The Book of John Constantine

[MrNobody]

Just spitballing, as an alternative;

RIDING THE SYNCHRONICITY HIGHWAY
Start the game with 8 black Sync Markers. Anytime the 20-sided die is rolled for John Constantine or a figure within 5 clear sight spaces of John Constantine without a Synchronicity Marker on its card, you may roll a 20-sided die. You may choose your new roll in place of the original roll. After using RTSH for a figure that is not John Constantine, place a Sync Marker on its card. At the end of each round, remove all Sync Markers from all Army Cards. If John Constantine receives one or more Wound Markers from an attack or special ability, he may not use Riding the Synchronicity Highway for the rest of the round.

So infinite uses for himself, but only one use for every other figure, per round. Also some Zatanna I synergy, as she can remove the markers from cards and from the game. I do think it's a bit clunky though.

I also ditched the wound mechanic, but I do think that is thematic. From what I've seen, once his groove is thrown off, it's thrown off.

[Yodaking]

Quozl's last version, or something similar to it, seems like the better way to go to me. Not really feeling the 8 markers concept. I'd prefer to stay away from markers if we can.

[MrNobody]

Originally Posted by Yodaking

Quozl's last version, or something similar to it, seems like the better way to go to me. Not really feeling the 8 markers concept. I'd prefer to stay away from markers if we can.

Sounds good to me. i think distributing markers and taking them back every round would be a pain.

Only thing I'd add to Quozl's version is to limit the friendly figure to being within 5 spaces of John. I'm guessing that was the intent anyways.

[quozl]

We could streamline quite a bit like so:

RIDING THE SYNCHRONICITY HIGHWAY
Once per round, when the 20-sided die is rolled for John Constantine or any figure within 5 clear sight spaces of John Constantine, you may roll a 20-sided die and then choose to replace the original roll with your new roll.

[Yodaking]

Does that mean he can roll the 2nd d20 every time but only choose to use his result once per round? At which point you would stop rolling the 2nd d20 for the rest of the round. If so I like that, since many times the 2nd roll will not change the outcome, the outcome is thus only changed once per round and avoids being abused.

RIDING THE SYNCHRONICITY HIGHWAY
When the 20-sided die is rolled for John Constantine or any figure within 5 clear sight spaces of John Constantine, you may roll a 20-sided die as well. Once per round, you may choose to replace the original roll with your new roll.

[MrNobody]

Originally Posted by quozl

We could streamline quite a bit like so:

RIDING THE SYNCHRONICITY HIGHWAY
Once per round, when the 20-sided die is rolled for John Constantine or any figure within 5 clear sight spaces of John Constantine, you may roll a 20-sided die and then choose to replace the original roll with your new roll.

I really think it should be helping Johnny all the time. What about this?

When the 20-sided die is rolled for John Constantine or any Special Power targeting John Constantine, you may roll a 20-sided die and then choose to replace the original roll with your new roll. Once per round, when the 20-sided die is rolled for a figure within 5 clear sight spaces that is not targeting John, you may roll a 20-sided die and then choose to replace the original roll with your new roll.

I just feel like if we’re making the primary benefit of John’s power be to help others, we’re losing sight of the core of the character.

EDIT: To extrapolate on that, I don’t think Constantine being able to boost others is bad. But I also think that it shouldn’t be a choice between helping others and helping himself, Constantine as a character is going to lean towards that 2nd option, and I think the card should represent that.

[Yodaking]

Yeah, that's true he's fairly selfish so he would default help himself over someone else if faced with a choice. Also it really should be helping his Con-Man roll all the time, as well as any Unique spells that might be created with a d20 mechanic incorporated into it, or any d20 powers by an opponent targeting him.

Just to clarify on how the once per game portion of the power would work, as it reads to me it looks like you choose one d20 roll per round that doesn't involve him before the roll is made, then both rolls are made and no matter if you choose to use the bonus roll result or not that was your one use of the power for that round. Is that the intent, or is the intent something else? Other options would be you wait until after the first roll is made, then you decide if you want to use your once per round power to try for a different result. I think I prefer that really. Also think I would limit the once per round to allies rolls only rather then opponents rolls targeting allies.

