The Book of Trickster (James Jesse)

[A3n]

The Book of Trickster

C3G DC WAVE 10
TERRIFYING TEAM-UPS

Comic PDF



Mini PDF

The figure used for this unit is a Modified Heroclix figure from the Crisis set.
Its model number and name are #027 / Trickster and Pied Piper.

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Character Bio - At first James Jesse was only the stage name for circus acrobat born Giovanni Giuseppe. That is until he decided to turn to a life of crime just like his "reverse namesake" Jesse James. He created shoes that allowed him to walk on air to first help him in the trapeze shows his family was in, as every member of his family was a trapeze expert and his father wanted him to be one also, and now uses the shoes and other dangerous gag gadgets for his crimes.

A practical joker and conman whose favorite occupation is damaging enemies like the Flash with items such as explosive teddy bears.

After Barry Allen's death, the Trickster relocated from Central City to Hollywood, where he spent some time working in special effects. He attempted to steal Dan Cassidy's innovative Blue Devil suit, but was defeated. When Cassidy later became trapped in the suit, Jesse befriended him and relied on Cassidy to help with his sporadic efforts to give up supervillainy. In the miniseries Underworld Unleashed, Neron tried to create Hell on Earth, and Trickster realized it was up to him to beat the Devil. He managed to trick Neron and defeat him with Captain Marvel's help. Upon finding himself back on Earth, Trickster lamented the fact that he had engineered "the greatest sting of all time" and no one had witnessed it... and promptly decided he'd better work the side of the angels, because he didn't dare go to Hell.
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-Rulings and Clarifications-

• N/A

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-Combinations and Synergies-

Synergy Benefits Received


Classic:

• N/A

Marvel:

• N/A

C3G:

• As a Unique Human Hero, Trickster may be healed by Alfred Pennyworth's Field Medic special power.
• As a Rogue, Trickster may take a turn if Captain Cold inflicts a wound with his Cold Gun Special Power.

Synergy Benefits Offered


Classic:

• As a figure with a Tricky personality, Trickster may allow Otonashi to move 4 additional spaces.

Marvel:

• N/A

C3G:

• As a Human, Trickster allows adjacent friendly Civilians to roll an additional attack and defense die due to their Strength in Numbers special power.

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-Strategy, Tactics and Tips-

• N/A

-Heroscapers Community Contributions-

• Initial playtest: Griffin (80 points)
• Second playtest: Lord Pyre (70 points)
• Third playtest: Zettian Juggernaut (80-90 points)
• Fourth playtest: IAmBatman (60 points)
• Fifth playtest: IAmBatman (60 points)
• Sixth playtest: Red Eyed Jedi (60-65 points)
• Photo: Griffin
• Art by A3n

[A3n]

NAME = TRICKSTER

SECRET IDENTITY = JAMES JESSE

SPECIES = HUMAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = ROGUE
PERSONALITY = TRICKY

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 4

MOVE = 5
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 3
DEFENSE = 3

POINTS = 65

ITCHING POWDER BOMB SPECIAL ATTACK
Range 5. Lob 10. Attack 4.
Start the game with 1 white Itching Powder Marker on this card. Choose a Unique Hero to attack. No clear line of sight is needed. Place the Itching Powder Marker on the chosen Hero's card. While the Marker is on the chosen Hero's card, it must roll the 20-sided die before moving. If it rolls 1-13, it subtracts 1 from its movement for that turn. The chosen Hero must continue rolling the 20-sided die until 1-13 is no longer rolled or its movement is reduced to 0. This special attack may only be used once per game.

STICKY GUM
When attacking with a normal attack, if you roll 1 or more blanks, the defending figure cannot move this turn and must roll 1 fewer defense die for each blank rolled.

HEY, LOOK OVER THERE!
If Trickster is attacked and at least 1 skull is rolled, you may reveal an "X" Order Marker on any other card you control and ignore the attack. The attacking player’s turn immediately ends.

FLYING SYMBOL

[A3n]

I was going to wait to start this until I had the 3rd power I am looking for but nothing has hit me yet. So I thought I would put this up as a brainstorming phase to see if we can find that perfect defensive power for him.

Cheers

[SirGalahad]

Originally Posted by A3n

ITCHING POWDER
Start the game with 1 white Itching Powder Marker on this card. After moving and before attacking you may choose a Unique Hero within 3 clear sight spaces of Trickster and place the Itching Powder Marker on the chosen figure's card. A figure with the Itching Powder Marker on its card must roll the 20-sided die before moving. If it rolls 1-6, subtract one from its movement this turn. The affected figure must continue rolling the 20-sided die until 1-6 is no longer rolled. If the figure cannot move this turn it receives one wound.

