The Book of Atom (Ray Palmer)

[IAmBatman]

C3G INITIAL PLAYTEST FEEDBACK FORM

NAME OF THE TEST UNIT (ATOM)

- THEME TEST/ Check to see if there are any powers or stats on the test unit card that does not accurately reflect the theme or likeness of what the character would and could do. Also consider destructible objects, and whether or not this characters powers should affect them.
PASS

- MIRROR TEST/ Check to see if the unit were played against itself, if there would be any loops that would upset the balance of the Game.
PASS

- BONDING TEST/ Compare the unit card with all possible currently existing Bonding abilities to make sure there are no continual Bonding possibilities that do not stop appropriately or do not stop at all. This is to prevent loops in Bonding.
PASS

- SYNERGIES TEST/ Compare the unit card with all possible currently existing synergies to make sure there are no factors that could break the game by making any unit to powerful or too weak.
PASS

- POWER CHECK/ Consider the test unit and all existing units and all glyphs to compare to and check for any powers that could be over amplified and break the game. Each power must define when it takes place, who or what it affects, and What are the stipulations on the power if there are any.
PASS

- FUN TEST/ Consider whether or not the design was fun to play.
PASS

- FUN COMPETITIVE TEST/ Consider whether or not the design was fun to play against.
PASS

- DRAFTING TEST/ Consider whether or not this design is worth drafting.
PASS

- USAGE TEST/ Consider whether or not all of the powers on this card were used or at least usable.
PASS

- STRATEGY TEST/ Consider whether or not the design offers any real strategy or interesting tactics to the overall game.
PASS

Heavy Hitter or Mid-Level Hero Test
- Does it pass, Yes or No? Yes
- What should be the unit's point value? 50
- Give a brief summary. Atom holds his own against other heroes in his point range. For the most part (other than Wasp) Atom and these other heroes couldn't take full advantage of their powers.

Spoiler Alert!

TEST 1
Map: Custom Map (Platforms 5 and 6 without pillar)
Units: Atom vs. Bob (25)
Atom wins on Turn 1 of Round 2 with no wounds. Neither hero really had a chance to use any special powers other than Tiny Stealth.

TEST 2
Map: Custom Map (Platforms 5 and 6 without pillars)
Units: Atom vs. Bob (25)
Atom wins on Turn 3 of Round 1 with 1 wound.

TEST 3
Map: Custom Map (Platforms 5 and 6 without pillars)
Units: Atom vs. Ant-Man (30)
Atom wins on Turn 2 of Round 1 with no wounds (getting the first and only attack helped).

TEST 4
Map: Custom Map (Platforms 5 and 6 without pillars)
Units: Atom vs. Ant-Man (30)
Atom wins on Turn 3 of Round 1 with 1 wound.

TEST 5
Map: Custom Map (Platforms 5 and 6 without pillars)
Units: Atom vs. Wasp (50)
Wasp takes advantage of her greater mobility, holds up to Atom's attack, and wins on Turn 1 of Round 2.

TEST 6
Map: Custom Map (Platforms 5 and 6 without pillars)
Units: Atom vs. Wasp (50)
Atom wins on Turn 3 of Round 1 with 1 wound.

TEST 7
Map: Custom Map (Platforms 5 and 6 without pillars)
Units: Atom vs. Wasp (50)
Wasp wins on Turn 3 of Round 1 when she wins initiative, gets the first attack, and hits 2 skulls on it.

TEST 8
Map: Custom Map (Platforms 5 and 6 without pillars)
Units: Atom vs. Alfred (60)
Atom wins on Turn 3 of Round 2 with no wounds.

TEST 9
Map: Custom Map (Platforms 5 and 6 without pillars)
Units: Atom vs. Alfred (60)
Atom wins a hard fought battle on Turn 2 of Round 2 with 1 wound.

