The Book of The Glyph of The Gift of Atlantis

[SirGalahad]

He might have a point. Only 20 of our 76 released or on-deck figures have the Flying special power.

[Spidey'tilIDie]

Yea!

[whitestuff]

I always play the rule that you stop when you hit the water but after that you can move up to your normal move (while in water) so this glyph is no problem for me.

Yea

[Hahma]

Yea

If someone is playing Valhalla Scape with this glyph, there are plenty of fliers or ranged special attacks that can be effective. Sure a lot of squads will be screwed (ranged ones like Stingers and 4th Mass) but would that be so bad since people complain about squads being too effective in Valhalla Scape? Also you'd still have Minions, Sentinels, Protectors of Ullar, Phantom Knights, Shades of Bleakwood and Wolves of Badru to name a few that can counter that for squads while there are some Heroes with ranged special attacks also to counter it.

Also, generally, a figure in water is going to be at height disadvantage. So figures defending against Syvarris equipped with this glyph are going to roll an extra defense die. If the water spaces are single wide and the figure has to be adjacent to a land space, then a melee figure can attack the figure holding this glyph and have height advantage. So there are two sides to the power level for this glyph IMO.

[A3n]

Yea - glyphs are meant to be something coveted, so I don't have any issue with it.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by SirGalahad

He might have a point. Only 20 of our 76 released or on-deck figures have the Flying special power.

How many of them have Bat-Grapple or some sort of Leap?

[SirGalahad]

Now why wouldn't you know that?

[IAmBatman]

It was more of a rhetorical question ...

[Aldin]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

How many of them have Bat-Grapple or some sort of Leap?

I bow to the experience here, but would like to throw out the question of whether or not this glyph "boxes in" the creation process, invalidating future character concepts that would be overwhelmed by this glyph just like Valhallascape would be now. In other words, do you want a glyph in existence that takes away the ability to have balanced primarily ground-based melee figures in Superscape?

~Aldin, intriguedly

[IAmBatman]

On maps with a large amount of water, in games where you choose to include this glyph, you mean?
I guess I just see glyphs as items that are designed to unbalance the game to some extent, but that can be used in non-unbalancing ways situationally. Common attack +1 certainly unbalances any game with the 4th Mass in it.

[Aldin]

I suppose I see treasure glyphs as supplemental enhancements unlike permanent glyphs that are fixed in space and thus something which everyone has a fair shot at. For example, the Glyph of Wannok (causes an autowound at the end of each round) is unbalancing, but an excellent fixed glyph. Make it a treasure glyph and it's potentially a problem because it enhances different figures differently. Flash carrying around Wannock wins.

In an odd way, this glyph would be MORE balanced if it granted it's powers to the entire team... but was fixed in place. Yes it would be more unbalancing in terms of how it prevents units from attacking across water, but at least the other side has a shot of taking the glyph away from you.

Now that I'm thinking about it, there aren't any treasure glyphs that encourage playing keep away. In fact, all the defensive boosts even remotely in the power range of this one are single-use only. From a design perspective I like the idea of discouraging strafing and encouraging engagement - especially since engagement is the most basic way to fight and thus something which any figure has a chance at - even if it's a slim chance.

~Aldin, open endedly

[IAmBatman]

Turtling in water isn't a very effective way to win, though, so I see the use of this glyph as more a way to pass through water and make it to engagement without dying from normal ranged attacks on height. If anything, a glyph like this could rebalance a map set apart by a large body of water.
It has plenty of power checks on it as well - ranged special attacks, highly mobile figures, and the fact that it only takes one wound on the figure carrying this to knock the glyph out of that figure's hand and give everyone else a free shot at it. If you have the squads to do it, you should be able to exercise enough map control to prevent one hero from running wild on you with this.