I didn’t realise this until it was posted on the @pokeca_art_life Instagram this morning, but you’re right – both illustrations are even by the same artist! https://www.instagram.com/p/C4pljLqKndD/
Looks like the Bench Manipulation attack also has your opponent flip coins to determine the damage dealt–very flavorful!
C.Ezra.M
The Japanese SV5a “Crimson Haze” subset has a Dragon-type Applin, which means that this menace can finally swing into GLC once Twilight Masquerade gets released (since it will most likely have all cards from Crimson Haze, save for Switch and Pokémon Catcher, and all cards from SV6 “Transformation Mask”).
Asher
Normally, if an attack uses a coin flip to determine the amount of damage it does, the player who controls the Pokemon flips the coin, not their opponent. As far as I can tell, this is one of only two exceptions (the other being Dugtrio SW #24)
This isn’t the only case of very specific Trainers appearing in the TCG (apart from the obvious ones like Gym Leaders), since later we got Hiker David!
follow up: Seismitoad OBF has “attacks used by your opponent’s Active Pokémon cost {C} more” which I guess is the real first appearance of the new wording.
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.
This is the first appearance of the phrasing “attacks used by the Defending Pokémon”; previously, it was “the Defending Pokémon’s attacks.” Perhaps this is to differentiate between attacks a Pokémon has vs attacks it can use? e.g. a Pokémon may have a Tool attached (like TM: Devolution) to let it use an additional attack, but it does not have that attack.
SPIRE_FAN
Great art with awesome background shading.
C.Ezra.M
There are a lot of things on this card that scream perfect squares.
– 160 HP – 16 is 4^2.
– 1 [R] Energy to use Combustion Blast – 1 is 1^2, since 1 to the power of anything is 1.
– 4 initially required [C] Energy to use Combustion Blast – 4 is 2^2.
– Combustion Blast does 250 damage – 25 is 5^2.
“For” and “to” are the words of significance here. “For” is determining the amount of damage that the attack does, and “to” determines the target of that damage.
A comparable recent example that might feel more intuitive is Paldea Evolved Murkrow’s United Wings attack. The only difference here is you can choose your target from your opponent’s bench with Nuzzle Shot, but the overall phrasing is mostly the same.
Jake
I read 5 times, yet I’m STILL confused on how the heck it was writen.
This card’s description says it evolves from “NidoranFemale”, so the link is broken. It should say it evolves from “Nidoran Female”.
Mana
2nd attack, selfdestruct currently reads:
“Does 20 damage to each player’s Bench. (Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.) Magneton does 80 damage to itself.”
From the card image it should read:
“Does 20 damage to each Pokémon on each player’s Bench. (Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.) Magneton does 80 damage to itself.”
Thanks for maintaining this amazing database!
C.Ezra.M
This is perhaps intentionally designed to pair with Exeggcute from the same set.
The TCGplayer pricing is now active for this card—you’re looking at about $14. Side note: There is a bug preventing prices from populating in many instances unless each card is given a one-time manual update. (Every card is supposed to update automatically every 24 hours without intervention. A Wurmple chewed through the wiring somewhere. It’s on my radar to patch this up.)
Ethan catrett
Dose anyone know how much I could get for this card
C.Ezra.M
Physical prints of this card incorrectly list the illustrator as 5ban Graphics. This was corrected in PTCGL and in the Japanese Shiny Treasure ex subset.
This card is in the set likely to prevent Mimikyu VMAX from being unplayable in formats that mainly use cards from one expansion, plus select Trainer cards from past expansions, such as Prerelease tournaments (which use Build & Battle Boxes).
The Mimikyu VMAX itself debuted in the Japanese S8b “VMAX Climax” set, alongside some other cards in Brilliant Stars that have the E regulation mark: set:brs mark:e. (The cards that were not from VMAX Climax are: Dracovish V and Blunder Policy, which were Pokémon Card Gym Series 7 promos, and the gold Galarian birds, which are from a secret, 101st deck from Start Deck 100.)
Since the Sword & Shield Series started, regulation marks were adopted, and with them came a policy to strictly match the regulation mark on each card with the corresponding Japanese card. This also retired the Yellow A alternate print symbol. Before this, cards from SM4+ “GX Battle Boost” were featured in Ultra Prism, and cards SM8b “GX Ultra Shiny” were featured in Team Up, meaning they “survived” a rotation.
The description for this card, as well as Pansear and Pansage from the Kalos Starter Set, incorrectly writes Collect’s effect as “Draw 1 card.” It should say “Draw a card.”
