The Book of Cassie Hack

[IAmBatman]

I'd like to see the first power renamed Hack/Slash (since I know that's a desirable power title for this card).

Then I'd like to see the second power, which has super reusable mechanics, IMO, and is a cool effect, be renamed something more general, like "RETRIBUTION" maybe.

I'm iffy on how I feel about the wording on the first special power. The effects are certainly clear, but it doesn't feel particularly "official." I know that's a sacred cow not everyone shares, but one I at least strive for still. I wonder if @quozl has any ideas on different wording there.

None of these things affect testing at all, though, and I think what's here looks just fine mechanically and thematically in terms of the actual powers and stats, so yea for initial testing.

[quozl]

Originally Posted by Ronin

And I'm totally up for a rename on Slasher Slayer - don't have anything else immediately in mind, though.

How about "It's Personal"?

Yea

[Ronin]

Thanks, guys.

Originally Posted by quozl

How about "It's Personal"?

Yea

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

I'd like to see the first power renamed Hack/Slash (since I know that's a desirable power title for this card).

Then I'd like to see the second power, which has super reusable mechanics, IMO, and is a cool effect, be renamed something more general, like "RETRIBUTION" maybe.

Hmm. The second power is the one that feels a little more evocative of the hack/slash title, but I agree that it's also a little more reusable, and the first one could get the 'signature power' name.

I'm iffy on how I feel about the wording on the first special power. The effects are certainly clear, but it doesn't feel particularly "official." I know that's a sacred cow not everyone shares, but one I at least strive for still. I wonder if @quozl has any ideas on different wording there.

None of these things affect testing at all, though, and I think what's here looks just fine mechanically and thematically in terms of the actual powers and stats, so yea for initial testing.

Definitely open to alternate wording suggestions there. Sometimes I worry people just kinda let whatever I do go because I'm the wording guy.

My only other idea on how to word it was to do something more like this:

When Cassie attacks an adjacent figure with her normal attack, roll 1 additional die if the defending figure is a Slasher, 1 additional die if Cassie is wounded, and 1 additional die if Cassie was not adjacent to the defending figure at the start of her turn.

[IAmBatman]

Yeah, I was thinking of something like that. It feels less efficient, but it reads more "official" to me. So I'd favor it as a direction if nobody has anything better.

And, for the record, I only defer to you on wording when I'm too lazy/busy to do any better myself.

[quozl]

I like the original wording better.

As for Hack/Slash being reusable, so what? Would that name be out of place on other figures? Yeah, I know it's the name of her comic but it still seems like a reusable name to me.

[IAmBatman]

I guess I'm not actually sold on the combination of mechanics and power title for Hack/Slash anyway. Just wounding someone in response to them wounding one of yours doesn't evoke hacking or slashing to me. It evokes, well, retribution ....

[Ronin]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

I guess I'm not actually sold on the combination of mechanics and power title for Hack/Slash anyway. Just wounding someone in response to them wounding one of yours doesn't evoke hacking or slashing to me. It evokes, well, retribution ....

The reason I have Hack/Slash as the name for the second power is that that's where the series' hyper-violence comes through for me, and it's the power where she's really turning the tables on slashers and slashing them right back.

Probably wouldn't be a huge issue to reuse it even with the name 'Hack/Slash', but the reference would be lost on other cards.

[IAmBatman]

I’d see that like using a title like Cowabunga for a power for a character jumping into the fray ... on a non-TMNT card. You could and it might not technically be wrong, but it’d be wrong.

[quozl]

It's pretty rare to see "cowabunga" anywhere non-TMNT. I play RPGs. I see hack/slash everywhere.

[IAmBatman]

Do you see it written as hack/slash? I mean, I've seen "hack and slash" before other places, but not "hack/slash."

The entire first page of hits for a Google search of "hack/slash" all pertain directly to the comic as well.

[Ronin]

C3G STANDARD PLAYTEST FEEDBACK FORM

NAME OF THE PLAYTEST UNIT: Cassie Hack

Army Test
Map: Conflict Chernobyl
Units: Cassie @120, Baby Groot (225) vs Michael Myers, Civilians x2 (225)

Spoiler Alert!

Michael Myers uses the Civilians as a screen to try and get the jump on Cassie - works out pretty well for him. He's able to build up his Markers while Cassie and Groot hack away at the Civvies.

Once Michael engages, Cassie wounds him with Hack/Slash when he wounds her with The Shape (his Shape roll is pretty weak) and gets a 5-die attack roll (+2 from Slasher Slayer) in on him, but can't quite hang with Myers and he takes her down. However, Baby Groot lucks out and takes down Myers (and a couple OMs with him) afterward.

