Sir Heroscape's customs

[Astroking112]

Originally Posted by brandonwiker

So what happens if you choose to ignore a wound placed on the WoGAC by Wannok? Does Wannok place a wound during a turn? I always figured it was after both players’ turns... Just sounds like a window for rules lawyers to abuse.

Personally, I feel like “shrug off pain” rolls off the tongue weird, would you consider a different name, or is this something you’re sold on? I feel like “ancestral adrenaline” or even “adrenaline” sounds way cooler. Adrenaline by itself sounds too generic, though.... hmmm..... “to the final breath”.... I don’t know. I do think WoGAC squad looks great, though

Wannok happens at the end of the round, so it shouldn't take have any effect to ignore the wound. I think that this case is minor enough that it can be handled with a R&C after release.

Adrenaline sounds like a good name for the power to me. It's pretty clear on the theme and is generic enough to be reusable in the future.

Originally Posted by Sir Heroscape

After playtesting Ygorl...his paralyzing stare seemed a little underwhelming for a Merciless Demon King, especially when it never triggered. So I decided to change the name and allow it to effect any size figure, but make it remove defense dice instead. This would still allow Deathwalkers to avoid being instakilled basically, but still essentially allow for small and medium figures (who usually have around 3 defense) to have the same effect as if it was paralyzing stare.

Have you considered doing something along the lines of the Varkaanan Quickblades' Lightning Slash Special Attack? Ygorl has a high attack, so it would still be pretty potent to subtract 1 defense die for every skull rolled.

[Sir Heroscape]

Originally Posted by brandonwiker

So what happens if you choose to ignore a wound placed on the WoGAC by Wannok? Does Wannok place a wound during a turn? I always figured it was after both players’ turns... Just sounds like a window for rules lawyers to abuse.

Personally, I feel like “shrug off pain” rolls off the tongue weird, would you consider a different name, or is this something you’re sold on? I feel like “ancestral adrenaline” or even “adrenaline” sounds way cooler. Adrenaline by itself sounds too generic, though.... hmmm..... “to the final breath”.... I don’t know. I do think WoGAC squad looks great, though

Oooooo...great suggestions. "Ancestral Adrenaline" is really cool because it eludes to the backstory and theme of these guys and their clan...though "Adrenaline" is a perfectly simple and a more reusable power name. hmmm...I'll need to think about it, but I agree to changing the power name to either of those two.

Originally Posted by TREX

I'm liking the changes to the shadows. No love really lost on the Wraith. The other three are what makes them pretty sweet. Also like the stipulation on Xundar getting to only shadowcast when he has a figure to do it with. Liking the flavor of the warrior clan as well.

Agreed. Again thanks for your feedback and help with them.

Originally Posted by Astroking112

Wannok happens at the end of the round, so it shouldn't take have any effect to ignore the wound. I think that this case is minor enough that it can be handled with a R&C after release.

Agreed.

Originally Posted by Astroking112

Have you considered doing something along the lines of the Varkaanan Quickblades' Lightning Slash Special Attack? Ygorl has a high attack, so it would still be pretty potent to subtract 1 defense die for every skull rolled.

I hadn't...though I kinda like where you're going with that. Definitely serves the same purpose I'm going for as far as effect...though potentially not as potent at times depending on the roll, but that isn't really any different than failing the roll for the current power anyway...so yeah I'll have to think about that. I think a new power name would be in order if I went that direction. Thoughts?

[Astroking112]

Originally Posted by Sir Heroscape

I hadn't...though I kinda like where you're going with that. Definitely serves the same purpose I'm going for as far as effect...though potentially not as potent at times depending on the roll, but that isn't really any different than failing the roll for the current power anyway...so yeah I'll have to think about that. I think a new power name would be in order if I went that direction. Thoughts?

Hmm. I'm not often happy with my power names, but I would probably suggest something along the lines of Dark or Demonic Slash to pay homage to the Lightning Slash Special Attack while still staying within the theme. I'm sure that there's a better name out there, though.

