Scytale's customs

[Good Pig]

Was looking at your Chain Golem. He is really cool. He seems like a hard counter to Major Q9. Have you tried testing these two against each other? Actually curious who would come out on top.

[Scytale]

Originally Posted by Good Pig

Was looking at your Chain Golem. He is really cool. He seems like a hard counter to Major Q9. Have you tried testing these two against each other? Actually curious who would come out on top.

Q9 doesn't usually stand alone; he usually comes with a screen. And the Chain Golem doesn't handle screens particularly well. When the Iron Golem came out people declared it to be a Q9 counter, but that didn't pan out. Same thing here. Though if the Chain Golem can get close enough for a Chain Grab it can make a difference.

[Good Pig]

Originally Posted by Scytale

Q9 doesn't usually stand alone; he usually comes with a screen. And the Chain Golem doesn't handle screens particularly well. When the Iron Golem came out people declared it to be a Q9 counter, but that didn't pan out. Same thing here. Though if the Chain Golem can get close enough for a Chain Grab it can make a difference.

Makes sense. Yeah I tried the Iron Golem counter to Q9 and found it a bit underwhelming because with 3 life he can still be taken down fairly easily with normal ranged attacks, and the bogged down by rats issue you mention. I like how Chain Golem has a little more staying power and can yank figures into him with Improved Chain Grab.

I really like the 'Improved' Chain Grab power name as a nod to the Major X17 Improved Cyber Claw power to include large figures.

[Scytale]

unit highlight 2/15/16

At some point I began to wonder why we don't see any super-simple units like Syvarris anymore; one short, simple power. Well, there really is a reason for it: there's really only so much you can do with a simple power and units require something to make them unique and interesting. Double Attack, a very useful power and sometimes almost necessary power for a hero, has already been used multiple times. Sure, you can mess with stats and get a Guilty McCreech instead, but at some point it's merely a copy of an existing unit.

With that in mind I wanted to make my own, and this ettin figure was the place to do it. Heroes need something to make them useful, and for a stand-alone it is usually a multi-attack power. In this case, it's a guy with two heads; two figures in one. Even better, the 4th Ed D&D version of an ettin takes double turns. So I did the same in a short, simple power.

With no synergies to speak of Murj is a lone hero. His double turn is pretty useful and lets him do some tricks that many cannot do, such as knocking something off a glyph and then taking that glyph, or killing something then retreating to high ground. Not an amazing unit but one that works decently for the price.

Murj was one of my few units to have the honor of being highlighted on Week@HS.


single-based
Ettin Skirmisher (D&D Deathknell)

[yamissflash]

Gotta like simple yet clever!

I'd use it to hit a Deathreaver that scattered away, even though I would trigger scatter again.

[Scytale]

unit highlight 2/22/16

Of course Heroscape needs pirates. We've said that back since Heroscape got its first ninjas. The tricky part (besides finding miniatures) is deciding on powers.

Custom designers usually feel the need to give pirates water-based powers. In a game that mixes in fantasy and sci-fi, I think it's better to leave such powers to true water-based beings. It's not like pirates swam from place to place; they were sailors. And Heroscape doesn't have boats.

Instead I took Pete in a different direction. I kept mainly to the pop culture version of pirates (look at the miniature, after all), but kept it more realistic. A swashbuckler with a slow-loading pistol fits the normal concept of a pirate without forcing a water-based power. I kept the price low to allow him into the filler role.

As for the miniature itself, it is the Cloudreaver D&D miniature, but it had a weird non-piratey weapon in his left hand. I modded in a repainted gun (from a Krav, I think) instead, giving him the sword and flintlock pistol look.

Trivia bit: Pete is named after a Heroscape-playing friend of mine.


Cloudreaver (D&D War of the Dragon Queen) modded

[caps]

I love these last two designs.

[Ninja Status]

I really like how uncomplicated the last two customs are. I miss seeing the simplicity of custom design and think you've executed it very well.

Awesome cards as well, really cool.

[Targanth]

This fellow's been a favorite of mine for a long time!

[Lazy Orang]

Originally Posted by Ninja Status

I really like how uncomplicated the last two customs are. I miss seeing the simplicity of custom design and think you've executed it very well.

Awesome cards as well, really cool.

I like it when someone manages to do something simple, and yet simultaneously unique, different and interesting. As such, I think Murj is awesome.

[Scytale]

Thanks for the comments, guys. Units like these last two seem really simple and easy to design, but anyone who's tried can tell you it's just the opposite. Making something that's simple, thematic, and different than what's come before is a real challenge, and, in a real sense, the pinnacle of custom design.

I found a pirate a particularly interesting challenge. Heroscape doesn't have boats (or any concept of vehicles), and it has creatures far better in water than humans. So how do I make a solo hero seem like a pirate? This is what I came up with.

Originally Posted by Targanth

This fellow's been a favorite of mine for a long time!

Heh heh.

[caps]

Originally Posted by Scytale

I found a pirate a particularly interesting challenge. Heroscape doesn't have boats (or any concept of vehicles), and it has creatures far better in water than humans. So how do I make a solo hero seem like a pirate? This is what I came up with.

And I love it. I think TheSparkleInYourWater has pulled off some similar piratey elegance. Water-centered powers for Pirates just don't make any sense in Heroscape.