The Book of Phil Coulson

[IAmBatman]

Calculator says about 160-170 for him.

Yea contingent on some checklists.

[Lord Pyre]

Yea

[Arch-vile]

I've already built armies & put figures in the google docs so I'm going to try him at 190 first. Not too concerned about the calculator results since it has trouble with these types of powers anyway.

Competitive Checklist

Spoiler Alert!

Does the design disrupt opponent's Order Markers in a way that offers a net gain in turns taken with strong figures versus the turns your opponent can take with strong figures (Ozymandias, Joker (I), Meteorite)?
No

Does the design offer auto-wounding that either doesn't require taking turns or is otherwise extremely efficient (War Machine, Jason Voorhees, Cosmic Cube)?
No

Does the design immobilize figures or prevent turn-taking (Blob, Spider-Girl, Diablo, Green Lantern Alan)?
No

Does the design move opponent's figures in a way that's easy to pull off and can move figures multiple spaces in multiple directions (Graviton, Magneto, Vulture)?
No

Does the design allow for moving friendly figures without taking turns, or for moving 2+ friendly figures while still taking a turn (Martian Manhunter [I], Green Lantern John, Angel)?
The former, but by design. Limited to Agent Unique Heroes so it's nothing crazy like those figures.

Does the figure allow for two figures, one of them being a wide range of possible figures, to both attack on a single Order Marker (Zombie, Robot, Iron Patriot, Ms. Marvel, Rocket [II], Martian Manhunter [II], Nebula, Baby Groot, Havok)?
Yes, but only combo'd with Agent Brand turning a hero into an Agent. And it's limited since if you attack with two, then they can't move. The figures you mentioned are much more powerful ways to get a second attack and require a lot less investment to do so.

Does the design offer any sort of passive boost outside of a narrow set of figures (Star-Lord, Sage, Brainiac 5, Captain America, Batman [III])?
No

Does the design help keep your allies alive just by being nearby (Daring
Decoy, Aaron Cash, Jocasta, Weather Wizard)?
No

Is it OK for the design to have defensive abilities that could make it essentially unkillable in some matchups or endgame situations (Cosmic Cube, Healing Factor, Master Martial Artist)?
N/A

If the figure has auto-destroy powers or powers that can force the opponent's figures to attack each other, are they balanced for strong opposing figures and/or boosts that can make the powers more reliable (Puppet Master, Psycho-Man, Enchantress)?
N/A

Is the figure likely to earn its value many times over by either running out alone at the start of a battle (pre-eval Crow, Solomon Grundy) or by sitting in the startzone until the end of a battle (Arnim Zola, Silk Spectre)?
No, he's got an 8-space restriction on his key power.

Will synergies in the design create concerns for future designs (Mad Thinker, pre-eval Enchantress, Star-Lord)?
We have a ton of Agents already in a wide variety of point totals, so it shouldn't.

Does the design combo particularly well with one of the design concerns above (Magma)?
No

Consistency Checklist

Spoiler Alert!

Are the character’s name and secret identity listed in a consistent format with the rest of the project? If the character shares a name and/or secret identity with another character is it properly clear whether or not they are the same character?
Yes

Consider the listed Species. Are the design’s power level, point level, and statistics (life, move, range, attack, and defense numbers) within the established range for that species? If it’s an outlier, is there thematic justification for this?
Standard human stats

Consider the listed Uniqueness. Does the power text properly reflect whether the figure is a Hero or a squad, and whether it is Event, Unique, Uncommon, or common? If it’s Event, are the powers written with consideration for Event Hero rules? If it’s Uncommon, are the powers written to avoid stacking? If it’s common, are the powers written with this in mind?
Yes

Consider the Class and Personality. For each, is it a reuse? If so, is the character thematically consistent with other members of that Class or Personality? If not, is there a preexisting Class or Personality that would fit as well that could be used instead? Are there any existing synergies with that Class or Personality that are undesirable or that this Design would create that would be undesirable for preexisting members of that Class or Personality?
Class - Agent. It's a reuse.
Personality - Dedicated. It's also a reuse.

Consider the listed Size. If the figure is double based, is it Large or Huge? Is the chosen miniature’s physical size consistent with other miniatures in the chosen size category?
Medium 5, it's consistent.

Consider the listed Height. If you stack hexes up next to the figure, does the number listed for the height match up the layers of stacked hexes that match the miniature’s physical height?
Yes

Consider the listed Life number. Is this number consistent with other figures of the same species?
Standard human life

Consider the listed Move number. Is this number consistent with other figures of that power level?
Yes

Consider the listed Range and Attack numbers. Is this number consistent with other figures that use the same type of weapon or power to attack?
5 range & 3 attack for a gun is standard. Could bump it up to 4 attack but Coulson isn't quite the soldier that Sharon Carter, Black Widow, Dum Dum Dugan, etc. are.

