Evolution: Difference between revisions

Pokémon cards can only be put on top of another card to evolve if their "Evolves from Pokémon" field says that it does indeed evolve from the Pokémon it is being put on top of. For a normal evolution chain, this is fairly straightforward. For example, the {{TCG ID|Crimson Invasion|Cinccino|86}} from {{TCG|Crimson Invasion}} says it '''"Evolves from {{TCG|Minccino}}'''. So it can be played to evolve from any card with the name "Minccino", be that the older {{TCG ID|Black & White|Minccino|88}} from {{TCG|Black & White}}, the {{TCG ID|Crimson Invasion|Minccino|85}} from the same set as the Cinccino, or the {{TCG ID|Temporal Forces|Minccino|136}} from the later released {{TCG|Temporal Forces}}. Sometimes this allows for some silliness. {{TCG|Kabutops}} evolves from {{TCG|Kabuto}}, as it should given the video games. But there are {{TCG|Stage 1 Pokémon|Stage 1}} Kabuto and Stage 1 Kabutops, due to different {{TCG|Series}} printing cards for [[Fossil Pokémon]] in different ways. And a Stage 1 Kabutops like {{TCG|Fates Collide|Kabutops|39}} can indeed evolve from a Stage 1 Kabuto like {{TCG|151|Kabuto|140}}.<ref>[[Pokémon Trading Card Game Rules]], {{TCG|Paradox Rift}}, "Regardless of which Kabuto you have in play, you can evolve it into any Kabutops that says “Evolves from Kabuto.” This means you can evolve a Stage 2 Kabutops from a Restored Kabuto or a Stage 1 Kabutops from a Stage 1 Kabuto."</ref> Only the name matters; all details like Stage and the artwork of the cards compared to the "Evolves from" field are irrelevant. (This is despite the commonly held and officially stated idea that Stage 2 Pokémon can only evolve from Stage 1 Pokémon, which is just a simplification of the rules in question.<ref>[[Pokémon Trading Card Game Rules]], {{TCG|Paradox Rift}}, "You may evolve a Basic Pokémon to a Stage 1 Pokémon or a Stage 1 Pokémon to a Stage 2 Pokémon."</ref>)

The "evolves from" field affects more than just playing cards from one's hand. Effects that cause evolution, like the {{TCG ID|Temporal Forces|Salvatore|160}} and the aforementioned Evosoda, are also bound by these rules and can only locate cards in the deck that do evolve from a Pokémon in play. These cards are also bound by the "meta-rule" preventing a non-attack effect from being used if it would have no effect: If no Pokémon in play have any evolutions that could be in the player's deck, then the card cannot be played. (If it's an attack, then the attack simply has no effect.) This accounts for the format being played. When {{TCG|BREAKthrough}} was legal in the {{TCG|Standard format}}, one could use Evosoda on a {{TCG|Raichu}} to evolve into [[Raichu BREAK (BREAKthrough 50)|Raichu]]{{BREAK}}. However, such a play is no longer allowed in the Standard format, because no legal card evolves from Raichu.<ref>[https://compendium.pokegym.net/ruling/1937/ Compendium ruling], Compendium VMAX, [[Team Compendium]]</ref> (This is actually a change from a 2018 decision that used to allow for precisely this play because Raichu {{BREAK}} was merely printed, even in formats where the card is not legal.<ref>[https://compendium.pokegym.net/ruling/998/ Compendium ruling], Compendium VMAX, [[Team Compendium]]</ref>)

Some effects are designed to circumvent the "evolves from" field, allowing a Pokémon to evolve into a second Pokémon of a specified name even though the second Pokémon does not evolve from the first Pokémon. Examples of this include the additional text on [[Buried Fossil (Skyridge 47)|Buried Fossil]], the ''Ultra Evolution'' {{TCG|attack}} found on cards like {{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Scatterbug|6}} and the ''Baby Evolution'' [[Poke-Power]] found on some {{TCG|Baby Pokémon}} like {{TCG ID|Diamond & Pearl|Budew|43}}. In rare cases, this can just be a permission to evolve into Pokémon of a larger group, rather than just cards of a specific name. For instance, the ''Ascension DNA'' {{TCG|Ability}} on [[Eevee-GX (SM Promo 174)|Eevee]]{{GX}} means that any Pokémon that evolves from Eevee can evolve from Eevee{{GX}} and [[Ditto ♢ (Lost Thunder 154)|Ditto]] {{Prism Star}} has the Ability ''Almighty Evolution'', which lets any {{TCG|Stage 1 Pokémon}} evolve from it. The [[Ditto Marker]] used in the alternate formats of Pack Battle and Ditto Draft grants any Basic Pokemon without a [[Rule Box]] the Evolutionary Advantage Ability, which allows them to evolve into any Stage 1 Pokémon or {{TCG|Stage 2 Pokémon}}.  

Note that non-attack effects enabling evolution cannot be combined with other cards that cause evolution. A card like Evosoda cannot be used on the cards which use non-attack effects because no card "Evolves from" them. Equally so, Rare Candy is unable to be used because the rules do not recognize these cards from evolving at all. For instance, while Ditto {{Prism Star}} can have any card put on top of it to evolve it, that does not mean Rare Candy allows any Stage 2 Pokémon to evolve from it.

An '''unevolved Pokémon''' is a {{TCG|Pokémon}} that has not evolved. In most cases, {{TCG|Basic Pokémon}} are the only entities that are unevolved Pokémon, and {{TCG|Stage 1 Pokémon}} and {{TCG|Stage 2 Pokémon}} are evolved Pokémon, but there are exceptions that go both ways. Some variations on Pokémon cards are unevolved non-Basic Pokémon. Examples of these include {{TCG|Pokémon V-UNION}} and {{TCG|Restored Pokémon}}. More critically, there are methods by which an Evolution cards can enter play without evolving from another Pokémon, such as through the effects of {{TCG|Maxie}} or {{TCG ID|Battle Styles|Orbeetle|65}}'s ''Evomancy'' attack. An Evolution card entering play in such a manner has no previous evolutions, therefore making it a unevolved Pokémon while still being an Evolution card. The main effect this affects is devolution effects. Evolved Pokémon can be devolved, but unevolved Pokémon cannot even if they are Evolution cards.