1) I have a character equipped with Flamethrower and 8 drop Ra's Ghul is in play. Can I still use the "Exhaust -> Do 5 Damage" ability, or does Ra's negate that as a payment power.

I ask because he says characters cannot use payment powers, but Flamethrower doesn't give the character the power like Advanced Hardware does. Hardware actually gives the character the ability.

On the other hand, equpiment text is said to actually be considered a part of the character, which is why it's not in effect while the character is stunned. That's stretching it I think, but this came up in a game today, and I couldn't fully explain why I could still burn my opponent for 5. I want to be able to explain it better next time :)

2) Let's say I recruit either 4 drop U-Go Girl or either Vivisector or Plazm with Boost. At the time I recruit them I only have one character in play who is not X-Statix. Can I chain their "come into play" effects with flipping a team-up?

Seems like the effect would be illegal and wouldn't even make it on the chain, but let's say it does. It then makes sense that I could respond to the effect by teaming-up. I'd think it would fall into the same category as 4 drop Doom and the whole flip up and down Plot Twist.

1) I don't believe that Ra's stops Flamethrower, as it is an effect of the equipment that specifically refers to the 'equipped character' rather than giving the effect to the character.

It's true that the text of equipment goes blank when a character stuns, but in this instance the character does not gain the text of this ability (although the character DOES gain +5 ATK).

2) It won't work for PLazm or Viv because the game will check for an X-Statix character, and when it doesn't find one, the effect will (as you guess) never hit the chain.

U-Go-Girl I'm not sure on - when she comes into play you may return an X-statix character to your hand - is that part of the cost or effect of the card? If it's cost, then no, you can't team-up. BUT if it's part of a triggered effect then yes, you can chain a team-up, and then return a character to your hand.

I think U-Go-Girl is all effect. /shrug

Ra's al Ghul, The Demon's Head
Character, League of Assassins, 8
17/17
Loyalty. Your locations are not unique.
Characters without the League of Assassins team affiliation have no team affiliation and cannot use payment powers.

Flamethrower
Equipment, 1
Equipped character gets +5 ATK.
Whenever equipped character becomes stunned, KO equipped character.
Exhaust equipped character ---> Target player loses 5 endurance. Use this power only once per turn.

Q1: The payment power is on the equipment and not the character. So I believe that Ras power will not affect it.

U-Go-Girl, Tragic Teleporter
Character, X-Statix, 4
7/7
Flight
When U-Go-Girl comes into play, you may return an X-Statix character you control to its owner's hand. If you do, return target character with cost 2 or less to its owner's hand.

Q2: Just like Dr.Doom, Diabolic Genius, when she comes into play, the effect "you may return..." is put on the chain. You can then play the team-up and return the other character back to hand.