Post by thedarkvampire on Jul 15, 2005 20:01:24 GMT -5
There are plenty of recurring questions in the Q&A forum asking for an explanation on how basic key words and game mechanics work. It's become quite tiresome answering the same simple stuff. They also clog up the forum and set a low precedent for the quality of questions asked. Hopefully this FAQ will at least minimise threads like these and at the same time save new players the bother of looking up answers to all their new player queries.
I will be updating this FAQ with the new key words after the release of all future expansions. I welcome all suggested clarifications and corrections. If you still don't fully understand how any of these terms work then feel free to ask, preferably in the thread rather than via PM so others can see the answer. I'll always be glad to help.
If you're looking for something specific it may help to use your browser's build-in search function. That's almost always "CTRL + F".
Contents
Boost
Loyalty
Transferable
Evasion
Protected
Replace
Invulnerability
Cosmic
Willpower
Construct Cards
Concealed
Concealed-Optional
Moving a Character
Boost
709.1 Boost is a key word that represents a continuous power that functions in all zones. The phrase "Boost [cost]" means "As an additional cost to play this card you may pay [cost], if you do, the text after the boost key word is active when this card becomes an object."
Q: So, what does that mean?
A: You generate a number of resource points at the start of the recruit step. This number is equal to the number of resources you control. They are at your leisure to spend from a resource "pool" and are typically used to recruit characters. When a character has, "boost: x" printed on it, you may spend x resource points on recruitment in addition to their cost to pay for their boost effect.
Q: Can I pay the boost after I've recruited the character?
A: No, boost is an additional cost to recruiting them and can only be paid on recruitment.
Q: What if I bring a character into play through Dual Nature or Dr. Light, can I pay the boost then?
A: Unfortunately not. You may only boost a character you've recruited. You wouldn't be recruiting them in those scenarios, you would be bringing them into play.
Q: Does boosting a character alter its actual cost for effects like Flame Trap?
A: No. For simplicity's sake a characters' cost is always its printed cost. If you boost Tim Drake <> Robin, Young Detective he's still a 2-drop and could still be stunned from Flame Trap.
Loyalty
710.1 Loyalty is a key word that represents a continuous power that functions in the hand zone. The phrase "Loyalty" means "Recruit this card only if you control a character that shares at least one team affiliation with this card."
Q: If I am "considered to control" a character, such as Doomstadt's "you are considered to control Dr. Doom" power, can I then recruit a Doom character with loyalty?
A: You don't actually control them, so no, this would not bypass the loyalty mechanic.
Transferable
711.1 Transferable is a key word that represents a triggered power that functions in the in-play zone. The phrase "Transferable" means "At start of the formation step, you may transfer this card."
Q: What does it mean by "transfer"?
A: This key word can be found on some equipment. "Transfer" is referring to the equipment, and you may transfer it from an equipped character to one without equipment.
Q: I can only transfer it to an unequipped character?
A: That's right, you can only put equipment on a character not holding any, and it triggers just once per turn, at the start of the formation step, so you can only do it once for each transferable equipment.
Evasion
707.6 Evasion is a keyword that represents a payment power on a character and has the text "Stun this character >>> At the start of the recovery phase this turn, recover this character." Stunning a character in this way will result in its controller simultaneously losing endurance equal to its recruit cost.
Q: What?! Why would I want to stun my own character?
A: For strategic reasons, usually board advantage. Recovering an evaded character does not count towards the one 'free' recovery you get during the recovery phase. When you make that selection it's done at what's referred to as "wrap-up", and by then you will have recovered all your evaded characters.
Q: Can I evade a defender?
A: You can, but all attackers will ready because the defender has been removed from the attack.
Q: Can I evade a character after the attack has concluded?
A: No. Once the attack has concluded there is no point of priority where players may play effects.
Q: When I tried to evade my Ricochet my friend said he could negate it with Utility Belt. Doesn't Utility Belt only negate payment powers?
