April 03, 2009

Legion of Superheroes FAQ

Legion of Superheroes Frequently Asked Questions
November 29, 2006
Compiled by Paul Ross, with contributions from Dave DeLaney, David Harris, and Edwin Teh


GENERAL

1. This expansion is legal for sanctioned Constructed tournaments from December 29, 2006.

2. Substitute


Substitute is a keyword that some character cards have. They have the following payment power:

Reveal this card >>> You may remove from the game a ready character you control with cost greater than or equal to the cost of this card. If you do, put this card into play. Use this power only if this card is in your hand and only during your recruit step.

To put a character card into play is to put it into any empty position in your front or support row.

Example: You control Karate Kid, a ready character with cost 3. In your hand, you have Dark Firestorm, another character with cost 3, who reads, "Substitute

When Dark Firestorm comes into play, draw a card." During your recruit step, you can reveal Dark Firestorm from your hand to announce his substitute effect. As it resolves, you may remove Karate Kid from the game and put Dark Firestorm into any empty position in your front or support row. As Dark Firestorm’s triggered effect resolves, you draw a card.

2.1 To substitute

To substitute a card is to put it into play using its substitute power. A power that triggers “whenever you substitute a [character]” does so as a [character] enters play as part of resolving its substitute effect.

Example: Freddy Freeman reads, “Substitute

Whenever you substitute another Teen Titans character into play, Freddy Freeman gets +1 ATK / +1 DEF this turn.” His power triggers whenever another Teen Titans character enters your front or support row as part of resolving its substitute effect.

2.2 Substitute and the uniqueness rule

Substituting a character into play invokes the uniqueness rule, just like recruiting a character. Before putting a unique character into play during the resolution of its substitute effect, put each other unique object you control with the same name as that character into its owner's KO'd pile.

Example: Again, you control a ready Karate Kid and have Dark Firestorm in your hand. You also control a second copy of Dark Firestorm in play. If you remove Karate Kid to substitute Dark Firestorm into play during your recruit step, the uniqueness rule puts that second copy of Dark Firestorm into its owner’s KO’d pile just before the Dark Firestorm being substituted comes into play.

All other ways of putting a character into play (except recruiting and substituting) continue not to invoke the uniqueness rule.

3. Cosmic

A cosmic character is a non-stunned character with either the cosmic or cosmic—surge keyword. It’s still a cosmic character even if it doesn’t have a cosmic counter. Here is a recap of the cosmic rules:

• Cosmic characters come into play with a cosmic counter, unless they come into play stunned.
• Only cosmic characters can have a cosmic counter, and no more than one cosmic counter each.
• As a character becomes stunned, remove its cosmic counter.
• While stunned, characters lose cosmic and can’t have a cosmic counter.

A cosmic—surge character is also a cosmic character, but it doesn’t come into play with a cosmic counter and has, “At the start of the recovery phase each turn, put a cosmic counter on this card.”

3.1 Cosmic text

While a character has a cosmic counter, its cosmic text is active. Starting with this expansion, some cosmic characters have no cosmic text.

Example: You control Andromeda, Cassie Sandsmark, and Shrinking Violet. Cassie has cosmic text (following the colon after her cosmic keyword), but Andromeda and Violet do not. If Cassie and Violet have cosmic counters, you can remove a counter from either to give Violet +2 ATK / +2 DEF this turn. If you remove Cassie’s counter, her cosmic text becomes inactive. Violet still has a cosmic counter, so Andromeda still gets +2 ATK.

Andromeda, Laurel Gand
While you control a character with a cosmic counter, Andromeda gets +2 ATK.
Cosmic—Surge

Cassie Sandsmark <> Wonder Girl, Ares's Chosen
Cosmic: Cassie Sandsmark gets +3 DEF.

Shrinking Violet <> Leviathan, Salu Digby
Remove a cosmic counter from a character you control >>> Shrinking Violet gets +2 ATK / +2 DEF this turn.
Cosmic


4. Unless an opponent discards

Some effects do something “unless an opponent discards” a specified number of cards. The decision to discard or not is made as such an effect resolves. If you have multiple opponents, the first opponent to your left chooses whether or not to discard, then the next opponent clockwise, and so on. More than one opponent can choose to discard the specified number of cards if they want.

Example: Ra's al Ghul, Engine of Change reads, “Free >>> Unless an opponent discards a card, target character loses all team affiliations while defending this turn.” The decision to discard or not is made as the payment effect resolves, not as the target defends this turn.

Example: Saturn Queen, Legion of Super Villains reads, “Backup: Activate >>> Whenever target character becomes stunned this turn, unless an opponent discards a card, that character cannot ready this turn.” The decision to discard or not is made as the triggered effect resolves, not as the target would ready this turn.


