Sir Heroscape's customs

[Shiftrex]

Any updates or new thoughts on the SAHUAGIN CHAMPION? I just got the mini in the other day, it looks fantastic.

[Sir Heroscape]

Originally Posted by Shiftrex

Any updates or new thoughts on the SAHUAGIN CHAMPION? I just got the mini in the other day, it looks fantastic.

Unfortunately not much. Work has been sucking my life. I did get to rebase him, but I’ll have to do some play tests to see how he plays. I’m a little worried about the price of the mini though and it’s availability even though it was just released...

Anyway, if you do any play tests and have any thoughts feel free to let me know!

[Sir Heroscape]

Wanting to pick up on the Beakface Archer again, it's been too long.

Here are some fresh ideas I'm considering...would appreciate any ideas

Previous submitted design (that failed ;-P )

Spoiler Alert!

Powers:
+ Glide is a given...
+ Flocking (just as on the Sneaks)

3rd power...

CLEAR SHOT
When attacking a figure that is not engaged, a Beakface Archer rolls 1 additional attack die.

COVER FIRE (#1)
After a Beakface Archer attacks, he may attack one additional time. The additional attack must target a figure that is within 3 clear sight spaces of a Raptorian you control.

COVER FIRE (#2)
When attacking a non-adjacent figure, add 1 attack die if the defending figure is engaged with a Raptorian figure you control.

SUPPORT FIRE
After attacking with a Beakface Archer, if it did not move and attacked a figure engaged with another Raptorian you control, you may immediately attack with that Raptorian.

Clear Shot + Flocking
Is quite a simple design that provides some great early game development and punch until it makes more sense to switch over to a developed hero or Sneak squad to get number of attacks.

Cover Fire #1 + Flocking
Provides multiple attacks per Order Marker, but only after you'd developed the board. This combo allows early game development for pings with 2 attack to flock and then some midgame OM's when they can get 2 attacks...though at that point you're probably better off with just going Sneaks

Cover Fire #2 + Flocking
Would probably need to be +2 to be worth the midgame OM.

Support Fire + Flocking
I think this combo is more along the lines of what I'm thinking. There's some neat synergy here in that you still only get to flock 1 time, but if you'd flocked strategically into your opponents figures, you could technically attack as many times as you have engaged Raptorian Archers. Seems a bit OP at first, but I think the balance is 1) typically you don't want your ranged figures engaged and 2) that's pretty tough to setup...but it's pretty neat

Or ...do a combo of any of the above...hmmm

[Shiftrex]

I was thinking about this unit the other day and kinda wondered if you had considered giving the Archer conditional Deadly Shot? Or maybe a conditional poisoned arrow?

Cover Fire is a great opportunity to do something like that, if it fits your vision. While the Beakfaces "kinda" work together, they are still shifty and shady in my mind so maybe could lean into that a bit. Might necessitate a change to sniper over archer, or maybe it wouldn't. However, Deadlyshot or a poison arrow (similar to drow poison weapons) would definitely be worth an OM once in a while for a casual player.

Just adding wind to the brainstorm.

[Astroking112]

It'd be a lot of fun to have another Raptorian, I think. I'd also be remiss to not mention that I found that the Beakface Rogue was a poor fit for the Raptorian armies; neither the Beakface Sneaks nor the Quorik Warwitch really want to stay engaged, and the Clawfoot Interceptor provided a more consistent access to 5 attack with some additional utility. Given how much the Archer, Rogue, and Sneaks all look like they belong together, it could be neat to have something that ties them together just a bit more.

That said, responding to some of your ideas:
Cover Fire #2 and Support Fire
I think that these are likely to underwhelm in play. There simply aren't a ton of Raptorians that want to stay engaged to an opposing figure or that have the defense to reliably survive a melee attack. The Sneaks are notorious at this with 2 defense and Evasive 3, and the Warwitch would ideally like to Flutter away and stay unengaged to use her Orb of Pain SA. Given how niche staying engaged can be for them, I don't think that another figure based around that bonus will gel super nicely with them.

Cover Fire #1
This is also a problem with the Quorik Warwitch to a certain extent, but if the figure is just providing a way to conditionally get two attacks of 3 (from height), then why not just focus on the Sneaks who can get two attacks of 4 while also developing more figures? The birds are cheap and spammable, after all.

Clear Shot
I don't really have much to say about this one; it works decently well, but I think that the Archer itself would need a bit more punch to be worth an OM in a Raptorian build.

Throwing out another rough idea for brainstorming:

MURDER OF CROWS
After using the Flocking power, you may take a turn with a Beakface Archer that you control. During this turn, that Beakface Archer may only attack.