STICKY GUM
When attacking, if you roll 1 or more blanks the defending figure cannot move this turn and must roll 1 fewer defense dice for each blank rolled.



FLYING SYMBOL

Minor edits

[Griffin]

C3G INITIAL PLAYTEST FEEDBACK FORM

NAME OF THE TEST UNIT Trickster

- THEME TEST/ Check to see if there are any powers or stats on the test unit card that does not accurately reflect the theme or likeness of what the character would and could do. Also consider destructible objects, and whether or not this characters powers should affect them.
Yes

- MIRROR TEST/ Check to see if the unit were played against itself, if there would be any loops that would upset the balance of the Game.
Yes

- BONDING TEST/ Compare the unit card with all possible currently existing Bonding abilities to make sure there are no continual Bonding possibilities that do not stop appropriately or do not stop at all. This is to prevent loops in Bonding.
Yes

- SYNERGIES TEST/ Compare the unit card with all possible currently existing synergies to make sure there are no factors that could break the game by making any unit too powerful or too weak.
Yes

- POWER CHECK/ Consider the test unit and all existing units and all glyphs to compare to and check for any powers that could be over amplified and break the game. Each power must define when it takes place, who or what it affects, and What are the stipulations on the power if there are any.
Yes

- FUN TEST/ Consider whether or not the design was fun to play.
Yes

- FUN COMPETITIVE TEST/ Consider whether or not the design was fun to play against.
Yes

- DRAFTING TEST/ Consider whether or not this design is worth drafting.
Yes

- USAGE TEST/ Consider whether or not all of the powers on this card were used or at least usable.
Yes

- STRATEGY TEST/ Consider whether or not the design offers any real strategy or interesting tactics to the overall game.
Yes

Heavy Hitter or Mid-Level Hero Test
- Does it pass, Yes or No? Yes.
- What should be the unit's point value? 80-85.
- Give a brief overview. I am using a "proxy card" as friendly army card for Trickster to use "Look Over There" with. I really feel that he is juuuuust slightly less powerful than the other 90 point heroes, even though the results look even kill in those 90 tests.

Spoiler Alert!

TEST 1
Map: Custom.
Units: Trickster - VS - Weather Wizard 100.
Once Weather Wizard had been "itched", Trickster no longer had any ranged attacks so he had to engage WW, which allowed WW to avoid the itch. WW's SA was much better than Sticky Gum, but the "look over there" gave Trickster more staying power when he needed it.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Trickster wins with 3 wounds.

TEST 2
Map: Custom.
Units: Trickster - VS - Weather Wizard 100.
WW actually took a damage from the itch, and came close to losing it, but his relentless SA knocked Trickster down.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Weather Wizard wins with 3 wounds.

TEST 3
Map: Custom.
Units: Trickster - VS - Captain Cold 90
Trickster's new name should be "Mud Hole", because CC stomped one into him. CC didn't take damage from the itch bomb. CC never took itching damage. CC got Trickster to use his decoy power with a two skull attack, then on his next turn that round, rolled 3 skulls to reduce his defense by 3.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Captain Cold wins with 1 wound.

TEST 4
Map: Custom.
Units: Trickster - VS - Captain Cold 90
Trickster used the terrain as obstacles for CC to have to move around with his range of 4 attack gun, and that played into his ability to limit CC's movement with the itch. CC eventually got to a nice spot though, and the now melee fighter Trickster, had to overcome some snow and ice to get to CC, and that cost him height advantage for a turn. The bomb did do 3 damage to CC this game, and eventually, once Trickster got through the snow and ice to engage CC on same height, Sticky Gum helped push him over.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Trickster wins with 3 wounds.

TEST 5
Map: Custom.
Units: Trickster - VS - Captain Boomerang 90
Trickster got CB itchy, but it never did any damage. CB was foiled by "Look over there" once, then he got in a good hit with a boomerang on height. Trickster engaged him and rolled a 3 skull punch that Boomerang whiffed on, then when Trickster got initiative next round, he nailed CB for one more wound.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Trickster wins with 3 wounds.

TEST 6
Map: Custom.
Units: Trickster - VS - Captain Boomerang 90
CB got 2 wounds on Tricky early on from height, and the Decoy power was really helping Trickster, but finally, CB used his SA and got a wound in with it, then another with the D20 razor affect.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Captain Boomerang wins with 3 wounds.

