The Book of Michael Myers

[Tornado]

Yea to the X version.

One thing about the Horror faction is that they have solid static powers. Not sure if that is a problem but it feels strong. I am just not sure how to maximize their efficiency.

[Arkham]

I'd prefer to avoid the stalling/turtle approach.

We can always go with what we've got but instead make it:

UNNATURAL RESILIENCE
Whenever Michael would be destroyed or receives enough wounds to be destroyed in any way except by this special power, you may instead:
• place a Wound Marker on this card; or
• reveal an unrevealed Order Marker on this card to receive no wounds. This option may only be chosen once per round.

So you can choose a numbered one or X, but the option is only available once per round. It's essentially what we had before, just limited to 1 OM bailout per round.

Otherwise, I did think of this approach:

UNNATURAL RESILIENCE
Whenever Michael would be destroyed or receives enough wounds to be destroyed in any way except by this special power, you may instead:
• place a Wound Marker on this card; or
• that opponent must remove an unrevealed Order Marker on this card at random to receive no wounds.

That way the OM removed is randomly selected by the opponent who caused the wound, thus removing the strategy of purposely stalling or the ideal removal approach. Though this would still run into potential stalling the game out based on their picks.

[IAmBatman]

I think what’s in the SP is a bit cleaner than either of those. In the last of the options you posted, the syntax is a bit awkward and makes it read as if the opponent is not receiving any wounds.

[Soundwarp SG-1]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

So if it were numbered only, in a one-on-one vs. Superman it’d look like this:

On an initiative win:

Your turn 1: Myers reveals your OM1 for a turn
Their turn 1: Myers defends with your OM2
Your turn 2: Nothing happens
Their turn 2: Myers defends with your OM3
Your turn 3: Nothing happens
Their turn 3: Myers can get hit.

and on a loss:

Their turn 1: Myers defends with your OM1
Your turn 1: Nothing happens
Their turn 2: Myers defends with your OM2
Your turn 2: Nothing happens
Their turn 3: Myers defends with your OM3
Your turn 3: Nothing happens.

Seems super obnoxious, but tactically I guess you’re trading single attacks over two rounds, which should lose to a tougher foe.

Still, the potential for grindy turtling play seems less appealing than Arkham’s proposed revision.

Yeah, the numbered version can be annoying, though in practice you'd just skip over rounds he lost initiative completely, so it's not as drawn out as it looks on paper.

The main reason I didn't have a big problem with that take is that you can't really reliably stall with it and there are plenty of figures that will crush him one on one because they have multi-attacks or the like.

I don't think the 'numbered' version of the power is completely untenable, though the one that allows for all OMs is, but I think the 'wound or the X' version we currently have is a better fit for this particular character.

[IAmBatman]

Agreed on all fronts.

[Yodaking]

Any interest in just using the Won't Stay Down power we brainstormed up for DDII?

[IAmBatman]

Margloth’s Unkillable power on his Rasputin write up might also be worth a look.

[Arkham]

I’ll look them over. In the mean time we’ll stick with the Design phase until we have a good consensus on how we want the power to work.

[Arkham]

Alright, I've given it some thought. I think I want to avoid the OM route as I do have hopes to see the Slashers brought together in a synergy, and my current plan is to allow any of them to have an OM and still potentially create a multi-turn chain if they kill a figure on their turn. That said, I don't want Michael highly OM dependent to be at his best, as Freddy is gonna need those OMs too in order to heal. I liked that Jason is a figure that you don't really feel you're controlling, and I think Michael should sort of follow suit to a certain degree. Let him do his thing without dumping all your Order Markers on him.

I like Unkillable, but I feel with his low defense he's going to be extra reliant on those that give him better defense or those who can take the wounds for him/protect him to then allow him to heal completely at the end of the round. Without any defensive aid, a squad would likely be able to wipe him out in a couple of turns. So probably best to avoid that route for those reasons.

Won't Stay Down is cool, but once again his low defense will see him killed pretty easily by a squad even if he can survive 1 possible death per round.

All that in mind, I actually am liking a more...natural approach. By that I mean, less in the player's hands, and more of an automatic "second life" so to speak. Taking inspiration from Thanos' Spurned By Death:

ONE GOOD SCARE
At the start of the following round after Michael is destroyed, you may remove all Wound Markers from this card and place Michael on any empty space within 3 spaces of an opponent's figure. One Good Scare can only be used once per game.

I like this approach because it mimics the horror/slasher trope of the threat being eliminated only for him to pop back up/sit back up. It also accomplishes what Johnny desired and that was him essentially being knocked down and taking the time to get back up and resume the stalking. Losing any turns remaining on his card, and needing to wait 'til the start of the next round, represents that. I have it set for him to be placed within 3 spaces of an opponent's figure, as he theoretically could then get in a unblockable on a figure to give that "popping out once again when they thought he was dead" feel.

The first movie sees him getting shot 6 times, falling off a balcony, only for him to be gone by the time someone checked to see if he was dead. He then came back later that night to continue what he started. I feel this hits that theme well.

We'll let initials feel out the execution and any stat changes needed to accommodate, such as a potential drop in defense(from 2 to 1), but I like where he's at currently.

[Arkham]

@dok @Soundwarp SG-1 @Dysole @weebaer

Any concerns with this approach? Any recommendations?

[Soundwarp SG-1]

So the idea is if he is destroyed round one, you can bring him back round two or not at all right?

I think that power should be fine, he'll have a lot of life, but that low defense means it will get cleared out pretty quick. I guess you could kill him yourself just to 'teleport' him up to the right spot to lock someone down, but I can't imagine that really being worth bothering with.

[Arkham]

Yep. He must come back the following round or not at all. In fact, may as well take the “may” out of it and make it a must to avoid that potential issue. Forcing it feels more like an uncontrollable killer relentlessly stalking his victims.