THE CUSTOMS FEATURED IN THIS THREAD ARE NOT MY OWN.
I was reading through an old thread from Karkadin and it got me thinking about the state of customs in HS.
We don't see the caliber of customs these guys used to put out as often anymore. We definitely don’t see the artistry that some of these guys put into not only their units but also into their cards.
I thought it would be fun to look at these customs creators and maybe be inspired to push further in our endeavor for excellent customs rather than just settling for good, or even really good , customs.
Most of the creators that will appear in this thread are people with the Master Customs Creator title but not all of them. I will go down my list in alphabetical order.
EDIT
I thought I would revive this thread for a limited time. There are a few presently active customs creators who, while they may not have the title Master Customs Creator, they are having a great impact on our game and customs community through their customs. They consistently are turning out units that either fit seamlessly with the game and its canon, or the units they create, while maybe not being a seamless fit, display a creativity and attention to detail that, I think makes them worthy to be included in this thread (and since this is my thread, that is all that matters )
Anyhow, on to the customs creators. As if you didn't know who the first customs creator would be, I present to you...
dok
The impact dok has had on the game with his customs is obvious for anyone who follows the Valhalla Customs project (formerly SoV/C3V). Several units of dok's have been inducted into the SoV and, as a designer for C3V he obviously has had an impact on the game there as well.
Dok's customs usually display a great simplicity combined with a need for well thought out strategic play (as a former SoV judge, I always enjoyed that when playtesting dok's units). That is an elusive combination that is hard to get just right. His units also usually fit well within the HS canon.
If you want units that look like they came from Hasbro, look to dok.
Let's start with some of dok's SoV units. Since you can read the SoV judges' reviews, I won't say much about these units...
First up, my favorite SoV unit of dok's. This was great fun to playtest. To see what the SoV judges had to say about this guy, click here.
dok has a couple of SoV offerings for you sci-fi fans out there...
The Zettian Infantry
and the Hoplitron (officially inducted just a few days ago; one of the reasons for the limited revival of this thread)
You can read the SoV judge reviews on these units in the SoV Nominations and Discussions thread (there was no post conveniently grouping a link to all the reviews )
Here are some of dok's other contributions to the customs community...
While definitely a departure from the norm as far as mechanics go, I love how these guys interact with the Templar Cavalry and the Dismounted Knight power is a fun concept and use of the knight figures.
Commander M11. This is from dok's Mariedians series of units. I love the mini choice and I also like that Cover Fire offers synergy without resorting to the over-used squad/hero bonding.
dok's other classic customs can be found here and his D&D customs can be found here
Netherspirit
Spoiler Alert!
As I was looking through Netherspirit's custom thread I was amazed at how many of the same mini's he and I have used and how many customs he and I have in common as far as concepts go. Our likemindedness is either good for me or bad for him- or both.
Seriously, I loved browsing his thread. I could just reproduce his thread here but I won't. You will find some of his units in the Halls of Valhalla (the Capricorn Slingers) so be sure to check that thread out.
With having studided a couple of Japanese forms of martial arts I have always loved the Samurai. So, first up are Netherspirit's Samurai heroes. The Bushido Sensei is an interesting ability. I also like the trade off of Counterstrike for Iai-jutsu on the last one.
I have created units that have a shape shifting ability using another figure. I have made units that use "spell" cards. I've never put them together before though. I love all the possibilities with this unit... Front Back
Last one.
I have a very similar unit that has been collecting dust in the Customs folder on my computer. I am almost reluctant now to finish it after seeing Netherspirit's version of a Beastmaster...
I highly recommend you head on over to Netherspirit's Customs and enjoy the rest of his customy goodness! There is a lot of it.
LordRaidor
Spoiler Alert!
The Zaravi Incursion. That is all I needed to know of LordRaidor's customs for him to be one of my favorites. I won't post them here due to space (and also so I can highlight some of his other work) However, you must check them out here!
LordRaidor has many more customs than just the Zaravi. Here is a small sampling of some of my faves...
I really like this pair due to the mechanics making them virtually a unique 2 person squad with interworking synergies. Very creative...
