March 24, 2009

Marvel Universe FAQ

Marvel Universe Frequently Asked Questions
Compiled by Paul Ross, with contributions from Dave DeLaney, David Harris, and Edwin Teh
Last updated June 10, 2008

GENERAL

1. This set is legal for sanctioned Constructed tournaments from June 27, 2008.

2. Rally


To rally for a [description] card is to reveal the top card of your deck. If that card matches the [description], the rally is “successful” and you put that card into your hand. Otherwise, put it on the bottom of your deck. If the [description] requires a choice, you must make that choice before revealing that card.

Example: You recruit Dr. Strange, triggering his power when he enters play. As it resolves, you first choose a card type (you choose “character”) and then reveal the top card of your deck. The card you reveal is Echo, who you choose to put into play. The rally was successful, so you must choose a second card type, and then reveal the next card from the top of your deck.

Dr. Strange, Secret Avenger
When Dr. Strange enters play, rally for a card type of your choice. Each time you're successful, repeat this process with a card type you haven't chosen yet.

Echo <> Ronin, Secret Avenger
If you would rally Echo into your hand, instead, you may put her into play if you don't control a character named Echo.


3. Illuminati

The members of the Illuminati are Black Bolt, Dr. Strange, Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, Professor X, and Sub-Mariner. A character is a member of the Illuminati regardless of its versions or identities.

To choose “two different members of the Illuminati”, choose two names from the above list, then choose two characters, each of which must have a different one of the chosen names (regardless of any other names it has).

If a member of the Illuminati refers to “different members of the Illuminati”, it means different as described above, not different from that member.

Example: You control Mr. Fantastic and The Captain, who has gained the names “Mr. Fantastic” and “Professor X.” You can exhaust those two characters to pay the cost of Mr. Fantastic’s power.

Mr. Fantastic, Protector of the Power Gem
Exhaust two different members of the Illuminati you control >>> Draw a card.

The Captain, Can't Remember His Real Name
At the start of the combat phase, choose a name that The Captain doesn't have. He gains that name, and then say all his names. If you do so correctly, draw a card.


4. Warbound

Some Warbound characters have a power that says “When [this character] becomes stunned, you may remove it from the game. If you do, characters you control named Hulk [are enhanced in some way].”

Such an enhancement:

• Lasts for the rest of the game, even if [this character] card somehow leaves your RFG zone.
• Affects any characters you control named Hulk regardless of when they entered your control.

5. Equip only to an opposing character

Some equipment can be equipped “only to an opposing character.”

• Playing such an equipment is otherwise identical to playing a normal equipment.
• The opposing character's controller gains control of the equipment as it attaches.
• If a modifier tries to transfer the equipment to a character, or tries to put it into play equipped to a character, it can do so only if that character is opposed to that modifier's controller.

6. Gaining a name

Some modifiers say that a character gains a name.

• A character can’t gain a name it already has. It keeps any other names it has.
• A character gaining a name while in play doesn't cause a uniqueness check.
• A card with multiple names has the "same name" as another card only if both have the same number of names and all match (regardless of the order in which those names were gained). Since the uniqueness rule applies only to cards with the same name, and cards outside of play can’t have multiple names, cards with multiple names are effectively “immune” to uniqueness.
• An equipment that can be equipped only to a character with a specified name stays equipped even if the equipped character loses that name.

7. Boostable plot twists

Some plot twists have a boost cost followed by boost text. You choose whether to pay the boost cost of such a plot twist as you play it. As it resolves, if you chose to pay its boost cost, you perform its boost text after its regular text.

Example: If you pay the boost cost of Avengers Reassembled, you follow the instructions in order on resolution. So you first search your deck for an Avengers character card and put it on top of your deck, then replace a resource, with no priority in between.

Avengers Reassembled
Search your deck for an Avengers character card, reveal it, and put it on top of your deck.

Boost—Discard a card: Replace a resource you control.

8. Nextwave

Nextwave? Never heard of them. Ask ben_seck@upperdeck.com :)

ERRATA

These cards have received errata. The updated text is italicized below:

Cable, Secret Avenger
Character, 3, Avengers ○ X-Men, 5/4
Reservist

Boost 2: When Cable enters play, if you control another Avengers or X-Men character, remove Cable and another target character from play. At the start of your attack step this turn, the owner of each of those character cards returns it to play.

Each of those character cards returns to play under its owner’s control. They are different cards from the ones that were removed. If the target is illegal on resolution, no characters are removed.

Hawkeye <> Ronin, Secret Avenger
Character, 2, Avengers, 3/2
Reservist

When Hawkeye enters play, rally for a character card. If you're successful, you may KO a character with cost 1 or less.

