Battle Cat

[fret_gurglo]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

Maybe we should just adjust No Cover to act like Open Cover and allow adjacency?

Unless there are going to be VDOs that provide no cover and there is a reason the operator cannot be adjacent to other figures, I don't see a reason not to make the switch (other than time and effort).

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

Seems like I need to take that one to the Decider and hear from @fret_gurglo about whatever he wants to convince me to do with Protective Strike here.

As for Protective Strike, it was discussed in Hudson's thread to allow it to be used if an adjacent ally is engaged in addition to the power owner (Battle Cat, in this case). It would significantly increase the power level of this power and most likely make the d20 number go up. Unless this is a path you want, I think it would become too powerful (or useless if the number goes too high) for Hudson and will probably keep it as is.

[japes]

So are we planning to change all the other things like this. Old Lace, Rover, Hawkeye SkyCycle, etc? Those all have the figure just standing next to the thing they are riding after it moves.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by japes

So are we planning to change all the other things like this. Old Lace, Rover, Hawkeye SkyCycle, etc? Those all have the figure just standing next to the thing they are riding after it moves.

I don't think we had vehicles worked out when any of those were made, so it's certainly an option. In 2.0, the precedent so far is Iron Giant, so I'm following that here.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by fret_gurglo

Unless there are going to be VDOs that provide no cover and there is a reason the operator cannot be adjacent to other figures, I don't see a reason not to make the switch (other than time and effort).

As for Protective Strike, it was discussed in Hudson's thread to allow it to be used if an adjacent ally is engaged in addition to the power owner (Battle Cat, in this case). It would significantly increase the power level of this power and most likely make the d20 number go up. Unless this is a path you want, I think it would become too powerful (or useless if the number goes too high) for Hudson and will probably keep it as is.

On the first point, please chime into the Decider thread where it's being discussed.

I'm a little muddled on the Protective Strike point ... are you wanting a change here or no? I'm fine either way and can adjust things on Battle Cat to figure out his points as we go. If you'd prefer to keep the current version, we can do that. If you want to make the above tweak, just post the wording you like and I'm happy to roll with it.

[fret_gurglo]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

I'm a little muddled on the Protective Strike point ... are you wanting a change here or no? I'm fine either way and can adjust things on Battle Cat to figure out his points as we go. If you'd prefer to keep the current version, we can do that. If you want to make the above tweak, just post the wording you like and I'm happy to roll with it.

I'm planning on running some more tests tonight. Can I let you know after? That way I can gauge how powerful it would be to strike through all adjacent allies.

[IAmBatman]

Sure. I have Misty and Wonder Woman lined up before this guy anyway.

[IAmBatman]

OK, Decider wasn't all about making rulebook changes, so I'm not going to worry about that here. I think I like him best as gettng partial cover from Battle Cat's big harness and the idea that he's speeding along. He-Man is a melee figure, so he'll want to get down to attack anyway, but partial cover and the other mechanics should pair well with He-Man trying to deflect projectiles from hitting either him or Battle Cat. So I'm going to keep that ability as is. Nothing should stop people who do other mounts and what not from going the Motorcycle route if they want, though.

I looked in on Hudson's thread and I think the ability there is just going in directions I'm not really feeling for this design, so I'll just let fret have the power title and change this to Vigilant Strike in the name of going forward. If Battle Cat is near an ally (which works especially well if someone's riding on his back) he's extra vigilant and ready to strike. Not really about limiting it to once per turn or giving Battle Cat the reach to affect figures he's not adjacent to.

So the proposal for the initial continues with nothing changed in the OP other than an ability title. I've got yea's from T and Karat so far. Can I get two more?

[Yodaking]

yea

[fret_gurglo]

yea

[IAmBatman]

This passes. I should have him next up after Misty.

[IAmBatman]

C3G STANDARD PLAYTEST FEEDBACK FORM
NAME OF THE PLAYTEST UNIT: BATTLE CAT
VERSION TESTED

Spoiler Alert!

