NOTE: The following questions and assumptions were written by me (Brian Brokaw).
I forwarded these onto Wizard's of the Coast's lead rules team member (for Pokemon)
Robert Gutschera (he is the guy who wrote the english rulebook).
My original questions are indented, and Robert's replies are not indented.

Brian Brokaw

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

   1) Hitmonlee's Stretch Kick: Does PlusPower apply to benched Pokemon
   using this attack?

   (I assume: No.  PlusPower makes specific reference to the "Defender"
   which I take to be the opponent's Active Pokemon... This is similar to
   attacks that damage more than one of the opponent's Pokemon --
   Earthquake, etc. -- PlusPower is only applied to the opponent's Active
   Pokemon.)

You're right.  PlusPower says how it works, and "Defending Pokemon" is
defined in the rules to be your opponent's Active Pokemon.

   2) Raichu's Gigashock: If my opponent has fewer than 3 benched monsters,
   may I apply more than 10 damage to one of them to "get up to" 30 total
   bench damage?

   (I assume: No. If there were no benched monsters, this wouldn't hold...
   Gigashock checks for targets until they have already been "used" or it
   has reached a total of three...)

You're right.  Raichu doesn't say anything anywhere about doing 30 damage
total.  You just get 10 each, but that applies to no more than 3.  (The
attack does 30 to the Defending Pokemon, but that's completely different.)

   3) Psyduck's Headache: May I play Mysterious Fossil or Clefairy Doll
   if my opponent used Headache on his last turn?

   (I assume: No. Although Fossil and Doll may be played any time that
   Basic Pokemon may be played--like at game setup--they are still Trainer
   cards while in hand--see mulligan rules--and while being played. They only
   change to Pokemon once in play.)

You're correct.  Headache does indeed prevent Mysterious Fossil or Clefairy
Doll from being played.


   4) Energy Search: Must you show the Basic Energy to your opponent?

   (I assume: No.  Since it uses the same basic template as Computer Search,
   and does NOT use the template from Pokemon Trader.  However, this
   will just BEG for abuse...)

YES, you must show your opponent the basic Energy card.  This is errata.
The card should have said "show it to your opponent" to prevent abuse, and
it should be played that way.

   5) Gastly's Energy Conversion: "Energy card" includes Double Colorless?

   (I assume: Yes.  Energy Retrieval was very specific about its limitation...)

You're correct.  (This is the Fossil Gastly.)

   6) (Basic) Gastly's Destiny Bond: If Gastly is K-O'd from Poison damage,
   does anyone take a prize? 

I assume you don't mean "take a prize" (whenever a Pokemon is KO'd the
other player takes a Prize) but "If Gastly is KO'd from Poison, does
Destiny Bond take effect, Knocking Out the other Pokemon?"  The answer is
no.  The other Pokemon did not KO Gastly;  the Poison did.

   (I assume: No.  Gastly was K-O'd due to Poison (an effect), not a Pokemon)

   7) Ditto: Is there any "lag" between adjacent Transforms such that Ditto will
   revert to Ditto prior to a new Transform?  (example: Ditto currently copying
   some 70 HP monster with 60 damage, opponent retreats 70 HP monster
   in favor of 90 HP monster... does Ditto _ever_ see its own 50 HP through
   this transition? and fainting because of damage > Hit Points?)

   (I assume no... Transform is continuous--no interruption in service.
   and Retreat/replacement is an simultaneous thing too...)

You're right.  There is no "inbetween" time when Ditto is Ditto.  He
switches directly from the 70 HP Pokemon to the 90 HP Pokemon.

   8) Ditto: Does Ditto have "memory" for all effects?
   (example: will Ditto stay Poisoned after transitioning to a new monster?
   will Ditto stay Smokescreened after transitioning? etc.)

   (this is a toughie!  logically i would think that Poison would stick with Ditto.
   it is less inherintly obvious with effects like Sand-attack and Smokescreen.
   and in some instances, when the opponent evolves their monster (and thereby
   curing IT of any effects), Ditto will "appear" to have evolved with Transformation)

Yes, this is a toughie.  We are going to ask Creatures (the Japanese
company that makes the card game) before we give an official answer on this
one.  That will take quite a while... we may not get an answer until the
next time one of us goes to Japan or one of them comes to visit us here in
Seattle.  So I'm afraid we'll have to wait for this one.

thanks,
    Robert