LordRaidor's Customs: Direwood Ents - pg. 7

[LordRaidor]

O.K., ...hopefully this will be the LAST time I have to rebuild my Customs Thread. "Third time's the charm," they say... ^_^

Most cards are present only in my lack-luster "card-sized" card format. Those with a spiffy, official-looking, hexagonaloid image have been retooled by the gracious and amazingly talented Atmospro, to whom I own an eternal debt of gratitude. Enjoy (...or not, ...your choice.) ^_^

To make browsing more convenient, here is an INDEX of all of my customs:
Click on a thumbnail to view a larger card image
Click on a unit name to see its bio and source figure info
Full-Size (best) images are, as always, available in My Gallery (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/index.php?cat=10038)
Click here (http://www.heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?t=1064) to see my custom species, the Zaravi (they are in a separate thread).

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_blade.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_blade.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/blade.gif AGENT BLADE (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#blade) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_at_blade.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_at_blade.jpg)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_kriin.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_kriin.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/kriin.gif AVATAR KRIIN (http://www.heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?p=910002)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_vaash.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_vaash.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/vaash.gif AVATAR VAASH (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#vaash)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_droid.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_droid.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/bdroids.gif BATTLE DROIDS (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#droid) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_battle_droids.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_battle_droids.jpg)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_death.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_death.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/deathdlr.gif DEATHDEALERS (http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?p=412994) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_deathdealers~0.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_deathdealers~0.jpg)
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http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_donov.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_donov.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/donovan.gif DONOVAN (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#donov) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_donovan.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_donovan.jpg)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_feylo.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_feylo.jpg)http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_reyla.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_reyla.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/feylora.gif http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/reylana.gif FEYLORA & REYLANA (http://www.heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?p=1024609)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_fireh.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_fireh.jpg)http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_flame.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_flame.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/firehawk.gif FIREHAWK Mk6 (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#fireh) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_firhawkmk6.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_firhawkmk6.jpg)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_forsa.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_forsa.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/forsaken.gif FORSAKEN (http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?p=115842)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_griev.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_griev.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/grievous.gif GENERAL GRIEVOUS (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#griev) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_general_grievous.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_general_grievous.jpg)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_lynxa.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_lynxa.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lynxaurs.gif GLACIAN LYNXAURS (http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?p=316849)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_kaara.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_kaara.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/kaara.gif HIGH AVATAR KAARA (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#kaara)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_kiadi~0.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_kiadi~0.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/kiadi.gif KI-ADI-MUNDI (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#kiadi) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_ki-adi-mundi.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_ki-adi-mundi.jpg)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_kirik.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_kirik.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/kirikus.gif KIRIKUS (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#kirik)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_magna~0.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_magna~0.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/mguards.gif MAGNAGUARDS (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#magna) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_magnaguards.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_magnaguards.jpg)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_plo.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_plo.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/plokoon.gif PLO KOON (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#plo) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_pol_koon.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_pol_koon.jpg)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_praem.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_praem.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/sledge.gif PRAEMUS (http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?p=273910)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_grove.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_grove.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/grovek.gif PRINCE GROVEK (http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?p=504640) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_prince_grovak1.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_prince_grovak1.jpg)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_varke~0.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_varke~0.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/varketh.gif RUNEMASTER VARKETH (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#varke)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_sinti.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_sinti.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/sinti.gif SINTI SWORD DANCERS (http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?p=360021) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_sinti_sword_dancers.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_sinti_sword_dancers.jpg)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_sirem~1.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_sirem~1.jpg)http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_flux.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_flux.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/sirema~0.gif SIREMA THE ANGEL OF MERCY (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#sirem)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_chen.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_chen.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/sachen.gif SPECIAL AGENT CHEN (http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?p=501825)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_stass.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_stass.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/stass.gif STASS ALLIE (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#stass) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_stass_allie.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_stass_allie.jpg)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_storm.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_storm.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/stormhwk.gif STORMHAWK Mk7 (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#storm)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_tanne.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_tanne.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/tanneth.gif TANNETH DRAANUHN (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#tanne) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_tanneth_draanuhn.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_tanneth_draanuhn.jpg)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_thawk.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_thawk.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thunderh.gif THUNDERHAWK Mk8 (http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?p=298810)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_wooki.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_wooki.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/wookiees.gif WOOKIEE COMMANDOS (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#wooki) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_wookiees.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_wookiees.jpg)
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/thumb_lr_zorn.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_zorn.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/zorn.gif ZORN THE DESTROYER (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm#zorn)


^_^
-LordRaidor-

[reapersaurus]

i forget - why didn;t you make a AAyla Secura card?
Didn;t like her well enough?

Cause she's got a nice mini in the SW Unleashed packages (along with Yoda)
http://images.entertainmentearth.com//AUTOIMAGES/HS85768Blg.jpg

[LordRaidor]

I made all my SW customs in a single big batch right after ROTS came out. At the time, Aayla was too rare and waaaay too popular to get ahold of one for cheap (I did look). Hadn't seen the 'unleashed' Aayla yet, but aren't those figs a little too big for HS?...

Anyhow, I made the SW units for my kids, and now that they're appeased, I'm basically not interested in making any more Star Wars stuff...

Not that I dislike them or anything. In fact, a couple of them are amoung my favorite custom units. I just feel like there are enough Jedi in Valhalla already, ...yaknow...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[Miniature Geek]

Man you make some sweet work their. I'd say more but I don't have time to give them in depth looks. Not that I would offer any critism, more like props.

[D'Hoffryn]

There might be enough Jedi, but I'd sure like to see you do cards for super battle droids, destroyer droids, ARC troopers- heck any clone trooper... There are plenty of good candidates. I've been pointed to the HStoolkit for more Star Wars related HS cards, but I could never get it to work on my computer.

[LordRaidor]

Thanx for the kindly words M.G. ^_^

D'Hoffryn, ...I had at one point posted several ideas for Destroyer Droids (Utgar) and Clone Trooper squads (Einar) at HSHQ, but those might be a little hard to find at this point...

While I'm flattered by the nudge, I'm fairly certain my own SW customs days are over. Keep an eye out in the 'customs' forum though - sooner or later somebody will start a "Star Wars Customs" conglomerate thread, and I bet somebody will post the units you're longing for...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[LordRaidor]

Well, ...its been about, what, ...7 months since I posted a new custom unit (that wasn't a Zaravi)? Since the Zaravi Contest is nearing a close, I thought I better get back into the routine of posting my customs again, ...so, ...Here We Go!!!

I wanted to be the first kid in the neighborhood to post a Gladiator custom. (Unfortunately, I haven't had the time to get around the customs 'neighborhood' alot lately, so someone has probably beaten me to the punch, ...but what the Heck, ...what I don't know won't hurt me!) Though I don't actually own any Gladiators yet, as soon as I saw pix of them, I knew I already had the perfect Gladiator custom...

I built this guy back about last October, based around the 'charging' concept of Kark's Zombie Centaurs. I just called him "Hammer" then, and signed him up under Utgar as a Wild Warrior. It never really 'felt' right to me, so he got moved to the back of the 'customs-in-progress' box. I later renamed him "Sledge" and gave him a second power, but he still didn't strike me as finished...

Nine months later, ...enter Spartacus, Crixus, and Retiarius, and I knew I finally had a concept for ol' "Hammer". I switched him over to Einar, made him a Rebellious Gladiator instead, and changed his name to something more fitting (a derivation of the latin root for the verb "to strike violently")... ^_^

No backgroud biography yet, since I don't have any official cannon to tie-in with my new Gladiator, but I'll write one as soon as Hasbro opens the door a little for me. In the meanwhile, I give you, ...Praemus...

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_praem.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lr_praem.jpg)

The figure is a MageKnight "Cult Enforcer", which are cheap-as-dirt online. They even come in a variety of skin-tones...

As always, comments and feedback welcome. (Don't hold back, ...you wouldn't want me to get out of shape as a customs designer, now would you?)

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[monkeyfish]

Hadn't seen the 'unleashed' Aayla yet, but aren't those figs a little too big for HS?...


I have seen those at walmart and other stores and they are like twice the size of HS figures.

[Karkadinn]

Raidor, your customs tend to make me think you are the unholy offspring of Truth and Reaper, because your customs all squeeze together somewhere between Reaper's style and Truth's style. (Reaper = lots o' text, every aspect of the unit in question encorporated in some way or other. Truth = few abilities, simple straightforward themes.)
Thank you for mentioning my centaurs. :) The inspiration is obvious, but ol' Sparts can use the extra help, and I think Staggering Impact is a terrifically thematic ability and a great way to implement the old turn marker removal concept. I would have been sorely tempted to put it on my centaurs if I'd thought of it first and actually had room, lol. It really has that nice spark to it that seems that it'd be conducive to fun in gameplay.

[LordRaidor]

Thanx for the input Kark, and for the props on 'Staggering Impact'.

...I wasn't initially sure how I should interpret the 'unholy offspring' comment, ...but upon further review, I've decided to take it as a compliment... ^_^

I'm not actually fond of the Gladiators, and I probably won't play them much (including my own), ...I just thought the fig, abilities, and theme were all a perfect fit. You're right that Spart'n'Crew can use all the help they can get (I think they're all overcosted - though some more than others)...

Praemus here is sortof the all-or-nothing agressor: the "nitro-burning funny-car" of the Gladiators, if you will. He's built to dish out damage quickly, but his low survivability means he'll probably burn-out quickly too. Spartacus' Inspiration could make him impressively dangerous, ...but then again, ...if you burned all those points and draft options to get that Power workin', you deserve at least a little return on your investment...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[justjohn]

Man, Praemus is ahouse. His abilities work so well together, it's just great. I was working on a momentum-type ability, but for ranged for my Dreadgul Captain, an you have nailed the wording spot on.\

At first glance, he seemed sort of underpriced, but in retrospect, I think he is spot on.

Using a very good looking, cheap mini to boot. I'm impressed.

[LordRaidor]

Thanx JustJohn...

Some of my very first customs were inspired by and/or based on your stuff all the way back on .net, so it warms mi heart to hear such kindly words from you - one of the original masters... ^_^

Praemus might be off-costed a bit, but since he has seen NIL playtesting at this point, I can't be certain yet. Once he's had a chance to swing his hammer a few times, I'll have a much better idea of his value, and I'll adjust him as needed...

Thanx again for droppin' in! Stop by anytime!

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[justjohn]

Well, I have a bunch of those figures basd up that I used for a custom, so I'll give him a whirl next game I play.

