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=== Actions ===
 
=== Actions ===
   
1x <span id="Really">'''“... Really?”'''</span> - Destroy one of your minions. Play an extra minion from your discard pile with the same or lower power. <sup>[[#Questions on "... Really?"|FAQ]]</sup>
+
1x <span id="Really">'''“... Really?”'''</span> - Destroy one of your minions. Play an extra minion from your discard pile with the same or lower power. <sup>[[#Questions on ... Really?|FAQ]]</sup>
   
 
1x <span id="Bacta_the_Future">'''Bacta the Future'''</span> - Destroy a minion. That minion's owner may immediately play an extra minion. <sup>[[#Questions on Bacta the Future|FAQ]]</sup>
 
1x <span id="Bacta_the_Future">'''Bacta the Future'''</span> - Destroy a minion. That minion's owner may immediately play an extra minion. <sup>[[#Questions on Bacta the Future|FAQ]]</sup>

Revision as of 09:01, 16 November 2017

Mimic

Far below the surface of the earth, strange amorphous creatures have developed a thriving world, based on the manipulation of their own genetics. Now they plan to apply that knowledge to conquer our world above. Taking samples of the most powerful creatures and warriors they can find, these shapeshifters can use the best of whoever they copy.

- Science Fiction Double Feature rulebook

The Shape Shifters are one of the 4 factions from the Science Fiction Double Feature set.

This faction specializes in copying other player's cards (either a card ability or a minion's power) and in "morphing" your minions into minions taken directly from your deck.

Other factions from the same set: Cyborg Apes, Super Spies, Time Travelers.

Cards

Shape shifters

The Shapeshifters have the usual 10 minions and 10 actions. The total minion base power (not counting any abilities) is unusually low at only 21 or an average of 2.1 per minion compared to the usual 30 and 3. However, this does not count the inevitable power boost that Mimic will get in the presence of other minions.

Minions

1x Doppelgänger - power 5 - Special: When this minion goes to the discard pile from a base, search your deck for a minion and play it as an extra minion. Shuffle your deck. FAQ

2x G.E.L.F. - power 4 - Talent: Search your deck for a non-G.E.L.F. minion of power 4 or less. Shuffle this minion into your deck and play that minion here as an extra minion. FAQ

3x Mimic - power 0 - Ongoing: This minion's power is equal to the highest power printed on a minion card in play. FAQ

4x Copycat - power 2 - Choose another player's minion in play. This card has the same ability as that minion until the end of the turn. FAQ

Actions

1x “... Really?” - Destroy one of your minions. Play an extra minion from your discard pile with the same or lower power. FAQ

1x Bacta the Future - Destroy a minion. That minion's owner may immediately play an extra minion. FAQ

1x Cellular Bonding - Play on a minion. Choose an action on a minion. Ongoing: This card has the abilities of the chosen action. FAQ

2x Genetic Shift - Either each of your minions gets +1 power until the end of the turn, or one of your minions gets +3 power until the end of the turn, your choice. FAQ

1x Mitosis - Choose your minion in play. Play a copy of that card from your hand as an extra minion. FAQ

1x Shell Game - Play on a minion. Ongoing: This minion cannot be destroyed. FAQ

1x Splice as Nice - Play on a minion. Ongoing: This minion has +2 power. FAQ

2x Transmogrify - Destroy one of your minions. Search your deck for a minion with the same or lower power and play it as an extra minion. Shuffle your deck. FAQ

Shapeshifters

Bases

Mechanics

Shapeshifters (as you'd expect) utility are very dependent on how powerful your opponent and partner faction is, as the cards they have access to constrain many of their abilities. This is most evident in having minions thats power or abilities are a reflection of another card in play (and effectively null if there are no other cards).

Shapeshifters also have many ways to essentially replace themselves (constrained to same or lower power), which is very reliant on what cards you have. However, this allows access to play many minions directly from anywhere in your deck.

