Rules Clarification: Supplemental Power Cell

[Yenaldlooshi]

Supplemental Power Cell states; "you may take 2 TIRE to increase your power plant by 1. If you do, flip this face-down.

Can you still use the ability to increase your power plant by 1 if you flip the card even if you are at zero tires?

[svawter]

Originally Posted by Yenaldlooshi

Supplemental Power Cell states; "you may take 2 TIRE to increase your power plant by 1. If you do, flip this face-down.

Can you still use the ability to increase your power plant by 1 if you flip the card even if you are at zero tires?

I would have to guess that if you can't pay the price you don't get the bonus...

[Yenaldlooshi]

I would be very surprised if the answer is that the card is now gimped and you cannot use this ability, which for some, might be the very reason they spent the BP.

From the core rules, you have two precedents and none of them have an example about "paying" in tire damage.

The first is during an attack, if you have tire damage but no tires, it reverts to basic damage.

The second is during a spinout, if you have tire damage but no tires, you just ignore the tire damage.

I am thinking the designer's intent will either be either basic damage or no damage, rather than the card don't work like that anymore, but I could be wrong I 'spose.

[Sam Mitschke]

The primary ability on the card is to protect your tires for the long term. The secondary ability is a last-ditch effort to dump the tires you saved into preventing a power plant death.

If you intend to use the secondary ability, you had better use it before your tires are at 2 or below because it becomes unavailable when you can no longer afford it (the primary ability remains in effect, however).

[HeatDeath]

The language "You may [take|pay] <X> <whatevers> to <Y>." is used in numerous places where <whatevers> is ace tokens.

In none of those places are you allowed to <Y> if you have less than <X> whatevers.

[Sam Mitschke]

The primary ability is an always-on effect that lasts until the SPC is destroyed, either by the SPC taking 1 Accessory damage or by you choosing to activate the secondary ability. And it can still take that 1 Accessory damage even if your tires are too low to use the secondary ability, so it's never without value.

The secondary ability, which requires you to destroy the SPC and pay 2 tires, is a gamble that just might keep you alive longer than your opponent.

[Yenaldlooshi]

Not what I expected, but thanks! Good to know.

[43Supporter]

Originally Posted by Sam Mitschke

The secondary ability, which requires you to destroy the SPC and pay 2 tires, is a gamble that just might keep you alive longer than your opponent.

"Robbing Peter to pay Paul"?