Quote:
FEYLORA & REYLANA These Elven sisters from Feylund were born beneath a very rare heavenly conjunction: a prophecy written in the stars that they would together share a great destiny. They were thought at first to be identical twins, but a physical distinction made itself apparent before their first birthday: Feylora's hair grew golden blonde, like the summer sun, while Reylana's hair was a burnt crimson, like the oak leaves in autumn. In addition to this visible difference, Feylora and Reylana also developed slightly divergent personalities. As they grew, Reylana stood apart as the more impulsive and reckless of the two, where Feylora was always more cautious and calculated. Schooled together all their lives in preparation for their 'Grand Destiny', the twins absorbed every piece of lore and mastered every skill they were taught, especially the art of swordsmanship. Where their comrade Syvarris excelled at the bow, the twin sisters were renowned for their prowess with swords. Wielding two blades apiece, Feylora and Reylana are each formidable opponents on their own, but when the two fight side-by-side, they become frighteningly efficient. Each enhances the other's weaknesses with her own strengths, and the two become a force somehow greater than the sum of its parts. The twins move, parry, and strike with such complementary synchronicity that they seem to act from a single united force of will. Their primary weakness is that they appear to share each other's pain; so if one of them is defeated in combat, the other is almost certain to meet a similar fate in short order.
I really like the draconum figs from Mage Knight (although I have only several of them myself) so I naturally gravitate towards customs using them. LordRaidor made some great use of them. Some of them have very creative and unique abilities...
If you enjoy these you will enjoy the rest of LordRaidor's customs (including some Star Wars customs) here.
Grungebob
Spoiler Alert!
I want to take this time to focus on a little known member of the community. He hasn't really done much to contribute to the community at all but I will include him here anyhow.
If you have never taken a gander at Grungebob's customs you have really missed out. He has some of my favorite customs that can be summed up in three words... TOO MUCH FUN!
He (along with Truth) were quite active in the customs community before so many official units became available and they became so busy. It is definitely our sub-community's loss.
I used to be a professional clown (no, I won't do your kids birthday party) so I love seeing clown customs. Why is it clowns are always evil in miniature games? Anyhow, GB has 2 great clowns. I love the concepts of Masochistic Embrace and Sucker Punch.
The Broken Kneecap ability on this card gives me humorous images of the battlefield with warriors limping around cursing as Thurt darts in and out amongst them.
This last one I will highlight is my very favorite. If I can get ahold of the fig she will be a commonly drafted unit on my game nights. The Tree Bonding ability seems like such an incredibly strategic and useful ability.
InfinityMax, or IMax, was another customs creator who was once a staple of the customs community. In the few cards of his I've seen, he had a knack for creating teamwork in his cards without resorting to the often seen bonding ability.
Here are some examples of his very creative teamwork abilities...
This squad is part of the Halls of Valhalla. They have a great mechanic to bring teamwork into the equation...
Here is a second unique squad with a unique ability to synergize with other figs...
This is perhaps my favorite of his. They have creative and thematic names as well as creative abilities. Each one has a teamwork ability that is different from the teamwork ability of any of the others. I am sure they abound in strategic uses.
Quote:
Originally Posted by InfinityMax
Next up are the Argonauts, five mercs who fight for whoever pays the best. They are a team, and work best as a coherent group. Each figure has three abilities - an offensive ability, a team-based special, and jump jets (like flying, but not as good).
Paladin is crucial if you want to play Argonauts, because he can get his whole team into position in record time.
Bodybag may not be the best offensive unit, but he is great at prolonging the life of your team.
Shockwave is great against weak squads - get them close and he can string together a lightning blast to nail whole groups at once. Plus he can provide considerable flexibility, removing some of the 'aw dammit' factor from placing turn order markers.
If you're squaring off against tough heroes, Reaper can even the odds. A few well-placed rockets, and those juggernauts could be pushing up daisies.
Another great unit against squads, Firebug has a weaker version of Mimring's fire line, and provides a defense bonus if his partners are close by.
Sentinel is sort of a watchdog on the board. If you have a unit or part of the board you are trying to protect, Sentinel can be posted to keep them from getting too close.
You can see the rest of Imax's work in his customs thread here.
Aratak
Spoiler Alert!
Aratak is one I had never heard of except for his Talos custom which is part of the Halls of Valhalla (so I won't show it here since it is spot lighted there). Aratak is from the previous incarnation of this site- I believe it was heroscapeHQ.com which was preceded by heroscape.net.
He wasn't ever a real presence on this site but his customs were apparently quite popular on the previous site. Here is a sampling of a few of them from his yahoo group page. They are a little rough compared to today's customs but they had great influence on our customs community...
