The Book of Batman (Bruce Wayne) (Justice League)

[Yodaking]

The Book of Batman (Bruce Wayne) (Justice League)

C3G DC PUBLIC EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION 14
DAWN OF JUSTICE


Comic PDF


Mini PDF

The figure used for this unit is a Heroclix figure from the Streets of Gotham set.
Its model number and name are #013, 047 / Batman.

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Character Bio - After years of fighting to stamp out crime and corruption in Gotham, often concluding in high profile events, Batman became globally known as a respected defender of the people of Gotham. So when threats to the Earth itself arrived, it didn't take long for other heroes on Earth to seek out his help and support in stopping these global threats to humanity. While initially a reluctant member of the Justice League, he came to value the need of such an organization and made several valuable contributions to its success. While not possessing super powers like most of the other members, his tactical mind and dedication to being fully prepared ensured the group would preform together at a high level. Never overly trusting, Batman also used his membership in the League to keep tabs on and learn more about these other 'heroes' of Earth just in case he should ever need to bring one down.
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-Rulings and Clarifications-

• Q: Can The Brave and the Bold be used to modify a 20-sided die roll for a special power on an Equipment Glyph?
  A: Yes, assuming the figure equipped with the glyph is within clear sight of Batman. There is no constraint requiring the special power to be on a figure's card.

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-Combinations and Synergies-

Incoming Synergy:

• As a Bruce Wayne, Batman has these Bruce Wayne Synergies.
• As a Bruce Wayne who is not an Industrialist, Batman may be drafted alongside Bruce Wayne and placed on the battlefield with his Dark Knight Rises special power.
• As a Human, Batman has these Human Synergies.
• As a Champion, Batman has these Champion Synergies.

Outgoing Synergy:

• Batman receives one Justice League marker for each Unique Hero you control at the start of the game that is an Archer, Champion, Magician, or Scientist, due to his The Brave And The Bold special power.
• Batman may use his League Contingency Plan special power to preserve Justice League Markers placed by his The Brave and The Bold special power or other special powers that Place Justice League Markers, when the figure with those markers on its card is destroyed.

Immunities, Benefits, and Weaknesses:

• As a Batman, Batman may trigger Joker's (I) It's Just Not The Same... special power when he is destroyed.
• As a figure with a secret identity, Batman interacts differently with these special powers.
• As a Human, Batman interacts differently with these special powers.
• As a Champion, Batman interacts differently with these special powers.

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-Strategy, Tactics and Tips-

• Justice League Faction Strategy

-Heroscapers Community Contributions-

• Initial playtest: Yodaking - Part II
• Second playtest: Arkham
• Third playtest: Midgieboy3
• Fourth playtest: IAmBatman
• Fifth playtest: Gutudak
• Sixth playtest: Ronin
• Art: Mini Photos/Comic Art/Background
• Art by Japes

[Yodaking]

NAME = BATMAN III
SECRET IDENTITY = BRUCE WAYNE

SPECIES = HUMAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = CHAMPION
PERSONALITY = DRIVEN

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 4

MOVE = 6
RANGE = 5
ATTACK = 4
DEFENSE = 5

POINTS = 250

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD
At the start of the game, place 1 blue Justice League Marker on this card for each Unique Hero you control with the class of Archer, Champion, Magician, or Scientist, to a maximum of 4. After a Unique or Event Hero within clear sight of Batman rolls the 20-sided die for a special power, you may remove 1 Justice League Marker from this card to add or subtract 2 from the roll.

LEAGUE CONTINGENCY PLAN
When an Army Card you control has its last figure destroyed, before removing that figure from the battlefield, you may immediately remove any unrevealed Order Markers from that card and place them on any other card you control. If the destroyed figure has any Justice League Markers on its card, you may place up to X of them on any Army Cards you control, where X equals the number of Justice League Markers on this card.

MASTER MARTIAL ARTIST
When attacking an opponent's adjacent figure with a normal attack, add one automatic skull to whatever is rolled. When defending against a normal attack from an adjacent figure, add one automatic shield to whatever is rolled, and all excess shields count as unblockable hits on the attacking figure.

[Yodaking]

Alright, what is in the SP is where we last left the design in the JL thread. Lets see how everyone feels about it.

