The Book of D.Va (Pilot)

[Skinderella]

If it happened last turn of the round it won't of really change anything.

I spoke about the changes in my post before your feedback, where I replayed my playtest games so I could compare the older version and the new version. How it is now, when the mech is destroyed you place the pilot, but you can choose not to remove the mech to use Nerf This!. The pilot then gets a free 2 move at the end of the round, and then you roll for damage on everyone.

Only playtests with the current version are yours and in this post. Realised I never mentioned the winners of those two games, but Fantastic 5 won the first game with Invisible Woman and Spider-Man still alive with 2 Life left each. Second game was also a lose with Dr. Strange left alive with 3 Life.

[Tornado]

Sounds like you are on the right path. Maybe one more set of tests with this version?

[IAmBatman]

So am I right that the current version is 2-3 in testing? If so, I could see an argument that this is ready to move forward.

[Skinderella]

You'd be correct Bats. I would be fine moving forward if desired, but personally I'd like to see one more set of tests just to get another opinion on the design in action. She seems to be pretty fine, but I'd like to see how this current Nerf This! works in another player's hands, whether it needs a range adjustment or anything of the like, or if she needs a price change.

[Tornado]

I would not nay moving forward.
Just put those tests into test sheet form and link them in the OP.

[Skinderella]

I'll wait to see if anyone else is for or against moving her forward. Certainly not against the idea, but don't want to rush ahead either.

Not sure what I could really fill in on those sheets. I did those two tests mainly to check the changes felt good, but didn't write anything down for them beyond the winners. I can't testify to what else really happened in those games as it was long enough ago that I don't remember many specifics.

[Tornado]

Just what the teams were and the results is fine. That is mostly all I add in anyway.
It just helps to have them for reference. Especially when they are the only other tests with the current version.

[Skinderella]

Here's those tests written! Will also link the original post of these tests here. A bit less compared to what I normally write, as this was a couple of weeks ago now and didn't really think about taking many notes since they were more just to scope out the changes.

NAME OF THE PLAYTEST UNIT: D.Va (Pilot)

Map: City Park
Units: D.Va combo (320), White Canary (210), Punisher (180), Captain America (220), Moon Knight (170) (1100) Vs. Mr. Fantastic (235), Invisible Woman (215), Spider-Man (FF) (225), Iron Man (Hasbro) (240), Jocasta (180) (1095)

Spoiler Alert!

Avengers were D.Va (Mech), White Canary, and Moon Knight.

Both D.Va’s got a fair bit of work in. The +1 Life didn’t really matter this game because she got chunked for 3 wounds by Iron Man. The kill was unintentional (more trying to weaken her to set up to destroy her the beginning of the next round to avoid Nerf This!). White Canary’s team had time to get out, but Iron Man was destroyed because of Nerf This!. The extra move D.Va gets just before this explosion is a big boost, as it allows her to escape the blast if she hasn’t already, and helps set her up for the next round.

Moving the markers from mech to pilot was a nice change. Cap and D.Va (Pilot) were the last two figures left in her team, and it allowed her to control space a little more. Had it not been for Spider-Man’s mobility, I think Cap and D.Va could of taken this honestly. Spider-Man was just constantly able to avoid D.Va’s range and screen for Invisible Woman against Cap.

Play to Win controlled the board slightly as F5 had to skirt around to avoid the free wounds. She got a couple of wounds in but ultimately got targeted and fell before having much impact.

Winners: Invisible Woman with 2 wounds, Spider-Man with 2 wounds.

___________________________________________________________

NAME OF THE PLAYTEST UNIT:

Map: City Park
Units: D.Va combo (320), White Canary (210), Black Canary (190), Green Arrow (150) Batroc the Leaper (130) (1000) Vs. Black Panther (210), Doctor Strange (320), Iron Man (270), Beast (200) (1000)

Spoiler Alert!

Illuminati kicked this team around a bit. D.Va’s team had a good start with Green Arrow getting Iron Man low early. D.Va became a priority when she advanced in though. She was destroyed early, but Nerf This! cleared the area out and let Green Arrow get a few safe shots. No one wounded with Nerf This!. After this though the Illuminati started sweeping up the rest of the team, including pilot D.Va, who did take out Beast with Play to Win as he couldn’t escape her range.

Winners: Doctor Strange with 3 wounds.


Thoughts on the tested unit’s cost, balance, & draftability:
Seems a lot more engaging and not as oppressive with her original instant Nerf This!. She bolsters the mech nicely, and her powers are active sporadically and make her a bit easier to memorise despite all the text. I’d say she’s very draftable, but also changes the armies she can function in (mainly GotG).

