The Pre-SoV Workshop

[wriggz]

Originally Posted by Blue Trails

Just to offer an opposing perspective here, while I agree that Colossus would still be interesting without direct Warforged Soldier synergy, Warforged Titans have looked exactly like Colossus since 3rd edition D&D, and it would be difficult for me to accept the sculpt as anything else. Take my opinion with a grain of salt, though, as I'm not a judge.

Your opinion is as valid as anyone else. Maybe moreso as an seasoned d&d player.

[ryguy266]

I'll chime in with one more perspective from a competitive player. I am playing the Warforged x4 and Syvarris in the current (Delta) season of OHS. The discussion of tactical switch is interesting. But ultimately, I think this is minor compared to giving them bonding in the first place. The strength of the soldiers is in their ridiculous staying power. Free development for the warforged ("free" here meaning that your opponent will have to deal with the big guy or get pummeled) is massive. I would dump every order marker on him for the first two rounds, or longer, if he lasted that long and get every Warforged out of my start zone and onto road or by jungle/shadow, all while getting quality attacks with a sturdy hero. Currently I have to juggle OMs between quality attacks with my hero and developing Warforged and that on its own has done well. Combining the two seems strong and a lot more straightforward.

I had thought about leaving this feedback when the unit first popped up, but we were early in the season. I'm convinced now that giving Warforged attack-less bonding would just lead to similar, but better and simpler, play, where you can now use the big guy as a can opener while your Warforged swarm the board to prep for the midgame in a really good position.

This is well outside the design, but the Warforged faction currently has no direct synergy. Yet people, myself included, still love Heirloom for all the interesting options he provides for his points, and Seige, while a bit overpriced, it still a fun unit imo. Personally, I would be happy to see a 140-150 point bruiser with a powerset interesting and useful enough to slot into an army to fill a role similar to Eltahale or Breach. But I understand if that is outside the goals of the design. I just worry that eliminating their "weakness" (which is being a slow-moving 3-man squad) will replace better army-building and skilled play that can still cover that weakness.

[Curt]

First I want to say thanks again for the feedback received. It's really interesting to read perspectives from competitive players, seasoned designers, etc.

I've scrapped any direct synergy. I tested briefly some movement bonding with an ability to transfer an unrevealed marker if a figure ended adjacent to Colossus (inspired by maybe my favorite AOA unit, E-JIM). But I didn't like it and I don't believe it would have resolved the reverse/forced bonding concerns.

This is what I'll be testing next.

Colossus
Life - 5
Range - 1
Movement - 5
Attack 6
Defense -5

Points 140

Warforged
Unique Hero
Titan
Militaristic
Huge 10 (double spaced)

Smash and Cleave Special Attack
Range 1, Attack 4
When Colossus attacks with his Smash and Cleave Special Attack, he may attack one additional time.

Bulwark Positioning (Name is WIP, and well I guess everything else is too)

After revealing an Order Marker on and taking a turn with Colossus, if Colossus moved less than three spaces this turn, you may reveal an "X" order marker on this army card to activate Bulwark Positioning. When Bulwark Positioning is active, subtract 2 from Colossus's attack and movement values and add 1 to Colossus's defense value.

I know this is a bit of a re-tread of Siege's Crag of Steel, who unfortunately is also a Warforged (which is not the reason I'm trying this out), but I like the idea of Colossus swapping from offensive to defensive capabilities depending on the needs of the Warforged army at large. I know Siege's activates at the start of a turn, but my thoughts are that Siege's offensive capabilities aren't inherently weakened, they're just changed and Colossus's gets a bit worse and it can only be activated after a limited movement.

Tactical Strike 14
If an opponents figure is moved by a friendly figure’s special power, roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 14 or higher, the opponent’s figure receives a wound. Add 3 to your roll if Bulwark Positioning is active. If the figure is destroyed, Colossus may occupy the space of thr destroyed figure, if possible. Figures may be targeted only as they are moved into engagement with Colossus. (Think Torkulna’s stomp on his final movement)

I'd appreciate any thoughts. Note that I haven't run any non-theoretical tests yet on these specific changes, which I know isn’t what this forum is for, but as feedback kept coming in, I just wanted to give an update on where I'm at so I didn't waste people's efforts in giving their thoughts on scrapped designs. I’ll be trying a few variations of this iteration and brainstorming some other ideas as well.

[Good Pig]

I would suggest posting a new complete character write up that incorporates all your changes if you want feedback. Much easier to review that than piecemeal ideas that reference different versions of a design.

[Shiftrex]

Technically rules of this thread specify it isn't for workshopping either. It's for units that have been tested and some time on the board.

Usually we are told to make our own thread, receive feedback there and test our units. This thread is often intended to be more of a final check before submissions because a few of the judges and C3V people that'll pass judgement behind closed doors on this turn up to offer suggestions.

[Curt]

Originally Posted by Shiftrex

Technically rules of this thread specify it isn't for workshopping either. It's for units that have been tested and some time on the board.

Usually we are told to make our own thread, receive feedback there and test our units. This thread is often intended to be more of a final check before submissions because a few of the judges and C3V people that'll pass judgement behind closed doors on this turn up to offer suggestions.

For sure, my intention was just to let people know that the old design was partially scrapped so as to not waste people’s time in submitting feedback on the old design. Now that I have the ability to create my own thread, I’ll likely throw the newly tested design up there, when I feel it’s ready.