Improve this unit!!!! The Obsidian Guardians

[zombiedude]

Ok, I was thinking that there are some really cool units that just don't get enough gameplay. Sometimes it is because a unit is too specialized (such as the Obsidian Guardians) or any number of various factors.

What I want to do is set up a thread in which a unit that people have issues with and improve upon it. this way, each submission allows the board members to pick and choose new ways to play old characters.

The way it will work is we'll pick one unit a week, take submissions and allow everyone to use the new variations as they see fit.

The rules:
1) units must be pre-existing, no homebrewed custom stuff allowed. in other words a Swog Rider will always be called a Swog Rider and will always use the same figure. Otherwise, any changes you desire are permitted.

2) You only need to list the changes, things that are unchanged do not need to be listed (although if you make a card you can show it all). Essentially, if a unit moves 5 spaces and your variation moves 5 spaces then there is no need to repeat it. You can, however, if you are moved to do so

3)Be respectful of creations, give constructive criticism, not crude destructive comments (Not that I think anyone here will do so).

4) Please leave any units you want to "improve" as a name suggestion only, don't jump the gun and start producing variants willy nilly. Leave the chosen unit to stand alone for its week, eventually we'll get to your unit.

Ok, here's mine. . . (BTW, I have no idea how to post pics, so it'll hafta be text only, sorry)

Obsidian Guardians:
Movement 4
Range 3
Attack 3
Defense 2

Special Abilities:

Heat Shield: The Obsidian Guardians emit a wall of heat that is so intense that any unit that is within 1 hex of them must roll for defense. Failure to save results in the automatic loss of a life. Units that must move beside the Obsidian Guardians in order to attack them must roll against the heat Shield each round.

Volcanic Eruption: The Guardians may vomit forth a blast of searing hot lava against any character within three hexes distance. The Obsidian Guardians may use this ability to convert single water hexes into stone hexes. To do so, they may not move, defend, or attack in the round they plan on doing so. To convert the water into stone they must be adjacent to the water tile and roll 11 or better on the 20 sided die.

Hydrophobia: The Obsidian Guardians will not willingly enter water, if they are forced to flee through it they must roll a 10 or less on a 20 sided die or instantly perish. They must do this for every round they are in the water.

[CKboy56]

They should turn into a stone tile if they enter water.
They should set fire to grass.

[K/H_Addict]

Originally Posted by zombiedude

Obsidian Guardians:
Movement 4
Range 3
Attack 3
Defense 2

Special Abilities:

Heat Shield: The Obsidian Guardians emit a wall of heat that is so intense that any unit that is within 1 hex of them must roll for defense. Failure to save results in the automatic loss of a life. Units that must move beside the Obsidian Guardians in order to attack them must roll against the heat Shield each round.

Volcanic Eruption: The Guardians may vomit forth a blast of searing hot lava against any character within three hexes distance. The Obsidian Guardians may use this ability to convert single water hexes into stone hexes. To do so, they may not move, defend, or attack in the round they plan on doing so. To convert the water into stone they must be adjacent to the water tile and roll 11 or better on the 20 sided die.

Hydrophobia: The Obsidian Guardians will not willingly enter water, if they are forced to flee through it they must roll a 10 or less on a 20 sided die or instantly perish. They must do this for every round they are in the water.

I love the concepts of the abilities you gave them, but i hate the way you worded it. They don't fit with previous cards. I'd try something like this:

Heat Shield: Any unit that occupies a space within 1 space of an Obsidian Guard must roll defense dice normally. If the figure rolls no shields, they take a wound.

Volcanic Eruption Special Attack: Range 3; Attack 3. After moving and before attacking, an obsidian guard may choose to attack any unit within range and clear line of sight with Volcanic Eruption Special attack. Instead of moving and attacking, an obsidian guard may choose to turn an adjacent water space into a rock space. Roll the d20. On a roll of 11 or higher, replace the chosen water space with a rock tile.


I'd leave the Hydrophobia alone and keep it as Water Weakness, as per the original card.

[zombiedude]

Thanks, your wording is better.

[CKboy56]

I light mine on fire for realism

[imppious]

A cool ability that Obsidian Guards could have would be "Lava Swimming". If an Obsidian Guard is on a molten lava tile instead of moving normally an Obsidian Guard may submerge and swim to any other molten lava tile anywhere on the board.

[Pilgrim]

One simple thing you could do: Move 5.

[Eclipse]

Really, the Obsidian Guards are a pretty powerful squad, they're just hard to justify without lava. A 3/4/1/4/4 squad is pretty good on its own (not quite worth 100 points though). What makes them worth 100 points is thier ability to fight on Lava Fields without rolling for damage. You're not supposed to use their 4 attack to deal damage (though it certainly does), you're supposed to use their 4 defense to survive long enough to let the Lava Field do damage for you.

Also, don't put molten lava on the low ground. If you have a high spot with molten lava, you can have these guys with a range of 3 throwing an attack of 5. This is just brutal. If you want to see a map where the Obsidian Guards are possibly overpowered, check out my Tri-Colosseum's lava arena:

http://www.heroscapers.com/community...=164796#178751

Really, there's no problem with the Obsidian Guards, people just don't like lava fields in general because they're VERY hard on the squad dominant style of play that's popular lately.

[playa1]

Originally Posted by Eclipse

Really, the Obsidian Guards are a pretty powerful squad, they're just hard to justify without lava. A 3/4/1/4/4 squad is pretty good on its own (not quite worth 100 points though). What makes them worth 100 points is thier ability to fight on Lava Fields without rolling for damage. You're not supposed to use their 4 attack to deal damage (though it certainly does), you're supposed to use their 4 defense to survive long enough to let the Lava Field do damage for you.

Also, don't put molten lava on the low ground. If you have a high spot with molten lava, you can have these guys with a range of 3 throwing an attack of 5. This is just brutal. If you want to see a map where the Obsidian Guards are possibly overpowered, check out my Tri-Colosseum's lava arena:

http://www.heroscapers.com/community...=164796#178751

Really, there's no problem with the Obsidian Guards, people just don't like lava fields in general because they're VERY hard on the squad dominant style of play that's popular lately.

To a certain extent, I agree. They are a bit too costly unless on lava spaces. This severely limits their movement, and it makes choosing them without lava nearby completely illogical. This will always be the case. I would suggest a different cost when playing on a board without lava. This would still pose problems with premade armies (when the board is not clear), but having a cost of 80 when no lava is present (as opposed to 100 would definitely give them much more play -- water weakness or no.

[Sweetcurse]

They are designed for use in drafts. If you play with draft, maybe they get used more. If you do not play with the draft, then perhaps they do need some tweaks.

[1shot_1kill]

Originally Posted by imppious

A cool ability that Obsidian Guards could have would be "Lava Swimming". If an Obsidian Guard is on a molten lava tile instead of moving normally an Obsidian Guard may submerge and swim to any other molten lava tile anywhere on the board.

I suggested a similar idea back on HQ "Lava Meld" but the molten lava tile had to be within 4 hexes of where the OG was (elevation didn't matter)

[zombiedude]

So what should be the next unit we work on?