General thoughts on the tested unit:
A lot more fun and I enjoy this version a lot more. It sacrifices the revives that she’s known for in the games, but focuses more on both the lore and gives her more of an identity than an extra life for the mech.

One change I could see here is potentially a range increase to Nerf This!. Damage I think is good, but one concern I can see is how easy it is to escape the AoE with how it’s delayed to end of round. You can however move her into an enemy team and try to pop her yourself if she’s low, or if you have a thrower maybe throwing the mech around. If the range was changed, I’d also change either the pilot’s placement range to match, or add to her move just before the explosion, to give D.Va the ability to get out of the range if you haven’t invested into her. The range of course here is a mixed bag. Easier to catch both enemies and allies in it. It would be fitting though, as the range in Overwatch is 20m radius.

Alternatively, we could make it detonate at a different time. Perhaps at the end of the player that destroyed her’s next player turn. Would give both teams a turn to adjust figures since most teams have bonding nowadays. It did feel a little too easy to escape from, but that might be more because of the enemy teams having a lot of turns and mobility.

Wording on Nerf This! needs to be updated in general though. Both D.Va’s can briefly be on the board at the same time, and I don’t think the current wording makes that clear after seeing Tornado’s games.

[toyhandle]

NAME OF THE PLAYTEST UNIT: D.Va (Pilot)
Version Tested:

Spoiler Alert!

NAME = D.VA
SECRET IDENTITY = HANA SONG

SPECIES = HUMAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = PILOT
PERSONALITY = COMPETITIVE

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 4

LIFE = 3

MOVE = 5
RANGE = 5
ATTACK = 3
DEFENSE = 4

POINTS = 85

OVERWATCH: MEKA PILOT
You may draft one other Hana Song that is Large. For the remainder of the game, that figure is considered to be D.Va's Mech. If you do, D.Va starts the game on this card. Add 1 to her Mech's Life number. When her Mech is destroyed, place D.Va on any unoccupied space within 3 spaces of her Mech's original placement, and move all markers other than Wound Markers on her Mech’s card to this card.

NERF THIS!
If D.Va’s Mech is destroyed, instead of removing it from the battlefield, you may activate Nerf This!. If you do, D.Va’s Mech cannot move, roll for attacks or leaving engagement attacks, take turns, or use any special powers on its card. At the end of this round, you may immediately move D.Va up to 2 spaces. After moving D.Va, roll 3 unblockable attack dice against each figure within 3 clear sight spaces of her Mech, one at a time. After rolling for Nerf This!, remove D.Va’s Mech from the battlefield.

PLAY TO WIN
After D.Va or a friendly Unique Hero takes a turn, you may choose an opponent's figure within 5 clear sight spaces of D.Va that was attacked by that Hero this turn and roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 12 or higher, the defending figure receives 1 wound.

Army Test
Map: Conflict Chernobyl
Units:
D.Va (Pilot), D.Va (Mech), Batman (JL), Flash (JL), Hawkwoman (JL)
Lex III, Deathstroke II, Cheetah (Barbara), Grundy II (1,100)
Results:
Very close game, where luck held out for a wounded Lex in his final battle against a full life Flash.
Hana was useful for nailing the coffin on Cheetah. But her Play To Win wounds do nothing against Grundy, who very quickly smashed her. The roll is low enough that it makes her a big target.

There was a little oddity when Grundy destroyed D.Va’s mech. Because it is destroyed, the Mech is In Play, but not under my Control, so Grundy is not Engaged, and can’t move it with Grundy Crush. Not huge, but something players might miss.

Flash was useful for moving the Mech around while I did control it, but if he had to move it while destroyed, I would only have moved it 1 space instead of 4.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t get it near enough to damage any opponent’s figures. If Hawkwoman didn’t have Aerial Assault, Grundy’s attack on her R3T3 would have knocked her right next to D.Va as it was about to explode.
Spoiler Alert!

Spoiler Alert!

Game Summary:

Initiative: Toy
R1T1(Player): Flash pushes up Dva. He and Hawkwoman moves up.
R1T1(Player): Deathstroke moves up, no wound on Palm.
R1T2(Player): Flash pushes up Dva, drops a tree on Deathstroke. D’va engages Deathstroke and gets 1 wound with help from Batman using a Micro missiles, and second attack puts 2 wounds on Deathstroke.
R1T2(Player): Deathstroke puts 4 wounds on Dva in two attacks, healing one.
R1T3(Player): Flash moves, moves Dva, Hawkwoman destroys Deathstroke, returning a JL marker to Batman.
R1T3(Player): Cheetah attacks a Palm, no wound.

