The Book of Baron Mordo

[Lazy Orang]

Originally Posted by dok

Nothing wrong with testing that interaction.

BTW - it's Hynotize. This is America, we speak American.

Not where I live. Sure that will be on the card, but in my posts and my test reports, I speak the way I was taught, by Crikey!

Any thoughts on which Test 2 Avengers build to go with?

~Lazy Orang, who isn't sure who Crikey is, but apparently he taught her to English.

[Yodaking]

I have a bad habit of trying to design all 3 armies all at once on initials as well but I've been trying to break myself of that habit. You should really just run the first test at a point level you feel might be where he fits and see how that goes. After that first game you may decide to raise or lower his points for the next test. At the start of an initial we usually have a point range (say 245-285 here, *totally made up numbers just to illustrate a point) we feel the card will come in at based on similar cards, the initial is then used to narrow down the range to a more precise number (perhaps 265 after testing him at 245, 265, & 285). Then it gets sent to public play testing to confirm the cost or see if it needs to be adjusted up or down 5-15 points. So run that first test you have set out at 265 and see how that goes before deciding where to run the next test.

[Lazy Orang]

Originally Posted by Yodaking

I have a bad habit of trying to design all 3 armies all at once on initials as well but I've been trying to break myself of that habit. You should really just run the first test at a point level you feel might be where he fits and see how that goes. After that first game you may decide to raise or lower his points for the next test. At the start of an initial we usually have a point range (say 245-285 here, *totally made up numbers just to illustrate a point) we feel the card will come in at based on similar cards, the initial is then used to narrow down the range to a more precise number (perhaps 265 after testing him at 245, 265, & 285). Then it gets sent to public play testing to confirm the cost or see if it needs to be adjusted up or down 5-15 points. So run that first test you have set out at 265 and see how that goes before deciding where to run the next test.

That's a very good point - I'm still in the regular testing mindset of doing the whole thing off the version you're sent. Still think it's probably helpful to get armies planned, though - saves time later, even if you're having to tweak the builds.

We're just waiting on @johnny139 now.

[johnny139]

Yea - Thought I had already voted, missed the whole intricacy of running the spells.

[Lazy Orang]

Originally Posted by johnny139

Yea - Thought I had already voted, missed the whole intricacy of running the spells.

Fair enough! This Passes.

Just checking to make sure we're cool testing this guy before Strange's reeval is finalised.

[Ronin]

Should be fine. Whatever ends up happening with Strange is pretty independent of Mordo and shouldn't really impact Mordo's price point; just whether or not anyone will ever want to play Mordo v Strange match-ups.

[Lazy Orang]

Okay, here's the first part of Mordo's Initial.

Name Of The Playtest Unit: Baron Mordo

Army Test 1
Map: Conflict Chernobyl (no glyphs)
Armies:
Baron Mordo (265), Wong, Venom (C3G) (585 points)
vs.
Iron Man (MkV), Iron Man (Hasbro), Iron Man (MkI) (590 points)

Spoiler Alert!

Overview of Baron Mordo’s performance:
Damage inflicted through normal attacks: 2 wounds on Hasbro Iron Man, 1 wound on Iron Man (MkV).
Figures Hypnotised: Hasbro Iron Man, twice
Turns taken with Hypnotised figures: One with Hasbro Iron Man.
Damage inflicted by Hypnotised figures: 2 wounds on Iron Man (MkI) by Hasbro Iron Man
Dark Arts Empowerment used: Once for three extra dice, once for two extra dice
Extra damage inflicted due to Dark Arts Empowerment: 2 wounds on Hasbro Iron Man
Wounds received through Dark Arts Empowerment: One
Wounds blocked through Magical Defence: 2

Baron Mordo is Wong’s Master

Round One

The Servants of Dormammu claim the initiative and Venom Tendril Swings forwards.
Stark flies forwards and fires a Pulse Bolt at Venom, who swings out of the way and into engagement with Stark. His Hasbro branded suit flies into melee with Venom, and shoots the symbiote twice - he avoids the first shot thanks to his Symbiotic Senses, and takes two wounds from the second shot.
Eddie Brock slashes at Stark with Slashing Tendrils, inflicting a wound.
Stark punches Brock, but is blocked. His robot suit shoots Venom twice, inflicting two wounds.
Venom strikes Stark for two wounds.
Stark punches Venom, knocking him out. The robot suit flies forwards and shoots Mordo twice - the first time shot results in the suit being hypnotised (not sure how a lifeless robot suit can be hypnotised, but... run with it, it’s not the first time they’re affected by mental things they shouldn’t be), while Wong jumps in front of the second shot, receiving a wound.

