February 12, 2009

Marvel Evolutions FAQ

Marvel Evolution Frequently Asked Questions
Compiled by Paul Ross, with contributions from Dave DeLaney, David Harris, and Edwin Teh
Last updated November 26, 2008


GENERAL

1. This set is legal for sanctioned Constructed tournaments from November 26, 2008.

2. Energize


Energize is a keyword power that characters can have. It means: Whenever this character defends, ready it.
• If a character with energize is proposed as a defender, you can use an activated power it has before its energize trigger resolves, then again after it resolves before the combat concludes.

3. Hunter

Hunter is a keyword power that characters can have. It means: When this card enters play, choose an opposing character. That character becomes hunted by you.

• Becoming hunted doesn't do anything by itself, but other cards refer to it.
• There can be any number of hunted characters in play, but only one character can be hunted by each player at a time. As a character becomes hunted by you, all other characters stop being hunted by you. When a hunter enters play, you may choose a character already hunted by you to remain hunted by you.
• A character stays hunted by you:

o until it leaves play, stops being opposed to you, or another character becomes hunted by you;
o even if it becomes stunned or loses its powers;
o whether or not there are any hunters in play.

4. Shift

Shift is a keyword that represents three powers, each of which is italicized below:

Pay 1 or more resource points >>> Remove this card from the game shifted with that many shift counters. Use only if this card is in your hand.

o You must pay at least 1 resource point to use this power.
o A card is “shifted” if it was removed from the game this way (or by any other modifier that explicitly removed it from the game shifted) and has since remained in that RFG zone.
o A shifted card remains shifted even if it doesn't have any shift counters.
o Modifiers that explicitly remove a card from the game shifted can do so whether or not that card has the shift keyword. Such a modifier can remove an opposing card unless otherwise specified, but will remove it to its owner's RFG zone.
o While shifted, a card gains the shift keyword if it doesn't already have it.

Pay 1 resource point >>> Put a shift counter on this card. Use only if this card is shifted.

o Resource points that can be spent “only to recruit” something can't be used to pay for either of the above powers (because they’re not recruiting anything).
o Resource points that can be spent “only to pay the cost of a payment power” can't be used to pay for either of the above powers because references to “payment powers” no longer refer to “hidden” powers underlying keywords (see below).

Remove X shift counters >>> Put this card into play if you control X or more resources, where X is its cost. Use only during your recruit step.

• All three of the above payment effects can't be negated by players.
• A shifted card can't have shift counters in excess of its cost. A non-shifted card can't have any shift counters at all.
• Shifting a card into play (by any means) invokes the uniqueness rule (like substitute).
• References to “payment powers” no longer refer to “hidden” powers underlying keywords (like evasion and shift). For example, neither Batman, Cape and Cowl (Opponents can't use a payment power if it has already been used this turn) nor Scrambler (Opponents who control a stunned character can't use character payment powers.) have any impact on any of the above powers.


SINGLE CARDS

Albert, Earth-50211
Character, 3, Exiles, 6/4
Shift

Albert also has the name Wolverine.
Whenever Albert becomes stunned, you may remove him from the game shifted with two shift counters.


Albert also has the name Wolverine only while face up in play. A card with multiple names has the "same name" as another card only if both have the same number of names and all match. Since the uniqueness rule applies only to cards with the same name, and cards on the chain can’t have multiple names, cards with multiple names are effectively “immune” to uniqueness. In other words, while he also has the name Wolverine, Albert can never be removed from play by the uniqueness rule.

Aurora, Jeanne-Marie Beaubier
Character, 2, Weapon X/Alpha Flight, 2/3, Flight, Range
Whenever you play a plot twist from your hand, you may remove Aurora from the game. If you do, return that plot twist card to your hand.


The plot twist card returns to your hand from the chain; it never reaches your KO'd pile. Its effect stays on the chain and resolves normally.

Bizarro World
Location, 2
Bizarro World is considered to be in all sets.

