For reference; Copycat's Power

"INFILTRATE MY ENEMIES: Before placing characters in your starting area, you may choose an opposing character that is 100 points or less. Copycat becomes friendly to that character's force and that character becomes friendly to your force. Any game effects assigned to each of them is now assigned to the other. When Copycat fails a roll for Shape Change or uses Regeneration, after actions resolve, this effect ends and any game effects assigned to each of them is now assigned to the other."

I've seen a lot of people state that you physically swap the characters. As in: if you have Copycat, and the opponent has, say, Doctor Bong, that when Copycat's owner (in this case "you") decides which character to switch with (in this case Doctor Bong) they hand over their Copycat and you get their Doctor Bong.

Basically: people say that Copycat goes in your opponent's starting area, and (in this case) Doctor Bong goes in your starting area.

Based on the wording of both the trait itself and the 2014 Rules Book, this doesn't appear to be the case.

1st. You can only place figures that are part of your force in your starting area.
The rules book states that:

"The first player places all of the characters on his
or her force on the map in his or her starting area. "

This implies that only you may place your force in the starting area you choose (or was chosen for you). Again, from the rules book:

"The point value that each character has printed
on its base is the number of points it costs to add
that character to your force. "

This implies that everything that you pay for is part of your force. Being friendly or not is a completely separate variable from being on or not on your force.

If Copycat read:

"INFILTRATE MY ENEMIES: Before placing characters in your starting area, you may choose an opposing character that is 100 points or less. Copycat becomes friendly to that character's force and that character becomes friendly to and part of your force. Any game effects assigned to each of them is now assigned to the other. When Copycat fails a roll for Shape Change or uses Regeneration, after actions resolve, this effect ends and any game effects assigned to each of them is now assigned to the other."

This would be very different, as you would have a reason to be placing the opposing character in your starting area. However, another issue arises even with that new wording. That issue being that it's possible that your opponent has already placed the figure you've chosen, which brings me to...

2. What if you go second?
It's entirely possible that you are going second, in which case the opponent has already placed Doctor Bong, and Copycat's power states nothing about swapping places with an already placed figure.
To quote Copycat's trait one last time:

""INFILTRATE MY ENEMIES: Before placing characters in your starting area, you may choose an opposing character that is 100 points or less. Copycat becomes friendly to that character's force and that character becomes friendly to your force. Any game effects assigned to each of them is now assigned to the other. When Copycat fails a roll for Shape Change or uses Regeneration, after actions resolve, this effect ends and any game effects assigned to each of them is now assigned to the other."

The bold part is incredibly important because, as the rules state:

"The first player places all of the characters on his
or her force on the map in his or her starting area.
The player to the first player’s left then places
all of his or her characters in his or her starting
area."

Meaning that you are meant to take turns placing, so if you place your pieces second, then Copycat's trait triggers AFTER your opponent has already placed their pieces, and, again, in this situation Copycat's power says nothing about placing him in another character's square.


tl;dr: Copycat seems to be part of your force, even if he is not friendly to it, meaning you place it. The rules regarding placing figures in turn-order seems to back up the statement that, if you go first, you place Copycat where you want it in your starting area, then your opponent places the figure you chose in their starting area, even though they're friendly to each others opponents.
(And, if you go second, it seems you may choose a character your opponent has already placed).

Am I correct in this reasoning?

This is really reaching, just play it the way it's meant to be played and nobody will get hurt

I emailed the Rules team about the trait and they said that:

The "swap" happens before either player places any of their game elements on the map.

So even if you go second then neither player has placed their characters on the map when the trait kicks off.

Sorry I don't have access to that email and I cannot take your word on it. This will need to be confirmed by either the Arb or a deputy.

Otherwise

Yeah, but I also got an email from them and it says that if I go second I cannot legally use her power since the first player has already placed his/her figures.

No offense meant towards you Bluerat, but this is specifically why the Email CANNOT be the main venue for rules communication.

I don't blame you to be honest I have emailed them about the double copycat issue yesterday and have yet to hear back. I think they are busy getting their heads together and trying to figure out just exactly how she works before saying anything else.

I don't blame them either, she is ripe for abuse and they really need to figure out how she works before anyone comes up with something game breaking.

I take issue with this as the rules specifically state that this is not the case. Players take turns placing figures, and Copycat's ability specifically states WHEN the swap takes place (before you place your figures). They could have easily said "after you reveal forces choose", but it's much more specific.

As for "how it's meant to be played": I honestly think this is how it's meant to played. Take the rules out of it, and it still makes sense thematically. Copycat is pretending to be a person on your opponent's team, so it makes sense for that person to START in your opponent's area. While your opponent's new Copycat starts in your starting area.

I can't just "take it how it's meant to be played", remember Mojo? I know what the intention there was, but the rules and wording did not allow Mojo to be played as intended, whether or not it's the intention to PHYSICALLY swap places. If the opponent has already placed their figure after you choose there is nothing in Copycat's trait that allows him to be placed in that figure's square.

I'm sorry, but I fail to see how you arrive at this conclusion. She states to make the swap PRIOR to you placing figures in your starting area. She does not say that it happens AFTER your opponent places his/her figures. The wording is very ambiguous.

