The Book of Black Lightning
 

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Character Bio - “A gold medal-winning Olympic decathlete, Jefferson Pierce, returned to his old neighborhood in the Southside (Suicide Slum) section of the city of Metropolis, with his wife Lynn Stewart and his daughter Anissa to become the principal of Garfield High School [.…] A family friend and tailor, Peter Gambi, had taught a much younger Jefferson how to suppress his inborn metahuman abilities so that he would not accidentally hurt any of the people he cared about. Upon his return, Gambi suggested to Jefferson that he should use his powers to help the neighborhood, and refers him to a plaque with the paraphrased Milo Sweetman quote ‘Justice, like lightning, should ever appear to some men hope, to other men fear.’ [….] Pierce adopts the costumed identity ‘Black Lightning’ where he had the costume, mask, and wig made by his tailor Peter Gambi. Years later, he would tell fellow African American superhero Mister Terrific that he chose the name Black Lightning because he ‘was the only one of us around’ at the time, and he ‘wanted to make sure everyone knew who they were dealing with’” (Wikipedia 2018 ).

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-Rulings and Clarifications-

• N/A

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-Combinations and Synergies-

Incoming Synergy:

• As a Metahuman, Black Lightning has the following Metahuman Synergies.
• As an Interloper, Black Lightning has the following Interloper Synergies.

Outgoing Synergy:

• Black Lightning can raise the defense of Interlopers you control within 3 clear sight spaces.

Immunities, Benefits, and Weaknesses:

• As a figure with the Electrically Charged special power, Black Lightning is affected differently by these special powers.
• Black Lightning's Lightning Lash Special Attack does not affect figures with the Electrically Charged special power.

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-Strategy, Tactics and Tips-

• Outsiders faction guide

-Heroscapers Community Contributions-

• Initial playtest: (IAmBatman)
• Second playtest: (Ericth74)
• Third playtest: (Tornado)
• Art: Comic, Figure, Background
• Art by Scapemage

Re: The Book of Black Lightning - Breathing
 

NAME = BLACK LIGHTNING
SECRET IDENTITY = JEFFERSON PIERCE

SPECIES = METAHUMAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = INTERLOPER
PERSONALITY = RIGHTEOUS
SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 4
MOVE = 6
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 5
DEFENSE = 5
POINTS = 160

LIGHTNING CHAIN
When Black Lightning, a figure you control adjacent to Black Lightning, or an Interloper you control within 3 clear sight spaces of Black Lightning defends against a normal attack, you may add 1 die to your roll. If the attacking figure is adjacent to a figure you control with the Electrically Charged special power, all excess shields count as unblockable hits on the attacking figure.

LIGHTNING LASH SPECIAL ATTACK
Range 5. Attack 5 + Special.
After attacking with this special attack, Black Lightning may attack one additional time for each Wound Marker that was on this Army Card at the start of his turn, rolling 1 fewer attack die for each subsequent attack. Any affected figure that occupies a water space rolls 1 fewer defense die. Figures with the Electrically Charged special power are not affected by this special attack.

ELECTRICALLY CHARGED
Black Lightning rolls 1 fewer defense die when he is on a water space.

Re: The Book of Black Lightning - Breathing
 

Mini Picture

Alternate Mini Picture

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0bJI...ightning.0.jpg
http://archive.massappeal.com/wp-con...ing-page-1.jpg
https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress...inal.jpg?w=605

Background
https://images.pexels.com/photos/204...366.jpg&fm=jpg

Re: The Book of Black Lightning - Breathing
 

Notes:

1. I'll probably change the mini info based on what we have pics of.
2. I changed the name of his lightning attack and made it connected to his having wounds after reading his bio and seeing he could make a "special black colored lightning when he got angry." Thought it could help differentiate this a tad.
3. Went with the Lightning Chain name. The only mechanical difference between johnny's last suggestion and this is that I put a requirement that the attacking figure be adjacent to a figure with Electrically Charged that you control in order to make the Counter Strike aspect work. Otherwise it could hit at limitless range, and that's too much, IMO.
@Ronin @Yodaking @johnny139 @japes

Re: The Book of Black Lightning - Breathing
 

It being melee was my intention, no issues with the tweak there. :up: You could also limit it to just Electrically Charged figures ("If the defending figure is adjacent to the attacking figure and has the Electrically Charged special power, all excess shields count as unblockable hits on the attacking figure.") if that one feels too potent.