Groot goes on a bit of a tear and takes out a couple more civilians,but of course Michael comes back. Groot gets a few more wounds on Michael, but then goes down.

Unit Summary:

• Damage Done (Normal Attack): destroyed 3 Civilians in 3 attacks, dealt 2 wounds to Michael Myers in 1 attack
• Slasher Slayer: Made 3 adjacent attacks. Added 0 dice 1 time, 1 die 1 time, 2 dice 1 time, 3 dice 0 times
• Hack/Slash: dealt 1 wound to Michael Myers when he wounded her with The Shape
• Damage Taken: 1 wound from Civilians in 3 attacks, 1 wound from The Shape, 2 wounds from Michael Myers in 2 attacks (destroyed)

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Michael Myers with 3 wounds, 1 Civilian figure

___________________________________________________________

Army Test
Map: Conflict Chernobyl
Units: Cassie @120, Angel (Warren), Baron Zemo (Heinrich) (380) vs Jason Voorhees, Chucky, Zombie (380)

Spoiler Alert!

Cassie gets to throw down with a few Slashers - she gets a couple chances to trade auto-wounds and takes out Zombie, but then Chucky gets a 3-skull attack roll against her to take her out.

Really interesting engagement dance with Angel and Cass vs the Slashers.

With the Slashers' efficiency disrupted (by the loss of Zombie and his own Adhesive X Trap), Zemo has a fighting chance. He manages to take out Chucky with some lucky rolling, and Angel, through heroic sacrifice, keeps him alive long enough for him to finish off Jason.

Unit Summary:

• Damage Done (Normal Attack): 5 wounds to Zombie in 6 attacks (destroyed)
• Slasher Slayer: Made 2 adjacent attacks. Added 0 dice 1 time, 1 die 2 times, 2 dice 0 times, 3 dice 0 times
• Hack/Slash: inflicted 1 wound on Zombie, would have inflicted 1 wound on Jason (ducked by Unstoppable Resilience)
• Damage Taken: 1 wound from Zombie in 1 attack, 1 wound from Relentless Assault, 2 wounds from Chucky in 1 attack (destroyed)

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Baron Zemo with 1 wound

___________________________________________________________

Army Test
Map: Conflict Chernobyl
nits: Cassie @120, Angel (Warren), Baron Zemo (Heinrich), Spider-Man (Peter) (630) vs Luke Cage, Moon Knight, Swordsman, Casey Jones (630)

Spoiler Alert!

Cassie managed to take out Swordsman here in a couple attacks. Her first attack was a whiff, but Swordsman only came up with one shield to hit her for a Counterstrike wound (causing Cass to retaliate with a Hack/Slash wound). Swordsman attacked her to put a second wound on her, and then Angel carried her to safety to keep her from getting mauled by Swordsman's multi-attacks.

Cass rushed back in on her next turn and, on a +2 roll (wounded, started her turn non-adjacent), she came up with 4 skulls and demolished Swordsman and his measly 1-shield defense roll. Then fellow angry youngster Casey Jones swooped in and demolished Cass.

The rest of the match took a little while to play out, thanks to Zemo gumming things up and generally poor attack rolls on both sides (Game Stats shows the average around 35%). Eventually it came down to Luke and Casey vs Spidey and Angel in the endgame, and Spidey whiffed a couple Spidey-Senses rolls to go down early, giving Luke the win.

Unit Summary:

• Damage Done (Normal Attack): 0 wounds to Luke Cage in 1 attacks, 3 wounds to Swordsman in 2 attacks (destroyed)
• Slasher Slayer: Made 2 adjacent attacks. Added 0 dice 0 times, 1 die 1 time, 2 dice 1 time, 3 dice 0 times
• Hack/Slash: 1 wound to Swordsman
• Damage Taken: 1 wound from Counterstrike, 1 wound from Swordsman in 1 attack, 2 wounds from Casey Jones in 1 attack (destroyed)

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Luke with 3 wounds, Casey Jones with 2 wounds

THOUGHTS ON THE TESTED UNIT'S COST, BALANCE, & DRAFTABILITY: Pretty good discount melee fighter. Really benefits from having Angel around to set her up for her powers.

She feels right, power-level wise. She can throw down with other low-level figures, and she has pretty high offensive output for her point level, but not much going for her on defense; one good attack can take her out, and her powers encourage her to put herself at risk.

[IAmBatman]

Seems reasonable to go forward at 120. I'd recommend that Angel pairing to public testers or I think she might end up feeling overcosted at 120. Pre-yea for public playtesting.