The Book of Namor (Avengers/X-Men)

[MrNobody]

I do want to eliminate the LEA gimmick on Imperius Rex after playtesting him. I liked it in theory, but in execution it felt either easy to forget or unfair, depending on the situation.

”IMPERIUS REX!”
Instead of moving normally with Namor, you may choose up to 1 figure engaged with Namor and roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 14 or higher, move Namor up to 2 spaces. Then if you chose a figure, place it adjacent to Namor and inflict a wound on it. Figures moved with "Imperius Rex!" will not take leaving engagement attacks. After using “Imperius Rex!”, you may use it X additional times, where X is the number of Unique Heroes in your army that are destroyed or have at least 1 Wound Marker on their Army Card.

If anybody has an idea of how to word IR! more clearly, btw, I'm all ears.

I propose a VOTE for Public Playtesting.

[Yodaking]

yea

[Tornado]

Yea

[fret_gurglo]

Yea

[Arkham]

yea

[IAmBatman]

yea glad that part is getting cut. I wasn't a fan of the cheese of it.

[MrNobody]

This passes.

[Arkham]

Fwiw, after attempting to put some armies together, I think 280 is a better number to land on for army building? So if he's feeling a little weak atm, maybe lead with 280 for testing?

[MrNobody]

Originally Posted by Arkham

Fwiw, after attempting to put some armies together, I think 280 is a better number to land on for army building? So if he's feeling a little weak atm, maybe lead with 280 for testing?

I can try 280 - can I ask what your thinking there is? It just that he pairs with Strange and potentially Reed?

[Arkham]

No preference other than to make sure we are landing on point values that offer army build options. When I was trying various point values, 280 seemed to lead to more results than 290, but we should probably break it down and see what the best options are for Namor, Reed, and Professor X.

If you're wanting him to be more on the Mutant side of things, of course that may change perspective on that front and a different number may make more sense in that case.

[MrNobody]

280 would make him an easy pairing with Emma (220 points) which is nice, they were a ton of fun to play together and have strong thematic ties.

I’ll go for 280, updated.

[toyhandle]

NAME OF THE PLAYTEST UNIT: Namor
Version Tested:

Spoiler Alert!

NAME = NAMOR
SECRET IDENTITY = NAMOR MCKENZIE

SPECIES = ATLANTEAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = KING
PERSONALITY = ARROGANT

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 6

MOVE = 6
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 6
DEFENSE = 6

POINTS = 280

ARROGANT AVENGER
At the start of the game, place a white Avenger Marker on the Army Card of a friendly Unique Hero. If you lose initiative, you must immediately remove an Order Marker on the Army Card of a figure you control. If that figure has an Avenger Marker on its Army Card, you may immediately take a turn with Namor. You may not take any additional turns.

ATLANTEAN MUTANT
Namor has the species of Mutant in addition to what is listed on this card. Namor does not stop his movement when entering water spaces and adds 1 to his Attack number while occupying a water space.

”IMPERIUS REX!”
Instead of moving normally with Namor, you may choose up to 1 figure engaged with Namor and roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 14 or higher, move Namor up to 2 spaces. Then if you chose a figure, place it adjacent to Namor and inflict a wound on it. Figures moved with "Imperius Rex!" will not take leaving engagement attacks. After using “Imperius Rex!”, you may use it X additional times, where X is the number of Unique Heroes in your army that are destroyed or have at least 1 Wound Marker on their Army Card.

SUPER STRENGTH

FLYING

Army Test
Map: City Park
Units:
Namor (280), Magneto (II) (375), Destiny (55), Mystique (II) (200), Black Tom Cassidy (160), Pyro (120), Skrull Infiltrator (10)
Cap (I) (240, Iron Man MKIV (250), Luke Cage (190), Spider-Man (250), Wolverine (Avengers) (270)
Results:
Solid win for the Brotherhood. The Fighters were at a disadvantage early by Magneto throwing Luke Cage out of bonding range, and he and Namor ganging up on him with Auto-Wounds, with Luke destroyed by the end of Round 1. Similarly, the duo were able to bypass Cap and Spidey’s defenses as well. After Magneto and Namor fell, it was plausible that Wolverine could take the rest of the Brotherhood by himself, but he succumbed to the volley of attacks.

The sum of Magneto making Namor an Outcast, tossing opponents into engagement with Namor, setting up for Namor’s followup turn from Mystique, with Destiny boosting everyone’s rolls was a villainous combination.

Arrogant Avenger did influence my draft, as originally I would have brought Sabretooth (290) instead of Black Tom (160), Pyro (120) and Skrull Infiltrator x1 (10), but because Destiny needs an unrevealed OM to boost rolls, and rather than have Namor deny a Mystique turn, it was better to just have Destiny bond with Black Tom, so I would only lose her boost after revealing OM3 on her, and neither she nor Tom need the boost anyway. And Pyro benefits from her boost as well, whereas Sabretooth does not.
In the end though, 1 turn with Namor might be better than a bonded turn with Black Tom and Destiny, so can’t go wrong either way.