An interesting early take on a movement ability...
Aratak did a series of units from Atalantis. While rough in the wording I thought it was interesting that he put a short "bio" on each of the cards...
Lastly, his zombies.
Now, I know what you are thinking, "So, he made some zombies. I like the Zombies of Morindan better." I posted this card because the Zombies of Morindan with their head-only hit zones and Horde Movement came out with the Dawn of darkness wave in 2006- Aratak posted this card in Feb. of 2005. He either maybe had some insight or maybe he contributed some inspiration...
I won't put a link to his yahoo group site because for some reason it has an age-related content warning (I didn't see anything objectionable while there though). If you really want to see more of Aratak's cards, I am sure you will find a way since I did.
Silverstoner
Spoiler Alert!
Most newer members (including myself) probably never heard of Silverstoner. He hasn't been around for a long time. he is another one who doesn't have the Master Customs Creator title who is featured here nonetheless. From my understanding he is the one who raised card crafting to a whole new level with his photographic backgrounds and such. I just wanted to show a couple of examples of his work...
This unit was inducted into the Halls of Valhalla...
Another of Silverstoner's Samurai...
I thought this fig and the abilities were very unique...
Silverstoner, during his time here, was well known for his great looking cards. He has several interesting units. Most of them are on an external site.
His heroscapers customs thread is here. You can link to his external customs gallery from there.
PochoMan
Spoiler Alert!
If you like figure mods with your custom cards you will probably enjoy much of PochoMan's work. He has some very interesting mods. All but one of the cards appearing here are figure mods.
I really like his 22nd Regiment of Foot's Return Fire ability.
As I mentioned earlier in this thread I am a fan of Greek mythology so I already was biased towards his Achilles card. I really liked the mechanic he used for Achilles' Heel. I think it does a good job of conveying the weakness.
The Lycanthropy mechanic on his Morindan Wolves is brilliant.
The Order of Jandar doesn't necessarily bring anything new or unique to the game. I included them here because I think they are an awesome repaint of one of the Tarn Vikings.
PochoMan has more great mods and customs.
You can see his Superhero HS customs here.
You can see his "classic" HS customs here.
LilNewbie
Spoiler Alert!
I had never realized that LilNewbie was one of the Master Customs Creators until I started doing this thread (how did I miss his title?).
Anyhow, he has several cards that really piqued my interest.
This figure is one that really caught my attention due to its departure from the norm as far as using a figure. It uses three figures to represent the same character. LilNewbie explained it all so I won't...
Quote:
The idea behind this character is Barraxis I, Karrak and Zixx are all the same character but in different dimensions. Barraxis I in his studies of magic, seeking eternal life, readjusted the Phase Coefficient of three separate dimensions. Barraxis I cannot control the phase shift and his three different dimensional selfs will jump in sequence to each dimension. Each aspect of Barraxis I is very different from the others. Barraxis I was a powerful Sorcerer, Karrak was a famous General and Swordmaster who commands legions of troops and Zixx was protector of his native lands but suffers from a blood rage when he enters combat. Barraxis I starts the game on the field and the cards and figures rotate after an activation.
Barraxis I (Figure-Mage Knight Nexus Eldritch Draconum #62)
Alternate Card for Barraxis I (since this figure fits Barraxis I much better, imo)
(Figure-Mage Knight Nexus Syndak #12)
I like how this squad has figures that each have a different ability. It can make the whole squad very versatile.
I very much enjoy Greek mythology so I love how LilNewbie implemented it with this series of figs. They are a simple ready made army whose abilities are very thematic with the particular ability's name (the figs used are really cool, too)...
Quote:
Nephilim
NOTE: Inspired by the Spawn Miniatures originally posted by Paxton.
When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years." The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. (Genesis 6:1-4, English Standard Version)
Nephilim. Fallen Ones. Giants. Titans. Their name and origins are shrouded in mystery and myth. The Nephilim have struggled from the dawn of Earth's history to survive. To many, they are abominations which deserve no better than a swift death. To others, they are worshipped as gods. Their original names are virtually unknown to common man but many would recognize the names of Ares, Vulcan or Hermes. These were the names given to them by their human followers and worshippers. Their exploits or the exploits of those they granted power have been told and retold by eons of human sages and storytellers. Their existence has not been without sacrifice and loss. Years of conflict, both external and internal, have depleted their population. The last six Nephilim were called to Valhalla by Utgar and a tenuous agreement was established. While fighting for Utgar they secretly continue to seek after the means to replenish their numbers and to establish themselves as the rulers of Valhalla.