[LordRaidor]

Well, I've been saving this one for awhile now, ...but the time is finally right. In honor of my wife's favorite holiday, I proudly present to you, ...FORSAKEN. Several other Customs have been made using this fig (a MageKnight "Skull Golem"), but I had my own inspiration for the unit, and obviously had to follow it through. Kark and reaper, ...this one's for you... ^_~

FORSAKEN
This murderous abomination is the stuff of nightmares, ...literally. Almost every culture has some kind of folklore or superstition about the "boogeyman" or the "monster that hides under the bed". But sometimes, ...just sometimes, ...that terror is more than fanciful imagination. In Valhalla, the unseen killer in the darkness is very real, and it is known as "the Forsaken". What caused this wretched demon to emerge from the shadows of legend and into terrifying reality is unknown, but its apparent willingness to follow Utgar's orders only enhances his enemies' fears of the conquering Archkyrie General. Seemingly unthinking, Forsaken appears to exist only to destroy life. When it attacks, every blow it lands on an intended victim enhances its lust for death, making each successive slash of its hideous claws more violent than the last. Even worse, legends claim that Forsaken is undying, and can never truely be killed. If Forsaken ever falls in battle, its rotting corpse vanishes immediately, as if consumed by unholy magical fires, ...but it ALWAYS returns. Sometimes days later, sometimes after mere seconds, often miles from the site of its last defeat, but sometimes only inches away, ...it returns, ...lurching suddenly from behind the branches of a gnarled and dying tree, or crawling menacingly from the murky waters of an evil bog. Its enemies never know when or where this vile monstrousity will appear next, only that eventually, ...it will. Forsaken is best described by the words of an ancient Kyrie poem, often used to threaten children who misbehave...
"Beware the great Forsaken beast, its eyes a burning red,
With claws of jagged bone and twisted horns upon its head.
It stalks the dark and baleful night to vent its brutal wrath,
On any soul unfortunate enough to cross its path.
It slaughters children, murders men, and stiffles babies' cries;
Pain wrought without distinction by a hate that never dies.
If e'er you meet its gaze you'll know,
Your life's as good as taken;
Not sword or spear nor axe or bow,
Can save you from Forsaken."

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_forsa.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lr_forsa.jpg)

Happy Halloween!!!

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[Cooperflood]

I love this custom. Thematically he's perfect.

However he seems undercosted. He has massive staying power with five life and five defense and then once you finally beat him down he has a twenty-five percent chance of rebirth. Then he has the brawn to weild massive damage to his foes. He makes the perfect "giant" killer, because he gains strength as his opponent weakens, as opposed to other figures like Krug which gain strength as a trade off for loss of life. I think he would be worth more than 180 almost everytime.

[LordRaidor]

I love this custom. Thematically he's perfect.
However he seems undercosted. ...I think he would be worth more than 180 almost everytime.

FORSAKEN (http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?p=115842#126820) is a powerhouse, to be sure. He's still being playtested, but he's looking like the 180-190 neighborhood right now. His stats are hefty, but he has some pretty glaring weaknesses too. With no 'defensive' powers (like Counter Strike, Stealth Dodge, Thorian Speed, Smoke Powder, etc.) to help him out, the 5-Life-5-Def wears out pretty quickly (as opposed to say, Charos, with the same Def and almost twice the Life, for a mere 30 points more). Also, since he has no 'multiple attack' powers (like Double Attack, Wild Swing, Ice Shard Breath, etc.), he gets easily overwhelmed by hordes of squad figures. Really, he doesn't stand a chance against 160 points worth of Venocs, Legionnaires, or even Marro Drones. In fact, in a straight-up fight against 120-point Krug, Forsaken will still lose more than half of the time...

His real strength (as you pointed out) lies in his 'rebirth' power. If he makes even ONE successful rebirth, God forbid two or more, then he's EASILY worth his cost several times over. Oddly enough, this power is really easy to circumvent - just save him for last. ^_^ If he goes down early in the game, he's almost certain to make a come-back, but if his opponents make sure he's the LAST enemy they destroy, then his 'Undying Hunter' power is useless. In a 'kill-em-all' scenario, the game is over as soon as your last opponent's fig is defeated. If Forsaken is your last enemy, then he doesn't get a chance to use 'Undying Hunter', since there won't be an 'end of the round', just an 'end of the game'...

Think about it from the perspective of his 'inspirational theme' - horror stories or films. If the 'good guys' defeat the 'evil monster' early in the story, there's almost no doubt that it'll be back by the end of the book/movie. However, ...if the 'heroes' are really smart, and save the 'big climactic good-vs-evil battle' until the very end of the story, then they're usually triumphant, and the 'monster' is defeated for good. ...Until the sequel... ^_^

In any case, if playtesting reveals that he is too undercosted, I'll certainly bump his price up. Thanx for the feedback though, and for the your approval of the background theme...

Happy Halloween!

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[Karkadinn]

Great, now I have to pick between Raidor's guy and Truth's guy when doing undead-themed armies.... ^_~

[Rhydderch]

Oh wow. I really LOVE this guy (except I don't have the figure... bummer). I'm a sucker for theme and the Forsaken OOZES theme! I especially like the bio and Kyrie "nursery" rhyme!

Plus he shares a name with my Forsaken pseudo-Undead race and can fit in nicely as an alternative powerhouse to Gorgoroth. Definitely a must-add to my collection of customs. Unfortunately and coincidentally, as is the case with all of my Forsaken, I do not have the figure for your Forsaken :(

I need my own credit card and a darned Ebay account. Sigh. Maybe I can use the DnD Cadaver Collector as a substitute. What do you think:

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/DQ_Minis_x/CadaverCollector.jpg

Also what custom uses the Doom Markers?

[netherspirit]

Also what custom uses the Doom Markers?

Someone made some awesome monks that use doom markers.

[Rhydderch]

Also what custom uses the Doom Markers?

Someone made some awesome monks that use doom markers.

I'm familiar with the Monks of Doom but it seems odd for the Forsaken to specifically target them since the Doom Markers were strengths. I kind of expected LordRaidor had some other negative-effect markers in mind. Maybe some of his uhh.. weird race dudes use Doom Markers? Darn I cannot remember the name of his customs which use the MK clear plastic figures. :cry:

[deathsaurx]

Also what custom uses the Doom Markers?

Someone made some awesome monks that use doom markers.

I'm familiar with the Monks of Doom but it seems odd for the Forsaken to specifically target them since the Doom Markers were strengths. I kind of expected LordRaidor had some other negative-effect markers in mind. Maybe some of his uhh.. weird race dudes use Doom Markers? Darn I cannot remember the name of his customs which use the MK clear plastic figures. :cry:

They are called the Zaravi and I'm not even sure if they use doom markers. Let me check the gallery real quick....

[deathsaurx]

Okay, just checked LordRaidor's gallery.

NO, the Zaravi do not have 'doom' markers but another one of his units, 'Death Dealers', do.

[LordRaidor]

Great, now I have to pick between Raidor's guy and Truth's guy when doing undead-themed armies.... ^_~

Huh?... Surely you have more than one 'Skull Golem' figure. ...Just smatter some extra red gore onto one's claws to tell them apart, then use BOTH! ^_~ ...If you have THREE of them, ...mail one to Rhydderch. ^_^

Oh wow. I really LOVE this guy (except I don't have the figure... bummer). I'm a sucker for theme and the Forsaken OOZES theme! I especially like the bio and Kyrie "nursery" rhyme!
...Maybe I can use the DnD Cadaver Collector as a substitute...

Glad you liked the bio. ^_^ I'm no poet (even on an amateur basis), but the inspiration just hit me to write the rhyme. I've been trying to come up with a decent 'bio' for this guy for MONTHS with nothing. Then last weekend, somebody posted a 'Gereral Off-Topic' thread fishing for the meanest monsters/villains of all time. I put down my choices (Aliens, Predators, and Pumpkinhead), and it got me thinking... I remembered that there was a 'poem' used in the movie 'Pumpkinhead' at some point about the monster. I did a little net research and found the full poem (just 8 short lines), and learned that it was actually a supposed inspiration for the screenplay...

Inspiration hit me full in the face to write a 'poem' for Forsaken, so I did. I really had to stretch my imagination and personality to write these pieces. My persona is not usually that "dark". If it was, I would've penned 'bios' for the Zaravi (which still have none), but I never could seem to drive my muse into a 'dark and evil' enough mindset to do them justice. Anyway, ...I'm glad I apparently succeeded with Forsaken. The bio and the rhyme were both written over about a 90-minute period Sunday night. I've since thought of several changes that would substantially improve the 'poem', but I think I'll let it stand as it is...

I wouldn't see a problem with using the Cadaver Collector as a substitute figure. A couple of the 'descriptive' lines of the poem wouldn't be an exact fit, but I'm sure all of his opponents will be too busy screaming in terror to complain...

...NO, the Zaravi do not have 'doom' markers but another one of his units, 'Death Dealers', do.

Oops, ...silly me. I did forget to mention that FORSAKEN (http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?p=115842#126820) was designed to share synergy with my DeathDealers (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lr_death.jpg) Customs...

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_forsa.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lr_forsa.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_death.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lr_death.jpg)

reapersaurus helped me streamline the DeathDealers back on HS.net, and they are the source of the 'Doom Markers' mentioned on Forsaken's card. Forsaken will only get a minor boost at best out of the 'Doom Markers' (except against Deathwalkers... ^_^ ), so the tie-in is mostly fluff, ...but I still thought it was fun...

So, ...where is reaper anyway? I thought it would surely be impossible for him to resist commenting on this one... Oh well. Thanx for all the feedback fellas!!! Keep it coming, and have a happy Halloween!!!

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/forsaken.gif http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/death1.gif http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/death3.gif http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/death2.gif

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[Rhydderch]

Glad you liked the bio. ^_^ I'm no poet (even on an amateur basis), but the inspiration just hit me to write the rhyme.

Well I'm glad you're not a poet otherwise we probably would have had an abstract poem about a mother and her lost fish. Ugh! Plus most horror fiction with trite little rhymes seem to be more nursery-style rhymes. The old poets probably have a heart attack before they can write any clever poems. Or maybe the monsters just kill them first because they hate fine poetry too :P

My persona is not usually that "dark".