Personally, I would think that because Torrential Awakening will always shut off Unit Color 1 when it activates, you would just have to play Kelceon as the Colorless type. Yeah, technically, it is sort of an endless loop, but the end result is always the same: Unit Color 1 gets suppressed and Kelceon becomes Colorless again.
It’s not an endless loop. If Vaporeon has a Memory Capsule attached, this Kecleon with with the Unit Energy will no longer have the ability since it was Fire type, so it just remains Colorless.
SquisherBee
So I’m very curious. What’s the interaction here if you have a Vaporeon VIV in play with a Memory Capsule? Kecleon becomes a Water type with the unit energy attached, which means its ability gets shut off, turning it back to a Colorless Pokemon, meaning its ability works again, which turns it back into a Water type, which turns off the ability, which makes it a Colorless Pokemon, which makes it a water type again, and so there’s just an endless loop? What type would Kecleon be?
That’s right! It’s a to-do item to update the UI so that any reference to a LV.X says “levels up into” or something to that effect.
Twylis
The whims of the website code aren’t relevant to rulings, sometimes there’s just glitches or oversights, it happens.
If you want to get technical, though, none of these cards can evolve into their Lv. X versions, because it’s not evolution in the first place: it’s a seperate mechanic known as “leveling up”. Hence the Lv. X cards just saying “put on” instead of “evolves from” in their evolution box.
One didn’t replace the other, they’re just different cards with different names. Any card with the exact name “Electivire” can level up into “Electivire Lv.X,” and a card with the exact name “Electivire FB” can level up into “Electivire FB Lv.X.” A card with the exact name “Electivire” CANNOT level up into “Electivire FB Lv.X,” and a card with the exact name “Electivire FB” CANNOT level up into “Electivire Lv.X.”
Luxray GL Lv. X levels up from Luxray GL, and Electivire FB Lv. X levels up from Electivire FB. These Pokémon all have special “FB” or “GL” tags as part of their names, so they’re considered different Pokémon than the average Luxray and Electivire. So, Luxray GL Lv. X has to level up specifically from Luxray GL, not any other Luxray card; same with Electivire FB Lv. X.
Nithrock
It depends on the specific name of the card.
For Luxray GL Lv X the “GL” forms part of the name so can only level up from Luxray GL.
For Electivire Lv X there are two, Electivire Lv X and Electivire FB Lv X.
Electivire Lv X can level up from Electivire, but Electivire FB Lv X can only level up from Electivire FB.
Nope. Silent Lab rotated when Shining Legends was released, which was before Crimson Invasion. But there were still ways to cancel Abilities, like Garbodor BKP or Alolan Muk SUM.
I looked at the cards and it says Zacian works with Zacian Lv.X and Electivire does not work with Electivire Lv.X. I’m confused why it is different every time.
Sam
Gym Leader Challange format I believe
Adam Capriola
I’ve fixed the link and pricing. Thank you for pointing this out, BillehBawb.
BillehBawb
this card links to the incorrect tcgplayer page and as a result has incorrect pricing info
BillehBawb
why is this card randomly so much more expensive than the other non holo rares from this set?
Jack
I didn’t realise this until it was posted on the @pokeca_art_life Instagram this morning, but you’re right – both illustrations are even by the same artist! https://www.instagram.com/p/C4pljLqKndD/
Dark Souls
I asked the wrong question haha i meant to ask IS that the moon
that answered my question though thank you haha
Ignis
Ambipom MT doesn’t let your opponent flip for damage, but it has a unique effect letting your opponent flip.
JP
Looks like the Bench Manipulation attack also has your opponent flip coins to determine the damage dealt–very flavorful!
C.Ezra.M
The Japanese SV5a “Crimson Haze” subset has a Dragon-type Applin, which means that this menace can finally swing into GLC once Twilight Masquerade gets released (since it will most likely have all cards from Crimson Haze, save for Switch and Pokémon Catcher, and all cards from SV6 “Transformation Mask”).
Asher
Normally, if an attack uses a coin flip to determine the amount of damage it does, the player who controls the Pokemon flips the coin, not their opponent. As far as I can tell, this is one of only two exceptions (the other being Dugtrio SW #24)
JLB
unfortunately true. I want to put a Guzzlord CEC in my dark deck but you cant find one for less than 6-10 bucks :(
Sam
Gym Leader Challange seems to be getting expensive all of a sudden. Im very sad.
JLB
Very interesting! They must’ve recognized the potential “loopholes” people would think up with the wording and changed it accordingly.
