Ruling Teleport Blast and Rocket Tackle (Dark Alakazam TR-1 and Bastoise POP Series 3)

[betobeton]

My opponent is using Blastoise and I'm using Dark Alakazam. During my opponent's turn, it knocks out my Oddish (TR-63) with Rocket Tackle. It flips a coin for the chances of preventing damage by any card during my next turn. It gets heads from the attack after done doing damage to my Oddish. During my turn, I sent out Dark Alakazam and used the attack "Teleport Blast". The attack states that I have to do the damage before switching to one of my bench Pokemon.

I know its impossible to do the damage due to my opponent getting heads on Rocket Tackle before my turn. But do I still get the chance to switch to one of my bench Pokemon, even though I didn't do the damage?

 

[PMJ]

Yes, you do. You still are able to switch, even if "the damage" you do is 0 instead of 30.

 

[DNA]

It's just an example of newer versus older wording. In this case, the "Do the damage before switching the Pokemon" clause is omitted - because it's implied; you do the damage and then perform attack effects. (One example is Gengar AR, aka Cursegar's Shadow Skip.) The only exception for this is if it told you to switch before dealing damage. (One example is Regigigas DP40 Promo's Drag Off.)