As an extension of this, shapeshifter have many ways to destroy minions you control and also to shuffle the deck (both occasionally exploitable mechanics). In addition, "search deck for same or lower power" cards will be able to summon Mimic as it has power 0 and will at least match the highest power minion in play. Further, the inclusion of a couple buffing cards allows Shapeshifters to hold their weigh in raw power beyond just breaking even.

External Strategy Guides

FAQ

Questions on Doppelgänger

Q: The card says "Special" so I can play it outside of my turn, right?

A: "Special" does not mean the card can be played out of turn. "Special" simply means that it's an ability that can be used when its condition is met. Whether it can be used out of turn, activated straight from your hand/discard pile, or if it can only be used when it's already in play (essentially being a synonym of Ongoing), it entirely depends on the wording. In the case of Doppelgänger, the condition is "when this minion goes to the discard pile from a base". In order to go to the discard pile from a base, the Doppelgänger obviously has to be on a base first. So Doppelgänger is actually a Special card that can only be used when it is in play first.

Rule: A Special ability will describe how it can be used.

Q: Do I have to play the extra minion on the Doppelgänger's previous base or any base?

A: On any base.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: If Doppelgänger is discarded after a base scores, can I play the extra minion on the base that replaces the scored base?

A: No. The cards are discarded before the new base is drawn, so Doppelgänger's ability is resolved before the new base appears.

Rule: Check the steps for Phase 3.

Q: Since you can see your hand, your discard pile and the cards in play, you should know if you have any minions left in your deck. So, can I choose not to search for a minion when Doppelgänger goes to the discard pile?

A: No. It doesn't say "you may", so you have to do it.

Rule: If the ability doesn't say "you may", you must do it immediately.

Q: If there is at least one minion in my deck, can I choose to look through my deck and shuffle it without taking one out?

A: No. It doesn't say "you may", so you have to do it.

Rule: If the ability doesn't say "you may", you must do it immediately.

Q: If I chose a minion, do I have to play it immediately or can I play it later?

A: You have to play it immediately.

Rule: Extra cards gained by a Special ability must be played immediately or not at all.

Q: The minion I chose (or rather, was forced to choose) is Elder Thing. I don't have enough minions to destroy, so Elder Thing has to go under my deck. Does it happen before or after I shuffle my deck?

A: The rules tell you to play it immediately, so it's immediately when you're resolving the part that says "play it as an extra minion". Once Elder Thing is played, you must resolve its ability before doing the rest of Doppegänger's ability, so Elder Thing is placed under your deck before shuffling it.

Rule: Check the Card Resolution Order.

Q: The minion I chose (or rather, was forced to choose) is Shoggoth. I don't have enough power on any base to play it. So what happens?

A: TBD

Rule: TBD

Q: An opponent takes control of my Doppelgänger. When it's destroyed, it goes to my discard pile, but who gets to use its ability?

A: Your opponent, because they are the one controlling it when it was destroyed.

Rule: "You" on a minion or action means the controller of the card.


Questions on G.E.L.F.

Q: What does G.E.L.F. stand for?

A: Genetically Engineered LifeForm.

Rule: N/A

Q: Can I use G.E.L.F.'s talent on the same turn that I play it?

A: Yes. You can use it, but only during your Play Cards phase.

Rule 1: A talent can be used on the same turn the card is played.

Rule 2: A talent can only be used during your Play Cards phase.

Q: If I play G.E.L.F. before a base scores (e.g. Hidden Ninja), can I immediately use its talent?

A: No. A talent is not resolved when a minion is played and can only be used duing your Play Cards phase.

Rule 1: When you play a card, an ability that starts with "Talent:" is never resolved immediately.

Rule 2: A talent can only be used during your Play Cards phase.

Q: How does it count as an extra minion if you have to put G.E.L.F. back?

A: "Extra" is a game term which allows you to play the minion outside the usual one-minion-per-turn restriction.

Rule: N/A

Q: If G.E.L.F. is on Standing Stones, would I be able to use the G.E.L.F.'s talent twice, searching for and playing two power 4 or less minions, though only shuffling it into my deck once?

A: No. On Standing Stones, you have to resolve a talent entirely before being able to use it again. So, with G.E.L.F., after the first time you use its talent, it would already be in your deck, so you wouldn't be able to use its talent again.

