Yes... this is a chain thing (and I'll use nova's syntax to illustrate):

CL 1: Robot Sentry activates -> Exhausts Senator Kelly
CL 2: Senator Kelly activates -> Deals endurance damage equal to number of army Sentinel characters you control

Resolution

CL 2: Deals the damage equal to the # of Sentinels you control at time of resolution
CL 1: Exhausts Kelley

Now notice something, what if I had KO'd your Sentinels as a CL 3 (using Finishing Move or Gamma Bomb)?

Guess what... Kelly deals no endurance damage because damage is assessed at time of resolution. I got caught on that one and was summarily spanked for answering incorrectly.

My quote is actually just a knowledgeable demo guy at a tournament... nothing better than that. A guy had a deck of 60 Robot Sentries and tried to use it to permanetnly never allow the apponent to attack. Mr. Demo got on the phone, came back 5 minutes later and explained that since an attacker is paying to exhaust, things can be done (such as a Fastball Special) to prevent the attack, but exhausting the attacker does not work.

Well, the rules state otherwise, or why else would thay have that attack cancel/rewind rule?

I also have an email from Danny Mandel that states pretty much the same thing because the question came up with Dazzler's ability on a post somewhere on VSRealms and I emailed him about it for the FAQ.

Again... I could be wrong, but according to the rules and at least one other source at UDE, the way I'm describing it is pretty much the way it is.

Thanks Latuki, but saying that someone from an online message board knows someone who called someone to get the info won't cut it for some people I play with ;)

Joe:

I felt the same way too. I thought the only abilities or PTs that could interrupt an attack would be something that either stuns or takes the attacker out of play. But... why would the rules say 'before the attacker exhausts' unless it was accomodating for something that would prevent the character from exhausting (like making him/her exhausted).

I hope Alex chimes in on this because this is really crucial on how the game is played.

True... I am going to stop trying to make a point until someone who knows more than me steps in.

And for gnam, here is the email from Danny Mandel (one of the Game Designers). I asked about the difference between exhausting to activate abilities vs to attack:

These are two separate cases. When you want to use a payment power you pay all costs (including exhausting/activating a character if necessary) first to put the effect on the chain. Once the effect is on the chain it will resolve regardless of what happens to its source. So stunning Dazzler after she's used her power won't prevent its effect from resolving.

Declaring an attack works a little differently. When you want to have one or more of your characters attack an opposing character follow these steps:

Note: For you to declare an attack, it must be your attack step and the chain must be empty.

1. Choose one or more of your characters to be the PROPOSED attacker(s). The attacker must legally be able to attack. For example, it must be ready and it must be in the front row unless it has range.(Note, at this point the chosen character(s) is not yet an "attacker" and as such could not be targeted by anything that targets an "attacker".)

2. Choose an opposing character to be the PROPOSED defender. It must legally be able to be attacked. For example it must be unprotected unless all proposed attackers have flight. (Note, at this point the chosen character is not yet a "defender" and as such could not be targeted by anything that targets a "defender".

3. Making the above choices puts an effect on the chain that basically says: (When this effect resolves) if all of the proposed attackers are still legally able to attack the proposed defender, start the attack. (Note, an attack is a substep which includes the ATK and DEF comparisons that may leads to characters getting stunned and breakthrough.)

4. Each player has the opportunity to put more effects on the chain. Some of these effects may make the proposed attack illegal. For example, Dazzler exhausting one of the proposed attackers.

5. When the effect from #3 resolves, if the proposed attack is illegal (perhaps one of the attackers is no longer ready or the defender has left play) nothing happens. The attack never takes place and priority reverts to the player whose attack step it is. But if the proposed attack is still legal the attack begins and each proposed attacker exhausts. At this point the attack substep begins. Each proposed attacker becomes an "attacker" and the propsed defender becomes a "defender".

So basically when using a payment power that requires a card to exhaust you do the exhausting first in order to put the effect on the chain. But declaring an attack puts an effect on the chain first, and then, only when the effect resolves (and if the attack is still legal) does the proposed attacker(s) exhausts.

The reason you don't exhaust the proposed attacker(s) when you first declare the attack, is that one of the typical ways your opponent can prevent the attack is by exhausting your attacker.

I hope all of this makes sense. If you have more questions or need better clarification of the above let me know.

Thanks again,

Danny

This also explains why activating abilities cannot be interrupted, the effect goes on the chain, not the cost of activation (in this case, exhausting).

...and this game SEEMED so simple. Now I have a headache.

That pretty much clears up everything.

Thanks

So a deck consisting of 60 cards- all Robot Sentry- where you continuously prevent your opponent from attacking... it works?

Not exactly:

Robot Sentry
Activate -> Exhaust target character with a cost of 2 or less. Use this power only if you control another Doom character.

So... you need to control Doom first of all so just a deck of Robot Sentry's isn't gonna work.

And... only characters of cost 2 or less can be exhausted. So by turn 3 and beyond, he's in big trouble.

1) A Doom character is not DR DOOM but another character on the DOOM team.
2)Robot sentries can only exhaust folks under 2 points. So if you put a deck of 60 Robot Sentries you better hope your opponent does not play with any 3 cost character's because you wont be able to exhaust them.

3)So you can't prevent the reinforce (unless you directly negate the reinforce such as with a blind sided) but you CAN prevent the attack.

Sorry, Zaqir is right, I read it wrong... I thought it was 'control Dr. Doom'.

But again, by turn 3 and after it will be tough, Especially because the Sentry can't be dropped until turn 2.

You're right... Somehow the guy thought that a Sentry didn't have the cost 2 restriction. That explains it all. Alright, I'm appeased. :)

Still, we've worked out the initial sceneario from post one... And I was right in that case so I'm happy. :)

btw i am the guy Gnam plays and it was he who exhausted my reinforcing cost 1 sentinel... :)