The Book of Terminator (Guardian)

[Lazy Orang]

Originally Posted by LordVenoc

Terminators are generally protecting someone Skynet is actively after. So being chased and all that jazz. Having him "protect" someone sitting in the back is just him essentially fighting for them. It's a soldier vs bodyguard thing. Bodyguard who isn't near their charge isn't doing their job.

Edit: Why do we keep saying Sarah here? He was sent back to protect John Connor, not his mom. His mom was an awesome fighter, John was a borderline defenseless kid.

This is basically what I was trying to say, but you said it better.
Actually, that last comment about John Connor being a borderline defenceless kid inspires me. How about:


PROTECTION PROGRAMMING
At the start of the game, choose another Medium or Small Unique Hero without the Super Strength or Flying Special Powers you control to be the Terminator's Charge. After a numbered Order Marker is revealed on the Charge's card, instead of attacking with his Charge, you may take an immediate turn with Terminator. {Terminator may only attack a figure within X spaces of his Charge, or some other bonus/restriction.} Figures engaged with the Terminator may not make leaving engagement attacks.


*************


The bracketed stuff is stuff I'm not sure of, but the idea here is to move him away from either start-zone support or straight up front line badasses, to try to steer him away from unthematic play where he's either just acting as a straight up soldier or playing second fiddle to a fighter like Batman. This is more likely to try to steer him towards front-line support characters, who need to be in the firing line/moving, but don't actually want full turns to attack - so he'll actually feel like a front line fighter actively protecting a character not equipped as much to fight.

[Yodaking]

It's a good thought, as I do kind of like how that makes his best pairings support role types. Units that can do something outside of attacking, then are happy to give up their attack for the Terminator's stronger one. After trying to come up with some of his best pairings, it looks like maybe mind control types? Puppet Master and Purple Man look like good ones. Jolt could work, but then you need to build the rest of the army around her too. Leech might be an interesting pairing if fighting mutants.

[Lazy Orang]

Originally Posted by Yodaking

It's a good thought, as I do kind of like how that makes his best pairings support role types. Units that can do something outside of attacking, then are happy to give up their attack for the Terminator's stronger one. After trying to come up with some of his best pairings, it looks like maybe mind control types? Puppet Master and Purple Man look like good ones. Jolt could work, but then you need to build the rest of the army around her too. Leech might be an interesting pairing if fighting mutants.

I don't think you can use powers that are instead of attacking to stack with an instead of attacking power, so I think the mind controllers are out. Vertigo's probably a good pick here. Leech would definitely be a solid anti-mutant pick.

[IAmBatman]

This doesn't strike me as steering the end user towards combinations that feel particularly thematic but rather towards combinations that are exploitable (which exist). That path wouldn't end up with you pairing him with someone "defenseless" but with you pairing him with someone who's strong and aggressive with movement powers/other non-attacking powers that don't require giving up the attack.

[Lazy Orang]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

This doesn't strike me as steering the end user towards combinations that feel particularly thematic but rather towards combinations that are exploitable (which exist). That path wouldn't end up with you pairing him with someone "defenseless" but with you pairing him with someone who's strong and aggressive with movement powers/other non-attacking powers that don't require giving up the attack.

That's the idea - push him towards acting as a guard for frontline passive support rather than either start-zone support or frontline fighters. I think it gives him an interesting and unique battlefield role.

[Yodaking]

Puppet Master's power is after taking a turn. Purple Man is before moving. Vertigo could be interesting, just need some normal attackers around as well to take advantage of what she does. Need to think on it a bit more, but I'm leaning this way as it at least discourages you from assigning him to protect a figure with a strong attack option.

[IAmBatman]

I'd tag CRB and see what the most exploitable combinations are.

[Yodaking]

@Soundwarp SG-1 @LordVenoc @dok @Dysole

What kind of exploits/best uses come to mind for this set-up?

PROTECTION PROGRAMMING
At the start of the game, choose a Medium or Small Unique Hero without the Super Strength or Flying Special Powers you control to be the Terminator's Charge. After a numbered Order Marker is revealed on the Charge's card, instead of attacking with his Charge, you may take a turn with Terminator. If its Charge is on the battlefield, the Terminator may only attack figures within 6 spaces of its Charge. Figures engaged with the Terminator may not make Leaving Engagement Attacks.

[LordVenoc]

Could have a weird interaction with people like Moon Knight or Nick Fury as they chill on their cards. As of now, I'd probably try and find some double bonding targets. None of the Vigilantes have powers that make them okay with giving up an attack, but I think a few Mutants do, so you could get some solid stuff out of that with 3 turns going on. Star-Lord would probably like him so that he can keep advancing (maybe bonding with Baby Groot as well) while not sacrificing any attack power.

[Arch-vile]

Hawkeye III is pretty similar, so I imagine that power would be okay. Cutting out all the Super Strength/Flying figures cuts out a lot of figures.

[IAmBatman]

Is Jolt the only non-flying figure with a movement power that wounds? (There's the new Ghost Rider, but he is Large).

[LordVenoc]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

Is Jolt the only non-flying figure with a movement power that wounds? (There's the new Ghost Rider, but he is Large).

Blade, Charlene Dupre, and AoA Sabretooth are a few that could deal some autowounds without needing their attack action off the top of my head.

EDIT: Wally Flash works as well.