[flameslayer93]

Hopping in here to see lots of movement towards an attack aura, but I have some notable issues with it. Hitting a lot similar notes as Taelord (and Andask, let's not forget about C3V), this build does have distinctions. But I don't really like it as much I did at first.


For starters, we do already have an offensively oriented aura in the set (Velkhor) and having two in the same set just doesn't seem quite right. Also, I kinda struggle with the aura affecting enemy figures too. There's a few cards in the official game that didn't clarify ownership of figures, and muddling the waters for new players looking to get into the game certainly isn't going to help that. I'd much rather the aura only affect your own minis, but if it is geared to affect anyone with a range of 1, it should mention that it does affect opponents as well.


Basically, the powers play well together. But should we do it?


I also wanted to at least give my responses to a lot of power ideas that were spitballed around.

ONSLAUGHT 1
After attacking with Vlad, if he destroyed a figure with his normal attack, Vlad may move up to 1 spaces and attack again. Vlad may continue using Onslaught until he does not destroy a figure.

I like the power, but I don't think like it for Vlad. I imagine he is meant to be more of of leader type fellow (who also happens to like wetting his sword), but not really a berserker style dude. I could see this power working on other stuff in the box though.

REIGN OF TERROR
When Vlad destroys an opponent's figure, you may place a Marker on this card. When rolling for initiative, opponents must subtract 1 from their roll for each Marker on this card. A maximum of 3 Markers can be placed on this card.

This is actually close to my idea from the discord banter. My version didn't require Vlad to actually kill the minis, just that there were dead minis. So something like this:

REIGN OF TERROR
When an opponent rolls initiative, they must subtract 1 from their initiative for each destroyed figure they control to a maximum of -3.

This would remove the bookkeeping for a very weak power that @Alexandros was concerned about. There's no bookkeeping other than looking to see if there are dead minis or not. It would also give the box a little bit of initiative manipulation, as we don't have a Dagmar proxy in the box to play with. And weak cheerleaders with some battlefield utility are a staple in HS.

FOREST OF CORPSES
When Vlad destroys an opponent's figure, you may place a Marker on this card. Squad figures your opponents control subtract 1 from their attack dice when making a normal attack within X spaces of Vlad where X is the number of Markers on this card. A maximum of 3 Markers can be placed on this card.

Attack reduction is neat, and the power will be relevant within the set. I'm not sold on the aura from markers part, but it can work.

Bringing this here because I think the idea has merit- a couple of us on discord had suggested some kind of attack debuff to convey Vlad being a lord, as well as to convey his rather menacing nature. A flat attack debuff obviously has its own baggage, so I'd propose something like subtracting an attack die from the roll of figures who did not start the turn adjacent to Vlad, or even from the roll of figures who have moved this turn.

I prefer this over the Forest of Corpses power above, it makes him unapproachable in general, although the fear dissipates when you realize its just a man with a sword.

I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE NEAR THAT CRAZY SOB
At the beginning of the game, each opponent must roll the 20-sided die once for each small, medium, or large figure they control. On a 20, that figure is destroyed.

This power plays more into Vlad being such a legendary douche that him being on the battlefield could cause them to route immediately. Like Mitonsoul, its swingy and probably won't do anything. But hey, Runa is a thing. As long as we charge a little bit for him, let him impale people and use good stats to convey the theme.

How about just Impalement 13?

This steps on some figure's toes (Retiarius especially). It can work as long as he's more expensive.

CRUEL LEADER
If there is at least one opponent's figure within 4 clear sight spaces of Vlad, that opponent must subtract 3 from their Initiative roll.

This isn't bad at all. It goes with my earlier idea of a weak cheerleading power but some decent battlefield utility.


But in general we have plenty of good options. I respect Sir Arctorius's opinion on the power combo, but I'm not sold that it should go in a Master Set (and certainly not when we already have Velkhor who offers something similar). I'd rather have more units doing different things than clusters of units filling similar army roles.