When Gideon uses his Command Special Action and orders another hero to attack, can that hero use abilites that read "while attacking" or "when declaring an attack"?

Is "attack" defined as simply an attack or may models uses special abilites that include attacks? (Gharkan charge?)

Abilities that are used "while attacking" are perfectly legal for a figure to use while being commanded by Gideon, Gideon allows an attack not a Special Action. So Gaarkhan could not charge when Gideon commands him. Gideon could command Fenn who could then use Havoc Shot.

On masterstroke: if Gideon has movement points available, performs a command, after that command is resolved can he use any of those movement points before activating masterstroke?

Technically, after using Command, Gideon would exhaust Masterstroke to gain the listed effect. Masterstroke does not state "immediately", so I would say that yes, if he had movement points left, he could use them before performing the second free Command.

Technically, after using Command, Gideon would exhaust Masterstroke to gain the listed effect. Masterstroke does not state "immediately", so I would say that yes, if he had movement points left, he could use them before performing the second free Command.

Really? Seems like you would no longer be using it after a command at that point...

Yeah, I thought I remembered reading somewhere that Masterstroke really had to happen right after the first command, so you also couldn't (for example) command once, then strain-move twice and follow with Masterstroke, again because the "timing window" for use of Masterstroke would have passed. It's right away or not at all, I think.

The class card which allows Gideon to get 2 movement points after a Command won't make sense if he can't move before a Masterstroke. In this case the card which gives him the ability to perform Command with LoS on the target is always a better choice.

Mobile Tactician is a special case I think, because it grants movement points as a result of Command, which is a special action, and the RRG states that movement points gained as part of a special action (or when it's not your activation) must be spent immediately. So Masterstroke+Mobile Tactician requires Gideon to use the 2 points before the second Command, and then use the 2 more points immediately after the second Command, before resolving a second action (if available). But those two movement points from Mobile Tactician are I think the only thing he can do in between the two Commands from Masterstroke, so he couldn't (for example) Command and then use strain to move (or spend movement points previously gained from strain or a move action) before the second Command.

EDIT: Found the thread I was thinking of , including FFG's official ruling:

Note that "immediately" is not used on almost any components; the timing trigger of an effect has an implicit “immediately” for it. Thus, Masterstroke occurs immediately after an instance of Command resolves (even if it’s after the 2nd action and there are no movement points remaining), but you could also use Mobile Tactician. Since the timing for both abilities is the same, the hero gets to decide the resolution order.

So I guess it's up to the player. Masterstroke does have an implicit "immediately" so you may not (for example) rest, interact or attack in between the two Command actions. However since Masterstroke and Mobile Tactician have the same trigger (after resolving a Command), you may choose the order; if you choose to trigger Mobile Tactician first then I think you must spend the 2 movement points immediately, since Mobile Tactician granted them as part of a special action. But you could also just choose to trigger Masterstroke first, and then get the 4 total movement points after both Commands. But even in that case, you'd have to spend all 4 before resolving any other action (if you have any remaining).

Wouldn't the movement points granted by Mobile Tactician be lost if they are not used immediately?

nvrmind

Wouldn't the movement points granted by Mobile Tactician be lost if they are not used immediately?

I would say no because Gideon gains the movement points for himself during his activation, so they would go into his movement pool. I'm comparing this to Jyn's Opportunist which says "if the target suffered 1 or more [damage], you may move 1 space". Jyn's wording mandates the immediate use of the movement, while Gideon's wording allows the points to be added to his pool.

Ordinarily I'd agree that movement points gained during his own activation would just go into his pool, to be spent later. But there's also a rule that movement points gained as part of a special action must be spent immediately, just like movement points gained outside of the figure's own activation. Mobile Tactician is a little ambiguous but it could be argued that it grants the movement points as part of the Command action, and they must therefore be spent before resolving any other action after the Command. FFG's ruling just gives you the choice of whether to use the 2 points after each Command, or use all 4 after both Commands, but either way I think they'd have to be spent no later than right after the second Command.

Can you post the exact text of mobile tactician? I don't have imp assault handy.

Mobile Tactician: After you resolve "Command," gain 2 movement points.

I'd forgotten that it says specifically "after you resolve", which maybe makes it not "part of" the special action, and therefore the usual rule would apply and they'd just go into his pool to spend any time. In that case it also seems likely that he would not be allowed to spend them in between the two Commands from Masterstroke, since Masterstroke must implicitly be "immediately" after resolving Command; so whether or not he gets the Mobile Tactician points in between or after both is irrelevant since he can't spend them til after both Commands anyway.

In any case it's a little fuzzy, so I emailed FFG for clarification on the interaction between these two cards.

Here's my interpretation:

(1) Gideon uses an action to use his Command ability. This is a special action that costs 2 strain and is used when it's Gideon's activation (or on his turn).

(2) A friendly figure within 3 spaces can perform 1 move or 1 attack.

