JUDGE! 003: Quick Peek at the PAC

This is going to be a short one because the PAC changes are quite minimal. There is some language clean up/tweaks, but most everything works as it has been intended to outside of what we're about to talk about. So if you think there are bigger changes, I recommend reading over the PAC and taking a look at the Comprehensive Rules. Because you probably missed something in those and it's always a good idea to refresh yourself.

First up!

So, Charge and Running Shot both got the same addition. Either power now allows you the option of making an appropriate attack (close for Charge, range for Running Shot). It's a minor change that ultimately solves a lot of problems. Firstly, it allows anything that lets you repeat Charge/Running Shot still function by giving you the option of a “vanilla” attack. Because an instruction to make an attack is not an action of any kind, you can make those attacks as many times as you can use Charge/Running Shot.

This also corrects an older problem we had with the Team Base fix. Rather than overhauling the entire game or making some kind of ruling that may get forgotten, they address the standard powers at the root of the issue. So even if Design has a change of heart down the road, it's going to be hard to forget to update the wording on these powers.

And the other sizable change:

So, Quake is a trigger now. This allows it to combo with other powers, like Flurry or Charge, as it triggers off of a close attack. It also makes it clear what “using” Quake means. If you target all adjacent opposing characters, you get to use Quake. Deal 2 damage, gain the KNOCKBACK keyphrase for the attack. If you don't target all adjacent opposing characters, you don't use Quake. Because there's nothing in the wording of the power that you're using.

A consequence of this is that Quake no longer grants the KNOCKBACK keyphrase passively but that's ultimately a small price to pay. And that gives Super Strength some usefulness back, which is a nice little benefit.

And that's it! I'm sure we'll all be back here in a few months for the Disney+ Rule Book/PAC changes. Until then...

Never be afraid to call a JUDGE!