Kha by
@
kolakoski
Ullar is looking to expand his Rogue faction, this time looking at a less merry fellow.
Balance
It's surprisingly hard to find a good comparison for Kha. There are certainly Unique Heroes around his point value, but not so focused on the assassin role, at least not in the way he does it. I actually feel like the Deepwyrm Drow make the best comparison, despite the huge difference between a Unique Hero and a Common Squad. The two have very similar stats, if you consider Kha's extra life point offsets the Drow's Hide in Darkness. Kha has range, which is really important, of course, but it's easy to consider that benefit relatively even with the advantage of having multiple figures to attack with. The Drow can get three attacks of 3 with Poison Weapons, though it's more difficult to achieve against a single figure than Kha's two. I'd say the comparison suggests Kha's price is reasonable.
Theme
We haven't seen a Serpentfolk in Heroscape before, and with the figure in hand I can say it couldn't be a Lizardfolk. The figure and card work well together; both suggest a shadowy, sinister killer. That might seem like a stretch for Ullar, but he's never been solely good, so I don't have a problem with it.
Creativity
This design is a great reuse of existing abilities to make something play in a different way. The combination of multiple attacks (Double Assault) and Poison Weapons is a frightening one to opposing Heroes, and after he takes out his target he can Disengage to safety while still taking shots. Together the powers paint a picture of both the unit's lore and its actual playstyle as an opportunistic assassin.
Playability
The design practically screams "assassin." Yes, both a range attack of 3 and a double attack of 3 in melee are both ok in general, but Poison Weapons is what gives the serpent bite. Two poison-empowered hits on a hero can do some real damage. Even just one attack at range with 4 Attack (with height) is worrisome. While it seems like Disengage is meant to be defensive here, it's really more of an offensive threat as it allows Kha to get to his target almost regardless of interference.
There is some great tension in the design due to Double Assault. A single attack at range is good, but two hits in melee is better--until it's your opponent's turn. While Disengage could in theory get him to safety, that's less likely than you'd think. With only mediocre Life and Defense, though he'll likely survive a round, he'll be hurting, and he has to stay within 5 spaces if he wants to get another attack in. If the timing is right it works great, but more often than not it doesn't. So hang back and shoot or dive in for the kill? It's almost always a tough choice.
While Kha plays well on his own, he prefers to hang back until an opportune moment. The freedom that the Nottingham Brigands provide with their Rogue Hero Bonding gives the serpentman the freedom to strike when conditions are optimal, as well as a chance to retreat afterwards without losing a whole order marker. Elaria is also nice to have around to make the important poison rolls more potent.
Summary
I rather enjoyed testing Kha. He brings a certain tension to the board that is notable for a unit in this price range. Playing with him, you have to make some tough choices determining the best time to take a turn with him and whether or not to dive in for a Double Assault. Playing against him his sinister presence is a worrisome sight to any heroes, especially low-defense ones. Still, despite his significant threat, his attack power isn't all that strong, and neither are his defenses, so he doesn't dominate any more than he should. A fun addition.
I vote
Yea to induct Kha into the SoV.