The Book of Darklings

[Cinderquail]

Tests look great! Definitely lowering the rolls to 10. As for cost I'm not opposed to lowering the cost to 90, would absolutely be ok with that if everyone else is. And lastly I also felt The Darkness still goes down a bit faster then expected even with the Darklings present (although they do help him) not sure what do really do to change that. I had considered giving one of the other Artifact Bearers the ability to bolster defense and/or attack.

[Splash]

Not super familiar with how tied together these characters are, but an odd cost of 95 could encourage playing with Witchblade.

[Cinderquail]

Originally Posted by Splash

Not super familiar with how tied together these characters are, but an odd cost of 95 could encourage playing with Witchblade.

95 sounds like a safer bet also considering I'm sure there will be some Artifact Bearers that end up with odd costs. I do also have plans for an Artifact Witchblade that offers some synergy with other Artifact Bearers.

[tcglkn]

You shouldn’t lower the roll and the cost at the same time.

[Ericth74]

I'd stay at an even cost. They can work with Witchblade but are primarily going to be used with te Darkness. Probably 100 tines to 1.

[Ericth74]

Originally Posted by tcglkn

You shouldn’t lower the roll and the cost at the same time.

Agree here, I'd do one or the other.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by Ericth74

I'd stay at an even cost. They can work with Witchblade but are primarily going to be used with te Darkness. Probably 100 tines to 1.

I'm probably going to mostly use them with Occult Batman and a Magician, so 5 point ending doesn't bother me. That's my spell slot.

[Skinderella]

Do the Darklings work with the current Witchblade design, or are we referring to Cinder's own Witchblade writeup? I think you'd be better off almost exclusively pricing them to go with Darkness.

[Cinderquail]

The current Darkling write up has to be used with The Darkness as they all get removed if you don't control The Darkness. I did reduce to roll to 10 so I'll stick with that change for now. If the next tester still feels their points can be reduced we can hash that out then.

[IAmBatman]

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

Spoiler Alert!

NAME = DARKLINGS
SECRET IDENTITY = N/A

SPECIES = DEMONS
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE SQUAD (3 FIGURES)
CLASS = MINIONS
PERSONALITY = MISCHIEVOUS

SIZE/HEIGHT = SMALL 3


LIFE = 1

MOVE = 5
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 1
DEFENSE = 1

POINTS = 100

DARKLING SUMMONING
For the entire game, before taking a turn with a hero you control named The Darkness, you may roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 10 or higher, you may place 1 previously destroyed Darkling adjacent to Darkness or on any unoccupied Shadow Tile.

LIVE FOR DARKNESS
After taking a turn with a hero you control named The Darkness, you may move the Darklings. Any space a Darkling occupies is considered to be a shadow space in addition to its normal terrain type. If you do not control a figure named The Darkness, remove all Darklings from the game.

PROTECTING THE ARTIFACTS
If a figure you control with an Artifact Bearer special power that is adjacent to one or more Darklings you control is attacked and at least 1 skull is rolled, you may roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 10 or higher, ignore this attack and instead destroy an adjacent Darkling.

FLYING

Original Design

Spoiler Alert!

NAME = DARKLINGS
SECRET IDENTITY = N/A

SPECIES = DEMONS
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE SQUAD (3 FIGURES)
CLASS = MINIONS
PERSONALITY = JOVIAL

SIZE/HEIGHT = SMALL 3?

LIFE = 1

MOVE = 5
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 2
DEFENSE = 2

POINTS = ???

DARKLING SUMMONING
For the entire game, before taking a turn with a Unique Demon hero you control named The Darkness, you may roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 12 or higher, you may place 1 previously destroyed Darkling adjacent to Darkness or on any unoccupied Shadow Tile.

LIVE FOR DARKNESS
After taking a turn with a Unique Demon hero you control named The Darkness, you may move the Darklings. Whenever a special power on an Army Card refers to a Shadow tile, it refers to the Darklings as well. If you do not control a figure named The Darkness, remove all Darklings from the game.

PROTECTING THE ARTIFACTS
If a figure you control with an Artifact Bearer special power that is adjacent to one or more Darklings you control is attacked and at least 1 skull is rolled, you may roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 12 or higher, ignore this attack and instead destroy an adjacent Darkling.

FLYING

Army Test
Map: IVY’S GREENHOUSE
Units: The Darkness (330), Darklings (100), Batman (Occult) (230), Slam Bradley (90), Zatanna (II) (220), John Constantine (125), Lightning Bolt (x1) (5) (1100) vs Hawkwoman (260), Wonder Woman (JL) (310), Green Arrow (JL) (210), Black Canary (JL) (220), Atom (JL) (100) (100) (1100)

Spoiler Alert!

