Is a pog considered a character or is it its own "special" heroclix element?

This question is specifically in regards to the theme team rules from LOSH rulebook:

"When all characters on a force share a single common keyword...(p.6)"

So since to best of my knowledge, no pogs have been assigned keywords... are they considered characters?

Is it impossible to place a pog on a "theme team" and still recieve the benefit? Regardless of the thematic nature of the pog?

If so is it fair that we treat these cardboard heroclix as less of a character than any other, and refuse them their right to join their fellow teamates in the epic battles of our gaming tables.

We allready refuse them their third demension of existance isnt that enough??

(this debate actually came up in a game today and i felt i should share it with you all :~)

In what way is this an ETHICAL debate?

Also, in what way is this a debate? Look in the glossary, and your problems will be solved. Yes bystanders are characters. They don't have keywords for several reasons. One of the main reasons is because a 3 point prob control would be beyond borken.

congradulations on post #2099 lunar

Thanks! I guess that is an important number to comics readers, and I wouldn't have even made the connection.

Is the ethical debate because you are considering pogs to be less than human? That makes sense.

So to answer your question more fully. Putting any pog on any team will get rid of the theme bonus. However, we only know for certain that Avengers and Origins bystanders are keywordless. But if I were you I would follow that precedent for fun games and coming up with your own keywords. It's there for a reason. I wouldn't give pogs their own status because it could sew too much confusion and discord.

However, I would not be opposed to having a keyword NONE for friendly games. Then someone could make a theme team of R and E Catmans plus a bunch of Lian Harpers! Not the most abusive team in the world, but fun as long as you don't get tired of rolling dice.

Hooray for post 2100! (That's the default year for Transhuman Space, a great game by Steve Jackson Games.)

I see pogs as being in an ethical debate for having a 5 year old girl used as a human shield for some of the "greatest super heroes" in the world.... that's just DEPLORABLE for someone as supposedly wholesome as Superman to grab a little toddler and essentially hold her hostage so HE doesn't get shot. It makes me sick just thinking about it!

Molecule Man has no keywords either, So he could fit on a None theme team too!

And I simply don't see eight of the same little five year old girl standing around KC GL and making sure he doesn't get shot.

Clearly, since they're the same little 5 year old, they could not truly be human, but in fact must be some sort of clone or Green Lantern energy construct!

I understand the why of not having keywords on them, but it saddens me that my new mutants will never be complete now.

Sam: "Sorry Doug, you can't come with us"
Doug: "Why, is it because I have no fighting skills?"
Sam: "Not at all, you made a great shield for Warlock so no one shot at him, it's just that, well, you're not one of us."
Doug: "What do you mean? I'm a mutant like you"
Sam: "Nope, you don't have that keyword"
Doug: "But I'm a New Mutant like the rest of you"
Sam: "Again, not on your keyword list"
Doug: "But we're a team of teen superheroes"
Sam: "Sorry, you're not a teen either."
Doug: "Aw man, see if I ever throw myself in front of a bullet to save any of your butts again. Can't even have the 'X-Men team ability'. Go get possessed by the Shadow King or something."

EXACTLY!!!

Yeah, this ruling sucks. I agree they shouldn't have keywords to contribute to themes, but if I have 5 points left to fill up on my team I should be able to put a pog on there and not have it ruin my theme. Especially themes like Sucide Squad where pogs are their main source of power.

I think that Bystanders should neither count toward a theme or disqualify a theme.

I think they (BST) should be the Swiss of Non-clickable clix.

I've been arguing the same thing since we found out that bystanders don't get keywords.

I think that it would be too easy to abuse thematic teams if you could squeeze bystanders in there for extra "characters"... but what's the point of getting new bystanders in each set if they can't be used in a theme team? If I'm playing a non-thematic team then I can easily use one of the hundreds of bystanders I have from previous sets. I don't need new versions.

Or on a CSA team where the whole point (if i understand correctly) is their enslavement of the masses!

This kinda rubs me the wrong way, both as a "pure theme" player and a 20 year Suicide Squad fan.

Yes, mechanically, pogs make the Squad game mechanic work...but in a proper "theme like Suicide Squad," their comic adventures weren't based around innocent bystanders getting clobbered; instead, it was the Squad members themselves who had the big honkin' targets on their heads. Only a handful of heroic normals--I can only think of three, actually--died over the course of the Suicide Squad title.

Just sayin'....

Pogs suck and anything to lessen their value and playability is a good thing.

I'm glad pogs aren't getting keywords. Good call by Wizkids if you ask me.