ive been looking up the answer for these two questions for a while now and on them both i keep getting different answers, i know only one can be correct i just dont know what to believe anymore


1. Defend
does defend activate upon someone attacking the character, or is it constant?

ACTIVATE
Mr.Pe is adjecent to Mr.De.
an enemy Perplexes Mr.Pe's defense down 1 point and then targets him for a ranged attack. Mr.De then uses his DEFEND power to let Mr.Pe borrow his 19 Defense during the attack, and then exclaims SUCK IT to the attacker.

outcome, Defend will ALWAYS override perplex.

CONSTANT
Mr.Pe is Adjacent to Mr.De
at the beginning of the turn Mr.De uses Defend to replace Mr.Pe's shoddy defense with a massive 19. Mr.Pe is a coward so he then uses perplex to boost his defense up 2 more points to 21. he then cackles maniacally.

outcome, Defend can be used in harmony with perplex.




TRAITS
Johnny Awesome has a trait that says
"johnny Awesome can use charge
Johnny Awesome has running shot"

now can i, or can i not outwit either of those two powers?
i know if it was something like
"Johnny Awesome is awesome, he can move 5 squares and then shoot you or punch you"
i cant outwit it, because its giving him some weird ### special ability, but i thought i read if all the trait does is let you use a normally power, the trait cant be outwited itself, but the powers can like normal.

or like my judge told me ANYTHING with a trait star is considered off limits?

2. you can't outwit a trait. Ever.

1. I think it is constant.

If a trait says that a character possesses a power, it can be countered, if it says that they can use a power, it cannot be countered. Only powers possessed by a character can be countered.

When it comes to defend or any other power that replaces a value, you replace and then modify so your 13 defense can be replaced by a 19 defense via Defend or a similar power and modified by Perplex or a similar power provided you used perplex to increase your defense during your last turn.

malger is correct.

To specifically address whether or not it is constant or activated, it is only shared during the attack.

On page 6 of the rulebook, you will find Heroclix Golden Rule #1:
"1) THE RULE OF REPLACE THEN MODIFY
Whenever a combat value needs to be calculated for any game effect, the controller of the character whose value needs to be calculated starts with the printed value, applies all replacement values in any order, then applies the sum of all modifiers to arrive at a final result. Remember that a locked replacement value will override any other replacement values and modifiers."

It works in the way that you describe to say that the value isn't increased, but because of this rule it IS increased. (It used to work your way, though, so don't feel bad.)

does the trait have to actually say
"Johnny Awesome Possesses Running Shot"

or can it say "has running shot"
??

and im more worried about the timing of defend, can i turn it on and off all willy nilly, is it always on no matter what, or are there only specific times i can turn it on?
each of those three things changes how it works completely.

ok, awesome. thanks for the help you guys!

has=possesses. They're the same thing, although possesses is used more on current figures.

And defend says you MAY do it, so you get to make that choice anytime you have the opportunity to replace the character's defense value.

ok nice, i actually think i get it now hahaha.


i have 13 defense and i perplex it up to 14
on my opponents turn he perplexes it back down to 13
he attacks me

i decide to use a neighbor character to replace my defense with his 19.
i start at my 19, then i re-add my perplex up to 20, and then re-add his perplex back down to 19.
i have 19 defense during this attack.

Correct. Now if they really want to confuse you the defend (Defenders) train can be mentioned. But who would be that evil

Just remember you can't use perplex during an action; whereas i think Defend has no restrictions on when it can be used (or applied).

Uhh.. i think..

im assuming you mean that since the defend replaces the printed value, the next person in line then can use defend at his new higher value?

i was trying to find a way to get a figure with Combat Reflexes to base a figure, and then diagonally place a figure with Energy Shield and get them both to share an 18 defense and then use the shield/reflexes to bump both their defenses up to 20 when attacked.
i figured i can do it at 400 points if i Thunderbolt them to the Defenders or Fantastic Force ability.

i canhave bullseye or Hawkeye leading the 20 defense charge straight down the middle of the battlefield

YES.











You can get a definitive answer. See above.

I barely remember that Defend say "Replace the defense value until the end of the action..." or something like that. But now don't say anything like that. Then how long lasts Defend???

As seen in bold above, replacement values are in effect as long a character can meet the requirement, which in the case of Defend is as long as the character having its defense replaced is adjacent to the character with Defend. That said, since Defend says "you may replace", the adjacent character can stop using it at any time.