That combined with a base defense of 2 and Evasive 3 like the Sneaks would make the Archer quite fragile but useful to have close enough to the frontlines to get off some shots. Given that the biggest weakness of the Sneaks is often how few attacks they get in per OM, it would be pretty appealing to draft some archers in addition to the birds and give them their own niche to fulfill while still feeling like the other Beakfaces.

Another route could be to have it occur after taking a turn with a Raptorian Hero (working with the Warwitch or Rogue to bring them more fully into the umbrella), but I fear that this would just make the Interceptor even stronger in the build and depending on how the Archer pans out, people may just take only Archers and combo them off of each other. I also think that it feels a bit more boring as a "normal" form of attack bonding with other heroes, rather than something following the unique form of synergy already tying the Raptorians together.

[Scytale]

The name "Cover Fire" is already used by Skahen. I agree with Astro that neither version of the power is useful, at least until we get a defender Raptorian.

Support Fire is a no-go from a rules perspective. Another Raptorian cannot make an out-of-turn attack.

Clear Shot + Flocking is the cleanest and most obviously a Beakface Archer. I'm not sure it would ever be worth using, though. Beginning of the game to get some shots while moving up Sneaks seems good, but the Sneaks really rely on early pressure for board control and this would slow them down.

[Sir Heroscape]

For those interested in the development of some of my customs I've been preparing for the SoV...here's 2 that are getting closer.

Agrith-Naar recently got reviewed and the only tweak was making the Starved power to still cause damage but in a more thematic way that should come through more in Gameplay rather than the previous power that didn't tend to operate in practice the way it was intended.


Veguzza has been a long time coming. He's been incredibly hard for me to nail down the theme and mechanics that make him feel "right". This latest version I'm feeling pretty good about.


Thoughts of course are always appreciated.

[Shiftrex]

Agrith seems like an interesting option for the Alcolytes. It does something that neither of their current options do which is something I think is important. If there is nor reason to take 1 unit over another then I don't bother buying/printing it for home play. Interesting paralells with Azazeal but you've probably heard too much about that. I think this is different enough to be worth taking, flying with whirlwind attack is powerful.

The durgeth are my most played SoV squad at home, I did playtesting for them when they initially appeared. Glad to see a hero for them. What is the theme of swamp strength? I've always seen this species as primitive swamp people that just "hide." Are you seeing this as a type of shaman or are you exploring something else that the durgeth species should have that they currently do not? I would have expected Hide in Swamp on Veguzza, as it stands the statline is unifying and I enjoy that.

[Scytale]

I am concerned about Agrith becoming less interesting with the changes. Now, with the Acolytes (why would you play him without?), he essentially has no downsides, just a Whirlwind, Flying 5-Attack monster. Pretty much just a cruise missile. That's ok, but he's supremely powerful with no real drawback. More troublingly, no real choices. You just want to engage with as many things as possible every turn, because doing so both helps offensively and helps prevent Starved.

I would like to suggest a modification to Whirlwind Assault to put some choice back into his play. Increase his Attack to 6, and change Whirlwind to:

WILD ASSAULT
Agrith-Naar may subtract 3 from his Attack to attack any or all figures adjacent to him. Roll each attack separately.

[Sir Heroscape]

^hmm interesting point Scytale. Probably call it Ravenous Assault though since it’s his personality and not wild?

Durgeth were strong fighters in the swamp… so swamp strength just how’s his prowess on the battlefield is in the swamp: he’s arrogant and taunting…he’s not hiding. He’s a “come at me bro” type of unit.

[Sir Heroscape]

Couple quick shots for feedback.

Scorpions are in their final form (95% sure)...just wanna make sure the editing wording works. @Scytale is there precedent for a "maximum of -2 dice"? I couldn't think of any...or is there a better way to word it?


@BiggaBullfrog @Scytale since you both downvoted the last version, thought I'd ask for your 2 cents. I decided to make the defensive ability more of a soft defensive ability with Illusion and to lean into more the stalker/assassin type feel of this unit where it's blipping around the battlefield and slashing in for multiple attacks - albeit weak.


Now that I realize it though, Illusion makes it unkillable even if it's engaged multiple times (originally I thought 2 engaged figures could still get 1 attack). but wait...if I add a "can only be used once per turn" clause, that would fix that right? So essentially, if you get 2 figures in range or you get 2 figures engaged with them, then you get at the very least 1 attack (or still get both, depending on the position).

[Scytale]

Originally Posted by Sir Heroscape

Scorpions are in their final form (95% sure)...just wanna make sure the editing wording works. @Scytale is there precedent for a "maximum of -2 dice"? I couldn't think of any...or is there a better way to word it?

I can't think of precedent, but I would use "maximum of 2 fewer dice."