HoME Brainstorming Thread

[Shiftrex]

NAME = Ugluk

GENERAL = UTGAR
UNIQUENESS = Unique Hero
CLASS = Captain/Commander
PERSONALITY = Menacing/Merciless/Relentless (just other ideas than wild)
SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM/5?

LIFE = 6
MOVE = 5
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 3
DEFENSE = 4
POINTS = ???

(Possible powers)

ISENGARDERS/URUKS OF THE WHITE HAND
When an Ugluk rolls an attack against a human figure add 1 additional attack die.

SARUMAN'S COMMAND
All Orcs and Uruk-Hai you control may move an additional space.

GET IN LINE
When an Orc or Uruk-Kai rolls a 20-sided die and they are within 4 clear sight spaces of Ugluk you may add 1 to that roll. After the roll has been made you may place a wound marker on Ugluk and reroll the 20-sided die for that power but you must keep the new result.

KEEP MOVING
At the end of the round you may choose up to 4 Orcs or Uruk-hai that you control within clear sight of Ugluk and move them each 1 space.

ORDERS OF THE WHITE HAND
After taking a turn with Ugluk you may reveal the X order marker on him and if you do then take a turn with any friendly Orc or Uruk-Hai squad.

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Random ideas to get us started. I think Ugluk should be pretty tough. Orcs only respect strength so he needs to keep people in line. Feel free to discuss adjustments. I'm thinking we should try to stick with just 2 powers on our guy here.

I kinda like GET IN LINE but maybe it should have him destroy an adjacent friendly figure to "make an example" of someone to inspire his underlings to do better

[Splash]

Should we get workbooks going for these fellas?

[caps]

Yeah. Don't forget to reserve the second post in the thread.

[Shiftrex]

I'll pull my weight and make a workbook for Ugluk waaaaay late this evening or tommorrow so we can do more work on him and sift through ideas. Let's get back to the grindstone though, I'm wondering about Elrond.

When I've made him before, I turned him into a 200 point warking but that was based off his appearance in the last war against Sauron, not his 3rd age persona. What type of unit do we want him to be? Leadership? Cheerleader? I dont know if making him a powerful combat figure is correct but I wouldnt be opposed, he IS a powerful character.

[Splash]

I'd see Elrond as having solid warrior stats (3/3?) with a power focus on defense/control. His wave power could remove an order marker and his foresight could reveal an order marker at random or something (giving him a target for the flood). Also healing could go somewhere in there.
I can do a write up later tonight or tomorrow morning more likely.

[Chris Perkins]

Another way to go with Elrond would be friendly figures within some aura have no hit zones. Based on his ability to hide & protect Imladris from Sauron

[caps]

Hmm, a power relating to the river feels too narrow. Elrond controlled that specific river. A healing power also feels off; he was not a *battlefield* healer. I could see a FORESIGHT power...

Here is a FORESIGHT power I came up with for another card I'm working on (unrelated to LotR)

After Order Markers are placed, but before rolling initiative, you may look at a random Order Marker on one Army Card of each opponent and then move one of your Order Markers from one of your Army Cards to another Army Card.

The Imladris power seems less of a stretch, but still is somewhat. But let's keep throwing ideas around. Sometimes the best you can do is get something that captures the key themes of a character, even if it doesn't translate well directly in terms of mechanics.

[Shiftrex]

Specifically focusing on Elrond of the third age I think something like foresight is very good here.

Most of Elrond's actions in the book have to do with providing counsel, dispatching people to their journey, resisting evil influences and reversing curses. Since we want the "wise" version, maybe some sort of bonding relationship with a declared hero?

Also, we might have a chance to create a reusable ability here for all Elven Lords. Something that represents their hard to corrupt nature and vast power against evil.

[Splash]

Incorruptible
If any player or special power rolls the 20-sided die to take temporary or permanent control of Elrond, that player must subtract 4 to the roll. (Basically the opposite of what I wanted for Boromir).

Or just players may roll to take control of Elrond.

Also this sort of thing could go on other Elven Lords, but it should go on Elrond.

[Splash]

Also since he is performatively more of a send them off sort (in the Third Age), he could give movement or defense bonus to figures in your start zone.

[caps]

Originally Posted by Shiftrex

Specifically focusing on Elrond of the third age I think something like foresight is very good here. Most of Elrond's actions in the book have to do with providing counsel, dispatching people to their journey, resisting evil influences and reversing curses. Since we want the "wise" version, maybe some sort of bonding relationship with a declared hero? Also, we might have a chance to create a reusable ability here for all Elven Lords. Something that represents their hard to corrupt nature and vast power against evil.

I like these ideas, minus the bonding one.

[Shiftrex]

Ok, I'm going to make Ugluk's thread here in a few but let's take a crack at some ideas for old Half-Elven.

NAME = Elrond of Rivendell (I don't know if we want to say Lord Elrond, if that locks us out of creating a pre-3rd age version or if we care. eitherway is fine)
GENERAL = ULLAR
UNIQUENESS = Unique Hero
CLASS = Lord / Lore Master (class idea from LOTR online) / Advisor
PERSONALITY = Wise / Stoic / Resolute / Precise / Inspiring
SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM/5?

LIFE = 6
MOVE = 5
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 3
DEFENSE = 3
POINTS = 120

(Possible powers)

ELVEN LORD
Figures that follow Utgar or Valkrill can never target Elrond with a special power.

OR (this may be more thematic for Elven Lords)

When an opponent's figure that follows Utgar or Valkrill moves onto a space within 2 clear sight spaces of an Elrond, that figure must end its move there. Figures can never move through any figure affected by ELVEN LORD.

INCORRUPTIBLE (Splash's idea)
If any player or special power rolls the 20-sided die to take temporary or permanent control of Elrond, that player must subtract 4 to the roll. (Basically the opposite of what I wanted for Boromir).

FORESIGHT (Cap's Idea)
After Order Markers are placed, but before rolling initiative, you may look at a random Order Marker on one Army Card of each opponent and then move one of your Order Markers from one of your Army Cards to another Army Card.

WISE COUNSEL
After revealing any Order Marker you may choose to reveal your X Order Marker and take a turn with that Army Card instead.

COMBAT MASTER / WHIRLWIND STRIKE
Elrond may attack any or all figures adjacent to him. Roll each attack separately.

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We have a lot of directions to go, even with a 3rd age Elrond but I agree that we probably shouldn't rely on his control of the river. We could give him range and magic if we really wanted but I think the river feat should be tied to a scenario (since we can basically play the whole book). I kind like the idea of evil things approaching him warily, because most evil things would either be afraid of old Half-Elven or approach him warily.

He also doesn't have to be in the power house point range of 120 if we don't like that but I kind of feel that Elrond should be powerful, if not fully combat focused because its his 3rd age iteration he should at least be strong enough that you look at the board and go "... oh damn, it's Elrond..." in the same way that you look at a lot of figures in the 120 range.

Thoughts?