On the battlefield, the Nephilim appear to fight as one cohesive unit. They seem to instictvely know and follow a battleplan without any form of communication. This ability seems to be diminished when fighting along side non-Nephilim (which is a rare occurance indeed.)
They are also not without their own internal divisions. Zar-Kahn is the undisputed leader of the Nephilim but his brother Lorkkar has schemes in place to wear the mantle of leadership. The alliances within the Nephilim shift on a daily basis but all internal strife is immediately put aside when threatened by an outside force.
All figures are from the McFarlane's 3-Inch Spawn Trading Figure line.
Zar-Kahn: Leader of the Nephilim (Figure-Spawn the Black Knight)
Lorkkar: Brother of Zar-Kahn and second-in-command. (Figure-Skullsplitter)
Brexan: Nephilim zealot. (Figure-Wings of Redemption)
Vex: Huntress. (Figure-Mandarin Spawn)
Shevak: Master of Arcane power. (Figure-Raven Spawn)
Taneras: Scout and loyal servant to Zar-Kahn. (Figure-Redeemer)
Here is a picture of the figures. Awesome miniatures! Great find Paxton!
All six figures add up to a 600 point army. They can be drafted with other units but lose their Tactical Superiority when working with non-Nephilim.
His is the thread that spurred me on to create this thread. I had actually never seen any of Karkadinn's customs until I was preparing for this thread. I can honestly say that I am now a full fledged Karkadinn customs fan. As far as unique mechanics go he is my favorite along side of H_E_H.
His mechanics are cousins of official abilities but he gives them enough of a twist to be unique.
Several creators have made glyphs but his is the first I have come across while doing this thread. I remember it from an issue of the Codex. I love how it can completely change gameplay and strategy for the entire map in the blink of an eye...
Speaking of glyphs... you want unique? You can't get much more unique than this...
Who doesn't like Donkey Kong? IMHO, Karkadinn did an outstanding job of capturing DK's essence with only 2 simple abilities. Proof again that you don't need 16 abilities with 8 paragraphs each to import a pre-made character into HS...
This is one fig I wish I could see the rest of. I couldn't find any equipment cards for her Basket of Goodies ability (unless he was referring to any equipment cards and not ones specifically for this fig). She is a terrain dependent figure which I typically don't like, but Karkadinn did it in such an incredibly thematic way I can't help but like it...
Of course I can't leave out her arch nemesis...
Just a couple more...
I am a sucker for figs with equipment cards. I think this next fig is probably my favorite custom that uses equipment cards. Karkadinn, again, has shown that he is a master of thematic cards with this unit. The mechanics for the different cards give a great twist on typical ways of using the d20 (again, which I am a sucker for even though it is undependable). Anyhow, I will shut up and let you enjoy...
(this card gives a nod to H.P. Lovecraft so I have to love it)
And lastly, a card whos mechanics are completely and totally unique. He probably wouldn't see much action but I am sure he would be a lot of fun in the occasional casual friendly game...
justjohn, from what I understand, had a huge impact on the customs community back in the day. He was a driving force behind it and help shape it. He was the creator of the Speed Customs Contest which I think would have been a blast to participate in. He also made a series of customs based on HSers members.
Here are a few of his customs based on members here...
These are justjohn's contribution to the Halls Of Valhalla...
I thought this was very interesting concept. A unit that changes from a Defensive to an Offensive stance...
This unit has a very intriguing idea. Abilities that are determined randomly by a roll of the dice. Unfortunately, the last set of abilities is not available
justjohn has many, many more great custom units. Go to justjohn's Customs to see them.
Euryon
Spoiler Alert!
I was going down my list and realized I inadvertently skipped one of my favorite customs creators. So I will alphabetically backtrack to cover Euryon.
I am no expert on the history of the HS Customs community but it seems to me that Euryon is well known for his innovative card designs. There is one card glaringly missing from his thread that I would have loved to see. Apparently he designed a hologram or quasi animated card for a Predator custom. From what I have read it was a stupendously impractical card but what a brilliant idea. Oh, to have gotten here a couple of years sooner.
