The Book of Black King
 

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Character Bio - Sebastian Shaw's power first manifested shortly after he was accepted to engineering school and his father died, when he was beaten by some rednecks in a bar. Shaw devoted himself to his studies and created Shaw Industries, becoming a billionaire by the age of 40.

Shaw fell in love with a woman named Lourdes Chantel, and was soon initiated into the Hellfire Club along with Warren Worthington Jr., Howard Stark and John Braddock. Soon, Shaw rose to the position of Black King, and gathered mutant associates to his side, including Emma Frost and Tessa. Unfortunately, Chantel was soon killed by Sentinels in a battle. Upon discovering that Ned Buckman, the White King of the Inner Circle, was supporting Stephen Lang's Project: Armageddon and its Sentinels, Shaw executed a coup, using Emma's telepathy to make Buckman kill his own White Queen and then himself. Shaw then appointed himself Black King, and his associate Frost as White Queen of the Hellfire Club.

As the leader of the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club, Shaw started plans to dominate the world through force, money and power. His connections to top officials of corporations and government, acquired via the club and through his position as CEO of Shaw Industries, made him a powerful enemy. Ironically, Shaw was for years a major supporter and builder of Sentinels, figuring that it was better to be in control of them than not. This activity brought him into frequent contact with Senator Robert Kelly and Henry Gyrich, to whom he appeared to be an anti-mutant human bigot. Secretly, however, Shaw continued his plans, some of which have involved Black Air and more recently, an unnamed group of time-manipulators.
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-Rulings and Clarifications-

• N/A

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-Combinations and Synergies-

Incoming Synergy:

• As a Mutant, Black King has these Mutant Synergies.

Outgoing Synergy:

• Black King may boost Mutants' attacks via his Hellfire Club Influence special power. Current Mutants.

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-Immunities, Benefits, and Weaknesses-

Immunities:

• As a figure with the Super Strength special power, Black King cannot be affected by aspects of certain special powers: Special Powers that Interact Differently with Super Strength.

Benefits:

• As a figure with the Super Strength special power, Black King cannot be affected by aspects of certain special powers: Special Powers that Interact Differently with Super Strength.

Weaknesses:

• As a Mutant, Black King interacts differently with certain special powers. Special Powers the Interact Differently with Mutants.

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-Strategy, Tactics and Tips-

• N/A

-Heroscapers Community Contributions-

• Initial playtest: Hahma
• Second playtest: Flame Gryphon
• Third playtest: Viegon
• Fourth playtest: Smithy Winfred
• Art: mini pix More Mini Pix Background Images comic images
• Art by: Flame Gryphon

Re: The Book of Black King - Design Phase
 

NAME = BLACK KING
SECRET IDENTITY = SEBASTIAN SHAW

SPECIES = MUTANT
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = INDUSTRIALIST
PERSONALITY = AMBITIOUS

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 6

MOVE = 5
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 4
DEFENSE = 3

POINTS = 220

HELLFIRE CLUB INFLUENCE
Start the game with 3 black Investment Markers on this card. Before another Mutant figure you control attacks with a normal attack, you may reveal an "X" Order Marker on this card and remove any number of Investment Markers from this card. Add one automatic skull to that attack for each Investment Marker removed.

KINETIC ENERGY ABSORPTION
Add 1 to Black King's Attack and Defense numbers for each Wound Marker on this card. If Black King has 2 or more Wound Markers on this card, he gains the Super Strength special power.

Re: The Book of Black King - Design Phase
 

I'm not an expert on this guy, but I did read some X-Men comics with him when Jean Grey was brought in by Mastermind to be the Black Queen. Then later when the Hellfire Club and X-Men battled Nimrod.

Kinetic Energy Absorption is basically showing that he starts out like a normal guy but the more he gets hit, the more energy he absorbs and the stronger and more durable he gets. Thus starting out with the lower stats and giving him the higher life (no it's not just because he's Marvel :p) He doesn't start out with SS, but gets it pretty quick after getting hit a few times. He has had his henchmen punch him to energize him and he's punched walls to energize and strengthen himself.

