The Book of Psychic Projection

[MrNobody]

What if there’s a way to shunt the Telepath to the Astral Plane? Then it’s still technically on the battlefield, but also the enemy army won’t have a way to reach it.

Obvious answer is just don’t do a design that can shunt the Telepath to the Astral Plane, but that feels like a bug design space to be closing off right away.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by MrNobody

What if there’s a way to shunt the Telepath to the Astral Plane? Then it’s still technically on the battlefield, but also the enemy army won’t have a way to reach it.

Obvious answer is just don’t do a design that can shunt the Telepath to the Astral Plane, but that feels like a bug design space to be closing off right away.

Thematically the projection IS the Telepath being on the Astral Plane.

Presumably any power that let you do what you're saying would come with a way for the figure to return as well? So choosing the turtle the game into stalemate would be a player choice at that point.

Also, danger of working in two threads at once, but this is more of a question for the Astral Plane thread, I believe?
I believe there are technically (match up specific) ways to turtle now that can make a game end in stalemate. That's something the hypothetical design you're describing would have to deal with. Without seeing a specific hypothetical design, it's really tough to parse it.

[MrNobody]

Should probably also include a clause about what happens if the marker is removed from their card by Zatanna.

[LordVenoc]

Could you deal with potential turtling by essentially rolling twice for each figure if you have no one on the primary plane (and it hits everything that isn't a manifestation)? So like without a tether, things get volatile, so easier time getting back, but may die fast.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by MrNobody

Should probably also include a clause about what happens if the marker is removed from their card by Zatanna.

Good call. The text makes it clear for most of them that the marker being on the card is part of the trigger. That's not true for the first power, though, so I'll have to adjust the language there. Maybe:

PSYCHIC TETHER
At the start of the game, place this Psychic Projection on the Astral Plane instead of your start zone, then choose a Unique or Event Hero you control that is a Telepath and does not have a Tether marker on its card. Place the blue Tether marker for this Psychic Projection on the chosen Hero's card. If a Hero with this Psychic Projection's Tether Marker on its card would be destroyed or otherwise removed from the battlefield, you must destroy this Psychic Projection instead and ignore any wounds the chosen Hero would have received.

Originally Posted by LordVenoc

Could you deal with potential turtling by essentially rolling twice for each figure if you have no one on the primary plane (and it hits everything that isn't a manifestation)? So like without a tether, things get volatile, so easier time getting back, but may die fast.

Ehh, doesn't sound worth the added complexity to me. I like what I have in the Astral Plane thread and am ready to test it.

[IAmBatman]

OK, SP updated. Happy with the direction here. Need to run a checklist, but then I'll propose for the initial unless there are lingering concerns.

[LordVenoc]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

Ehh, doesn't sound worth the added complexity to me. I like what I have in the Astral Plane thread and am ready to test it.

I believe as is Fate can teleport Doctor Strange II there and just start killing everything and be untouchable. Throw in Freddy Kreuger for some real fun killing.

[IAmBatman]

Ah, hmm, yeah, that's dicey. You're pushing me towards the original win condition route for the Astral Plane. What you just said, plus the realization that right now you could start with a Psychic Projection that is untethered and is untouchable are complexities I'd have to take care of otherwise.

[LordVenoc]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

Ah, hmm, yeah, that's dicey. You're pushing me towards the original win condition route for the Astral Plane. What you just said, plus the realization that right now you could start with a Psychic Projection that is untethered and is untouchable are complexities I'd have to take care of otherwise.

You could work them like some of the other constructs we have. Maybe a figure has to give up a move/attack/turn to project it to the Astral Plane? Also this guy could, as of now, be teleported off the Astral Plane and create that weirdness.

[IAmBatman]

Yes, I need to make Constructs immune to the unblockable die too. Derp.

Ah, nevermind, you don't roll the die against this guy. I guess you mean Doctor Fate could teleport onto the Astral Plane and then teleport a Manifestation off the Astral Plane? I guess that's a tad weird thematically but it's not really an issue I feel like needs solving. That level of magic should be able to bend reality thematically and mechanically I don't really see that as worthwhile.

[IAmBatman]

OK, I posted it in the Astral Plane thread, but I should post it over here in the design proper as well. Basically I'm looking at massive changes here in order for this design to more fully justify the Astral Plane. The idea is now that you can either draft these guys to be in your army or to be in the opponent's army.

Spoiler Alert!

NAME = PSYCHIC PROJECTION

SPECIES = MANIFESTATION
UNIQUENESS = UNCOMMON HERO
CLASS = CONSTRUCT
PERSONALITY = FOCUSED

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 3
MOVE = 5
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 3
DEFENSE = 3

POINTS = 100?

PSYCHIC TETHER
At the start of the game, choose a Unique or Event Hero without a Tether marker on its card and place this Psychic Projection’s blue Tether marker on chosen Hero’s card. While its Tether marker is on that card, the chosen Hero is this Psychic Projection’s Tether. Place this Psychic Projection on any empty space in the Astral Plane instead of your start zone and give control of this Psychic Projection and its Army Card to the player who controls its Tether.

PLANAR FORESIGHT
When rolling for initiative, you may add 2 to your roll. If this Psychic Projection inflicts one or more wounds on an enemy figure, you may view one unrevealed Order Marker on that figure or its Tether’s card. After viewing the Order Marker, you may choose to remove it.

LINKED CONSCIOUSNESS
Instead of taking a turn with its Tether, you may take a turn with this Psychic Projection. If this Psychic Projection's Tether would be destroyed or otherwise removed from the battlefield, you must remove this Psychic Projection and its Tether Marker from the game instead and ignore any wounds the Tether would have received. If this Psychic Projection receives one or more wounds, its Tether receives one automatic wound.

FLYING

[Yodaking]

Interesting, so you draft it, give it to your opponent, they choose who in their army gets put in the Astral Plane, I get that. Now when you kill the Astral Plane version of the hero, what happens to the regular version of that hero?