Anyhow, onto his cards...
This is the first card of Euryon's that I saw. I had never seen a card depart from the graphical norm of the official cards. This card is what made me want to get into customs (so if you really hate my customs, blame it on Euryon ).
It seems like a minor thing but I love the coffee ring stain. It gives it a sense of haphazard reality.
Euryon not only departed from the graphical norm but even from the official shape of the cards. I am not talking about some of the trading card templates that you see here and there. I am talking unique designs...
This is card whose design gives you a feel for the character and brings out the raw strength of the figure. I love how he did it (I am partial to Celtic customs anyway).
I will leave with one last "groovy" card. Who couldn't be a fan of Bruce Campbell and the Army of Darkness (I know... those who like skilled actors, and high production values, but aside from those people). I was hooked on the campy goodness of Army of darkness in the first five minutes and I have been a closet Bruce Campbell fan ever since.
If you want a figure to use with this card I am sure you can find one discounted at S-Mart, so, shop smart... shop S-Mart!
You can check out the rest of Euryon's customs here.
Hex_Enduction_Hour
Spoiler Alert!
H_E_H is one of those featured in this thread who does not have the Master Customs Creator title. I included him because I like his stuff
Seriously, if you enjoy looking at thinking-outside-the-box type of units then H_E_H is for you. That is why he is included here. The cards themselves are nothing spectacular to look at but the mechanics he comes up with go from whimsical to hilarious to head scratchingly cool. There are probably some hardcore 'Scapers who do not like H_E_H's off the wall units but even they must tip their hats to his creativity (if they are going to be honest).
Get ready to look at some "not your father's HS" units...
Who would have ever thought to put a spinner on a HS card for an ability?
There have been many games converted to HS and many versions of those many games. I think this is the only conversion of Clue I have ever seen. I think it was handled in a very fun way...
These cards are the first I've seen that use multiple figures to represent the same unit based upon the terrain the fig is on. It seems like it might get confusing but it is still extremely creative and I would love to give it a try...
The last one I want to show is probably one of my favorites from H_E_H just because of the novelty of it...
H_E_H has many more cards at H_E_H Customs. Check them out!
Doc Savage
Spoiler Alert!
If you enjoy ingnuity and originality when it comes to new abilities or mechanics you will enjoy Doc Savages custom offerings.
Another thing I like about Doc Savage's customs is that he usually (it seems) actually has the figure for the custom he made. This, for me, makes it much more enjoyable looking at his work. When I know a figure is actually physically playable I tend to spend more time reviewing it than when I just see someone's card based on a character for which no miniature exists.
I'd be remiss if I didn't start out with his namesake card. His Doc Savage custom made wonderful use of equipment cards to maintain the flavor of the pulp character. Doc Savage did a great job on Doc Savage...
Quote:
Here are the current versions of Doc and his Gear... Doc is a figure from www.pulpfigures.com
A very unique take on order marker abilities was offered for a speed customs contest (I'd love to see those make a come back). I hadn't seen an ability that affected OM's like this before...
Quote:
6/29/07
Here is my winning entry from Speed Custom Contest #8
Along the lines of Annerios' Predator series, Doc Savage gave us a great series based upon the Hellboy comic book. He actually did cards for the characters based on both the movies and the comicbooks. These are the cards based on the comicbooks...
Quote:
8/15/07
Hellboy and the BPRD Boxed Set.
Some of these premiered in the Codex issue #7. http://hscodex.com/
Here are all the classic 'Scape cards for the first time.
Here are the Classic Heroscape cards for the BPRD team. My earlier BPRD cards reflected the movie versions of the characters (especially Abe and Liz), while these more closely represent the characters as portrayed in the Dark Horse comic books. As usual, your comments are welcome.
The "S" at the bottom of Hellboy's card stands for Superstrength. For those of you without Marvelscape, here is the definition of Superstrength from the Marvel rulebook: A figure with this symbol is not affected by the Falling and Major Falling rules. The character is still affected by the Extreme Falling rules. A figure with this symbol also ignores any special powers that gives automatic shields to Destructible Objects.
And Hellboy as he was when summoned to Earth against his will. Imagine if Utgar would have would gotten ahold of the wee demon...
Doc Savage has many more cards for your viewing, playing, and inspirational pleasure at Doc Savage's Customs.
