The Book of Sabbac

[Lazy Orang]

Reroll is far more interesting to me.

[johnny139]

In general, not in love with the "placing markers on powers" thing. Didn't really love it before, don't really love it now. It just feels too custom-y to me, and I think the same thing can be achieved with some wording.

WORLD’S WORST DEMON
Start the game with 5 black Demon Markers. Whenever you place a Wound Marker on this card, you must also place a Demon Marker and choose another special power on this card. That power is negated, Whenever you remove a Wound Marker from this card, you must also remove a Demon Marker and choose a negated special power. That special power is no longer negated.

Slightly longer, but it just seems less messy to me.

I also find it weird that he's empowered by six demons but doesn't have six Demon Markers. Like, can we give him six even if the last one would never be used? Outside of weird Zatanna-style corner cases.

He definitely reads as "demonic Captain Marvel," so mechanically the nail was hit on the head. Only quibbles are execution.

[LordVenoc]

I'd be fine with this wording, especially people can just put the marker over the power to help them remember anyway.

WORLD’S WORST DEMON
Start the game with 5 black Demon Markers. Whenever you place a Wound Marker on this card, you must also place a Demon Marker and choose another special power on this card. That power is negated.

How about this for courage?

EVIL COURAGE OF ASMODEUS
If an opponent chooses Sabbac for any special power and rolls the 20-sided die, they must reroll one additional time. If the second result is higher, that figure receives 1 wound.

or

EVIL COURAGE OF ASMODEUS
If an opponent chooses Sabbac for any special power and rolls the 20-sided die. You may roll the 20-sided die. If your result is higher, that figure receives 1 wound.

[tcglkn]

I like the second one.

[IAmBatman]

I'm good with either.

[LordVenoc]

Cool. I'll update it with those. Not really feeling Antagonist as a class here given it is becoming the Injustice League class and this guy has nothing to do with it. If I can't think of an alternative it can be kept, but I was really just mirroring Black Adam at first.

[IAmBatman]

Adversary?

[LordVenoc]

Something like Bruiser or Minion could maybe work for it ultimately.

[IAmBatman]

Was reading the bio to try to figure out his exact role and saw this sentence fragment: "When Dr. Sivana learned that he was of the Bagdan line and heir to the demonic powers of Sabbac."

Whose Minion would he be? Sivana's?

[LordVenoc]

Yeah this rendition was basically manipulated by Sivana at first. That and his own anger.

[Lazy Orang]

Originally Posted by LordVenoc

Cool. I'll update it with those. Not really feeling Antagonist as a class here given it is becoming the Injustice League class and this guy has nothing to do with it. If I can't think of an alternative it can be kept, but I was really just mirroring Black Adam at first.

IMO, I'm absolutely against this 'thematic factions should be hermetically sealed' idea. Antagonist is a real 'generic villains whose life is harassing the hero' class, and the IL just happens to employ those people a lot. This guy feels like he fits in that wheelhouse a lot - IMO, the fact that Angstrom or Iron Monger can join the IL, or Thor or Captain Marvel can join the JL isn't a bug, it's a feature. If I ever get around to that 'make Parker's life a living hell' Venom card, you can bet he's going to be an Antagonist, because it fits him and, while he may not be a part of the IL, I can definitely see him joining it during that period if killing Parker's on the agenda, and it's just more fun. It's part of the fun of Heroscape. I think it'd be sad to move this guy away from Antagonist, honestly.

[LordVenoc]

I was more with the "He doesn't inherently belong there, so let me see if there's anything better." He was ultimately only around for like 6/12 issues (if you combine with pre-crisis Nazi sympathizer rendition, which I sort of am), so there's not a lot to put him in any other class, so keeping it.


COMPETITIVE REVIEW BOARD CHECKLIST

Spoiler Alert!

Efficiency- Check to see if your design is providing armies with turns/moves/etc. to a degree that would make it difficult or impossible for an opponent to keep up with your output.

Nope

1. Does your design allow itself or figures to move/attack/take a turn/etc. instead of/in addition to your normal turn for revealing an Order Marker? Is it granting these benefits to too broad a range of units? Does it combine with other powers to create overly long or powerful chains of actions?

Nope

2. Does your design allow you to take actions during an opponent's turn? Can it combine with other powers to create tediously long reactions to enemy actions or a restrictive environment?

Potential wound on D20 targeting, but that's it.

3. Does your design allow you to rearrange your Order Markers or otherwise bypass the costs of Order Marker requirements on the special powers of other figures?

Not really.

4. Is your design doing anything outside of a player's turn, at the start or end of the round? Is the effect too powerful by itself or when combined with other powers?

Moving after turn.

5. Does your design have any powers that trigger anytime it moves as opposed to only when it moves normally on its turn? Will it be too efficient when combined with figures that grant extra moves to figures?

Nope.

6. Is your design adding or subtracting from initiative rolls? Will it pair too easily with other figures that alter initiative or have powers triggering on the results of initiative rolls?

