Clayface (Preston Payne)

[Ericth74]

Clayface (Preston Payne)



Card PDF

NAME = CLAYFACE
IDENTITY = PRESTON PAYNE

UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
SPECIES = METAHUMAN
CLASS = MISFIT
PERSONALITY = INSANE

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 5

MOVE = 5
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 4
DEFENSE = 4

POINTS = 130

TOXIC TOUCH
Instead of Clayface's attack phase, choose an adjacent enemy without the Inorganic keyword and roll a d20. On an 8-18, that enemy takes 1 Toxic wound. On a 19+, that enemy takes 2 Toxic wounds. If Clayface inflicts 1+ wounds with Toxic Touch, he may heal 1 wound.

UNSTABLE BODY
During cleanup, if Clayface has activated this round and has 1+ wounds, he takes 1 wound.

FACTION =
PUBLISHER = DC
KEYWORDS = Arkham
SYMBOLS = TOXIC RESISTANCE, SUPER STRENGTH

WINTER 2024: ]Preston Payne was a scientist working on a cure for a rare illness he had. After meeting Matt Hagen, the second Clayface, he acquired a tissue sample, and worked out a cure. Unfortunately it had some side effects, making his touch toxic to any person. Meeting his girlfriend after his cure, he accidentally turned her into nothing more than a puddle. Growing increasingly mad after this incident, he still managed to create a containment suit that temporarily held his body together, and kept himself from killing people accidentally. He still had a "hunger," however, and killed people to satiate that hunger.

Even though he lost his mind after the death of his girlfriend, he did manage to find love once again. His new girlfriend, Helena, managed to be everything he ever asked for in a woman-that is, she didn't melt to his touch. He just didn't really realize she was nothing more than a mannequin at a department store.

Resources and Rulings

• The suggested figure for this unit is a Heroclix figure: Hypertime #082-084 / Clayface III
• See this card's wiki page for synergies and strategies!

Credits

• Legacy design: Lord Pyre

• Card art: japes
• Comic creators: Len Wien, Mike Barr, Marshall Rogers

Updates

• N/A

[Ericth74]

1.0 design

No changes to the design

Added Arkham keyword.

Should he have the Gotham Underworld faction tag?

[MrNobody]

Should he deal Toxic damage? (And should he be Toxic Resistant?)

No particular need to, but I wonder if we can shift from Unstable Body to the slightly more common Delicate Health.

From what I know of the guy he's never really been a part of the underworld, but I could be off base there!

[Lord Pyre]

Prob should have toxic resistence? I don't think he needs to do toxic damage, as it just melts basically anything he touches without regard. Been a long time since I've thought about this guy though. Don't recall him being part of any real criminal organization.

[IAmBatman]

It definitely melts anyone, but due to an acidic effect, I believe. I'd go Toxic damage on it for sure, and give him Toxic Resistance for sure.

He's more of a marginalized outsider type who works with Lady Clayface and that's about it. I'd skip a faction for him but definitely go Arkham keyword.

[Lord Pyre]

But if he can melt anyone, why would we let it be stopped by some people? If a power indiscriminately hits everyone and everything, it really shouldn't do more or less damage to anything.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by Lord Pyre

But if he can melt anyone, why would we let it be stopped by some people? If a power indiscriminately hits everyone and everything, it really shouldn't do more or less damage to anything.

Did he ever go up against anyone with toxic resistance in the comics?

[MrNobody]

That argument is probably leaning towards cutting the Inorganic carveout as well, right?

[Ericth74]

Maybe change the name to Melting Touch? Less toxic confusion?

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by MrNobody

That argument is probably leaning towards cutting the Inorganic carveout as well, right?

If he melted literally anything, sure ... but he doesn't really.

Corrosive Touch: Preston Payne transmits the viral infection that courses through his body into others. Although he is immune to his own power to some extent, Payne's touch causes organic matter to bubble, blister and melt into a pool of protoplasm.

From another source:

Preston Payne originally had an amorphous physiology, yet ended up gaining the ability to melt people with his touch. He has immense strength from his anti-melting exoskeleton.[85] Preston's metamorphic abilities were later restored by Prometheus.[86]

From what I've seen in comics, he's only used it on regular humans?

[Lord Pyre]

DC wiki says it affects organic matter. Its been many years since I've read anything on this guy so I don't recall specifics.

[Ericth74]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

From another source:

From what I've seen in comics, he's only used it on regular humans?

I wonder if we should change the name to Corrosive Touch to match what is above and to lessen confusion if we don't give him Toxic damage. I'm fine with it being Toxic Damage though as we currently only have 24 figures out of 486 with Toxic Resistance, so its not as if he's going to run into it that often. Indifferent about him having Toxic Resistance.

Any thoughts @Lord Pyre