I do want to leave you with one more card of his though...
I am a closet H.P. Lovecraft fan. He is considered a hack writer by most "literature elitists" but he had a great imagination and a very unique writing style with a vast vocabulary. Anyhow, anytime I see a Cthulu Mythos figure, I like it just because. So, I leave you with the Dark Young...mwahaha ...
Quote:
Here is the dread Dark Young....
CupidsArt
Spoiler Alert!
I was always most familiar with CupidsArt due to his incredible artwork. Little did I know that he had made a successful venture into the custom unit realm as well.
Looking through his customs thread I saw several cards that caught my eye.
One of them was the Sobe-Khai. Even though they are undependable, d20 abilities are some of my favorite. I like the way CupidsArt made use of it with this squad...
I love looking at cards that depart from the normal graphical layout of the official cards. CupidsArt did a wonderful job on the card design for this unit. To me, with the comic book-ish look, it just makes me feel like the unit would be fun to play...
Quote:
A figure with an interesting bio brings it to life and helps give a feel to how the figure should be played and why it has the abilities it does. CupidsArt offered a great unit with a great bio with this one...
Quote:
Bio for Grauknau
Created from the soul of an orphaned Elf child, Grauknau was summoned through the wellspring the moment before his death to replace Arlun, Seer of the Aupua as Hunter for the new tribe. Arlun served as the Hunter for the Land of Earth but since the Treaty of Tribes and the formation of the Aupua he has had little time for such things.
With the Help of Eiwenar, Hearer of the Aupua and Urtengar, Right Hand of the Aupua, Arlun brought forth the young orphan and gave him a choice. The boy could find Honor and Life as Hunter for the the New Tribe or return on his path to the Gods. The boy was fearful of his death and chose his path as Hunter, little did he know that the path he had chosen, would we covered in blood.
Knowing that the young boy would not survive the tasks ahead, Urtengar contacted Djrana, Left Hand of the Aupua. Together they Branded the boy with a New Body and Grand Weapons. Over the course of 15 years Grauknau would quiet many rebel tribesman and shed even more blood, but his latest task for the Aupua, would test his limits. His orders were to kill Emahney, Queen of the Rebels of Earth.
Grauknau set about his task under cover of night not knowing the truth, not knowing that Emahney was in fact a child. When the Hunter reached the rebel village he placed his sword to a young warrior's throat. He ordered the boy to take him to the Queen, and if the boy did so, his life would be spared.
Quietly they crept through the rundown streets until they reached a small hut. The boy whispered to Grauknau that this place, was home to the Queen. The Hunter put his sword down to his side and told the boy to run back to his post, and keep quiet.
Slowly Grauknau entered the hut, his blade tight, and ready for a killing blow, and then he saw it. In the center of the hut, surrounded by several of the Earth Tribes Totems sat a small pile of Pillows and Fur. In the center of this mass lay a young girl, no more than 4 Winters old.
Grauknau thought back as he looked down at the little Queen. could he have been betrayed by the same people who gave him life? Is he, with the title of Hunter, nothing more than a mear Assasin?
Grauknau dropped to his knees, sadness wrapping around his heart with every breath taken into his chest. Never, never again will he kill for the power hungry Aupua. Taking the skull shield from his arm, Grauknau placed the tip of his sword on his chest and prepared to finally finish his journey to the Gods.
It was at this moment that a curious Einar happened to be pearing into his Wellspring and with a smile on his face he summoned The Hunter. Grauknau looked up towards Einar feeling that same fire in his veins that he had felt so many years ago. He had been summoned again, but this time to where, and why?
There was a whole set of totems that went along with the story of Grauknau that CupidsArt was working on. He posted images of a couple of them and the stats for one of them. Unfortunately, that was in may of 2007 so I don't think we will ever see the whole mythos behind Grauknau fleshed out. I am sure that works out for our loss.
You can enjoy more of CupidsArt work here. Be sure to check out post 126 on page 11. Incredible stuff!
Atmospro
Spoiler Alert!
You're in for some major HS eye candy when you view Atmospro's customs. I have to say that his work is probably my favorite in the customs arena.
Alas, my absolute most favorite unit of his is one I actually haven't even been able to view in its entirety. It was a unit he did for a contest and I saw it in an issue of the HS Codex. I searched for it here and came across a thread in which he said it wasn't posted on the site .