Nope.


Potency- Check to see if your design is wounding/removing/etc. enemy figures, increasing the chances of other figures in your army doing so, or otherwise directly effecting the number of figures available to players to a degree that would make it difficult or impossible for an opponent to recover from.

Nope.

1. Does your design have a chance to inflict wounds or destroy figures? Is it getting these chances too frequently or having to high a chance of success? Is the power balanced against expensive targets that can cause a massive swing in the game when destroyed?

Not at all. Autowounding is probably kind of rare for him.

2. Is your design adding to the stats or 20-sided die rolls of other figures in your army? Is it a boosting a broad enough range of units effectively enough to become a 'mandatory' draft or inhibit future design space? Can it be combined with other boosts too easily?

Nope.

3. Will your design benefit from stat boosts or other enhancement to an overpowering degree? Will it restrict future growth within its faction or point cost by limiting available boosts to others?

Nope.

4. Does your design take control of enemy figures permanently or temporarily? Is it too difficult to for your opponent to regain control of their figure or recover from the losing the figure? Does the method of taking control expose the enemy figure to the powers of other figures in your army that can easily destroy it?

Nope.

5. Can your design heal itself or others or revive itself or others? Is it doing so in a way that an opponent cannot hope to overcome in certain scenarios?

Nope.

6. Does your design place enemy figures on its card or otherwise have an unconventional method of temporarily removing enemy figures from play? Will it guarantee your victory against a single remaining enemy figure?

Nope.


Chicanery- Check to see if your design is preventing your opponent from taking actions with too much ease or is otherwise causing negative play experience through tactics that make your opponent feel you're 'not playing fair'

1. Does your design restrict the movement of enemy figures, or allow you to move enemy figures? Can it do so in a way that results in an unwinnable scenario for your opponent if they are down to one figure, posses only figures with a range of 1, etc.? Can your design easily combine with other figures to greatly impede enemy figures or otherwise gain an excessive advantage?

Nope.

2. Does your design effect/change the placement of an enemy's Order Markers, or remove their Order Markers entirely? Can it force Order Markers to go onto cards that have no figures on the battlefield? Can your design easily combine with other figures to completely dictate the placement of an enemy's Order Markers or remove all of their Order Markers?

Nope.

3. Does your design inhibit your opponent from attacking your figures or make attacking a losing proposition? Are there scenarios or combinations that make your opponent totally unable to harm your figures through attacking?

Nope.

4. Does your design directly negate the powers of enemy figures or otherwise ignore them in a way that can completely disrupt the opponent's strategy or leave them feeling like they are stuck playing figures without special powers?

Nope.

5. Does your design become overly powerful in a podded group of figures, or provide significant benefit to your army without leaving your Start Zone?

Nope.

6. You can attack your own figures in Heroscape, does your design have any powers that will trigger off of doing so or otherwise wounding/destroying your own figures? Is this intentional on your part? Will the design be too efficient or potent when doing so?

Nope.

CONSISTENCY CHECKLIST (SHORT FORM)

Spoiler Alert!

Consistency Concerns
Name and Identity
Verify character is named in a way that is clear, accurate and feels consistent with the way other characters are named.

Check

Uniqueness and Type
Verify that the power text reflects the listed uniqueness and type, that the uniqueness fits the character, and that squad size is listed for squads.

Check

Left Box
If the character's species, class or personality is reused, verify that the character feels thematically consistent with other figures that have that species, class or personality. If they are not reused, verify that there is no pre-existing species, class or personality that would make more sense.

Generally resuses.

Size and Height
Verify that the listed size and height are accurate. Standing the mini up next to a stack of tiles, and a few other minis of various sizes, is encouraged.

Checked and confirmed.

Super Strength and Flying
Verify that these special powers are present if they make sense, and not if they don't.

Check

New Powers - Names
Verify that any new powers are not using power names identical to, or very similar to, pre-existing powers. Verify that any new powers are actually new and not old powers with new names.

All new, don't seem to match any existing powers.

New Powers - Effects
Verify that the effect and timing of all new powers is clear. Verify that any logical immunities, benefits, or weaknesses (whether those be necessary for thematic or mechanical reasons) are implemented: consider whether defensive powers that work against normal attacks should also work against special attacks, whether or not a power has an elemental component that some figures should resist, and whether or not unliving figures (such as Undead and Androids) should be affected.

Check

Reused Powers
Verify that the design is reusing powers in place of creating new ones, where reused powers could implement the same theme and mechanics with no differences or only trivial differences. Verify that any reused powers have the correct text.

No reuses

Power Level
Verify that the character's movement, attack, range, and defense (in conjunction with any special powers that enhance those stats) feel consistent with the capabilities of characters with analogous powers and abilities. Verify that the character falls into a similar point range to characters with comparative powers and abilities.

He's downplayed by the negative, but without it likely feels in the realm of the Marvels.