LOL! Well I'm glad you had some inspiration. I'm a big fan of dark themes which you can probably tell from some of my bios for the Forsaken race:

Morbid Puppets
Born of insanity and consumed by the pain of a thousand souls, the Morbid Puppets are the substance of nightmares given form. The favorites of Gorgoroth, they dangle from strands of human hair and dance in the dim light. Their wispy forms glide past those who would bar their way and their cries of cacophony bring agony to those who hear their mournful song. For from the edges of reason, there comes a melody filled with chaos and despair, able to chill the hearts and souls of all.

Soulless
Broken men with blackened eyes travel across the lands of Valhalla. Their axes drip with blood and the reek of death surrounds them. They are the Soulless; warriors devoid of any spirit or life, relentless in battle and filled with an insatiable lust for blood. The first puppets created by Gorgoroth, the Soulless are ravenous beyond words and they will stalk their prey to the far corners of Valhalla where they will rain bloody murder down upon their enemies. For the Soulless heed the Call of Death and attack those already wounded in an endless onslaught able to fell even the mightiest of warriors.

I'll just post two since I do not want to hijack your thread. The Forsaken were designed to serve Vydar and filled more of a middle ground between fantasy and horror, which is what I wanted. I still need figures for them though. Story of my life :P

...NO, the Zaravi do not have 'doom' markers but another one of his units, 'Death Dealers', do.

Thanks deathsaurx. I figured he had a custom which used Doom Markers but did not want to read through ALL of them :P

[reapersaurus]

I didn't have time before.... :unsure:

You know I love that figure, and I'm glad to see a resurfacing of the DeathDealers.

But it is too frightfully powerful against large heroes.
He'd kick the crap out of any other 180+ point hero, and probably come back for more before the end of the game.

You can't just dictate that people leave him til last, since the Forsaken's controller knows this and will send him into battle early.

Ignoring opponents does not work in this game, I'm sure you know from experience....

I'd think a fix would have to be reduced in power - his attack would be insane against a wounded Krug, Braxas, or Jotun. :shock:

Do you want him to be stronger vs heroes, or vs squads?
(karkadinn and I worked up a metric ton of spooky themed abilities for his Boogeyman custom that might apply to this guy.)

[Rhydderch]

The other potential problem I saw with Forsaken was that if you leave him for last then all of your heroes will likely have wounds and all of your squads will likely have destroyed figures. In other words if you take him out early he comes back. If you take him out later he's stronger. It makes for a bit of a Catch-22. I still love him though :P

I think it would be great fun to play against him in a game which goes on for a set number of rounds regardless of how many figures each player has since it would make it possible for the Forsaken to come back several times even if he is the only figure a player has left.

[ZBeeblebrox]

[quote="LordRaidor"]
"Beware the great Forsaken beast, its eyes a burning red,
With claws of jagged bone and twisted horns upon its head.
It stalks the dark and baleful night to vent its brutal wrath,
On any soul unfortunate enough to cross its path.
It slaughters children, murders men, and stiffles babies' cries;
Pain wrought without distinction by a hate that never dies.
If e'er you meet its gaze you'll know,
Your life's as good as taken;
Not sword or spear nor axe or bow,
Can save you from Forsaken."



quote]

Love the poem...nice work :thumbsup:

[LordRaidor]

... I'm a big fan of dark themes which you can probably tell from some of my bios for the Forsaken race...
Your 'race' does indeed sound like more of the 'stuff of nightmares'. The Valhallan 'nursery rhyme' and folklore obviously enbody their "boogeyman" as one single entity, ...but what if they are mistaken? What if this legendary creature is actually an entire RACE of monsters? My 'fig', ...your 'figs', ...truth's 'fig', ...what if the Valhallan 'boogeyman' has more than one face? If there's never been TWO seen TOGETHER, and witnesses (that survive) are rare, who's to say that the "Forsaken" from the poem ISN'T actually an entire SPECIES of critters, and the poor Valhallans just haven't realized it yet?... ^_^

...it is too frightfully powerful against large heroes.
He'd kick the crap out of any other 180+ point hero, and probably come back for more before the end of the game...
...I'd think a fix would have to be reduced in power - his attack would be insane against a wounded Krug, Braxas, or Jotun. :shock:.
He is certainly a crusher, and a good 'hero-killer', but I don't think he's horribly broken. Braxas might indeed have little hope against Forsaken one-on-one, but she does have more Moves (as do Jotun and Nilfheim), and Flight, so avoiding him strategically in a larger ingagement would be feasible. Tossing 11 Attack dice against a nearly-dead Jotun is also quite daunting, but Forsaken would have to weather several slaps from Jotun's (natural) 8 Attack himself to get there first, and that could easily go south for Forsaken. I'll grant you that playtesting has been minimal so far (I have trouble getting my HSers over for playtesting bouts after cramming Zaravi down their throats for nine months ^_^ ), but I'll try to squeeze in a Jotun match or two and see what happens...

As for Krug, that is one of the few scenarios I've actually tested with Forsaken. If both start out un-injured, Forsaken only has a prayer if he gets to attack first. Even then, If he lands too many wounds in his first attack or two, Krug will be super honked and double-bash Forsaken into the dirt before Forsaken can finish him off. If Krug wins initiative, it's almost a guaranteed victory for him, since he can often land a single wound in the first turn (with two attacks). After that, if Forsaken retaliates with any degree of success, Krug will be so peeved that he'll paste Forsaken in the follow-up turn with little problem. If Krug STARTS the contest with five or more wounds, I imagine it'll simply come down to who attacks first, since either one could easily flatten the other in a single turn...

All that said, you know I'm open to fixin' those things what need fixin'. If he's really too hideous, my first course of action will be to drop his DEF down to 4, or maybe even his ATT, ...then test him somemore and see what happens. ...But I gotta get some 'Scapers over to my house for testing first!!! ^_^

...You can't just dictate that people leave him til last, since the Forsaken's controller knows this and will send him into battle early. Ignoring opponents does not work in this game, I'm sure you know from experience.....The other potential problem I saw with Forsaken was that if you leave him for last then all of your heroes will likely have wounds and all of your squads will likely have destroyed figures. In other words if you take him out early he comes back. If you take him out later he's stronger. It makes for a bit of a Catch-22. I still love him though :P.
"Ignoring" Forsaken is a bit of a 'Catch-22' by design, and ignoring anything on the battlefield is always a delicate situation. In smaller (<400-point) battles, Forsaken will be almost HALF of your opponent's Army. If you can tie it up with a small potion of your own (100 points of disposable squads - Legionnaires or Gruts would do the trick), then the rest of your force can focus on the smaller group of his. If Forsaken disengages from a horde of squad figs (especially repeatedly), he'll probably kill himself, and it'll take him 3 whole rounds extricate himself from 8 or more red-shirts...

Blah, ...I just realized I could probably illustrate potential engagements for hours, so I better shut myself up. My point was that I do think ignoring or mitigating Forsaken early in the game is an option, depending on the circumstances. Then again, if your opponent runs out in your face, you can always just waste the sucker and hope he rolls poorly on his d20s. There's still a 70% chance he won't come back the first turn, and a 50% (compounded) chance that it'll take more than 2 rounds for him to reappear. ...Ya pays your money and takes your chances... ^_^

...Maybe I should consider just raising the 'trigger-point' number for the rebirth roll. What sounds reasonable? 17+ or 18+... Whaddayathink?

...Do you want him to be stronger vs heroes, or vs squads?
He was intended to have utility against both, by design. Since most squads have 3 or 4 members, and most heroes have 4-5 Life, his Attack boosting power will obviously have the best performance against big heroes (>5 Life).

I think it would be great fun to play against him in a game which goes on for a set number of rounds regardless of how many figures each player has since it would make it possible for the Forsaken to come back several times even if he is the only figure a player has left.
A game with a fixed 'timer' will obviously be a big enhancement of Forsaken's potential. Also, in a TEAM game, it would make it possible for Forsaken's General to be totally defeated, but as long as his teammate is still holding ground, Forsaken could still make a comeback and put his General back in the game...

Thanx again for the input. Lemme know what you think about altering his DEF, or raising the 'rebirth' trigger...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[reapersaurus]

From a design standpoint, I don't see how ANY unit that can get 10+ attack dice regularly can easily be balanced. :(
I'm sorry.

And the mere possibility of a fully-powered strong unit cvoming back at all, even with a 5% chance, is similarly difficult to balance/cost.

I'm sure you realize this design fundamental principle : the bigger the power and larger the effect on the game, the more difficult it is to cost.

Look at NGS - he is a flawed unit, because his power is too overwhelming - either it doesn;t work, because it's a long shot, or it dominates the game when it DOES work.

You may be familiar with my ongoing example of a badly designed ability - "On a roll of 20 or higher, you win the game."
There's no point in designing that ability, because it won;t happen often, but when it does it unbalances the game.

I am sorry to say I fear the Forsaken's abilities unbalance the game.

There are many other ways to do a scary, powerful creature, though.
Look at my Boogeyman (the first Boogeyman unit), look at Kark's (he could probably post many different interpreations of scary-based abilities we worked on for that), look at others....

BTW - the reason why they aren't a race of Boogeymen is because that takes away the singular fear involved with meeting it, and the power it represents.
a) If there were a race of powerful Boogeymen, they would simply beat everyone, since they are by tradition VERY strong.
b) If they were a race. then each one is less unique (therefore less interesting).

I'd think you'd have to extremely power-down the unit if you wanted to approach it as a race of scary beings that Valhallans dread.

[LordRaidor]

From a design standpoint, I don't see how ANY unit that can get 10+ attack dice regularly can easily be balanced

Well, ...I'll admit, that does sound pretty bad. I had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but apparently, I'm gonna have to drag out my costing spreadsheet... [evil grin] Let's look at exactly how often we can expect Forsaken to be throwing that many dice. In fact, let's go ahead and see how often he'll be throwing ANY given number of attack dice... ^_^

In this analysis, I'm using all of the 'official' units thru and including "Thora's Vengeance". Thats 87 different units, both squads and heroes. I'll summarize, so this doesn't get too boring, but basically there's an easily quantifiable 'mean' of the number of dice you can expect to be throwing with Forsaken averaged across the entire menu of units he'll possibly be attacking, and their various states of 'injury' at the time. This assumes that all units are played equally, and that uniques see the same incidences of play that commons do, both of which are obviously false, but it establishes an undeniably solid data set for significant statistical analysis (I'm also neglecting the 'Doom Markers' angle for now, since obviously not many fols use those...)