When Hawkeye enters play, you rally for a character card even if there are no characters with cost 1 or less in play.

Kang <> Iron Lad, Non-Unique ○ Young Avenger
Character, 6, Kang Council, 12/12
Kang can reinforce and team attack as though he had all affiliations.

Attackers can't be stunned while Kang is team attacking.

At the start of each opponent's attack step, if Kang team attacked this turn, ready him and all characters that team attacked with him this turn.

Defenders can be stunned while Kang is team attacking as usual.

Sentinel Squad O*N*E*, Army
Character, 5, S.H.I.E.L.D. ○ Sentinel, 9/9
Boost—Return a character you control to its owner's hand: When Sentinel Squad O*N*E* enters play, return up to three target Army character cards from your KO'd pile to your hand.

She-Hulk, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Character, 5, S.H.I.E.L.D. ○ Avengers, 8/9
Reservist

At the start of the combat phase, you may replace a reservist resource you control. If you do, put a +1 / +1 counter on She-Hulk.

Sub-Mariner, The Avenging Son
Character, 5, Atlantis ○ Marvel Defenders, 9/8
Boost—Exhaust X other characters you control: Sub-Mariner enters play with X +1 / +1 counters.


SINGLE CARDS

Atlantis
Location, 3
[Activate], Exhaust a Sub-Mariner you control >>> Remove target card in a KO'd pile from the game. You may play that card this turn.


You can target a card in any KO'd pile. You may play it this turn as long as it stays removed from the game. Playing a card from an RFG zone is otherwise identical to playing it from your hand. For example, you must be able to pay its recruit cost or meet its threshold cost, and you can’t play characters or equipment outside of your recruit step. If you play a plot twist you don't own, it goes to its owner's KO'd pile. You can “play” characters, equipment, and plot twists. You can't play a location, but you can still remove one from the game.

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

Flip only if you control a Revenge Squad character.

[Activate] >>> Reveal the top card of your deck and put it into your hand. If it has the word "Bizarro" in its name or game text, continue this process until you put a card into your hand without the word "Bizarro" in its name or game text. (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 Universe is legal (and, in fact, any tournament restricted by set legality).

Blade, Independent Contractor
Character, 3, S.H.I.E.L.D. ○ Marvel Knights, 5/3
Reservist

Blade can attack hidden characters.

Whenever Blade attacks a character, you may have that character's controller move it to his other area.

If that character is hidden, you may have its controller move it to his visible area, and vice versa.

Bloodsport
Plot Twist, 4
Play only if you control a defending Hulk.

Target opponent chooses a team attacker he controls, removes all other attackers from this attack, and readies those other characters.

If played during a non-team attack, this removes the attacker from the attack and readies it.

Cammi, Annoying Sidekick
Character, 1, United Front, 1/2
Characters you control can reinforce and team attack as though they had all affiliations.

Whenever you recruit a character, you may move Cammi to your hidden area.

Unaffiliated characters you control can team attack together, and reinforce affiliated characters. However, this doesn’t allow unaffiliated characters you control to be reinforced (even by affiliated characters).

Captain America, Champion License
Character, 4, Avengers ○ S.H.I.E.L.D., 8/7
Loyalty—Reveal

Leader: Remove an adjacent defender from this attack >>> Target non-stunned, non-defending character you control becomes a defender. Use only once per turn.

Whenever Captain America becomes stunned, adjacent characters have invulnerability this turn.

Captain America’s payment power can target himself if applicable. Adjacent characters gain invulnerability only after his triggered effect resolves, so an adjacent character becoming stunned at the same time as Captain America causes stun endurance loss as usual. Characters have invulnerability this turn only while they remain adjacent to Captain America.

Captain America, Living Legend
Character, 6, Avengers ○ Invaders, 13/13
If another Avengers or Invaders character you control would become stunned, instead, you may exhaust Captain America.


If Captain America is already exhausted, you can’t exhaust him to replace a stun.

Captain America's Shield
Equipment, 0
Equip only to Captain America.

Return Captain America's Shield to its owner's hand >>> Exhaust equipped character. Target player exhausts a ready character he controls. Use only during the combat phase.

This payment effect can be played and will resolve successfully even if the equipped character is already exhausted.

Charging Star
Plot Twist, 2
Target Captain America gets +4 DEF this attack. Negate all other effects targeting him.


Charging Star can be played only during an attack, but its target need not be attacking or defending. As it resolves, it negates all other effects on the chain that have its target as at least one of their targets. Other effects can be added in response (or after Charging Star resolves) and will resolve successfully. Charging Star can’t disrupt effects that have already resolved.