A: Evasion is a payment power. Payment powers are represented by the little arrow that can be seen on many characters, locations and equipment. The key word "evasion" is shorthand for, "Stun this character >>> At the start of the recovery phase this turn, recover this character". Even though the arrow isn't visible it's still a payment power. Note that if it's negated, the whole effect is negated and the cost isn't refunded. This means your character will be stunned but they won't recover as per evasion's effect.
Q: If my opponent controls Magneto, Master of Magnetism and I evade some of my characters, will they recover at the start of the recovery phase?
A: They will not. Magneto's continous modifer prevents stunned characters from recovering. Your characters are stunned, thus they can't recover. The effect will resolve but it will do nothing.
Protected
"Protected" is a characteristic that a support row character may have. A character is protected if there is a non-stunned character in the front row that shares the same column with it.
For obvious reasons only a support row character can have the protected characteristic. To reiterate for clarity, a character is protected if there is a non-stunned character in front of them, exhausted or ready. Characters whom you require flight to attack are protected.
Replace
512.5 Some one-shot modifiers instruct a player to replace a resource. To replace a resource, its controller KO’s it. Then, if he or she did, that player puts the top card of his or her deck face down into his or her resource row. He or she may look at that card once it's in the resource row.
The player puts the top card of their deck face down in place of the KO'd resource, not to the far right, in the resource row.
Invulnerability
707.7 Invulnerability is a keyword that represents a continuous power that functions in the in-play zone. Characters with invulnerability ignore rules 702.1a and 702.1b. As these characters become stunned, they cause their controller no stun endurance loss, rather than stun endurance loss equal to their recruit costs.
Q: What happens if I stun them outside attacks, such as from Roy Harper @ Arsenal, Sharpshooter's ability?
A: Nothing different, the character's controller still takes no endurance loss. They are invulnerable whenever they become stunned, the source of the stun is irrelevant.
Cosmic
707.8 “Cosmic” is a keyword on character cards that represents a continuous power that functions in the in-play zone and a one-shot modifier that modifies how the character comes into play. Cosmic and cosmic counters have special rules that apply only to them and not to counters that have other names.
707.8a A character with cosmic comes into play with a cosmic counter on it.
707.8b As a character becomes stunned, remove all cosmic counters from it.
707.8c A character can't have more than one cosmic counter on it at a time.
707.
A character that doesn't have cosmic can't have any cosmic counters on it.
707.8e The phrase, "Cosmic: [text]," means, "While this character has a cosmic counter on it, it has [text] in addition to any other text it has." If the character does not have a cosmic counter on it, it does not have [text].
Q: Can I copy a Cosmic power using Mimic or Rogue, Power Absorption?
A: Yes, as long as the character with cosmic still holds their cosmic counter when you copy the effect. If they lose the counter at any point after you've copied the effect, you can still use it for the remainder of the turn.
Q: Krypto, Superdog reads: "Cosmic: Krypto has invulnerability." If he becomes stunned do I take the stun endurance loss?
A: You do not. The stun endurance loss is calculated before a character is stunned (thus before your cosmic counter removed), so it would be calculated as 0.
Q: What happens when Parasite stuns a defender and is stunned himself. Does he gain a cosmic counter?
A: Parasite's text reads, "Whenever Parasite stuns a character, put a cosmic counter on Parasite." If at the end of an attack both the attacker and defender will be stunned, they are stunned simultaneously. A triggered effect would go on the chain saying, 'put a cosmic counter on Parasite' but he would never receive it; he would be stunned on resolution. Characters cannot gain a cosmic counter when they have the stunned characteristic.
Willpower
The Green Lantern expansion introduces willpower, a numerical quality that all character cards have. If a card has the new willpower keyword, the number following the keyword is that card’s willpower. Character cards without the willpower keyword default to willpower 0. Like ATK or DEF, willpower can be increased, decreased, and so on.
However, a stunned character always has willpower 0.
Q: So, does willpower actually do anything?