Looking at it again myself, I'm wondering if the initiative bonus shouldn't be +2, at 4 markers that would only be a +8 and then it would drop each time you burn a marker for the d20 boost.

On the OM saving, should we maybe make it so the OM have to go on Batman's card rather then any card in your army? Seems like it would discourage you from attacking a weak figure with an OM on it's card if you know a successful attack will just move the OM to a much stronger figure (like Superman or MM).

Then, one last shot at this, but I'd still love to figure out a different class for him that would still make everyone happy. I know Superman III & MM II already get markers for Vigilantes but since this is the 3rd Batman design we are doing I'd really like to have a laser like focus on the card representing his time with the Justice League and it just doesn't feel like a Justice League design to me if he brings along Alfred, Robin, Batgirl, & Gordon. So any ideas on this front would be welcome.

[Yodaking]

Also, do we have some Art that was found during the previous two designs that we want to use here or should I go looking for some JL specific art for the card? Any opinions on what mini we want to use for this one? Background ideas for that mini?

[Arkham]

I'll look up some fitting art.

As for Vigilante...man, I feel like losing Vigilante at this point would really throw a wrench in the fact that we have Vigilante on Martian Manhunter and Superman. Especially in Superman's case, it'd feel rather pointless. The only other thing I could think of for Batman would be Detective, which I'm ok with, but unless we at least change Superman III's synergy to Detective, I don't really want it changed. In doing so though, then you're enforcing that Superman III would only work with Batman III and not Batman I or II, and Martian Manhunter would work with Batman I and II and not III.

I understand why you don't want him as a Vigilante, but at the same time, is him being a Vigilante really hurting the Justice League synergy in any way? 2 of his powers depend on being teamed with non-Vigilantes, which don't include any of those figures you listed. You'll be wasting his init. bonus and d20 roll boost if you aren't teaming him up with the 4 classes listed. So I feel like putting him with Sidekicks, Alfred, Gordon etc. is a waste of your own points, and a non-ideal build. So I don't see it as that necessary to change here.

If we go with 4 markers, a +2 to init. seems appropriate per marker. So I'm cool with that.

[IAmBatman]

Digging the SP as is. I'd be OK with the +2 for initiative. I don't think you're eager to bring Robin and gang along with him, because your first focus is getting those markers. And in larger games, you're gonna want to pair him with Supes and Martian Manhunter. Him plus enough figures to get his four markers isn't going to leave a lot of room for others, though, and if 160 points gets added with Robin and Alfred after Aquaman, Green Arrow, Flash, and Atom are already along for the ride, it still feels pretty Justice League to me.

[Arkham]

Just getting the 4 we had in mind, would cost:

Spoiler Alert!

920 (Batman, Green Arrow, Aquaman, Zatanna, Atom)
1,120 (Batman, Green Arrow, Aquaman, Zatanna, Flash)
1,200 (Batman, Green Arrow, Aquaman, Zatanna, Firestorm)

Archers 150 or less:
Green Arrow(Connor) 130
Green Arrow(Olly) 150
Red Arrow 150

Kings 230 or less:
Aquaman I 230
Black Panther 200

Magicians 240 or less:
Zatanna 240

Scientists 330 or less:
Ant-Man 30
Atom 50
Bruce Banner 70
Yellow Jacket 120
Floronic Man 135
Black Knight 150
Beast 170
Giant Man 180
Mr. Freeze 190
Yellow Jacket II 190
Flash (John) 230
Mr. Fantastic 235
Swamp Thing 235
Flash (Barry) 250

So the cheapest way to get all 4 markers, as well as have someone to use them on, would be these 4:

Ant-Man 30
Atom 50
Bruce Banner 70
Green Arrow(Connor) 130

So that'd be 530 with Batman III, as-is before we nail down his points. Sure, you could use the rest of those points to get sidekicks etc. but is that really a fun use of your points, or even an ideal one?

All in all, I'd say the Vigilante + Sidekicks + Alfred & Gordon play is not ideal here. This Batman will be best teamed with d20 rollers that fit within those classes, as well as his fellow Justice League marker buddies in bigger games, which is where he'll shine most. Once Cyborg II is created, he'll have another great option that you'll definitely want, and he'll likely come with a ~230 point cost, which he'll want Red Tornado for himself as well.