For starters, how often will Forsaken be throwing ONLY his 5 printed dice? Well, there are exactly 5 units (the DWs, Dumutef, and Swogs) who only have 1 life, period, so 'Drawn to Death' is totally useless against them. Those 5 out of 87 possible targets means that Forsaken will have a 5-dice attack roughly 5.75% of the time. However, Forsaken will also be rolling only 5 dice against EVERY SINGLE OTHER UNIT when it is pristine (i.e., no wounds or lost squad members). That's 1/2 of the time against Guilty or Zettians, the only 2-Life/Member units (since the other 'half' of thier lifespan, they'll have 1 wound or 1 'borg down, giving Forsaken 6 dice instead). These 2 out of 87 units, over one-half of their 'lifespan' would be (2/87)/2, ...or roughly 1.15% of the time. 5 dice 1/3 of the time against 3-Life heroes or 3-member squads, plus 1/4 of the time against 4-life heroes and 4-member squads, ...ad nauseum, ...until you hit 1/9 of the time against Charos (the only 9-Life hero, and then only when he has 0 wounds)...

All of that added together results in (roughly) 30.72% of Forsaken's attacks being at his flat printed 5 attack dice. Thats almost 1/3 of the time.

Looking at the other end of the spectrum, he's only going to have his maximum of 13 attack dice against 1 of those 87 possible opponents - Charos, ...and then only 1/9 of the time - that being when he has exactly 8 wounds. The result is (1/87)/9, or roughly 0.13% of the time. That's one attack out of every 783 that Forsaken can feasibly make. Yeah, 13 attack dice is vicious, ...but only 1 out of every 783 attacks.

Since I've probably already lost most of my readers by now, I'll fill in all the data-points between 5 and 13 attack dice and just summarize the rest... 5 attack dice = 30.72% of all possible target scenarios
6 attack dice = 24.97% of all possible target scenarios
7 attack dice = 23.82% of all possible target scenarios
8 attack dice = 11.56% of all possible target scenarios
9 attack dice = 5.81% of all possible target scenarios
10 attack dice = 1.91% of all possible target scenarios
11 attack dice = 0.74% of all possible target scenarios
12 attack dice = 0.42% of all possible target scenarios
13 attack dice = 0.13% of all possible target scenariosA little quick addition reveals that only (roughly) 3.19% of the time will Forsaken be tossing 10 or more attack dice. Hardly a 'regular' event... ^_^

Overall, (roughly) 6.48877 is the 'average' number of attack dice that Forsaken can be expected to toss on any given attack. He'll be throwing 7 dice or less 80% of the time, 8 dice 10% of the time, 9 dice 5% of the time (the same chance that Anubian Wolves will be tossing 9 dice, I might add, ...without Khosumet helping), and 10 or more dice less often than Ne-Gok-Sa pulls off a Mindshackle...

Is this powerful? ...Yes. ^_^ There are only 5 'official' units with a printed attack of 6 or more - Jotun, Su-Bak-Na, Nilfheim, Sgt. Drake Alexander, and Spartacus. So that puts Forsaken in with the top 6% of the HS crop in terms of attack power. However, those units cost 225, 160, 185, 110, & 200 points, respectively. Forsaken is (currently) being tested at 180, which puts him reasonably positioned among his peers there. So, is this broken? ...It's just my opinion, of course, ...but I don't think so. ^_^

Bottom line: I don't think that 'Drawn to Death' is in any way an unbalancing, broken, or abusive power. It makes him a strong attacker, but his high cost reflects that. The real issue here I think should be...

How imbalanced/off-costed is Forsaken because of Undying Hunter?

And the mere possibility of a fully-powered strong unit cvoming back at all, even with a 5% chance, is similarly difficult to balance/cost.
I'm sure you realize this design fundamental principle : the bigger the power and larger the effect on the game, the more difficult it is to cost.

This, I think, is the real heart of the matter. The analysis for inital costing was based on more mathematical delineation (which I'll not bore you with at this point), but put him at 180 points. My costing formula however, in addition to almost all of the playtesting thus far has been 1-on-1, ...which provides NO insight as to his TRUE value as a part of a larger fighting force...

I do believe in your presentation that the "I roll a 20 - you lose" scenario is foolish, and I agree with you completely that the 'rebirth' power Forsaken has is too powerful in its current state. I'll need to do some more math ('Undying Hunter' is an extremely complicated mathematical model, to say the least, and makes my 'attack breakdown' above look like counting apples, by comparison), and even more importantly, more playtesting, before I come to an better decision for how to fix it. I do like the unit though, and its abilities, so I'm not giving up on him. ^_^ I'll raise his 'rebirth' trigger, and/or his cost, and maybe even lower his DEF to make him more balanced, but I still strongly feel that he's a solid and playable unit...

The end result might well be just another Ne-Gok-Sa, or Deadeye Dan, or Morsbane, ...with a slim chance of greatly umpacting the balance in any given game. However, those elements ARE a part of the game, for better or for worse, ...and I think that Forsaken is a worthy addition to the HeroScape experience in that very same vein, and definitely for the enhancement of the 'creepiness' atmosphere...

And I agree with you as well that the 'boogeymen' are better left as a very few powerful individuals rather than a 'race' as a whole, ...I was just postulating a theory that might allow Rhydderch to more easily incorporate MY Forsaken into HIS...

...Thanks again for your continued contributions in refining my customs, reaper. I appreciate it. ...Now go chase a stick across a cave...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[reapersaurus]

:blowup:

AFAIK, your models are incomplete.

You can't accurately calculate what you're trying to do, since the number of wounds and squad figures killed is an unknown.
If we simply assume that each hero has half their life in wounds, and each squad has half it's figures eliminated (which is a horrible estimation but as good as I can think of), that gives us 4.64 (average hero life points) divided by 2 is 2.3 wounds on average.

Average # of squad figs is 3.29. (Yes, these ignore common heroes.)
Average # of figs is 1.65. This of course ignores that most people play more than 1 squad in armies, so it would realistically be more than this in a constructed army environment.

So this gives him 7 attack dice regularly.

And it doesn;t factor in the Doom Markers, which you can place one every activation of the DeathDealers for free, thereby increasing the damage output of Forsaken considerably in an actual army (since you'd of course liekly use the DD's in any army that has Forsaken).

With defense of 5, and a rebirht power, he's too strong for 180.
Not off the charts, mind you - in fact, if you made sure he could only rebirth once, he'd feel pretty good at 200 points.

Here's an idea - if you made him a flipper, and after he came back, he only had "Will Not Die - When Forsaken defends, it receives on extra defense die for each wound marker on it's Army Card." That would be an interesting twist. He'd be hard to put down for good, but he'd only come back once, thereby buffering the game impact the unit could have.

[Rhydderch]

I like Forsaken and would use him as he stands but another possible fix for people who are afraid of having to deal with him too many times would be to add a negative effect for Undying Hunter. Ie:

If you roll a 1-3, stop rolling for Undying Hunter. If you roll 4-14, nothing happens. If you roll a 15 or higher...

So there is a built in chance that the Forsaken will be gone forever. Or at least for the rest of the battle (maybe he got bored and decided to eat some school children instead, or some teens making out at the HS camp) :P

[LordRaidor]

AFAIK, your models are incomplete. ...You can't accurately calculate what you're trying to do, since the number of wounds and squad figures killed is an unknown...

My mathematical model is actually a very good one, ...it's just my ability to explain it that is apparently lacking... ^_^

As I tried (unsuccessfully) to explain before, my model does actually incorporate a very solid analytical framework that does include each unit's possible varying states of 'injury'. Take, for example, a 3-man squad. Forsaken will be throwing 5 dice at the first one he attacks, period (since there are no dead figs yet). Once he kills one, and starts attacking the second fig, he will be using 6 Attack dice (1 dead fig on the card). Once those two are gone, he will attack the 3rd fig with 7 dice. There aren't really any 'unknowns' involved, ...that's how it will play out, short and simple. So, of the entire time Forsaken spends attacking this squad, he will be rolling 5 dice 33% of the time, 6 dice 33% of the time, and 7 dice the final 33% of the time. That would give us an 'average' of 6.00 dice per attack over the course of the entire battle, against any 3-man squad. Am I making sense now?

The only potential inaccuracy here is that my framework assumes each fig will take the same amount of time to destroy, just to make the math easier. In the above example, I'm assuming that if it takes 3 attacks to kill the first fig, then it will also take 3 attacks to kill the second and 3 more to kill the third. It doesn't take into consideration that it will actually be harder to kill the first fig (with only 5 dice) than it will be to kill the 3rd one (with 7 dice). HOWEVER, let's look at an example of how the calculation would be affected if we did take this into account. Let's say that it takes 3 attacks (at 5 dice) to kill the first squad member, then 2 attacks (at 6 dice) to kill the second, and only 1 attack (now 7 dice) to kill the third. Thats 5 dice 50% of the time, 6 dice 33% of the time, and 7 dice only 17% of the time. This actually pulls the 'average' dice thrown over the course of the entire battle DOWN to 5.67 (instead of the previously calculated 6.00).

So, while I could actually take each individual squad's Defense value and special powers into account to calculate more reliable 'survival times' rates for each successive squad member, this will only serve to make Forsaken look LESS powerful than the model I'm currently using (plus be more complicated and time-consuming for me by at least an order of magnitude). I always prefer to OVERCOST my customs rather that undercost them, plus, ...I'm lazy, ...so using my 'simplified' model accomodates both of those facets of my personality... ^_^ Moving along...

This same logic is applied against heroes too. Using a 3-life hero as my example now, Forsaken will be throwing 5 dice until he lands the first wound, then 6 dice until he lands another, then 7 dice until he kills it. Again, 6.00 is the 'average' number of dice he'll be using while battling this hero. Again, this assumes that the 'percentage' of time at each 'stage' of injury is equal. However, as before, a more 'realistic' model that takes into account individual Defence and powers is only going to make Forsaken look whimpier. If this example fig were 'Guilty McCreech' (only 2 Defence), Forsaken could very well kill him in the first 5-dice attack, but that would pull his 'average' dice thrown all the way down to the 5.00 baseline. When evaluating his cost, I think a model that exaggerates his power is much more desirable than one that waters it down. Since the 'overestimating' model is MUCH easier for me to analyze, that's the one I'm using. ^_^

So, now that we've decided that Forsaken will be rolling 6.00 dice (on average) against 3-Life heroes and 3-member squads, and we know that 32 of the 87 (or 37%) 'official' units thru Thora's Vengeance are 3-Life heroes or 3-member squads, it's safe to conclude that if all of these units see equal play time, then Forsaken will be rolling '6.00' dice (an 'average') for 37% of the time he spends on the battlefield. Do the math for all of the other unit types (2 and 4 member squads, and all other heroes, 1 Life thru 9 Life), and you get the statistics I posted earlier...

