Cactus Game Design Message Boards

Ok, so, very silly theoretical situation that results in an interesting rules question.

Can a protect protect you from being protected from something that would harm you?

Example:

Earlier in the battle, say we play Angelic Rebellion on our own Angel of God (who is able to be targeted...ignore that we shouldn't).

Evil Enh. • Brigade: Crimson • Ability: None • Class: None • Special Ability: One angel (excluding Michael, Captain of the Host, and Gabriel) "falls" and becomes a Crimson evil character. • Play As: Convert one angel (except Michael, Captain of the Host, or Gabriel) into a crimson Evil Character. • Identifiers: NT, Connected with Demons

Type: Hero Char. • Brigade: Silver • Ability: 7 / 12 • Class: Warrior • Special Ability: Protect all human Heroes from discard abilities. Protect all Heroes from capture. • Identifiers: OT Male Angel

Now, we are playing against a Disciples deck which has out Crown of Thorns, like you do.

Type: Artifact • Brigade: None • Ability: None • Class: None • Special Ability: All Evil Characters in play decrease 0/3 while this card is in play. • Identifiers: None

Now Angel of God is a 7/9.  They have 9 good disciples in play, and come at us with Thaddeus.

Type: Hero Char. • Brigade: Purple • Ability: 8 / 8 • Class: None • Special Ability: Protect all cards in play, set-aside area, Artifact piles, hands, and decks from Evil Characters with toughness X or less. Cannot be interrupted. • Identifiers: NT Male Human, Disciple

We can only block with Angel of God.  Oh no!  Lucky for us, however, he is a warrior class, and we have Go Into Captivity!

Type: Curse • Brigade: Crimson • Ability: 0 / 6 • Class: None • Special Ability: If your warrior class Evil Character is in battle, you may discard this card to capture a Hero. • Play As: When holder chooses, if your warrior class Evil Character is in battle then you may discard this card to capture any Hero.

Now...the sticky part.  Angel of God protects all heroes from capture.  However...big bad Thad has protected himself from all abilities on Angel of God, because his toughness is 9 at the moment.  (We could also go into protection from discard for human heroes and some other equally silly scenarios, but let's just look at this one for a minute).

So the question: Would Thad protect himself from being protected from capture and, in turn, be captured?

**My brother and I came up with this scenario after I questioned if you could be protected from protection, and he typed it up, I wouldn't talk like he does in this.

However, in this scenario, Hero abilities don't convert, ever. So Angel of God loses his ability when converted.

An easier example is Thad with 4+ disciples out vs. Creeping Deceiver. In that case Thad stops CD from targeting any LSs because they're already protected from CD.

Instant Special Abilities > Convert
General Description
The convert special ability changes a card from good to evil or vice-versa.  If a card is converted/repented, its name, identity, ability, and special ability do not change, even if gained in a set aside area.  However, not all special abilities apply after the character is converted.

Instant Special Abilities > Convert
How to Use
Evil Characters may only be converted to Hero brigade colors (i.e., blue, green, purple, red, silver, teal, white, and gold).  The only exception is Saul (Ap), whose natural brigade color is multicolor when a Hero.  When no color is specified on a conversion enhancement card, the character converts to the same brigade color as the conversion enhancement card.  The converted character remains under the control of its owner.  The character reverts to its original state only if the card is returned to the draw pile, placed in the discard pile, or converted back.  The character remains converted even if set aside, captured, or rescued.  Rules for duplicate characters still apply.

Instant Special Abilities > Convert
Default Conditions
•      Weapon-class enhancements stay with a converted character; the special ability continues to function if it does not conflict with the nature of the converted character (see Weapon-class Enhancements.

•      If a Hero is converted to an Evil Character, it’s special ability does not work.  If that Evil Character is later converted back to a Hero, it’s special ability works again.

•      If an Evil Character is converted to a Hero, it’s special ability works as long as it does not harm Heroes (e.g., the special ability of Otho does not work as a Hero because it would be discarding himself, a Hero). Game rules are still operative (e.g., Heroes may not use evil enhancements or band to Evil Characters).