TEST 7
Map: Custom.
Units: Trickster - VS - Jubilee 60
Jubilee always used her attack 4 SA and when Trickster would use his decoy power, she would start using her double attack 2 SA. Trickster got her itchy, but she never took itch damage. Trickster's normal attack did all the damage here.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Trickster wins with 3 wounds.

TEST 8
Map: Custom.
Units: Trickster - VS - Jubilee 60
Trickster really rolled poor attacks, and that gave Jubilee enough time to make a comeback.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Jubilee wins with 3 wounds.

TEST 9
Map: Custom.
Units: Trickster - VS - Bucky 60
Trickster opened up with a bomb dealing out two wounds. Bucky found Trickster on his next turn and popped him for two wounds. Bucky then rolled 3 attack dice next round, to Trickster decoyed it, then Trickster knocked Bucky out with a blank and a skull on Sticky Gum.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Trickster wins with 2 wounds.

TEST 10
Map: Custom.
Units: Trickster - VS - Bucky 60
Trickster failed his bomb, but Bucky still got itchy of course. Bucky was swing for 2 and 3 skulls with each attack, and Trickster started to feel the heat, but then he rolled a 3 skull attack and took Bucky down with a successful itchy roll x5 on Bucky's turn.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Trickster wins with 2 wounds.

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Squad Test
- Does it pass, Yes or No? Yes.
- What should be the unit's point value? 80 points.
- Give a brief overview. I am using a "proxy card" as friendly army card for Trickster to use "Look Over There" with..
Map: Custom.
Units: Trickster - VS - Parademons x1.

Spoiler Alert!

Tricky couldn't use his bomb because there was no Unique Hero. Once Apokoliptian Weaponry kicked in at the same time as Trickster's decoy would, so there was a roll off and Parademons won it. Trickster still used decoy after the auto wound so he wouldn't have to roll defense against two skulls.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Trickster wins with 1 wound.

Same as before, Tricky couldn't use his bomb, but his decoy and sticky gum really helped him out.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Parademons win with 1 left.

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Squad Test
- Does it pass, Yes or No? Yes.
- What should be the unit's point value? 90 points.
- Give a brief overview. I am using a "proxy card" as friendly army card for Trickster to use "Look Over There" with..
Map: Custom.
Units: Trickster - VS - Hand Ninja x1.

Spoiler Alert!

Every attack from trickster was 2 skulls and a blank. The ninja just couldn't contend with that.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Trickster wins with 3 wounds.

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Army Test
- Does it pass, Yes or No? Yes.
- What should be the unit's point value? 80 points.
- Give a brief overview. You can't get any closer or more fun. I wish the itchy stuff had kicked in and hurt flash more though. Great game.
Map: Custom.
Units: Trickster, Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, Weather Wizard, Heat Wave, and Mirror Master - VS - Flash, Superboy, and Kid Flash.

Spoiler Alert!

Round 1 - Superboy took position for protection, and Flash and Kid Flash raced in but Captain Cold slowed them down a lot and they struggled to get the positioning that would normally have been easy to get. Captain Cold was tied down with the Flashes, but Weather Wizard allowed him to break away and go after Superboy, and together, WW and CC put 3 wounds on Superboy. Flash put 2 wounds on WW.

Superboy tried to kill CC but only did two damage, then CC got another wound on Superboy (one away) then he ordered Mirror Master to move up and send Flash away to the other side of the map and put him in a shadowy pond. Flash started running back, but was hindered by CC. Trickster then put the itchy itch on Flash. Flash found WW finally and killed him.

Superboy kills Captain Cold. CC loses a turn. Flash avoids the itch and finds Captain Boomerang and puts two wound on him. Trickster fails his attack on Flash. Flash kills Captain Boomerang and puts a wound on Heat Wave. CB loses a turn.

Flash puts 2 more wounds on Heat Wave, then Heat Wave misses flash but the line of fire trails and hits Kid Flash for one wound. Flash kills Heat Wave and then turns on Trickster who uses his "decoy" power. Heat Wave loses a turn. Flash then puts 3 wounds on Trickster. Trickster fails his attack.

Trickster manages to put 2 wounds on Flash. Flash is tricked again by the decoy, then somehow Trickster puts another wound on Flash. Flash then hits Trickster with everything and kills him. Mirror Master attacks Kid Flash and fails. Flash hits MM with everything but MM evades and ends adjacent to both Flash and Kid flash.

