Hi, I am new to CoC, and I am loving it so far. Anyway I couldn't find an answer in the rules, faq, or postings, so here is my question.

Is the active player considered to be the one who is resolving the story, or are both players or no players actually resolving it?

This seems important when considering Thomas F. Malone's ability which is:

Response: After resolving a story to which Thomas
F. Malone is committed, choose and destroy an
opponent's Villainous or Cultist character that was
committed to that story.

Since only the controller of the card can use the ability, the wording makes it sound as if the controller is the one resolving the story. This leads me to believe that you can only use this particular ability if you are the active player. Am I correct, or can this character's ability be played on any player's turn?

Thank you.

Interesting. I've always just assumed that the GAME resolved the story, not any particular player. The active player chooses which story to resolve, but resolution happens through game play. Thus Mr. Malone would trigger regardless of the active player.

But that's just my opinion - and as such subject to change if actual information presents itself!

Once the story resolution begins every story that the active player has characters committed to resolves. Nothing interrupts this resolution except for passive effects and Disrupts.

Once all the stories are done resolving, the response window for all story resolutions open up. The first response goes to the Active (whomever's turn it is) player. The second response to the non-active player. They continue going back and forth until both people stop taking actions.

So in this case, it doesn't matter who is the active player. Once whomever controls Malone gets to take a response, they can trigger his ability.

Also, it's important to note, that when looking at the responses and triggering abilities and such, terms like "opponent" refer in the context of the controller of the card. So if the controller of Malone is not the active player when it is Malone's controllers turn to active the ability, "opponent" in this case would refer to the active player, not Malone's controller.

voidant said:

Thomas F. Malone's response works regardless of who's turn it is. The trigger is "resolving a story Thomas Malone is committed to" the response is "destroy a villainous or cultist character". He could even hop on a military bike and do it again in same turn.

Thomas Malone is a stud who punches Hastur and Cthulhu in the face and lives to tell about it. There should be a cult for him in the Agency.

OK, I understand now. Thank you all for the help.