5. Cannot reinforce other characters

Some modifiers say a character “cannot reinforce other characters.” This means that any modifier whose source is that character can’t give reinforcement to another character. Such a modifier still does anything else it would normally do. The affected character can still

• Reinforce itself if it has a way to do so, and
• Be exhausted to play the reinforcement game-based effect, even though it will do nothing.

Example: Lost in Translation reads, “Target character cannot reinforce other characters this turn.” The Herald reads, “Cosmic: Defenders you control have reinforcement.” If The Herald has a cosmic counter and is affected by Lost in Translation’s modifier, he doesn’t give other defenders you control reinforcement, but he himself still has reinforcement while defending. He can be exhausted to play the reinforcement game-based effect, but it will do nothing.

Example: Five Against One reads "Target character gets -3 DEF while defending this turn and cannot reinforce other characters this turn." Harry Leland reads, "Discard a Mental card >>> Target defender you control gets -2 ATK / +2 DEF and has reinforcement this attack." If Five Against One resolves on Harry, and later that turn Harry's effect resolves on a defender, that defender doesn’t get reinforcement, but still gets -2 ATK / +2 DEF this turn. If Harry’s effect resolves on a defender, and later that attack Five Against One resolves on Harry, this does not "turn off" the reinforcement already granted—the modifier from Harry’s effect checked whether he could reinforce other characters only as it was created.

6. This power triggers only once per turn

Some triggered powers are followed by this sentence. Such a power triggers the first time its trigger event occurs each turn (and only the first time). Players can’t choose to “save the power for a later event” or anything like that. If multiple trigger events happen simultaneously, the controller of such a power chooses one for it to trigger off.

Example: Legion World reads, “Whenever two or more Legionnaires team attackers you control stun a defender, that defender's controller loses additional endurance equal to its cost. This power triggers only once per turn.” This power triggers the first time two or more Legionnaires team attackers you control stun a defender each turn (and only the first time).

7. Target a character/location/plot twist

Some effects tell you to target a card in play, and then they apply a modifier to the targeted card. These effects were worded this way for readability. The target is chosen as part of playing the effect as usual.

Example: Lashina, Female Fury reads, “Activate >>> Target a non-ongoing plot twist an opponent controls. You may put a character card from your hand face down into his resource row. If you do, KO that plot twist and he loses endurance equal to its cost.” The target is chosen as part of playing the activated effect as usual.

SPECIFIC CARDS

All Hail Darkseid!
Plot Twist, 2
Target Darkseid's Elite defender you control gets +2 ATK this attack. If that character is named Darkseid, it also gets +2 DEF this attack.


The italics above update the printed card text. The ATK bonus lasts only for this attack.

Atrophos, Chief Blight Scientist
Character, 5, Future Foes, 11/8
Loyalty

Whenever Atrophos causes breakthrough to a player, search that player's deck and hand for all copies of a non-character card and remove them from the game. That player shuffles his deck.

Whenever this power triggers, search that player's deck and hand, choose a non-character card among those cards, and then remove from the game all cards in those zones with the same printed name and version as the chosen card. You can choose not to remove any number of the copies if you want.

Bette Kane <> Batwoman, Titans Tomorrow East
Character, 2, Teen Titans, 2/3
Substitute

Cosmic: If another character you control would become stunned, instead, you may stun Bette Kane. If you do, exhaust that character.

If you choose to replace a stun event, Bette is the source of her own stun. For example, if a Fatal Five character would stun another character you control, but you choose to have Bette stun herself instead, that Fatal Five character doesn’t stun Bette.

Chemo, Chemical Golem
Character, 3, Villains United, 4/3
Vengeance: Whenever Chemo becomes stunned, you may recover another target stunned character with cost 3 or less, then stun that character. This power triggers only once per turn.


The italics above update the printed card text. The target becomes stunned immediately after it recovers, before any player gets priority. Any effects that trigger off the target becoming stunned or recovering are added to the chain after Chemo’s entire effect has resolved.

Connor Kent <> Superboy, Inspiration to the Legion
Character, 4, Teen Titans/ Legionnaires, 8/6
Substitute

Remove a cosmic counter from a character you control >>> Ready target character you control that has team attacked this turn. It cannot cause breakthrough this turn. Use this power only once per turn.

Cosmic

This power can be used mid-attack to ready a team attacker you currently control or any character that team attacked in a previous attack this turn.

Dark Matter Drain
Location, 3
Activate >>> If target face-up resource an opponent controls is not the only Team-Up he controls, you may put a Darkseid's Elite character card from your hand face down into his resource row. If you do, KO that face-up resource.


The target need not be a team-up. If it is a team-up, this effect does nothing unless its controller controls at least one other team-up. The opponent can look at the face-down card you put into his resource row as usual. No player gets priority after adding that resource but before KO’ing the target.