Consider the listed Defense number. Is this number consistent with other figures of the same or similar species and with the same or similar armor or other defensive equipment?
Standard human defense.

Does the figure have Super Strength? If it does or doesn’t, was this determined on the standard of that character demonstrating three things: 1. The ability to throw a car 2. The ability to survive a fall from a tall building and 3. The ability to knock back another person when punching them?
He's a human. Even the robotic hand doesn't make him that strong.

Examine all of the special powers. Are there other powers that fit the same theme already in existence in the project? If so, can they be reused? If they can’t, can those other powers be used as a basis for the mechanics and wording?
2 new powers, one reuse from Crime-Master.

Examine any movement powers. Do they keep the figure’s speed consistent with other figures of their species and power level?
N/A

Examine any offensive powers. Do they keep the figure’s offensive potential consistent with other figures with the same powers and power levels or skills and weaponry?
N/A

Examine any defensive, healing, or other tanking powers. Do they keep the figure’s survivability consistent with other figures of the same powers or power level or species and armor class?
N/A

Examine any leadership powers. Do they exceed the activation potential of the best existing leaders? If so, is there thematic justification for this?
Discussed already, he's very different from Fury mechanically (and thematically for that matter) as a leader. For Agents it's nothing special compared to other faction leadership powers.

Consider any powers that reference darkness, electrical, figure movement, fire, gas, ice, kryptonite, light/sensory, magical, poison, psychic, stealth, or water-based abilities. Do these behave in similar ways to other powers of this type, including mentions of immunities?
N/A

Is it clear for all special powers what phase of the turn and how they are triggered, what phase of the turn they are active in, and when and how they cease being active?
Yes

Are special powers listed in game, round, and turn order?
Yes

If a special power includes a D20 roll, does it make sense to list a number by the title?
N/A

If a power is being reused, are the title and wording copied accurately?
Yes

Has the power title or a very similar one been used before with vastly different mechanics?
No

[IAmBatman]

[japes]

yea

[Arch-vile]

This passes.

Should get to him tonight then the Parallax test over the weekend!

[Arch-vile]

C3G STANDARD PLAYTEST FEEDBACK FORM

NAME OF THE PLAYTEST UNIT: Agent Coulson

Army Test
Map: Song of the Walrus
Units: Agent Coulson (190), Hawkeye I, Black Widow, Mockingbird, Dum Dum Dugan (730) VS Luke Cage, Daredevil II, Firestar, Jessica Jones (730)

Spoiler Alert!

Played this matchup once (got about halfway through) and the Luke Cage team was getting slaughtered. I overextended Daredevil and had terrible dice (literally whiffed 6x in a row with them), so decided to re-do that game.

Round 1: Widow moves up from winning initiative, then Coulson and the Agents advance as well. Luke & Daredevil advance. Coulson and the Agents (sans Widow) advance. Daredevil wounds Hawkeye and Luke is blocked. Coulson has Dum Dum attack Daredevil, and Dum Dum rolls 4 skulls against 0 shields, which ends up being a bad thing as it means Daredevil takes 0 wounds due to go the distance. Despite that, Hawkeye rolls all skulls and Daredevil whiffs. Firestar comes in and rolls 3 skulls against Hawkeye, Dum Dum, and Coulson, putting 2 wounds on Dum Dum and Hawkeye and 3 on Coulson. Luke is blocked.

Round 2: Firestar is blocked, and Luke finishes off Hawkeye. Coulson uses his secret weapon against Firestar, hoping for a quick kill, but is blocked. Dum Dum is also blocked. Firestar kills Coulson and Luke kills Dum Dum. Lost OM2 on Coulson. Firestar and Luke are blocked, and Luke takes a counter strike wound from Mockingbird. Black Widow kills Firestar.

Round 3: Coulson gives Black Widow and Mockingbird something to avenge, boosting their attack and move. Jessica Jones moves up. Mockingbird wounds Luke. Jessica takes out Mockingbird and Luke engages Widow. Widow is blocked. Jessica puts 2 wounds on Widow and Luke is blocked. Widow wounds Jessica.

Round 4: Jessica wounds Widow. Widow wounds Luke. Jessica takes out Widow.


Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Luke Cage (3 wounds) and Jessica Jones (1 wound) win.

Coulson felt good here, he’s a solid leader and his secret weapon was nice to use though it only inflicted one wound. The boosted attack and move after his death ended up helping Black Widow get a wound on Jessica Jones.

___________________________________________________________

Army Test
Map: Song of the Walrus
Units: Agent Coulson (190), Mystique I, Hawkeye I, Sharon Carter, Chun-Li, Dum Dum Dugan (835) VS Prof. X, Quicksilver, Iceman, Psylocke (835)

Spoiler Alert!