Rule: When you use a talent, resolve it entirely.

Q: If I take control of another player's G.E.L.F., what happens when I use its talent?

A: You search your deck for a minion of power 4 or less and play it. The G.E.L.F. gets shuffled in its owner's deck. You shuffle your deck since you searched it, though it doesn't say so explicitly.[1]

Rule 1: "You" on a minion or action means the controller of the card.

Rule 2: When a card leaves play, the card goes back to its owner's hand, deck, or discard pile.

Q: I didn't check properly and when I used G.E.L.F.'s talent, I found no eligible minion in my deck. Do I still shuffle G.E.L.F. into my deck despite not having an extra minion to play?

A: Yes. Unfortunately, once you activate its talent, you have to go through with it, even if there are some parts that you can't do.

Rule: When you use a talent, resolve it entirely.


Questions on Mimic

Q: What is Mimic's power when it's in your deck or discard pile?

A: Mimic is power 0 if it's not in play. This makes it always eligible for "... Really?" and Transmogrify.

Rule: If it's not in play, a minion's power is equal to its printed power.

Q: Does a Mimic's power vary as play goes on, depending on what the highest value minion is that is currently in play, or is it set in stone once played?

A: It will change over time as minions are played or removed from play.

Rule: An Ongoing ability lasts for as long as the card is in play.

Q: Mimic has two +1 power counters and the strongest minion in play has a printed power of 5. What's Mimic's power? Does Mimic's ability sets its overall power to the highest printed power or just its own printed power?

A: Mimic is of power 7 here. Despite the fact that it changes its "power" ("power" when in play always meant "modified power"), here it makes more sense to treat it as modifying its own printed power (or starting power).

Rule: TBD

Q: If you have a card that subtracts Mimic's power, does it not affect him because his ONGOING ABILITY IS TO ALWAYS MAKE HIS POWER = THE POWER OF PRINTED CARDS IN PLAY?

A: Yes, it will lower Mimic's power. Despite the fact that it changes its "power" ("power" when in play always meant "modified power"), here it makes more sense to treat it as modifying its own printed power (or starting power).

Rule: TBD

Q: The minion with the highest power in play is Elder Thing. Can Mimic still copy its printed power? Doesn't it count as affecting Elder Thing and therefore wouldn't it be blocked?

A: Copying another minion's power doesn't count as affecting that minion, so Mimic is free to copy Elder Thing's printed power.

Rule: Definition of "affect".

Q: If there's a minion with a printed power of 5 in play, can Mimic still be played as an extra minion if there's a power restriction to play it? (e.g. Zapbot, Venus Man Trap, Sprout, Zombie Lord)

A: Sure. When it's in your deck, hand or discard pile, Mimic's ability is inactive and therefore its power is considered as 0.

Rule: If it's not in play, a minion's power is equal to its printed power.

Q: A base scores, my only minion there is a Mimic. If it's ability is cancelled (e.g. Potion of Paralysis), its power becomes 0, right? Can I still gain some VP?

A: If 0 is among the top three total power on the base, then yes, you gain some VP because you have a minion there.

Rule: A player must have at least one minion on a scoring base to be eligible to receive victory points.

Q: Zombie Lord (printed power of 5) and King Rex (printed power of 7) are in play. I have two Mimics in play. Are they both power 7 or can they copy different cards?

A: They are both power 7.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: King Rex is in play, so Mimic is power 7. If an action increases King Rex's power (e.g. Augmentation), does Mimic's power increases too?

A: No. Even if an ability adds to a minion's power, its printed power is still the same, so Mimic's power doesn't change.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: There's a minion with a printed power of 3 in play. Can I play Mimic on Tsar's Palace?

A: No. Before you play it, Mimic is considered as a power-0 minion and is therefore forbidden from being played on Tsar's Palace.

Rule 1: If it's not in play, a minion's power is equal to its printed power.

Rule 2: Your minion and base choice must be a legal play.

Q: Can Mimic copy a monster's power if its the highest printed power in play?

A: Yes. Monsters are treated as minions.