TEST 10
Map: Custom Map (Platforms 5 and 6 without pillars)
Units: Atom vs. Alfred (60)
Atom wins on Turn 2 of Round 2 with no wounds.

_____________________________________________________________

Squad Test
- Does it pass, Yes or No? Yes
- What should be the unit's point value? 50
- Give a brief summary. Atom did about as you'd expect.
Map: Custom Map (Platforms 5 and 6 without pillars)
Units: Atom vs. Civilians x1 (45)

Spoiler Alert!

Civvies outnumber Atom, get height for one attack, and win on Turn 1 of Round 2 with 2 Civilians left.

_____________________________________________________________

Squad Test
- Does it pass, Yes or No? Yes
- What should be the unit's point value? 50
- Give a brief summary. Facing only one attack at a time, Atom had a chance here.
Map: Custom Map (Platforms 5 and 6 without pillars)
Units: Atom vs. Body Guard x4 (60)

Spoiler Alert!

Atom wins on Turn 2 of Round 3. The Body Guards rolled a total of 1 skull on three attacks (9 dice in all) and failed to defend a single attack from Atom. They definitely felt like they had a chance, but the dice luck wasn't there.

_____________________________________________________________

Army Test
- Does it pass, Yes or No? Yes
- What should be the unit's point value? 50
- Give a brief summary. Atom was easy to carry around, a bit tougher to get on a card, and ultimately somewhat useful but literally and figuratively in Hawkman's shadow here.
Map: Custom Map (Platforms 5 and 6 without pillars)
Units: Atom, Hawkman, and Hawkgirl (500) vs. Green Lantern (Hal) and Green Arrow (Ollie) (500)

Spoiler Alert!

Atom's team wins with a full life Atom and a 1 wound Hawkman on Turn 3 of Round 4. Hal struck early, killing Hawkgirl, but this enraged Hawkman, who went on a tear. Twice Atom shrunk down and jumped on cards to distract GL and then GA. This helped Hawkman score some extra wounds, perhaps, but it was mostly Hawkman swooping around and hitting with double attacks that got the job done here. It's notable that Hal died with 2 markers left on his card (whiffed on a six dice roll against two skulls to die) and he never hit a high enough D20 roll to get an extra attack. GL also never hit a 20 for his Skill Shot, but did hit a 1 once.

_____________________________________________________________

Army Test
- Does it pass, Yes or No? Yes
- What should be the unit's point value? 30?
- Give a brief summary. Atom and his allies got owned here, but Atom had trouble finding his role.
Map: Custom Map (Platforms 5 and 6 without pillars)
Units: Atom, Green Arrow (Ollie), Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, Batman (Bruce) (1,000) vs. Darkseid, Sinestro, Grundy (1,000)

Spoiler Alert!

The villains romped here, winning on Turn 3 of Round 3 with 1 wound Darkseid, full life Grundy (resurrected once), and 2 Battery Marker, 4 life Sinestro remaining. Darkseid one shot blasted both Green Arrow (3 wounds and 20 on the D20) and Batman (2 wounds and 20 on the D20) and punched out Wonder Woman as well. Sinestro burnt one Battery Marker defending against Martian Manhunter and the second finishing him off with his special. Atom died with all of his allies dispatched, stuck in Darkseid's molecules. Maybe not the best match up, and the villains had some dice luck, but I'm almost wondering right now if Atom couldn't get away with being -2/-2. Sacrificing a turn's worth of attacks for -1/-1 (which usually means they're slightly easier to hit once) and then getting knocked off for every wound limits his impact. Even that one Order Marker to get him on a card sometimes seems tough to justify.

[IAmBatman]

Atom playtests all wrapped up ... what would you guys think of letting him subtract 2 dice from attack and defense with his molecular distraction? It doesn't seem to have much of an impact right now.

[tcglkn]

I'd be fine with -2 attack and defense if you think it would make him more draftable.

[Good Pig]

I think you'd have to up the point cost though.