JLB
GLC and Expanded like using it. I only have one copy and a bunch of proxies of it
C.Ezra.M
Gym Leader Challenge. It’s a very common Stadium search card.
Sam
Why did this card suddenly jump in price?
JP
Compendium confirms that the “Pokémon’s attacks” wording is intended to read as “attacks this Pokémon uses”: https://compendium.pokegym.net/ruling/1799/
Michelle
This is my favorite card
Of all series and pokemon
Noma_ne_doma
Seems highly collectable to me. Haven’t yet seen a single person to own it.
C.Ezra.M
This isn’t the only case of very specific Trainers appearing in the TCG (apart from the obvious ones like Gym Leaders), since later we got Hiker David!
DrChillbrain
Well the moon is in the sky in the background, so probably not.
JP
follow up: Seismitoad OBF has “attacks used by your opponent’s Active Pokémon cost {C} more” which I guess is the real first appearance of the new wording.
Dark Souls
are they on the moon?
JP
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.
JP
This is the first appearance of the phrasing “attacks used by the Defending Pokémon”; previously, it was “the Defending Pokémon’s attacks.” Perhaps this is to differentiate between attacks a Pokémon has vs attacks it can use? e.g. a Pokémon may have a Tool attached (like TM: Devolution) to let it use an additional attack, but it does not have that attack.
SPIRE_FAN
Great art with awesome background shading.
C.Ezra.M
There are a lot of things on this card that scream perfect squares.
– 160 HP – 16 is 4^2.
– 1 [R] Energy to use Combustion Blast – 1 is 1^2, since 1 to the power of anything is 1.
– 4 initially required [C] Energy to use Combustion Blast – 4 is 2^2.
– Combustion Blast does 250 damage – 25 is 5^2.
Twylis
“For” and “to” are the words of significance here. “For” is determining the amount of damage that the attack does, and “to” determines the target of that damage.
A comparable recent example that might feel more intuitive is Paldea Evolved Murkrow’s United Wings attack. The only difference here is you can choose your target from your opponent’s bench with Nuzzle Shot, but the overall phrasing is mostly the same.
Jake
I read 5 times, yet I’m STILL confused on how the heck it was writen.
Adam Capriola
Great eye—it took nearly fourteen years before anyone picked up on this. The text has been corrected. Thank you for pointing out the mistake!
Adam Capriola
These are both fixed. Thank you!
Zoxo
This error also exists on Nidorino (MEW)
Zoxo
This card’s description says it evolves from “NidoranFemale”, so the link is broken. It should say it evolves from “Nidoran Female”.
Mana
2nd attack, selfdestruct currently reads:
“Does 20 damage to each player’s Bench. (Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.) Magneton does 80 damage to itself.”
From the card image it should read:
“Does 20 damage to each Pokémon on each player’s Bench. (Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.) Magneton does 80 damage to itself.”
Thanks for maintaining this amazing database!
C.Ezra.M
This is perhaps intentionally designed to pair with Exeggcute from the same set.
Adam Capriola
The TCGplayer pricing is now active for this card—you’re looking at about $14. Side note: There is a bug preventing prices from populating in many instances unless each card is given a one-time manual update. (Every card is supposed to update automatically every 24 hours without intervention. A Wurmple chewed through the wiring somewhere. It’s on my radar to patch this up.)
Ethan catrett
Dose anyone know how much I could get for this card
C.Ezra.M
Physical prints of this card incorrectly list the illustrator as 5ban Graphics. This was corrected in PTCGL and in the Japanese Shiny Treasure ex subset.
C.Ezra.M
This card is in the set likely to prevent Mimikyu VMAX from being unplayable in formats that mainly use cards from one expansion, plus select Trainer cards from past expansions, such as Prerelease tournaments (which use Build & Battle Boxes).
The Mimikyu VMAX itself debuted in the Japanese S8b “VMAX Climax” set, alongside some other cards in Brilliant Stars that have the E regulation mark: set:brs mark:e. (The cards that were not from VMAX Climax are: Dracovish V and Blunder Policy, which were Pokémon Card Gym Series 7 promos, and the gold Galarian birds, which are from a secret, 101st deck from Start Deck 100.)
Since the Sword & Shield Series started, regulation marks were adopted, and with them came a policy to strictly match the regulation mark on each card with the corresponding Japanese card. This also retired the Yellow A alternate print symbol. Before this, cards from SM4+ “GX Battle Boost” were featured in Ultra Prism, and cards SM8b “GX Ultra Shiny” were featured in Team Up, meaning they “survived” a rotation.
