Attacking and damage

Attacking is the only way to take Prize cards, and it's the last thing you do on a turn. Here's exactly how one resolves.

What you need to attack

Three things, all at once:

1. The Pokémon is in the Active Spot. Benched Pokémon never attack.
2. It has the right Energy attached to pay the attack's cost.
3. It isn't Asleep or Paralyzed (lesson 9).

Miraidon's Thunder costs two Lightning Energy and does 90. Two Lightning attached means you can use it. One Lightning and one Water means you can't — a typed symbol needs that type.

Colorless symbols are the exception: any Energy pays a Colorless cost.

Damage, counted in tens

Damage is always a multiple of 10, tracked with counters worth 10 each. It stays on the Pokémon across turns until something heals it.

A Pokémon is Knocked Out the moment damage on it is equal to or greater than its HP. Exactly equal counts — 120 damage on a 120 HP Pokémon is a Knock Out.

When that happens: the Pokémon, its Energy, and its Tools all go to the discard pile, and the attacking player takes their Prize card or cards.

Weakness

Miraidon's Thunder does 90. Against a Pokémon Weak to Lightning, it does 180. That's not a bonus — it's a different attack entirely, and it's why matchups swing so hard.

Weakness is checked against the type of the attacking Pokémon, not the type of Energy you paid with.

Resistance

Resistance is the mirror image: it subtracts damage instead of doubling it. It's printed in the slot between Weakness and Retreat Cost.

The order things apply

When an attack does several things at once, resolve it in this order:

1. Start with the printed damage.
2. Apply anything that adds damage (the attack's own text, Tools, Stadiums, Abilities).
3. Apply Weakness — double it.
4. Apply Resistance — subtract it.
5. Apply anything that reduces damage (defensive Tools, protective Abilities).

Getting the order wrong matters. Weakness doubles the boosted number, not the printed one — a +30 effect on a 90 attack against Weakness is (90+30) × 2 = 240, not 90 × 2 + 30 = 210.

Healing and moving damage

Some cards heal — remove damage counters — and some move damage from one Pokémon to another. Both matter more than they look.

A Pokémon healed back to full is a Pokémon your opponent has to spend another two turns knocking out, while your Prize count hasn't moved. That's why "just heal it" decks are genuinely competitive even though they never seem to be doing anything.

Next: the five Special Conditions, and the step between turns where they resolve.