Flip only if you control a Revenge Squad character.
Revenge Squad character cards in your hand have shift. (See bizarroworld.com)


Bizarro World isn’t reprinted in this set. However, its first line means that it’s legal in any tournament where Marvel Evolution is legal (and, in fact, any tournament restricted by set legality).

Breakworld Prophecy
Plot Twist, 1
To play, exhaust a character you control.
Target player replaces a face-up resource he controls that’s not a non-ongoing plot twist.


This card has received errata. The updated text is italicized. That player must replace an applicable resource if one exists.

Caliban, Pestilence
Character, 2, X-Factor/Horsemen of Apocalypse, 2/3, Concealed
Shift

While Caliban is shifted with two shift counters, opponents can't draw cards from effects they control. (This doesn't affect the normal draw.)

The “normal draw” effect that causes each player to draw two cards at the start of each turn isn't controlled by any player, and so it’s not affected by this modifier.

The Coming
Plot Twist, 6
Ongoing: KO The Coming >>> If you've played The Black Rider, The Pale Rider, The Red Rider, and The White Rider this game, your next Apocalypse costs 0 to recruit this turn.


If any of the four were negated, they were still played (and you're still stopped from playing any more with the same name).

Cracking the Case
Plot Twist, 2
To play, exhaust an X-Factor character you control.

Negate target effect targeting a character.

This can target power-up and reinforcement game-based effects. In general, an effect targets only if it uses the word, "target."

Danger, The Singularity
Character, 8, 19/19, Flight, Range
Whenever a character you control enters combat, put a +1 / +1 counter on each character you control.


Whenever two or more characters you control team attack, put that many counters on each character you control.

Deadly Ambush
Plot Twist, 1
Play only if you control a Marauders defender.

Each attacker and defender gets -X DEF this attack, where X is its DEF.

Each attacker and defender loses DEF equal to its own DEF.

Deathmatch
Plot Twist, 2
While target defender is defending against an X-Force character this attack, that defender gets -3 DEF, and whenever it becomes stunned, KO it unless its controller pays endurance equal to its cost.


This modifier applies only while the target is defending against an X-Force character this attack. The target's controller chooses whether to pay endurance when it becomes stunned (rather than when Deathmatch resolves).

Doopworld, Team-Up
Location, 2
To flip, choose a character you control.

That character gains the affiliations of each other character you control.
[Activate] >>> Turn Doopworld face down. Use only if you control an X-Force or X-Statix character.


While Doopworld stays face up, it continuously updates that character's affiliations as other characters enter and leave your control. Turning Doopworld face down doesn't ready it, but it will ready normally during the next wrap-up.

Five in One
Plot Twist, 3
A deck can have up to five cards named Five in One.
Target Mimic you control gains target character's payment powers this turn.


The target Mimic can't also be the target character.

Gambit, Traitor
Character, 6, Marauders/X-Men, 13/12, Range
Discard a random card >>> Stun target character if it has the same cost as that card. Use only once per turn.


Targets must be chosen before costs are paid.

Havok, Mutant X
Character, 5, X-Factor/X-Men, 10/8, Range
Shift

When Havok enters play, characters get -2 ATK this turn.

Havok's modifier applies to all characters this turn, including himself and characters that enter play after him.

Here Comes Tomorrow, Team-Up
Plot Twist, 2
Ongoing: At the start of the combat phase, choose an affiliation among characters you control.
Crossover all affiliations chosen this way.


This crosses over all affiliations chosen by this card's triggered effect since it last turned face up.

Hyperion, Earth-4023
Character, 8, Weapon X/Squadron Supreme, 17/17, Flight, Range
Shift, Invulnerability

While you have no cards in hand, Hyperion can be shifted into play if you control seven or more resources (and he has eight shift counters).

While you have no cards in hand, Hyperion breaks the rule that says you need at least eight resources to shift him into play, and only that rule.

