I was watching a recent ROC qualifier and did not quite understand an issue they had with pulse ware and modifying the characters range.

when a character is using pulse wave, how does the replace then modify work? In the video the person pulse waving was told that the modifying must be done first and the halfing done after. Because of the confusion, the attacking player was not able to reach with the pulse and was force to waste a turn. an example:

"c" = character w/ 6 range and pulse

"c" then has it range perplexed 2 times

does "c" have a 4 range or 5 range pulse wave?

I would assume that the rules follow "replace" (half - as described in pulse wave) then "modify", but It was agreed during the Qualifier event that pulse wave had some special rules.

I am hoping just to get some clarification.

Thanks

Pulse Wave is indeed special. In the description, Pulse Wave tells us to draw an area of effect within half the character's range. That's not actually a replacement, so it works like this;

1. Replace.
2. Modify.
3. Halve for Area of Effect.

In the instance you provided, Character has a base 6 range with a +2 modifier.
R. There is no replacement.
M. 6+2 is 8.
H. Halves to 4.


Note that it still rounds up, so 6+1=7 will still halve to 4.

Hopefully that helps clear it up for you.

Pulse Wave DOES follow replace, then modify.

The determination of the Area of Effect of the Pulse Wave, however, is not a replacement.

The result is that you calculate your range value first (using Replace, then Modify).
After you determine this range, your area of effect becomes half of that calculated value.

A practical example with both a replacement and a modifier would be Takion. He can use PW during HSS. His printed range value is 7.

Say his range has a +1 Perplex applied to it.

When you uses PW during HSS, it will be like this...
1) 7 is halved (replaced) to 4. (3.5 -> 4)
2) The 4 is modified by +1 to 5.
3) The area of effect is half of 5, or 3. (2.5 -> 3)

5 points to Hufflepuff for a well-timed ninja'ing.

Being in Hufflepuff makes me wish I had defining characteristics.

Replacements change the value of a combat value with another value for that combat value; Pulse Wave uses range to determine its separate value

Here's my analogy

You are travelling between nations. You need to exchange currency of one nation in order to get currency of the new. Sometimes the exchange rates are bad (half value). Pulse Wave is a purchase, which is using your currency to get something else

It is related and some people may say well, "it is used for range" but they are full of horse pucks