Flash hits MM for one wound. MM sends Flash 10 spaces away in really thick terrain then hits Kid Flash for one wound. Flash could not make it back to MM all the way. MM then kills Kid Flash. Kid Flash loses a turn. MM engaged Superboy and Flash and tried to send Flash away but rolled too high so failed his attack on Superboy. Flash hits MM for 2 wounds (one away from death), then MM sends Superboy away 7 spaces and misses his attack on flash. Superboy flies back but can't reach MM. MM engages Superboy and Flash, sends Superboy away 9 spaces in a black hole, then misses his attack on flash. Superboy flies back some but can't reach, and he is really pissed.

MM sends Flash away 10 spaces and kills Superboy from a ranged attack on height :SCORE: Flash engages MM still and kills him.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Flash wins with 3 wounds.

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Army Test
- Does it pass, Yes or No? Yes.
- What should be the unit's point value? 80 points.
- Give a brief overview. Good opener with that lobbing SA, good staying around as people don't want to waste attacks on a cheap unit that can easily avoid attacks anyways, and well balanced for his cost as it is easy enough to take him down when you are ready.
Map: Custom.
Units: Trickster, Lex Luthor (Battle Suit), Solomon Grundy, Bizarro, and Joker II - VS - Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Green Lantern (Hal), Batman, and Fire Ants x2.

Spoiler Alert!

ROUND 1 - Trickster failed his SA on Batman, but that did make him itchy and Tricky was able to avoid E-strike by using his small figure and hiding behind a battlement while lobbing the bomb. GL tried to hit Trickster, but Trickster avoided the attack with "look over there". Trickster killed an ant, then Bizarro fire breathed on Aquaman killing an ant and also putting one wound on Green Lantern. MM hits Bizarro, knocks him back one, then dispatched Batman, Aquaman, and Green Lantern to advance.

ROUND 2 - Bizarro put 4 wounds on Aquaman! MM attacks Joker on height, which forces Bizarro to "save am day" and took two leaving engagement attacks for one wound, and put a wound on MM. Then MM had GL engage Bizarro. Bizarro then took two more engagement attack for one wound so that he could go back and finish off Aquaman. MM hit Joker for 1 wound and knocked him back 3 spaces, then dispatched Batman to advance. Aquaman lost a turn. Grundy hit MM for 2 wounds and knocked him back 1 space.

ROUND 3 - GL hits Bizarro for 2 wounds and knocks him into Batman for no additional damage. GL doesn't fearless charge. Lex takes height on MM and sits next to Grundy and knocks MM back 3 spaces into Joker for no damage. GL kills Bizarro. Joker has a great turn here: Joker takes MM's mind, puts him on height next to Batman, then attacks and Batman hits MM for a wound with E-strike. Then Joker has MM use his dispatch to bring Joker up closer to the fight and engage GL. GL hits Grundy for 2 wounds and knocks him back 2 spaces. Joker fails to take GL's mind, but does hit him for one wound.

ROUND 4 - GL hits Joker for a wound. Grundy engages GL and rolls 8 skulls!!!! 8 Skullls!!!! No sweat, that is what power shield is for. GL hits Joker for a wound again. Joker fails his mind control and his attack on GL. GL knocks Joker back one, but that is all, then GL hits Luthor and knocks him back 3 spaces with no damage. Joker engages GL and fails his toxin and attack.

ROUND 5 - Grundy rolls 6 skulls against GL and so GL burns a shield. MM flies away and hits Joker from range with 5 skulls and kills him, then MM had GL fly away to get away from Grundy while Batman grabbed a good position to fire batarangs at Grundy, Lex, and Trickster. Joker lost a turn. GL flies down and shoots at Lex but misses. Lex lands next to Grundy and MM and fails his attack on MM. GL engages Lex and hits him for 1 wound then fearless charges but fails his attack.

ROUND 6 - MM hits lex and misses but knocks him back one space then he has GL retreat again. Grundy kills MM. Batman throws rangs at Lex, Grundy, and Trickster and only hits Grundy for 1 wound. Lex engages GL with his fast flight suit and hits him for 1 wound and knocks him back into a tree for another and kills GL. Batman swings through the trees, hits Lex with a rang for one wound, kills Grundy, and Trickster said "look over there". Trickster brings Grundy back to life on swamp next to Lex, then he engages Batman and rolls 2 skulls and 1 blank with his sticky gum and Batman takes a wound.

ROUND 7 - Tricky fails his attack on Batman. Batman swings away and throws rangs at lex and grundy and fails, then tricky said "look over there". Grundy hits Batman for 2 wounds. Batman hits Grundy for 2 wounds. Grundy knocks Batman back one space. Batman hits Tricky with a rang for 2 wounds.

