[Pod 1] UKUSHISA PRIDE (Blazing Firecats) - Editing

[flameslayer93]

Originally Posted by The Long eared bat

Lions are the only big cat that hunt as a group. As a name what about: Ukushisa Pride.
Ukushisa is Zulu for blazing.

Right here, @Fakeraistlin

[Fakeraistlin]

Originally Posted by flameslayer93

Right here, @Fakeraistlin

I guess I should look at this stuff on my computer rather than my small phone

Thanks

[Astroking112]

The Shadows Over Innistrad set comes with some markers with a sun on them, if I'm not mistaken. I would imagine that those can work for Flame Markers, albeit they are from a separate box. It could always be left vague as to what the markers specifically are to let people use their own, like the VC designs with markers, but I think that it would be fine to plan on using some of the ones from SOI.

[Jaur0n]

I like the idea of calling them Blazing Hell Cats if naming them is one of the things we're talking about.


I like the idea of markers to start the game however I believe those markers should be decision points, and should not be lost or gained through any action other than the decision to use them. I believe we should balance the marker buff around it being a set number of uses. To that end, I'm wondering if we should limit their use to once per turn and buff each cat when using one? If so is +1 move and +1 attach good enough?

[Scytale]

Originally Posted by Jaur0n

I like the idea of markers to start the game however I believe those markers should be decision points, and should not be lost or gained through any action other than the decision to use them. I believe we should balance the marker buff around it being a set number of uses. To that end, I'm wondering if we should limit their use to once per turn and buff each cat when using one? If so is +1 move and +1 attach good enough?

+1 Move and +1 Attack is pretty darn good for a squad. It would be very tempting to burn through them quickly.

[Jaur0n]

Lava resistance -I get why this seems/is mandatory, after looking through units, it seems damn near anything fire related unit has it. I agree it's needed.

I personally dislike Water Weakness unless it's a counter to a too strong something else.


If it's just some tacked on thematic thing my concern is we are telling people if the map has lava and no water, this is a good unit. If it has water and no lava, don't use it. That feels bad to me.

[lefton4ya]

@Jaur0n : Almost all maps have water - but with this unit having a high move and being double-spaced they can walk over water in most circumstances, so Water Weakness would rarely affect the unit - it is just very thematic. However I would use @All you Pie's Extinguish over Water Weakness. Lava Resistance is almost needed for theme, but that doesn't mean the unit isn't playable on non Lava Maps - just a bonus on them. Basically this unit should be usable on almost any map, just slightly better on lava maps, and slightly worse on maps with a lot of water (swamp water counts)

I just suggested this on (Chandra Nalaar, Pyromancer) that would help with the suggested Inflame power

Originally Posted by lefton4ya

...

Note: text in brackets is optional for clarity. Helps any Blazing Firecats Synergy that is boosted by lava field, causes end of the round wounds to opponents next to [CN,P], plus assist all LR figures. ...

[Pumpkin_King]

RE: name and general. Hellcats is good, but I also like <something> Pride. Kind of gets across that these are magical animals that just happen to be fire cats.

I also like them as Aquilla, but that’s just me. We’re going to have a lot of Utgar I feel.

[Fakeraistlin]

Originally Posted by Pumpkin_King

RE: name and general. Hellcats is good, but I also like <something> Pride. Kind of gets across that these are magical animals that just happen to be fire cats.

I also like them as Aquilla, but that’s just me. We’re going to have a lot of Utgar I feel.

Maybe not magical afterall...Just an idea...

If not demon , elemental.or magicall .
..maybe is natural evolution ...Micro fusion.....

Combustion Cats..

[All Your Pie]

Color scheme doesn't 100% track general to general, but I think assigning these bright red burning cats to anyone but Utgar seems a little silly.

We've got a solid overall direction here but we're a little divided on the details. Here's some suggestions for what to put in the OP, let me know how these hit y'all.

(Unit name)
Utgar

Elementals (or some sort of made-up race? Sadly Arrow Gruts don't specify heroes for their bonding, so beasts is out of the question.)
Unique Squad
Hunters (mostly a placeholder. Seems a decent option but we can discuss others)
Wild (Feel a bit more solid about this than I do hunters, but still open to discussion)
Large ??

Life 1
Move ? (varies depending on inflame, between 5-8 )
Range 1
Attack 3
Defense 5

Points ???

Power 1:
Inflame
Start the game with three blaze counters on this army card. Before moving, you may remove a blaze counter to add (move or attack buff). Optional condition 1: If there are no blaze counters on this army card, subtract X from this card's defense value. Optional condition 2: Something that allows blaze counters to be regained automatically.

(Personally, I like Inflame as a power that either just boosts attack or that grants a substantive move boost in addition to attack. If we do the movement boost, I would rather make it feel really significant by giving the cats base 5 move and having the move be +3 instead of +1. So I like having +3 move +1 attack, or just +1 attack and have a base move of 7 or 8.

I can take or leave optional condition 1. It's cute and adds some tension, but that's all. Optional condition 2 I don't personally care for. It adds another trigger and possibly a D20 roll to the power that overcomplicate it a little too much for my taste.)

