Burglar Ally from Treasure Hunters

[ATOEtalGeek]

The Burglar has an Activate ability:
"May copy the Activate: ability of any other card in play."

We had a mid-game debate on the definition of "in play".

Player A was in an Adventure that disallowed the use of Gear, I believe it was. Player B tried to use his Burglar to copy one of Player A's Gear cards. Player A claimed he could not because it wasn't in play - his Adventure would not allow it.

So is "in play" any face-up card on the table? Or only Activated cards on the table?

[mqstout]

Burglar could copy it.

[ATOEtalGeek]

(04-09-2014 02:12 AM)mqstout Wrote:  Burglar could copy it.

So any face-up Activate: card on the table. Do you know that from the rules somewhere? Or some other discussion or FAQ?

[gavindowning]

I agree with mgstout; it seems pretty straightforward to me. The item is in play. The item can't be used in the adventure, sure, but it's not being used there. The burglar gains a duplicate of the item's effect. The rule is that items cannot be used, not that items cease to exist.

[ATOEtalGeek]

Great! Thanks you two for the input!

[mqstout]

Remember that he only copies activate abilities though. There aren't a lot of them.

[ATOEtalGeek]

Right, got it. It's interesting though that he gets to borrow from Gear and Allies.

Thematically it makes sense that he can burglar Gear, but how do you burglar someone's innate ability? Seems there should have been a Mimic Ally to accomplish such things.

[mqstout]

I interpret him as less a burglar and more a con artist.

[ATOEtalGeek]

(04-09-2014 09:00 PM)mqstout Wrote:  I interpret him as less a burglar and more a con artist.

Good analogy. Agree.