C3G Question Dump / Advice Column: Ask your questions here!

[Sam]

Hi! This is my first post here, and I'd like to thank the C3G team for creating such a great game!

I have a question, though - mostly about Puppet Master's Reactive Mind Control, but it also touches on other D20 'evasion' abilities, so I'm posting it here instead of PM's book.

I've been using Puppet Master quite a bit lately, and something's come up. When exactly does Reactive Mind Control trigger? In PM's Book Griffin mentions that area of effect attacks 'have some value' against PM. Does this mean that RMC does not activate when PM is attacked in this way (say, when Harley throws a Smilex and PM isn't on the targeted hex, but is caught in the blast) ?

This is where I run into a problem! Spidey-Sense (official) has wording that is almost identical to RMC - if [figure] is attacked and at least one skull is rolled... etc. So, if Smilex Bomb doesn't trigger RMC, it also doesn't trigger Spidey-Sense (and Spider-Sense, and Radar Sense, etc) ? Can Black Canary and Cyclops etc. really bypass these defensive abilities?

If, however, it does trigger both these powers (which is how I've always played Spider-Man, though it could well be wrong!), then what happens to the other affected figures if RMC takes hold? Does PM escape damage and others caught in the blast take damage, or does it stop the entire attack (and if it does so to Harley's Smilex, does that then count as being used)?

Also, can I ask how RMC affects Event Heroes?

Many thanks, and keep up the amazing work!

[Griffin]

Originally Posted by Sam

I've been using Puppet Master quite a bit lately, and something's come up. When exactly does Reactive Mind Control trigger? In PM's Book Griffin mentions that area of effect attacks 'have some value' against PM. Does this mean that RMC does not activate when PM is attacked in this way (say, when Harley throws a Smilex and PM isn't on the targeted hex, but is caught in the blast) ?

Area effects like Harley's bomb or Punisher's Shotgun can bypass RMC when they attack an adacent figure to Puppet Master, because they are not targeting and attacking Puppet Master directly. The official game does not allow figures to attack themselves. So, if a figure is AFFECTED by its own special attack, it is clear that being Affected is different than being attacked, even though the result could be the same.

This is where I run into a problem! Spidey-Sense (official) has wording that is almost identical to RMC - if [figure] is attacked and at least one skull is rolled... etc. So, if Smilex Bomb doesn't trigger RMC, it also doesn't trigger Spidey-Sense (and Spider-Sense, and Radar Sense, etc) ? Can Black Canary and Cyclops etc. really bypass these defensive abilities?

Correct.
Yes.

Also, can I ask how RMC affects Event Heroes?

Many thanks, and keep up the amazing work!

Great question. It doesn't work on them at all. Even though it isn't all that clear in the wording, it doesn't work on Event Heroes because they cannot be mind controlled in any way, and the theme behind this power is that he is stopping the attack, avoiding any damage, taking over the figure's mind to move it away.

[johnny139]

Originally Posted by Griffin

Great question. It doesn't work on them at all. Even though it isn't all that clear in the wording, it doesn't work on Event Heroes because they cannot be mind controlled in any way, and the theme behind this power is that he is stopping the attack, avoiding any damage, taking over the figure's mind to move it away.

I'm not sure I buy that. Thematically accurate but mechanically I can't imagine any reason that an Event Hero wouldn't be affected.

[Griffin]

Originally Posted by johnny139

I'm not sure I buy that. Thematically accurate but mechanically I can't imagine any reason that an Event Hero wouldn't be affected.

I am sorry you don't "buy" it, whatever that means. Like I said, it isn't worded well enough for anyone to argue my point, but my point remains, that our intention was for the power to ONLY work on figures that PM could actually reactive MIND CONTROL, which is why we added the line about mental shield. Well seeing as how all Event Heroes cannot be "mind controlled" according to their rules, this power is not supposed to work on them.
Now, we can leave it as an FAQ or we can edit the card. I am happy with either.

[Hidicul]

EDIT: Dang I really need to remember to preview so I can avoid being ninja'd.

[yummypie]

What's the difference between mutants, mutates, meta-humans, and humans?

[johnny139]

Originally Posted by yummypie

What's the difference between mutants, mutates, meta-humans, and humans?

Humans: Marvel and DC. No inherent powers - guys like Batman and Iron Man, who are only "super" because of technology or natural-learned skills are just humans. Like you and me only better!

Mutants: Marvel only. Generally speaking, they're born with powers which manifest later in life due to an X-Gene. The X-Men and Brotherhood, of course, are Mutants.

Mutates: Marvel only. Pretty much anyone with powers that is biologically human but not a Mutant. Spider-Man got his from a radioactive spider, Hulk got hit with a gamma bomb, people get them from magic or experiments or Cosmic Rays or what have you.

Metahuman: DC only. Pretty much anyone with superpowers - unlike Marvel, there's no distinction between people born with powers and people who developed them later in life for whatever reason. Flash got splashed with chemicals - metahuman. Killer Croc was born with a rare disease that makes him super strong and all lizardy - also a metahuman.

...and of course this doesn't take into account people who have powers because they're not human beings, like Thor (being an Asgardian) or Superman (being a Kryptonian).

[yummypie]

Originally Posted by johnny139

Humans: Marvel and DC. No inherent powers - guys like Batman and Iron Man, who are only "super" because of technology or natural-learned skills are just humans. Like you and me only better!

Mutants: Marvel only. Generally speaking, they're born with powers which manifest later in life due to an X-Gene. The X-Men and Brotherhood, of course, are Mutants.

Mutates: Marvel only. Pretty much anyone with powers that is biologically human but not a Mutant. Spider-Man got his from a radioactive spider, Hulk got hit with a gamma bomb, people get them from magic or experiments or Cosmic Rays or what have you.

Metahuman: DC only. Pretty much anyone with superpowers - unlike Marvel, there's no distinction between people born with powers and people who developed them later in life for whatever reason. Flash got splashed with chemicals - metahuman. Killer Croc was born with a rare disease that makes him super strong and all lizardy - also a metahuman.

...and of course this doesn't take into account people who have powers because they're not human beings, like Thor (being an Asgardian) or Superman (being a Kryptonian).

Why not just call metahumans mutates or vise versa?

[SirGalahad]

You can still edit.

[Griffin]

Good idea.

[Griffin]

Dude, I know all of that. What you are not getting is "I am a Hero. I helped to create this power. Our intention was that the power would only work in a thematic way against people that PM could in fact mind control." I AM RULING This right now, because I know our intention here was to prevent him from using this power on figures that he can't thematically mind control. And my ruling is thus: Reactive Mind Control does not work on Event Heroes.

Now, you can either live with the ruling, or if you need it, we can edit the wording (because we can do that). I am truly fine with either.

As a note: you should know that the theme behind this power is not that Puppet Master is just somehow "moving" a figure. He is in fact taking over their mind (hence the title with the phrase: mind control) just for a brief moment to save his own skin.

[Lord Pyre]

Two things:

Spiderman really gets hit by firelines and such?! I've never played like that! Isamu always gets a chance to dodge an attack, whether it's a grenade aimed at him, or to the side of him... That's really how the official game ruled it?

The only way I can see the theme for reactive mind control working correctly, is to actually give Event Heroes Mental Shield. But who honestly will remember. If you think it's a big deal, I suggest just adding the line "Reactive Mind control does not affect Event Heroes." The theme isn't there, but it works better mechanically.