A: Not really. It's just a numerical value used to measure the power of effects, similar to a character's cost or ATK and DEF values. Uppercut is a plot twist that gives a character +X ATK, where X is their willpower. This is an example of an effect that affects characters differently depending on their willpower value. A higher willpower value is generally regarded as a good thing - most willpower-based cards have a positive effect geared towards this. Willpower doesn't do anything per se but certain cards affect others based on willpower values. They tend to be pretty self-explanatory.
Construct Cards
Some cards have the version “Construct” and are referred to as Constructs. Constructs have no special rules associated with them.
This is just like willpower, it does nothing on its own but interacts in a special way with other cards. When it's relevant it will say so on the card and, as with willpower, it tends to be self-explanatory. You can tell if a card is construct by looking at the part just below the card name. If the word "construct" is printed then it is a construct card.
Examples of construct cards: Mousetrap, Breaking Ground, Chopping Block.
Concealed
707.9 "Concealed" is a keyword on characters that represents a continuous power that functions in any zone. The keyword "Concealed" means "This character comes into play in the hidden area."
A concealed character has a black background as opposed to the red background for visible characters, blue for plot twists, green for locations and grey for equipment. For more information on the hidden area please see the post below, or for the lazier amongst you just follow that hotlink.
Concealed—Optional (You may have this character come into play in the hidden area.)
Some characters have the keyword "Concealed-Optional". You choose whether such characters come into play in your hidden area or visible area. Once in play, you may not move such a character to a different area unless a card says otherwise.
Moving a character
When you move a character, unless a card says otherwise:
• You may move it to the same position.
• You may move it to any empty position within its current area.
• You may not move it to a different area.
Q: What happens when I move an equipped character my opponent controls to my front or support row?
A: If you move the character to your hidden area then the equipment is KO'd, otherwise it remains equipped to the character and you gain control of it.
Q: Jericho reads, "Pay X resource points, KO Jericho >>> If the cost of target character an opponent controls is less than X, move that character to your front row." Can I move this character to my hidden area?
A: Yes. You have 2 front rows, one in your visible area and one in your hidden area. Jericho's effect does not place any restrictions on which front row you move the 'stolen' character to, but remember that all equipment will be KO'd if you try to send it to the hidden area.
Q: With effects like those of Krona and Nero Unleashed can I move a hidden character to another place within my hidden area?
A: You certainly can. You can even target a hidden character and keep it in the same position it started in.
I will be updating this FAQ with the new key words after the release of all future expansions. I welcome all suggested clarifications and corrections. If you still don't fully understand how any of these terms work then feel free to ask, preferably in the thread rather than via PM so others can see the answer. I'll always be glad to help.
If you're looking for something specific it may help to use your browser's build-in search function. That's almost always "CTRL + F".
Contents
Boost
Loyalty
Transferable
Evasion
Protected
Replace
Invulnerability
Cosmic
Willpower
Construct Cards
Concealed
Concealed-Optional
Moving a Character
Boost
709.1 Boost is a key word that represents a continuous power that functions in all zones. The phrase "Boost [cost]" means "As an additional cost to play this card you may pay [cost], if you do, the text after the boost key word is active when this card becomes an object."
Q: So, what does that mean?
A: You generate a number of resource points at the start of the recruit step. This number is equal to the number of resources you control. They are at your leisure to spend from a resource "pool" and are typically used to recruit characters. When a character has, "boost: x" printed on it, you may spend x resource points on recruitment in addition to their cost to pay for their boost effect.
Q: Can I pay the boost after I've recruited the character?
A: No, boost is an additional cost to recruiting them and can only be paid on recruitment.
Q: What if I bring a character into play through Dual Nature or Dr. Light, can I pay the boost then?
A: Unfortunately not. You may only boost a character you've recruited. You wouldn't be recruiting them in those scenarios, you would be bringing them into play.
Q: Does boosting a character alter its actual cost for effects like Flame Trap?
A: No. For simplicity's sake a characters' cost is always its printed cost. If you boost Tim Drake <> Robin, Young Detective he's still a 2-drop and could still be stunned from Flame Trap.
Loyalty
710.1 Loyalty is a key word that represents a continuous power that functions in the hand zone. The phrase "Loyalty" means "Recruit this card only if you control a character that shares at least one team affiliation with this card."
