Rules question: can you use the ability of the beat cop when there are no enemies present?

Why would you want to do this?

My wife pointed this out last night... I had a certain weakness that does horror damage to me on any round where I failed to deal any damage. The card does not specify that the damage has to be dealt to an enemy. So, for example, if I damage my partner through friendly fire, that should still count as damage. (My post is separate from the friendly fire angle; I just brought that up as an example of why the wording is important.)

My wife pointed out that the text on Beat copy says "Deal 1 damage to beat cop: ..." So if I triggered that ability, she reasoned, I was still doing damage [to the beat cop]. Thus, to avoid taking a horror from my weakness, she wanted me to use the action even though there were no enemies present.

you wouldn't be "dealing damage", first of all.

second, i don't believe this is possible, as you're activating an ability which includes exhausting and damaging beat cop as a cost with no change to the game state, which is not allowed.

You can exhaust and damage level 2 beat cop with no enemy present - the change in game state is that beat cop has a damage token on him now.

Now, if doing so would count for you dealing damage, I'm less sure, but I'd be inclined to say it is acceptable.

Nevermind, official rule in the rulebook:

• A triggered ability can only be initiated if its effect has the potential to change the game state, and its cost (if any) has the potential to be paid in full, taking active cost modifiers into account. This potential is assessed without taking into account the consequences of the cost payment or any other ability interactions.

The effect has to change the game state to be initiated. The Beat Cop dealing damage to itself is a cost, so you can't initiate the ability unless you can deal damage to an enemy with it.

Ah, learn something new everyday:

• A triggered ability can only be initiated if its effect has the potential to change the game state, and its cost (if any) has the potential to be paid in full, taking active cost modifiers into account. This potential is assessed without taking into account the consequences of the cost payment or any other ability interactions.

Thanks, guys. So my understanding here is that---even though the cost of the Beat Cop's ability changes the game state---the effect of the ability does not (if there are no enemies at the location), so the ability cannot be used with no enemies present.

2 hours ago, FireBones said:

Thanks, guys. So my understanding here is that---even though the cost of the Beat Cop's ability changes the game state---the effect of the ability does not (if there are no enemies at the location), so the ability cannot be used with no enemies present.

You got it.