Ok, so I stopped playing OverPower before the concept of Activators existed, and it certainly seems to have changed the game. I'm a pretty fast study, but let me make sure I have this straight (as in, if I state something incorrectly, PLEASE chime in with what and why it's wrong):
If I use a Location card as a Battlesite, I can begin the game with Specials for Characters associated with that Battlesite placed underneath it (1). In my deck, I need a number of Character cards (henceforth called Activators) which correspond to those specials (2). When I draw one of those Activators, I may place it under the Battlesite and declare a corresponding Special, which is then being used by a front line Character in my team. Any relevant name in the Special is assumed to be the Character using it (3).
Examples:
(1) Using Location: The Morlock Tunnels, I can begin with Summon Elemental Power (AT) and Hurricane Winds (AH) in play, placed under The Morlock Tunnels.
(2) I would then have 2 copies of Storm in my deck, to be Activators. [If I understand the rules correctly, a variant character like Storm: Neutralized could be played as the Activator, which would then allow Morlocks Non-OPD specials to be placed as well, because she can play them]
(3) If I then draw an Activator, I may place it under the Battlesite and declare that [CHOOSE ARBITRARY CHARACTER ON MY TEAM. SPAWN, I GUESS] is using Hurricane Winds (AH), and now because of that Special's effects, no Universe cards may be played against [SPAWN, I GUESS] for remainder of battle. [If I was using Storm:Neutralized, I would be able to use a Morlocks - Caliban (LJ) which had begun the game placed under my Battlesite, correct?]
This probably seems really, really obvious to everyone else. But I want to make sure I've understood correctly, because I stopped playing long before this mechanic was introduced and it certainly changes the game on a fundamental level if I've understood it correctly. So have I got it? Thanks for any help or (if I need it) clarification.
PS - Is there some kind of list of which characters are Clones of each other, and which are Variants of each other, and also lists the rules regarding Clones and Variants? Because that stuff is really confusing, apparently I can use Spider-Man and Doppelganger on the same team but not Sentinels and Bastion? Is that right? Someone please explain this is an easy-to-understand manner. I'm not as clever as I wish I was.
Correct except for 3. You normally exchange (actually discard) the Activator for a Special they can use underneath the Battlesite. And for clarification, you may never place Activators.
http://overpower.ca/wiki/Clones
The horrible terminology is thrown back and forth but I think I have it correct on the site now. You can use Spider-Man/Doppleganger/Sentinels/Bastion in one big team if you'd want. But you cannot use, say, Spider-Man from IQ and his Symbiote Costume from Classic in a team.
That makes perfect sense. I actually saw a thread after I posted this that asked about discarding Activators and where they go, and now that I'm sure I understand Activators I'm going to start brewing!
Thanks for the clarification on clones/variants, that makes things a lot easier to understand.
Activators were very much the rage until devourer of worlds (any character) came out in the x-men set. Now the playing feel is pretty even. Mostly tournament decks try to use any heroes and the more fun/gimmick decks tend to use activators.
That makes sense. As soon as I was clear on what Activators were, it seemed obvious how good Devourer of Worlds must be against them (which I suppose at least in part explains how it ended up being so expensive).
I tried my hand at a couple of Activator decks, and largely it felt like they were clunky and mediocre if they didn't draw the cards they wanted. A couple came out ok, and one actually looks really good to me. I wanted to exploit the Eradicator/Hydra - Baron Von Strucker interaction, and also the Shadowcat + The Witchblade + Pryde and Wisdom interaction. I ended up with the following team:
Shadowcat: AoA (6-6-3-3) [18]
Eradicator (7-2-7-3) [19]
Holocaust (7-2-6-2) [17]
Doc Samson (2-2-7-6) [17]
Doc Samson was going to be Hulk, until I realized that Doc Samson + The Witchblade (or Baron Von Strucker) + Power Punch is just another variant on the Shadowcat combo above. It also happens that besides Eradicator and Holocaust being excellent targets for Baron Von Strucker, Doc and AoA Shadowcat get bonuses in exactly the areas they need to be able to deliver 11s off their specials (Witchblade does the same, and is why I had originally slotted Hulk, who has the 8 on Strength). Shadowcat also added in her card drawing special (I assigned Mission: Fatal Attractions to get access the Best Laid Plans event) which is pretty sweet. In the end, I decided Eradicator was actually the reserve for 2 reasons: 1, he's best with the Baron Von Strucker activator, which as a 1-of isn't likely to come up early in the game frequently. 2, his special that allows him to play any KO'd Teammate's Special works much better after I Voltron-up someone with the Witchblade or Strucker, use them to bring the pain, and then lose them battle. Eradicator comes in, plays Power Punch for his KO'd teammate Doc Samson, and gets to smash face for 11.
By and large though, the decks I made that were "old school" (that is, Any Hero specials and specials for the characters on my team, no battlesite and no activators) seemed more consistent and hence stronger. Of course, this was all theory-crafting, because I haven't started playing online and I don't exactly have a local play group.