RIDING THE SYNCHRONICITY HIGHWAY
When the 20-sided die is rolled for John Constantine or any Special Power targeting John Constantine, you may roll a 20-sided die and then choose to replace the original roll with your new roll. Once per round, after the 20-sided die is rolled for a friendly figure within 5 clear sight spaces that is not targeting John, you may roll a 20-sided die and then choose to replace the original roll with your new roll.

[Arkham]

Seems like a reasonable change to me.

[Yodaking]

Alright, I'm closing the poll and it looks like most of you prefer we drop the blank mechanic here all together. I'm also updating the Highway power with what we've worked out to be more accurate on theme and less able to be abused. This is what we have now, just not sure where we should start the points at for testing.

NAME = JOHN CONSTANTINE

SPECIES = HUMAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = MAGICIAN
PERSONALITY = TRICKY

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 5

MOVE = 5
RANGE = 4
ATTACK = 4
DEFENSE = 3

POINTS = ???

CON ARTIST 16
When John Constantine is targeted by an opponent's figure, roll the 20-sided die. If you roll a 16 or higher, John Constantine may not be targeted during this figures turn.

RIDING THE SYNCHRONICITY HIGHWAY
When the 20-sided die is rolled for John Constantine or any Special Power targeting John Constantine, you may roll a 20-sided die and then choose to replace the original roll with your new roll. Once per round, after the 20-sided die is rolled for a friendly figure within 5 clear sight spaces that is not targeting John, you may roll a 20-sided die and then choose to replace the original roll with your new roll.

LAUGHING MAGICIAN
John Constantine may cast Unique Spells as if he had the Magical Defense special power. An opponent's figure cannot use the Magical Defense special power when defending against an attack from John Constantine.

Don't have a lot of time today to really evaluate the design and guess as the points range even, so if anyone wants to compare his stats and powers to similar figures and give me a starting points range that would be great. If not, I won't be getting to the initial until next week at the earliest anyway so I can take a closer look at things after the Holiday weekend is over. Family is coming in from out of town.

I propose John Constantine for an Initial Play Test.

YK - yea
Scape - yea

[Tornado]

Should Con Artist say 'during this figure's attack' instead of 'turn' since some powers allow for an attack without a full turn?

[MrNobody]

I don't know how much he's worth atm, but I've always imagined John as a high-100s to low-200s character.

I'd also suggest maybe lowering the attack stat? I wouldn't put John at the same "magical attack" level as Dr. Strange. It does seem, from what I understand, that his his character has changed a bit recently. What I've seen of the movies (animated and the earlier Keanu Reeves version), shows, and other post-N52 stuff has him being a bit more heroic and increases his usage of "real" magic. Am I wrong in thinking that? If so, is there an interest in leaning one way or another with this design?

[Yodaking]

Originally Posted by Tornado

Should Con Artist say 'during this figure's attack' instead of 'turn' since some powers allow for an attack without a full turn?

I believe that would change it so that a ranged multi-attacker could attack someone else with the first attack after a successful con artist roll, then turn back their attention to John for the second attack and John would need another successful con artist roll. The turn language means one successful con artist roll protects him from all that figures attacks.

Originally Posted by MrNobody

I don't know how much he's worth atm, but I've always imagined John as a high-100s to low-200s character.

I'd also suggest maybe lowering the attack stat? I wouldn't put John at the same "magical attack" level as Dr. Strange. It does seem, from what I understand, that his his character has changed a bit recently. What I've seen of the movies (animated and the earlier Keanu Reeves version), shows, and other post-N52 stuff has him being a bit more heroic and increases his usage of "real" magic. Am I wrong in thinking that? If so, is there an interest in leaning one way or another with this design?

I was actually just looking at the 5 attack thinking it was a bit high, but since I believe that number came from a long ago brain storming session for the character and no one has mentioned his stats since the thread was started, then I thought perhaps I was just under estimating him attack potential. Now that I know I'm not alone in thinking it could be 4, I'm going to amend the proposal in that way and update him with 4 base attack. I see him being more of a support piece who tosses a few spells around then a guy you are going to be relying on for offense in your army.