The Book of the Glyph of Sonic Gun

[Ronin]

The Book of the Glyph of Sonic Gun

C3G MARVEL WAVE 34
WEB OF VENOM

Card PDF

Glyph PDF

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Glyph Bio - This invention of Reed's gained particular notoriety for its repeated uses against Venom and Carnage.
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-Type of Glyph-

• Equipment Glyph: See the rules for Equipment Glyphs HERE.

-Rulings and Clarifications-

• N/A

-Combinations and Synergies-

Synergy Benefits Received

• Current Figures who can start the game with Invention Glyphs

Synergy Benefits Offered

• N/A

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-Strategy, Tactics and Tips-

• The Sonic Gun is only effective against Symbiotes.

-Heroscapers Community Contributions-

• Initial Playtest: Ronin
• Second Playtest: Arch-vile
• Art by tcglkn

[Ronin]

NAME = SONIC GUN
SUBTITLE = ANTI-SYMBIOTE WEAPON

INVENTION EQUIPMENT GLYPH
Instead of attacking with this figure, you may choose a Symbiote figure within 4 clear sight spaces and roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 7 or higher, the chosen figure receives a wound. If there is a Symbiote figure on the chosen figure's Army Card, inflict a wound on that Symbiote, remove it from the chosen figure's card and, if it is not destroyed, place it on an empty space adjacent to the chosen figure.

[Ronin]

YK suggested trying to go for consistency with other sonic gun type powers - we already have one with Cyborg, and it works essentially like the sonic screams. So an alternate direction might look more like:

Instead of attacking with this figure, you may choose 2 spaces in a straight line from this figure and roll the 20-sided die. If you roll X or higher, each figure on or within 1 space of the chosen spaces receives 1 wound, or 2 wounds if it is a Symbiote. This figure is not affected by this glyph, unless it is a Symbiote.

[tcglkn]

I prefer the simpler first version. Glyphs don't have to directly match special powers on cards to me since they function differently.

I do think I would reduce the range to 3 on what you have in the SP, Sonic weapons don't have the biggest range typically.

[Ronin]

Yeah, shortening the range would make sense.

[tcglkn]

Also bio needs a Bag-Man reference clearly.

[Yodaking]

IDK, sound travels out in waves and would be difficult to pin point target. If you want a more focused beam of sound, that's fine with me. It would then result in a straight line of sound from the tip of the gun to target. But somehow bypassing the figures in some hexes to hit one hex 4 spaces away really doesn't jive with me. Clear sight means you only need to see part of a cape to attack that figure with a sound weapon.

[Ronin]

Fwiw, this gun in particular is definitely portrayed as a beam.






In terms of not hitting figures in the middle and being able to hit a figure by the cape, I hear you, but that's pretty normal for powers like this. (Shrinking Ray and E-Ray Glyphs are the most analogous examples)

[johnny139]

My main thought is just that, man, a sonic gun dealing auto-wounds feels kind of potent? I guess in practice it's more of an unblockable attack die, but still, is this shown to have any real effect on non-symbiotes?

I'd kind of think it should just be a higher roll as a default with a huge boost to symbiotes.

[Ronin]

Originally Posted by johnny139

is this shown to have any real effect on non-symbiotes?

Y'know, I really thought it was, but after going through my Spidey vs Venom stuff, I couldn't find any evidence. Never seems to harm the human hosts much either, at least physically. (Definitely some shared pain due to the psychic connection to the symbiote, though)

I'd kind of think it should just be a higher roll as a default with a huge boost to symbiotes.

I had it like that at one point before posting it up, but it felt off. I think my issue with that take was that it felt like it was telling the story "Symbiotes are easier to hit" rather than "Symbiotes are more affected".

Honestly, after reviewing its appearances, I'd be fine going all-in on the anti-Symbiote bit anyway, though.

Instead of attacking with this figure, you may choose a Symbiote figure within 4 clear sight spaces and roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 9 or higher, the chosen figure receives a wound. If there is a Symbiote figure on the chosen figure's Army Card, inflict a wound on that Symbiote, remove it from the chosen figure's card and, if it is not destroyed, place it on an empty space adjacent to the chosen figure.

Obviously that's kind of niche (9 Symbiote cards so far, 2 more in design) but I don't mind sacrificing general usability for theme on something like this. It's mainly something to throw onto the map to theme up a battle anyway.

I like the idea of it being able to knock the symbiote off the card of someone it's not fully bonded with - the Venom Symbiote's "go on the Host's card" mechanic is something I intend to reuse for Carnage/generics in the future, so that language isn't totally just dedicated to the one card.

[tcglkn]

I like it if we want to make it counter drafty. Will be good for a future Inventor Reed or Valerie Richards.

[Ronin]

Yeah. I mean, it's not something there's really a way to draft currently, unless Apocalypse is real worried about enemy symbiotes.

It's iconic enough that a "glyph pool" sort of Reed could have it, but if it's too counter-drafty to feel good in that context, it's also not so iconic that Reed couldn't skip it. So I don't think we're shooting ourselves in the foot one way or another.