ROUND 8 - Batman fails all of his rangs with Tricky using his decoy on the last attack to save himself. Grundy attacks from height disadvantage and Batman hits him with an E-strike. Batman kills Grundy and hits Tricky for a wound and Lex for a wound. Grundy lost a turn. Batman punches Trickser and kills him. Tricky lost a turn.

ROUND 9 - Lex brings Grundy back on swamp, engages Batman, and hits him with a 4 skull finishing hit.
Who won and how many wounds did they have? Lex and Grundy with with 3 wounds on Lex and 0 wounds on Grundy.

[Griffin]

Originally Posted by A3n

ITCHING POWDER BOMB
Range 5. Lob 10. Attack 4.
Start the game with 1 white Itching Powder Bomb Marker on this card. Choose a Unique Hero to attack and place the Marker on the chosen Hero's card. While the Marker is on the chosen Hero's card, it must roll the 20-sided die before moving. If it rolls 1-9, subtract one from its movement for that turn. The chosen Hero must continue rolling the 20-sided die until 1-9 is no longer rolled. If at any time the chosen Hero cannot move because of the Marker, it receives one wound.

Like with the Airborne Elite and Harley Quinn, I think we need some "no clear sight" language.

[Griffin]

Originally Posted by Griffin

Like with the Airborne Elite and Harley Quinn, I think we need some "no clear sight" language.

[A3n]

Originally Posted by Griffin

Here you go, hows this:

ITCHING POWDER BOMB
Range 5. Lob 10. Attack 4.
Start the game with 1 white Itching Powder Bomb Marker on this card. Choose a Unique Hero to attack. No clear line of sight is needed. Place the Itching Powder Bomb Marker on the chosen Hero's card. While the Marker is on the chosen Hero's card, it must roll the 20-sided die before moving. If it rolls 1-9, subtract one from its movement for that turn. The chosen Hero must continue rolling the 20-sided die until 1-9 is no longer rolled. If at any time the chosen Hero cannot move because of the Marker, it receives one wound.

[Griffin]

Originally Posted by A3n

STICKY GUM
When attacking with a normal attack, if you roll 1 or more blanks the defending figure cannot move this turn and must roll 1 fewer defense die for each blank rolled.

Edit.

[Griffin]

Originally Posted by A3n

ITCHING POWDER BOMB
Range 5. Lob 10. Attack 4.
Start the game with 1 white Itching Powder Bomb Marker on this card. Choose a Unique Hero to attack and place the Marker on the chosen Hero's card. While the Marker is on the chosen Hero's card, it must roll the 20-sided die before moving. If it rolls 1-9, subtract one from its movement for that turn. The chosen Hero must continue rolling the 20-sided die until 1-9 is no longer rolled. If at any time the chosen Hero cannot move because of the Marker, it receives one wound.

OK, here is an interesting situation, and a chance to make the power more clear:

Trickster has bombed Weather Wizard, and WW has the itch marker.

On WW's turn, he doesn't want/need to move, but the power above says "before moving", which according to the FAQs, Rule books, and Rules Team, means simply: before the movement step, though he doesn't have to actually move.

So WW rolls the D20 and 6 times before rolling higher than 9 (this really happened), and now his movement is 0.

Now WW doesn't intend to move at all, but the fact is he "cannot move" even if he wanted to.

The power above says that if he cannot move because of the Marker, which is true, then he receives a wound.

___________

Now I am glad that happened, because I want to see this power get value, so I think we can work on adjusting the language to allow for the power to be interpreted in a way that gives it the most value.

ITCHING POWDER BOMB
Range 5. Lob 10. Attack 4.
Start the game with 1 white Itching Powder Bomb Marker on this card. Choose a Unique Hero to attack and place the Marker on the chosen Hero's card. While the Marker is on the chosen Hero's card, it must roll the 20-sided die before moving. If it rolls 1-9, subtract one from its movement for that turn. The chosen Hero must continue rolling the 20-sided die until 1-9 is no longer rolled. If the chosen Hero is not able to move because of the Marker, it receives one wound.

[Griffin]

Hey guys, I am testing the last army test right now, and I thought I would share what I think is a cool power for the newer version of Trickster:

MESMERIZING YO-YO
After moving and before attacking, you may choose an adjacent figure. Roll 1 combat die. If you roll a blank, remove an Order Marker from the chosen figure's card. You may continue rolling for this special power until you do not roll a blank.

OK, back to my game.

[Griffin]

CARDBOARD STAND-UP ESCAPE
When Trickster is attacked and at least one skull is rolled, you may reveal the X Order Marker on this card and ignore the attack. You may place Trickster on any empty space within 2 spaces of his current location and he will not take any leaving engagement attacks.

That is my best.