I think a natural army down the line, in lower point games, will be:

Batman III & Cyborg II + (Atom, Zatanna, Aquaman I, Green Arrow etc.)

Cyborg gets his group at height advantage/ideal placement in round 1, which really helps Batman, Aquaman, and Green Arrow.

Basically, I don't think the pairings you are concerned about will be the pairings Batman III benefits most from.

1 option I'd be open to, is Champion. He'd still be covered by Martian Manhunter and Superman, as well as his first 2 versions. It'd also cut all the synergy ties you don't want included. We could just make all the Justice League marker starting characters have the class of Champion, as they are filling that role with these versions.

[Dysole]

The better you make that initiative roll, the more Joker wants to come play.

~Dysole, noting that really as long as you make it no better than Heimdall you should be fine (although I can see someone trying Robot, Joker (I), Bats (III), Ant-man, Atom, and then whoever else they want to add from the synergy web (Floronic Man, Aquaman (II), Zatanna, and Hawkeye (II) seem like some of the best options off the top of my head))

[Arkham]

As for art, it is worth pointing out we have a running theme with Martian Manhunter and Superman in similar poses:



So naturally something like these:


Ultimately, I think an action/striking pose is best, as this Batman will be more combative, and the two previous versions just had Batman standing/walking.

Some other options:

[Ronin]

I'd consider bumping the first clause of Tactical Strategist into Brave and the Bold. Tactical Strategist reads a bit strangely to me with 3 totally separate things going on.

[Arkham]

Originally Posted by Dysole

The better you make that initiative roll, the more Joker wants to come play.

~Dysole, noting that really as long as you make it no better than Heimdall you should be fine (although I can see someone trying Robot, Joker (I), Bats (III), Ant-man, Atom, and then whoever else they want to add from the synergy web (Floronic Man, Aquaman (II), Zatanna, and Hawkeye (II) seem like some of the best options off the top of my head))

Aquaman II is a Warrior.

We could always throw in:

"When rolling for initiative, if at least one Order Marker is on this card, you may add 1 to your roll for each Justice League marker on this card."

That'd help deter the Joker and Robot combos, as you're taking up 2-3 Order Markers just to get that to work. Also, the Joker combo is a bit questionable as-is, as Batman's initiative boost will be getting worse each time he burns a marker, and if Batman dies, Joker loses all his powers and lowers his Attack and Defense by 1.

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD
At the start of the game, place 1 white Justice League marker on this card for each Unique Hero you control with the class of Archer, King, Magician or Scientist, to a maximum of 4. When rolling for initiative, if at least one Order Marker is on this card, you may add 1 to your roll for each Justice League marker on this card.

TACTICAL STRATEGIST
When a figure you control within clear sight of Batman is destroyed, you may immediately remove any unrevealed Order Markers and place them on any other card you control. Once per turn, after a Unique Hero you control within clear sight of Batman rolls the 20-sided die, you may remove 1 Justice League marker from this card to add 1 to that roll, or 3 to that roll if the figure is an Archer, King, Magician, or Scientist.

MASTER MARTIAL ARTIST
When attacking an opponent's adjacent figure with a normal attack, add one automatic skull to whatever is rolled. When defending against a normal attack from an adjacent figure, add one automatic shield to whatever is rolled, and all excess shields count as unblockable hits on the attacking figure.

[Hahma]

TACTICAL STRATEGIST
When rolling for initiative, you may add 1 to your roll for each Justice League marker on this card. When a figure you control is destroyed, you may immediately remove any unrevealed Order Markers and place them on any other card you control. Once per turn, after a Unique Hero you control within clear sight of Batman rolls the 20-sided die, you may remove 1 Justice League marker from this card to add 1 to that roll, or 3 to that roll if the figure is an Archer, King, Magician, or Scientist.

When you remove any unrevealed OM's, does that mean any opponent's OM's as well as your own?

I'm trying to tie it in with having a figure you control getting destroyed, and it would seem that the theme of that would allow you to remove any unrevealed OM's from the destroyed figure's card. But the way it currently reads to me, is that your figure getting destroyed is a trigger to allow you to either move your own unrevealed OM's around, or steal them from an opponent and put them on an army card you control.

What's the intent?