6.48877 (roughly ^_~ ) is the 'average' number of attack dice that Forsaken can be expected to toss on any given attack overall, and this is a liberal estimate. It could very well be LOWER than that (because of the assumptions I made in my framework), but it certainly won't be HIGHER. I hope that I did a better job of explaining my 'model' this time, and I hope you understand why I went for the 'quick' summary the first time around. ^_^ Hopefully, ...this elaborate demonstration of my (moderate) mathematical prowess will also serve to curtail any further skepticism about the integrity of my statistical models... ^_~

And it doesn;t factor in the Doom Markers, which you can place one every activation of the DeathDealers for free, thereby increasing the damage output of Forsaken considerably in an actual army (since you'd of course liekly use the DD's in any army that has Forsaken).

I stated up front that my 'model' neglected the Doom Markers completely, but you do make some good arguements here. However, I still think it's reasonable to leave the Doom Markers out of the equation, for a number of reasons...

Firstly, any 'Doom Marker' advantage can be fairly easily eliminated by simple counter-drafting. If your opponent takes Forsaken or the DeathDealers, you pick the other. Assuming that both units are balanced and properly costed (which will hopefully soon be the case), you haven't hurt your own army any, and you've denied your opponent the synergy. This might not be desireable, but it's almost always an option...

Secondly, while the Doom Markers definitely enhance Forsaken's performance, you'd have to cut his efficiency by 33% to use them. By placing at least 1 order marker per round on the DeathDealers to pass out Doom Markers, you've cut Forsaken's potential performance by one third. Yes, his attacks will be heavier, but now he's down to a maximum of 2 attacks per round instead of three. Since we modelled his efficiency on 6.48877 dice (average) 3 times per round, the Doom Markers would have to raise the average to 9.7331 dice per each of the 2 attacks to provide a visible advantage. I just don't think the advantage will be that large...

Thirdly, in order to use the synergy effectively, the DeathDealers will have to be in the thick of battle with Forsaken. This will make it much easier for the opponent to use the 'avoid Forsaken til last' strategy, since other targets will be readily available to attack. As mentioned before, this is the most effective way to nullify Forsaken's "rebirth" power. So while he might gain a boost from 'Drawn to Death' in conjunction with the DD, he'll also be taking a potential hit to 'Undying Hunter' from it, resulting in a semblance of balance.

And Finally, as demonstrated above, my 'model' already has some degree of 'slack' built into the computation of his 'attack' efficiency that makes him 'appear' tougher than he actually is. I'm fully willing to accept that this more than compensates for the bonuses from Doom Markers, until solid playtesting proves otherwise... ^_^

Here's an idea - if you made him a flipper, and after he came back, he only had "Will Not Die - When Forsaken defends, it receives on extra defense die for each wound marker on it's Army Card." That would be an interesting twist. He'd be hard to put down for good, but he'd only come back once, thereby buffering the game impact the unit could have.

Well, ...for starters, I already have a custom unit with a very similar power (Zorn's "Dauntless Fortitude"), and I dislike being too reduntant with my stuff. Moreover, I haven't given up on Forsaken's current powers yet. ...I still think he can be tweaked into a more balanced state...

With defense of 5, and a rebirht power, he's too strong for 180.
Not off the charts, mind you - in fact, if you made sure he could only rebirth once, he'd feel pretty good at 200 points.I like Forsaken and would use him as he stands but another possible fix for people who are afraid of having to deal with him too many times would be to add a negative effect for Undying Hunter. Ie:
If you roll a 1-3, stop rolling for Undying Hunter. If you roll 4-14, nothing happens. If you roll a 15 or higher...
So there is a built in chance that the Forsaken will be gone forever. Or at least for the rest of the battle (maybe he got bored and decided to eat some school children instead, or some teens making out at the HS camp) :P

I had already been considering a potential fix for 'Undying Hunter', that is coincidentally kinda similar to Rhydderch's proposal. Here's my current thinking...

Undying Hunter - At the end of each round, roll the 20-sided die if Forsaken has been destroyed and is no longer in play. If you roll an 18 or higher, Forsaken is returned to play under the control of the same player who controlled it at the start of the game. Place Forsaken in any player's starting zone on the battlefield and remove all wound markers from its Army Card. If you roll a 1-16, you must either remove 1 wound marker from this Army Card or remove Forsaken and its Army Card from the game completely.

This way, the trigger-value is 33% smaller, and the number of times he can try it before leaving the game is limited. If he took his full 5 Life worth of hits and died, he'd get 6 tries at 'rebirth', then get tossed. If, however, he was destroyed without taking any wounds (Morsbane, Deadeye Dan, stepped on Molten Lava, etc.), then he only get's ONE shot at the power before he's headed off in search of co-eds at 'HS camp' instead...

Whuddayathink?...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[justjohn]

Forsaken is a house. And a headache as well. His stats are solid, but not overly so. His undying hunter ability is great, but I'm worried that it may happen too much. I think about some of the wild frenzy runs I've had, as well as some other people have had, and that's on 16+.

Maybe you could keep it the same odds, but add a stipulation to it. Something like: " ... remove all wound markers from this card AND place 1 Resurrection Marker to this card. When rolling for Undying Hunter, subtract 1 to the die result of the roll for each Resurrection Marker on this card."

Cool stuff though man. Very Halloweeny.

[LordRaidor]

Thanx justjohn. I did at one point consider making future 'rebirths' less likely than previous ones. The more I think about it though, the more I realize that just ONE rebirth makes this guy well worth more than his cost, so the focus needs to be on how likely ONE rebirth is. Beyond the first, multiple 'rebirths' are really non-sequitor. I mean honestly, ...there's no limit on the number of times NGS can Mindshackle, and every one after the first is just lemon-juice in the wound. I'd like to treat Forsaken here in relatively the same vein...

Also, though my initial "countdown-timer" proposal was workable, I feel like it added too much complexity to the power without a significant gain, AND it actually was counter-intuitive to the theme. It seems to me that there should be a HIGHER chance of him recovering from the "one-hit-wonder" or "fluke headshot" powers, and a LOWER chance after his opponents have actually gone to all the trouble to beat on him repeatedly and rack up his wounds, so...

Overall, I've decided to raise the trigger-point to 18+, and impose a hefty risk of a 'terminal' penalty if Forsaken was destroyed from heavy wounds. No change yet to his cost or stats - I wanna see how the new power wording works first. Here's the newest version, which I'll be playtesting as time permits...

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_forsa.jpg

Thanx for the input. Continued comments are always welcome...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[LordRaidor]

I know it's been an eternity since I updated my poor customs thread (evil CoN sucking up all my free time), but eveningdrive was looking for Gladiator customs, and I realized that I never added the bio I wrote for Praemus a while back...

PRAEMUS
A trophy of Roman conquest abroad, Praemus began his life as a slave when he was still a mere boy. A decade of hard labor in the Empire's mines and quarries saw his limbs grow thick and powerful while his heart became cold and bitter. As acts of overt aggression against his captors becoming more and more frequent, fearful task-masters saw to it that he was quickly moved out of the rock-yards and into the arenas instead. Glad to be free of his shackles, Praemus embraced his training as a gladiator, and soon grew to relish the thrill of armed combat. In Valhalla, the anger he once vented upon Roman stone he now directs against Einar's enemies on the battlefield. Praemus weilds his war-hammer with unbelievable speed and fury, crushing armor and bone alike beneath the massive weight of its savage blows. Well aware of the power of his own momentum, Praemus rushes headlong into battle like the charging Rhinoceros of his distant homeland, and woe be to those who find themselves in his path.

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_praem.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lr_praem.jpg)

(The figure, again, is a MageKnight "Cult Enforcer", which are cheap-as-dirt online.)

For what it's worth...

Maybe sometime soon I'll add some more of my 9-month-old customs that I never got around to uploading...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[LordRaidor]

...I have come to the decision that I am probably not going to be making any more customs. It's not one of those wierd, life-changing epiphanies or anything, ...just the natural conclusion of my efforts.

I started making custom units back when all we had was the Master Set and Wave 1. Back then, after twenty battles or so, the less-than-two-dozen units available were starting to look a little thin, and the unexplored possibilities were countless. The natural solution for these problems was to make customs, ...which I did with much zeal. ^_^

A couple years later, and we have seven waves worth of stuff plus numerous terrain and 'big hero' packs. Toss in all the custom's I've already made, and I've got over 170 different units to choose from on game nights! Don't get me wrong, ...I like the variety, but we've got such a huge selection of units when drafting that many units already see very limited table-time (if any). HeroScape has blossomed in the last three years, and I'm very happy with that. It has, however, completely eliminated the whole reason I started making custom units in the first place - the need for variety.

Not only that, but to be honest, ...I'm running out of good ideas for units. Back in '05, I had hundreds of good ideas, and cranked out three of four customs a month. Since January this year, I've only made 3 new customs, and even those used powers I thought-up way-back-when and just recently found a satisfactory mini. I think my imagination and inspiration are just about tapped out at this point. Add to that the fact that the CoN sucks up all the limited free time that I used to spend browsing the 'customs' forum and critiquing units...

Basically, ...I think it's time for me to gracefully bow out of the 'customs creation' arena and leave further exploration of new and exciting unit ideas to those with more talent and enthusiasm.

However, ...before I go, ...I do have about 15 (or so) units that I have yet to unveil here in the forums. Many of them are over a year "old", but I never posted them because I either hadn't written 'bios' for them yet or didn't feel they had been sufficiently playtested. In any case, ...I'll try to post them now, hopefully at the rate of 1 per week (or so). Many of them have seen little or even (...[gulp]...) NO table-time, so they're a bit 'rougher' than what I like to publicize, ...but then again, ...maybe you folks can help me finish them off and polish them up. ^_^

...for what they're worth.

Comments and feedback welcome, ...as always...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[LordRaidor]

THUNDERHAWK Mk8
The Omnicron Mark 8 is a walking weapon platform. Designed for long-range assaults, the Thunderhawk is equipped with massive ion accelerators as its 'arms'. These twin cannons fire particle beams that travel in a straight line at near the speed of light. Such bolts are unaffected by gravity or wind and lose almost no energy over extreme distances. The damage potential of this virtually 'line-of-sight' weapon is limited only by the Thunderhawk's visual scanners and targetting systems. Quite literally speaking, anything a Thunderhawk can see, he can shoot. The Mark 8 is named for the unmistakable sound produced when his particle beams are fired. Up close, the explosive roar of the cannons is deafening, but from miles away, the discharge is indistinguishable from the sound of rolling thunder.

