Bulbapedia

Rule Box (TCG)

A Rule Box (Japanese: ルール Rule) is a box featured on certain Pokémon cards that is labeled a "rule" and contains an addtional rule that applies to that Pokémon card.[1] The term and its mechanical relevance were introduced in Battle Styles, but Rule Boxes first appear on Pokémon-EX in Next Destinies.

Empoleon V has a Rule Box and references Rule Boxes in its text.

Effects care about if certain Pokémon have Rule Boxes. Usually they exclude Pokémon with Rule Boxes from positive effects and include Pokémon with Rule Boxes in negative effects. Exclusion examples include Pot Helmet, which reduces the damage a Pokémon that it is attached to takes from attacks by 30 as long as the Pokémon does not have a Rule Box, and Gloria, which searches the deck for three Basic Pokémon without Rule Boxes and puts them onto the Bench. An example of inclusion is Path to the Peak removing the Abilities of Pokémon with Rule Boxes. This pattern does not always hold true. For example, Empoleon V also removes Abilities from Pokémon, but only from Basic Pokémon without a Rule Box. In some cases, use of the term Rule Box replaces templating that used to name specfic mechanics. For instance, the older card Brigette has a similar effect to Gloria except that excludes Pokémon-EX from its triple search option and instead has a second option that searches for a single Pokémon-EX.

Rule Boxes generally do one of two things. They either increase the number of Prize cards the opponent takes when the Pokémon is Knocked Out, or they restrict the number of that card that can be in the same deck. The three rules relating to evolution are exceptions: the Mega Evolution rule, Primal Reversion rule, and BREAK Evolution rule.

Position

 
With the   (Prism Star) rule, there's no space for Latias Prism Star to have Pokédex information, so it doesn't.

On most cards that have a Rule Box, the Rule Box is positioned in one of two places: In the bottom right corner of the card where the Pokédex entry is normally located or just below the art of the card where Pokédex number, category, height, and weight are located. If a Rule Box takes up one of these spaces, the card will not have the Pokédex entry or Pokédex information that would go in that space. (Many cards exclude Pokédex information even if they do not have a Rule Box taking up that space, because the art is either popping out of the art box, extended over the area of the card, or because the card is a Full Art card. These practices take up the Pokédex information space.) This has gameplay ramifications because some cards refer to a card's given height. Such cards cannot be used with cards that do not have a listed height due to a Rule Box.

Exclusion

 
Nidoqueen has a Ancient Trait, but Ancient Traits are not labelled "rule" so it is not a Rule Box. It also doesn't have Pokédex information, but because of the artwork instead of due to a Rule Box.
 
Cleffa has what is officially known as the "Baby Pokémon rule", but it is not templated as a box labelled "rule", so it is not a Rule Box.

There are other cases where Pokémon cards have additional rules on them that are separated from the main card text in a graphical manner. These are not Rule Boxes.[2] For example, Ancient Traits and the "How to play a Pokémon V-UNION" section on Pokémon V-UNION are not Rule Boxes. As a result, no cards released before Black & White have Rule Boxes.[3]

Non-Pokémon cards

 
Potion and other Trainer cards are described as having a Trainer Rule specifying how their subtype functions in their lower right corner, but this isn't a Rule Box.
 
Lusamine Prism Star has the   (Prism Star) rule, but every card thus far only considers "Pokémon with a Rule Box".

While Prism Star Trainer cards and Energy cards have the Prism Star rule printed on them, only Pokémon cards have ever been described as having Rule Boxes. In fact, the rules provided for the Gym Leader Challenge format by the Alternative Play Handbook only mention Pokémon cards as not being allowed for use in the format due to having a Rule Box, with no equivalent sentence for Trainer cards and Energy cards.

Gym Leader Challenge legality

The rules for the Gym Leader Challenge format, an unofficial format created by community members, exclude cards with Rule Boxes from the format. In some ways, the definition of what is and is not a Rule Box is different regarding this format compared to the official rules.

  • Prism Star Trainer and Energy cards are considered to have a Rule Box for the purposes of card legality, despite not normally being grouped as having a Rule Box.
  • Pokémon with Ancient Traits were not allowed in the Gym Leader Challenge format until November 16, 2021.


Cards with Rule Boxes

 
M Lucario-EX is a Mega Evolution Pokémon, so it has a Rule Box for the Pokémon-EX rule and a Rule Box for the Mega Evolution rule.

Rule Boxes are found on the following cards. Accompanying each entry is the associated rule or rules.

  • Pokémon-EX
    • Pokémon-EX rule: When a Pokémon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
      • Displaces the Pokédex entry
  • Mega Evolution Pokémon
    • Pokémon-EX rule: When a Pokémon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
      • Displaces the Pokédex entry
    • Mega Evolution rule: When 1 of your Pokémon becomes a Mega Evolution Pokémon, your turn ends.
      • Displaces Pokédex information
  • Primal Reversion Pokémon
    • Pokémon-EX rule: When a Pokémon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
      • Displaces the Pokédex entry
    • Primal Reversion rule: When 1 of your Pokémon becomes [Name of Pokémon], your turn ends.
      • Displaces Pokédex information
  • Pokémon BREAK
  • Pokémon-GX
    • Pokémon-GX rule: When your Pokémon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
      • Displaces the Pokédex entry
  • TAG TEAM Pokémon-GX
    • TAG TEAM rule: When your TAG TEAM is knocked out, your opponent takes 3 Prize Cards.
      • Displaces the Pokédex entry
  • Prism Star
    • ◇ (Prism Star) rule: You can’t have more than 1 ◇ card with the same name in your deck. If a ◇ card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.
      • Displaces Pokédex information
  • Pokémon V
    • V rule: When your Pokémon V is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
      • Displaces the Pokédex entry
  • Pokémon VMAX
    • VMAX rule: When your Pokémon VMAX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 3 Prize cards.
      • Displaces the Pokédex entry
  • Pokémon V-UNION
    • V-UNION rule: When your Pokémon V-UNION is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 3 Prize cards.
      • Displaces the Pokédex entry
      • Since Pokémon V-UNION cannot have characteristics aside from name, card type, and type referenced while not in play, Pokémon V-UNION do not have a Rule Box while not in play.[4]
  • Pokémon VSTAR
    • VSTAR rule: When your Pokémon VSTAR is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
      • Displaces the Pokédex entry
  • Radiant Pokémon
    • Radiant Pokémon rule: You can’t have more than 1 Radiant Pokémon in your deck.
      • Displaces Pokédex information
  • Pokémon ex
    • Pokémon ex rule: When your Pokémon ex is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
      • Displaces the Pokédex entry

Trivia

In other languages

Language Title
  Japanese ルール Rule
Chinese Cantonese 規則 Kwaidzak
Mandarin 规则 Guīzé
  French Encadré Règle
  German Regelfeld
  Indonesian Peraturan
  Italian Regola speciale
  Korean 룰 Rule
  Spanish Recuadro de regla

References

  1. ↑ Pokemon.com Chilling Reign Banned List and Rule Changes Announcment
  2. ↑ [Kyle Sucevich on Twitter]
  3. ↑ Compendium ruling on Emperor's Eyes
  4. ↑ Rulebook
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