Modern 2022: Pre-Worlds/Dice Fight XL3 Rulings

Drax: When fielded, choose an opposing card, cancelling all previous choices. Your opponent may not purchase or field that character until Drax leaves the Field Zone.

Intimidate:  When fielded, remove target opposing character die from the Field Zone until end of turn.  Place it next to your character cards during that turn as a reminder. (Keyword Page)

RULING: If Drax leaves the Field Zone for any reason, including Intimidate, his effect ceases. It would only be re-established by refielding him and rechoosing a target. (Rules Forum)

Mutation: Swap target character die in the Field Zone with target non-sidekick character dice in that player’s Used Pile. Spin that character die to level 1. (This does not trigger “when fielded” effects.)

Token:  Some cards will have the ability to generate character “tokens.” These tokens may be represented by whatever you would like, and for game purposes are considered to be level 1 character dice with a purchase cost of 0. Their A and D values will be given by the card generating them, and they can only exist in the Field Zone. As soon as they leave the Field Zone they no longer exist. They may not be spun up, spun down, or rerolled. They do not have an energy type. (Keyword Page)

RULING: ‘Tokens can be swapped with other Character dice, but once they leave the Field Zone they are removed from play.’ (Rules Forum)

Range X:  When one or more character dice with Range attack, each active character die with Range (on both sides) simultaneously deals damage equal to its Range value (X) to target opposing character die. Each character die with Range may choose a different target, and the defending player still resolves their Range damage even if the Range die was KO’d by the active player’s Range damage. All Range damage is dealt simultaneously; the active player chooses their targets and resolves the damage, immediately followed by the inactive player choosing their targets and resolving the damage. (Keyword Page)

Applied Effects: These take place immediately, and last until the end of the turn Applied effects are lost if a die is KO’d or rerolled to energy, even if that die returns to the Field Zone later in the same turn. (X-Men Forever Handbook, page 24)

RULING: Bat-Signal is an Applied Effect (not Persistent – see below). Only dice active when the double burst is used gain Range, not anything fielded afterwards. (Rules Forum)

Villainous Pact:  Your opponent chooses one non-Villain character die. All other non-Villain character dice cannot block this turn.

Persistent Effects: These will generally affect a future game state. They will specify how long they last; if otherwise unstated then they will end during the Cleanup Step (X-Men Forever Handbook, page 24)

RULING: The second sentence is a Persistent Effect (in contrast to Bat-Signal’s double burst). The single Non-Villain die is chosen when the action is used. Non-Villain dice fielded after this are not able to block. Non-Villain dice made into Villains after VP is used (and before blockers are assigned) can block. (Rules Forum 1, Rules Forum 2)

Mister Mind: When Mister Mind attacks, you may pay mask. If you do, generate a 2A and 2D Tough Guy Token. It is attacking, and Mister Mind is no longer attacking.

Field: Paying a character’s fielding cost (which might be 0) to move them from the Reserve Pool to the Field Zone. Some other effects will also field character dice (but only if the ability explicitly uses the term “field”, not “move” or “place” in the Field Zone, for example). Character dice fielded this way are considered fielded for free on level 1, unless specified otherwise. (Keyword Page)

RULING: As the Keywords page says, if it doesn’t say field, then it’s not fielding. The generation of a Tough Guy token (defined as under Mutation above) doesn’t, therefore, trigger things like SR Jubilee and SR Thor. (Rules Forum)

Storm:  When fielded, target character die with 3A or less can’t be blocked this turn.

RULING: ‘Storm’s ability is triggered when she is fielded. At that point, a target character die must be selected that meets the condition “3A or less”. If that target die maintains this condition, it cannot be blocked. However, if this condition is no longer met before the Declare Blockers portion of the Attack Step, the target die can now be blocked.’

UPDATE (29/8/22): ‘…after further review the previous ruling is rescinded. Storm’s ability is triggered when she is fielded and is resolved immediately. The target die meeting this condition (3A or less) can’t be blocked. If the target die’s Attack value is changed in any way, it is still unblockable. (Rules Forum)

COMMENT: I think most of us had assumed this is an Applied effect (as defined above), which only required the target die to fulfill the 3A criteria at the moment when Storm is fielded. This would allow shenanigans of subsequently manipulating the unblockable die’s attack. The ruling forbids this, thus nerfing a fun, but not (currently) game-breaking, effect.

Poison Ivy: When fielded, choose an opposing character replacing all previous choices. While Poison Ivy is active, when that character die attacks field a 0A and 2D Plant Token. While Poison Ivy is active, if a Plant Token is KO’d, target player loses 1 life.

Ruling #1 (18/7/22, updated 27/8/22):

Question: Does Poison Ivy’s ability to generate tokens apply to every die from the card she selects, meaning multiple tokens could be generated in one turn?

Answer: Poison Ivy’s ability applies to a Character die. If multiple copies of the same Character die attack, a Plant Token will be generated for each.

Ruling #2 (26/8/22):

Question: When she chooses an opposing character, can she choose a specific token?

Answer: Yes, Poison Ivy can choose a specific token because tokens are considered to be “level 1 Character dice”. When Poison Ivy is fielded, the opposing character die needs to be active. This ability should state:

‘When fielded, choose an opposing non-Sidekick character die replacing all previous choices’.

DICE FIGHT XL3 Clarification: Yes, Ivy works as a counter to Master Mold – you can select a Sentinel token in the field. While Ivy is active, each Sentinel token which attacks will cause a Plant Token to be fielded. The Token may then be assigned to block. Please play Ivy as if this were her text:

‘When fielded, choose an opposing non-Sidekick character die, replacing all previous choices. While Poison Ivy is active, when a copy of that character die attacks, field a 0A and 2D Plant Token. While Poison Ivy is active, if a Plant Token is KO’d, target player loses 1 life.’