The Book of Hand Mystics

[Yodaking]

I try my best not to create more markers, or even more glyphs that must be drafted with a card, but sometimes the design needs it and you do what you have to do. I'll let you make the call here on whether it's needed or not. I have so many markers now (I've lost quite a few too and they aren't easy to just print off again without printing the whole card), that I started just proxying the markers. If their is only 1 set of markers in the game then any marker will do, if two different markers are in play then any marker of the correct color works. It's only when two or more markers of the same color are in play that sometimes we have to find & use the correct markers.

[IAmBatman]

That's my approach as well. I try not to, but if the design needs it, it needs it.

[Ronin]

Yeah, I tend not to leap to them either. I think this is a case where they don't hurt, but they're not really vital - I feel like if I take control of the opponent's Batman, I'm not going to easily forget that he can now bond with my Hand Ninja.

Let's poll it out.
A - Markers (as here)
B - No Markers (as in SP)

[johnny139]

A is a slight preference, but ultimately LD choice.

[Yodaking]

One thing the marker does is let Zatanna break the brainwashing. Of course the odds aren't very good for her d20 roll so you may as well just try and kill the Mystics to break the brainwashing.

[Scapemage]

I'd say B here.

[Zettian Juggernaut]

I don't always like resorting to markers, but with it effecting the cards of the brainwashed and having the number brainwashed changing, I like A better.

[Yodaking]

I'm kind of leaning towards the marker approach, I'm just not sure you would ever use all 3 markers in a game. Not only are the odds not in your favor of doing so, I don't think I'd even want to save 3 of my opponents figures from death and heal them back to full health. The thought of me losing my last mystic and having all 3 suddenly return to the opponents control at once seems like a losing strategy. Also from a theme perspective, it seems excessive for them to put together and execute the resurrection ritual 3 times over the course of one battle. That seems like an event that should be a little more complicated and costly in terms of resources.

[Ronin]

I'd also be fine with the resurrection being a once-per-game automatic thing.

[Yodaking]

Originally Posted by Ronin

I'd also be fine with the resurrection being a once-per-game automatic thing.

That would be my vote. You can only do it once, but you are sure to do it in most games.

[Ronin]

Once per game, when a Unique Hero that is within 3 clear sight spaces of a Hand Mystic and does not have the Mental Shield special power would be destroyed by a normal attack from a Ninja Squad figure you control, you may place a Hand Marker on its Army Card. That Hero is not destroyed. Take control of that Hero and its Army Card and remove all Wound Markers from its Army Card. When all of your Hand Mystics are destroyed, return control of that Hero to the player that controlled it before it was Resurrected.

That would look like this, I guess. Blue part optional, depending on how much we want to lock it down. It's not a strict requirement, but it might be good for thematic gameplay - with that clause in the power, if they're in a fight against Daredevil and Thor, they're more likely to end up resurrecting Daredevil.

[Yodaking]

I might drop the mental shield part since he's technically dead when they magic him back to life under their control. Also I'd allow them to magic back anyone who dies, I don't think they would care who killed them and the fact that figure could return to you opponent should keep it balanced. The more powerful hero you save, the more powerful hero your opponent could get back by just killing the Mystics off. Don't have to use this approach but this is how I would write it up. Creates a small delay in deployment to represent the time spent doing the magic.

HAND BRAINWASHING
At the start of the game, place one black Hand Marker on the card of a Unique Hero you control, and place 1 Hand Marker on this card. While there is an Order Marker on this card, any Hero you control with a Hand Marker on its card has the class of Ninja and a Ruthless personality instead of what is listed on its Army Card.

HAND RESURRECTION
When an opponents Unique Hero that is within 3 clear sight spaces of a Hand Mystic is destroyed, after that figure is removed from play you may place the Hand Marker from this card on its Army Card. If you do, take control of that Hero and its Army Card, remove all Wound Markers from its Army Card and at the end of the round you may place that figure on the board within 3 spaces of a Hand Mystic you control. When all of your Hand Mystics are destroyed, return control of that Hero to the player that controlled it before it was Resurrected.