Round Two

Baron Mordo claims the initiative. Wong runs forwards and Mordo flies next to him, before channeling his Dark Arts and attacking the Hasbro suit with an attack of 8, inflicting two wounds he would not have inflicted were it not for the Dark Arts, before paying for channeling dark forces beyond his control.
Stark advances and fires a Pulse Bolt at Wong, inflicting a wound. The Hasbro suit flies to height, shoots Wong down and then shoots Mordo for a wound.
Mordo flies up, channels Dark Energies and strikes Tony Stark, killing him and getting away with channeling these forces.
The Hasbro suit strikes Mordo twice, once resulting in him being blocked and the second resulting in a wound.
Mordo strikes the suit without channeling any Dark Energy, qand fails to inflict a wound.
The suit shoots Mordo twice, being blocked once but not Hypnotised and inflicting a wound.

Round Three

Stark’s suits claim the initiative. The Hasbro suit shoots Mordo twice - the first shot results in his Hypnotism, while the second is blocked.
Mordo does not call in the dark arts and strikes the suit normally, but still rolls all skulls and inflicts a wound. Following this, he snaps his fingers and commands the hypnotised suit to fly away and fire two shots from height at the Mark I armour, inflicting two wounds.
Hasbro Iron Man flies back up to Mordo and shoots him dead.

Stark Industries victorious - Hasbro Suit 3 wounds, MkI Suit 2 wounds.

Overview: That was a fairly close battle, and he felt about right at 265 in this game, to me, so that’s what I’ll continue with. Hypnotic Arts really isn't too reliable with 5 defence considering the attacks supers throw around (he was being hits with attacks of 4 or 5 and it only triggered twice, once when he couldn't make use of it, though that was probably due to some fairly poor luck and Hypnosis will become more reliable once he's got Mesmerise and Hypnotise available. Even when he can't hasn't got anyone Hypnotised under his control, Dark Arts Empowerment is pretty damn fun to use - it allows for some big, showy attacks, but a 50/50 chance of a wound on a decently high priced magic user makes it a real double edged sword to use - especially when he's low on health. He could even kill himself using it, and it's far from impossible that this guy could kill the last enemy figure while channeling Dark Arts before expiring from doing so, thus ending the game in a draw, which could be fun.

If any of you want to weigh in with any thoughts on that game, or have any thoughts about which of the two Test 2 opposing forces I should go with (I'm inclined towards the one with Silver Surfer, simply because I have a hard time seeing Mordo managing to Hypnotise Thor without the aid of a spell), then I'd love to hear them.

[Yodaking]

Just wanted to point out that technically, since we don't know what his final price will be, you actually tested him at 270 points in that game. Still a close loss seems to indicate 265 might not be far off. I was a bit curious to see how often he could counter-hypnotize someone with it having a range of 3. Twice in a small game featuring all opponents figures with a range of 4+ isn't too bad actually.

[Lazy Orang]

Okay, decided on a completely a different build to go against him in Test 2 (since Thor has a big enough attack not to worry about Hypnotism and Surfer can just keep flying out of range), how about:

Captain America, Bucky, Ms. Marvel, Invincible (980 Points)

I know you suggested a 400 + character, but there just aren't many who I can see getting credibly Hypnotised without spells

[Yodaking]

Fair enough. Just save that aspect of the testing for the spells then.

[Lazy Orang]

Army Test 2
Map: Invasion (No Glyphs)
Armies;
Baron Mordo (265), Star Lord, Super-Skrull (Kl’rt), Zombie (975 points)
vs.
Captain America (C3G), Bucky, Ms. Marvel, Invincible (980 points)

Spoiler Alert!

