If an effect, such as Flag Smasher's trait (which I can't copy/paste right now) tells me to pick a copyable Marvel Team Ability, can I pick an Alternate Team Ability? I know ATAs are generally treated like TAs, but this seems a little broad.

I seem to recall a ruling made about this in another thread, but I don't recall which thread it was.

I believe it was ruled that you can't choose ATAs, but I don't really remember off the top of my head.

ATAs aren't "treated like" TAs. They are team abilities. The difference between, say, Masters of Evil and Thunderbolts is that MoE is a standard team ability while Thunderbolts is an additional team ability. Unfortunately, Morlocks and Serpent Society have been relegated to ATAs.

You are correct. Chrisdosmil posted the following, in this thread, prior to the exodus of the Oranges.

However, that ruling was directly in regards to Flagsmasher. No sort of general ruling was made. If a character with wording identical to Flagsmasher was released tomorrow, that character could use ATAs barring a similar ruling *OR* a new, general ruling. Because right now, there really is no difference between TAs and ATAs.

True enough. Had I not seen this particular ruling, if it had come up at an event I was running, I probably would have ruled that he could choose an ATA.

This made me picture a bunch of fruit oranges rolling out of town....

Per Wizkids though that is no longer an official ruling unless it is emailed to someone

While I am joking, this is actually and sadly an accurate statement. If it was ruled on via post here but not via email and the official rules documentation has not been updated, technically it is no longer a rule....

That announcement never said anything about previous rulings being invalidated.

I realize many (most?) don't like the change. Can't say I fully understand it, either. But let's not make more out it than it really is, please.

Flag-Smasher just needs an erratum to add the word "standard" to his power, then.

I asked about previous rulings and got the following response:
Come to think of it, I should probably post that in its own thread just so it's out there more obviously.

Again I was joking. But as written my statement is "technically" correct. They said that official rulings are only via the rules documents and email.

With that said, I personally will continue to hold them as current and accurate rulings.

As you should, given what I quoted. They should probably amend the announcement to reflect that policy.

Curiously, Morlocks and Serpent Society are still listed under standard team abilities, but with "see ATA section."

Thanks for digging that up.

Wow, that applies to *all* the third party forums that they've posted to? Wow, I need to go start checking all those other forums...