Fossil: Difference between revisions

A Fossil is an ingredient that can be used in {{OBP|cooking|Quest}} to attract wild Pokémon in [[Pokémon Quest]].

Fossil is a possible ingredient that can be obtained by completing [[Tumblecube Island|expeditions]]. It can also be obtained randomly by recycling [[Power Stone]]s.

All Fossils have appeared in the TCG at one point or another, usually being released in the same expansion as the Pokémon which are revived from them, and being released as {{TCG|Trainer card}}s. When the Trainer card type was split into multiple subtypes in {{TCG|Black & White}}, cards depicting Fossils usually wound up as {{TCG|Item card}}s. The first of these cards was released in the {{TCG|Fossil}} expansion, befitting its theme. Their primary role is putting '''Fossil Pokémon''' into play, which normally cannot enter play without a Fossil card of some kind due to their unique mechanics.

Sometimes cards reference Fossil Pokémon in a similar manner, using phrases that refer to the cards that they evolve from. These include "Pokémon that evolve from an Item card that has "Fossil" in its name", "Pokémon that evolve from Unidentified Fossil", or "card that evolves from Mysterious Fossil", among others. The broadest of these, ones that only call out Fossils in general, exclude {{TCG|Aerodactyl}} because of the Old Amber's name. Still, cards more commonly check for the exact card name of Pokémon than for evolution lines like this. The period where Fossil Pokémon had the exclusive stage of {{TCG|Restored Pokémon}} was able to include Aerodactyl when referring to Fossil Pokémon broadly by checking for stage.

Most cards depicting Fossils are '''Fossil Trainer cards''', cards which start as Trainer/Item cards while not in play, but then are played as {{TCG|Basic Pokémon}}. As such, they are non-{{TCG|Pokémon}} cards printed with {{TCG|HP}} values, and use that HP value while in play. While in play, they have an Energy Type of {{TCG|Colorless}}. They were introduced in the {{TCG|Fossil}} expansion. They are usually bad Pokémon though, as they do not have {{TCG|attack}}s and are unable to retreat (lacking a {{TCG|retreat cost}} entirely). Additionally, since they are not Pokémon while not in play, cards that search for Pokémon from a {{TCG|deck}} cannot retrieve a Fossil Trainer card. Searches for Trainer or Item cards do work, but those effects are less common and weaker than Pokémon search. They also cannot be put into play while setting up to play, since they are not Basic Pokémon, and therefore they also cannot be the only "Basic Pokémon" in a deck.   

The first of these was {{TCG|Fossil Egg}} from {{TCG|Neo Discovery}}, which is a {{TCG|Trainer card}} that puts any card that evolves from Mysterious Fossil into play from either the deck or the hand, but only on a successful coin flip. {{TCG|Buried Fossil}} from {{TCG|Skyridge}} is a {{ct|Colorless}} Pokémon, one of very few Pokémon cards that does not depict a Pokémon species. It has unique templating that allows it to evolve into any card that evolves from Mysterious Fossil. Unlike the the Fossil Trainer cards, it can retreat, and includes a helpful {{TCG|Poké-Power}}. It has 30 {{TCG|HP}}. It also keeps the immunity to Special Conditions from the Fossil Trainer cards. Last in this odd group is {{TCG|Holon Fossil}} from {{TCG|EX Holon Phantoms}}. It is a Trainer card that updates Fossil Egg. It still uses a coin flip, but on Heads it puts a Fossil Pokémon from one's deck into play, and on Tails it puts a Fossil Pokémon from one's hand into play. The Fossil Pokémon it works with are specified by name, so it only includes the ones from Generation III and older.