The unit is Eldritch the Alchemist. It was a vey unique figure that, to my knowledge (which isn't saying much), was the first to introduce its unique mechanic of gathering items for the unit to use. It is also, to me, one of the most striking cards for any custom I've seen. You can see him in the HS Codex Issue #5, pg. 36. You should really check him out.
EDIT: I captured the image out of the Codex.
Second on my list of favorites from Atmopro is, well, everything else he has done . I am an unabashed Atmospro Customs fan if you couldn't tell.
His Dark Carnival series is probably the most inspirational series I've seen. As always, the cards themselves are fantastic and the units themselves... well, look for yourself...
You can get a more comprehensive look at the Dark Carnival complete with character bios in issue #10 of the HS Codex, pg. 27.
This next figure I include since it is a member of the Halls of Valhalla. From the abilities, to the sculpt, to the graphics and even the font for the units name, this card oozes theme.
I could keep posting cards that Atmospro has made but t hen it would just be his thread all over again. Instead I will post just one more card of his.
I have always loved minotaurs; they are are one of my favorite creatures from mythology. That said, even if I didn't have a fondness for minotaurs, Atmospro's offering would catch my eye. Beside the expected artistry of the card and incredible sculpt (Atmospro has an eye for finding the best figs), this unit is elegant in its simplicity. Easy to understand and easy to use.
He had this Mortal Kombat Scorpion custom Spotlighted in an issue of the HS Codex...
Ever since I was a kid I have loved the movie Escape from New York so I also really like his Snake Plissken fig.
My favorite contribution of his (with Rhydderch) to customs has got to be his Predator customs. A box set of the figs can be had for $20 from Troll and Toad. Order the ready made set, print out the cards and voila- awesome figs and awesome units.
Quote:
ELDER The Elder stepped forth from the wreckage of the ship, his eyes fixed upon the winged man who stood before him and the Predator who stood beside the Kyrie. He knew the Predator, a blooded warrior that the earth warriors had once called Skull. The Elder lifted its head, and an odd chitter escaped from beneath the shimmering, metal mask he wore. Skull responded with a single quiet chitter, before pointing at the very ground that he stood upon. There, half-covered in grass and dried mud, lay the crested skull of some massive beast. The Elder understood. Here, the hunt was plentiful and the challenge was worthy of a hunter's honour.
JEHDIN The Aliens swarmed around the Predator, their lithe bodies glistening in the half-light of the derelict spaceship. They flitted past his vision, to the left and right of him, behind him and even on the vessel walls above him, so many that Jehdin had lost count. The Predator drew his Combi-Stick, and with a slow, deliberate motion, removed his mask - the only armor he wore. A chorus of clicks sounded from his mandibles, almost a laugh, and Jehdin began the dance of death that he knew so well...
Even amongst his own kind, Jehdin is said to be possessed by a warrior's will. He refuses to fight with the ranged weapons of his Yautja kin, and relies instead on his weapon, Chiva. It is a name that means trial, and indeed Jehdin sees every hunt as a test of his skills with his chosen weapon. Because of his prowess in battle and his love for the hunt, Jehdin is called the One by his fellow predators, a title reserved for those hunters who have proven themselves above and beyond their own blooded kin.
In Valhalla, Jehdin continues to wield Chiva with deadly finesse, and he is the most dangerous predator: undefeated in his world, Jehdin has never used the Self-Destruct device upon his wrist and carries it still, making him deadly in both life and in death.
SKULL Cold eyes scan the rolling hills. They see the great, golden-domed structure built atop the crystal clear lake and they settle upon the rows and rows of tall men with great wings who stand under the arches of a great bridge. The creature watches the winged men, and then it begins to hunt. A metal mask is pulled down across the cold eyes, the creature takes its first step towards the bridge, and it disappears.
A flurry of feathers rain down from the sky as a tall man lands before the creature. The man speaks, quietly but quickly, his voice filled with strength. Visions flow through the creature's mind and though the creature does not understand all that is said, it does understand this: it has been promised a hunt so great it will never end.
SLASH Slash was a newly Blooded hunter when he was cut down by a rogue predator known as Bad-Blood. Shamed by his defeat, Slash activated his self-destruct device and waited for the end. It never came. Mere moments before the detonation of his self-destruct device, Einar summoned the young predator to Valhalla, and offered it a new chance to earn honor and skill. Slash accepted and has come to serve Einar faithfully.
