Oh, please.

1) It's based on the film. He is with them a LOT.

2) He deserves the keyword WAY more then Dr. Voodoo and Sentroid deserve Avengers, to use recent examples.

lol, If I somehow won worlds, I would definitely make a broken Nightwing, with the "Leader" trait just to show everyone how a "figure is meant to be played"

NOTHING in Heroclix is a "horrible problem."

But people are here to ##### and commiserate about how stupid GD is. The arguments trying to paint the ruling as being logical or trying to have reasonably intelligent people buying "was the intent all along" just add to the eyerolling of the entire thing.

Sure, people could just ignore GD and play them according to common sense (and how they were originally costed, btw), and I strongly urge all to do so, but the thread exists to vent, and that's fine.

This.

In itself its not a big deal, but compared to other figures/game effects it kinda becomes a big deal since it wasn't needed. It'd be like giving figures with the symbol more drawbacks.

Gandalf can still play just fine with others, despite not granting theme team bonuses:

LETS HAVE THE CONTRACT: Gandalf can use Outwit and Perplex. If Gandalf uses Perplex to target another friendly character with whom he shares a keyword, he may use it normally, or he may modify any combat value other than damage by +2 or -2.

WE MUST AWAY 'ERE BREAK OF DAY: Thorin Oakenshield can use the Carry ability. When he does, he may carry two friendly characters if they both share a keyword with him. Thorin Oakenshield's speed value is not modified by the Carry ability.

THROUGH DUNGEON'S DEEP AND CAVERNS OLD: Give Thorin Oakenshield an epic action. Choose up to one adjacent friendly figure per 100 points of the build total with the Thorin & Company keyword. Chosen characters can use Willpower until your next turn and modify their speed value by +1.

not to mention "Gandalf the Black":

YOU CANNOT KILL THEM: Ringwraith can use Invulnerability. Modify the defense values of adjacent characters with the Nazgul keyword by the number of action tokens on Ringwraith.

WRAITHS ON WINGS: Black Rider can use Phasing/Teleport, Stealth, and the Carry ability. When he uses the Carry ability, he can carry up to two characters, if they each share a keyword with him or up to four characters if they have the Nazgul keyword.

FALLEN INTO DARKNESS: Servant of Sauron can use Blades/Claws/Fangs. When he does, on a result of 1-2 on the d6 roll, until the end of the turn any attack that hits made by friendly characters with the Nazgul keyword (including this one) is a critical hit.

ICY TOUCH: Nazgul can use Exploit Weakness. Give Nazgul a power action, whenever a friendly character with the Nazgul keyword damages an opposing character this turn, place an action token on the opposing character.

NINE KINGS OF MEN, DOOMED TO NEVER DIE: Whenever this character or another friendly character with the Nazgul keyword is KO'd, heal 1 damage on all friendly characters with the Nazgul keyword

Those are some pretty good ideas, Tidge.

Especially, 'Gandalf the Black.'

I have a hard time believing that was the intent all along though, to make Gandalf a better team player with the Nazgul than with Thorin and Co.

I've read the book. 17 ####### times. Don't presume to tell me anything about the book.

I mean based upon your 'assessment' Gandalf shouldn't have Fellowship as a KW either, as he was part of it for a few chapters in the book before he 'dies', and then is never seen with the entire group again

Again, these are not even based upon the books, but the movies (and I've seen The Hobbit 2x in theatre already). He should have the Thorin and Company KW. Period.

They gave The Goblin King Dol Guldur as a KW FFS, and he was never with a hundred leagues of the place.................(in either the book or the movie)

Spoilers: Gandalf the Grey is never seen again once he dies.

All that typing, and Gandalf still should have the Thorin and Co keyword.

Unless Tolkien comes up out of the grave, and tells me he shouldn't, there is no way I will ever change my mind on that.

Yes, the fact he dose not all but proves it was their intent for that trait to make him work on themes. That or that they are not fitt to design heroclix sets.

I concur, at least with Nightwing we'll hopefully get him in the Titan's set (hopefully not just Grayson as Robin), but with Gandalf come on

It's silly that they errata'd Nightwing/Gandalf. I listened to the latest ClixCast, and apparently they changed Nightwing/Gandalf because at the beginning of the game, if you forget to tell your opponent which keyword you chose, even if it's something obvious, you cannot use that keyword. And if you change your team in the midst of a tournament from a theme team, to a non theme team, (apparently according to TechG0d, you, as a player, must declare at the beginning of a game that you are using a specific theme team, even if it's obvious, or your not actually running a theme team, even if all of your clix have the same keyword.) you would be disqualified from the tournament for altering your team build. TechG0d stated that he asked R&D their intent when creating Nightwing/Gandalf and it sounded like R&D didn't really care either way. (I'm in the boat which believes that certain keywords wouldn't have been intentionally left off Nightwing, except that his trait gives him whatever keyword he wants) But if TechG0d thought that something imperative should be done about something, then sure, go for it. TechG0d stated that he doesn't know squat as far as whom should have what keyword, and that he doesn't playtest characters based on keywords.(They playtest power interactions, which would leave me to believe that they also don't playtest ATA) That leaves me assuming that WizKidz/Neca doesn't care what's done about heroclix as long as something getsdone. You have a rules arbiter that doesn't care for keywords, nor does he know much about the story to these characters. And the company in charge of producing and testing the product isn't passionate enough about what they produce, to convey in plain and simple English, the exact intent of a specific power or trait. In all honesty, I understand why TechG0d felt he had to change the rule. If it wasn't for forgetful players who do not know the rulebook inside and out, we would still have that amazing trait on our Nightwings/Gandalfs. He had to errata it for the sake of consistency. He had to errata them because people will forget to declare which keyword before the start of the first turn, and then as soon as they remember that they forgot to declare the keyword, they will expect their judge to rule that the guy complaining that the trait didn't get activated, is being a dink. (When in truth, the forgetting player who cries for a second chance to use his trait anyways is actually the dink.) He didn't really address anything about similar powers that allow you to give others keywords at the beginning of the game, other than they are "worded differently".

So the reason for the errata was "our players are stupid."

THIS IS THE WORST REASON FOR ANYTHING EVER.

They weren't worded differently, and that is the dumbest reason to change something in a game that I think I have ever heard...

"intent"...

Also, we have moved into "it's your fault I hit you" territory