Round 1: Wonder Woman sheds a JL Marker. Initiative Justice League. Black Canary advances and KO’s an Evergreen Tree.
Batman rolls 2 skulls and he, Darkness (with a shadow tile laid out before him for him to land on), and the Darklings advance.
Green Arrow advances.
Batman, Darkness (with a shadow tile) and Darklings advance.
Green Arrow advances and attacks The Darkness from height three times. He hits Darkness for three wounds, then two Darklings sacrifice themselves to prevent subsequent attacks.
Batman gets a blank for a wound on Green Arrow, then Darkness resurrects a Darkling, lays a shadow tile by Green Arrow, attacks Green Arrow and can’t hit him, heals two of three wounds, then moves up a Darkling.

Round 2: Wonder Woman sheds a JL Marker. Initiative Justice League. Black Canary engages a Darkling but somehow can’t hit it. Green Arrow sheds a JL Marker and kills the Darkling next to Canary.
John Constantine advances. Darkness fails to bring back a Darkling, drops a shadow tile near the bridge (he can’t fit them on it) and engages Green Arrow. He attacks but Green Arrow blocks with height and flips back. Darkness fails to hit a healing roll and moves his last Darkling next to him.
Hawkwoman attacks Darkness but he blocks. Green Arrow attacks twice from height and hits for one wound. The Darklings failed all rolls to protect him.
Batman inflicts an auto wound on Green Arrow. Darkness fails to bring back a Darkling, but lays a shadow tile, then attacks Hawkwoman from height and shadow for 4 skulls, but she blocks. The last Darkling stays put.
Hawkwoman attacks Darkness for 6 skulls but the last Darkling saves him. Atom pops over and auto wounds Darkness. Green Arrow sheds a JL Marker and attacks Darkness from height three times for two wounds.
Batman engages Green Arrow and tries punching him, but Arrow flips back into engagement with Darkness (the only available landing spot). Darkness brings back a Darkling, places his last shadow tile, then he punches out Atom (Canary misses her cry), and hits unblockables against each of the remaining foes (four for four). The last Darkling stays put.

Round 3: Wonder Woman sheds her last JL Marker. Initiative Occult Investigators. Constantine advances but can’t hit Hawkwoman with a lightning bolt. Darkness fails to bring back a Darkling, then smacks Hawkwoman from height for four wounds, KO’ing her. Canary misses her cry. Darkness rolls 3 unblockables but only hits Green Arrow, killing him. Canary misses her cry. Darkness whiffs on four dice and fails to heal. The Darkling engages Black Canary.
Wonder Woman flies over and punches out Darkness, taking the last Darkling with him.
Batman engages Canary and catches her whiffing for one wound. Constantine misses Canary from range.
Wonder Woman engages Constantine but he prevents her attack on his second roll.
Slam advances, Batman punches Black Canary for a wound, and Batman hits Wonder Woman for an auto wound.
Hawkwoman had OM3.

Round 4: Initiative Justice League. Canary sheds a marker and hits Batman for two wounds. He goes onto his card. Wonder Woman again can’t get past Constantine’s charms.
Slam engages Wonder Woman and can’t hit her. Zatanna whiffs an attack on Wonder Woman.
Canary sheds a JL Marker and punches Constantine for two wounds. Wonder Woman punches down on Slam for three wounds.
Slam can’t hit Wonder Woman and the blank is worthless with Batman off the map.
Canary sheds a marker and hits Constantine for a third wound. Wonder Woman finishes Slam.
Slam had OM3.
Batman drops back in and hits the unblockable against Wonder Woman.

Round 5: Initiative Justice League. Canary uses her last JL Marker but can’t hit Constantine. Wonder Woman punches down on Batman and does one wound.
Batman trapdoor teleports with Zatanna, then he inflicts a wound on Wonder Woman with a blank, then whiffs a ranged attack on Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman punches down on Zatanna for a wound.
Batman can’t hit Wonder Woman from range.
Wonder Woman punches down on Zatanna for another wound.
Zatanna gets a sleight of hand wound in on Wonder Woman.

Round 6: Initiative Justice League. Wonder Woman and Zatanna trade wounds.
Wonder Woman fails to finish Zatanna.
Zatanna can’t finish Wonder Woman either.
Wonder Woman can’t finish Zatanna.
Zatanna turns Batman’s skull into a blank and he inflicts an auto wound on Wonder Woman to finish her. Canary misses yet another cry (hitting even one might’ve swung this game!). Zatanna finishes Canary, who finally hits a scream on her way out, finishing Zatanna as well.
Unit Summary: The inability to place shadow tiles on the bridges here really impaired Darkness which limited what the Darklings could do. Even with sub-average rolls, the Darklings gave Darkness more staying power and more utility and let him get some of his nasty offense on here, which swung the game a bit right before he fell. Overall the game was very back and forth and competitive and felt balanced.

• Damage Done (Normal Attack): Inflicted [0] wounds.
• DARKLING SUMMONING: Rolled [5] times and placed [2] Darklings
• LIVE FOR DARKNESS: Moved Darklings [4] times and removed [1] Darklings form the game
• PROTECTING THE ARTIFACTS: Rolled [8] times and cancelled attacks/destroyed Darklings [3] times.

