View source for Rule Box (TCG)

[[File:EmpoleonVBattleStyles40.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Empoleon V (Battle Styles 40)|Empoleon V]] has a Rule Box and references Rule Boxes in its {{TCG|Ability}}.]]
A '''Rule Box''' (Japanese: '''ルール''' ''Rule'') is a box featured on certain {{TCG|Pokémon}} cards that is labeled a "rule" and contains an additional rule that applies to that Pokémon card.<ref>[https://www.pokemon.com/us/sword-shield-chilling-reign-banned-list-and-rule-changes-announcement/ Pokemon.com Chilling Reign Banned List and Rule Changes Announcment]</ref> The term and its mechanical relevance were introduced in {{TCG|Battle Styles}}, but Rule Boxes first appear on {{TCG|Pokémon-EX}} in {{TCG|Next Destinies}}.

A Rule Box indicates a special property of the Pokémon and is not considered an {{TCG|effect}}.<ref>[https://compendium.pokegym.net/ruling/1483/ Compendium ruling], Compendium VMAX, [[Team Compendium]]</ref> Rule Boxes can be loosely grouped into one of four categories:
*Most Rule Boxes increase the number of {{TCG|Prize card}}s the opponent takes when the Pokémon is [[Fainting|Knocked Out]], as a trade-off for the higher power level of the card. Most of these make the opponent take two Prize cards rather than just one as normal, as seen with the '''Pokémon-EX rule''', '''Pokémon-GX rule''', '''V rule''', '''VSTAR rule''', and the '''Pokémon ex rule'''. Some of these increase the number of Prize cards taken to three, as with the '''TAG TEAM rule''', the '''VMAX rule''', the '''V-UNION rule''', and the '''Mega Evolution Pokémon ex rule'''. 
*Other Rule Boxes instead restrict the number of the card that can be in the same [[deck]]. The '''{{Prism Star}} (Prism Star) rule''' is one such case, only allowing a player to have one copy of a {{TCG|Prism Star}} card in their deck and additionally sending the card to the [[Lost Zone]] if it would go to the discard pile. The '''Radiant Pokémon rule''' is slightly different, only allowing a player to put one {{TCG|Radiant Pokémon}} in their deck in total. This makes every Radiant Pokémon mutually exclusive to each other. 
*The '''Mega Evolution rule''' and the '''Primal Reversion rule'''  cause the turn to end when a {{TCG|Mega Evolution Pokémon}} or a {{TCG|Primal Reversion Pokémon}} [[evolve]] from another Pokémon. 
*The '''BREAK Evolution rule''' is what allows {{TCG|Pokémon BREAK}} to have the {{TCG|attack}}s, {{TCG|Ability|Abilities}}, {{TCG|Weakness}}, {{TCG|Resistance}}, and {{TCG|Retreat cost}} of their previous Evolution. 

Some effects interact with Pokémon that have or do not have Rule Boxes, such as [[Path to the Peak (Chilling Reign 148)|Path to the Peak]] removing the Abilities of Pokémon with Rule Boxes.

==Position==
[[File:LatiasCelestialStorm107.jpg|thumb|200px|left|With the {{Prism Star}} (Prism Star) rule, there's no space for [[Latias ♢ (Celestial Storm 107)|Latias]] {{Prism Star}} to have [[Pokédex]] information, so it doesn't.]]
Most Rule Boxes are positioned either in the bottom right corner of the card where the [[Pokédex entry]] is normally located, or just below the art of the card where the Pokédex [[List of Pokémon by National Pokédex number|number]], [[Pokémon category|category]], [[height]], and [[weight]] are located. If a Rule Box takes up one of these spaces, the card will not have the Pokédex entry or Pokédex information that would go in that space. (Many cards exclude Pokédex information even if they do not have a Rule Box taking up that space, because the art is either popping out of the art box, extended over the area of the card, or because the card is a {{TCG|Full Art card}}. These practices take up the Pokédex information space.) As such, these cards cannot be selected by a few effects that query a Pokémon's listed height.
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==Exclusions==
[[File:NidoqueenPrimalClash69.jpg|thumb|200px|left|[[Nidoqueen (Primal Clash 69)|Nidoqueen]] has a {{TCG|Ancient Trait}}, but Ancient Traits are not labelled "rule" so it is not a Rule Box. It also doesn't have Pokédex information, but because of the artwork instead of due to a Rule Box.]]
[[File:CleffaNeoGenesis20.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Cleffa (Neo Genesis 20)|Cleffa]] has what is officially known as the "Baby Pokémon rule", but it is not templated as a box labelled "rule", so it is not a Rule Box.]]
Other additional rules on Pokémon cards that are separated from the main card text in a graphical manner are not considered Rule Boxes, such as {{TCG|Ancient Trait}}s and the "How to play a Pokémon V-UNION" section on {{TCG|Pokémon V-UNION}}. No cards released before the {{TCG|Black & White}} Series have Rule Boxes as well.<ref>[https://compendium.pokegym.net/ruling/1508/ [[Team Compendium|Compendium]] ruling on Emperor's Eyes]</ref>

{{TCG|Trainer card}}s are described as having a Trainer Rule specifying how their subtype functions in their lower right corner, but are not considered to have a Rule Box.

