Hi @xzxixin,
Thank you for the update.
We reviewed FAQ 8 that you referenced, which states:
Q: I’m playing as the Adam Warlock hero and he is Confused. Can I trigger the Overwatch upgrade after playing Cosmic Awareness?
A: No. Even though Adam Warlock is able to remove 3 threat with Cosmic Awareness while Confused (because doing so is part of the ability’s “cost”), the rules for discarding Confused state that upon removing Confused, “the character is not considered to have thwarted or schemed.” This means that Adam could not trigger Overwatch if he plays Cosmic Awareness while Confused, as he is not considered to have “thwarted.”
We believe it indicates that “remove 3 threat” is part of the cost. However, we respectfully disagree with this interpretation. Let us explain our reasoning:
First, we must consider two golden rules:
Additional: The word “additional” denotes a modifier to an ability or game state. The additional modifier is resolved simultaneously with any ability it is modifying and under the same conditions as that ability.
Cost: Some abilities have a cost described in the ability text that must be paid to use the ability.
If “remove 3 threat” is only a cost, you must pay all cost then resolve the effect. However, the effect includes “remove 1 additional threat…”, containing the “additional” keyword.
By the golden rule, “additional” modifies an ability’s effect and resolves simultaneously. If “remove 3 threat” were a cost, it would be paid before effects, so “additional” couldn’t modify it. Therefore, “remove 3 threat” cannot be a cost; it must be part of the effect resolution.
We hope this clarifies our position. Thank you for your understanding, and we welcome any further discussion on this topic!