GSX #056 - Colossus/Wolverine

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:m-boot: Fastball Special: Give Colossus/Wolverine a ranged combat action as if they have a range value of 8. If that attack hits, after actions resolve you may place Colossus/Wolverine adjacent to the target character and then give them a close combat action as a free action, modifying their damage value by +1 for that attack.

:d-normal: Which One'll It Be, Bub?: At the beginning of your turn, choose one: Heal Colossus/Wolverine of one damage; or Colossus/Wolverine can use Invulnerability until your next turn.

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I've heard that Colossus/Wolverine can deal some crazy amounts of damage with Fastball Special. What is that all about?
What you are probably referring to is the fact that C/W can use Super Strength on their frist click. If they are holding a heavy object when they use Fastball Special, they can deal 4 damage with the ranged combat attack (their natural, printed damage) and then up to 7 clicks with the close combat attack that follows (their natural damage + the modifier from Fastball Special + the modifier for the heavy object). That's a grand total of 11 clicks of damage without any outside help. And if you do have some outside help (like Perplex or Enhancement), that ranged combat attack could deal up to 7 clicks of damage, too, for a total of 14.

Wait, so the ranged combat attack in Fastball Special deals damage?
Yes. The first part of that power tells you to make a ranged combat attack with Colossus/Wolverine and nothing in the description says that this ranged combat attack deals no damage. So you deal damage normally, like you would with virtually any other ranged combat attack.

Awesome! So do I have to attack the same character with both the ranged combat attack and the close combat attack?
No. You do need to place Colossus/Wolverine adjacent to the character you attacked with the ranged combat attack, but once they are placed they can use that free close combat action to attack any legal target that is adjacent to them.

Can I use the Duo Attack ability with Fastball Special?
No. The Duo Attack ability is activated by a power action and so is Fastball Special. You can't give a character two non-free actions in a turn. However, please note that Fastball Special does give them a free close combat action to use, so they can activate any power that is normally activated by a close combat action. For example, they can use Quake at the end of their dial, so you could, after placing them adjacent after the ranged combat attack, Quake all adjacent opposing characters.

When Colossus/Wolverine take damage, if they land on Which One'll It Be, Bub?, can I immediately choose to use Invulnerability so I don't take any more damage later in the turn?
No. That power specifies that the choice can only be made at the beginning of your (the controller's) turn. If it is not the beginning of your turn, then you can't choose and they can't heal or use Invulnerability.