(3) After Command resolves, two triggers happen:
- (a) Masterstroke
- (b) Mobile Tactician

(4) The Gideon player chooses which order to play these effects.

- (A) Masterstroke
- (1) After exhausting card, perform another Command ability. This must be used at this time.
- (2) A friendly figure within 3 spaces can perform 1 move or 1 attack.
- (3) After Command resolves again, Mobile Tactician triggers again. Gain 2 movement points.

- (B) Mobile Tactician
- (1) Gain 2 movement points.

(5) Gideon now has 4 movement points and 1 action left.

The thing that makes it fuzzy to me is the wording of FFG's reply to a similar question, which I quoted earlier. If Gideon is not allowed to use the first 2 bonus movement points in between resolving the first and second Commands, then it makes no difference whether Masterstroke or Mobile Tactician is activated first during that "timing instance" -- either way, he could not move until after both Commands. The fact that FFG explicitly said you get to choose which order to activate them implies to me that it must make some difference, and the only difference I can see that it would make is for Gideon to be able to move 2 space in between the two Commands.

Gideon would not be able to move between the two Command effects. Once the first one resolves, the second one triggers. You either choose to activate the second Command or not.

You can't move after the first Command, then use Masterstroke for a second Command, because it would be too late. The timing window to use Masterstroke will have already passed.

I agree that he cannot use a move action in between the two Commands, and I agree that even if he had movement points in his pool (from a prior move action, or strain) he also could not spend them to move in between the two Commands.

But I think it's unclear what happens when he has both Masterstroke and Mobile Tactician, since they have exactly the same timing trigger ("after resolving Command") and given that FFG's earlier ruling specifically pointed out that the timing conflict means you may choose to trigger the cards in either order.

I think it comes down to whether the bonus movement points that are granted by Mobile Tactician are considered to have been gained "as part of a special action" (namely Command). If not, then they would just go into the pool like a regular move action, and then Gideon would not be allowed to spend them in between the first Command and the invocation of Masterstroke. But in that scenario, it literally makes no difference which order Masterstroke and Mobile Tactician are triggered, and that makes FFG's earlier ruling sort of nonsensical -- why point out the choice of timing if the choice makes no material difference?

But if Mobile Tactician's bonus movement points are considered "part of a special action" then the choice is meaningful: Gideon could choose to trigger Mobile Tactician first, and then he would be allowed (required, even) to spend the 2 points immediately, before triggering Masterstroke for another Command, followed by Mobile Tactician again for 2 more movement points; conversely, Gideon could choose to trigger Masterstroke first, resolve the second Command, and then trigger Mobile Tactician twice for 4 movement points all at once. Either way he would still ultimately have to spend all 4 movement points before doing anything else, but at least there would be a meaningful choice in which order to trigger the cards.

The movement points from Mobile Tactician are not gained as part of the Command special action.

Command has already resolved which triggers Mobile Tactician, then you gain the 2 movement points.

Yes, I can think of no difference at this time why it would matter what order you perform Masterstroke and Mobile Tactician.

Got an official ruling from FFG:

Gideon cannot interrupt the Masterstroke to spend the 2 movement points from his first command. Gaining the movement points is an interrupt, essentially the same way gaining access to the second command is, but spending movement points cannot be done as an interrupt, so they have to sit in his pool until after the entire masterstroke is resolved.

Wouldn't the movement points granted by Mobile Tactician be lost if they are not used immediately?

I would say no because Gideon gains the movement points for himself during his activation, so they would go into his movement pool. I'm comparing this to Jyn's Opportunist which says "if the target suffered 1 or more [damage], you may move 1 space". Jyn's wording mandates the immediate use of the movement, while Gideon's wording allows the points to be added to his pool.

Something I misread, I blame it being very very AM:

"Movement Points", RRG, Page 20:

If a figure gains movement points when it is not its activation , those movement points must be spent immediately as an interrupt or be lost.

I will stop answering rules questions during the wee hours when i should be sleeping. Promise.

Sorry if this has already been covered, but with Masterstroke and Mobile Tactician, Gideon gains 4 MPs, right? 2 for each Command?

Correct, but he first gains 2MP and must use them before performing the other command.

Correct, but he first gains 2MP and must use them before performing the other command.

Not correct. The 2mp from Mobile Tactician goes into his movement pool and he cannot spend them between Command and Masterstroke. (The movement points are received during Gideon's activation, and they are not received from a special action.)

If Gideon spends movement points (or does anything else than triggering Masterstroke) after Command, it no longer is "after resolving command", and he misses the trigger for Masterstroke. (Also confirmed by the FFG ruling on the previous page.)

Gideon receives 2mp from the first Command and 2mp from the second Command, and can spend them afterwards.

Great, thanks for the reply. Or rather, not great, since I'm on the receiving Imperial end of that combo.. It's like he has twice as many actions; Two Commands (with Masterstroke), one Move (with Mobile Tactician) and the last one, most often used for taunting..