Linkstone

[Jack]

I was going through the list of Artifacts, I gave Linkstone another read through, I'm actually at a loss of what purpose it really serves (having no knowledge of the comic/story reference):


On his turn, Teammate may discard 1 card from top of Draw Pile to Dead Pile to immediately play any card Placed to any Front Line Hero.

Would this card be like Post's Lethal Tester?

Post may attack any Front Line teammate using 1 of opponent's Placed cards. Teammate may defend.

Or... <Linkstone's holder's teammate> has a teamwork placed, unusable by <Linkstone's holder>, <Linkstone's holder> plays it and the 2 teammates make follow ups?

Or... <Linkstone's holder's teammate> has a CW placed and <Linkstone's holder> would be able to use it defensively?

The usefulness of the card is limited since it only lasts for the battle.

Thoughts?

[gameplan.exe]

well, you can't use anything placed, defensively, because it says it must be on your turn. I've actually thought a lot about this card (in deciding whether or not I want to add it to my collection) and I can see 3 main purposes.

1) To get around a hold (from your opponent or yourself, AV, AX, DZ, ZY, etc.)
2) To play boost/ buff/ shield/ "charm" type cards (AY, CG, CD, KC, etc.)
3) Some flexibility with AE "combine" Specials and Teamwork Universe cards

I don't think you can use your opponent's placed cards. Otherwise you could use your opponent's boosts/buffs/shields on yourself, and that's crossing a line, I think.

Also, I don't think the Universe or Power cards placed to the teammate have to be usable by the person with the Linkstone, just like they don't have to be able to use a Special card that's placed to a teammate in this case.

For example, let's say Professor X played the linkstone on Cyclops:

[Professor X]  [Cyclops]*linkstone
(7I TW)          (6E BO spc)
(8E PC)

Cyclops could use the Linkstone to play the 7I TW and then let Prof follow up with the 8E PC, or Professor could start the 7I TW and then Cyke could link to use the 8E PC for the follow-up. He could also use his own Remove Visor and combine it with ProfX's 8E for a gigantic
ZZZZZZZZZZZZRRRAAAKKK14E!

In general, it has such a limited/circumstantial usefulness, and it's only good for a single battle, so I've never been seriously tempted to go get this card. I suppose if I already had it, I might try to throw it in some deck or another, but probably not 

[Jack]

Another topic that references Linkstone:
http://www.beenhereandthere.com/SMF/index.php?topic=102.0

So yes, it cannot be played defensively.

[Kal-el]

I've been meaning to ask this question for awhile. It's one of the few Image cards I'm missing, so I was wondering if it was actually useful. I was confused by the wording and couldn't really see much reason for the card.

[Demacus]

However, the wording of "Front Line Character" implies that it COULD be used to swipe something from your opponent and throw it back at him so long as it's YOUR turn and he has an OFFENSIVE maneuver placed.  Similar to the Nightcrawler DZ special.  It doesn't specifically limit it to YOUR Front Line, and as a Non-OPD that won't stay beyond that 1 turn, your opponent might be forced into a different strategic stance once you've set it up.

"Do I play this Teamwork from my hand with the 2 follow-ups in the hopes of killing the character with the Linkstone, though he wouldn't normally be a main target, just to keep him from blasting me with my own Drop Kick, or should I just Drop kick now and hope he doesn't KO my Teamwork initiator?"

If there's no ruling AGAINST using your opponents tricks against them, it could be a pretty powerful little artifact, and, honestly, since there really isn't an organized group to really say what is, just what was, if you like that ruling, make sure your friends are aware of it before you Drop Kick your opponents Dark Beast after they used their Analyze to stop your Don't Lose your Head.

[thetrooper27]

Should be remainder of game.

Sigh... I'm depressed.  I'm going to bed now.  See yall tomorrow.

[gameplan.exe]

I was rereading this and I'm not sure there's anything wrong with using it like Lethal Tester. the main thing that I think "crosses a line" is using an opponent's attacks against an opponent's Teammates. that's where it could get sketchy, I think.

[thetrooper27]

Unless it says it can use an opponents cards, I don't think it should be allowed to... that's just what I think though.

And I was thinking about cards that "target"... I'm not sure they should ever be used on your own team.  They specify "character" or "opponent" but they are primarily offensive uses on the cards.  I haven't investigated it enough yet, but it seems that cards like "remove a hit from a teammate" do not target, nor do defensive cards like EE's, AD's, and such... they just say "teammate."  Cards that say "target" heavily imply crossing the board... AI's, Siberian Strength, Trick Transport, Telepathic Manipulator... I can't find any card that says "target" on it that refers to ONLY my team, and I don't think cards that read "target" were ever meant to be used on your own teammates.  I think the word "target" is an offensive term in OverPower, at least that it was intended that way. 