Power Play was just something I added to show how he could use his influence to affect things toward his cause. I'm not sure if it's the right direction, but I thought it was pretty cool nonetheless.

Not being an expert on this guy, I'm certainly open to any suggestions.

Re: The Book of Black King - Design Phase
 

My idea for him was to place an Absorption Marker on his card whenever he's attacked, which probably made him a lot stronger than this. I like your direction. Power Play is super cool, too... I was sort of "eh" at first, but the theme of once per game using up a Marker to put a scheme in motion is really cool. I almost want to make it something that triggers after his turn, though - after taking a turn with him you can reveal/remove any number of markers, take a turn with any Hero or Squad, and beef them up.

And for Class I like "Socialite" as a general term for the Hellfire Club. Not 100% sure if that's accurate but I think it works.

Re: The Book of Black King - Design Phase
 

Kinetic Energy Absorption :up:

Not sure I'm digging the second power yet, though, and it's probably just because it's another attack boost on top of the attack and defense boosts from the first power. I like the general idea, though, but sort of wish we could figure out some more Hellfire Club synergies or something. It seems like other than him, most Hellfire Club members (Selene/Black Queen, Jean/Black Queen, Emma/White Queen, Stepford Cuckoos) with the exception of Harry Leland (I think that's his name) are Telepaths. So maybe some sort of Telepath synergy?

Here's a power I was tinkering with today for Geo-Force as an eventual Outsiders (Interlopers) synergy power, that might work here with Telepaths?

RALLY OUTSIDERS
After revealing an Order Marker this card and taking a turn with Geo-Force, you may remove up to three unrevealed Order Markers from this card. If you do, you may take a turn with X different Unique Interloper Heroes you control within 6 clear sight spaces of Geo-Force, where X equals the number of Order Markers removed.

Re: The Book of Black King - Design Phase
 

You guys probably know his powerset better than I. Looks good for ingame.

One comment, though. Should we just have his name be Sebastion Shaw? For one, I've never heard of him called the Black King in comics or otherwise (Though I have only read a few things with him and the Hellfire Club). Also, Both Emma and Selene aren't called by their Hellfire names, either, so should we only have it for him?

Re: The Book of Black King - Design Phase
 

Well the Emma we've done isn't the White Queen version, it's the version in the X-Men. There's been definite talk of doing a White Queen version later. SirG also said the version of Selene he's doing wasn't really representative of her time as Black Queen. So I think he's the first true Hellfire Club member we're doing in that version.

(Even Mastermind I did as a catch all version).

Re: The Book of Black King - Design Phase
 

If we were to give him some sort of Telepath Synergy, I'd prefer it be on a singular basis of some kind. As a "King taking his Queen" sort of power instead of "TELEPATHS ASSEMBLE!" y'know?

(Even if that Queen happens to be a monkey. :p)

Re: The Book of Black King - Design Phase
 

I can understand "Socialite", being that is kind of his appearance I suppose from outsiders of the club. Though his global influence/power is tied to his financial success with Shaw Industries. "Socialite" kind of sounds a little "nice" and "fluffy". "Industrialist" has more of a jag sound to it, since those types are usually diks.



Those are my thoughts also Johnny. While Shaw was usually around Telepaths, I don't picture him as a "leader of telepaths" so to speak.

Maybe something like this, though not sure of the power name.

What Bats said. I think that having him Black King would leave the door open for other versions of the Hellfire Club. Also, Emma and Selene have done other things outside of the club a good bit, so they aren't tied to it as much as Shaw I believe.

Re: The Book of Black King - Design Phase
 

I got nothing to add. The design looks solid enough & I don't know the character to comment on theme. :up:

Re: The Book of Black King - Design Phase
 

I could go with By Orders of the King. :up:

Is he the type to develop plots over centuries and set things up many, many years before to pay off later? Or am I getting him confused with someone who's immortal?

Re: The Book of Black King - Design Phase
 

I don't think he's immortal, just another mutant. He grew up poor, but by his 20's he started Shaw Industries and had something to do with supplying parts or something for the Sentinels.