The Book of Yukio

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by johnny139

I'm not sure if she's as much a "Sidekick" as a partner. Maybe go with "Mutant Team-Up" from Nite Owl instead? If you want to go in that direction.

I'm not a fan of Acrobatic Maneuver in general (I find it sort of obnoxious), and would prefer to avoid it if possible here... but that's me.

[TrollBrute]

I love sidekick/team-up type powers, so you have my vote for that. I'm also on the "don't care for Acrobatic Maneuver", but I'm not terribly against it if it fits the character.

[quozl]

Originally Posted by Margloth

It's been awhile since I've read Wolverine #1, but Yukio didn't really strike me as athletic enough to warrant Acrobatic Maneuver (well, no more so than any other "comic book exaggerated ninja" does). In fact, on Marvel's power grid, all of her attributes are listed at "One".

Looks like that's a mistake. Take a look at http://marvel.wikia.com/Yukio_(Earth-616)

Her Fighting Skill is a 6.

[quozl]

I'm really liking this:

NAME = YUKIO

SPECIES = HUMAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = SIDEKICK
PERSONALITY = FEARLESS

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 4

LIFE = 4

MOVE = 6
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 4
DEFENSE = 3

POINTS = 150

MUTANT TEAM-UP
After revealing an Order Marker on any other Mutant card you control and taking a turn with that Mutant, you may take an immediate turn with Yukio. During this turn, Yukio can only attack figures engaged with that Mutant and adds 1 additional attack die against an adjacent figure. After using this special power, you may not take a turn with any other figures.

FLYING BLADES SPECIAL ATTACK
Range 4. Attack 3 + Special.
Yukio may only attack non-adjacent figures with this special attack. When Yukio attacks a small or medium figure that is not a destructible object with this special attack, roll 1 additional attack die. Yukio may attack up to 3 times with Flying Blades Special Attack.

ACROBATIC MANEUVER
When Yukio rolls defense dice against an opponent's attack, one shield will block all damage. For each shield rolled, you may immediately move Yukio one space up to 6 levels up or down. When Yukio moves using Acrobatic Maneuver, she will not take leaving engagement attacks.

She can team up with a mutant and then throw blades at whoever is adjacent to that mutant or use her katana and get an extra attack die. She can then jump around with her acrobatics when attacked.

[IAmBatman]

Cool. Looks good. 4 Life and Acrobatic Maneuver will give her a ton of staying power, though.

[quozl]

I'm thinking Rebel for the class. Sidekick doesn't really fit.

[TrollBrute]

I can get behind that write-up. Should we add "with her normal attack" to Mutant Team-Up? I know that Nite-Owl doesn't have it and the rule is that SAs cannot be modified by other powers, but it would make things much clearer.

Also, would 3 Life fit here? I don't know the character, but ninja-types tend to be great at avoiding damage, but easier to take down when they get hit. It would help make Acrobatic Maneuver less annoying.

[quozl]

I don't think a change to Team-Up is needed, maybe just an FAQ.

I'm not opposed to 3 Life. Yeah, let's start there and see where her points come in at.

[johnny139]

With 3 Life she looks pretty awesome to me.

[IAmBatman]

Agreed. And Rebel sounds good.

[Margloth]

I'm still not buying Acrobatic Agility. Just flipped through the Claremont/Miller storyline again... here's the evidence against (and to be fair, for):

AGAINST:

In literally her first fight scene, she goes up against 3 hand ninja and gets cut. In fact, Wolverine admires her ability to TAKE a hit rather than evade it.

Wolverine chases her and hits her in the shoulder with one of her own shurikens from range.

Wolverine and Yukio are invading a castle. Yukio hangs on Wolverine's back as he scales the wall, since apparently she doesn't have the skill to do so.

Yukio and Wolverine are making out on a train track. Wolvie realizes a train is coming, jumps out of the way, and has to pull Yukio with him to avoid getting smashed (to be fair, Yukio launches into a monologue about wanting to better appreciate life by facing danger, so maybe it was a test).

Yukio faces down 5 hand ninjas. She kills them quickly with her shurikens rather than have to defend. (Not necessarily a case against an Acrobatic power, just showing she's generally more lethal than defensive).

Yukio faces Shingen (or whatever the old man villain's name is). Shingen says Yukio is very capable, but every frame of their fight is him landing a blow on her with her unable to counter.

Yukio faces Silver Samurai, and while she DOES dodge most of his attacks, it is stated that she is not much faster or more maneuverable than he.

FOR:

Yukio does dodge several attacks from Silver Samurai... but to be fair so does everyone in the comic...

Yukio does have a rooftop chase late in the comic where she looks pretty agile, leaping from rooftop to rooftop (although comics characters often do).

Probably the best defense of acrobatic power, she leaps from a rooftop and springboards off a flagpole in one scene. But it's not a battle scene and she never ascends with the power.

I guess it wouldn't be a total theme break, but I'm not super convinced she's anywhere on par with a truly acrobatic character like Dick Grayson.

[quozl]

Pretty compelling evidence there. Let's drop Acrobatic Maneuver then and change the Life to 4 and Defense to 6.