[Sir Heroscape]

Well, my worst fear came to pass and somehow the supply of "Black Slaad" for my custom Ygorl dried up...so that kinda sucks. He's on Hold now until a miracle happens and supply comes back (fun while it lasted)...so in lieu of his departure, I've gone back to find another horribly terrifying Demon to design and fell in love with what you see below. I've super excited about this design as it is both terrifying and thematic and would love any and all feedback.

As for Akira...this is a custom I've had on the table designed for a couple years now, but never put it to a card or pursued it, since I wasn't sure about the reception of it. The purpose is to bring the Badru another bonder that doesn't suck (Khosumet) and a little less pricey than the other alternatives (Morgoroth/Werewolf Lord). There is also some light synergy with the Anubians for good measure.

[All Your Pie]

I like the basic ideas you have with Agrith-Naar a lot, but I worry that they won’t lead to very interesting decisions in army building. He wants an army with cheap squad figures that can be where the action is while he fights, don’t need many order markers to function, and are survivable enough to stick around until his next turn. Goblin Cutters might work for that in some situations, but Deathreavers fill those checkboxes quite well.

This is not to say that he will be overpowered with Deathreavers, but that they will be far and away the best unit to play with him, which will drive up his cost and price him out of playability with other units. That said, the strategic implications of the card are really interesting, since it requires careful management among figures that will have little direct synergy with each other in order to use him to his full value.

A simple solution might just be to change his power to “Sustained by Blood” or the like and limit it to non-soulborgs, but there are probably other possible directions to go as well. Other than that, I’d reccomend calling Relentless Assault the Quadruple attack that it is, but that’s a minor editing change.

Akira is a simpler card that I have less to say about, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I like Howl, but it feels slightly off that Pack Leader powers up the big wolf by having smaller wolves around them. The power’s theme isn’t quite clear to me. Howl, however, I could see having interesting enough decision-making involved that you could make a one-power card around it with slightly tweaked stats and point cost.

[Lazy Orang]

I'll have to think more on Agrith-Naar. He's interesting, though, but I think I'm pretty much in agreement with All Your Pie.
Akira Sharpclaw... again, I'm agreeing with AYP here, the Pack Leader name feels like a leadership power, not a self-buff. A simple rename will fix that though, perhaps Pack Alpha? Speaking of renaming, 'Akira Sharpclaw' feels a bit too generic fantasy to me, and I think it'd be more interesting to key off the pseudo-Egyptian theme Khosumet's got going on. Possibly Seth the Darklord to key into the Egyptian God of the Desert, Set, but any semi-Egyptian sounding name would work. Finally, and here's my biggest issue... I feel like his powers, in conjunction, sort of encourage you to play the Wolves of Badru in a swarmy way, which feels fairly antithetical to how the unit actually behaves. They're expensive for their cost, they're fast, they can strike hard, they're not massively durable... they're ambush predators, not figures who engage in numbers in protracted melees. Skirmishing, light infantry, not a swarm. Howl can fit this, to allow them to move into position for lightning strikes, but I don't feel Pack Leader does. It'd feel better to me if bonding took place after the initial turn, but it doesn't - in order to use it effectively, Wolves have to hold their ground in melee, which fundamentally isn't what they're built for. I kind of think some sort of ambush ability would work better in place of Pack Leader. I do like the design's elegance, though.

[Sir Heroscape]

Already some great feedback. I’ll respond with more detail in a little bit. Just wanted to thank you first.

[NecroBlade]

Originally Posted by Lazy Orang

Akira Sharpclaw... again, I'm agreeing with AYP here, the Pack Leader name feels like a leadership power, not a self-buff. A simple rename will fix that though, perhaps Pack Alpha? Speaking of renaming, 'Akira Sharpclaw' feels a bit too generic fantasy to me, and I think it'd be more interesting to key off the pseudo-Egyptian theme Khosumet's got going on. Possibly Seth the Darklord to key into the Egyptian God of the Desert, Set, but any semi-Egyptian sounding name would work.

Agreed. "Pack Alpha" is a good suggestion*, as is "Seth" or at least something playing off the Egyptian theme.