Namor was a real star, with much due to the high-synergy web. R4 was massive though, as losing initiative allowed Namor to engage and attack Cap for 4 wounds from a single hit, crippling Cap’s OM1 turn, and setting himself up to Imperius Rex both Cap and Spider-Man on Mystique's OM1.
Spoiler Alert!

Spoiler Alert!

Game Summary:

Magneto makes Namor an Outcast. Namor puts Avenger Marker on Mystique. Destiny is Black Tom’s partner.

Initiative: Avengers.
Namor removes an OM from Mystique and moves forward.
R1T1(Player): Iron Man and Luke move up
R1T1(Player): Mystique rolls 13, Magneto moves up, destroys tree, Mystique moves up.
R1T2(Player): Cap fails to wound trees.
R1T2(Player): Mystique rolls 21. Magneto throws Luke twice for two wounds, Namor rolls a 17, for 1 wound on Luke and attacks for 1 wound on Luke. Mystique retreats.
R1T3(Player): Luke fails to wound Namor.
R1T3(Player): Black Tom destroys Tree, which destroys Luke. Destiny strafes.

Initiative: Brotherhood.
R2T1(Player): Magneto fails both throws, and Mystique repositions.
R2T1(Player): Iron Man puts 1 wound on Namor and knocks him back 1 space.
R2T2(Player): Mystique rolls a 19. Magneto throws successfully once, for 1 wound on Iron Man. Namor and Mystique fail to wound Iron Man
R2T2(Player): Cap puts 2 wounds on Magneto and 1 on a Great Evergreen.
R2T3(Player): Tom and Destiny fail to wound Cap and IM.
R2T3(Player): Spidey destroys a tree.

Initiative: Brotherhood
R3T1(Player): Mystique rolls a 9, Namor rolls 2 of 3 Imperius Rex rolls, and finishes Iron Man with his attack. Wolverine takes Iron Man’s OM. Mystique repositions.
R3T1(Player): Cap puts 1 wound on Namor.
R3T2(Player): Mystique rolls a 4, she repositions.
R3T2(Player): Wolverine moves up.
R3T3(Player): Black Tom and Destiny fail to wound.
R3T3(Player): Spider-Man puts 3 wounds on Tom.

Initiative: Avengers.
Namor removes an OM from Mystique and puts 4 wounds on Cap, who whiffed against 5 skulls.
R4T1(Player): Namor defends against Cap.
R4T1(Player): Namor destroys Cap and puts 1 wound on Spider-Man with Imperius Rex. Spidey Swings away from attack.
R4T2(Player): Spidey web Slings Namor and Namor blocks.
R4T2(Player): Mystique rolls a 6, and stays.
R4T3(Player): Wolverine advances.
R4T3(Player): Destiny destroys a tree.

Initiative: Brotherhood
R5T1(Player): Mystique rolls a 20. Magneto moves. Throws Spider-man twice for 2 wounds, and Namor gets 1 wound from Imperius Rex and fails to wound Wolverine.
R5T1(Player): Wolverine puts 3 wounds on Namor with Adamantium Flurry.
R5T2(Player): Mystique rolls a 22. Magneto destroys Spider-Man, Adamantium Flurry destroys Namor. Wolverine ignores Black Tom’s attack.
R5T2(Player): Wolverine puts 2 wounds Magneto.
R5T3(Player): Black Tom puts 1 wound on Wolverine.
R5T3(Player): Adamantium Flurry destroys Magneto.

Initiative: Brotherhood.
R6T1(Player): Black Tom fails to wound. Mystique retreats.
R6T1(Player): Wolverine puts 2 wounds on Destiny.
R6T2(Player): Wolverine takes 3 wounds from Pyro.
R6T2(Player): Destiny survives Flurry
R6T3(Player): Wolverine blocks.
R6T3(Player): Wolverine puts 2 wounds on Destiny

Initiative: Avengers
R7T1(Player): Destiny takes 1 wound.
R7T1(Player): Pyro destroys Wolverine.

Who won?
Destiny 5 of 6 wounds, Black Tom 3 of 5 wounds, Pyro and Mystique unwounded and a Skrull unused.

