(Razznfrazzn edit time-out...)

To finish another thought in my comment to mbdeyes:
In most instances (aside from new wrinkles such as this Mind Control escape from pushing damage) they're trying to use the term "free action" to describe items we're familiar with. When you step back and look, it really makes great sense to approach the terminology this way.

That's the interpretation, yeah. Apparently a significant number of people felt that the push damage element was a problem. I wasn't one of them, but apparently they're out there. It really means that a) a mind controller needs to choose his action carefully, controlling someone who can do serious damage to his team, and b) we're going to be looking for a few clicks of Psychic Blast in any acceptable future revisions of Prof. X!

I haven't dug into the rules and PAC for the specifics on Mind Control, so the above is largely what I've pulled from the explanations.

The only real blunder I can see is the Team Ability Optional/Not able to Cancel thing.

I will take it to mean what the old rules say, until further clarification. A team ability can't be countered by Outwit, etc., but is 'Optional' (see pg 8) for the Friendly Player (I can still Perplex my Batman team so that I can use my Robin to embarass my friend who's using the Hulk )

Yes, the Team Ability option/non-option is something else to be hit in the FAQ.

Thanks again - and I also sincerely extend that to docx, crow, etc. who tried to clear things up for me earlier. Hopefully I didn't give them all headaches. I just needed to see all the details and watch them fit together; I dig my heels in when I think something's being forced on me without proper explanation. I like to know what medicines I'm taking and why.

Now... I'm back to where I've been for the past couple weeks: trying to figure out how much I'll still enjoy playing now that carried figures can't move or attack. But, at least they can still Perplex & Outwit, so that's a little something...

Yes, and this directly references Miraclo's concern that ther is not yet a "move" free action. Under Mind Control, every action is a "free action", so you may take a move action as such. That's when a move action is a "free action" and the reason for the language.

As for Mind Control, this was clearly changed for two reasons:

1) Mind Control is pretty close to being the same point value cost as incapacitate, and is clearly superior (but not anymore).
2) A "Mind Control Chain" where you first mind control saturn girl, who next mind controls eclipso, who next mind controls despero, is no longer as hurtful as it once was, since they don't all get action tokens. Now the only reason to do it is to mind control someone out of range or someone who you'd have a hard time hitting (i.e., saturn girl has a higher attack value than your mind controller has).

Can you take free actions when you have two action tokens? If so, that eliminates a primary defense against MC.

My other question deals with hindering and blocking terrain. From my understanding, Barrier will no longer protect you from elevated attacks. A Barrier is now considered "grounded" blocking terrain, which does not block line of fire from an elevated attacker unless it's part of the same square as the target. Since you can never stand on top of a barrier, then it won't ever protect from elevated attack. That completely sucks.

Most people I talk to feel that Incapacitate is overpriced anyway. If they're worth about the same, then it would stand to reason that MC would be superior (unless overpriced as well.)

But oh well. For the most part, I'm satisfied with the new rules. The NAAT will have to have it's fine points worked out (for instance, can a figure who has just taken an action token then be carried?), but I think it will open the game up to more creative strategy than just overpowering with Flyers. Leap Climbers just got a boost.

The use of RCE & CCE both require giving the fig a Power Action, as does either Running Shot or Charge. Since you can'y give someone two actions, they can't be combined.

Yep. As is so often the case, the best learning occurs when one's attempting to teach. Once I tried to address his problem all the pieces clicked into place.

Thanks for the critical side of the old Mind Control rules. It wasn't something I had problems with, but then again I don't get to play very often and hadn't come up against a Mind Control fanatic. Aside from that, the point control comparison with Incapacitate wasn't one I was aware of. Generally I've been more of a fan of Incapacitate all along (and even moreso once Green Arrow was included) so I tended to hold it in higher esteem.

That last bit's a good question. If the Mind Control imparts a truly Free Action to the target, I'd guess one could still control someone with two tokens, but I could just as easily see them being prohibited from doing anything - being theoretically too tired or tied up to move. Another interesting item for the FAQ!

Here's the rub in determining whether the JLA/Avenger/Top Cow etc character can move after being taxied:

The Glossery defines 'free action' as two very different things:

A) A free action is an action that does not come from your allotment of actions - ie using a team ability that does not use your 3 actions for a 300 point team is called a 'free action'.

B) 'free actions' do not assign action tokens to characters - ie if it assigns an action token it is not a 'free action'.

These two sentences (the first and last in the definition) are mutually exclusive - and they can't be.

In the FAQ - they need to eliminate one of the sentences. Either a free action does not use one of your alloted actions or it does not assign an action token.

The confusion is - if the free action does not use an action token, then it makes no sense to say it does not use an alloted action since it doesn't use an action at all. By stating that a free action does not use one of your ALLOTTED actions, it states that other actions are all free actions.

Normally I go to intent to decide what they meant - but on this one I'm not sure. I would surmise you can't move - because the rationale to not allowing taxied figs to attack was you are getting 2 actions - a move and an attack. If you can move after being taxied then you are getting 2 moves.

IM GOIN MAD THE SKY IS FALLEN!!!!!

While I'll be watching for the new FAQ (and expecting that it might not appear until the Oct. 1st commercial release date for Indyclix - which is something I'm fine with, as they'll want to carefully get it together, and none of this is presumably official until then anyway) I'm satisfied that I have a much better understanding of what's going on now.

I can hardly believe how much time I've spent on this site today, however much off-and-on it was. Tomorrow I'm going to have the emotional equivalent of the Morning After. I'm going to unsubscribe from this thread now - after thanking, once again, those who took the time to try to help - so I don't keep getting email alerts.

I refer you to the definition of "free move" in the glossary ... now please explain how Top Cow etc does not meet this definition.

Andy

What does the defintion of Free Move have to do with the Top Cow team ability? The TA says that any Move Action does not count against the allotted actions. Nowhere in the TA is Free Action mentioned.

I don't see "Free Move" anywhere in the glossary.....