Important Note from HeroComplex: The Universe Rules are not immediately in effect. As it says on the Marvel HeroClix site next to the links to Universe rules, they become tournament legal on June 2, 2004. The current rules are still those associated with Indy HeroClix. If you need to ask a question about the Universe rules, you're probably best off doing it explicitly; otherwise, you'll probably be given the answer that's true right now, which might not actually help you.

Here we are at the next installment in my PAC review:

Attack Powers:

For easy reference, and because it is the most important new rule in the Universe rulebook, here is the Rule of 3:

Rule of 3
Many modifiers can affect combat values during the game. Because all modifiers are cumulative, there is a special rule called the rule of 3. The rule of 3 states that once all modifiers have been calculated, no value can be modified by more than 3. It is important to note that the effects of powers and abilities and team abilities override standard HeroClix rules. The rule of 3, however, takes precedence over any powers and abilities and team abilities.

As stated in the rulebook review, I am under the assumption that the Rule of 3 deals with the Damage Combat Value, Damage Dealt, and Damage Taken individually.

And now, on with the review:

BLADES/CLAWS/FANGS (optional):
When you give this character a close combat action, if the attack succeeds, roll one six-sided die. The result of the die roll becomes this character’s damage value.

Ok, so the wording has changed a bit, but has it really changed? Not really. By changeing the wording to “The result of the die roll becomes this character’s damage value.”, BCF is now considered a Replacement Value, and so is not affected by the Rule of 3. Instead, you use the die roll instead of that character’s normal damage. Ok, so it really hasn’t changed, but this prevents any confusion about how this is affected by the Rule of 3.

ENERGY EXPLOSION (optional):
Give this character a ranged combat action. This character’s damage value becomes 1 for this attack. If the attack is successful, compare the attack roll to the defense value of any characters adjacent to the target to determine if they are also hit. All characters successfully hit are dealt damage from the attack.

Again, EE replaces the damage value with 1, and is not affected by the Rule of 3, though further modifiers are. I’m still not happy with the wording on EE, especially as it relates to multi-target attacks, and dividing your damage value among the targets hit. This exception has never made sense to me. I’m not advocating a change to how EE works, or necessarily a change to the wording for EE, I’m just saying that EE really has never clicked perfectly with the rules since the release of the Indy rulebook.

PULSE WAVE (optional):
Give this character a ranged combat action. Reduce its range value by half. Draw lines of fire to every character (friendly and opposing) within range in every direction. This attack ignores all team abilities and powers and abilities possessed by characters within range. These lines of fire are not blocked by character bases, but are affected normally by terrain. If clear lines of fire can be drawn to two or more characters, this character’s damage value becomes 1 for this attack; otherwise, use this character’s normal damage value. Compare the attack roll to the defense value of each character in range; each hit character is dealt damage.

Again, nothing has changed. The damage for hitting more than 1 character is a relplacement value, and is not in itself affected by the Rule of 3.

QUAKE (optional):
Give this character a close combat action. This character’s damage value becomes 2 if it is greater than 2. Make a single attack roll, and compare the result to the defense values of all opposing characters adjacent to this character. Each character that takes damage suffers knockback.

Here we have the second of the new powers. Not much to say about this one. This too is a replacement value, and not, in itself, affected by the Rule of 3.

SUPER STRENGTH (optional):
When you give this character a move or power action, during this action, if this character moves, it may pick up an object in this character’s square or an adjacent square and carry it. This character may use an object as a weapon. If this power is lost or countered while this character holds an object, immediately place the object in the square this character occupies. This character may not cancel this power while carrying an object.

Super Strength itself has not changed at all. To see how using objects as weapons has changed in relation to the Rule of 3, refer to the rulebook review.

INCAPACITATE (optional):
Give this character a close combat or ranged combat action. This character’s damage value becomes 0 for this attack. If this character successfully hits a target that has zero or one action token, assign an action token to the target. Incapacitate deals 1 pushing damage to a target that receives a second action token in this way. This power has no effect on characters that already have two action tokens.

Incapacitate has not fundamentally changed. As with all the attack powers up to this point, Incapacitate is a replacement value, and is not, in itself, restricted by the Rule of 3. However, other modifiers are.

PSYCHIC BLAST (optional):
Give this character a ranged combat action. Damage dealt by this attack may not be reduced by any power that reduces damage dealt.

Psychic Blast has not changed at all under the Universe rules.


SMOKE CLOUD (optional):
Give this character a power action. This character may create up to 4 squares of hindering terrain anywhere within its range. A character with a range of 0 may place the markers in its square and in adjacent squares. Place up to 4 smoke terrain markers on the battlefield. Each smoke terrain marker must be adjacent to another smoke terrain marker created by this character. These terrain markers remain in place until the beginning of your next turn or until the power is countered or lost.

Smoke Cloud has not changed from the Indy rules at all. One interesting point is that they did not alter the wording to include the LOF requirement that is in the FAQs. I guess we will have to wait to see if that remains in the FAQs when the new Universe rules become official.

POISON (optional):
At the beginning of your turn, each opposing character adjacent to this character is dealt 1 damage.

Again, no changes here.

STEAL ENERGY :
Give this character 1 click of healing when a character this character hit with a close combat attack takes damage from that attack.

No changes here.

TELEKINESIS (optional):
Give this character a power action and choose one of the following:
(1) It may make one close combat attack. This attack deals no damage. If the attack is successful, you may move the target character up to 10 squares. The target character automatically breaks away and ignores the effects of characters and hindering terrain on movement. The target may be placed on elevated terrain but may not be placed in blocking terrain. This character must have a clear line of fi re to the target square.
(2) It may move a target adjacent object that is not being held—or a friendly character—up to 10 squares. The target character automatically breaks away and ignores the effects of characters and hindering terrain on movement. The target may be placed on elevated terrain but may not be placed in blocking terrain. This character must have a clear line of fire to the target square.
(3) It may make a ranged combat attack using an adjacent object that is not held by another character (see the “Objects” section of the rulebook). This character must have a clear line of fire to the target square.

Again, TK has not fundamentally changed. To see how using objects as weapons has changed in the Universe rules, refer to the rulebook review.



And so we come to the end of this chapter. Nothing to crazy here really. Next, I’ll be tackling Defense Powers, which looks like an easy one to tackle.

As always, questions and comments are welcome.

I think EE is going to change with the new rules in regards to multiple targets. See my commentary under the damage powers review on Enhancement and EE for my reasoning.

Hey, i've got a question about Poison, is Poision dealt DIRECTLY through whoever is taking it ( like can it go right through impervious,invulnerability and toughness??)

Nope. Poison damage is damage dealt. Impervious, Invulnerability, and Toughness all reduce damage dealt, so Poison damage is reduced normally.

o , that sucks

Just a quick post to let you know that these posts just keep on giving, Psy.

Despite being in the game for a while my play time is limited and Poison has rarely come up in games. With Man-Thing coming out with what appears to be a Plasticity/Poison combination I found myself wondering for a moment whether or not Poison had been FAQed into cutting through damage-reducing powers. I didn't think that was the case since it likely would have said so under "Poison" by now. Still, being able to search out a confirmation is wonderful. Thanks again for all the hard work and attention.