by Tod Harrick
Power Up is an enhancement that lets you convert a Character's Energy into Attack and Defense Bonuses rapidly, and the effect lasts for an entire Combat, rather than just for one Combat round as with other energy conversion effects.
The only thing is, it also requires you to keep the Character out of Combat while the energy is stored.
That might not always be possible if you are fighting a Disaster, since it will attack a different Character each round. Also, if you are fighting another player, odds are they'll target your powering up Character right away.
Cards that delay opponents an entire turn won't work, since the effect only lasts until the of a Combat. Here are three combos you can use for this—all use cards from Ani-Mayhem Set 1.
Each Introduction will delay any opponent for one Combat round during Combat, giving you one free round to Power Up per Introduction.
Shortcut is one of the most powerful cards in the game, and it demonstrates yet another facet of its usefulness here. It will only work if you have more than one group of Characters in motion, and if the Character Powering Up is at a different Location than the Characters in Combat. Basically, all you have to do is Power Up until you're ready to use the Character, then Shortcut to the Location where Combat is occurring.
It's a 3-way combo that uses both Shortcut and the Power Pole Equipment card.
At the begining of Combat, Shortcut the Character you want to Power Up, one Location away from the Location where the Combat is occurring. Then Power Up at your leisure.
When you're finished, use the Power Pole to Attack from the adjacent Location. You'll take a -2 to your Attack, but the overall bonus will more than compensate.
Scrye Volume 4.4 November 1997 [pg. 47]