Ruling Noobie Question About Wide Lens

Redafro

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Hey. I'm trying to learn how to play Pokemon with my son, and the Wide Lens card is confusing me. It says "Damage from the attacks of the Pokémon this card is attached to is affected by Weakness and Resistance for your opponent's Benched Pokémon." Someone finally explained to me that you don't get to count resistance and weakness when attacking a benched pokemon, so this allows you to count it?
 

My Little Keldeo

Submarine Reflection!
Advanced Member
Member
The fact that Benched Pokemon are not affected by Weakness and Resistance is a basic game rule. However, if a card's effect conflicts the normal rules of the game, it "overrides" the rule, so its effect takes precedence. In the case of Wide Lens, the card's text tells you to apply Weakness and Resistance when damaging a Benched Pokemon, so you would ignore the normal rules and do what the card says.

If you look at (almost) any attack that damaged Pokemon on the Bench, you will notice the text "(Don't apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokemon)" Text like this in parenthesis is called reminder text, which isn't actually part of the card's effect but serves to remind players of what the normal rules are. Another example of a situation like this is Forest of Giant Plants from Ancient Origins. As you probably know, you normally can't evolve a Pokemon on your first turn, or on the turn a Pokemon was played or Evolved. However, Forest of Giant Plants lets you ignore this for Grass Pokemon. Just how Wide Lens lets you apply Weakness and Resistance when you normally wouldn't, if Forest of Giant Plants is in play, you can evolve a Grass Pokemon from Basic to Stage 1, or even to Stage 2 or BREAK in a single turn! If every card had to follow the normal rules, the game would be boring. Effects that override the rules mix things up and make the game more exciting!
 
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