*The power itself could also use some (a little more official) rewording:

PACK ALPHA
Add 1 to Seth's Attack and Defense for each Wolf Squad figure you control adjacent to Seth, up to a maximum of +2 dice each.

[Sir Heroscape]

Originally Posted by All Your Pie

A simple solution might just be to change his power to “Sustained by Blood” or the like and limit it to non-soulborgs, but there are probably other possible directions to go as well. Other than that, I’d reccomend calling Relentless Assault the Quadruple attack that it is, but that’s a minor editing change.

I agree that with Deathreavers...it's possible for him to be overpowered. I actually like your suggestion a lot and I think I'm going to take it. "Sustained by Blood" just sounds so much more Demon-y to me and I think it's more thematic (and balanced).

Originally Posted by Lazy Orang

Akira Sharpclaw... again, I'm agreeing with AYP here, the Pack Leader name feels like a leadership power, not a self-buff. A simple rename will fix that though, perhaps Pack Alpha? Speaking of renaming, 'Akira Sharpclaw' feels a bit too generic fantasy to me, and I think it'd be more interesting to key off the pseudo-Egyptian theme Khosumet's got going on. Possibly Seth the Darklord to key into the Egyptian God of the Desert, Set, but any semi-Egyptian sounding name would work. Finally, and here's my biggest issue... I feel like his powers, in conjunction, sort of encourage you to play the Wolves of Badru in a swarmy way, which feels fairly antithetical to how the unit actually behaves. They're expensive for their cost, they're fast, they can strike hard, they're not massively durable... they're ambush predators, not figures who engage in numbers in protracted melees. Skirmishing, light infantry, not a swarm. Howl can fit this, to allow them to move into position for lightning strikes, but I don't feel Pack Leader does. It'd feel better to me if bonding took place after the initial turn, but it doesn't - in order to use it effectively, Wolves have to hold their ground in melee, which fundamentally isn't what they're built for. I kind of think some sort of ambush ability would work better in place of Pack Leader. I do like the design's elegance, though.

Really good analysis here. I like Seth a lot, I think I'll take the suggestion. As for the interplay of powers, I really appreciate the insight and I do believe you have something here. I kinda like the idea of a 1-power figure...as I've actually never designed one that "simple"...but Howl could work quite well as a one-power if I increase the Att to 4. In fact, to make it more interesting of a power...I think I'd even allow disengages for those moved by Howl...works with the Badru and creates that more lightening strike feel if the leader is able to get the kill and the Wolves follow.
Soo...

HOWL
Anytime Seth destroys and opponent's figure, you may immediately move up to 3 wolf squad figures you control up to 4 spaces. Figures moved by Howl do not receive leaving engagement attacks.

Originally Posted by NecroBlade

PACK ALPHA
Add 1 to Seth's Attack and Defense for each Wolf Squad figure you control adjacent to Seth, up to a maximum of +2 dice each.

I like how you've simplified this here for me...though I'm beginning to think - as suggested - that maybe a 1 power card with JUST howl would be sufficient. I do think LO had a point about the way the wolves are played and how I shouldn't really want them to be huddled just to buff the hero. idk...

[Sir Heroscape]

Updated:

[Astroking112]

Seth currently gives a disengage to the Varkaanans as well with Howl, I believe. Perhaps specifying Common Wolf Squad figures could fix this? I'd imagine that it'll be fine on the Blade Dancers, but the Unique Squads have Wolf Pack to worry about.

[Lazy Orang]

Yeah, Seth's feeling better to me now - simpler without encouraging the wolves to bunch up. I do like Howl for ambush predators, and allowing the Disengage aspect is perfect to help the Wolves. I didn't want to suggest it, because Morgoloth does a similar thing for them, but this guy does it in a different way and you can't always afford Morgoloth - this guy seems like a great alternative. Just a thought, but have you considered going for a more... extreme stat-line? I'm feeling as though bumping his attack to 5 and dropping his defence to 2 might make him feel more savage and distinct to play.