Ruling Diving Draw

[KaMewie]

As far as I know, when you can't draw a card when you need to, you've lost the game. Contradictorily, I was told differently last weekend during Battle Roads. They claim that you only lose a game when you can't draw a card at the start of the turn. Anyway, I just want clarification.

My opponent had only 1 card in his deck. He used his Empoleon's Diving Draw and discards a Terrakion. He then draws one card. This is where I thought I had the game as Empoleon's ability states that if you discard one card you then need to draw 2 cards. There weren't any Professors at the tournament so I just went with what the majority said. He only draws one card and he play's N, shuffling his large hand back into his deck.

Was he right that you only lose if you can't draw a card at the start of the turn? Or was I right and I should have won the game?

 

[One Approved]

The player was correct. You only lose a game if you cannot draw a card to start your turn.

Otherwise you do as much as you can, and draw your whole deck, and then play continues as normal.

 

[Sleeping Snorlax]

Basically you do as much of what the card says to do. So like in your case, your opponent activates dive and draw. He then must do as much of the action as possible. So he discards a card to draw two, but since he only has one card left in his deck he can only draw one card. Same goes for cards like Professor Juniper. You do as much of the card effect as you can. Professor Juniper makes you discard your hand and draw 7, but if you only have 6 or even fewer cards in your deck, you draw as many as you can or until you hit 7. That pretty much simplifies it for you. You draw as many as you can until you hit 7 or you run out before you hit 7. You only lose when you can't draw at the beginning of your turn because you are required to draw before you do anything else on your turn.