The only exception to this is Dazzler's IA from Marvels, but its technically an unofficial card.  Can anyone think of some official OP card examples that say "target" but don't target the opponents team?

[gameplan.exe]

     * MIND CONTROL (CT) <PS> {VR} [OPD]
        All attacks made on Mandarin are made on target teammate until teammate
            is KO'd. Teammate may defend.

     * POSSESS OTHERS (MF) <XM> {R} [OPD]
        Target teammate may play any Shadow King Special cards for remainder of
            game.

     * DEMIGOD OF THE DARK (LW) <IM> {R} [OPD]
        Target Character's Special cards may not be Negated for remainder of
            game.

     * INFERNAL PACT (ME) <IM> {U}
        Play during battle on Teammate, before Teammate is KO'd. When Target
            Teammate is KO'd, Malebolgia is +5 to Venture Total.

     * CYBERFORCE (MW) <IM> {C}
        Target Character gains +1 to defense for remainder of game.

     * BULLETPROOF (LU) <IM> {C}
        Target Character's Tactic: Artifact cards may not be removed from play
            for remainder of game.

     * WILDC.A.T. (NE) <IM> {U}
        Target Character may follow up a Universe: Teamwork card with any Power
            card, regardless of Power Type.

to name a few.

[thetrooper27]

Fair enough.  But hang in there with me for a little bit.  Something really chaps my cheeks about this... I can't exactly put my finger on it, but maybe it isn't the word "target" that should be examined, but rather these 3 words:

Opponent - Opposing player:  Cards that read opponent are played against the other player, not his or her team.

Teammate - Frontline character on your team:  Any card reading teammate is played to a frontline character on my team other than the one playing the special card.

Hero/Character - This is the sticky wicket term, because some cards don't clearly define whether or not they're an attack, nor which hero/characters they should be played against (mine or opponents).  So you look to the effect of the card to tell you.  If it's a beneficial ability, you can assume it's a bonus they wanted you to play on your team.  If it's a bad ability, you can assume it was an attack to be played against your opponents team. 

I'm assuming you cannot attack your own team (and please clear this up for me if you can, in fact, attack your own team).  All of the following cards read target "hero/character." 

An AI is an attack that can be avoided.  So you can't use it against your own teammate, especially the ones that read opponent.  Should you then be able to use Telepathic Manipulator against your own team?

Or what about Trick Transport?  It's an attack that can be avoided.  What about if it's used on your teammate?  Is it still an attack?

What about AV's?  Can you use them against your team?

KT, FO, CH, GA and other cards like them... if they are indeed attacks, can you play them against your own team?  Why?

All of the Image cards above that read "character" are beneficial abilities that wouldn't be considered attacks.  If I play them on my opponents team, are they now considered attacks since they're crossing the board?  Am I allowed to even play them to my opponents team?

[gameplan.exe]

for real, troop, I have had serious issues about the DZ/IA cards attacking teammates. They seem to be the only cards that can attack an opponent's characters and your own. I don't like that. I feel like it breaks the game-mold too much. It seems like too much deviation.

This is why I'd also have a problem using the Linkstone to pull a card from an Opponent's character, and have it attack that character's teammate (also on the Opponent's team).

[Tussin]

this card is a minus 1, but if used right it can create strong combinations.

if you are looking to combine for AE's, i suggest using the Witchblade or Serpent Crown/Super Soldier Serum/Adamantium Tentacles/Book of the Darkhold instead... those last the entire game for your minus 1.

it can give some more flexibility for some characters with self only use and only on your turn... like









like this for example Sinister has a max 5 or 6 Fighting... this could be combo'ed in a fighting deck to get a 2, 7, 8 attack combo, but it would probably just be better to use Witchblade on Sinister if you wanted a higher combo of string attacks.

it could also create strong attacks with characters with innates.
say you use a teammates bigboy card like Human Torches 11E special, if Havok attacked a 7E or 8E hero it would be a 12E to block. other combos to think about... could turn those 9's into 10's to get over the teammate avoid cards like Spawn or Silver Surfer has. 9 or less.

[Tussin]

hmm could i use this to use a special from a character in reserve for a front line character?
say i have Deathlok in reserve with Luther Manning... could it be activated from the frontline if its playable via reserve?

and could this be triggered for Beyonder lets say that is a OPD from teammate to him?