Can You Damage Benched Pokémon?
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The answer to the question of can you damage benched Pokémon is yes, but only if an attack explicitly states that benched Pokémon take damage, and in such cases, weakness or resistance is not applied to benched Pokémon. This rule highlights the importance of understanding the specific effects of each attack and how benched Pokémon are affected, which is crucial for developing a winning strategy in the Pokémon Trading Card Game (PTCG).
Understanding Benched Pokémon
What Are Benched Pokémon?
Benched Pokémon are the Pokémon on a player’s bench, which can be swapped into the active spot if the active Pokémon is knocked out or retreated. A player can have up to five Pokémon on their bench during a game, although some sources suggest the number can be different.
FAQs
1. How Do You Prevent Damage to Benched Pokémon?
Manaphy blocks any damage done to your benched Pokémon by the attacks of your opponent’s Pokémon, but it does not prevent the placement of damage counters.
2. Can You Heal Benched Pokémon?
Damage stays on the Pokémon, even if it is no longer the active, unless you can heal it with a card.
3. Do Benched Pokémon Take Burn Damage?
Benched Pokémon do not take burn damage or any other special conditions since these conditions only apply to the active Pokémon.
4. Can a Pokémon Attack After Coming Off the Bench?
The attacking Pokémon has to be the active Pokémon, meaning you can’t attack from the bench.
5. Are Benched Pokémon Considered in Play?
Benched Pokémon are considered in play since they are on the table and can be used.
6. How Do Benched Pokémon Work?
The bench houses the other basic Pokémon on your team, which can be swapped into the active spot.
7. Do Benched Pokémon Stay Poisoned?
Benched Pokémon do not stay poisoned as special conditions are removed when a Pokémon goes to the bench.
8. Are Benched Pokémon Defending Pokémon?
A benched Pokémon can be the defending Pokémon if it is the target of an attack.
9. What Happens if a Benched Pokémon is Knocked Out?
A Pokémon is knocked out if it has damage greater than or equal to its Hit Points, and this applies to both active and benched Pokémon.
10. What Happens When You Run Out of Benched Pokémon?
You win if your opponent has no Pokémon on the bench to replace their active Pokémon, and their active Pokémon gets knocked out.
11. Why Put Pokémon on the Bench?
Putting Pokémon on the bench can remove special conditions and allow for retreating and attacking with a new active Pokémon.
12. What Pokémon Cards Protect Your Bench?
Mew’s ability can protect your benched Pokémon from attacks.
13. Does Big Parasol Stop Damage?
Big Parasol prevents effects of attacks, but damage is not considered an effect in this context.
14. What is the Max Benched Pokémon?
Each player can have up to eight Pokémon on their bench, though the standard rule often cited is five.
15. Does Retreating a Pokémon Remove Damage?
Retreating does not remove damage from a Pokémon, but it does remove poison, confusion, sleep, or other special conditions.