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_thawk.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lr_thawk.jpg)

(The figure is a Benj Malthus - Gyrfalcon [MechWarrior].)

Thunderhawk was created back in the HS.net days, along with Firehawk, Stormhawk, and the forthcoming Warhawk. He's only seen a couple of battles, and I was never really confident with his costing, thus a "still in playtesting" status which, unfortunately, has lasted over two years...

I could've "reworked" his Jump Jets power (and that of the other 'Hawks) to more closely resemble Stealth Leap after the Monks were released, ...but I like my version better anyway (more realistic, though slightly more complex). The Particle Beams basically make him a long-range, low-power Mimring, with less maneuverability but more durability.

Anyhow, ...there he is. Commentary welcome...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[Aldin]

I love the Thunderhawk, LR! Big stompy robots have a special place in my heart. I think the cost is pretty good. As you noted, the jump jet mechanic is a bit ackward - any reason not to essentially make it a stealth leap? The particle beam is a bit unwieldy as well because it forces the 'hawk player to roll the dice one at a time and keep track of which die is rolled when. Instead, what if you added defensive dice to defenders that are further away? One idea that occured to me was to switch it to a single die which is unblockable in the first six hexes, has 1 die rolled against it from 7-15 and three dice 16+ (and can't be used when he is engaged?). That shouldn't be too powerful since lining up enemy ducks in a row is pretty unusual - except on bridges :twisted:

~Aldin, mechwarrior

[LordRaidor]

Thanx for the input Aldin! My only real objection to giving the 'Hawks all 'Stealth Leap' is purely personal. I think 'Stealth Leap' is just plain silly. ^_^ A Monk can Leap from a space outside a 30-level-high castle wall to a same-level space inside that wall, ...but it can't Leap onto the TOP of said wall? That's just goofy to me. ^_^ 'Jump Jets' is a bit more complicated, but I wrote it specifically to be more 'realistic' and reflective of the physics of how mechanical 'Jump Jets' might actually work. When Hasbro released 'Stealth Leap', my initial reaction was, "good grief, ...that's exactly the kind of non-intuitive 'jump-through' effect that I was trying to avoid with Jump Jets!"... ^_~ We've found that Jump Jets (as written) serves as a very good aid in climbing small hills or 'jumping' over small groups of engaged figures, but it'll never get you over a glacier or into a castle - which was exactly what we intended.

Particle Beams isn't as unweildy to resolve as it sounds. We just start by resolving the distant attacks, then work our way up to the close ones. For example, Mk8 tosses his first die (say, 1 skull), then the targets at 16+ hexes defend (against 1 skull). Then Mk8 throws his second die (say, a blank) and targets at 7-15 hexes defend (against 1 skull). Finally, he makes the last roll (Say, another skull) and the up-close victims roll against the grand total (in this case, 2 skulls). I agree that if you 'resolved' the up-close targets first, it would be alot clunkier, ...but when you work from the outside in, it's really pretty smooth. (Plus, it's a nice way to dramatically build the tension of working your way toward that 'perfect' 3-skull shot... ^_~ )

Your modification would be entirely workable, but the power was written to specifically make it impossible to do more than 1 wound at 8 hexes or greater. With your proposal, eventhough unlikely, it would be possible to land a 3-wound hit on somebody 30 hexes away. I just thought that was a bit too powerful. As is stands, he's got REACH, but not with a ton of IMPACT. I felt like that was more 'realistic' of a line-of-sight energy weapon in Valhalla, and more balanced for game-play. He might be able to hit something a mile away, but he's most likely only gonna "nick" them, and certainly not do nearly as much damage as he would if the target was standing right in front of the barrels...

And yes, ...it sucks to be you if your opponent has him lined-up and waiting of the other side of that bridge...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[Aldin]

Actually, working outward in is a pretty elegant way to resolve the problem - I like the building tension. Out of curiousity, is it still technically inward out? Say you have Raelin with one life left in hex 5 and DW9k in hex 8 - does Raelin get resolved first to see whether or not DW9k gets the +2 Defensive dice?

And I really sympathize with the purpose of jump jets. An alternate wording might run something like "Thunderhawk Mk8 is treated as having 4xHeight for climbing and falling purposes. Additionally, once per turn Thunderhawk Mk8 may ignore up to twelve(ten?) levels of height change when moving between two spaces."

~Aldin, coveting an ER PPC

[LordRaidor]

Revisiting one of my older customs. (Mainly because it is appearing in the Uruz Keep right now, and I needed a place to post the card and bio...)

GLACIAN LYNXAURS
A peace-loving race of primitive sentients, Lynxaurs have been driven to the verge of extinction on their home planet of Grut. The more dominant (and violent) Orcs of Grut have hunted the nomadic Lynxaurs for sport since the two species first encountered each other. In two mere decades, the Lynxaurs have been all but wiped out, with only a few surviving tribes retreating back into the most remote and inhospitable Glacian regions near Grut's poles. Some of these tribes have learned the ways of warfare from their genocidal enemies, forging swords and fletching arrows to defend themselves, but these lessons were hard-learned at too heavy a price. It is now only a matter of time before the execution squads, led by the likes of Nerak and his lieutenants, track down and eliminate the last of the noble Lynxaurs. Seeing their plight in a Wellspring vision, the Archkyrie Jandar took pity on two Lynxaur hunt-mates cornered on an ice-flow preparing to make their last stand against a horde of approaching Swog-mounted Orcs. He transported the pair to Valhalla, where they vowed to join Jandar's army and continue their struggle against the cruel Orcs in this strange new Battlefield. Though their combat skills are unrefined, the Lynxaurs are tough, strong, and eager to learn. These sturdy quadrupeds are even capable of carrying their allies short distances on their backs. Though the effort slows the Lynxaurs considerably, it is still a daunting sight for enemies to see the Lynxaurs charging into battle, bringing their own reinforcements with them as they advance.

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_lynxa.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lr_lynxa.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lynx1.gif http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lynx2.gif

[figures used: (MageKnight) Snow Centaur & Snow Maiden]

The first implementation (that I had seen) of a squad with 'Carry' worked out pretty well. They basically become an efficient way to move (but not attack) with two other heroes in your army plus the Lynxaurs for only 1 order marker. When paired with the likes of Finn and Thorgrim, they can become frighteningly effective...

They've seen a good bit of table-time, and are accurately costed (I.M.O.). Comments always welcome...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[robopesant]

Cool stuff.

[brickman1444]

The Lynxuars are very cool card wise but I really love the name.

[ron3090]

You should TOTALLY make a Lord Raidor figure. It would have Masterful Storytelling Special Attack, and be able to crsoo SPACE AND TIME with a flick of the keyboard!

[Chuckrock]

They are very well done. Where did you find the models?

[LordRaidor]

...All of my customs use MageKnight, Star Wars, or MechWarrior minis - fairly easy to buy online (though some can cost >$5 each). I list the source fig(s) for each custom (in green text) at the end of its 'biography' on my crappy Geocities website (http://www.geocities.com/lordraidor/cstmbios.htm)...

...or you can click the specific unit's name in the page-1 index of this thread...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[Jonathan]

Totally dig the Thunderhawk, and the Lynxaurs are really cool, although I would think a tough + 4 dice would make them a little "tough" :wink: to deal with.

But, since you've playtested them, I'll accept your judgement and look forward to trying them out!

[LordRaidor]

...the Lynxaurs are really cool, although I would think a tough + 4 dice would make them a little "tough" :wink: to deal with...
The Lynxaurs actually perform at significantly less than '100 points' in most situations. Only if you're using them to their maximum potential will they be worth the full purchase price. On snow terrain, they are much tougher in combat, but their movement is severely limited (like any other unit). If you've got them packin' Finn, Thorgrim, Raelin, &/or Taelord, etc., then you'll get your money's worth...

Thanx for the feedback fellas.

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[LordRaidor]

SINTI SWORD DANCERS
Graceful, mysterious, and alluring, these exotic gypsies are not a sight one would expect to encounter on the field of battle. Spirited away from the central European forests they called home, these nomadic clan-sisters were brought to Valhalla by the Valkyrie General Einar specifically for their 'special talents'. Proof that appearances can be deceiving, these meek and fragile looking dancers are in fact the deadliest of assassins. The Sinti exploit the sensuality of their traditional folk-dancing arts as a ruse to approach unsuspecting victims and lower their guard. Even if a target is aware of the assassins' intent, the Sinti utilize their catlike reflexes in dazzling spins, leaps, flips, and cartwheels to evade most ranged attacks while they zero in on their prey. Once close enough, the Sinti strike with blinding speed and surgical precision. It is rumored that even unarmed they can instantly dispatch any target, and can penetrate weak spots in the strongest of armor with pinpoint accuracy. When the job is done, the Sinti slip away as quietly as they came, nimbly eluding pursuers as they seek their next targets.

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_sinti_sword_dancers.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/sinti_sword_dancers.jpg)
(click for larger image)

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/sinti1.gif http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/sinti2.gif http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/sinti3.gif

[figures used: (MageKnight) Galeshi Knife Dancer, Steppe Ranger, Xandressan Diver]

One of my earlier custioms from the old .net days, inspired by justjohn's "Black Hand of Kyogi" and beautifully illustrated by Atmospro. ...Reposted here, ...today, ...for, ...uhm, ...no good reason. [...yeah, ...that's it...]

Comments always welcome...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[Tiberius]

I find it really interesting that the sword dancer can kill a samuri as it kills them with counterstrike. Fair trade I would say. They have the ability to pretty much kill any squad figure they attack. And if you get a bunch of them around Q9...Well good luck getting to him. They look like a well done group.

[ron3090]

I think they need to be at least 90 points. With the ability to kill 3 squad figs a turn, they are insanely powerful. Couple that with Stealth Dodge and Disengage, and you've got a figure with massive amounts of killability.

Also, when are you going to make your "Lawyer" custom for CoN use?

[Sapper]

I think they need to be at least 90 points. With the ability to kill 3 squad figs a turn, they are insanely powerful. Couple that with Stealth Dodge and Disengage, and you've got a figure with massive amounts of killability.

I agree this is a powerful unit, however they have a defense of 2 to balance out their superior hand to hand skills. With a few sharpshooters these deadly women will never reach their target.