Q: If I am "considered to control" a character, such as Doomstadt's "you are considered to control Dr. Doom" power, can I then recruit a Doom character with loyalty?
A: You don't actually control them, so no, this would not bypass the loyalty mechanic.
Transferable
711.1 Transferable is a key word that represents a triggered power that functions in the in-play zone. The phrase "Transferable" means "At start of the formation step, you may transfer this card."
Q: What does it mean by "transfer"?
A: This key word can be found on some equipment. "Transfer" is referring to the equipment, and you may transfer it from an equipped character to one without equipment.
Q: I can only transfer it to an unequipped character?
A: That's right, you can only put equipment on a character not holding any, and it triggers just once per turn, at the start of the formation step, so you can only do it once for each transferable equipment.
Evasion
707.6 Evasion is a keyword that represents a payment power on a character and has the text "Stun this character >>> At the start of the recovery phase this turn, recover this character." Stunning a character in this way will result in its controller simultaneously losing endurance equal to its recruit cost.
Q: What?! Why would I want to stun my own character?
A: For strategic reasons, usually board advantage. Recovering an evaded character does not count towards the one 'free' recovery you get during the recovery phase. When you make that selection it's done at what's referred to as "wrap-up", and by then you will have recovered all your evaded characters.
Q: Can I evade a defender?
A: You can, but all attackers will ready because the defender has been removed from the attack.
Q: Can I evade a character after the attack has concluded?
A: No. Once the attack has concluded there is no point of priority where players may play effects.
Q: When I tried to evade my Ricochet my friend said he could negate it with Utility Belt. Doesn't Utility Belt only negate payment powers?
A: Evasion is a payment power. Payment powers are represented by the little arrow that can be seen on many characters, locations and equipment. The key word "evasion" is shorthand for, "Stun this character >>> At the start of the recovery phase this turn, recover this character". Even though the arrow isn't visible it's still a payment power. Note that if it's negated, the whole effect is negated and the cost isn't refunded. This means your character will be stunned but they won't recover as per evasion's effect.
Q: If my opponent controls Magneto, Master of Magnetism and I evade some of my characters, will they recover at the start of the recovery phase?
A: They will not. Magneto's continous modifer prevents stunned characters from recovering. Your characters are stunned, thus they can't recover. The effect will resolve but it will do nothing.
Protected
"Protected" is a characteristic that a support row character may have. A character is protected if there is a non-stunned character in the front row that shares the same column with it.
For obvious reasons only a support row character can have the protected characteristic. To reiterate for clarity, a character is protected if there is a non-stunned character in front of them, exhausted or ready. Characters whom you require flight to attack are protected.
Replace
512.5 Some one-shot modifiers instruct a player to replace a resource. To replace a resource, its controller KO’s it. Then, if he or she did, that player puts the top card of his or her deck face down into his or her resource row. He or she may look at that card once it's in the resource row.
The player puts the top card of their deck face down in place of the KO'd resource, not to the far right, in the resource row.
Invulnerability
707.7 Invulnerability is a keyword that represents a continuous power that functions in the in-play zone. Characters with invulnerability ignore rules 702.1a and 702.1b. As these characters become stunned, they cause their controller no stun endurance loss, rather than stun endurance loss equal to their recruit costs.
Q: What happens if I stun them outside attacks, such as from Roy Harper @ Arsenal, Sharpshooter's ability?
A: Nothing different, the character's controller still takes no endurance loss. They are invulnerable whenever they become stunned, the source of the stun is irrelevant.
Cosmic
707.8 “Cosmic” is a keyword on character cards that represents a continuous power that functions in the in-play zone and a one-shot modifier that modifies how the character comes into play. Cosmic and cosmic counters have special rules that apply only to them and not to counters that have other names.
707.8a A character with cosmic comes into play with a cosmic counter on it.
707.8b As a character becomes stunned, remove all cosmic counters from it.
707.8c A character can't have more than one cosmic counter on it at a time.
707.