Lex removes a marker.
Initiative: Toy
R2T1(Player): Flash moves Hawkwoman, destroys a tree. Dva lands 1 Micro Missile on Cheetah, attacks twice for two wounds.
R2T1(Player): Batman blocks Cheetah, and she leaps away.
R2T2(Player): Hawkwoman would put 2 wounds on Lex, he removes a marker, she takes a wound.
R2T2(Player): Cheetah fails to wound Flash. She Leaps away.
R2T3(Player): Flash moves D.Va up. Hawkwoman puts 1 wound on Lex.
R2T3(Player): Flash blocks Cheetah.

Lex removes a Marker
Initiative: Toy
R3T1(Player): Flash moves Dva. Micro Missiles lands 1 on Cheetah. Fails attacks.
R3T1(Player): Cheetah puts 1 wound on Hawkwoman,
R3T2(Player): Flash moves up Dva. Hawkwoman puts 1 wound on Cheetah.
R3T2(Player): Grundy grabs height, destroys Dva. Hana pops out.
R3T3(Player): Flash repositions. Hawkwoman fails to wound Cheetah, Play to win lands a 19, and destroys Cheetah.
R3T3(Player): Hawkwoman takes a wound from Grundy, takes an LEA to move away from Grundy with Aerial Assault.
Hana moves, Dva blows up, and destroys a Palm.

Initiative: Toy
R4T1(Player): Flash moves Batman up. Grundy ignores Hawkwoman’s wounds, and Play to Win’s wound.
R4T1(Player): Grundy destroys Dva.
R4T2(Player): Flash moves Hawkwoman up. She puts 4 wounds on Grundy.
R4T2(Player): Flash blocks Grundy.
R4T3(Player): Flash moves up Batman. Hawkwoman puts 2 wounds on Grundy.
R4T3(Player): Grundy Destroys Hawkwoman.
Grundy Heals 1.

Initiative: Toy
R5T1(Player): Flash moves up Batman, Batman engages Grundy, who ignores the wound.
R5T1(Player): Grundy Destroys Batman.
R5T2(Player): Flash puts 1 wound on Grundy.
R5T2(Player): Flash blocks.
R5T3(Player): Flash destroys Grundy.
R5T3(Player): Flash blocks Lex.

Initiative: Flash removes a JL Marker to win initiative.
R6T1(Player): Flash is blocked, and backs away.
R6T1(Player): Flash blocks.
R6T2(Player): Flash inflicts 1 wound, and backs away.
R6T2(Player): Flash blocks.
R6T3(Player): Flash is blocked.
R6T3(Player): Lex takes no LEA. Flash blocks.

Initiative: Flash removes a JL Marker to win initiative.
R7T1(Player): Flash takes a wound from an IJ marker.
R7T1(Player): Flash whiffs against 3 skulls and is destroyed.

Who won?
Lex Luthor 2 life remaining.

Army Test
Map: Ivy’s Greenhouse
Units:
D.Va (Pilot), D.Va (Mech), Black Panther (Avengers), Beast (Avengers), Doctor Fate (II) (1100)
Batman (Occult), Hellboy II, Blade II, Flash (Barry) (JL) (1,100)
Results:
Not a great matchup, as the Justice Avengers didn’t really have anything strong against the Investigators, and the Investigators had Hellboy to counter Fate, Blade to get around Magical Defense and Vibranium, Flash to prevent me from winning initiative, and a pretty disposable X Order Marker, so no D20 boosts from Beast.

D.Va’s mech was dropped R2T1, and Hana landed 1 Play To Win wound on Hellboy with help from Fate, before being destroyed in the next turn.
Dva’s Mech had an interesting interaction while destroyed. Because it is a Unique Hero, wounds on its card were able to be transferred over to Hellboy, Flash and Blade R2T2.

Spoiler Alert!

Spoiler Alert!

Game Summary:
Mutant is Hellboy’s chosen species. Batman is Hellboy’s Partner.
Fate rolls a 12.

Initiative: Karat
R1T1(Player): Flash drops a tree on Dr. Fate. Hellboy and Batman move up.
R1T1(Player): Fate puts 1 wound on Flash.
R1T2(Player): Flash moves up Blade. Hellboy and Batman move up.
R1T2(Player): Dva Micro Missiles a tree, and keeps a 20 from Fate.
R1T3(Player): Flash moves up Blade. Fending Daggers fails, Hellboy puts 3 wounds on Dva. Batman triggers Defense Matrix.
R1T3(Player): Fate’s reorganize fails, and Hellboy blocks.