Keep in mind without actually having played with this unit my opinion really means nothing but just looking at the card that is how I see it.

[ZBeeblebrox]

I love these gals but I only had three of the Xandressian Divers, so I repainted each of their swimsuits a different color, and use them for this card on the battlefield.

[LordRaidor]

I think they need to be at least 90 points. With the ability to kill 3 squad figs a turn, they are insanely powerful. Couple that with Stealth Dodge and Disengage, and you've got a figure with massive amounts of killability.I agree this is a powerful unit, however they have a defense of 2 to balance out their superior hand to hand skills. With a few sharpshooters these deadly women will never reach their target......The Attack of ONE and Defense of TWO are actually pretty limiting. Against melee squads, the girls are effective and scary, ...but against ranged squads (archers, agents, etc.) or anything with a ranged Special Attack (grenades, fire line, explosion, etc.), they get shredded very quickly...

Overall, ...my playtesters and I think 70 is an effective point cost, ...but feel free to test them yourself and see how they 'perform'...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[Barbell Hero]

Do you have a template for that trading card format? I'd love to have something quick to print off for playtesting instead of trying to make an army card every time, and then changing it later when I find out something doesn't work...

[LordRaidor]

Do you have a template for that trading card format? I'd love to have something quick to print off for playtesting instead of trying to make an army card every time, and then changing it later when I find out something doesn't work......Yep, ...there's a blank template in the Gallery (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery), ...right about here (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/displayimage.php?album=41&pos=8).

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[Barbell Hero]

Cool, thanks. :D

[LordRaidor]

It's the time of year again when our thoughts dwell upon things that go 'bump' in the night, ...whether we want them to or not. I haven't made any new 'spooky' customs in awhile, ...but I haven't ever posted a spotlight here for my original 'evil trio', so maybe it'll do the trick as your treat this year (full pun intended). The DeathDealers were one of my earliest customs, and some of their powers were referenced in my Halloween custom from last year, FORSAKEN (http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?p=115842#126820)...

DEATHDEALERS
Rumored to be in the direct service of the entity 'Death' itself, these grizzly warriors are often seen fighting for the murderous General Utgar. Some say that this nightmarish trio is neither alive nor dead, but have bartered away their souls to obtain a twisted form of immortality poised between the two. In exchange for escaping from their own deaths, they have become harbingers of doom, scavenging in Utgar's bloody wake for lost souls to claim for their master. The foolhardy often scoff at ghost-stories of DeathDealers, but those who have seen them can attest to their frighteningly real power over death. Raising their weapons high, they can cause even the mightiest of warriors to drop dead instantly, struck by no detectable force beyond the chilling echoes of the DeathDealer's own haunting laughter. Though these spectres can be wounded and even slain in combat, vanquished DeathDealers almost always appear again in another battle elsewhere. Valhallan superstition holds that anyone unfortunate enough to permanently slay a DeathDealer will be forced to become one, doomed to replace the very abomination they destroyed.
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_death.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lr_death.jpg)
(click for larger image)

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/death1.gif http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/death3.gif http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/death2.gif
[figures used: (MageKnight) Painwraith, Blood Cultist, Deathspeaker Aeradon]

The gratious and amazingly talented Atmospro also made me a card for these fellows, ...though he used much more impressive sculpts of his own choosing for the 'official looking' card..."
http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_deathdealers%7E0.jpg

Happy Halloween!!!

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[Bloody the Marro Stinger]

Happy Halloween to you too! :D
You should start making customs again... I miss them. :cry:

[Raudulfr Shieldcrusher]

Do you have a template for that trading card format? I'd love to have something quick to print off for playtesting instead of trying to make an army card every time, and then changing it later when I find out something doesn't work......Yep, ...there's a blank template in the Gallery (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery), ...right about here (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/displayimage.php?album=41&pos=8).

^_^
-LordRaidor-

I based my cards on LordRaidor's cards. There are blanks in my trading card thread in my sig. Hope you don't mind me posting this, LordRaidor.

[LordRaidor]

Well, ...I guess it's time to drag my old Customs Thread up from beneath the 18 or 19 forum pages on top of it... I haven't made any new customs in quite a while, but here's one from about 2 years ago that I've never posted. Playtesting on this unit has been minimal (thus why it hasn't been posted before). I never found many figs that I thought were a thematic fit with Vydar, ...but this one was. All of the recent discussion about the upcoming "Risk: Black Ops" got me thinking about her again...

SPECIAL AGENT CHEN
One of the most accomplished and dependable operatives in the agency, Special Agent Chen is well-known to every black-ops organization on Earth. With full access to all of the newest tech and best ordinance available, Chen was regularly assigned to difficult objectives beyond the scope of standard field agents. Her reputation as "the right woman for the job" is backed by a very impressive dossier, full of successful missions completed with emotionless efficiency and meticulous attention to detail. A custom-fitted suit of high-tech body armor allows Chen to infiltrate almost any environment, no matter how hostile, and her superb accuracy is the stuff of legend (...it's said that she's never missed a target yet). Unfortunately for Chen, an assignment to 'retire' an emissary from the Ministry of Djibouti en-route to a high-profile economic summit in New Avalon turned out to be a trap set by a rival corporation. Though she did accomplish her objective, the snare set by the competition proved too tight to escape, and Chen was faced with the imminent threat of early retirement herself. Vydar offered her an attractive contract extension package instead, with a change of theater to Valhalla.

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_chen.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lr_chen.jpg) (click for larger image)

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/sachen.gif
[figure used: (HeroClix) Callisto]

As always, ...open for public review...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[LordRaidor]

Hmmm, ...since Chen there went over SOOOOOO well ( ^_~ ), ...here's an old favorite of mine from the .net days as a chaser. He was one of the first 3 or 4 customs I ever made, and served as a launching-point for an eventual total of six 'Draconum' customs (all of which I really personally like). The hexagonaloid card image was made by the gratious and amazingly talented Atmospro...

PRINCE GROVEK
When the Valkyrie General Ullar asked the Draconum of Feylund for a volunteer to join the Battle of All Time, they proudly answered the call. They held a massive tournament involving all of their greatest warriors, and their king's eldest son, Prince Grovek, was declared the winner. As his people's champion, he was entrusted with Draco's Hammer of Justice, the magical weapon of the most honored hero in all Draconum legend. Swooping into battle wielding his mighty hammer, Prince Grovek is awesome to behold. While Grovek's size and fearsome appearance intimidate his enemies, it is his dauntless courage and unwavering optimism in the face of staggering odds that inspire those under his command. More than once, Prince Grovek's powerful rallying cry has marshaled his forces into a rekindled assault and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_prince_grovak1.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/prince_grovak1.jpg) (click for larger image)

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/grovek.gif
[figure used: (MageKnight) Magna Champion]

Grovek has been heavily played, and reviewed before on two previous incarnations of HSers, but commentary is still welcome (...I needed to post his bio as a reference for his premier CoN appearance).

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[EDIT: ...just noticed, ...this is my 1000th post! ...Yeah me!!! ^_~ ]

[Jonathan]

I like him! And Rally is actually easier to read in the small pic, for some reason...

Do people tend to pick him and a swarm of something else, or is it more of a mixed bag?

[LordRaidor]

Thanx Jonathan!!! ...Some folks draft squads around him and others draft heroes, but either way, they are usually expensive. The most success with Grovek seems to hinge on staying OUTNUMBERED on the Battlefield, in order to get his Rallying Cry to ping more often. If you draft high-cost heroes/squads, and your opponents draft lots of cheap cannon-fodder, you'll almost always have fewer Army Cards than your opponent, and thus succeed with the 'Rally' roll more often...

I usually draft thematically around him (i.e., other Draconum) just for fun. Since all of the other Draconum are 110-160 point heroes, that also dovetails with the "draft expensive troops" philosophy nicely...

Thanx for your interest, ...now get over to the Contest and Games Forum and start the GOLDEN CAVE (http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?t=16555) already!!!

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[Karkadinn]

This guy isn't the only one to use the X marker for free turns, but he is, I think, my favorite of the bunch. Because of the way his power works you're encouraged, but not forced, to go with high point cost cards instead of a swarm of cheapos, thus countering in some measure the dominating power of old Raelin, the Mass, Isamu, etc. Definitely a good power to have in the draft environment. I'll have to find some of the other cards that use the X for free turns and see if they would 'stack' with this card... getting multiple turns out of the X sounds pretty hilariously sick, but is probably balanced since the other cards, IIRC, all had high point costs and were essentially support heroes. The only drawback is that he makes Q9 more powerful. ;) But I think that a fair price to pay for all the bargain basement powerhouses he counteracts. Hm, you could always limit it to non-Soulborg and have it fit the theme, I think, but that does take up more precious text real estate....
And... hmmm, someone needs to bug Truth to put all his old customs up in his thread. He's done a long line of the humanoid dragon guys and I was about to suggest matching the species with his chosen monicker for consistency if it didn't match already, but I can't seem to find the cards. Wherefore art thou, Helmadark.... <.<

[ZBeeblebrox]

Wherefore art thou, Helmadark.... <.<

He's in the gallery along with manny other of Truth's customs :wink:

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Helmadark_copy.jpg

[Karkadinn]

Wherefore art thou, Helmadark.... <.<

He's in the gallery along with manny other of Truth's customs :wink:


Thanks. :P I did look, but the gallery is so huge it's easy to get lost in.

[LordRaidor]

Howdy Kark!!!! Glad you're back!!! ...Warm fuzzies for everybody. ^_~

...I noticed you lurking around late at night off and on for the last month or so, and lo and behold, ...here you come a-postin' in my humble little customs thread... ^_^

[...more warm fuzzies abound...]

Thanks for the kindly words about Grovek. It was, in fact, seeing truth's Helmadark Custom that spurred me to look for more 'Draken'/'Draconum' figs to add to Grovek's retinue. Runemaster Varketh (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lr_varke~0.jpg) was (obviously) directly inspired by Helmadark (though I took a slightly different direction than truth with my version), but the other 4 that followed fleshed out the group nicely, methinks. ...I'm sure I'll get around to reviving the rest of them eventually...

But I digress (as is my nature and reputation). ...My point was - WELCOME BACK KARK! ...And thanks for dropping in! Now, ...have you got any recent tasty stories I can read? ^_~ More like the one about the shape-changing dance or especially the angelic take on modern warfare (I really liked that one), ...but maybe not so much like the 'Fairy Plumbing' piece (too dark for my taste, though I didn't have a problem with 'Red Christmas', or your two Codex stories). ...Can't wait to see how Bugs and Drake and the Krav fare against Dracula in the final showdown either!!!...