A character that doesn't have cosmic can't have any cosmic counters on it.707.8e The phrase, "Cosmic: [text]," means, "While this character has a cosmic counter on it, it has [text] in addition to any other text it has." If the character does not have a cosmic counter on it, it does not have [text].
Q: Can I copy a Cosmic power using Mimic or Rogue, Power Absorption?
A: Yes, as long as the character with cosmic still holds their cosmic counter when you copy the effect. If they lose the counter at any point after you've copied the effect, you can still use it for the remainder of the turn.
Q: Krypto, Superdog reads: "Cosmic: Krypto has invulnerability." If he becomes stunned do I take the stun endurance loss?
A: You do not. The stun endurance loss is calculated before a character is stunned (thus before your cosmic counter removed), so it would be calculated as 0.
Q: What happens when Parasite stuns a defender and is stunned himself. Does he gain a cosmic counter?
A: Parasite's text reads, "Whenever Parasite stuns a character, put a cosmic counter on Parasite." If at the end of an attack both the attacker and defender will be stunned, they are stunned simultaneously. A triggered effect would go on the chain saying, 'put a cosmic counter on Parasite' but he would never receive it; he would be stunned on resolution. Characters cannot gain a cosmic counter when they have the stunned characteristic.
Willpower
The Green Lantern expansion introduces willpower, a numerical quality that all character cards have. If a card has the new willpower keyword, the number following the keyword is that card’s willpower. Character cards without the willpower keyword default to willpower 0. Like ATK or DEF, willpower can be increased, decreased, and so on.
However, a stunned character always has willpower 0.
Q: So, does willpower actually do anything?
A: Not really. It's just a numerical value used to measure the power of effects, similar to a character's cost or ATK and DEF values. Uppercut is a plot twist that gives a character +X ATK, where X is their willpower. This is an example of an effect that affects characters differently depending on their willpower value. A higher willpower value is generally regarded as a good thing - most willpower-based cards have a positive effect geared towards this. Willpower doesn't do anything per se but certain cards affect others based on willpower values. They tend to be pretty self-explanatory.
Construct Cards
Some cards have the version “Construct” and are referred to as Constructs. Constructs have no special rules associated with them.
This is just like willpower, it does nothing on its own but interacts in a special way with other cards. When it's relevant it will say so on the card and, as with willpower, it tends to be self-explanatory. You can tell if a card is construct by looking at the part just below the card name. If the word "construct" is printed then it is a construct card.
Examples of construct cards: Mousetrap, Breaking Ground, Chopping Block.
Concealed
707.9 "Concealed" is a keyword on characters that represents a continuous power that functions in any zone. The keyword "Concealed" means "This character comes into play in the hidden area."
A concealed character has a black background as opposed to the red background for visible characters, blue for plot twists, green for locations and grey for equipment. For more information on the hidden area please see the post below, or for the lazier amongst you just follow that hotlink.
Concealed—Optional (You may have this character come into play in the hidden area.)
Some characters have the keyword "Concealed-Optional". You choose whether such characters come into play in your hidden area or visible area. Once in play, you may not move such a character to a different area unless a card says otherwise.
Moving a character
When you move a character, unless a card says otherwise:
• You may move it to the same position.
• You may move it to any empty position within its current area.
• You may not move it to a different area.
Q: What happens when I move an equipped character my opponent controls to my front or support row?
A: If you move the character to your hidden area then the equipment is KO'd, otherwise it remains equipped to the character and you gain control of it.
Q: Jericho reads, "Pay X resource points, KO Jericho >>> If the cost of target character an opponent controls is less than X, move that character to your front row." Can I move this character to my hidden area?
A: Yes. You have 2 front rows, one in your visible area and one in your hidden area. Jericho's effect does not place any restrictions on which front row you move the 'stolen' character to, but remember that all equipment will be KO'd if you try to send it to the hidden area.
Q: With effects like those of Krona and Nero Unleashed can I move a hidden character to another place within my hidden area?
A: You certainly can. You can even target a hidden character and keep it in the same position it started in.
