DRAIN THE SPECTRUM: At the beginning of your turn, choose red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, or purple. This turn, opposing characters within 8 squares of Black Hand displaying a power of the chosen color modify their defense values by -2.

Can the choice of color be made while NOT in 8 squares of an opposing figure? for example:

1. I declare a choice color, but still out of the 8 range.
2. Move Black hand in position within 8 of and opposing figure therefore triggering DTS.

Yes. That will work fine. (Remember to make the color choice at the beginning of your turn.)

Quick answer is Yes!

Just wondering why you'd think that didn't work? Did someone tell you it didn't, or did someone try using that 'against' you and you just wanted to be sure it was legal?

The answer is of course yes BTW.

Just make sure you don't use his Outwit to counter the only power with the chosen color.

Example...choose red...Outwit Flash's Super Senses...Attack Flash...there's no -2 as the red power is gone.

I could be wrong but drain the spectrum says when "opposing characters within 8 squares of Black Hand displaying a power of the chosen color modify their defense values by -2." which means outwitting the power won't matter for DTS.

the power is displayed on the dial no matter if it is outwitted or not, correct?

That's how I used him. I was under the impression that as long as the correct color was visible on the dial (it didn't matter if the power was outwitted or not) then the -2 was used.

If this is wrong let me know. I sold my Black Hand but my friend loves using his in almost every team.

Even if it's outwitted the color is still visabley there. It doesn't just fade away, so yeah, you can outwit it.

Both Harpua and normalview have indicated that Outwitting a power does remove it from dial so the modification from Drain the Spectrum will not apply. You can see their opinions in posts 8 and 9 of this thread.

I see your point about their posts but if you read them, they too aren't quite sure how it's ruled...

The way Black Hand's power says "displayed" seems to indicate that the intention is to ignore the effects of outwit for the defense modifier.

If they wanted outwit to cancel the effects of Drain the Spectrum, they could have just as easily used the word possess instead of displayed. The power would work nearly the exact same way.

DRAIN THE SPECTRUM: At the beginning of your turn, choose red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, or purple. This turn, opposing characters within 8 squares of Black Hand [that possess] a power of the chosen color modify their defense values by -2.

Or, to avoid it effecting traits and other things that grant possession and stick to the color thing, use both display and possess together.

DRAIN THE SPECTRUM: At the beginning of your turn, choose red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, or purple. This turn, opposing characters within 8 squares of Black Hand displaying [and possessing] a power of the chosen color modify their defense values by -2.

So does a character with Leap/Climb via a trait count as "showing Orange"? What about a character with Force Field assigned?

No to both.

A few days ago, before Force Field received its errata, it would have counted.

To have the color, you must possess the power.

Just make sure you don't use his Outwit to counter the only power with the chosen color.

Example...choose red...Outwit Flash's Super Senses...Attack Flash...there's no -2 as the red power is gone.
Wouldn't the color still remain? You're outwitting the ability not the presence of the color on the dial.

No, you're countering the power, not an ability. Combat abilities can be countered (like Flight and Giant Stride) but powers are not abilities.


A countered powered is no longer possessed. True, a little man doesn't run out on to the map with a bottle of white-out to cover over the countered power on the dial, but as far as the rules of the game are concerned a countered power no longer exists.