Rule: Monsters are considered as minions.

Q: Mimic is currently power 2. I play a Nightstalker on its base, can I immediately destroy Mimic with Nightstalker's ability?

A: No. As soon as Nightstalker is in play, Mimic changes its own power and becomes power 4.

Rule: An Ongoing ability lasts for as long as the card is in play.

Q: Mimic takes the highest printed power of a minion on the table. If you Transmogrify it, do you use the power value of the Mimic at the time you destroy it, or is it a 0 or lower?

A: You use Mimic's modified power.

Rule: In play, a minion's power includes all modifiers.

Q: The highest printed power in play is 6. What happens if you play Matrix of Bossiness on Mimic? Is its power 6 or 5?

A: 6. It makes more sense to treat Mimic as modifying its starting power if its printed power isn't the highest one in play, somewhat similarly to how Lovey Bear works.

Rule: TBD

Q: I have a Mimic on a base with power 3 (for example). Can I play Shoggoth on its base? It will be power 6 because of Shoggoth after all.

A: No. Mimic will only be power 6 after Shoggoth is in play. Before that, it's still power 3 and therefore Shoggoth can't be played there because it's not a legal choice.

Rule: Your minion and base choice must be a legal play.

Q: I play a Mimic on an enemy Leprechaun's base. Is my Mimic destroyed?

A: Supposing Leprechaun is still at power 5, then no. When you play Mimic, its ability is resolved before Leprechaun's ability, so Mimic becomes power 5 (or more, if there's a higher printed power in play!) and so the Leprechaun can't destroy it.

Rule 1: An Ongoing ability only becomes active when the card is in play.

Rule 2: When a card says "After X, do Y", you need "X" to happen and be resolved completely before you do the effect stated as "Y".


Questions on Copycat

Q: Can I play Copycat and copy the ability of one of my minions?

A: No. Copycat can only copy the ability of another player's minion.

Rule: "Other players" on a minion or action means everyone except the controller of the minion or action.

Q: Can Copycat copy on-play abilities like Invader?

A: Yes, by community consensus.[2]

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: Can Copycat copy the ability of a minion that can't be affected? E.g. any minion with Incorporeal played on it.

A: Copying another minion's ability doesn't count as affecting that minion, so Copycat is free to copy that minion's ability.

Rule: Definition of "affect".

Q: I use Copycat to copy the ability of a Soldier. At the end of the turn, does Copycat lose its power counters?

A: No. The power counters remain. Only your copy of the ability disappears. Similarly, if you copy an Enchantress and draw a card, you do not lose the card at the end of the turn.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: I use Copycat to copy a Glymmer's ability and use its talent. Glymmer's ability expires at the start of my next turn, but Copycat's ability expires at the end of the turn. So what happens here?

A: After the end of the turn, you lose the talent copied by Copycat, so you can't invoke it again on your next turn. BUT, because you activated it, and because its effect lasts until the start of your next turn, it persists until the stated deadline, even though Copycat doesn't have this ability anymore. That's the funny thing about effects that last until the end of the turn or the start of your next turn. Once, they're activated, they persist until the stated deadline even if the ability is lost or cancelled, or if the card is removed from play.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: If I use Copycat to copy a minion's on-play ability, do I have to use the ability immediately?

A: Yes. Copycat's ability also becomes an on-play ability, and therefore must be resolved immediately.

Rule: Come-into-play abilities are resolved immediately and have no further effect.

Q: If an opponent has a Copycat in play, either because they are playing with the Shapeshifters too or they obtained it with Trade. Can I then play Copycat and copy their Copycat's ability and copy their Copycat's ability and copy their... (you get the idea)?

A: Yes, but why would you do that?

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: Another player has Flower Child. I play Copycat, copy Flower Child's ability and give control of Copycat to another player. Normally the control of Flower Child is definitive (i.e. it doesn't expire at the end of the turn like the Kitty Cats do), but Copycat sets a deadline, so at the end of the turn, I get Copycat's control back, right?