Clandestine Operations
Plot Twist, 3
Play only during the recovery phase.

To play, exhaust two different members of the Illuminati you control. (The members of the Illuminati are Black Bolt, Dr. Strange, Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, Professor X, and Sub-Mariner.)

Ongoing: Whenever a character enters play, exhaust it.

This power affects all characters, not just opposing ones. Affected characters can be exhausted to pay costs before this triggered effect resolves.

Drax the Destroyer, Titan Slayer
Character, 5, United Front, 10/9
Cosmic: Remove an attacker you control from this attack >>> If Drax isn't attacking, Drax becomes an attacker. Use only once per turn.


This doesn't change whether or not the attack is a team attack, nor does it check whether Drax could be proposed as an attacker against the current defender. If the attack's already a team attack, Drax becomes a team attacker, regardless of whether he could be proposed as a team attacker with the existing attacker(s). His power can be used while he is exhausted. Using it doesn’t exhaust him.

Dr. Strange, Secret Avenger
Character,2, Avengers ○ Marvel Knights, 2/3
Reservist

When Dr. Strange enters play, rally for a card type of your choice. Each time you're successful, repeat this process with a card type you haven't chosen yet. (The card types are character, equipment, location, and plot twist.)

You must choose a new card type before each rally. Nobody gets priority between each rally. After four successes, you can’t repeat this process with a card type you haven’t chosen yet, so you stop.

Elloe Kaifi, Slave of the Empire
Character, 1, Warbound, 2/1
Whenever Eloe Kaffi becomes stunned, you may remove her from the game. If you do, characters you control named Hulk get +1 / +1.


If you've removed two copies of Elloe from the game this way, characters you control named Hulk get +2 / +2, and so on.

Extremis Upgrade
Equipment, 0
Equip only to Iron Man.

If equipped character would become stunned, instead, you may KO Extremis Upgrade. If you do, exhaust equipped character.

You may KO Extremis Upgrade to replace a stun even if the equipped character is already exhausted.

Falcon, Secret Avenger
Character, 3, Avengers ○ S.H.I.E.L.D., 4/5
Reservist

When Falcon enters play, rally for a character card. If it's named Captain America, put two +1 / +1 counters on Falcon.

If the rally reveals any character card, put it into your hand. If it’s named Captain America, Falcon also gets the bonus counters.

Fin Fang Foom, He Whose Limbs Shatter Mountains
Character, 8, 20/17
You may pay 4 resource points rather than pay Fin Fang Foom's recruit cost. When you recruit Fin Fang Foom this way, KO all resources you control and all other characters you control. Then, at the start of the recovery phase this turn, return each character you control to its owner's hand.


If you choose to pay 4 resource points, you KO all resources and characters you control as Fin Fang Foom’s triggered effect resolves, before he enters play.

Frog of Thunder
Plot Twist, 4
Play only during the build phase.

To play, discard a character card.

Target an opposing character. Reveal cards from the top of its controller’s deck until you reveal a character card with the same cost as that character. If you do, KO that character and put that card into play in the same position. Shuffle all other revealed cards into that deck.

The incoming card enters play non-stunned and ready unless otherwise specified, even if the outgoing card is exhausted or stunned. You ignore whether or not the incoming card has concealed.

Hercules, Secret Avenger
Character, 7, Avengers ○ Warbound, 15/15
Reservist

[Activate] >>> Ready another target character and put three +1/+1 counters on it. Use only once per turn.

You can target and put counters on a stunned character, but it won't ready.

John Walker <> U.S. Agent, Omega Flight
Character, 4, Alpha Flight, 7/7
When you play a plot twist from your hand targeting John Walker, you may return it to your hand. This power triggers only once per turn.


If you return a plot twist card from the chain to your hand this way, its effect stays on the chain and resolves normally. This power triggers only off the first applicable plot twist you play each turn.


Life Model Decoy, More Human than Human
Character, 0, S.H.I.E.L.D., 0/0
Loyalty

Boost X: When Life Model Decoy enters play, it gains the printed ATK, DEF, cost, flight, range, powers, and keywords of target opposing character with cost X.

Life Model Decoy gains the target's printed keywords and powers in addition to any it has already. It gains the targets printed cosmic powers whether or not the target has a cosmic counter, but they will be active only if Life Model Decoy somehow gains a cosmic counter. Its ATK, DEF, and cost are increased by the corresponding printed values of the target, and it also inherits the target’s printed flight and range information. Life Model Decoy’s actual printed information doesn't change. Any additional “enters play” powers it gains are gained too late to trigger as it enters play.