Overview of Baron Mordo’s performance:
Damage inflicted through normal attacks: 5 wounds on Ms. Marvel.
Figures Hypnotised: Bucky, once
Turns taken with Hypnotised figures: One with Bucky
Damage inflicted by Hypnotised figures: 1 wound on Invincible from Bucky
Dark Arts Empowerment used: Once for three extra dice, once for two extra dice
Extra damage inflicted due to Dark Arts Empowerment: 1 wound on Ms. Marvel
Wounds received through Dark Arts Empowerment: One
Wounds blocked through Magical Defence: Four

Super-Skrull carries the Amulet of Damballah

Round One

The Conquerors of the Universe claim the initiative, and Star-Lord runs forwards.
Zombe shambles. Cap and Bucky run forwards.
Peter Quill runs to height and shoots Bucky for a wound.
Zombie edges forwards. Ms. Marvel flies forwards and fires a shot at Star-Lord, which he luckily dodges.
Mordo flies forwards and fires a normal shot at Carol Danvers, rolling 4 skulls and inflicting a wound.
Zombie shambles forwards. Invincible swoops in with a 9 attack Invincible Punch, striking Star Lord for two wounds and Mordo for one.

Round Two

The Avengers claim the initiative. Zombie shambles forwards. Bucky fires his Machine Gun at Star-Lord to no effect, and Cap runs up and throws his shield at Star-Lord, Mordo and Zombie, inflicting two wounds on Zombie.
Mordo flies to height and channels the Dark Arts to fire a mystic blast at Ms. Marvel, making an attack of 9 thanks to DAE, Ragtag Tactics and height. She receives three wounds from the blast, and he gets away with channeling the Dark Arts.
Zombie shambles into melee with Invincible, and bites him for a wound. Invincible punches Star-Lord for a wound. Ms. Marvel shoots him for two.
Mordo musters the Dark Arts again, shooting Ms. Marvel for a wound he’d never have inflicted without them, leaving her reeling and near death, but pays for playing with fire.
Invincible knocks Star-Lord out. Ms. Marvel rolls an all skull attack on Mordo.... thank the Dread Dormammu for Magical Defence, eh...?
Mordo shoots Ms. Marvel, not bothering with Dark Arts Empowerment and failing to achieve anything.

Round Three

The Avengers claim the initiative. Bucky charges into melee with Mordo, but is Hypnotised. Steve also charges Mordo, punching him for a wound.
Mordo strikes Cap normally, not feeling he can risk channeling the Dark Arts, and achieves nothing. He snaps his fingers and activates Bucky, who runs to height and punches Invincible with an all-skull attack, inflicting a wound - honestly, Barnes is probably used to this kind of crap by now...
Barnes snaps out of it, but finds himself in engagement with Zombie, who he punches for a wound. Cap punches Mordo, knocking him out and eliminating the enemy’s next turn.
Bucky punches Zombie again, but is blocked. Cap charges Zombie, taking him out.
Super-Skrull flies forwards and strikes Cap from range for a wound.

Round Four

The Avengers claim the initiative. Bucky and Steve charge the Skrull - neither hurt him, but the Skrull turns his hide to stone to parry Steve’s strike, causing him to break his hand, receiving a wound, and get knocked back to low ground.
The Skrull flies to Ms. Marvel and murders her, eliminating the Avengers’ next turn.
Kl’rt flies up to Steve and strikes him from height for a wound.
Invincible flies in and punches Kl’rt for two wounds.
The Skrull strikes Cap for a wound.

Round Five

The Avengers claim the initiative (because of course they do...). Bucky opens fire with his Machine Gun to no effect. Cap strikes the Skrull to no effect.
Kl’rt strangles Cap, killing him.
Invincible strikes the Skrull, only to hurt himself on a rock wall and get bounced back to low ground.
Super-Skrull flies in to strike Invincible from height, inflicting a wound.
Invincible finally knocks the alien out.

Avengers Victorious, Invincible 4 wounds, Bucky 1 wound.

Overview: Another close loss. Mordo racked up quite a bit of damage this time, but most of that time he was being boosted by Star-Lord, who was also drawing the enemy’s fire, plus he got some good luck on those attacks on Ms. Marvel. Again, not making too much massive use of Hypnotism, but it is a nice bonus when it comes up - I’m thinking he’ll probably need those spells on hand to make it a that useful on a reliable basis, which is fine, you’ll be able to basically draft those spells with him to scale his power-level, which is cool. Hovering around 260 is still looking about right to me.

[Yodaking]

I'd drop him 10 points for the last test. You've tested him twice at 270 with two close loses. Lets see if you can get a win at 260. I imagine his perceived value could go up from there once he gets to start using a spell to hypnotize someone with OM1. Two turns with your opponents Thor would be a nice boost to his bottom line.