Blue Trails's Customs (Updated 11/19/2022 - Outsiders)

[Vydar_XLIII]

Originally Posted by Blue Trails

Original figure image credit goes to Paizo, Inc.

The figure used for this unit is a Starfinder Battles figure from the Planets of Peril set. The name of the figure is BMC Mauler. The figure's base is single-spaced.

Character Bio:

Spoiler Alert!

The Nephyrian projects were a line of early Soulborgs constructed from schematics for Mariedian war machines and sympathetic to the Mariedians' right to survive. Many projects allied themselves with the Marideians when their fellow Soulborgs began killing indiscriminately, effectively dooming their entire line to eradication by their peers, but Ullar has summoned several of the deviant Soulborgs to the aid his armies on Valhalla. Although the general has been historically reluctant to look for allies on Alpha Prime, reports from the archmage, Sonlen, during the Ticalla campaign have been able to challenge Ullar's perception of Soulborgs as rigid, unfeeling, and inadaptable, and PROJECT: Cloudcover has proven capable of protecting Ullar's most vulnerable troops from their foes' cruel missiles.

Card Text:

Spoiler Alert!

NAME = PROJECT: Cloudcover
GENERAL = ULLAR
PLANET = ALPHA PRIME
SPECIES = SOULBORG
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = SCOUT
PERSONALITY = REBELLIOUS
SIZE/HEIGHT = LARGE 5

LIFE = 1
MOVE = 6
RANGE = 7
ATTACK = 3
DEFENSE = 5
POINTS = 70

SUPPRESSING FIRE 7
If an opponent's figure within 7 clear sight spaces of PROJECT: Cloudcover targets any other non-adjacent figure you control with a normal attack, roll the 20-sided die. If you roll a 16 or higher, no dice are rolled for this attack, no defense dice are rolled, and the attacking figure receives one wound.

STEALTH FLYING
When counting spaces for PROJECT: Cloudcover's movement, ignore elevations. PROJECT: Cloudcover may fly over water without stopping, pass over figures without becoming engaged, and fly over obstacles such as ruins. If PROJECT: Cloudcover is engaged when it starts to fly, it will not take any leaving engagement attacks.

Designer's Thoughts:

Spoiler Alert!

This unit is intended as an anti-range support piece with endgame usability. SUPPRESSING FIRE 7 synergizes with Range-despising units such as slow melee figures, the Venoc Vipers, and the Warriors of Ashra, while the combination of 6 Move, 7 Range, and STEALTH FLYING give PROJECT: Cloudcover a formidable threat range. However, the unit loses much of its value against melee-heavy armies, and 1 Life makes it highly vulnerable to poor rolls and certain wound-inflicting powers.

Perhaps I'm biased due to his command of Jotun, the Vipers, and several high-Move units, but I've always considered Ullar to have significant thematic notes of freedom and liberation; in fact, if I had made the decisions, both the Gladiator and Mariedian factions would follow Ullar. Therefore, a fast unit using a spaceship miniature seemed a natural fit for an Ullar Soulborg, and I couldn't resist tying it to the Mariedians through its bio. Depending on how far I want to take the idea, I might look at the other two ships from the same Starfinder set in the future.

I'm a big fan of the theme here. And I really like this as a design for the fleet-scale Starfinder minis. Without seeing the mini in person, it seems like the scale is right for it could be some kind of hover-soulborg.

A couple of notes/thoughts...

Scout doesn't sit right with me for this design. This feels much more of a Protector to me. You trade Venoc Warlord synergy for Zogross Hardscale synergy, but I don't think you need synergy with the former, and the latter can always use a boost (even if it isn't ever really going to be relevant).

Typically, names of D20 powers reference the roll to succeed, not the aura size. (EX: the Mind Flayer Mastermind's power is ENSLAVE 17 not ENSLAVE 4.)

Regarding SUPRESSING FIRE 7 16; an aura 7, 25% chance to negate attacks and auto wound is VERY powerful. Especially on a 70 point figure with 5 defense. As the power stands I can see it being very oppressive when paired with 10th Regiment and even worse with Raelin. Most normal ranged attacks are between 5 and 7 range, meaning if positioning is optimal, it would be impossible to target P:C. I would suggest lowering the aura, probably to 4 and maybe include an off-turn movement power. That way the power isn't a blanket cover and positioning becomes more important.

This also has the side-effect of making the stealth part of STEALTH FLYING useful. You also might need to rebalance the life/defense stats as part of this.

You could also limit the auto-wound a bit, perhaps only on a 20.

SUPPRESSING FIRE 16
If an opponent's figure within 4 clear sight spaces of PROJECT: Cloudcover targets any other non-adjacent figure you control with a normal attack, roll the 20-sided die. If you roll a 16 or higher, no dice are rolled for this attack, and no defense dice are rolled. Additionally, if you roll a 20 or higher, the attacking figure receives one wound.

