The Book of Phantom Stranger

[IAmBatman]

Yep, #3 is why I was struggling for answers to any of johnny's questions. Thanks for putting it so aptly, Spidey!

I wouldn't want to do another Martian Manhunter JL design. I'll think on who else it might be. It seems we'd want someone who was actually a member, though I see the thinking with Harbinger (I have a write up for her somewhere, along with Pariah).

[johnny139]

If he's vague, we should probably stick with the old refrain - "what he does, not what he can do." Unfortunately I don't know what that is, either.

[IAmBatman]

He definitely does magical stuff. He definitely has mysterious knowledge and helps and guides heroes, particularly in times of crisis. He definitely, specifically, dispells evil uses of magic. He definitely is hard to kill and comes off as fairly untouchable at times.

Not sure about offense as he's more reluctant to get directly involved that way. I get the impression that he CAN hit pretty hard. Not sure how often he DOES though.

[Arkham]

Not quite sure how to proceed. We can always put him on hold for another day until someone comes up with a way to capture what people desire in him.

[IAmBatman]

I think a lot of this is chatter.

Don't worry about the JLU power. I'll just keep trying to think up a home for that on my own.

I'd go with the below with the following tweaks:

1. Life down to like 8
2. Nigh Omniscience as is except he also gives you +1 to your initiative for each Knowledge Marker on his card
3. Just try to find some way to weave something referencing Event Heroes back into his power set. I'm really trying to think on that one. I know it's possible, just haven't hit on it yet.

Originally Posted by Arkham

NAME = PHANTOM STRANGER

SPECIES = ENTITY
UNIQUENESS = EVENT HERO
CLASS = PROTECTOR
PERSONALITY = MYSTERIOUS

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 10

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

POINTS = ???

NIGH OMNISCIENCE
At the start of the round, you may place up to 2 white Knowledge Markers on this card, to a maximum of 4. If you do, you cannot place any Order Markers on this card this round.

MYSTERIOUS GUIDANCE
After any attack dice, defense dice, or the 20-sided die is rolled for a figure you control, you may remove a Knowledge Marker from this card and immediately add a skull, shield, or 1 to that roll or, remove 2 Knowledge Markers from this card to instead add a blank or 2 to that roll.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT
At the end of the round, you may remove a Knowledge Marker from this card to choose a friendly figure. Remove a Wound Marker from the chosen figure's Army Card and place a previously removed Marker from their card back onto their card, if possible.

MAGICAL DEFENSE
When Phantom Stranger is attacked by an opponent's figure that does not have the Magical Defense special power, the most wounds Phantom Stranger can take for this attack is one.

[IAmBatman]

Maybe something in Crisis Management like "If one or more enemy Event Heroes are in clear sight of Phantom Stranger, you may use this power one additional time."

[Arkham]

If we are willing to give up Magical Defense(bumping his defense by 1 to compensate), I did have another idea on how to represent his direct intervention limitation, as well as the Event Hero inclusion. How about something like this:

NAME = PHANTOM STRANGER

SPECIES = ENTITY
UNIQUENESS = EVENT HERO
CLASS = PROTECTOR
PERSONALITY = MYSTERIOUS

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 10

MOVE = 6
RANGE = 3
ATTACK = 6
DEFENSE = 7

POINTS = ???

LIMITED INTERVENTION
If you control any other figure on the battlefield, Phantom Stranger may not attack any figure that is not an Event Hero, unless that figure has either a higher Life, Attack, or Defense number than listed on this card.

NIGH OMNISCIENCE
At the start of the round, you may place up to 2 white Knowledge Markers on this card, to a maximum of 4. When rolling for initiative, you may add 1 to your roll for each Knowledge Marker on this card.

MYSTERIOUS GUIDANCE
After any attack dice, defense dice, or the 20-sided die is rolled for a figure you control, you may remove a Knowledge Marker from this card and immediately add a skull, shield, or 1 to that roll or, remove 2 Knowledge Markers from this card to instead add a blank or 2 to that roll.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT
At the end of the round, you may remove a Knowledge Marker from this card to choose a friendly figure. Remove a Wound Marker from the chosen figure's Army Card and place a previously removed Marker from their card back onto their card, if possible.

SUPER STRENGTH
FLYING

[IAmBatman]

Hmm, I like that first power. It makes me think that you don't need both Mysterious Guidance and Crisis Management, though, and given how magic and the occult is such a big part of what he does, if we're not going to directly reference him dispelling magic, I really do think he at least needs Magical Defense so that he can use spells/be in that faction overall.

So I'd be tempted to keep Magical Defense and cut one of Mysterious Guidance or Crisis Management. Given that he's DCU, I'd lean towards keeping Crisis Management.

Mysterious Guidance seems like one I could really consider tweaking for my Watcher write up if it doesn't make it here.

[Arkham]

I feel like that’s the most useful power on his card. I’m not quite sure how much he’s worth drafting without it.

[IAmBatman]

I don't totally agree (I still think he'd be draftable - that marker replacement power alone could be huge) but I do agree it's his highest value power. I'll let others chime in here as I think more voices on direction here could really benefit this thread.

I really think removing his connection from the magical world of DCU feels wrong, though.

[Lazy Orang]

If he can only have one, I'd say it has to be Crisis Management - healing's good, as is regenerating markers like Justice League and Battery Markers.

[Spidey'tilIDie]

What if you rolled some of Mysterious Guiidance into Crisis Management? I think both are very thematic especially for the usual Justice League members. I see the extra Skull or Shield as negligable, but that Blank is HUGE. Maybe it could be a marker burn to change a combat die to the face of your choice or add 2 to a roll? I think healing makes the Marker burn a tough call. I might also max it at 2. I really like the direction you have here.

FWIW, as I recall, it has been intimated that he is the Biblical Judas, serving time watching over the world to repent for his Betrayal of Jesus. Many of his various origins have him tied to Biblical stories and either Jesus or Angels. Just remembered that currently, his necklace is made of the 30 pieces of silver (now 29) that he was paid to betray Jesus. (One decomposed and fell off when he united the Spectre and Jim Corrigan, suggesting that he had completed one of the 30 tasks needed to redeem himself.) Also, his other major role is that of instructor to Tim Hunter, the DC/Vertigo equivalent of Harry Potter/ young Stephen Strange.
I did find out that he was an official member of the Justice League and a frequent collaborator before that. It took him over 40 issues to recognize his own inclusion in the group.