Defending When something says card with . . .

[Palatinus]

When a card says "No cards with the word 'avoid' may be played this battle" or "can only be defended with a defensive special" does this include activators replaced by specials?  Can an avoid from a battlesite be played even if no cards with the word avoid can be played and can an avoid from a battlesite count as a defensive special for cards that can only be defended by a special?

[Jack]

You're exchanging the activator (and playing the activator) for a special in the battlesite. You then play the special card from the battlesite.

[BigBadHarve]

You're still playing the card. So if it has the work 'avoid' then it may not be played, regardless of where it's being played from.

-BBH

[gameplan.exe]

Here's a question along similar lines...

If some one plays Captain Marvel's

* STRENGTH OF HERCULES (AP) <JL> {U}
        Acts as a level 6 Strength attack. Cannot be defended by a card with an
            Energy icon.

Then, can it be defended with a card from a Battlesite? I mean, the Special being retrieved wouldn't necessarily have an Energy Icon, but the Activator would...

[Jack]

Technically no, the Activator counts as part of the defense. I don't like to agree with it but it makes perfect sense.

Relevant QNA posts:

Question: Are the icons on an activator in play? - "Dum Dum Dugan" - Avoid energy draw one. - Do I play this against the Energy Icon on the activator or the special it pulls? AND IF SO can I decide after I see the special (sneaky idea); Quicksilver - Avoid energy no energy against - So can no activators now be played against him? (1997-11-02)

Answer: You can use "Avoid 1 attack made with an Energy icon" to avoid an attack made with an activator. You must wait until the attack is made before doing it though, so you can't avoid it before it comes at you (after all, it may not even be an attack), so you must avoid it after it's been made against you.

As for Quicksilver's AGILE AVENGER card, that card specifically states "NO ENERGY POWER CARDS" may be played against Quicksilver. Although it contains an Energy icon, an activator is NOT an Energy Power card. nice try, though.

Question: Do cards that effect specific icons effect Activator cards? For instance cards that say discard all cards with a fighting icon currently held in hand. Would these cards make you discard your activators? (1997-11-02)

Answer: Yes - Activators have icons. They would be discarded if attacked as described above.

Question: Can Nick Fury's Dum Dum Dugan [LO] block a special card coming from the Battle site since that attack would always include an Energy Icon from the activator card? (1997-12-21)

Answer: Yes

Question: I was wondering what would happen if one were to draw an event that reads, "No cards with an energy icon may be used to attack this battle," could that person use an activator, that obviously has an energy icon, to play a special from a battlesite that doesn't have an energy icon? (1998-04-19)

Answer: As long as the Special is not an attack, yes. Example: I can use a Mr. Fantastic Activator to draw and play a "Draw 3 cards" Special but not to pull a "Stretch Attack" Special (acts as a level 4 FIghting attack).

[gameplan.exe]

That's what I was thinking. Good references, Jack 

[Palatinus]

I try to use 3-stat heroes for as many of my activators as possible so that if something references an intellect icon it won't affect the card.  It is a small boost.

[gameplan.exe]

I try to use 3-stat heroes for as many of my activators as possible so that if something references an intellect icon it won't affect the card.  It is a small boost.

for sure. when i was first looking into this on the flip side, i realized that there's an Event to prevent attacking with E/F/S icons, but not Int. i've often thought about the advantage that could have been 

[BigBadHarve]

Here's one for you guys to puzzle out - According to the rules if an attack may ONLY be defended with a special card, can you use a battlesite card to stop it?

Think carefully before you answer. 

-BBH

[gameplan.exe]

Here's one for you guys to puzzle out - According to the rules if an attack may ONLY be defended with a special card, can you use a battlesite card to stop it?

Think carefully before you answer. 

-BBH

i'm going to go ahead and say yes. i figure any defensive actions that make use of a Special card are ok, even if they involve another card. e.g., if i use an AM to gain +1 in conjunction with a Power card, then the attack was defended with a Special card. same logic would then apply to Activators.
... unless i'm wrong on both counts 

[Oscorp]

I'm going to side with Ncan on this one.  As long as a special card is included in the defense.  Much in the same way you can use an EE to block a doubleshot or power card combined with a special.

[Jack]

I hate to say it, but meta #44:

Meta #44: When a card specifies what cards may (or may not) be used to defend it, this includes ALL cards used in the defense.

And...

Meta #124: Specials which are already in play prior to an attack being launched can be utilized in the defense of that attack without being considered "being played defensively."

[gameplan.exe]

I hate to say it, but meta #44:

Meta #44: When a card specifies what cards may (or may not) be used to defend it, this includes ALL cards used in the defense.

And...

Meta #124: Specials which are already in play prior to an attack being launched can be utilized in the defense of that attack without being considered "being played defensively."

I understand the application of #124, and I agree. If my AM is already in play, then I don't get to consider it part of my "defended with a Special"; however, if nothing is yet in play, and you attack me with a Batman's 3I, I think it's totally legit to play Magneto's AM w/lv.1 Power card.

I'm not sure what you mean to say about rule #44, though...

[Ranerdar]

I think it means if a card specifies "must be defend by a special card", the meta rule is stating that ALL cards in the defense must be special cards. So, for example, Prof X. +2 to all actions with Nightcrawler's 5M "may be used to attack or defend" to block a 7 can be done. But, Prof X. +2  with a 5 power card to block a 7 can't. Not that there are any 7's that can only be defended by specials. But I was just trying to make an example.

[Jack]

With #44, the Activator is played with the defensive special, so it violates the "can only be defended by a special card" clause.