Im not a regular here so I’m apologising in advance for my lack of etiquette. I play in isolation with my son and daughter and don’t get the opportunity to play online or go to meets at all to learn the rules effectively.
Just a couple of simple TCG rules I’m not clear on.
Welcome to PokéBeach! Let's see if we can help you out. I'm trying to stick to simple answers, so I won't worry about obscure exceptions (like you often find with a nearly 20-year-old game).
1. If one of my Pokemon has evolved and then is knocked out, can I use rescue stretcher to rescue that Pokemon’s Evolved state and play it as an evolved Pokemon again?
Rescue Stretcher lets you shuffle up to three Pokémon from your discard pile into your deck, or to return one Pokémon from your discard pile to your hand. Once something leaves the field, it doesn't "remember" anything about being in play. You must meet any requirements for the Pokémon to enter play again, like Evolving from the appropriate lower Stage. There are some cards that allow you to play an Evolution directly to the field, like Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick; I mention it because it isn't
that obscure, and to give you an idea of the kind of costs that tend to go with such a powerful effect.
2. When asked to count the amount of energies attached to mine or my opponents Pokemon, does a double energy count as 2 or as 1 (single special energy)?
If the card effect says to count the amount of Energy, you count the units of Energy provided e.g. a Double Colorless Energy card provides and counts as two units of Energy. If the effect specifies "Energy
card", then you count the number of cards e.g. Double Colorless Energy only counts as one Energy
card. So it is all about whether you need to counter "Energy" or "Energy cards".
3. If my active Pokemon is poisoned for example, is the damage applied before I flip a coin between turn?
When multiple effects apply to a Pokémon between turns, I believe the person who controls that Pokémon determines the order of effect resolution. So if you needed to flip for a Sleep Check between turns, you can choose to do it before or after. I am a bit confused by your example, though, as Poison alone does
not involve coin flips; it simply places a damage counter on the Poisoned Pokémon between turns. Burn places two damage counters on the Burned Pokémon between turns,
then you flip to see if Burn goes away (Burn did not always work like this).
4. and do I flip a coin between my turn and then my opponents turn?
Again, not sure where the coin flip comes into play, but Burn and Poison apply between turns. Period. After your turn ends but before your opponent's turn begins, all Poisoned Pokémon have a damage counter from the Poison placed on them. After your opponent's turn ends but before your opponent's turn begins, all Poisoned Pokémon have a damage counter from the Poison placed on them.
Exceptions aren't so rare that I can ignore them entirely, but cards, where it works differently will say so.
5. Also if I fail to throw a head for any special condition in between my opponents turn and mine, there’s nothing stopping me from switching or evolving that Pokémon on my turn and removing the special condition?
Correct, the Special Conditions that may go away on their own (Burn and Sleep) can still be removed the way all Special Conditions can be removed even if you fail the check between turns:
- By being sent to the Bench
- By leaving play
- By Evolving
- Through card effects that say they remove Special Conditions (like Full Heal)
I hope these help. Feel free to ask more, or for clarification on what I just said. You didn't ask, but based on some of your questions I wanted to make it clear,
only Burn and Sleep have checks between turns to see if they go away on their own. Confusion, Paralysis, and Poison do
not, though Paralysis usually goes away at the end of your (the player with the Paralyzed Pokémon) next turn.
