EVENT - On The Move

[gameplan.exe]

This Event, like others, says that the affected cards are not discarded... can I choose to discard them? There would be a few benefits for this. Cards like Longshot's Purity Of Thought, or the Danger Room Inherent Ability.

The Event doesn't say, "Do not discard affected Power cards." - it seems to me that the card is just allowing you to keep those cards in your hand for bluffing. At least, that's how I'd always taken the cards wording - until I realized there could be benefit to the discarding...

It seems like this is similar to when a Character is KO'd in a Battle. The Rule Book says you make keep their now-unplayable-cards in your hand to bluff, but you could also discard them, right? Again, to take advantage of Longshot's card, at least...

Thoughts?

[BigBadHarve]

I would say no, you'd have to keep them. The wording on the event is pretty specific - 'are not discarded.'   That implies to me that you have no option. It doesn't say 'affected cards may be kept' which would indicate the choice.

Of course, duplicates are still pitched...

-BBH

[gameplan.exe]

I would say no, you'd have to keep them. The wording on the event is pretty specific - 'are not discarded.'   That implies to me that you have no option. It doesn't say 'affected cards may be kept' which would indicate the choice.

Of course, duplicates are still pitched...

-BBH

I was afraid of that

The wording on the card is, in fact, specific - 'are not discarded.' But to me, it implies that I don't have to discard them.

Does anyone else want to weigh in on this? Has anyone seen this issue come up in a Tournament? It's a pretty specifc scenario...

[Ranerdar]

Yeah... I'd side with BBH on this one. "Affected Power Cards are not discarded" seems clear to me.

[gameplan.exe]

be honest, are you guys just saying no because I'm trying to do something cool? seems like i should be able to choose to discard any unusable cards if I want to do so.

[Palatinus]

I think that it is pretty clear from the wording that "are not" does not imply "don't have to be".  This is especially clear because some events that prevent the use of certain cards do not specify that the cards are not discarded.

[BigBadHarve]

be honest, are you guys just saying no because I'm trying to do something cool? seems like i should be able to choose to discard any unusable cards if I want to do so.

Damn! You've seen through our clever ruse. Ranerdar, the jig is up, he's on to us.

The distinction between what you may and may not do is actually pretty important. You can't arbitrarily discard cards for a number of reasons - placed cards rendered unusable chew up a placed card spot - you are now at a strategic disadvantage and have to work around it. (That's what Marvel Manhattan is for)  Cards in hand as well. While the situation isn't exactly a common one, it's still possible. You mentioned purity of Thought - you can't just arbitrarily opt to discard cards in order to fuel purity. Likewise, what about the Any mission - To save the world. What if I realized that I had more cards than you, so I opted to just discard a bunch to drain your hand?

You'd have to come up with a bunch more rules to govern such a thing - "A player may discard any cards from hand or placed, unless To Save the World is in play and the moon is at it's apex during the month of an equinox when your opponent has only ventured 1.5 cards this turn and meta rules 84, 76, 21 and 13 have been referenced." , which is the last thing this game needs.

Conversely - Hawkeye has Combat Ready - a card that allows him to pitch unusables and redraw, keeping dupes.

The Danger Room example bears mentioning as an exception. It simply says that you may redraw for unusable cards. There's no requirement for you to place a power card on the reserve, you can opt to discard a currently unusable power card for a redraw.

-BBH

[gameplan.exe]

I think that it is pretty clear from the wording that "are not" does not imply "don't have to be".  This is especially clear because some events that prevent the use of certain cards do not specify that the cards are not discarded.

These other EVENTS don't specify because their destructive potential is significantly smaller.

I really feel like that verbiage was added only to balance their ruinous ability. So if I want to discard the affected cards from my hand, because I'm annoyed or because I can take advantage of it, I feel like that's my prerogative.

The distinction between what you may and may not do is actually pretty important.

I agree. I'm not saying you should be able to discard arbitrarily. But, only when cards become unusable - like when some one is KO'd. And even then, I only mean that relative to what's in your hand. I agree that if you placed a card that becomes unusable, because that's in the Rule Book - you can't discard something that's placed unless another card tells you you can - maybe that's why they added the verbiage.

Anyway, I guess I'll just have to use the Promo version of the Event, MUTANT REBELS HELD CAPTIVE! "No Strength Power cards may be played this battle." - it doesn't have the second sentence 

[Ranerdar]

Not saying this is definitive or anything, but the rule book states, under Sequence of Plan - Discarding, "Any cards that have been rendered Unusable due to one or more of your Characters being K.O.'d must be immediately discarded."

Doesn't say "or as the result of an Event"

Also, you know I'm pretty easy going. If you want to dump cards affected by the Event, I don't really care. Just means I'll lose in 4 turns instead of 5.

[Palatinus]

These other EVENTS don't specify because their destructive potential is significantly smaller.

I really feel like that verbiage was added only to balance their ruinous ability. So if I want to discard the affected cards from my hand, because I'm annoyed or because I can take advantage of it, I feel like that's my prerogative.

Even if that is how you feel about it, there is no real basis for that interpretation.  As far as within the context of the wording and the context of the game, you are allowed to do things that follow the rules unless a card that affects gamplay says otherwise.  So, basically, yes, you would discard the cards normally, except you have a card that explicitly says you do not.  There really isn't an wiggle room there.  It is not as if the game designers were unaware of the word "may".  They could have made the card give you a choice very easily, but they did not.

[Bravosi]

The way that card is worded you would not be allowed to simply discard them. 

They could be placed or used for bluffing.  You could discard them as a result of another action, such as Power Leach or a "BY" special such as Leaders Omnibus.

[gameplan.exe]

Not saying this is definitive or anything, but the rule book states, under Sequence of Plan - Discarding, "Any cards that have been rendered Unusable due to one or more of your Characters being K.O.'d must be immediately discarded."

Doesn't say "or as the result of an Event"

Also, you know I'm pretty easy going. If you want to dump cards affected by the Event, I don't really care. Just means I'll lose in 4 turns instead of 5.

Unfortunately, that sentence in the Rule Book is not difinitive, since it doesn't mention Ally Cards w/no Specials, or other Universe cards with no Power cards. So, a character being K.O.'d is not the only cause of an unusable card.

Like I said, though, I'll just have to use the version of MUTANT REBELS HELD CAPTIVE! that doesn't include that wording (unless that card is somehow not legal for play).

[Onslaught]

Misprints don't magically get around the intent of the card. If you play the Annihilation Affair event that says no cards with a strength icon can be used to attack, you can't use the misprinted Sorceress Slam with a fighting icon.

[Oscorp]

I would have to agree with Onslaught on that one.

But I guess if you're just playing with your friends then you guys can choose to interpret it how you want, as long as both people playing agree beforehand.

[Onslaught]

be honest, are you guys just saying no because I'm trying to do something cool? seems like i should be able to choose to discard any unusable cards if I want to do so.

lmao