While {{TCG|Prism Star}} {{TCG|Trainer card}}s and {{TCG|Energy card}}s have the Prism Star rule printed on them, only Pokémon cards have so far been described as having Rule Boxes.
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==Cards with Rule Boxes==
<!-- This list does not nest subgroups of mechanics because TAG TEAM Pokemon GX do not have the Pokemon GX rule despite being a subgroup of GX. and V subgroups have rules separate from the V rule. It doesn't work. !-->
[[File:MLucarioEXFuriousFists55.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[M Lucario-EX (Furious Fists 55)|M Lucario-EX]] is a Mega Evolution Pokémon, so it has a Rule Box for the Pokémon-EX rule and a Rule Box for the Mega Evolution rule.]]
Rule Boxes are found on the following cards. Accompanying each entry is the associated rule or rules.
*{{TCG|Pokémon-EX}}
**Pokémon-EX rule: When a Pokémon-EX has been [[Fainting|Knocked Out]], your opponent takes 2 {{TCG|Prize card}}s.
***Displaces the Pokédex entry
*{{TCG|Pokémon-EX|Mega Evolution Pokémon}}
**Pokémon-EX rule: When a Pokémon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
***Displaces the Pokédex entry
**Mega Evolution rule: When 1 of your Pokémon becomes a Mega Evolution Pokémon, your turn ends.
***Displaces Pokédex information
*{{TCG|Pokémon-EX|Primal Reversion Pokémon}}
**Pokémon-EX rule: When a Pokémon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
***Displaces the Pokédex entry
**Primal Reversion rule: When 1 of your Pokémon becomes [Name of Pokémon], your turn ends.
***Displaces Pokédex information
*{{TCG|Pokémon BREAK}}
**BREAK Evolution rule: [Name of Pokémon] retains the {{TCG|attack}}s, {{TCG|Ability|Abilities}}, {{TCG|Weakness}}, {{TCG|Resistance}}, and {{TCG|Retreat Cost}} of its previous Evolution.
*{{TCG|Pokémon-GX}}
**Pokémon-GX rule: When your Pokémon-GX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
***Displaces the Pokédex entry
*{{TCG|Pokémon-GX|TAG TEAM Pokémon-GX}}
**TAG TEAM rule: When your TAG TEAM is knocked out, your opponent takes 3 Prize Cards.
***Displaces the Pokédex entry
*{{TCG|Prism Star}}
**{{Prism Star}} (Prism Star) rule: You can’t have more than 1 {{Prism Star}} card with the same name in your deck. If a {{Prism Star}} card would go to the discard pile, put it in the Lost Zone instead.
***Displaces Pokédex information
*{{TCG|Pokémon V}}
**V rule: When your Pokémon V is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
***Displaces the Pokédex entry
*{{TCG|Pokémon VMAX}}
**VMAX rule: When your Pokémon VMAX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 3 Prize cards.
***Displaces the Pokédex entry
*{{TCG|Pokémon V-UNION}}
**V-UNION rule: When your Pokémon V-UNION is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 3 Prize cards.
***Displaces the Pokédex entry
***Since Pokémon V-UNION cannot have characteristics aside from name, card type, and {{TCG|type}} referenced while not in play, Pokémon V-UNION do not have a Rule Box while not in play.<ref>Rulebook</ref>
*{{TCG|Pokémon VSTAR}}
**VSTAR rule: When your Pokémon VSTAR is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
***Displaces the Pokédex entry
*{{TCG|Radiant Pokémon}}
**Radiant Pokémon rule: You can’t have more than 1 Radiant Pokémon in your deck.
***Displaces Pokédex information
*{{TCG|Pokémon ex}}
**Pokémon ex rule: When your Pokémon ex is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
***Displaces the Pokédex entry
*{{TCG|Mega Evolution Pokémon ex}}
**Mega Evolution ex rule: When your Mega Evolution Pokémon ex is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 3 Prize cards.
***Displaces the Pokédex entry

==Format usage==
* The unofficial {{TCG|Gym Leader Challenge format}} excludes cards with Rule Boxes from being used, along with additional community definitions:
** Prism Star Trainer and Energy cards are considered to have a Rule Box for the purposes of card legality.
** {{TCG|ACE SPEC card}}s are not allowed.
** Pokémon with Ancient Traits were not allowed in the format until November 16, 2021.
* Official instances of the Gym Leader Challenge format conflict. [[Pokémon Trading Card Game Live]] follows the community ban list, while the Alternative Play Handbook rules only prevents the play of Pokémon with Rule Boxes, allowing other types of cards.<ref>[https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/tcg-alternative-play-handbook-en.pdf Pokémon TCG Alternative Play Handbook]</ref>
* The alternative Pack Battle and {{TCG|Ditto Draft format}}s from the Alternative Play Handbook only allow placing Ditto Markers on Pokémon without a Rule Box.

==Trivia==

==In other languages==
{{langtable|color={{tcg rainbow color}}|bordercolor={{tcg rainbow color dark}}
|ja=ルール ''Rule''
|de=Regelfeld
|es=Recuadro de regla
|fr=Encadré Règle
|id=Peraturan
|it=Regola speciale
|ko=룰 ''Rule''
|zh_cmn=规则 ''Guīzé''
|zh_yue=規則 ''Kwaidzak''
|pt_br=Caixa de Regras
}}

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Pokémon Trading Card Game mechanics]]

[[it:Regole speciali (GCC)]]
[[ja:ルールを持つポケモン]]
[[zh:拥有规则的宝可梦（TCG）]]