The Book of Black Adam

[Good Pig]

C ool

[IAmBatman]

Very interesting. I Can go for that.

[A3n]

Ok I have sent for ERB review to Hi1, Hahma, & David.

[A3n]

ERB response from Davidlhsl:

Originally Posted by davidlhsl

Black Adam

Stamina of Shu
You heal one wound if you lose initiative? That's interesting.

With a Defense of 7, he would be more difficult to take down than Wolverine if you hit a losing initiative streak. Losing initiative has its penalties, so this is probably a good idea. Playtesting will have to reveal if this healing poses a problem.

Wisdom of Zehuti
You may need to specify "you may switch 2 unrevealed Order Markers."

I like the second sentence and the way you can select Order Markers on destroyed figures' Army Cards.

Power of Aton
In order to protect the confidentiality of C3G, I've established some personal rules against keeping ERB designs and responses. I've also tried not to refer to anything on other unpublished designs in my ERB responses, even though you folks see everything.

However, a question does occur to me if I remember Magical Defense correctly: Does Magical Defense prevent the figure taking more than one wound from this special Counterstrike? Since I don't have Magical Defense available, I'll simply pass that as a question for your experience and investigation.

Courage of Mehen
This is very clever, and my personal favorite of his abilities. Wow, this is a great counter for some units with d20 abilities. "Go ahead, Anti-Monitor! I DARE you to erase me from existence!" Then again, with 30 life, that's probably a bad example.

If the 20-sided die roll is modified by a glyph or ability, would the modified roll apply? My assumption would be that any modifiers would apply before determining whether this ability triggers.

Final Thoughts
I love the ability titles. I really like Courage of Mehen, and the other abilities sound great as well.

So from this the only question that needs some thought is the Courage Of Mehen & how do we handle modified rolls. So should it include the modifications or not?

Cheers

[Good Pig]

I would say Yes it should include modifiers, but I wouldn't know how to word that.

[A3n]

ERB response from Hahma:

Originally Posted by Hahma

I'm not really familiar with this character, but I did see him once I believe in a Batman/Shazam animated show and he was pretty badass.

I looked him up on DC Comics Database and I think you did a great job in representing his powers. I like how you made the Power of Aton work against figures with Magical Defenses instead of just giving him Magical Defense. But making it a counter strike type power against those with Magical Defense, it will possibly deter those with mystical powers from attacking him. Very Cool!

For this power,

would this work for figures equipped with glyphs such as the Cosmic Control Rod? Off hand I would think that it would just work against a figure's special powers, so a figure equipped with an equipment glyph wouldn't be affected (though truthfully I don't recall to ruling on that).

Anyway I really think you did a great job with this guy A3n.

Hahma

I haven't the time to give this the proper consideration, so is there an issue we need to address with glyphs.

Cheers

[A3n]

Follow-up response from Davidlhsl:

Originally Posted by davidlhsl

Thanks for your PM. I typically try not to continue an ERB past the initial post, as I feel my voice is merely provided to assist you heroes in your own deliberations. My goal is to provide the types of questions from the perspective of one who frequently needs clarifications when playing, give you folks a read on how I would play an ability so you can see whether another person would play the figure the way you intended, and finally indicate areas which excite me.

If I may, I would like to comment on your clarification on Wisdom of Zehuti. Ah, so you can swap revealed order markers as well as unrevealed! That's cool! Would this wording clarify things, or something like it?

Wisdom of Zehuti
After revealing an Order Marker on this card, you may switch any other 2 Order Markers on Army Cards you control, regardless of the Order Markers' revealed status or whether any of the Order Markers are on an Army Card of a destroyed figure.

The reason I added the word other is in case the Order Marker Black Adam just revealed isn't a candidate for switching. Or maybe it is? If so, remove other.

Thanks for the reminder on Magical Defense. In keeping with my Mission Impossible "this tape will self-destruct in 5 seconds" policy, I will likely forget this in future designs until one of the figures with the ability is released (see Note 1 below). So if Marsha has Magical Defense and attacks Black Adam, 1 skull vs. 3 shields would place 2 wounds on Marsha, since Magical Defense only triggers if Black Adam attacks her. If correct, I think the wording of Magical Defense makes it clear.

Very cool stuff, indeed!

Note 1: You might find this interesting - By the time a unit I ERB reaches the public playtest phase, I've frequently forgotten most of what the figure actually does.

I think what he did with the "other" OMs is a good addition.

Cheers

[IAmBatman]

Lots of good stuff here!

Originally Posted by Good Pig

I would say Yes it should include modifiers, but I wouldn't know how to word that.

I agree that it should include modifiers ... I wonder if by not specifying the reasonable default is that modifiers are included? If I roll 18 and have a +2, then my roll is really 20, right?

Originally Posted by A3n

ERB response from Hahma:

I haven't the time to give this the proper consideration, so is there an issue we need to address with glyphs.

Cheers

I read that as it working on glyphs too. With the Cosmic Control Rod, is the opponent choosing Black Adam for a special power and rolling the 20-sided die? Yes. Is a specific opponent's figure using the power? Yes.
Since it doesn't specify "on the figure's card" anywhere, I think that glyphs fall under the umbrella here already.

Originally Posted by A3n

Follow-up response from Davidlhsl:

I think what he did with the "other" OMs is a good addition.

Cheers

How about ...

WISDOM OF ZEHUTI
After revealing an Order Marker on this card, you may switch any 2 other Order Markers on Army Cards you control, even revealed Order Markers and Order Markers on an Army Card of a destroyed figure.

[A3n]

Last ERB from Hi1:

Originally Posted by hi1hi1hi1hi1

He looks well made, I can't find any problems or loop-holes to be abused. I added an "any"to Wisdom of Zehuti.

For Courage, should it read: "chooses Black Adam as the target of any special power..."

Good job.

[IAmBatman]

I think "chooses" makes more sense. The only place "target" really comes into play in Heroscape language, is during "targeting" which isn't really involved here.

[tcglkn]

The figure used for this unit is a Heroclix figure from the Unleased set.
Its model number and name are 79-81/Black Adam.

[A3n]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

Lots of good stuff here!

I agree that it should include modifiers ... I wonder if by not specifying the reasonable default is that modifiers are included? If I roll 18 and have a +2, then my roll is really 20, right?

Can we get a confirmation on this.

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

I read that as it working on glyphs too. With the Cosmic Control Rod, is the opponent choosing Black Adam for a special power and rolling the 20-sided die? Yes. Is a specific opponent's figure using the power? Yes.
Since it doesn't specify "on the figure's card" anywhere, I think that glyphs fall under the umbrella here already.

I agree no change required .

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

How about ...

WISDOM OF ZEHUTI
After revealing an Order Marker on this card, you may switch any 2 other Order Markers on Army Cards you control, even revealed Order Markers and Order Markers on an Army Card of a destroyed figure.

I think I prefer it as:

WISDOM OF ZEHUTI
After revealing an Order Marker on this card, you may switch 2 Order Markers on Army Cards you control. Revealed Order Markers or Order Markers on Army Cards of destroyed figures may be switched.

If that works.

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

I think "chooses" makes more sense. The only place "target" really comes into play in Heroscape language, is during "targeting" which isn't really involved here.

I agree no change here.

Cheers