Army Test
Map: City Park
Units:
Namor (280), Bizarro (II) (260), Spider-Man (Avengers) (280), Doctor Fate (II) (370), Spells (10)
Nightwing (200), Raven (190), Starfire (210), Arsenal (190), Tempest (210), Cyborg (200)
Results:
I was boneheaded, and did the opposite of my intended play.
The intention was to have Bizarro and Spider-Man soften everyone up and take a beating, send in Namor to take over once Bizarro fell, with Doctor Fate ensuring that I lost initiative for a double dose of Arrogant Avenger and Bizarro Am Number 1 + Avenging Team-Up, and helping Namor land successful Imperius Rex rolls until Fate comes in to clean up.
Instead, I basically fed Namor to the Titans, and he was destroyed R1T3.
I expected to lose after that, but Bizarro was tanking freakishly well, setting up Fate for cleanup, who came in with a miraculous Lightning Bolt that destroyed Nightwing right when I needed it.
The Namor team basically won because R2, R3, R5 and R6 were all rounds where I destroyed the figure with the Titans’ next Order Marker/s.
So despite Namor not factoring into the game much at all, the results are proof that the army works well, and would work even better when played correctly.
Should note that we later realized Arsenal missed many opportunities to use Cover Fire.
I would consider this game extremely close, and could easily have gone the other way.
Spoiler Alert!

Spoiler Alert!

Game Summary:

Namor takes Spidey’s Avengers Marker, and Bizarro gets Namor’s marker.
Fate rolls a 17 for Twist of Fate
Initiative: Titans
Arrogant Avenger moves Namor up. Bizarro Am No. 1 moves up him and Spidey follows.
R1T1(Player): Starfire moves up, Bizarro blocks.
R1T1(Player): Namor and Spidey move.
R1T2(Player): Raven puts 2 wounds on Namor.
R1T2(Player): Namor puts 3 wounds on Starfire. Spidey whiffs.
R1T3(Player): Mystical Tempest puts 1 wound on Namor. Cyborg destroys Namor. Spidey blocks Nightwing and moves.
R1T3(Player):

Initiative: Titans
Bizarro destroys Starfire. Spidey puts 1 wound on Raven.
R2T1(Player): OM 1 Starfire.
R2T1(Player): Bizarro puts 1 wound on Raven.
R2T2(Player): Tempest puts 1 wound on Bizarro.
R2T2(Player): Bizarro puts 1 wound on Raven.
R2T3(Player): Cyborg puts 1 wound on Bizarro. Arsenal bolas’ Spider-Man. Bizarro blocks Arsenal. Nightwing puts 1 wound on Bizarro.
R2T3(Player):

Initiative: Doctor Fate gives Titans initiative
Bizarro and Spider-Man destroy Raven.
R3T1(Player): OM1 Raven.
R3T1(Player): Nightwing evades Bizarro. Spidey puts 1 wound on Tempest.
R3T2(Player): Spidey takes a wound from Mystical Tempest.
R3T2(Player): Bizarro whiffs on Nightwing, Spidey puts 1 wound on Tempest.
R3T3(Player): Bizarro takes a wound from Mystical Tempest. Spidey is Bolas’d and takes a wound from Arsenal. Spidey blocks Nightwing and moves away.
R3T3(Player):

Initiative: Doctor Fate gives Titans initiative
Bizarro fails to wound Nightwing. Spidey inflicts a wound on Tempest.
R4T1(Player): Bizarro blocks Tempest.
R4T1(Player): Bizarro destroys Tempest and Spidey puts 2 wounds on Nightwing.
R4T2(Player): Bizarro blocks Cyborg
R4T2(Player): Bizarro and Spidey fail to wound Cyborg
R4T3(Player): Cyborg puts 1 wound on Bizarro, Arsenal destroys him. Nightwing fails to wound Spidey.
R4T3(Player):

Initiative: Fate
R5T1(Player): Dr. Fate destroys Nightwing with a Lightning bolt.
R5T1(Player): OM1 Nightwing
R5T2(Player): Lightning bolt fails to wound Cyborg.
R5T2(Player): Arsenal whiffs.
R5T3(Player): Fate puts 1 wound on Arsenal.
R5T3(Player): OM3 Nightwing.

Initiative: Fate
R6T1(Player): Fate rolls 5 skulls against Cyborg, who whiffs.
R6T1(Player): OM1 Cyborg
R6T2(Player): Fate puts 2 wounds on Arsenal
R6T2(Player): OM2 Cyborg
R6T3(Player): Fate destroys Arsenal

Who won?
Spider-Man 2 of 5 wounds, Dr. Fate unwounded

THOUGHTS ON THE TESTED UNIT'S COST, BALANCE, & DRAFTABILITY:
So cool when a figure can inspire interesting drafts via unique mechanics, like Arrogant Avenger did in the Doctor Fate/Bizarro build. Both test armies are ones I will play again, and I can’t wait to try him in the Illuminati, with other Mutant leaders, and with fellow sea folk.

Balance wise, he seems well costed. Not overpowering, and not as straightforward as Wolverine (I) (280), but he maximizes easily in thematic builds, and pays off. He’ll be a great early pull in tourneys and leagues because of all the directions you can go with him.

GENERAL THOUGHTS ON THE TESTED UNIT:
He rules!