Carracosta, Cover Fossil Revealed from ‘Red Collection’ – Fossil Mechanic Explained
Update (9:45 AM) – Oops, Cover Fossil actually requires you to look through the bottom 7 cards of your deck, not the top 7 (because you’re digging for the Pokemon). This is what happens when Bangiras goes to China for summer school and I have to do the translations myself. :p
The official Japanese TCG blog has just revealed Carracosta and Cover Fossil from Red Collection; click the thumbnails below for larger images. With their reveals we now know how Fossil Pokemon will work: to play a Fossil Pokemon like Tirtouga and Archen, you will have to play their respective Fossil Trainer first (Cover Fossil and Plume Fossil). Each Trainer allows you look at the bottom seven cards of your deck, and if you find the Pokemon that the Fossil revives into, you can play it to your Bench as a “Revived Pokemon.” In this way, you cannot play Tirtouga and Archen directly into play like other Pokemon – you have to use their Fossil Trainers first. The clause under Tirtouga’s name states this as well.
Because Fossil Pokemon are harder to play now, as the blog states, each Pokemon was actually created to be as powerful as a stage higher. So while Tirtouga is technically a Basic Pokemon, because you have to go through an extra step to get it out, they made the card have the power of a Stage 1 Pokemon. That’s why Tirtouga’s HP and attacks are much stronger than your average Basic Pokemon. The same applies to Carracosta – it was made as if it were a Stage 2 Pokemon despite being a Stage 1. Remember, Red Collection will be released in Japan on July 15th and we’ll have scans before then!
Cover Fossil – Trainer
Look at the bottom 7 cards of your deck. If you find a Tirtouga there, you may put it on your Bench. Shuffle the remaining cards back into your deck.
You can use any number of Trainer cards during your turn.
Tirtouga – Water – HP90
Revived Pokemon – Can only be played by Cover Fossil to the Bench.[W][C] Water Gun: 30 damage.
[W][C][C] Surf: 60 damage.Weakness: Grass (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 3
Carracosta – Water – HP140
Stage 1 – Evolves from TirtougaAbility: Solid Rock
When this Pokemon is damaged by an attack, flip a coin. If heads, the damage is reduced by 50.[W][W][C][C] Crunch: 80 damage. Discard an Energy attached to the Defending Pokemon.
Weakness: Grass (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 4