[Griffin]

I like him as is, and I like the point value of 50 a lot. However, only your last test said that he wasn't worth 50.... I think we should send him out as is and see what others can do with him. I think -1/-1 is quite significant, especially for such a cheap guy.

[Griffin]

Also, I think MOLECULAR DISTRACTION should be called MICROSCOPIC IRRITANT, which is what I had called this power for years before I suggested it to you. I don't get the theme of him distracting molecules or whatnot.

[Spidey'tilIDie]

Well, I think Molecular implies a smaller Atom than does Microscopic. However, I think Molecular Irritant sounds pretty good.

On the previous post, what about making it -2 attack or -2 defense whichever Atom decides when he placed on the card? So its not -2 to both, but more powerful one way or the other.

[IAmBatman]

Originally Posted by Good Pig

I think you'd have to up the point cost though.

I'm not so sure. Putting him on a card seems almost more risk than it's worth right now. You stand a big chance of what happened in the Darkseid test happening, which is he's stranded on an enemy card while his last ally dies and he never gets a chance to really do much at all with his normal attack. One-on-one when he's featured, he's currently worth around that 50 points, but that really has nothing to do with his Irritant/Distraction/w/e power, which actually seems to devalue him a bit right now because it replaces his attack and possibly results in his automatic death (as explained above). I'm just not certain the -1/-1 is worth putting him on a card right now - or if he's really worth an Order Marker without that power being worth it.

Originally Posted by tcglkn

I'd be fine with -2 attack and defense if you think it would make him more draftable.

Yeah, that was my thought on it.

Originally Posted by Griffin

I like him as is, and I like the point value of 50 a lot. However, only your last test said that he wasn't worth 50.... I think we should send him out as is and see what others can do with him. I think -1/-1 is quite significant, especially for such a cheap guy.

I like the point value of 50 a lot as well - and I wouldn't be suggesting the power change if I felt like he was fully worth it right now. I think he's passable at 50, but I worry about whether he's worth an OM at all or not.

Originally Posted by Griffin

Also, I think MOLECULAR DISTRACTION should be called MICROSCOPIC IRRITANT, which is what I had called this power for years before I suggested it to you. I don't get the theme of him distracting molecules or whatnot.

Molecular is an adjective there. Really, either title is fine by me. We can have a poll if people like.

Originally Posted by Spidey'tilIDie

Well, I think Molecular implies a smaller Atom than does Microscopic. However, I think Molecular Irritant sounds pretty good.

On the previous post, what about making it -2 attack or -2 defense whichever Atom decides when he placed on the card? So its not -2 to both, but more powerful one way or the other.

Molecular Irritant is fine by me as well. Really, all three titles get the job done, so I don't have a preference. I'll wait and see what the majority seems to like though, so feel free to chime in, guys.
What if we just made it -2 to the attack? That might seem more worth the Order Marker ... to slow down the effectiveness of an attacker ... I don't know, just brainstorming here a bit. I'm just not sure he's worth activating most of the time right now. If I can choose between an attack of 6 from one of Atom's allies or tossing Atom on your card until you get one wound, I'm probably going to get a lot more value out of the attack of 6 every time.

[IAmBatman]

What about this? What if we made Molecular Microscopic Distraction Irritant work after attacking rather than instead of? I think that would lower the opportunity cost of putting an OM on Atom a little bit, as well as make it so you felt like you were using him a bit more ...

[tcglkn]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

What about this? What if we made Molecular Microscopic Distraction Irritant work after attacking rather than instead of? I think that would lower the opportunity cost of putting an OM on Atom a little bit, as well as make it so you felt like you were using him a bit more ...

I like Microscopic Irritant for the power name as well.

[Griffin]

Good change to the power and the power's name Bats. Put me down for both too.

[Spidey'tilIDie]

Bats, can I get some clarification as to your current preference? Are you espousing both a -2 and the after attacking change? Or just offering them as two options?