Ruling Can I Level Up from my Bench

[NinjaGod]

I assumed you could but then I saw this pojo review which said you can't level up from the bench.

http://pojo.com/COTD/2009/Feb/17.shtml

I then scanned the rule book but saw no mention of whether or not leveling up from the bench was allowed.

 

[Psychic Pokemon Master]

You cannot level up a Pokemon while it is on the Bench. It is stated at the bottom of every LV X card.

Put this card onto your Active (Pokemon Name). (Pokemon Name) can use any attack, Poke-Power, or Poke-Bodies from its previous level.

You can only level up a Pokemon on the Bench if you use Level Max.

 

[DNA]

Level Max or Promo-Z's Learning attack. The normal playing of a Pokemon LV.X card from your hand is to play it onto your Active Pokemon, as is per the text on the card (see post directly above). If there is an effect of a card (be it an attack, trainer, or whatever) that allows you to play a LV.X card in a specific manner (Level Max and Promo-Z's Learning attack are so far the only means of doing so iirc), then you do what that text tells you.

Under normal circumstances you cannot Level-Up a Pokemon on your Bench. However, if you Level-Up your Active Pokemon and it retreats (or switches), the Level-Up card is retained.

 

[dienowacp]

Wow great question.
I never noticed that on the cards.
Thanks for answers