Ruling Watch and Learn Question

[Chicken Nugget Master]

I have just thought about a scenario with Sudowoodo from BreakPoint (the one with Watch and Learn) and Zoroark GX's Trickster GX attack, and it left me rather confused. Let me explain:

Let's assume I have my Zoroark use Trickster GX to copy my opponent's Tapu Lele GX's Energy Drive attack. If my opponent were to use Watch and Learn on their next turn, would they be copying Trickster GX or Energy Drive? I am under the impression that they would be copying Energy Drive, but please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[Otaku]

No time to go digging for an official answer, but let's look at the actual card text:

[D][D] Trickster GX: Choose 1 of your opponent’s Pokémon’s attacks and use it as this attack. (You can’t use more than 1 GX attack in a game.)

[F][C] Watch and Learn: If your opponent’s Pokémon used an attack during his or her last turn, use it as this attack.
​

Emphasis added.

Trickster-GX is the attack Zoroark-GX is using; the effect of Trickster-GX just copies the attack you select. Which means that Watch and Learn will copy Trickster-GX; pick one of your opponent's Pokémon's attacks and use it as the effect of Watch and Learn. However, I believe that also means Watch and Learn will then use up your GX-attack for the turn; if you already used up your GX-attack, you can't use Watch and Learn in this instance.

 

[PokeMedic]

They would be copying Energy Drive since it was actually the last attack that was made. It was done via proxy, but that was the attack.

Spoiler

Do they not have enough Pokemon in play to make Riotous Beating worthwhile that turn?

 

[Chicken Nugget Master]

They would be copying Energy Drive since it was actually the last attack that was made. It was done via proxy, but that was the attack.

Spoiler

Do they not have enough Pokemon in play to make Riotous Beating worthwhile that turn?

That would make more sense, yes.

For the reason why, let's say my opponent's active Pokémon is within range of a Riotous Beating KO, but I could also get the KO with Energy Drive (via Trickster GX) as it does the necessary damage. That way, if Sudowoodo has 2 Energy attached, Zoroark will also have 2 Energy attached so a Watch and Learn to copy Energy Drive will (without any damage modifiers) deal 160 damage with weakness, where as if they had been able to copy Riotous Beating, they would have most likely been able to get the KO. That's my pattern of thinking at least.

 

[treyh37]

this from the compendium should apply

Q. If my opponent used Zoroark's "Foul Play" attack their previous turn, could I play Guzma to bring up a benched Pokemon and have Sudowoodo's "Watch and Learn" attack use "Foul Play" to copy one of the new Defending Pokemon's attcks?
A, Yep, that works. (Mar 1, 2018 TPCi Rules Team)

what this says to me is that watch and learn is copying Foul Play (or Trickster GX in your example) which copies your opponents active which if not guzma'd would be Zoroark GX and can only copy Riotous Beating.

also as otaku mentioned using watch and learn to copy trickster gx would use your gx attack and if you've already used it for the game the attack occurs but the copy fails (ie you attack but do nothing)

hope that helps.

 

[Otaku]

They would be copying Energy Drive since it was actually the last attack that was made. It was done via proxy, but that was the attack.

Nope, the last attack used was Trickster-GX, which copies the selected attack but uses it as the rest of "Trickster-GX".

Now, if Mew-EX was the one doing the copying via its Ability, then Energy Drive is the attack being used.

 

[Lord Goomy]

Also, I thought I'd let everyone know that a "flip a coin if heads copy attack" attack was used on a GX attack, and the flip was tails, it would use your GX attack anyway.
...well that's what the judges told some dude.

 

[aPOLLo]

Also, I thought I'd let everyone know that a "flip a coin if heads copy attack" attack was used on a GX attack, and the flip was tails, it would use your GX attack anyway.
...well that's what the judges told some dude.

Yeah that would hurt. Cant rely on a coin flip. I always go tails and always get it but...

 

[jessalakasam]

Also, I thought I'd let everyone know that a "flip a coin if heads copy attack" attack was used on a GX attack, and the flip was tails, it would use your GX attack anyway.
...well that's what the judges told some dude.

I'm not sure this is true. If you flip tails you don't actually get to select select the attack, since the "Copying attacks" effect occurs only after the coin flip. Also, pretty sure there aren't any cards in either format that has this effect.

 

[aPOLLo]

I'm not sure this is true. If you flip tails you don't actually get to select select the attack, since the "Copying attacks" effect occurs only after the coin flip. Also, pretty sure there aren't any cards in either format that has this effect.

Thundurus GX?

 

[jessalakasam]

Thundurus GX?

I meant a flipping for Copying attack

 

[aPOLLo]

I meant a flipping for Copying attack

Oh ok yeah no one

 

[Mega Mewthree...]

I have just thought about a scenario with Sudowoodo from BreakPoint (the one with Watch and Learn) and Zoroark GX's Trickster GX attack, and it left me rather confused. Let me explain:

Let's assume I have my Zoroark use Trickster GX to copy my opponent's Tapu Lele GX's Energy Drive attack. If my opponent were to use Watch and Learn on their next turn, would they be copying Trickster GX or Energy Drive? I am under the impression that they would be copying Energy Drive, but please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks for the help in advance!

Hey there. I believe that in this scenario the Sudowoodo would copy Trickster GX thereby alowing the Sudowoodo to copy any of your opponents attacks in return. If your opponent had a Buzzwole and Tapu Lele on their bench the Sudowoodo could copy either of there attacks. I am not a professor however so I might be wrong.

 

[JGB146]

Nope, the last attack used was Trickster-GX, which copies the selected attack but uses it as the rest of "Trickster-GX".

Now, if Mew-EX was the one doing the copying via its Ability, then Energy Drive is the attack being used.

There's actually been a fair amount of discussion on this in the judge's discord recently, and Michael "Pokepop" Martin laid down the ifs, ands, and buts about it.

Otaku has it correct here.

 

[JGB146]

Also, I thought I'd let everyone know that a "flip a coin if heads copy attack" attack was used on a GX attack, and the flip was tails, it would use your GX attack anyway.
...well that's what the judges told some dude.

This depends entirely on where the flip occurs. If you're confused and you try to use Trickster GX and fail, then it doesn't use the GX attack. However, if you successfully use Trickster GX to copy an attack and the attack includes the text "flip a coin, if tails this attack does nothing" then flipping tails results in the attack doing nothing, but you were still successful at copying the attack, so you still used your GX attack for the game.