Iceman, Snowman
Character, 1, X-Factor/X-Men, 2/1, Range
Opposing characters that have used activated powers this turn can't ready.


If a stunned Iceman is recovered during the recovery phase, he stops affected characters from readying that turn. Character are affected whether or not Iceman was face up or in play when they used activated powers this turn. A character has used an activated power even if its effect was negated before resolving.

Kid Omega, Quentin Quire
Character, 7, 16/16, Range
Shift

While Kid Omega is shifted with five or more shift counters, if an opponent would draw one or more cards from his normal draw, instead, he draws one less card.

The replaced draw can be further replaced by other Kid Omegas.


Lion Among the Lambs
Plot Twist, 3
Play only during the recovery phase.
If you control a non-stunned Mystique, stunned characters can't be recovered or KO'd this turn.


Stunned characters that can't be recovered or KO'd remain stunned in play as a turn ends.

Master Thief
Plot Twist, 3
Play only if you control Gambit.
Search your opponent's deck for a non-character card and remove it from the game. You may play that card this game.


Playing a card from an RFG zone is otherwise identical to playing it from your hand. Resources are built, not played, and so you can't put a card into your resource row this way. Even though you can remove a location, the only card types you can play this way are equipment and plot twist.

Merc with a Mouth
Plot Twist, 2
An opponent chooses one: Recover and ready a Deadpool you control; or you draw two cards.


That opponent can choose the Deadpool option even if you don't control a Deadpool.

Mesmero, Vincent
Character, 2, Weapon X, 2/4, Concealed, Range
Hunter

While a character hunted by you isn't stunned, opponents can't play plot twists during the combat phase.

If no character is hunted by you, Mesmero's power does nothing..

Miguel O'Hara <> Spider-Man, Earth-6375
Character, 3, Exiles/Spider-Friends, 4/5, Range
Shift

Miguel O'Hara also has the name Spider-Man.

[Activate], Remove Miguel O'Hara from the game shifted with two shift counters >>> Exhaust target character with cost 3 or less. Use only during the combat phase.

See Albert.

Mimic, Earth-12 * Infected
Character, 6, Exiles/X-Men, 13/12, Flight, Range
Shift

When Mimic enters play, he gains the printed powers and keywords of all opposing characters. Any reference to an affiliation in the gained powers is changed to Exiles.

This card has received errata. The updated text is italicized. Mimic gains the printed keywords and powers of opposing characters (even if they’re stunned) in addition to any he has already. He gains any printed cosmic powers of each opposing character whether or not that character has a cosmic counter, but they will be active only if Mimic somehow gains a cosmic counter. Mimic’s actual printed information doesn't change. Any additional “enters play” powers he gains are gained too late to trigger as he enters play. This modifier lasts for the rest of the game and continuously updates Mimic's powers and keywords as opposing characters enter and leave play.

Mr. Sinister, Molecular Manipulator
Character, 5, Marauders, 9/9, Concealed—Optional
Shift

Opposing characters lose and can't have powers and keywords while in combat with Mr. Sinister.

If an affected character loses a power that would have triggered off it entering combat with Mr. Sinister, that power doesn't trigger. If Mr. Sinister attacks an opposing Mr. Sinister, the attackers will lose their powers only if the defending Mr. Sinister has an earlier timestamp than the attacking one.

Mystique, Mutant Messiah
Character, 7, Marauders, 15/17, Range
Whenever a Marauders character you control stuns an opposing character, you may have Mystique gain the printed powers and keywords of that opposing character this turn.


Mystique gains that character's printed keywords and powers this turn in addition to any she has already. She gains any cosmic powers of that character, but they will be active only if Mystique somehow gains a cosmic counter. Mystique’s actual printed information doesn't change.

Mystique, Raven
Character, 1, Marauders/Brotherhood, 1/2, Concealed, Range
Reservist

Mystique has all character names while in your deck, hand, or KO'd pile.