The way it is worded the power triggers after forces are revealed, but before figures are placed on the map. According to Bluerat that was confirmed by his email.

"Before placing characters in your starting area"
-Copycat's Trait

This issue is the wording is specifically stating before YOU place character's in YOUR starting area. Because of the way it's worded, i have to assume it's directly before you place figures (again, the rules state that you take turns placing figures, so there would be a time-period in which this would trigger). I'm not saying it has to be after your opponent places figures, there just happens to be a chance the trait would trigger after that's occurred due to the way it's worded.

That is the problem right there

But that's a much smaller window than assuming it takes place when revealing your force. The power specifically states that it triggers before you place your pieces. The only thing I am assuming is that it takes place DIRECTLY before placing. In fact, if I could do it any time before placing my figures, then I could potentially wait until my opponent has placed figures. Then they cannot replace their figures (as the rules do not allow someone to have two rounds of placing). Saying that it could be any time before placing pieces is a much bigger assumption, wouldn't you agree?

My only question is why the most complicated figures like this can't be the subject of in-depth rules primers as part of their previews in the first place--in addition, in Copycat's place, to being previewed at all? It would potentially stop a lot of the concerns from ever coming up at all.

Hush you! That makes too much sense!

The issue I had with her was from this ability:When a player wanted to use Perplex or Outwit from Doctor Bong
Perplex and Outwit are standard powers that Doctor Bong can use... but only in very specific ways.

I think you're reading too much into this buddy. Let's try to break it down *DJ TrickyFinger, drops a beat!*

Here are all the rules for starting a game:

PREPARING FOR BATTLE
Once all players have assembled their forces, there are still a few steps to go through before the battle can begin.
STEP 1: REVEAL FORCES AND ESTABLISH THE FIRST PLAYER
All players reveal their completed forces. Then, each player rolls 2d6 (reroll ties). The player with the highest total result gets to choose who will be the first player. When playing with more than 2 players,
the player with the next highest total gets to choose who will be the second player, and so on.
Each player turns the combat dial of each of his or her characters to the starting position. The starting position has a click number marked “1” and/or is the click to the right of the starting line.
Once a character’s combat dial has been turned to its starting position, players can turn the dial only when directed to do so by a game effect, such as taking damage or healing.

STEP 2: CHOOSE MAP AND STARTING AREAS
The first player chooses the map where the game will occur. After the first player chooses the map, the player to his or her left chooses the starting area—an area of squares inside a purple boundary line—where he or she will set up his or her force. If there are more than two players,
continue clockwise around the table until everyone has chosen a different starting area. In two-player games, the chosen starting areas must always be on opposite sides of the map. If either player’s force will not fit within the purple lines, all starting areas increase by one row and one column but can’t overlap another player’s starting area. Starting areas can be extended until each player’s force will fit in their respective starting area.

STEP 3: PLACE CHARACTERS
The first player places all of the characters on his or her force on the map in his or her starting area. The player to the first player’s left then places all of his or her characters in his or her starting area. If there are more than two players, continue clockwise around the table until all players have placed their forces in their starting areas. You will constantly pick up your characters during a game to look at or turn their dials; you may want to mark the square your character was in so that you always return it to the correct square.

Once Steps 1–3 are complete, play begins with the first player.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Copycat:
"INFILTRATE MY ENEMIES: Before placing characters in your starting area, you may choose an opposing character that is 100 points or less. Copycat becomes friendly to that character's force and that character becomes friendly to your force. Any game effects assigned to each of them is now assigned to the other. When Copycat fails a roll for Shape Change or uses Regeneration, after actions resolve, this effect ends and any game effects assigned to each of them is now assigned to the other."

Ok, each player reveals their force and determine who goes first. Copycat now states that before placing characters in your starting area, you may choose a character and that character becomes friendly to your force. No figures have been placed in the starting area yet. We're still in Step One.
Copycat alters the way we normally start a game, I place my force, you place yours and we play (Copycat allows the player to "swap" one figure on the opponent's force with Copycat.)

Also, placing characters in your starting area is not turn-based (I place a figure, then second player, then back to me, and so on...)

I've seen the confusion it creates when you each player has a Copycat but in general, the intent is pretty clear on what is supposed to happen.

Hopefully that helps. Otherwise, send an email to the deps and get some learning in you!

DEAR GOD THIS!!!

I've been saying this for awhile now. When you make something that has complicated interactions, have a thread on here all ready to go on release day or prior detailing what happens. There's another popular game that does this. Get on it.

"Your interpretation is incorrect.

Copycats effect activates before any player places their figures on the map. If both players are playing Copycat, then each players Copycat effect will resolve before players place their figures on the map. Copycat's effect does indeed force you to switch figures with your opponent. Once all switching has occurred, each player would then place their figures on the map.

Hope that helps.

Chris, Heroclix Rules Deputy"

Direct from the Rules Deputy, for all people coming into this thread now.

I still find it odd that Copycat does not just state "when you reveal your force, choose a character" and "place the chosen character as if it were part of your force". It would alleviate a lot of questions, I think.