The Book of Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner)

[Just_a_Bill]

Originally Posted by GreyOwl

Or perhaps "move" isn't the same as "movement"? Whereas "move" and "place" are two mechanically different concepts, "movement" is a generic term that can be applied to either one. That's how I've thought of it.

Hmm, yeah, that's probably how it has to be. Anyway, this isn't a dealbreaker or anything ... I just have the habit of trying to increase first-read clarity and reduce the potential for questions whenever it seems like "the hood is up." It's an old occupational hazard.

Which brings me to another suggestion for consideration. (Please understand it's a sign of how much I like and respect this unit's design that I have so much to say about its wording.)

TELEPORTING BARRAGE SPECIAL ATTACK has a few challenges. Here's the current text:

When Nightcrawler attacks with his Teleporting Barrage Special Attack, he may attack two additional times. Nightcrawler may use his Bamf! special power after each attack. Nightcrawler must use his Bamf! special power to move at least one space before each additional attack.

This seemed a bit odd and repetitive to me at first because of the combination of the “may Bamf!” and “must Bamf!” sentences. After reading through it a few more times, I got why it was written that way: Bamf!ing is mandatory if you want a second or third attack, but is optional after the last attack. (Right?) But in the re-readings, a couple more things popped out.

As written, it's a bit unclear whether he can attack exactly twice if he wants to, or must attack either once or three times; unlike Quasatch Hunters, this one does not say "up to." Now granted, Captain America and Nilfheim also don't say "up to" and most players probably infer it, but the stakes are somewhat higher on Nightcrawler because his SA is much more complex and involves a "must" sentence.

Also, there's a question of whether he can use the SA once only and then Bamf!, or if the Bamf!ing is dependent upon invoking the preceding "may attack two additional times" clause. (This is kind of a pitfall of the general Scape standard of special powers being all one paragraph.)

Anyway ... all of that can easily be clarified by reorganizing the text to flow more chronologically. It seems like this unit is well suited to borrow wording from units like Deathwalker 8000, Frost Giant of Morh, Samuel Brown, and others that take the approach of "if ____ happens, he may attack again with his ____ Special Attack." In combination with Major Q10's method of counting the number of power uses, and Sharwin Wildborn's "in this manner" approach, it seems like this would be clear:

TELEPORTING BARRAGE SPECIAL ATTACK
Range 1. Attack 3.
After Nightcrawler attacks with his Teleporting Barrage Special Attack, he may use his Bamf! special power. If he does, he may attack again with his Teleporting Barrage Special Attack. In this manner, Nightcrawler may use this special attack up to 3 times in the same turn.

Actually, I think now it could be even shorter and more easily digestible:

TELEPORTING BARRAGE SPECIAL ATTACK
Range 1. Attack 3.
After Nightcrawler attacks with his Teleporting Barrage Special Attack, he may use his Bamf! special power. Nightcrawler may use this special attack up to 3 times in the same turn if he uses his Bamf! special power before each additional attack.

(I left out the original text's redundant requirement to "move at least one space" because it is impossible to Bamf! without relocating. Kurt can't teleport onto his own current space because it is not empty.)