100% Theoryscape

[Uhurugu]

I think it'll be situational, but a 25 point shot to deep-fry a hero is very worthwhile, probably more so because its likely to be unexpected.

[Dysole]

Originally Posted by clancampbell

The problem with that is the figure you move has to end on a same level space as the Drow. Most molten lava is lower than ground. Now, pulling "sleeping" figures on to lava rocks and hoping for a good roll at the end of the round might work. However, you might as well just attack at that point.

You could definitely put a water tile or swamp water tile or ice tile next to said lava tile.

~Dysole, ever the mischievous map maker

[Sarpedon]

Originally Posted by Jexik

I think one of the better uses for the Drow Chainfighter is to yank stuff that your opponent is unlikely to put OM's on himself, and relies on its position to be effective. Taking Raelin off of her high perch, or removing a Deathreaver from a glyph... stuff like that.

(Emphasis mine)

Agreed. That would be great. However, you'd have to be playing against a pretty lousy opponent to get such an opportunity. If I see that my opponent has a Drow Chainfighter, I'm never going to give him the chance to get even close to Raelin. The ability is very interesting, but, like coward's reward, if the opponent is conscious, you'll almost never get the chance to use it.

I know, Jexik, I know. It's the threat that counts. It will force me to consider it and thus, perhaps, place Raelin in a less effective or strategic spot. Even so, I still think a good player can easily work around the DC.

[dok]

You make a key point at the end there - the mere threat is significant if it forces sub-optimal Raelin placement.

Moreover, how easy it is to guard Raelin from the DC is highly dependent on your army and the map. On a choke-point heavy map, with a long range army like majors or Krav... sure, you shash Raelin as far back as possible, and she's largely DC-proof. But on a wide-open map, or when Raelin is being used by a melee-based army, screening opposing figures off from a 4-hex range around Raelin could be a challenge.

[wriggz]

Originally Posted by dok

Moreover, how easy it is to guard Raelin from the DC is highly dependent on your army and the map. On a choke-point heavy map, with a long range army like majors or Krav... sure, you shash Raelin as far back as possible, and she's largely DC-proof.

I see you have never played against Sarpedon before.

[Dysole]

Originally Posted by Sarpedon

I know Jexik, I know. It's the threat that counts. It will force me to consider it and thus, perhaps, place Raelin in a less effective or strategic spot. Even so, I still think a good player can easily work around the DC.

For 25 points I've forced you to make a less effective move with a key piece. Oh, and you still have to kill my 25 pointer later. I call that a fair deal.

~Dysole, who feels like an army of Chainfighters probably wouldn't be very effective but would be about a 9.7 on the Cool-O-Meter

[White Noise]

So, first impressions looking at the new figures:

Wyvern:
Being a Predator, the wyvern bonds with spiders, making him the first uncommon revealed that bonds. Obviously that has an inherent advantage over unique bonding (since you can lose a Wyvern and still get an extra turn), but the spiders aren't exactly the best bonding squad in the game...
Talon Grab, although a cool ability, will probably turn out to be about as useful as Chain Grab (i.e. somewhat situational). You could use it with engagement strike, or to pull a figure adjacent to your spiders to entangle/attack.
When I first saw Venemous Sting, though, I immediately thought "Q9 killer". It's essentially Maul without the small/medium restriction. If you managed to roll all skulls on an attack on Q9 (which, although somewhat unlikely, could happen while attacking Q9), you'd be able to inflict 4 unblockable wounds.

Elementals:
I'm just going to lob them all into a group and say they can't really reach their full potential without Kurrok. But, looking at them individually:

Earth Elemental:
Since Underground Movement looks at levels above its height, it really has a vertical movement range of 6 above and 3 below its base. And, since it's only looking at the space you land on, you can have all sorts of fun burrowing under castle walls (although that's not very useful in tournament games). So, surprisingly, the bulky Earth Elemental has quite a lot of mobility on rough terrain. Earth Slam can be helpful against masses of non-flying melee squads, too.

Air Elemental:
Swirling Vortex is an extremely useful ability against enemy figures trying to close in. I wouldn't mind putting one or two of these next to Krav and/or Nakitas to delay melee figures that manage to slip through a Rat screen (and at 30 points, they're awfully cheap). Air Mastery also gives them an edge over flying figures, especially Sentinels.

Water Elemental:
Essentially a hero version of a Marro Drudge that works in normal water and swamp water. Although terrain based, water is so common it's bound to see some use, even if only as a filler unit.

Fire Elemental:
Searing Intensity is intersting, in that it goes into effect for all of them when you move any one of them. When Kurrok gets released, these guys will become serious massed squad killers (I'm thinking Rats) because you can not only move with three of them, but potentially roll for Searing Intensity three times with all three. If the elementals show up in tournaments, this might just give Brunak some more playability...

[Grungebob]

I personally feel that the customization offered by the elementals allows for an unpredictable amount of variety in army builds. When activating Kurrok and using his elemental bonding, you can choose which elements to do the job THAT TURN. Next turn, conditions may change and you may choose a different combination.

[Elf_Archer]

For some reason, I have a feeling that, when more similar "respawning" figures are released, I can go play tournament Herocape pokemon.

Elemental army vs Elemental army

Go Charzard elemental!

To counter, the opponent says:

Go Blastoise elemental!

Charzard, withdraw, go (insert future antiwater elemental if we ever get one.)

(This is possible since we can move 3 elementals per turn. We can constantly shift our "linemen" to match whatever the opponent throws at us. If he's trying a melee rush move up wind elementals while withdrawing ranged elementals in teh same turn.)

[dragonswoop]

Haha, Pokemon.

[killercactus]

Originally Posted by White Noise

So, first impressions looking at the new figures:

Wyvern:

When I first saw Venemous Sting, though, I immediately thought "Q9 killer". It's essentially Maul without the small/medium restriction. If you managed to roll all skulls on an attack on Q9 (which, although somewhat unlikely, could happen while attacking Q9), you'd be able to inflict 4 unblockable wounds.

I've seen a couple of comments about Wyvern's being able to one-shot Q9.

That's true and everything, but he has a 6.25% chance to do it. Runa and Morsbane have a 5% chance, and they can be at range and higher than Q9 when they're doing it (and they both have some sort of bonding, too), and Morsbane has a 20% chance to miss the kill but get rid of the Q-Gun. Deadeye Dan is at 10%, and he can be 10 spaces away. Sudema has a 20% chance at 4 spaces out.

A nifty ability, to be sure, but nothing ground-breaking I guess. The Wyvern certainly does some other things better than those heroes, though.

[Dysole]

Originally Posted by killercactus

I've seen a couple of comments about Wyvern's being able to one-shot Q9.

That's true and everything, but he has a 6.25% chance to do it. Runa and Morsbane have a 5% chance, and they can be at range and higher than Q9 when they're doing it (and they both have some sort of bonding, too), and Morsbane has a 20% chance to miss the kill but get rid of the Q-Gun. Deadeye Dan is at 10%, and he can be 10 spaces away. Sudema has a 20% chance at 4 spaces out.

A nifty ability, to be sure, but nothing ground-breaking I guess. The Wyvern certainly does some other things better than those heroes, though.

I see it as more like "Ooh you mean I can use this guy as a solid offensive force that's fairly mobile, bonds, AND has a chance to one-shot Q9 for only 100 points? Deal!"

~Dysole, not actually sure if anyone outside of his circle of friends says "Deal!"