Initiative: Fate switches out the 20, but Flash removes a JL marker to win initiative.
R2T1(Player): Flash moves up Blade. Hellboy destroys DVA. Hana pops out. Batman puts 2 wounds on the Great Evergreen
R2T1(Player): Dva moves back, Hellboy blocks her attack, and Twist of Fate switches a 5 to a 12 to hit Hellboy with Play to Win.
R2T2(Player): Flash drops the Green Evergreen on Dva, Beast and Black Panther. Flash moves Batman into engagement with Black Panther, fending Daggers hits. Batman rolls two blanks and a shield, destroying Hana with Auto wounds.
R2T2(Player): Twist of Fate reorganizes wounds from Dva Mech, to Hellboy, Blade, and Flash. Fate destroys Flash.
R2T3(Player): Hellboy engages Beast, Fending fails, Whoppers fail to wound Beast. Batman puts 1 wound on Black Panther, and gets knocked away.
R2T3(Player): Reorganized lands naturally, moving a wound from BP to Blade. Hellboy blocks Fate.
Dva is blown up and destroys a tree.

Beast chooses Blade, who removes an OM.
Initiative: Twist of fate wins me initiative.
R3T1(Player): Fate repositions. Hellboy Blocks. Beast fails to heal Black Panther. Black Panther puts 1 wound on Batman, who moves to his card.
R3T1(Player): Blade attacks Beast twice, inflicting two wounds, but he backs away to avoid getting Staked.
R3T2(Player): Fate moves Wound from Beast to Hellboy. Attacks Blade for 2 wounds. Blade blocks Beast.
R3T2(Player): Occult rolls a skull and a shield. Blade destroys Beast and puts 1 wound on Fate.
R3T3(Player): Blade blocks Fate, takes a wound from Panther.
R3T3(Player): Occult rolls two skulls. Blade destroys Fate. Panther blocks, and is staked. Hellboy destroys Panther.

Who won?
Batman 2 life remaining, Hellboy 3 life remaining, Blade 1 life remaining.

THOUGHTS ON THE TESTED UNIT'S COST, BALANCE, & DRAFTABILITY:
I would think that Hana was a must-draft for D.Va, but it certainly depends on your ability to move her into an opponent’s pod. With Flash and Batman, she and the mech are mobile, and you have good odds of landing Play to Win and Micro Missiles. If there’s a good chance the Mech might get left back around your figures, where you don’t want to activate Nerf This, it might be better not to draft her. Even still, both occasions that Nerf This activated, the whole area cleared out, and no one was wounded.
Normally explosion attacks are Roll once for All Affected Figures, but its difficult to set up, so I don’t mind it being one at a time rolls.

Still, it changes the strategy for the round, and she can clear out key points held by the opponent.

She's very fragile, both games only surviving for 1 round after arriving to the battlefield.
Most consistently, she’s got a solid auto-wound power, and keeps the mech alive a little longer. I would drop her to 65pts, making the duo an even 300.

GENERAL THOUGHTS ON THE TESTED UNIT:
Definitely brings something new to the game. Not sure if its best to leave the Nerf This state of the mech as a destroyed figure on the battlefield, or have it considered an object. As written, it might lead to some confusion, but also, more interesting interactions. Not sure if there's anything game breaking.

[Skinderella]

Thanks for the tests Toy! So in her current state she’s won 2, lost 5. Both wins were against King Ghidorah. Knocking her down to either 65 or 75 seems like a good idea here. I agree that 65 making the combo 300 is a good round number.

At this point I’m pretty happy with her, and the only thing to figure out is the wording for Nerf This!. How does this look?

After D.Va's Mech is destroyed, instead of removing it from the battlefield, you may activate Nerf This!. If you do, D.Va's Mech cannot move, roll any dice, take turns, use any special powers or glyphs, and is considered an obstacle instead of a figure. At the end of this round, you may immediately move D.Va up to 2 spaces. After moving D.Va, roll 3 unblockable attack dice against each figure within 3 clear sight spaces of her Mech, one at a time. After rolling for Nerf This!, remove D.Va’s Mech from the battlefield.

Turning it into an obstacle would reduce some weird interactions, unless the limits stated just before that cover all bases? Also in regards to requiring clear sight, would it be better to just make this within 3 spaces? The Mech has Q9 LoS issues, or may not be able to have sight if it becomes an obstacle.

I'll also add an immediately clause to when D.Va should pop out of the mech, to make sure she comes out before you use Nerf This!.

[toyhandle]

Derp, yeah, obstacle, not object.

And thinking back on it, I believe the Mech wasn't "In Play" when destroyed, but I don't think that changes how anything was played with it? Not sure, since that conversation seems to be on hiatus in the rules thread.

[Skinderella]

Yeah I'm not sure how the ruling on that goes. My aim is for as little weirdness as possible since this sort of thing could get finicky really quickly. The mech staying on the board is primarily just a marker for where the explosion will happen.