Alright, I've been playing since this game came out and use to be fairly versed in the rules and will admit I'm not 100% on the white powers that grant multiple powers.

They typically seem to come down to one word in the rules as to if you can only use one, or use both.

Unus-SS triggers when you are hit and Imp triggers when you take damage so SS first and then Imp.

Leader-Was a bit confused at first...Mastermind and Toughness. He cannot use both because both powers trigger when he takes damage? When multiple things happened with figures you control, I thought you could pick the order they happened so couldn't Toughness happen and then MM the rest?

Is there some simple explanation to teach someone how to know when some can be used together and when others can't? I am okay I think on attack powers due to most requiring power actions and you can only take one power action a turn.

For the most part, it is simply a matter of compatability. If it is the fact that all the powers are house under the same special power, try pretending for the moment that all the standard powers given by a SP are not crammed into one square, but placed into a dial large enough to accomodate them (in the case of a figure like Mandarin, you'd need a dial window with 8 slots instead of 4 , but humor me for the moment, please).

Now, JL Flash for example. One of them could use Charge AND Flurry. Charge is a power action that grants a free close combat action. Flurry is a close combat action, so those work fine. Another Flash in that set could use HSS AND Phasing/Teleport. Both of those are power actions (and neither one grants a free power action); since you can't give a character more than one non-free action in a turn you can't use both.

Now take your leader example. He's got both Toughness and Master Mind. Neither one is an action, so compatibility isn't an issue; instead timing is what is important here. If you read the timing of Master Mind:

Each time this character would be dealt damage, you may instead choose to have all the damage be dealt to a single adjacent friendly character with a lower point value than this character.

'Would be' as in 'before it actually happes'. MM kicks in before Toughness just like Super Sense prevents the attack before damage is dealt by Impervious with Unus.

If there are ever two effects/power/abilities, etc that do occur simultaneously, then yes, you generally do get to pick which happens first unless it has been spelled out otherwise in the documentation.

Does that help?

In the case of The Leader, basically he has Mastermind, but if there's no fodder to pass it off to, then he has Toughness. That's the easiest way to explain that particular power.

Thanks NV and JDKenada.

What this basically means is we will need to have the PAC on-hand at all times and for once truly understand the rules not just play by them.

Heaven forbid

Yup, and a degree in English and a masters in Semantics. My thesis is on the dynamics of FAQ theory.



If this game gets any more complicated I'm going back to Fasa's Starfleet Battles.

What a concept. If nothing else, as a Judge, I'm SO happy about these powers. It's forcing players to READ the PAC and understand what actions can and can't work together.

Isn't that the truth. I still remember the first time I used Charge and Flurry against a player (who was playing the same Flash oddly enough). Man did they argue with me.

Of course, the same day I tried telling someone that you can't in fact charge and make two attacks with a duo character.

Can Green Scar use both Impervious and Willpower?

For instance, Green Scar's special defense is showing. You attack someone this turn, then next turn you attack him again. Now you just used Willpower. The guy you just attacked turns around and hits you. Does Impervious now kick in?

Yes, you can use Impervious and Willpower.

Great explanation , Normalview .

The only thing that prevents powers from combining are "actions".

Defensive powers generally do not require "actions" (except for Regen and I'm sure something else...)

You don't take an action, though, to use Super-Senses, or Willpower, or ES/D - so compatibility is never an issue.

Seth told an interesting story about when he was designing multi-powers and whether to use "AND" or "OR". He decided it would be less confusing with "AND" since the "Action-type" will let players know which powers can be used simultaneously and which ones can't. (You can't take 2 Power Actions at the same time, for example or take a Move Action and a Power Action at the same time). He felt, by using "OR" players would think they were forced to pick one and then not be able to use the other.

So if someone had "Ultimate Awesomeness": This figure can use ES/D, Shape-Shift, Super-Senses, and Impervious -- each power would come into effect at its correct moment per the PAC.

You target UA figure with a ranged attack, he checks his Shape-shift to see if he can indeed be targeted. He fails and you can. Then you shoot at him. His ES/D adds +2 to his defense - but you roll high enough. Super-Senses kicks in to see if he jumps out of the way in time. He doesn't. Impervious now kicks in to see if the damage actually hurts him. He rolls a 6 and shrugs it off.

You weep, he laughs.

Fin

barrier. thats the other one

My best recommendation is to keep on top of the most current rules and PAC. Most of the answers you are looking for are related to what type of action/attack (close combat, ranged, free, power) a particular power requires to activate or provides so that another power may be used. In the case of SPs that reference an existing power then you can consult the PAC.