Ruling Staff Promo legality question

ProZlockie

Meow? Meow.
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One of my friend's contacted me saying their league leader stated they were not allowed to use staff prerelease promos (such as a Sun & Moon Oranguru) in tournaments. Is this true, why or why not?
 

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This is completely incorrect. Promotional cards, including staff promos may be used in sanctioned play. There is no difference between these cards and their ordinary counterparts other than the "STAFF" in gold lettering. I have used staff promos in major tournaments such as Regionals without an issue, and have even had my deck checked while using them and nobody has said anything. I am not sure what made your friend's league leader think they are not legal for sanctioned play. As long as the card is a staff promo version of a card that is legal for the event's format, it may be used. In the case of Oranguru, it would be legal for both Standard and Expanded play.
 
Just to add a small tiny detail to what My Little Keldeo said is this: Staff Promos are treated the same as any promotional printing of a card that is inside a main set. It is legal the 3rd Friday after the release of the main set. Sun and Moon base set was released February 3, and the 3rd Friday following was the 17th making Oranguru legal on that date whether it be the Prerelease Promotional Card, Staff Prerelease Promotional Card, or the Sun and Moon base set printing.
 
This is completely incorrect. Promotional cards, including staff promos may be used in sanctioned play. There is no difference between these cards and their ordinary counterparts other than the "STAFF" in gold lettering. I have used staff promos in major tournaments such as Regionals without an issue, and have even had my deck checked while using them and nobody has said anything. I am not sure what made your friend's league leader think they are not legal for sanctioned play. As long as the card is a staff promo version of a card that is legal for the event's format, it may be used. In the case of Oranguru, it would be legal for both Standard and Expanded play.
Thank you, I thought that his league leader was incorrect and explained my reasoning as to why, as well as showing him this post. The leader's argument was that they are "marked," and thus not able to be used. Thank you once again for helping clarify this situation! :)
 
"Marked" has to do with if you can tell what it is before you draw it, like if there's a bend in the card or a tear in your sleeve. It has nothing to do with the face of the card. If it did, then there would be rules about needing to have the exact same print of a card if you have multiples. Obviously, there is no such rule and as such you can run different prints of a card, and many players do to assist their counting when searching the deck!

An example would be the trainer Wally, one could run the ROS Full art, the ROS normal print, and the GEN print for a total of three different prints, all standard legal. The promos are just black star promos like any other promo cards. If you want an example of a Pokémon card you could use Volcanion-EX, there's a normal print, a full art, a secret rare full art, and a tin promo, and it's ok to have all four in your deck. (I'm sure you already thought of this, but just wanted to add my .02) :)
 
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