defending Pokémon is using, and not just attacks the Defending Pokémon has; the English translations have only just recently captured the intent here unambiguously (starting with Muk MEW). But this Pikachu keeps the older wording from its first translation (PAL was released 6/9/2023), even though it was released after Muk; Muk came out 9/22/2023, and this Pikachu promo released on 3/1/2024.

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   • 

     JP JP

     (1 year ago)

     Compendium confirms that the “Pokémon’s attacks” wording is intended to read as “attacks this Pokémon uses”: https://compendium.pokegym.net/ruling/1799/

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