Q: What exactly is the Shift Rule, and how does it work?

A: The Shift Rule is a meta rule that regulates how often an attack may be shifted. Many Specials out there (Vertigo, AC Specials, CT Specials) cause attacks that are targetted on to one character to be shifted to another. The Shift Rule states that any attack may only be shifted once. Therefore, if I use my CT Special to cause all attacks to go from Onslaught to X-Babies, if my opponent attacks Onslaught (and the attack shifts to X-Babies, naturally), then my third front liner, jubilee, cannot use her AC Special to shift the attack to herself.

Another scenario (one of the main reasons the Shift Rule was developed) is if 2 characters have CT Specials and cause all attacks to be shifted onto the other. Without the Shift rule, any attack made on either of them would shift infinitely. The shift rule corrects this by stating that any attack may only shift once. 

Q: I've got a question about Vertigo, I've seen it used 4 different ways which one (if any) are the correct way to play it. 1. Opponent attacks character A, I use Vertigo, and I shift it to Character C, then all the rest of the attacks the opponent makes, I can shift also, B to C, B to A etc. 2. Opponent attacks Character A, I use Vertigo, and I shift it to Character C, then next turn I can shift only attacks made on character A to character C. 3. blah blah blah... I shift to Character C, then next turn I can shift an attack from A to C, or from C to A. 4. blah....I shift to Caharcetr C, then next turn I can shift attacks from A to B, or A to C.

A: I believe the first description you gave is correct. Basically, after playing Vertigo, your opponent may target any of your characters when he attacks, but you, the player who activated Vertigo, may shift the attack to whichever fromnt line character you prefer (not the reserve and not on your opponent's team). 


Q: I have an interesting question that came up when I was building a deck. It involves She Hulk.  Can I Use her "Attack on teammate is now made on She-Hulk" if she has her CD "Only Universe Attacks" to shift and avoid the attack if it is not a universe attack?

A: Yes that is a perfectly legal play alright.  When you play the AC->CD cards in that order as one defensive action, that is.  Once the CD is in play on her, any attacks shifted to her go around that preset defense and have to be blocked some other way, so CD->AC doesn't work.


Q: I have a question about the playing of CD coded cards. Example is Namor's Neptune's Armor. Only energy attacks may be played against Namor for the remainder of the battle. Here is my question. I have Namor in a deck using Four Freedoms Plaza location which allows you to move an attack to another character. If I have Namor's Neptune Armor in play and my opponent attacks the Thing with a fighting card can I move it to Namor where it will be automatically defended due to the CD special in play. Or does amoved/redirected attack need to be defended. Sorry if this is a question you have already answered, I have been out of the loop for some time. Thanks.

A: This question focuses around the common event of shifting. What I mean by common event is that there are many ways attacks can be shifted in OP. FF Plaza is one example, Marauders Vertigo is another, AC Specials another, CT Specials still another, and I'm probably forgetting some. In that respect, this answer applies to ALL shifting scenarios.

When a CD Special (or another type of special which prevents certain/all attacks from being made against a character) is played, it prevents the OPPONENT from targetting the character in certain ways. When a shift is done though, the opponent is not targetting the character, the player is. Therefore the character must still defend against this attack.

Think of it another way - there is no scenario in OP that I can think of whereby the opponent would be able to play a card and I can then defend that attack without playing a card. Certainly, I might be able to set up the situation so that he can't play the card in the first place (if everyone on the front line had CD or BJ Specials, for example), but if the opponent has the ability to play the attack at the onset of the turn, then it won't be defended without the player playing a card as well.

Mind you , the above is not a rule, but it's my understanding of all scenarios that I can imagine to date.


Q: If I have Onslaught's special "Cannon Fodder" in play and also have Prof. X special "Psychic shield" (no special cards can be played against Prof. X for remainder of battle) in play and my opponent attacks Onslaught with a special card, what happens??

A: The attack shifts to Professor X. Here's the deal with shifting attacks and preventive defensive specials - the defensive specials create a wall through which the opponent may not target the character via certain types of cards (special cards in the question above). It does NOT prevent the opponent from targetting other characters with those types of attacks. It also does not prevent the player from shifting those types of attacks to the character. Once shifted, the special does not block the attack (if it is already in play). So if "Cannon Fodder" were in play and I attacked Onslaught with a Special and it shifted to Prof. X, he would be able to use "Psychic Shield" in order to block the attack. But if I attacked Onslaught with another Special, then Prof. X would need to defend that as normal. 


Q: FD cards - example Adam Warlock's Soul Gem.  Only Adam Warlock and Target Character may attack, be attacked, or defend this battle.  Does this card overrule specials currently in play?  Example: Opponents team has Marauders and X-Man with Illusory Reality in play, so basically "May not be attacked for remainder of battle".  You attempt to Soul Gem Marauders who tries to Vertigo it over to X-Man.  I think this play is legal, but will the Soul Gem override the Illusory Reality?  Or have you just put yourself into a very bad position.  What if you successfully Soul Gemed X-Man before he played Illusory Reality, and then he later used it to defend one of Warlock's attacks?  Is Warlock now facing an untouchable foe?

A: Couple of things -

1) If Vertigo is in play prior to Soul Gem being played, then it can be shifted to wherever Marauders wants.

2) Once it lands, it does not override other cards which are in effect, so if they shift it to X-Men, Adam Warlock would be unable to attack him.

3) If X-Man played Illusory Reality defensively after Soul Gem landed on him, then he would not longer be able to be attacked.