Round 1: Coulson moves his agents up. Iceman and Psylocke move up. Coulson and some Agents move up. Psylocke wounds Chun-Li and Iceman wounds Mystique. Chun-Li and Dum Dum put 3 wounds on Psylocke. Psylocke is blocked and Iceman wounds Chun-Li.

Round 2: Psylocke takes out Chun-Li and Iceman attacks Coulson but is blocked. Mystique is blocked and Sharon Carter wounds Psylocke. Psylocke is blocked and Iceman wounds Coulson. Dum Dum takes out Psylocke and Sharon Carter puts 2 wounds on Iceman. Iceman and Quicksilver take out Mystique. Dum Dum takes out Iceman with a lucky shot and Sharon Carter misses.

Round 3: Quicksilver takes out Dum Dum after taking a couple wounds, so Coulson breaks out the secret weapon and whiffs.

Round 4: Quicksilver puts 2 wounds on Coulson and positions himself so Sharon can’t see him. Coulson has Sharon take a turn and repositions then shoots a wound onto Quicksilver. Quicksilver is blocked. Sharon Carter takes out Quicksilver.

Round 5: Coulson moves his agents forward. Prof X wheels up and is blocked. Coulson shoots at Prof X, who burns the X to block. Prof X is blocked. Coulson and Sharon are blocked. Prof X whiffs against Coulson.

Round 6: Hawkeye puts 2 wounds on Prof X. Prof X kills Coulson, but the agents prepared for this, putting only the X OM on him. Hawkeye is blocked. Prof X puts 2 wounds on Hawkeye, then blocks with the X. Prof X wounds Hawkeye.

Round 7: Coulson’s death inspires the remaining agents to fight with increased attack power. Sharon is blocked. Prof X is blocked. Sharon kills Prof X.


Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Sharon Carter (0 wounds), Hawkeye (3 wounds) win.

Again, Coulson’s feeling good. The something to avenge power felt really fun here.

___________________________________________________________

Army Test
Map: Song of the Walrus
Units: Agent Coulson (190), Dum Dum Dugan, Mystique I, Sharon Carter, Black Widow, Hawkeye I (855) VS Nightwing, Starfire, Raven, Wonder Girl (Cassie), Beast Boy (Cheetah) (860)

Spoiler Alert!

Round 1: Coulson moves his agents out. Cheetah moves up. Coulson moves himself and some agents out. Raven moves up and wounds Mystique. Coulson has Mystique and Sharon shoot, but they miss. Nightwing’s titans go has Wonder Girl lasso mystique, then the Titans finish her off.

Round 2: Coulson wins initiative, so Black Widow engages Raven & Wonder Girl. Coulson has Widow & Dum Dum attack Raven, wounding her 3x (once with each attack). Wonder Girl disengages Black Widow to tie down Dum Dum and Sharon Carter. Coulson has Dum Dum take a full turn to engage Raven, but he only brings her to 4 wounds. Nightwing’s Titans Go has Starfire kill Black Widow with 4 attacks, Raven transfers a wound to Dum Dum, and Nightwing puts 2 wounds on Dum Dum. Coulson has Sharon and Dum Dum kill Raven. Wonder Girl kills Dum Dum.

Round 3: Coulson has Sharon take a full turn, and she engages Starfire to inflict 2 wounds. Nightwing’s Titans Go has Wonder Girl lasso Coulson, but their attacks are all blocked. Coulson and Sharon are blocked. Wonder Girl puts 3 wounds on Coulson. Coulson uses the secret weapon against the cheetah just so he uses it before he dies, and kills the cheetah. Sharon wounds Starfire. Wonder Girl is blocked.

Round 4: Sharon takes out Starfire. Wonder Girl takes out Coulson and Nightwing puts 2 wounds on Sharon. Sharon puts 2 wounds on Nightwing. Wonder Girl lassoes Sharon and is blocked. Hawkeye is blocked. Wonder Girl is blocked.

Round 5: Coulson inspires his agents. Sharon fails. Nightwing’s Titans Go has Wonder Girl kill Sharon and Nightwing wounds Hawkeye. Hawkeye is blocked. Wonder Girl lassoes Hawkeye and kills him.


Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Nightwing (2 wounds) and Wonder Girl (1 wound) win.

THOUGHTS ON THE TESTED UNIT'S COST, BALANCE, & DRAFTABILITY: I liked Coulson quite a bit. The Agents are a fun group to give this kind of synergy to. Looking over the results he looks pretty balanced as is. All 3 powers were used every single game, and I think I used every option of the command power every game as well.

[Arch-vile]

I propose for public testing

[tcglkn]

Yea

[Lord Pyre]

Looks good so far Yea

[Tornado]

Yea

[MrNobody]

Really want to see some Brand testing in public. It’s a but expensive to double down on leaders, but the ability to draw a Thor or Supes into Coulson’s bonding seems really potentially powerful.