A: No. Copycat's deadline determines how long it keeps the copy of the ability, but it doesn't change Flower Child's ability original deadline.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: I use Copycat to copy an ongoing ability. Because it's ongoing, it doesn't expire at the end of the turn, right?

A: No. Copycat loses the ability at the end of the turn no matter what.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: If I use Copycat to copy an ongoing ability and on the same turn, the minion targeted by Copycat is destroyed, does Copycat immediately lose its copy of the ability?

A: No. Copycat's ability isn't dependent on the targeted minion remaining in play.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: If I played a Copycat to copy the ability of The Locals, would I get to pull out any Copycats in the top three cards, or would the wording stay the same and force you to only pull out The Locals?

A: Copycat makes an exact copy of a minion's ability, so it keeps the same wording and would force you to only draw The Locals from the top three cards.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: Similarly, if you played a Copycat to copy the ability of a War Raptor, would you get +1 for every Copycat on the base or for every War Raptor? Additionally, if the wording does not change and it stays as +1 for every War Raptor, do you benefit from your opponent's War Raptors? Also, the War Raptor says "(including this one)", so does Copycat get +1 power by itself too?

A: Copycat makes an exact copy of a minion's ability, so it keeps the same wording and would only get +1 power from War Raptors on the same base as itself. The "(including this one)" on the War Raptor card is just to clarify that the War Raptor itself counts toward the number of War Raptor on the base for its own ability, but it can't apply to Copycat, because Copycat isn't a War Raptor. Copycat not being a War Raptor, despite having copied the ability of one of them, also doesn't give a power boost to other War Raptors.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: I play Copycat and copy a Shoggoth's ability. If Copycat wasn't played on a base where I have 6 power or more, is Copycat discarded?

A: No. Shoggoth's restriction is only for playing it. When Copycat copies the ability, it is already in play, so the restriction can be ignored.

Rule: N/A

Q: I play Copycat and copy the ability of a Tenacious Z. On the same turn, I destroy my Copycat. Since I copied a Tenacious Z's ability, can I play Copycat from my discard pile?

A: No. According to an official answer on a different matter, replaying a card isn't treated as replaying the same card even though it's physically the same card[3]. If we apply that principle here, the Copycat that was destroyed had Tenacious Z's ability, the Copycat that you want to play from the discard can't be treated as being the same Copycat that was destroyed, so it can't be treated as having Tenacious Z's ability and can't be played in the first place.

Rule: When a card leaves play, you don't treat playing it again as the same card, even if it is physically the same.[4]


Questions on “... Really?”

Q: Can “... Really?” destroy a minion and then immediately play that minion again from the discard pile?

A: Yes (assuming the minion's power wasn't reduced below its printed power before it was destroyed). This is because the minion is fully destroyed before the second sentence of “... Really?” resolves.

Rule: Cards are resolved entirely.

Q: If I use “... Really?” to target an indestructible minion, does the rest of the ability still work?

A: Yes. This makes Shell Game useful to abuse this card. If the card had said "Destroy your minion to play ..." or "Destroy your minion. If you do, play...", then this abuse wouldn't work.

Rule: Cards are resolved entirely.


Questions on Bacta the Future

Q: If I use Bacta the Future to target an indestructible minion, does the rest of the ability still work?

A: Yes. This makes Shell Game useful to abuse this card. If the card had said "Destroy your minion to play ..." or "Destroy your minion. If you do, play...", then this abuse wouldn't work.

Rule: Cards are resolved entirely.


Questions on Cellular Bonding

Q: Can Cellular Bonding copy the ability of an action that can't be affected? E.g. an action on a minion with Shielding played on it.

A: Copying another action's ability doesn't count as affecting that action, so Cellular Bonding is free to copy that action's ability.

Rule: Definition of "affect".

Q: Make Contact is in play. I have Cellular Bonding in my hand. Can I play Cellular Bonding and copy Make Contact even if Cellular Bonding isn't the last card in my hand?

A: Yes. Make Contact's restriction is only for playing the card. When Cellular Bonding is used to copy Make Contact, Cellular Bonding is already in play, so the restriction can be ignored.