NAME = BATTLE CAT
IDENTITY = CRINGER

UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
SPECIES = CAT
CLASS = COMPANION
PERSONALITY = BRAVE
SIZE/HEIGHT = LARGE 5

LIFE = 5
MOVE = 8
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 5
DEFENSE = 5
POINTS = 200

CHAMPION’S MOUNT
Before a move action with Battle Cat, if there are no figures on this card, you may choose an adjacent ally and place it on this card. The placed figure is considered to occupy Battle Cat as if he were a partial cover destructible object and, if that figure is an Honorable Champion, Battle Cat has +1 Attack and Defense.

COURAGEOUS CHARGE
After an activation with Battle Cat or before removing him from the battlefield, you may place an ally from this card adjacent to him. After placing an ally this way, you may roll 1 damage die against an enemy adjacent to to that ally.

VIGILANT STRIKE 13
If an enemy engages Battle Cat while he is adjacent to an ally, you may roll a d20. On a 13+, that enemy takes 1 wound.

PUBLISHER: MATTEL
FACTION: MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
KEYWORDS: Animal, Mount
SYMBOLS: SUPER STRENGTH

Team Test
Map: SACRED SHRINE (mid revision)
Units: Ram Man (180), Man-E-Faces (150), Stratos (150), He-Man (320), Battle Cat (200) (1000) vs Zemo, Enchantress, Executioner, Radioactive Man (1000)
Unit Summary: Touch match up for the Masters of Evil here, especially on Sacred Shrine where the pillars really complemented knockback well. Battle Cat and Ram Man helped He-Man to not be targeted too early and his big attacks shone as a result. Battle Cat pounced on Zemo early and He-Man’s magical attacks tore through Enchantress. Executioner did what he could in end game, but couldn’t close the gap. Dice and match up and map all favored the MotU here.
Game Summary

Spoiler Alert!

Initiative MoE. Zemo and Radioactive Man advance. Stratos carries Ram Man forward. Enchantress can’t control Executioner and goes alone. Battle Cat picks up He-Man and moves behind a pillar. Zemo moves up. Executioner and Enchantress follow. Enchantress can’t hit Stratos from range. Battle Cat rushes around the pillar and courageously charges next to Zemo, dropping He-Man, who hits the damage die on Zemo. Battle Cat rolls 4 skulls on Zemo and finishes him.
Initiative MotU. He-Man takes a swipe from Executioner to grab height on Enchantress. He hits her with an X from his power punch and his Sword of Grayskull magically cuts through her defenses. She takes 2 wounds from the attack and one more for knockback. Enchantress mind controls Ram Man (Executioner is too far away now) and he leaps into He-Man but rolls 2 shields, then his 3 skull attack on He-Man is blocked, and somehow neither of them takes wounds. Enchantress blasts Stratos for 2 wounds. Ram Man leaps back to Enchantress, wounding her once and smacking her into a pillar. Knockback damage fails but she’s still in his attack range and he punches her out. Enchantress had OM2. He-Man hits Executioner for 1 wound from height. Executioner takes a swipe from He-Man then punches Battle Cat for 2 wounds from height.
Initiative Executioner, who finishes off Battle Cat. He-Man moves next to Executioner and smacks him for 1 wound, sending him into a pillar. Executioner goes after Ram Man, who has all the Order Markers, and punches him for 3 wounds. Ram Man double attacks Executioner and lands 1 wound. Executioner hits Ram Man for 1 wound. Ram Man fails to hit back on another double attack.
Initiative MotU. He-Man uses the X and one-shots a whiffing Radioactive Man. Executioner finishes Ram Man. He-Man moves back towards Executioner. Executioner circles and finishes Stratos. He-Man rolls 7 skulls and finishes Executioner.

• Damage Done (Normal Attack): Inflicted [4] wounds on [Zemo [4]]
• CHAMPION’S MOUNT: Mounts included [He-Man]; stat boost was on for [2] turns
• COURAGEOUS CHARGE: Used to place allies [1] times and rolled [1] damage dice for [1] wounds on [Zemo [1]]
• VIGILANT STRIKE 13: Rolled [0] times

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Man-E-Faces with Full Life and He-Man with 5/6 Life win.

