Can you explain Mate/Duplu-Ray/similar card's new ruling?

[Warrior of Zarona]

I'm trying to get a solid grip on what the new ruling on this is. It says that only monster enhancer cards are doubled, right? This does NOT include monster level?

For example, in my case of having the Super Munchkin set, I have a Level 20 Planet Eater, and he's pumped by a +5 enhancer card. If Duplo-Ray is used, a new monster is supposed to be cloned from the old one, right? But according to the new ruling, only enhancers get doubled.

Therefore, the new monster is a Planet Eater with a strength of 5?

Does this also mean that using the Duplo-Ray card on a monster that hasn't been enhanced is useless?

[MunchkinMan]

Hmmm. I'm not entirely sure to which specific ruling you are referring, but at one time, there was a lot of debate over whether one-shot Items played to help the Monster(s) should also be "doubled," or added to the new Monster as well. The new wording on the card makes that question moot because it was reworded specifically to say that a new Monster appears, with the same Level and the same Monster Enhancers as the monster that is being duplicated, as opposed to the same Level and bonuses (which could include one-shot Items). At no time has there been a ruling (at least, officially) to say that the Monster's Level doesn't matter with respect to the duplicate.

So, the final meaning of the words on the cards like Mate and Duplo-Ray is that they represent an exact copy of the Monster it was played on. If you played Duplo-Ray on Big Ol' Planet Eater Guy (Level 20) who Kidnapped Your Aunt Marge (+5 to Monster), you'd be facing two Monsters each with a combat strength of 25, for a total of 50. If someone decided that Big Ol' Planet Eater Guy also had a Better Costume Monster Than Yours (+10 to Monster), you're now facing two Monsters with a combat strength of 35 each. You see how ugly this can get. . .

[Warrior of Zarona]

I'm talking about the ruling in the 2010 Ruling Log on this website, which says:

* Duplo-Ray: Now duplicates Monster Enhancers only. Removed the Run Away penalty.

This is what's confusing me.

Edit: Oh, now I get it. You're talking about one-shot items. When I first read this ruling, my first thought was, "So monster level doesn't count?"

You should reword this, because I was extremely confused by why these "duplicating" cards only duplicated monster enhancers, and not things like the monster's level.

Having said that, on a related note, when a monster is turned friendly, thanks to say, Rock of Repentance, and that friendly monster is duplicated through Duplo-Ray, does this mean there are now two friendly monsters, or is the new duplicated monster part of the opposing team of monsters that I have to fight? This combo was something I used recently, but we debated whether or not the duplicated monster was friendly.

[Grax]

Originally Posted by MunchkinMan

So, the final meaning of the words on the cards like Mate and Duplo-Ray is that they represent an exact copy of the Monster it was played on. If you played Duplo-Ray on Big Ol' Planet Eater Guy (Level 20) who Kidnapped Your Aunt Marge (+5 to Monster), you'd be facing two Monsters each with a combat strength of 25, for a total of 50. If someone decided that Big Ol' Planet Eater Guy also had a Better Costume Monster Than Yours (+10 to Monster), you're now facing two Monsters with a combat strength of 35 each. You see how ugly this can get. . .

Ok, just to make sure that I have everything right - If in your scenario "If you played Duplo-Ray on Big Ol' Planet Eater Guy (Level 20) who Kidnapped Your Aunt Marge (+5 to Monster), you'd be facing two Monsters each with a combat strength of 25, for a total of 50. If someone decided that Big Ol' Planet Eater Guy also had a Better Costume Monster Than Yours (+10 to Monster), you're now facing two Monsters with a combat strength of 35 each." Does the duplicating effect continue AFTER the card is played? We have been using the theory that it duplicates the monster at the time the Mate (or whichever) is played, then any added enhancements would only effect the monster OR its mate.

SO - Big Ol' Planet Eater Guy (Level 20) who Kidnapped Your Aunt Marge (+5 to Monster), then Duplo-Ray you'd be facing two Monsters each with a combat strength of 25, for a total of 50, then you play Better Costume Monster Than Yours (+10 to Monster) equaling 1 monster of 35 and one of 25 ~ OR would the monster enhances hit both regardless of when Duplo-Ray is played...

[Warrior of Zarona]

I would think that the duplication only occurs at the time you play that card. Therefore, you can treat enhancers individually to each monster like in your first example AFTER it occurs.

[RevBob]

Originally Posted by Warrior of Zarona

I would think that the duplication only occurs at the time you play that card. Therefore, you can treat enhancers individually to each monster like in your first example AFTER it occurs.

Not so. From the rules: "Exception: Anything that enhances a monster also enhances its Mate . . . if Ancient, Enraged, and Mate are played on a single monster, in any order, you are facing an Ancient Enraged monster and its Ancient Enraged Mate."

[MunchkinMan]

Originally Posted by Warrior of Zarona

You should reword this, because I was extremely confused by why these "duplicating" cards only duplicated monster enhancers, and not things like the monster's level.

What you are quoting, however, is the change log for the 19th printing, mainly for people who had any printing prior and was aware of previous rulings and wanted to know what was going to be different. It's not intended to be a ruling log, per se, so intense scrutiny on the wording wasn't necessarily expected since the cards themselves have all the appropriate text on them. In this case, the card goes out of its way to make it clear that the Monster's Level and any Monster Enhancers played on that Monster, are part of the new Monster added by Mate.

[MunchkinMan]

Originally Posted by RevBob

Not so. From the rules: "Exception: Anything that enhances a monster also enhances its Mate . . . if Ancient, Enraged, and Mate are played on a single monster, in any order, you are facing an Ancient Enraged monster and its Ancient Enraged Mate."

And this has always been the case. Just took a quick peek at my set bought back in 2001 to confirm it.

[uttwich]

To complete the thread, I would assume that one-shot enhancers (potions and the like) would only count once even if there is a mate, since it is a +X to the monster side, correct?

[MunchkinMan]

Yes, uttwich, that's correct. As I said earlier, that's why the wording was changed, to remove the potential confusion with respect to one-shot Items that provide bonuses to a side.