Yeah, but then he'd be using his abilities on the actual player, instead of on his characters or on his 'mind' [his resources, specifically his hand]

Prof X is able to control people's minds ... so he would be just as likely to be able to 'take control' of the opponent's decisions for the turn.

In fact, making decisions for the opponent wouldn't make much sense for induced madness because there would be an obvious 'method' to that madness ... you're suggesting a mind control mechanic. While it would fit the 'alter reality' part of the requirement, it wouldn't fit the 'induced madness' part.

But, I know what it's like to want a fave character to have a completely broken ability ;) ...

However, based on how the game's 'themes' go [i.e. freezing = inability to ready, hand = mind (card draw = gaining knowledge, discard = attack against the mind)] it doesn't fit.

This isn't always the case [Catwoman represents stealing something ... although the could be 'information' more or less] but there are general trends in how certain powers are represented.

Not to mention, making decisions for the opponent would be game altering and nearly impossible to balance. If given the chance, the opponent would refuse to place a resource, or recruit a character, would make sub par attacks, waste plot twists, KO resources via flipping that same location, recruiting a lower cost version of a character he controls to hurt board presence, etc, etc, etc ...

Well said, and agreed.

Madness could include some kind of randomizing element... but we don't want to bring dice into this game. Maybe something with random cards from hand.

Madness could include characters not being able to do what they usually do... but that is not wacky enough.

And... I am too wacky to think of anything that would actually work.

How about an effect that discards random cards from the deck?

So far the only 'randomization' element has been random card from hand [i.e. Joker] or coin flip [i.e. Two-Face].

Random card from hand should work.

It could even be something as simple as:

"At the start of the combat phase, target opponent randomly selects a card from your hand. Reveal that card and return it to your hand.

If the revealed card is a character: Exhaust a character with a cost equal to or less than the revealed character's. Discard a card.

If the revealed card is a plot twist: Your opponent cannot play plot twists with a cost equal to, or lesser than the cost of the plot twist revealed.

If the revealed card is a location: KO up to X locations, where X is the cost of the location revealed. For each location of your opponent's KO'd, put the top card of your deck into his resource row. For every location of yours KO'd, put the top card of your opponent's deck into your resource row.

If the revealed card is an equipement: Your opponent must randomly discard X cards where X is the cost of the revealed equipment + 1. Your opponent then draws the same number of cards."

Or something like that ... but the idea of a random card from your hand and the various stats of those cards determing what happens to the opponent.

i agree, Shade wouldn't be unique, and each shade would have an ability- akin to cosmic counters, that did something very unusual. as Rac Shade was a poet and not much of a fighter (with few exceptions) his abilities would affect the game in a way similar to the emperor joker- an alternate win conditon that could change with every shade played (FLUXX anyone?) throw in shade's real and imaginary friends (and various angels, ghosts, devils and hermaphrodites) and it could be the most fun deck out there.