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Batman with 1/4 Life and John Constantine with 1/5 Life win.

___________________________________________________________

Army Test
Map: DARK DIMENSION
Units: The Darkness (330), Darklings (100), Batman (Occult) (230), Slam Bradley (90), Zatanna (II) (220), John Constantine (125), Lightning Bolt (x1) (5) (1100) vs Lex Luthor (185), Black Adam (380), Sinestro (250), Gorilla Grodd (285) (1100)

Spoiler Alert!

Round 1: Initiative Occult Investigators. Batman and Constantine advance.
Grodd advances.
Batman destroys an outcrop. Zatanna flies forward.
Black Adam advances.
Zatanna and Constantine advance.
Grodd sheds a marker. Sinestro advances. Black Adam advances but can’t hit Zatanna.

Round 2: Lex sheds a marker. Initiative Injustice League. Grodd sheds a marker and advances. Sinestro engages Zatanna and hits her for a wound.
Darkness advances to a shadow tile he lays down, fails to hit Black Adam from range, and his Darklings surround him. Zatanna sleight of hands a wound onto Black Adam.
Black Adam punches Zatanna for a wound.
Batman fails a ranged attack on Black Adam but inflicts a wound with a blank.
Black Adam hits Zatanna with a punch then finishes her with the Power of Aton.
Darkness lays a shadow tile and moves to it, engaging Black Adam and Sinestro, then punches Sinestro for two wounds and hits one unblockable (the one on Sinestro). The Darklings follo whim. A Darkling falls to lava field.
Round 3: Lex sheds a marker. Initiative Occult Investigators. Black Adam heals a wound. Darkness can’t bring back a Darkling, even with Constantine’s help. He places a shadow tile, fails to hit Sinestro with an attack, then has his Darklings move to him.
Grodd sheds a marker. Sinestro Vengeful Strikes Darkness for two wounds. His attack and Black Adam’s attack are both blocked by Darklings dying instead. Power of Aton hits Darkness for a wound.
Two shields are rolled. Constantine hits Sinestro for a fourth wound from range.
Black Adam punches Darkness for a fourth wound.
Darkness again fails to summon a Darkling, but places another shadow tile. He KO’s Sinestro, then hits Black Adam for an unblockable, then whiffs his healing on three dice. John Constantine can’t hit Black Adam with a lightning bolt.
Black Adam punches out Darkness (ouch).

Round 4: Lex burns another marker. Initiative Injustice League. Grodd burns a marker. Grodd advances. Black Adam tries to hit Constantine but is conned.
Slam advances. Batman engages Grodd but can’t hit him.
Black Adam avoids a swipe from Constantine, then sends Batman to his card with a 3 wound hit from height.
Slam can’t hit Black Adam from height and Constantine can’t hit Grodd from height.
Black Adam punches Slam for two wounds.
Slam hits Black Adam for a third wound. Batman pops out of the shadows but misses his unblockable on Black Adam.

Round 5: Lex uses his last marker. Initiative Occult Investigators. Black Adam heals one. Batman hits Black Adam for an auto wound. Constantine can’t hit Grodd from height.
Black Adam punches Slam for a wound.
Batman and Slam both attack Black Adam from height and score three wounds.
Black Adam KO’s Batman.
Constantine can’t finish Black Adam.
Black Adam punches out Slam.

Round 6: Initiative Injustice League. Black Adam punches Constantine for two wounds from height.
Constantine takes a swipe, but KO’s Black Adam from height.
Grodd advances.
Constantine hits Grodd for a wound from height.
Grodd is conned out of his turn.
Constantine inflicts two wounds on Grodd.
Constantine avoids lava.

Round 7: Initiative Constantine. He hits Grodd for two wounds.
Grodd is conned.
Constantine can’t hit Grodd.
Grodd finally finishes Constantine.

Unit Summary: Rough go this time with Darkness failing a pivotal healing roll and the dice just not lining up right for the Occult Investigators, leading to Zatanna and Darkness both falling early and robbing them of heavies. It still ended up going down to the wire at the end.

• Damage Done (Normal Attack): Inflicted [0] wounds.
• DARKLING SUMMONING: Rolled [3] times and placed [0] Darklings
• LIVE FOR DARKNESS: Moved Darklings [3] times and removed [0] Darklings form the game
• PROTECTING THE ARTIFACTS: Rolled [2] times and cancelled attacks/destroyed Darklings [2] times.

Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Lex Luthor with Full Life and Grodd with 1/6 Life win.

___________________________________________________________

UNIT SUMMARY: They can be streaky in terms of how helpful they are, but I think they do what they set out to do and they feel balanced at this cost.

[Tornado]

Nice work Bats.

[Cinderquail]

Tests are looking good!

I propose we move to Final Editing at 100 points