Power 2:
Extinguish
Whenever a (figure name) ends its movement on a water space, remove all blaze counters from this army card. (Blaze counters may not be placed on this army card while any of your (figure name's) are on water spaces.)

(Relatively straightforward, mostly flavor here. This power's actual implications depend significantly on how other powers work, so it's not worth discussion much in and of itself.)

Power 3:
Heat Absorption
If a (figure name) would receive one or more wounds from a source that does not affect figures with the Lava Resistant special power, ignore those wounds and, if possible, place a blaze counter on this army card.

OR

Lava Resistant
Same as usual.

(Fairly simple choice here. I think heat absorption is kinda neat but won't come up too much in actual play. I worry slightly about it spiking their cost by making them much stronger on lava maps, which won't be present in this master set, but even then it's slow going to build their markers back up. Ultimately that's a good thing, as it means we can balance the design around them having just three markers to spend with Heat Absorption giving them a little more legs in longer games or scenarios rather than standard tournament play.)

[Scytale]

I agree it would seem wrong to make then anything other than Utgar

Elementals is still a no for me. Let's just make something up, like Blazecats or something. We should decide class and personality once we've determined how the unit plays, unless we're aiming for specific synergies. So far Hunters and Wild are good fits.

I like 3 Attack and +1 from blaze, and 6 Move +2 from blaze.

Option 1 is unnecessary. Running out of blaze markers is already a disadvantage.

I'm against option 2 in general. Without a recharge they are fine as a first-strike unit. Allowing another unit to recharge them makes for really cool unique synergy that allows for an alternate playstyle.

Extinguish is cool.

I love Heat Absorption. It's the most unique form of synergy I've seen in a while. It doesn't make either unit dependent on the other, but clever play with both can bring benefits. It should also apply to lava fields; it may up there cost a bit, but the once-per-round boost available from lava fields won't be a huge swing. Lava Resistance will affect their cost just as much, as it gives immunity to lava fields plus gives them the ability to cross lava.

[Fakeraistlin]

Originally Posted by All Your Pie

Color scheme doesn't 100% track general to general, but I think assigning these bright red burning cats to anyone but Utgar seems a little silly.

We've got a solid overall direction here but we're a little divided on the details. Here's some suggestions for what to put in the OP, let me know how these hit y'all.

(Unit name)
Utgar

Elementals (or some sort of made-up race? Sadly Arrow Gruts don't specify heroes for their bonding, so beasts is out of the question.)
Unique Squad
Hunters (mostly a placeholder. Seems a decent option but we can discuss others)
Wild (Feel a bit more solid about this than I do hunters, but still open to discussion)
Large ??

Life 1
Move ? (varies depending on inflame, between 5-8 )
Range 1
Attack 3
Defense 5

Points ???

Power 1:
Inflame
Start the game with three blaze counters on this army card. Before moving, you may remove a blaze counter to add (move or attack buff). Optional condition 1: If there are no blaze counters on this army card, subtract X from this card's defense value. Optional condition 2: Something that allows blaze counters to be regained automatically.

(Personally, I like Inflame as a power that either just boosts attack or that grants a substantive move boost in addition to attack. If we do the movement boost, I would rather make it feel really significant by giving the cats base 5 move and having the move be +3 instead of +1. So I like having +3 move +1 attack, or just +1 attack and have a base move of 7 or 8.

I can take or leave optional condition 1. It's cute and adds some tension, but that's all. Optional condition 2 I don't personally care for. It adds another trigger and possibly a D20 roll to the power that overcomplicate it a little too much for my taste.)

Power 2:
Extinguish
Whenever a (figure name) ends its movement on a water space, remove all blaze counters from this army card. (Blaze counters may not be placed on this army card while any of your (figure name's) are on water spaces.)

(Relatively straightforward, mostly flavor here. This power's actual implications depend significantly on how other powers work, so it's not worth discussion much in and of itself.)

Power 3:
Heat Absorption
If a (figure name) would receive one or more wounds from a source that does not affect figures with the Lava Resistant special power, ignore those wounds and, if possible, place a blaze counter on this army card.

OR

Lava Resistant
Same as usual.

(Fairly simple choice here. I think heat absorption is kinda neat but won't come up too much in actual play. I worry slightly about it spiking their cost by making them much stronger on lava maps, which won't be present in this master set, but even then it's slow going to build their markers back up. Ultimately that's a good thing, as it means we can balance the design around them having just three markers to spend with Heat Absorption giving them a little more legs in longer games or scenarios rather than standard tournament play.)

I'm ambivalent on the name, though Hell Cats (Cursed Cats)
I like.

I like counters, and First Strike role of this squad.
Don't like the penalty if all counters used up.


Extinguish/Lava/Fire Recharge
Not in favor of this....

If lava came in the Arena of the Planewalker sets or original RotV I would be in favor of this (all counter/lava or lava resistant weapon recharge mechanic).

Since there are specials or attacks that are fire based but also affect lava resistant creatures it creates more complexity/rulings which is against the philosophy/spirit to keep things simple based what I've read so far...

Water weakness
I believe that making contact (moving) on water tiles forfeits the units ability to regain counters that turn.

Recharge should be random (d20) thing

Like lava resistance.