The Book of Metamorpho

[Arkham]

Doing some research, would it maybe be better to just take a different approach and allow him to combine multiple effects somehow? I think a character that has all sorts of elements and versatility that he can combo how he desires would be pretty cool. Like 4-5 short marker powers that can play off each other? I don't know. Just spitballing.

If not, no big deal. Looks neat as-is, just not sure it feels like the character should locked in per round and only using 1 form at a time etc. I'll think about order preference, but I probably echo what Ronin's order is.

[japes]

I'm sort of with Scapey here but I'd prefer it if he rolls attack dice once for his two attacks so it's more of a flood or wave type of thing. Otherwise I'd probably have voted C and then E as well.

[Yodaking]

I must have seen 5 life at the top of the stats list and thought it said 5 move. So with a base move of 7, water form move of 5 & solid form move of 3 is going to be pretty good options when the attack will be 5 att./range 3 or 7 att./range 1. Gas form will still be useful to quickly move into position (OM3 on R1), or escape when in a bad spot, but water & solid are going to used more often then not. If you are looking at a 300+ point figure here, I actually don't think more offense is what is needed as the 5/rage 3 & 7/range 1 should generate a decent amount of damage on it's own as long as he isn't going down very quickly. Solid form has the very solid 7 defense, water form def. of 5 though seem vulnerable on it's own but two auto-shields makes it better than the solid def. state. So I would try out B or D and see how it goes.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by Arkham

Doing some research, would it maybe be better to just take a different approach and allow him to combine multiple effects somehow? I think a character that has all sorts of elements and versatility that he can combo how he desires would be pretty cool. Like 4-5 short marker powers that can play off each other? I don't know. Just spitballing.

If not, no big deal. Looks neat as-is, just not sure it feels like the character should locked in per round and only using 1 form at a time etc. I'll think about order preference, but I probably echo what Ronin's order is.

It's similar to how Vixen was done and I think we all dig her. I guess I could divorce the different elemental states from the shapeshifting, but that takes away some tactical decision making that's at the center of the card, I think.

I think as long as you're incentivized to change his forms during gameplay it'll come off correctly enough thematically.

At a certain point we just have to abstract things into gameplay rather than allowing a character to do everything they possibly could. Plastic Man has three pretty simple powers despite essentially being able to be in any form. Firestorm can heal, auto wound, or destroy a glyph, despite being able to wield any element. And Vixen has to choose an animal form at the start of the round and only has four to choose from, despite being able to turn into any animal at a moment's notice.

I think similar abstraction makes sense here and when you're dealing with the possibility of him being able to change into any element, the solid/liquid/gas division is the best one I could think of. I suppose we could throw plasma in there too, but then we're looking at a five power card, and I'd rather not.

I think what we have is close. We just need to settle on the right liquid state (and we probably really can't go wrong, as long as people feel like they'll use it) and then we'll be able to move forward.

I think any of the options I posted in the poll would get use. I like the double attack as an option against crowds (going to 7 attack is still going to make sense against heavy hitters in melee). I like the healing/2 shield defense/max one wound as his support role is most likely going to be as a meat shield. I like the marker changing version just to let him be a bit more tactical in round (seems like with that you'd start in liquid state most rounds and then change as needed inside the round).

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by japes

Gut reaction is that as Geo is set now that ability to heal after taking turn might be too much since he can heal multiple times a round without an OM. But If you are locked into that state for the full round maybe it's not too bad. But then again Range 3 and 5 attack/5 Defense isn't a penalty for sticking in that form.

I'll have to think about this one a bit more.

Maybe we don't focus as much on boosts to his self here and we investigate an angle where in liquid form he's providing more benefit to his team. I can't think of anything off the top of my head but it's the thought that counts, right.

I'm trying to think of it strategically. For the most part I see Round 1 being gas state so you can fly off to get in the action and then switch to solid state pound on the enemy.

I think his support for his team is being a meat shield and a beat stick. I think the only other "support" role that would really make sense for him is a Carry power and I'm not really feeling that in the metagame.

The version of Geo that I'm currently leaning towards going with is the Reluctant Hero/Contingency Plan leadership power, so I'm not sure if we're on the same page for him. Either way, I think it's best to focus on Metamorpho now and figure out Geo later, once all of his allies are in place.

[Scapemage]

Originally Posted by japes

I'm sort of with Scapey here but I'd prefer it if he rolls attack dice once for his two attacks so it's more of a flood or wave type of thing. Otherwise I'd probably have voted C and then E as well.

I like this idea a lot! It may exist in our game already but I haven't seen it before.


LIQUID FORM
While 2 markers... After Metamorpho attacks, he may attack the same figure one additional time, using the attack die results from the first attack again.

[IAmBatman]

OK, so this is how I'm reading the poll results so far:

A (2 shield defense) – johnny,
B (heal) – margloth, Ronin, Yodaking
C (double attack) – Scapey, japes*
D (max 1 wound) – margloth, Yodaking
E (shapeshift fluidity) – Scapey, japes

I'm going to eliminate A here and E as well, as that seemed more like a second choice for Scapey and japes. Since Scapey and japes like different versions of double attack, I'm going to eliminate that one. Margloth and Yodaking seemed to give the healing and the max one wound similar love, so since Ronin favored the healing of those and I favor the healing out of those as well, I think I'll go with B here.

Are we all good with the healing being the winner?

[Lazy Orang]

I like B or C the most.

[Scapemage]

japes and I want the same version of double attack, but I'm ultimately okay with healing.

[johnny139]

I can live with healing. It works.

For Arkham's concerns - I think five unique states for the character, with three granting unique powers, captures his funky body type powers pretty well.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by Scapemage

japes and I want the same version of double attack, but I'm ultimately okay with healing.

Yeah, sorry, you ninja’d me there. Not 100% sure you two are on the same page as I read him as wanting one roll for two targets, like Nightwing’s Escrima.

I prefer the double attack for its crowd control abilities rather than doubling down on one target. The latter would marginalize his solid form too much, IMO.

Healing seems to have the most support, though, so I will go into testing with that. I’ll update the SP and make a proposal after dinner.

[japes]

Originally Posted by johnny139

I can live with healing. It works.

For Arkham's concerns - I think five unique states for the character, with three granting unique powers, captures his funky body type powers pretty well.

So something like five markers but he can only have three at any one point. So you can mix and match to get different combo? Am I following that correctly?