Ok, this is the way that I play/understand the game and if this isn't correct please tell me why, not just that I am wrong, but why (and why the heck it should be the way you are saying).

When adding an effect to the chain:
Step 1: First things first, check to make sure that step 3 can be fulfilled. Next, check the conditions which are required to add the effect to the chain (i.e. "whenever" text, character state for activated powers, #of characters on in play, etc.). If all conditions are met, proceed to step 2.
Step 2: Pay all costs which are required to add the effect to the chain. Once all costs are paid, proceed to step 3.
Step 3: Fill in the blanks. Any text that says "target X" should be replaced with character/plot twist/player names depending on the X. Once this is done, the full effect is on the chain. If in this step there is no target, then there is no purpose for playing the card, thus you should not have even got to step 1.

Now lets apply this to Avalon Space Station:
1. Can I target anything? Well, I can if there is a character card in my ko'd pile, or if there will be one by step 3. Lets say for this example there are no characters in my ko'd pile, but the card I am going to discard is a character card (Lets say Wolverine).
2. Pay all costs. Activate Avalon Space Station and discard Wolverine.
3. Replace "target character card" with "Wolverine" so it reads "Return Wolverine from your KO'd pile to your hand.".

Now the effect is on the chain. I don't see why this is invalid. If UDE wanted it to be the other way around, they should have made the cards differently. If they wanted it that way, I think the card should read:

Oh, hey Locke.

I just noticed that you're the other Vs System Netrep (Mitchell being the other) that Alex was telling me about. He made a good choice, that's for sure. :)

All effects are added to the chain in the order I provided. The reason being (I'm speculating the reason here, not the rule) that costs are paid only once everything else related to the effect has been put in order. You aren't going to be allowed to pay for an effect unless you can do everything else related to the effects (proper timing, proper targets, etc). Activate, Discard a card is the payment for Avalon Space Station. So you do this last.

I appreciate that. I hadn't bothered acting officially here because of the presence of Mitchell and so many other knowledgable people here, but someone said it would help so I added the sig.

So you are saying that you could infact announce an effect activation without verifying the cost requirements? You would actually determine that during {Step 3}? Or are you simply covering the bases and saying that *IF* in the event some mystical force were to strip you of your ability to pay, the effect would rewind?

Interesting indeed.

Thanks Locke

"So you are saying that you could infact announce an effect activation without verifying the cost requirements? You would actually determine that during {Step 3}? Or are you simply covering the bases and saying that *IF* in the event some mystical force were to strip you of your ability to pay, the effect would rewind?"

The rule for rewinding actions is there for "what happens if I accidentlally announced something illegally?" situations.

So I can bluff?

I 'announce' Nasty Surprise or Savage Beatdown and then say... "oops... the character is not the attacker or is not the defender" and then give them something to think about on their next attack.

Hehe. Not like *I* would do something like that... at least not on purpose.

The word Accidentally is in my post for a reason. Intentionally performing illegal actions is cheating.

Intentionally "bluffing" illegal actions that you fully plan to reverse is at the very least Unsporting Conduct and will be dealt with as such.

Of course these rules are tournament rules, so at home you can certainly do this, just dont' expect to have many friends ;-)

oooo... another Yugioh ruling.... but now UDE can actually answer it...

so the question on the table is:

"if i activate a Plot Twist, can i take it back?" or "if i Recruit a character, can i take it back?". both of these assume that the correct Threshold/Resource points are in play, and that the player has NOT performed another action, or passed priority.

this may only be termed "Sloppy Play" by the Penalty Guidelines, and a minor procedural penalty is issued.

or, if you actually play it and the timing is correct, the card effect must remain, chain, whatever in play...

will be interested in the outcome of this answer... :cheeky:

Thanks Mitchell, it makes perfect sense. I'd be interested to know what the answer to gary's question is too ;).

No, not if I am the Judge. Once you announce and perform a LEGAL action, you are stuck with it. (There is some grey area here and it is up to the Judge to determine this.) At the PCQ we had a guy with the 8 drop Invisible women in play. On turn 9 they played the 1 drop invisibale women. After he had placed it on the table and completely removed his hand, he realized what he had done and wanted to take it back. The ruling was he could not.

"Sloppy Play" is not a reason to rollback the game, if I determine that it was legally played, then they are stuck with it.

yikes! quit the costly mistake. but then again... I suppose his first mistake was running the 8 drop invis woman in the first place o_O heh. j/k.

well Chad, that's the way we all would deal with it 90% of the time... the other 10% is thrown in due to "circumstances"....

but it would be nice to have an official comment, or at least an official comment stating that its the judge's call...