How would Energy Explosion interact with Magneto’s Magnetic Shield Power if he became a target by being adjacent to the original target? Would the character using Energy Explosion have to halve their range value and would the attack still happen if the character was no longer in range after halving their range value? Or would Magneto and potentially the other targeted characters no longer be legal targets, therefore resolving the attack? Or does the “becomes” wording from Energy Explosion override everything with this interaction? My curiosity about the “become” part is that it happens in the third step of the attack sequence while the matter of legal and illegal targets happens in the first step. Maybe I’m overthinking this lol.



Energy Explosion RANGE: Make a range attack, and all other characters adjacent to an original target also become targets. Hit characters are dealt 2 damage instead of normal damage.

From page 14 of the Core Rulebook regarding legal and illegal targets (part of step 1 of attack sequence)


Once targets are determined, an effect may make a currently targeted character an illegal target. The same effect sometimes allows the attacker to choose new target(s) for the attack. If all targets of an attack become illegal and no further targets can be chosen, the attack immediately resolves (see step 7).

From page 15 of the Core Rulebook regarding “Becomes” (part of step 3 of attack sequence)

Some effects cause a character to become the target, or hit or missed target, of an attack and use the term “becomes.” When this occurs, the affected character(s) automatically become whatever the effect specifies and bypass any effects that would cause the attack or hit or miss to be illegal.

It doesn't actually accomplish anything. The original character has already been targeted, range and LoF has been determined. Halving the attackers range later in the sequence doesn't do anything.

Ok good to know.

Me: "I'm not a contrary person"

Also Me: *tries to find a corner case special power that would check range value after hitting with energy explosion*

Closest I got:
She has a trait that would check range value at the appropriate time (I think) and even has Energy Explosion, but unless I'm mistaken using current Energy Explosion would make it a moot point anyway since it doesn't use damage value at all

I'm sorry, but I'm not following. This all occurs during Step 1 Determine Targets, and this step specifically allows for a target becoming an illegal target. Unless you're saying "Combat values are calculated only when needed.(P.6)" and you calculate once, before you target, and don't calculate it again during the same attack. In which case, this entire power is moot.

You don't recalculate the range value after Energy Explosion triggers and targets the other characters. You only calculate range value for the original target.

It also doesn't matter because Magneto "becoming" a target would bypass any effect preventing it from taking place:

I'm not following what you're not following.

Walk through it step by step.

1. Attacker activates EE.
2. Original target is determined (this is when range is calculated).
3. Adjacent characters now become targets.
4. Magneto is now targeted, and his effect halves the attackers range, which has no effect at this point.

So yes, with this specific case, Magneto's effect is pretty much irrelevant. Nothing in any part of this situation ever makes any target illegal.

So where is this different than targeting Magneto directly.
1. Calculate range
2. Target Magneto
3. Range is halved, but too bad, you already calculated range for this attack?

Not sure how you are getting that order of operations. It would be this since Magneto is now the original target:

Targeting Magneto directly:
1. Target Magneto
2. Range is halved
3. Calculate range

Magneto becoming a target from Energy Explosion:
1. Target original target
2. Calculate range
3. Magneto becomes a target
4. Range is halved

All those steps are essentially simultaneous. Targeting involves choosing a character to be targeted, and checking for range/LoF.

With Magneto's effect, when you intend to target him, your range is halved, and then you determine if he is within range. If he is not, then he cannot be chosen as a target, and you have to back up to the beginning of the sequence.

You need to realize that this is a really old figure, and is written in such a way that it doesn't play well on a technical level with the rules. It is pretty obvious how it is supposed to work, though.

Ok, so let me try this breakdown.
1a. Choose who you 'want' to target.
1b. Targeting effects kick in, including 'would be targeted' effects like SC, for both attacker and/or targets as applicable, lasting as long as the given source of the effect is still a target. Re-select original targets as allowed/necessary.
1c. Calculate your current Range, and your current LOF abilities.
1d. Ensure your original targets are within Range and LOF.
1e. Targets finalized, proceed to Step 2 of the attack sequence.
Then, effects like EE can only kick in after the original targets are finalized.

Pretty much, yeah. Magneto's effect causes what usually would be one step in general to be split up, which makes it a little awkward under the current (much more specifically outlined) rules. If this effect were written today, it would probably look quite different.