Dominated
Plot Twist, 2
Play Dominated only if no defender became stunned while under an opponent's control this turn.

If target Future Foes character would cause an amount of breakthrough this turn, instead, you may stun a character with DEF less than or equal to that amount.

This can't be played if a defender another player controlled became stunned earlier in the turn. Any time the target would cause breakthrough this turn, you may choose to replace all of that breakthrough or none of it. You can’t choose to replace that breakthrough if there is no applicable character that can be stunned. If you target the same character with two or more copies of Dominated, you can replace each breakthrough event only once (since the modified event is no longer breakthrough.)

Dream Girl, Nura Nal
Character, 1, Legionnaires, 2/1
Backup: Activate, remove a cosmic counter from a character you control >>> Choose a card name. Your opponents cannot flip locations or play plot twists with that name this turn. Use this power only during the build phase.

Cosmic—Surge

You name a card as the payment effect resolves. Your opponents can flip/play any number of locations/plot twists before you name a card. Once the effect resolves and you name a card, they can no longer flip/play the named card this turn. This never negates effects on the chain.

Furnace of Apokolips
Location, 3
Terraform

Activate >>> Draw a card. Use this power only if you substituted a character into play this turn.

This power can be used only if a character entered your front or support row as part of resolving its substitute effect this turn, regardless of whether it's still in play or under your control.

Jason Todd <> Red Hood, Revived
Character, 3, 6/3
Vengeance: Whenever Jason Todd becomes stunned, target player stuns a non-stunned affiliated character he controls unless all affiliated characters he controls share at least one team affiliation.


As this triggered effect resolves, if all affiliated characters controlled by the target player share at least one affiliation, nothing happens. Otherwise, that player must choose a non-stunned affiliated character he controls and stun it.

Joining the Darkseid, Team-Up
Plot Twist, 2
As an additional cost to play Joining the Darkseid, choose up to two team affiliations among characters you control.

Ongoing: Crossover the chosen affiliations.

Darkseid's Elite substitute characters you control that came into play this turn get +1 ATK.

This can be played even if you control no affiliated characters. Darkseid's Elite characters you control with the substitute keyword get +1 ATK during the turn they come into play. They get that ATK bonus whether or not they were substituted into play.

Live Wire, Garth Ranzz
Character, 5, Legionnaires, 11/7
Whenever one or more characters you control with cosmic counters stun a character, its controller loses 2 endurance.

Cosmic—Surge

His power triggers whenever one or more characters you control with cosmic counters stun a character, even if those character(s) are team-attacking with characters without cosmic counters. As the triggered effect resolves, the controller of the stunned character loses an additional 2 endurance.

Mad Harriet, Female Fury
Character, 1, Darkseid's Elite, 1/2
Reservist

Reveal Mad Harriet, pay 1 endurance >>> Exchange the positions of Mad Harriet and target face-up non-ongoing plot twist an opponent controls. Use this power only once per turn, only if Mad Harriet is in your resource row, and only if you control a Darkseid's Elite character.

The target stays face up after the exchange. Mad Harriet reverts to being face down after the exchange. She can be recruited by your opponent as usual. Your opponent can’t immediately use her power again because it has already been used once that turn, but can do so on a later turn if he or she controls a Darkseid's Elite character.

Mobilize
Plot Twist, 3
As an additional cost to play Mobilize, discard a card.

Search your deck for a character card with an affiliation shared by all characters you control. Reveal that card, put it into your hand, and shuffle your deck.

If you control no characters, or there is no affiliation shared by all characters you control, you must search and shuffle your deck, but you can't retrieve a character card. You can never retrieve an unaffiliated card.

Need for Speed
Plot Twist, 3
Play Need for Speed only during your first attack this turn.

Whenever target attacker causes breakthrough this attack, ready that character, and it cannot cause breakthrough this turn.

Your first attack this turn is the first attack in which you control an attacker.

Order and Chaos
Plot Twist, 2
Target defender you control gets +1 ATK / +1 DEF this attack for each Teen Titans character you control that came into play this turn.


This counts Teen Titans characters you currently control that came into play this turn, regardless of what affiliations they had as they came into play (or whether they came into play under your control). Contrast with T-Jet, Tamaranian Fighter.

Power Girl, Child of Crisis
Character, 5, JSA/JLI, 10/8
Power Girl comes into play exhausted.

While Power Girl is exhausted, other JSA and JLI characters you control get +2 ATK.

KO a resource you control >>> Ready Power Girl. Use this power only once per turn.

Other characters you control with either or both affiliations get +2 ATK while Power Girl is exhausted.

Return of the Demon's Head
Plot Twist, 3
Play Return of the Demon's Head only if you control a Future Foes character and only during the combat phase.

Unless an opponent discards two cards, characters your opponents control with cost 4 or less lose all team affiliations while defending this turn.