___________________________________________________________

Team Test
Map: CONFLICT CHERNOBYL (without tokens)
Units: Ram Man (180), Man-E-Faces (150), Teela (170), He-Man (320), Orko (65), Lightning Spell x3 (15), Battle Cat (200) (1100) vs JL Trinity (1000), Atom (100) (1100)
Unit Summary: The Trinity had the attack power here to go all-in on picking off members of the Masters of the Universe. Battle Cat had a couple of moments, but didn’t roll well enough to swing things here.
Game Summary

Spoiler Alert!

Initiative Justice League. The Trinity all move up, as do Teela, Man-E-Faces (in human mode), and Battle Cat, carrying He-Man.
Wonder Woman uses a Justice Marker. Initiative MotU. Man-E-Faces moves to the side by the ruin and shoots at Superman twice. Supes blocks two 3 skull attacks. Man-E-Faces goes monster mode. Superman engages Man-E-Faces and hits for 3 wounds. Atom uses a marker and this for a 4th. Battle Cat engages Wonder Woman and Batman. He-Man jumps off and hits Batman with a damage die. Battle Cat slashes Batman for 3 wounds and Superman rolls a 1 to try to save Batman. Batman gives each of his allies a Justice Marker. Superman punches out Man-E-Faces, then uses a Justice Marker. Wonder Woman engages He-Man and punches him for 1 wound. Atom fails his d20 on He-Man but tosses a tree at him for 1 wound. He-Man would punch out Atom, but Superman saves him. Atom still takes 1 Knockback wound. Superman avoids a Vigilant Strike to take height on He-Man and punches him out with a 7 skull attack. Atom pops a Justice Marker to get next to Battle Cat on height but fails his auto wound. Battle Cat has no adjacent ally and thus is not vigilant.
Wonder Woman uses a Justice Marker. Initiative MotU. Teela engages Atom and Superman and knocks out Atom. Superman and Wonder Woman (with the Power Sword) each hit Battle Cat for 2 wounds. Teela moves adjacent to Battle Cat after Wonder Woman’s move phase. Battle Cat can’t hit Wonder Woman. Superman finishes Battle Cat. Ram Man jumps forward and then tosses a tree at Superman, but it doesn’t hit. Superman attacks Teela, who dodges, but is lassoed down next to Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman uses a Justice Marker. Initiative Trinity. Superman engages Ram Man and smacks him for 3 wounds. Wonder Woman takes height on Teela and hits her for 2 wounds. Ram Man jumps into Wonder Woman, wounding both her and himself. She drops the Power Sword. He knocks her back into Teela for another wound on Wonder Woman. Then he double attacks her. Superman saves Wonder Woman from 3 wounds, then she blocks the second attack. Superman stays in place. Teela escapes the lasso and picks up the Power Sword. Superman punches out Ram Man and ends the round for the MotU. Superman finishes Teela, who drops the Power Sword.
Wonder Woman uses her last Justice Marker. Initiative Trinity. Superman one-shots Orko with a tree throw.

• Damage Done (Normal Attack): Inflicted [3] wounds on [Batman [3]]
• CHAMPION’S MOUNT: Mounts included [He-Man]; stat boost was on for [3] turns
• COURAGEOUS CHARGE: Used to place allies [1] times and rolled [1] damage dice for [1] wounds on [Batman [1]]
• VIGILANT STRIKE 13: Rolled [1] times for [0] wounds

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Superman with 5/7 Life and Wonder Woman with 4/6 Life win.

___________________________________________________________

UNIT SUMMARY: A big win and a big loss here. Battle Cat feels like he’s playing about right for his points. I’m happy to move him forward as-is. I think some of the finer points of strategy with him should shine more once the story card comes along.

[IAmBatman]

I propose we move this guy to Public Playtesting