Mystique has no extra names in play or on the chain, so her power has no impact on uniqueness. It does allow her to power-up any character, but not to be powered-up by any character. Carrying the Torch looks for the name of a character in an RFG zone, where Mystique has no extra names. If you return this Mystique to your hand with Origin Story, you search for a card with the same name she had as she left play ("Mystique"), so you can't search for a copy of this Mystique (because she has all names while in your deck).

Professor X, Mutant Messiah
Character, 1, Starjammers/X-Men, 1/1, Concealed, Range
Whenever an opponent plays a non-ongoing plot twist, return Professor X to his owner's hand. If you do, negate that plot twist's effect.


This triggered power is not optional. If opponents play multiple plot twists in response to each other, only the first that tries to resolve is negated.

The Purifiers, Army
Character, 1, Purifiers, 2/1, Range
Discard a card named The Purifiers >>> Target character gets -2 ATK or -2 DEF this attack.


You need to control at least one character in play with this power in order to use it.

Sabretooth, Earth-295 * War
Character, 6, Weapon X/Horsemen of Apocalypse, 14/12
Shift, Hunter

Characters hunted by you must attack Sabretooth if able.

If a character hunted by you is able to attack Sabretooth, its controller can't attack characters other than Sabretooth with that character, or pass to end his combat phase.

Sabretooth, Wounded Animal
Character, 4, Marauders/X-Men, 11/7, Concealed
Loyalty

Sabretooth can't attack characters with cost 4 or more unless an opponent controls a stunned character.

While an opponent controls a non-stunned, visible character, Sabretooth can't attack that opponent directly (even if Sabretooth can't attack that character).

Shatterstar, Benjamin Russell
Character, 5, X-Force, 10/8
Shift

When Shatterstar enters play, characters get -2 DEF this turn.

See Havok.

Siryn, Sonic Scream
Character, 4, X-Factor/X-Men, 7/8, Flight, Range
Whenever a character's activated power is used, target opponent loses 1 endurance.


This power triggers whenever any character's activated power is used by any player. Its effect targets an opponent of Siryn's controller (rather than an opponent of the controller of the character with the activated power).

The Starjammer, Unique
Equipment, 1, Concealed—Optional
Shift

Characters you control have flight and range.
While The Starjammer is equipped to a Starjammers character, you can build resources from any KO'd pile.


Building a resource from a KO'd pile is otherwise identical to building one from your hand. Once your opponent has allowed you to choose such a card from a KO'd pile, there's no window to respond to that choice before it's built.

Super Skrull, World Champion
Character, 5, Skrull, 9/9, Flight, Range
Super Skrull has the affiliations of each opposing character.

Discard a card >>> Choose one: Super Skrull has energize, evasion, or invulnerability this turn. Use only once per turn.

[Activate] >>> Choose one: Target player discards a card; target player replaces a face-up resource; or target player loses 3 endurance. Use only during the combat phase.

While Super Skrull is face up in play, his affiliations are continuously updated as opposing characters enter and leave play.

Victor Mancha, Son of Ultron
Character, 3, Runaways, 5/4, Flight, Range
Whenever an opponent loses endurance, you may also have him put that many cards from the top of his deck into his KO'd pile.


If Victor Mancha becomes stunned as part of an event that causes an opponent to lose endurance (like a combat conclusion), his power does not trigger.

Wolverine Squad
Plot Twist, 2
Ongoing: Exiles character cards you control are not unique with cards with the same name but different version.
If a Wolverine you control would become stunned, instead, you may stun another Wolverine you control.


Any time that recruiting character A would cause your character B to leave play via the uniqueness rule, if A and B have different versions, and B has the Exiles affiliation, then B stays in play.

X-Gene Decoded
Plot Twist, 3
To play, exhaust a Mr. Sinister you control.
Reveal the top four cards of an opponent's deck. Remove all revealed non-character cards from the game. Search that deck for all cards with the same name as a card removed this way, then remove them from the game.


You still search and shuffle that deck even if you revealed zero non-character cards.

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