Loki, Loki Laufeyson
Character, 8, Asgardians, 19/20
If a character would attack a character you control, instead, you may have it attack a random character you control.


The random character need not be one that could be attacked by the attackers. (For example, it could be hidden or protected.) The random character could be the originally proposed defender. All the attackers in a team attack are redirected to the same random character. If a character becomes an attacker in the middle of an attack against a character you control, or a character you control becomes a defender in the middle of an attack, you may choose to apply this replacement modifier.

Maverick, Christoph Nord
Character, 3, Weapon X, 4/4
Reservist

When Maverick enters play, choose a name.

[Activate] >>> Target character with that name can't attack and its payment powers can't be used this turn. Return Maverick to his owner's hand. Use only during the combat phase.

The target character's payment powers can be used in response to this effect. This effect will resolve successfully even if Maverick is no longer in play. Activating Maverick won't negate any payment effects already on the chain, or remove the target character from combat if it's already attacking.

MODOC Squad, Army ○ A.I.M.
Character, 3, Crime Lords, 5/4
MODOC Squad has reinforcement while protecting a character.

A character protected by MODOC Squad can't be attacked.

A character protected by MODOC Squad can't be attacked, even by characters that can attack protected characters, or that can attack a character as though it were unprotected.

Natasha Romanoff <> Black Widow, Mighty Avenger
Character, 3, S.H.I.E.L.D. ○ Avengers, 5/4
Discard a character card >>> Target defender gets -X DEF this attack, where X is half its DEF, rounded up. Use only while Natasha Romanoff is attacking and only once per turn.


X is calculated once only on resolution. For example, if the defender has 5 DEF at that time, it gets -3 DEF this attack.

Phyla-Vell <> Quasar, Protector of the Universe
Character, 3, United Front ○ Kree, 4/5
Characters you control can reinforce and team attack as though they had all affiliations.

Cosmic: Whenever Phyla-Vell becomes stunned, recover her.

Unaffiliated characters you control can team attack together, and reinforce affiliated characters. However, unaffiliated characters you control can’t be reinforced (even by affiliated characters).

Power Dampeners
Equipment, 0
Play only if you control a S.H.I.E.L.D. character.

Equip only to an opposing character.

Equipped character loses and can't have non-activated powers.

A non-activated power is any power other than “a payment power with [activate] as part of its cost.” Because Power Dampeners doesn’t specify that keywords are lost, the equipped character loses only non-activated powers that are not represented by keywords. For example, Ronan the Accuser loses its triggered power but doesn’t lose cosmic, and Super Skrull loses neither cosmic nor invulnerability (even though both keywords represent non-activated powers).

Ronan the Accuser, Kree Emperor
Cosmic: Whenever Ronan becomes stunned, you may exhaust target character.

Super Skrull, Noble Sacrifice
Cosmic: Invulnerability


Quicksilver, House of M
Character, 0, Brotherhood, 4/2
When you recruit Quicksilver, at the start of your next recruit step, you lose the game unless you pay 3 resource points.


To avoid losing the game, you must pay 3 resource points at the start of your next recruit step even if Quicksilver is stunned or no longer in play.

Radioactive Man, Sheep in Wolf's Clothing
Character, 5, Thunderbolts ○ S.H.I.E.L.D., 10/8
Substitute

Pay 2 endurance >>> Target player moves his characters until none are adjacent to each other. Use only while Radioactive Man is in combat.

Nobody gets priority while the target player is moving his characters. Moving characters this way neither removes reinforcement nor negates any reinforcement effects on the chain. The target player may reinforce in response, before any characters move.

Reckless Youth
Plot Twist, 3
To play, discard a card.

Target an Avengers character that team attacked this turn. If it's stunned, recover it.

Boost—Discard an Avengers character card: Ready that character.

Reckless Youth can target an Avengers character that is currently team attacking. You must discard two cards to ready the target, and can do so even if it's not stunned.

Richard Rider <> Nova Centurion, Keeper of the Worldmind
Character, 7, United Front ○ Nova Corps, 16/14
When Richard Rider enters play, remove the top seven cards of your deck from the game.

You can play plot twist cards removed this way.

Playing a plot twist card from an RFG zone is otherwise identical to playing it from your hand. For example, you must be able to meet its threshold cost. As part of resolving off the chain, it enters its owner’s KO’d pile. "This way" means cards removed by this particular Richard Rider. If a Richard Rider leaves play, you may no longer play cards removed by that Richard Rider (even if that physical card later returns to play).


Rick Jones, Monster's Best Friend
Character, 2, Warbound, 2/3
[Activate] >>> Rally for a card with the word "Hulk" in its name or game text.