Rule: N/A

Q: I played Make Contact onto a minion. Then, another player plays Cellular Bonding onto the same minion and copies my Make Contact. Who controls the minion?

A: TBD

Rule: TBD

Q: What happens when the original action is discarded or transferred? Does Cellular Bonding remember its abilities independently?

A: Nothing happens, Cellular Bonding keeps being a copy of the same ability. Cellular Bonding's ability isn't dependent on the targeted action remaining in play.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: Cellular Bonding can be played on another player's minion. What happens if I do that and copy an action that says "Play on your minion" or "Play on one of your minions"? Is Cellular Bonding discarded?

A: Cellular Bonding remains on the minion and has the ability of the action you copied. The "Play on your minion" part is only a restriction for playing the card, but when you copy the ability, Cellular Bonding is already in play, so just ignore that part.

Rule: N/A


Questions on Genetic Shift

Q: If I play Genetic Shift and choose the global boost option, and then play another minion afterward, does the new minion get +1 power from Genetic Shift?

A: The official answer is yes[5].

Rule: Do exactly what the card official answer says.

Q: I play Genetic Shift and choose the global boost option. If an opponent manages to take control of one of my minions before Genetic Shift expires (e.g. The Base Is Not Enough, Can Has Cheeseburger?), does the minion keep its boost?

A: No. Genetic Shift only boosts your minion(s). If one of them is later controlled by another player, it's no longer your minion and Genetic Shift doesn't affect it anymore.

Rule: "Until the end of the turn" means the effect persists even if the card is removed from play.


Questions on Mitosis

Q: There is the mitosis action card that I really don't understand how to play. I interpret that I would need the exact same card in my hand in order to play that action. But looking up what mitosis is (wiki), "Mitosis is the process, in the cell cycle, by which a cell duplicates into two genetically identical daughter cells." Meaning that out of 1 minion there is now 2 minions of the same. Not just playing the same minion from my hand.Using mitosis should not cost a single extra card except the action card itself. If it would say "Choose your minion in play. Play a same named minion from you hand as an extra minion" then I would understand it better, but that is not what mitosis is.

A: You choose one of your minions in play. If you have another copy of that minion in your hand, you can play it as an extra minion.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.


Questions on Shell Game

Q: One of my cards tells me to destroy one of my minions (e.g. Sacrifice), or an opponent's card forces me to destroy one of my minions (e.g. Bear Hug), or a base's ability allows me to destroy one of my minions (e.g. R'lyeh), can I target my minion with Shell Game played on it? If so, is it destroyed? If not, does it stop the rest of the ability if there were more to it?

A: Short answer: Yes, no and it depends. Firstly, you can indeed choose any of your minions as long as it fits the card's requirement (e.g. if your minion is on R'lyeh, you can target it with R'lyeh's ability, but you can't if it was on another base, obviously), but you must choose one if you have any in play and if it's a mandatory ability (i.e. there's no "you may"). Secondly, because it is targetted for destruction, Shell Game's protects it, so that minion will not be destroyed. Lastly, you must finish resolving the card that was originally invoked. If the card was the kind of card that says "Destroy a minion to do Y" or "Destroy a minion. If you do, do Y", then the effect stated as "Y" can't be done at all, simply because in the end the targeted minion isn't destroyed. If the card says something else, such as "Destroy a minion. Do Y", "Destroy a minion and do Y", etc., the destruction isn't a pre-requisite so you resolve the rest of the card's ability.

Rule 1: The card you target may be immune to the effects of the ability you are performing, but it is still a valid target.

Rule 2: When a card says "Do X to do Y" or "You may do X to do Y", you need to completely do the effect stated as "X" before you do the effect stated as "Y".


Questions on Splice as Nice

Q:

A:

Rule:


Questions on Transmogrify

Q: If I use Transmogrify to target an indestructible minion, does the rest of the ability still work?

A: Yes. This makes Shell Game useful to abuse this card. If the card had said "Destroy your minion to play ..." or "Destroy your minion. If you do, play...", then this abuse wouldn't work.

Rule: Cards are resolved entirely.

Trivia

References