I think "Black Lightning Rage" sounds a little goofy - reading the theme makes it click a bit better, but it seems a bit close to "BLACK LIGHTNING SMASH!" to a layman. If you want to incorporate the anger, maybe "LIGHTNING LASH" instead? He's lashing someone (like, hitting them quickly) and also lashing out (reacting quickly and with anger).

Re: The Book of Black Lightning - Breathing
 

Yeah, something we can toy with the power title for. Lightning Lash is a consideration. Or maybe Rage Lightning? Obviously the Black and Lightning combo is too hard to see as anything but his name.

Re: The Book of Black Lightning - Breathing
 

Power title updated to Lightning Lash, second mini option posted in the SP. Art will have to let me know if either of those mini pictures work ( @Arkham @japes ). My preference is to go with the first, more modern mini, but I can go retro throwback if the pictures there are better.

Next step is to checklist both my LDs and then get some votes going.

Re: The Book of Black Lightning - Design Phase
 

Does the design disrupt opponent's Order Markers in a way that offers a net gain in turns taken with strong figures versus the turns your opponent can take with strong figures (Ozymandias, Joker (I), Meteorite)?

No.

Does the design offer auto-wounding that either doesn't require taking turns or is otherwise extremely efficient (War Machine, Jason Voorhees, Cosmic Cube)?

No, unless you count what's basically Counter Strike.

Does the design immobilize figures or prevent turn-taking (Blob, Spider-Girl, Diablo, Green Lantern Alan)?

No.

Does the design move opponent's figures in a way that's easy to pull off and can move figures multiple spaces in multiple directions (Graviton, Magneto, Vulture)?

No.

Does the design allow for moving friendly figures without taking turns, or for moving 2+ friendly figures while still taking a turn (Martian Manhunter [I], Green Lantern John, Angel)?

No.

Does the figure allow for two figures, one of them being a wide range of possible figures, to both attack on a single Order Marker (Zombie, Robot, Iron Patriot, Ms. Marvel, Rocket [II], Martian Manhunter [II], Nebula, Baby Groot, Havok)?

No.

Does the design offer any sort of passive boost outside of a narrow set of figures (Star-Lord, Sage, Brainiac 5, Captain America, Batman [III])?

No. He gives a passive boost to nearby Interlopers and figures with the Electrically Charged special power. Not a concerning group, IMO.

Does the design help keep your allies alive just by being nearby (Daring Decoy, Aaron Cash, Jocasta, Weather Wizard)?

Yes. But only with +1 defense against normal attacks. And only at the sacrifice of his special attack.

Is it OK for the design to have defensive abilities that could make it essentially unkillable in some matchups or endgame situations (Cosmic Cube, Healing Factor, Master Martial Artist)?

N/A

If the figure has auto-destroy powers or powers that can force the opponent's figures to attack each other, are they balanced for strong opposing figures and/or boosts that can make the powers more reliable (Puppet Master, Psycho-Man, Enchantress)?

N/A

Is the figure likely to earn its value many times over by either running out alone at the start of a battle (pre-eval Crow, Solomon Grundy) or by sitting in the startzone until the end of a battle (Arnim Zola, Silk Spectre)?

Not likely, no. Maybe against a group of low attack melee squaddies, but that's no different than anyone else with Counter Strike.

Will synergies in the design create concerns for future designs (Mad Thinker, pre-eval Enchantress, Star-Lord)?

Not likely, no, especially based on projections for Interlopers as a faction.

Does the design combo particularly well with one of the design concerns above (Magma)?

Not that I can see.

Re: The Book of Black Lightning - Design Phase
 

Re: The Book of Black Lightning - VOTE for Initial Playtesti
 

Re: The Book of Black Lightning - VOTE for Initial Playtesti
 

Yea

Re: The Book of Black Lightning - VOTE for Initial Playtesti