JP
ty, fixed
Zoxo
The description for this card, as well as Pansear and Pansage from the Kalos Starter Set, incorrectly writes Collect’s effect as “Draw 1 card.” It should say “Draw a card.”
Jack
Personally, I would think that because Torrential Awakening will always shut off Unit Color 1 when it activates, you would just have to play Kelceon as the Colorless type. Yeah, technically, it is sort of an endless loop, but the end result is always the same: Unit Color 1 gets suppressed and Kelceon becomes Colorless again.
Lucas Youngers
It turns the power off, and Kecleon is just normal type. Chromashift Kecleon has precedence from official rulings on this type of effect.
Kevin Young
It’s not an endless loop. If Vaporeon has a Memory Capsule attached, this Kecleon with with the Unit Energy will no longer have the ability since it was Fire type, so it just remains Colorless.
SquisherBee
So I’m very curious. What’s the interaction here if you have a Vaporeon VIV in play with a Memory Capsule? Kecleon becomes a Water type with the unit energy attached, which means its ability gets shut off, turning it back to a Colorless Pokemon, meaning its ability works again, which turns it back into a Water type, which turns off the ability, which makes it a Colorless Pokemon, which makes it a water type again, and so there’s just an endless loop? What type would Kecleon be?
JP
That’s right! It’s a to-do item to update the UI so that any reference to a LV.X says “levels up into” or something to that effect.
Twylis
The whims of the website code aren’t relevant to rulings, sometimes there’s just glitches or oversights, it happens.
If you want to get technical, though, none of these cards can evolve into their Lv. X versions, because it’s not evolution in the first place: it’s a seperate mechanic known as “leveling up”. Hence the Lv. X cards just saying “put on” instead of “evolves from” in their evolution box.
Oreopokemoncollector
Hello is this for sale?
Gaardus
One didn’t replace the other, they’re just different cards with different names. Any card with the exact name “Electivire” can level up into “Electivire Lv.X,” and a card with the exact name “Electivire FB” can level up into “Electivire FB Lv.X.” A card with the exact name “Electivire” CANNOT level up into “Electivire FB Lv.X,” and a card with the exact name “Electivire FB” CANNOT level up into “Electivire Lv.X.”
Ch'ding
Yesterday this website said CRZ Electivire can’t evolve into Electivire Lv.X. Now it says it can?
https://pkmncards.com/card/electivire-crown-zenith-crz-gg08/
This page says Zacian cannot evolve into Zacian Lv.X, and neither can this one;
https://pkmncards.com/card/zacian-crown-zenith-crz-094/
But the other Zacian cards can???
Twylis
they can absolutely design cards in such a way to prevent certain unwanted combos in expanded
Ch'ding
I am confused because there is an Electivire Lv.X that doesn’t say FB on the name. Does this mean that the Electivire FB Lv.X replaced it?
https://pkmncards.com/card/electivire-lv-x-mysterious-treasures-mt-121/
EctoCandy
Luxray GL Lv. X levels up from Luxray GL, and Electivire FB Lv. X levels up from Electivire FB. These Pokémon all have special “FB” or “GL” tags as part of their names, so they’re considered different Pokémon than the average Luxray and Electivire. So, Luxray GL Lv. X has to level up specifically from Luxray GL, not any other Luxray card; same with Electivire FB Lv. X.
Nithrock
It depends on the specific name of the card.
For Luxray GL Lv X the “GL” forms part of the name so can only level up from Luxray GL.
For Electivire Lv X there are two, Electivire Lv X and Electivire FB Lv X.
Electivire Lv X can level up from Electivire, but Electivire FB Lv X can only level up from Electivire FB.
C.Ezra.M
Nope. Silent Lab rotated when Shining Legends was released, which was before Crimson Invasion. But there were still ways to cancel Abilities, like Garbodor BKP or Alolan Muk SUM.
Ch'ding
I looked at the cards and it says Zacian works with Zacian Lv.X and Electivire does not work with Electivire Lv.X. I’m confused why it is different every time.
C.Ezra.M
Luxray GL LV.X cannot level up from Luxray, only from Luxray GL.
JP
Yes, I noticed these too by doing a similar search. It will take a little bit of time to fix those.
Ch'ding
Why this card cannot work with Luxray Lv.X
C.Ezra.M
More Pokémon seem to not have Pokédex entries:
t:pokemon -has:rule-box -has:flavor-text,held-item -series:e-card,ex,diamond-pearl,platinum,heartgold-soulsilver #* -set:wizards-black-star-promos,g1,g2,box-topper,best-of-game,evo,cel,sword-shield-promos