The introduction of Clones and Variants added new depth to OverPower, but with the price of some new and potentially confusing rules.
 
 

    A Variant Character card is a new Character card that may have a slightly different power grid and/or a different Inherent Ability from the "original" Character card, as well as different artwork.  The term Variant is used to identify a Character card that is essentially the same charatcer as the original in the comics.  A standard was adopted that can easily determine which characters are considered Variants.
    For example, Shadowcat: Age of Apocalypse, is a Variant of Shadowcat.  The " : " in the character name means that, in OverPower, this character is considered the same person as any other Character card with the same first name.  Because they are considered the same person, they may not be used on the same team together.  Also, these variants may be used in place of the original character on a Location card, when used as either a Homebase or a Battlesite.  Variant Character cards have full access to the original Character's Specials, as they are considered the same person.  All 3 stat Character cards [those printed before IQ] are considered to be a Variant of the 4 stat version, or vice versa.  It does not matter which is the original and which is the Variant.

    The term Clone was originally used to identify what are now known as Variant character cards.  Clone was first used because the Spider-Man Clone Saga was still so fresh in many people's minds.  Of course, these clones were not actually the same person as Spider-Man, but I digress, as the editorial is not important as far as the game is concerned.
    Nowadays, a Clone is a Character card that has access to another Character's Specials, but only through an Inherent Ability.  To use an explanation using comic editorial, a Clone is considered a different person from the original.  Because they are different people, a Clone may not be used in place of the original on a Location card.  If the Inherent Ability is removed from play somehow, then the Clone would not be able to play those Specials.
 

    Here is a list of the current Characters that have Clones and/or Variants, in no particular order -
 
 

    Team X - Team X is slightly different from all the other clones, as they count as a clone for three different characters.  If you follow the editorial explanation to the exact letter, it would make more sense if they qualified as a Variant, which is why the editorial explanation is not used to explain any rules in OverPower.  I only use that to make some things clearer.  Team X may not be used in place of Wolverine, Sabretooth, or Maverick on a Location card, and that makes Team X a Clone and not a Variant.  Also, the Specials that Team X may play is granted through an Inherent Ability.  Team X may be used on a team with Wolverine, Sabretooth, or Maverick, or any combination of those three.

    X-Men: Original Team - X-Men: Original Team did not really need to be printed with the " : "  It also probably does not matter that this Character card is considered a Clone, but I wanted to make sure that people did not confuse it as a Variant.  It is remotely possible that another Character card was planned for the X-Men team, which would make it a Variant, but none has been printed so far.