SCAR He awoke to a world of darkness and pain; his body alight with fire. It ran through every nerve, every muscle, and seared into his very brain. He screamed, an inhuman scream, and then he knew no more...
He awoke again. The pain wracked his body still and he saw a great black beast with jaws that could tear through steel and a long, whip-like tail. A voice called out to him in the darkness, that of an earth female, and then there was a pain that lanced through his chest, and he knew no more...
Scar opened his eyes. The world around him had changed. He was in a ship now, the very one he had been brought to the Pyramid upon, and there were no more Aliens, no more humans, only the burning pain - that and the odd voice that spoke to him. It was a strange voice, raspy and slow, and it spoke in a language he could not understand. But he did know this, he had died and was now alive again. He had been shamed and only a new hunt could bring him honor again...
CELTIC An unblooded Predator, Celtic was one of three predators who ventured into the pyramid on Earth's Bouvet Island to hunt the Aliens within. However the hunter can quickly become the hunted when the prey is as deadly as the Xenomorphs, and the young Predator was outmatched by the vicious cunning of the Alien known as Grid. Only a timely summons from Einar and the eldritch touch of Durnipia were able to save the dying Pred. Now Celtic fights in the war for Valhalla, seeking the honor that was denied him and the Alien he marked so long ago...
ALEXA WOODS As the strange vessel rose high above the Antarctic ice, Alexa shivered. She'd seen so much in her short time in the pyramid, and she knew she could never go back to her old life. Images of terrifying Aliens with acid blood filled her mind, as did the screams of those she had lead into the accursed pyramid. Friends and colleagues, all gone now, and one by her hand. She looked down at the strange alien weapon she had been given, and drove it deep into the ice and snow. In memory of you guys, she thought. Then she shouldered the makeshift spear and shield that one of the aliens had made for her, and set out across the cold wastes. She was never seen on earth again.
BAD BLOOD When Utgar first encountered the Predators summoned by Einar he was impressed by their ferocity and power. He sought a hunter of his own. He turned his visions towards the relentless Yautja and saw a powerful warrior poised to strike the final blow upon a second Predator. Utgar delighted in the strength of that hunter and summoned it to Valhalla. He thought he could command the Predator: he was wrong.
Utgar learned that day of the Yautja's refusal to hunt the weak, and also of their independent spirit that would bow to no one - not even to him. Utgar would come away from his lesson with a scar on his chest, and an undying hatred for the honorable Yautja. He was no longer satisfied with the promise of a warrior who would kill the slaves of Jandar. He wanted a Yautja who would hunt its own.
Now a deadly hunter serves Utgar, its fury unrestrained by any sense of respect or honor. On its homeworld, it revelled in the challenge of hunting its own. It killed with no remorse and with no mercy. But the hunter can quickly become the hunted in Yautja society and the Predator soon found itself the prey of an honorable Yautja sent to kill it. The chase was long and hard but the dishonorable hunter could not defeat the more experienced Predator. It saw its Stealth Suit and Plasma Caster destroyed, before it found itself facing imminent death. But the dishonored was saved by Utgar and the Predator known as Bad Blood has come to serve him. The Prey has become Predator again.
The thing I like about most of Annerios’ customs is the theme they capture. He does a great job of converting characters from movies and other sources and keeping the character in the custom.
Re: A Look at the Masters: Hex_Enduction_Hour 01/25/10
Quote:
Originally Posted by skyknight
Those were the days.....
I wish I had been around back then. It would have been great to have had their constuctive input for my customs. It is definitely a loss for the customs community.
Also, I added a link to the post by Karkadinn that caused me to start this thread.
Thanks for showing us all these great Customs lamaclown! I wish I had played Herocape earlier, so I could have seen these guys make some awesome Customs. Another Scaper that could deserve acknowledgment is Chinaboy. I read in the Codex about him, and he Started the Gift of magic system, "witch" is awesome.
Killz is kicking it as...
Ne-Gok-Sa, the original OG and stuff
in thePerth Keep...
I hadn't seen a lot of those cards. When I've worked on customs, I always tried to make them look official. These cards have taught me that "official looking" isn't always as much fun.
January 11th, 2010, 12:37 PM
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4/29/2015
" Easily the best quality classic customs I have ever seen"
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