I thought I'd get this out here on this forum ahead of the release -

Can Chewbacca slam more than once in a single activation using only the Wookie Avenger upgrade?

[Edit 20180108] - No. The action-less slam counts toward the once per round limit for special actions even if it doesn't use an action. See the email reply from Todd below. Thanks @frotes

[Edit 20170911] - Y̶e̶s̶.̶ ̶ ̶T̶h̶e̶ ̶a̶c̶t̶i̶o̶n̶-̶l̶e̶s̶s̶ ̶s̶l̶a̶m̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶W̶o̶o̶k̶i̶e̶ ̶A̶v̶e̶n̶g̶e̶r̶ ̶d̶o̶e̶s̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶n̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶w̶a̶r̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶o̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶ ̶r̶o̶u̶n̶d̶ ̶s̶p̶e̶c̶i̶a̶l̶ ̶a̶c̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶l̶i̶m̶i̶t̶.̶

The RRG under Abilities reads:

• A figure can perform each special action ability (listed on his
cards by A [->] ) only once per activation.

And under Actions it reads

• A figure can perform the same action multiple times during
the same activation except as follows:
- A non-hero figure can use only one of its actions to perform
an attack per activation.
- A figure can perform each special action only once per
activation.

My interpretation is only one slam per activation whether you use an action for it or not. Because you can only use the ability once per activation and whether you spend an action on it or not still counts toward performing the special action ability. Not only spend one action on the ability per round like heroic attacks and Jedi Luke.

Can anyone confirm which way this goes? Thanks.

I popped this question up in another thread, and the answer is yes, he can.

Here's the discussion if anyone is interested:

Thanks for the link. I read through that discussion and I still wasn't convinced so after combing back through the RRG, I think I found the definitive answer. The first bullet under Abilities -

• If an ability is “used,” it can be triggered multiple times each
round, but it can only be triggered once per timing instance.
For example, an ability that says, “Use while attacking to apply
+1H to the attack results,” can only be triggered once during
each attack.

Wookie Avenger "Uses" the ability without actually performing the special action ability. So "Use" is the part it all hinges around, not whether it spends an action or not or it's a special action or special ability or special action ability.

Well in that thread, a1bert links to a BGG thread with a ruling from Paul Winchester regarding Biv's Final Stand ability. Did you click through to that? Basically, the answer was that you could use Close and Personal twice during one activation because you perform it once from his hero sheet (special action) and again as part of Final Stand (which specifically states to "perform Close and Personal").

The implication is that no ability itself is inherently a special action, but it becomes a special action when the cost is an action.

The careful-looking explanation of the word "use" in the section about abilities is actually superfluous. At least it should be without the quotes, and in reality without the word use at all. The general rule to make your understanding of IA easier:

Any ability can only be used only once per their trigger - once per opportunity. (Unless explicitly specified otherwise.)

I.e. Use is actually not a special word for rules interpretation purposes. Most "use (while)" abilities have very specific triggers, and abilities that do not have "use" may have more flexible timings - for example "during your activation" - where you decide when to trigger instead of some external event providing the trigger. So, the RRG shows its age there, but is surprisingly complete and consistent.

(Spending actions and movement points can be used multiple times per activation - they belong to the "during activation" timing, but they are also core rules, not abilities.)

Thanks for the replies. I have read the BGG post now.

So it comes down to one is a special action and the other one just is an ability since it doesn't cost an action?

I'll edit my original post.

Quote

2nd question: With Wookiee Avenger, Slam does not cost an action for Chewie. Does that allow him to use Slam twice during an activation (once for free and once for an action?) Basically does changing a special action to "free" action make it no longer a special action? (For things like the limitation on special actions per activation and cards like "To the Limit")

Quote

2. You cannot use Slam twice during an activation. Here the rules are interpreted strictly as written in the Rules Reference under “Actions:"
   • Slam is a special action because it is an ability denoted with the action icon.
   • “A figure can perform each special action only once per activation.”

Great questions! These sparked some good discussions on our side. Hope that helps!

Todd Michlitsch
Game Developer
Fantasy Flight Games
[email protected]

Sorry chewie!

Thanks @frotes

I'm updating the initial post now.

Hm. Wow. That sadly makes Chewie a bit worse.