Uhm, ...where was I? ...Oh yeah, ...WELCOME BACK!!!

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[Karkadinn]

Thanks for the welcoming Raidor. :) You know it's always my pleasure to drop in on a fun customs thread. I'm glad you remember Truth's dragony guys; it would be really quite nice to be able to use them as an overall synergetistic army rather than as standalone heroes. ...and is it weird that I suddenly have started imagining you as speaking in Deckard Cain's rambling old man voice? <.< "Stay a while listen! You have quite a treasure in that Horadric Cube!" Anyway, I'll just move the rest of the reply over to PM so we won't clutter up your nice neat customs thread.

[LordRaidor]

AVATAR KRIIN
Avatars are the elite of the Draconum military, and Kriin is a superb example of their fighting prowess. Trading the protection of heavy armor for increased speed and maneuverability on the battlefield, Avatar Kriin prides herself on being able to reach her objectives quickly and efficiently. Kriin's acrobatic agility while aloft is as graceful as her expert spearmanship is deadly. She uses her polearm to deftly assail targets from beyond their reach, then launches into the air to soar away unharmed.

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_kriin.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lr_kriin.jpg) (click for larger image)

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/kriin.gif
[figure used: (MageKnight) Cindrata]

Another of my older Draconum customs (obviously from before 'Stealth Flying' ^_^ ). She got randomly selected for an appearance in the CRYSTAL CAVE, so I thought I'd post her bio for reference. Second only to Prince Grovek, she is probably the most play-tested and well-balanced of my 'Draconum'. Her 'Spear Thrust' power was a derivation of the 'reach' concept that was kicked around alot in the early days of HS.net, and is lots of fun...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[bmaczero]

The "adjacent-but-not-adjacent" attack idea is cool. I especially like how she can poke people several levels below her without being engaged :).

[LordRaidor]

FEYLORA & REYLANA
These Elven sisters from Feylund were born beneath a very rare heavenly conjunction: a prophecy written in the stars that they would together share a great destiny. They were thought at first to be identical twins, but a physical distinction made itself apparent before their first birthday: Feylora's hair grew golden blonde, like the summer sun, while Reylana's hair was a burnt crimson, like the oak leaves in autumn. In addition to this visible difference, Feylora and Reylana also developed slightly divergent personalities. As they grew, Reylana stood apart as the more impulsive and reckless of the two, where Feylora was always more cautious and calculated. Schooled together all their lives in preparation for their 'Grand Destiny', the twins absorbed every piece of lore and mastered every skill they were taught, especially the art of swordsmanship. Where their comrade Syvarris excelled at the bow, the twin sisters were renowned for their prowess with swords. Wielding two blades apiece, Feylora and Reylana are each formidable opponents on their own, but when the two fight side-by-side, they become frighteningly efficient. Each enhances the other's weaknesses with her own strengths, and the two become a force somehow greater than the sum of its parts. The twins move, parry, and strike with such complementary synchronicity that they seem to act from a single united force of will. Their primary weakness is that they appear to share each other's pain; so if one of them is defeated in combat, the other is almost certain to meet a similar fate in short order.

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_feylo.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lr_feylo.jpg) http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_lr_reyla.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/lr_reyla.jpg)
(click for larger images)

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/feylora.gif http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/reylana.gif
[figures used: (MageKnight) Freeholder Sorceress x2]

A pair of my older customs, posted for reference 'cause Feylora was pulled for a random CoN appearance and my Geocities site is dead. Enjoy.

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[Claws of Death]

Coo'. :p

[Ranior]

Very neat.

However after having seen this right away, before my ID PM or anything, I have a great sneaking suspicion that that'll be me...


EDIT: I really have to start trusting this intuition thing more often. Looks like a fun character, thanks LR.

[King of the Marro]

Ranior inspired me to look these two up. They're a really cool pair.

[LordRaidor]

DIREWOOD ENTS

The Ents are the guardians of Feylund's mystical Direwood Forest. According to the lore-songs of the Ents, the Faerie goddess Zoë created the Direwood and nurtured it as if the trees were her own sons and daughters. One day, an unnamed Demon felled the greatest of the Direwood trees and carved it into a huge statue of the Goddess, hoping to gain her affection. When Zoë learned of the death of the elderwood, she spurned the Demon. In his rage, the Demon smashed the carving into hundreds of pieces. Zoë banished the Demon from Feylund forever, then wept deeply for her lost child. The legend says that her tears formed a magical spring in the heart of the Direwood, and that the splintered pieces of the great tree took root at its edges and became the first living Ents. These ancient shepherds of the trees have protected their sacred arbors from all manor of evil for millennia ever since. On hearing Ullar's description of the malevolent General Utgar, the Ents immediately knew that he must be the unnamed Demon of their lore, and they vowed to aid in protecting Valhalla's flora from the tyrant. Though slow and deliberate in their movements, the Ents of the Direwood are supernaturally strong. They can reduce an unprepared enemy into unrecognizable paste with a single mighty swat, and are able to toss half-ton boulders several meters with relative ease.

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/normal_direwood_ents.jpg (http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/direwood_ents.jpg)
(click to enlarge)

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/ent1.gif http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/ent2.gif http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/ent3.gif
[figures used: (MageKnight) Oak Warrior, Oak Mage, Wood Golem]

- - - - -


Well, ...it's been 4 years since my free GeoCities website went away, ...3 years since I've made any new HeroScape customs at all, ...and almost 2 whole years since anybody has commented in this thread. I don't plan on paying for webhosting services anytime soon, nor do I expect to ever start making more customs, but the lack of commentary thing, ...I can fix that. ^_~

The Direwood Ents here were one of the first custom squads I ever made. They've seen tons of play, and are a nicely balanced unit. In fact, they're one of my youngest son's favorites when the customs hit the table.

Professionally made official looking card by Atmospro.

I have a ton of customs left in various stages of playtesting that I've never thrown up for public review. I know I've said it before, but this time I'm REALLY gonna try to get them posted over the next several months...

...honest...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[scorpiusx]

Very nice. What sort of commentary are you looking for? Stats review or who they would work well with or what?

-scorp

[Shedim Kabal]

At first glace, I compared the Direwood Ents to the Granite Guardians and the Deathwalkers: fragile and pricey, but packing a punch. But the more I think about them, the closer they are to the Fen Hydra.

[Arch-vile]

I really like the ents! Heat of Battle seems to be the place where they would shine, although a dungeon run vs the ents would be awesome as well.

[Son of Arathorn]

Slow but Steady really captures the feel of the Ent. Fire Weakness is a bit cumbersome, considering the amount of BoV maps and quality maps that use lava. Then again, they are powerful to begin with, and that helps in keeping them in check. What's the availability like on those miniatures?

[LordRaidor]

Very nice. What sort of commentary are you looking for? Stats review or who they would work well with or what?Sorry scorp, ...I was kindof snarkily implying that I would provide MY OWN commentary by highlighting some of my own units. I'm not really "looking for" anything here. I'm just airing out all of my 4+ year old customs for no good reason... ^_~

At first glace, I compared the Direwood Ents to the Granite Guardians and the Deathwalkers: fragile and pricey, but packing a punch. But the more I think about them, the closer they are to the Fen Hydra.I really like the ents! Heat of Battle seems to be the place where they would shine, although a dungeon run vs the ents would be awesome as well.Slow but Steady really captures the feel of the Ent. Fire Weakness is a bit cumbersome, considering the amount of BoV maps and quality maps that use lava. Then again, they are powerful to begin with, and that helps in keeping them in check. What's the availability like on those miniatures?Thanx for the feedback folks. These minis are all MageKnight commons. I picked them up years ago at my FLGS for $0.50 each. Unfortunately, it's becomming harder and harder to find old MageKnight figs anywhere, even online. Hit up all your friends that might have collected MageKnight years ago, or tour your local game stores that might sell or trade old singles - you might get lucky...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

[ZBeeblebrox]

Very nice. What sort of commentary are you looking for? Stats review or who they would work well with or what?Sorry scorp, ...I was kindof snarkily implying that I would provide MY OWN commentary by highlighting some of my own units. I'm not really "looking for" anything here. I'm just airing out all of my 4+ year old customs for no good reason... ^_~

At first glace, I compared the Direwood Ents to the Granite Guardians and the Deathwalkers: fragile and pricey, but packing a punch. But the more I think about them, the closer they are to the Fen Hydra.I really like the ents! Heat of Battle seems to be the place where they would shine, although a dungeon run vs the ents would be awesome as well.Slow but Steady really captures the feel of the Ent. Fire Weakness is a bit cumbersome, considering the amount of BoV maps and quality maps that use lava. Then again, they are powerful to begin with, and that helps in keeping them in check. What's the availability like on those miniatures?Thanx for the feedback folks. These minis are all MageKnight commons. I picked them up years ago at my FLGS for $0.50 each. Unfortunately, it's becomming harder and harder to find old MageKnight figs anywhere, even online. Hit up all your friends that might have collected MageKnight years ago, or tour your local game stores that might sell or trade old singles - you might get lucky...

^_^
-LordRaidor-

Or just proxy them. ;)

These have always been one of my favories by you LR. I have used them several times. They are like the Granite Guardians with the Moltarns ability to gain some range. If there was miniatures available in abundance for theses guys, I would have nominated them for a SoV review a while ago.

Seriously LR, your customs are some of the best on this site...please post more if you have some. :)

[scorpiusx]

Sorry scorp, ...I was kindof snarkily implying that I would provide MY OWN commentary by highlighting some of my own units. I'm not really "looking for" anything here. I'm just airing out all of my 4+ year old customs for no good reason... ^_~


Shamelessly flaunting your work for your own satisfaction with additional hopes that someone else may stare awestruck at your accomplishments?

I knew you and I had something in common! ^_^

-scorp

[Shedim Kabal]

http://www.heroscapers.com/community/gallery/files/3/3/1/9/forest_folk_1_original.jpg

Sort of randomly came across this in the Gallery... They look great.

Hat Tip Rocktroll (http://www.heroscapers.com/community/showpost.php?p=1497781&postcount=144)

[LordRaidor]

Wow, ...the repainted ones look alot sweeter than mine (upper right side)...

http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgallery/albums/userpics/10038/ullars.jpg

...Now I'm jealous.

^_^
-LordRaidor-