Cactus Game Design Message Boards

Why are these SA's identifiers? They're clearly "increase" SA's and they don't even define */* at all.

Adding on to this (As it came up in a game between the two of us)

If The Testimony actually IS nothing but a long identifier, does the permanent increase work in FBTN?

The Testimony (Ki)
Type: Hero Enh. • Brigade: Blue • Ability: * / * • Class: None • Special Ability: Selected Hero gains 7 ability points to be distributed as holder chooses until Hero is discarded. Distribution must be announced when played. • Errata: (Treat special ability as an identifier.) • Identifiers: None • Verse: II Kings 11:12 • Availability: Kings booster packs (Common)

It seems that it would, since no distinction is made between but I've always heard that it doesn't. If The Testimony were printed today, I doubt it would have the stars (or even X's for that matter), just a special ability the same as it is currently written.

Another question: Since we have Samson's Sacrifice (8/-1) as a precedent for negative abilities, could I make my 6/6 hero 18/1 by making the Testimony points distributed as 12/-5? or perhaps my 6/12 Hero 24/1 (Testimony = 18/-11)?  I doubt that would be allowed, but methinks the card needs some serious erratafication.

In regards to Profalstad's question, it says "gains 7 points", and I don't believe negative numbers are "gains", so I don't think that would work. Though it would be cool if it did .

It would be a pain if there wasn't any "gains", but I would have to agree with Browarod on this.

But the SA, Identifier, whatever it is doesn't define *, it's just a regular gain ability.