[Activate] >>> Return Rick Jones to his owner's hand. Use only during the combat phase.

Game text is any non-italicized text in a text box. For this rally to be successful, “Hulk” must be an individual word, so Hulkling, Hulkbuster Armor, and She-Hulk will all be unsuccessful.

Ruthless Aggression
Plot Twist, 1
Target Thunderbolts attacker gets +2 ATK this attack and an additional +1 ATK for each time an opposing character was stunned or KO'd this turn.


The ATK bonus is calculated once only on resolution. An opposing character that was both stunned and KO'd this turn counts twice, as does an opposing character that was stunned twice.

Silver Surfer, The Silver Savage
Character, 3, Heralds of Galactus, 5/4
A character in front of or behind Silver Surfer has reinforcement.

Cosmic: Discard a card >>> Move Silver Surfer and he gets +1 / +1 this turn.

Silver Surfer reinforces a character that shares a column with him. Opposing characters never share a column with him.

Speed, Thomas Shepard ○ Young Avenger
Character, 1, Avengers, 2/0
Reveal Speed from your hand >>> If you control an Avengers team attacker, put Speed into play exhausted and team attacking if you haven't controlled a character named Speed this attack.

Whenever Speed stuns a defender, return Speed to his owner's hand.

As this effect resolves, if you don't control an Avengers team attacker, or you control or have controlled a character named Speed this attack, put Speed back into your hand (from the chain); otherwise, you must put him into play. Speed becomes a team attacker as he enters play, regardless of whether he could team attack with any existing team attackers. However, he doesn't "become exhausted."

Superhuman Registration Act, Team-Up
Plot Twist, 3
Ongoing: Character cards you own gain the Pro-Registration affiliation and lose and can't gain the Anti-Registration affiliation.

Play with the top card of your deck revealed.

You can recruit a character card revealed this way if you haven't recruited a card with that name this turn.

Recruiting a character card from the top of your deck is otherwise identical to recruiting it from your hand. For example, you must be able to pay its recruit cost, and it must be your recruit step. If you recruit a character card from the top of your deck, you don't reveal the next card until all costs have been paid.

Switching Sides
Plot Twist, 4
To play, exhaust an Avengers character you control.

Move target stunned character to your front row. It gains the Avengers affiliation.

You can target a front or support row character. If that character is hidden on resolution, move it to your hidden area, otherwise move it to your visible area. You gain control of that character. It gains the Avengers affiliation until it leaves play.

The Elektra Situation
Plot Twist, 4
To play, exhaust two different members of the Illuminati you control. (The members of the Illuminati are Black Bolt, Dr. Strange, Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, Professor X, and Sub-Mariner.)

Choose a name.

Ongoing: Opposing characters with that name lose and can't have powers and keywords.

The ongoing power does nothing until the plot twist effect resolves and a name is chosen. Flight and range are neither powers nor keywords. If an opposing character with the chosen name has a power that triggers when it enters play, that power will be lost before it triggers. However, characters that enter play exhausted, stunned, or with counters will continue to do so.

Thing, Conscientious Objector
Character, 6, S.H.I.E.L.D. ○ Fantastic Four, 15/15
Thing can't attack.

A character protected by Thing can't be attacked.

A character protected by Thing can't be attacked, even by characters that can attack protected characters, or that can attack a character as though it were unprotected.

Thor, Donald Blake
Character, 8, Asgardians, 20/19
Whenever Thor stuns an opposing character, you may discard your hand. If you do, stun each character with cost equal to the cost of a card discarded this way.


Thor’s effect stuns each applicable character, not just opposing ones. Discarding zero cards doesn't stun each character with cost 0.

Vision, Young Avenger
Character, 4, Avengers, 8/6
While Vision is team attacking with exactly one other character, team attacks can cause breakthrough.


Team attacks with Vision and exactly one other character attacking a defending character conclude as follows. First the attacking player chooses one of the two attackers and applies its ATK (A1) against the defender's DEF (D).

• If A1 is greater than or equal to D, that attacker causes (A1-D) breakthrough and the second attacker causes breakthrough equal to its ATK.
• If A1 is less than D, that attacker causes no breakthrough, and the second attacker's ATK (A2) is applied. If (A1+A2) is greater than D, the second attacker causes (A1+A2-D) breakthrough.

Weapon Omega, Michael Pointer ○ Omega Flight
Character, 6, Alpha Flight, 12/12
Whenever an opponent plays a plot twist from his hand, remove it from the game. (This doesn't negate it.)

You may play cards removed this way.

See Richard Rider.

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