Strength Charm · Expedition (EX) #150

4 comments

1. 

   vio

   (6 years ago)

   this is just a more convoluted PlusPower

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     Otakuvio

     (6 years ago)

     Yes, but released at a time when PlusPower wasn’t legal (and when we thought it would never see re-release). ;)

     Reply
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     JP vio

     (6 years ago)

     The fact that it’s a Tool is important, because it doesn’t stack with itself, nor can it stack on top of other damage-boosting tools like Solid Rage!

     Reply
2. 

   JP

   (2 years ago)

   This card has an interesting history. On its first English print (which is this one, from Expedition) it’s got three translation errors on it:
   * it boosts “damage” but should only boost “damage to the Active Pokémon”
   * “after Weakness and Resistance” should be “before Weakness and Resistance”
   * “At the end of your turn in which this happens” should be “At the end of the turn in which this Pokémon attacks” (this matters because some attacks don’t do damage; with the former wording Strength Charm wouldn’t fall off after such an attack, but with the latter wording it would)

   Regarding the first point, Wizards of the Coast ruled in October 2002 (correctly) that Strength Charm doesn’t work on Bench damage, although for a few weeks they at first ruled incorrectly and said to play the card as-written. The Magma vs Aqua print would correct this part of the text. However, the other two parts were still played incorrectly, even at the 2004 World Championships! (Japanese players had to play Steven’s Advice, Double Rainbow Energy, and Strength Charm with effects that didn’t match their original text!) Only in October 2004 was Strength Charm errata’d to have all parts of it be correct.

   The Deoxys print in 2005 is the first correct English translation of the card.

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