Ok this makes no sense. A while back I tried explaining the activation of an ability as a declaration to do so thus putting it on the stack. This was so that if a character would become exhausted before they could activate their ability they couldn't use it.

Well I was corrected and accepted it but now...ARB is played this way:

This power triggers when you announce recruiting the equipment, not when the equipment comes into play.
Example:You wish to recruit Advanced Hardware. You put the recruit effect on the chain, choose a target for Advanced Hardware, and pay 1 resource point. Antarctic Research Base's power triggers and goes on the chain. It will resolve, and you will draw a card, before Advanced Hardware comes into play.

Notice the announce phrasing. This contradicts what I have been told. Not to mention what is to stop me from "announcing" an equipment card that I don't have just to draw an extra card.

"Then you have to put it back on the top of your deck"

Ok so the card I got to see was an equipment card so I announce that card just to immediatly equip it.

Please explain how this one came to pass.

Joey

your thinking to hard on this one kid

you have equipment card in your hand you play it

before it hits the play field you draw a card

if you dont have an equipment card in your hand why are you going to announce you are playing one

thats called cheating

that my 10 cents

thecaptain

Let's say you announce playing an equipment card that happens to be the last card in your hand. I chain the activation of Professor X to it forcing you to discard your last card. You still get to get the benefits of Antarctic Research Base.

At least that's how I read it. I'm sure someone will correct me if I post bad information before breakfast :-)

Once you annouce it, assuming everything else is legal, the equipment goes onto the chain waiting to resolve. As soon as it does the ARB triggers and puts another effect on the chain. At this time you could pass priority to your opponant. Using Proffessor X's ability will in effect do nothing because the equipment is no longer in your hand, it is on the chain waiting to resolve.