Each opponent chooses whether to discard two cards as this resolves. If none do, the resulting modifier is timestamped from that resolution—its timestamp doesn't reset as each applicable character defends. Such characters lose their affiliations immediately upon defending, before any player gets priority.

Sensor, Jeka Wynzorr U 2
Character, 2, Legionnaires, 3/2
Remove a cosmic counter from a character you control >>> Negate target effect an opponent controls targeting a Legionnaires character you control. Use this power only once per turn.

Cosmic—Surge

The target effect can be targeting other things in addition to a Legionnaires character you control. It can be any sort of effect, including payment, triggered, or plot twist.

Shiloh Norman <> Mister Miracle, Soldier of Victory
Character, 3, New Gods, 4/5
Evasion

Vengeance: Whenever Shiloh Norman becomes stunned while defending, you may remove target attacker from this attack if you control another New Gods character.

If Shiloh Norman becomes stunned while defending during attack conclusion, his triggered effect is added to the chain after that attack concludes but is removed immediately because there are no attackers to target.

The Riddler, Brain Teaser
Character, 2, Arkham Inmates, 2/3
Activate >>> You may reveal an Arkham Inmates character card from your hand or resource row. If you do, target player cannot play plot twists this turn with cost equal to the cost of the card you revealed. Use this power only during the combat phase.


You choose whether to reveal a card as the payment effect resolves. Your opponents can play any number of plot twists before you do so. Once the effect resolves and you reveal a card, they can no longer play cards with the same cost as that card this turn. This never negates effects on the chain.

Time Trapper, Temporal Manipulator
Character, 3, Future Foes, 5/5
Reservist, Concealed—Optional

While Time Trapper is visible, whenever an opponent searches a deck, he discards a card.

This triggers whenever any opponent searches any deck. The triggered effect is added to the chain after the search has been completed and the deck has been shuffled.

Titans Memorial
Location, 1
Terraform

Activate >>> Put a cosmic counter on target cosmic character you control. Use this power only if a Teen Titans character left play while under your control this turn.

This power can be used only if a character left play from your front or support row this turn and had the Teen Titans affiliation just before doing so. It can’t be used during the wrap-up, because players don’t get priority.

Titans of Tomorrow
Plot Twist, 2
Play Titans of Tomorrow only during the build phase.

Choose a cost and team affiliation among characters you control. Search your deck for a substitute character card with that cost and affiliation, reveal it, put it into your hand, and shuffle your deck.

You must choose a cost and an affiliation before you pick up your deck to start searching. The chosen cost and affiliation need not be from the same character.

T-Jet, Tamaranian Fighter
Equipment, 2
Unique

T-Jet costs 1 less to recruit for each Teen Titans character that came into play under your control this turn.

Characters you control get +1 ATK / +1 DEF and have flight.

This counts characters that had the Teen Titans affiliation as they came into play under your control this turn, regardless of what affiliations they currently have or whether they are still in play or under your control. Contrast with Order and Chaos.

Triad, Luornu Durgo
Character, 1, Legionnaires, 1/1
Triad is not unique.

When Triad comes into play, you may discard a card. If you do, search your deck for up to two cards named Triad, reveal them, put them into your hand, and shuffle your deck.

A deck can have no more than three cards named Triad.

Cosmic

Players can include no more than three cards named Triad in any deck. This restriction applies to both Constructed and Sealed Pack play.

We Are Legion
Plot Twist, 2
Play We Are Legion only if no defender became stunned while under an opponent's control this turn.

Put a cosmic counter on each cosmic Legionnaires attacker.

This does something only if played while there are one or more cosmic Legionnaires attackers. It can't be played if a defender you didn't control became stunned earlier in the turn.

Wildfire, Drake Burroughs
Character, 4, Legionnaires, 8/6
Reservist

Whenever a cosmic character you control recovers, put a cosmic counter on it.

Cosmic—Surge

A cosmic character is a character with either the cosmic or cosmic—surge keyword. Whenever Wildfire recovers during the wrap-up, put a cosmic counter on him and any other cosmic characters you control that recovered at the same time. You can respond to this triggered effect as usual—after a character recovers, but before you put a counter on it.

Youth of Tomorrow, Team-Up
Plot Twist, 2
Play Youth of Tomorrow only if you control a Legionnaires character and a Teen Titans character.

Remove a cosmic counter from a character you control. Put a cosmic counter on a cosmic character you control.

Ongoing: Crossover Legionnaires and Teen Titans.

You can put a cosmic counter on the same character you just removed one from. This can be played even if you don't control a character with a cosmic counter. In that case, you just put a cosmic counter on a cosmic character you control. In addition, it can be played if you don't control a cosmic character at all, as long as you control a Legionnaires character and a Teen Titans character, or a character with both affiliations.

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