OFF-TURN MOVEMENT POWER NAME
When a figure you control that began it's move within 4 spaces of PROJECT: Cloudcover and ended it's move farther than 4 spaces away. You can reveal the X Order Marker on this Army Card to move PROJECT: Cloudcover 2 spaces. PROJECT: Cloudcover must end this move within 4 spaces of that figure.

Alternatively, I think it could be really cool if you cribbed the Nakita Agents' SMOKE POWDER 13, instead of SUPRESSING FIRE. Possibly doing the name Cloudcover more justice. (Although, take this suggestion with a grain of salt if it isn't the direction you want to go.)

CLOUDCOVER 16

When another figure you control within 4 spaces of PROJECT: Cloudcover is targeted with a normal attack from a non-adjacent figure, you may roll the 20-sided die. If you roll a 16 or higher, figures you control within 4 spaces of PROJECT: Cloudcover no longer have any visible hit zones for the duration of the targeting figure's turn.

Overall, I think the current version is a great design but is too powerful. It needs some balancing to bring it down to the appropriate power levels.

[Sherman Davies]

I like Grim Bay. Always nice to see new, yet clean, takes on bonding.

[Blue Trails]

I'd like to start by apologizing to you two gentlemen @Vydar_XLIII and @Sherman Davies ; I definitely should have found time for this earlier. That being said, I greatly appreciate the feedback, so let's dive in!

Originally Posted by Vydar_XLIII

I'm a big fan of the theme here. And I really like this as a design for the fleet-scale Starfinder minis. Without seeing the mini in person, it seems like the scale is right for it could be some kind of hover-soulborg.

A couple of notes/thoughts...

Scout doesn't sit right with me for this design. This feels much more of a Protector to me. You trade Venoc Warlord synergy for Zogross Hardscale synergy, but I don't think you need synergy with the former, and the latter can always use a boost (even if it isn't ever really going to be relevant).

I'm glad to hear that you like the unit! I'll admit that I fudged the size a bit, as a finding an exact height for a wide, chest-level spaceship can be tricky, but the figure is decently proportionate to a "standard" humanoid unit. Amusingly, I actually forgot about the Protector class when designing Cloudcover; I chose Scout because the unit can be sent to a position as part of a first wave and offer protection while the area is reinforced, but Protector is more apt.

Typically, names of D20 powers reference the roll to succeed, not the aura size. (EX: the Mind Flayer Mastermind's power is ENSLAVE 17 not ENSLAVE 4.)

Regarding SUPRESSING FIRE 7 16; an aura 7, 25% chance to negate attacks and auto wound is VERY powerful. Especially on a 70 point figure with 5 defense. As the power stands I can see it being very oppressive when paired with 10th Regiment and even worse with Raelin. Most normal ranged attacks are between 5 and 7 range, meaning if positioning is optimal, it would be impossible to target P:C. I would suggest lowering the aura, probably to 4 and maybe include an off-turn movement power. That way the power isn't a blanket cover and positioning becomes more important.

This also has the side-effect of making the stealth part of STEALTH FLYING useful. You also might need to rebalance the life/defense stats as part of this.

You could also limit the auto-wound a bit, perhaps only on a 20.

This is valuable input, as I want Cloudcover to be strong against range without being invincible. I generally balance point costs around the results of my own playtesting, which can be skewed due to the prevalence of melee-heavy armies at my table—the fact that I kept getting Deathwalker rolls for Cloudcover probably didn't help, either, haha. Moreover, the dynamic you've proposed for Stealth Flying and off-turn movement seems more exciting than the current design, which has significant appeal. I do prefer fragility on units with such attack-denying powers, though, so I'd probably just drop its Defense value to 4.

I should note that the origin of the name "Suppressing Fire 7" involves the fact that I have a Unique Squad custom I've never posted that uses the same roll benchmark for the same power, but that has a different area of effect that matches the Range on its Army Card. Lazy old me didn't want to make up two names for the same power, haha.

Alternatively, I think it could be really cool if you cribbed the Nakita Agents' SMOKE POWDER 13, instead of SUPRESSING FIRE. Possibly doing the name Cloudcover more justice. (Although, take this suggestion with a grain of salt if it isn't the direction you want to go.)

A Smoke Powder aura on a Hero would be intriguing, but I prefer the imagery of a direct or "personal" skirmish/firefight between Cloudcover and an attacker to a blanket immunity for the rest of the attacker's turn, so I'm unlikely to change the core of the power. Thanks for contributing an idea, though!

Overall, I think the current version is a great design but is too powerful. It needs some balancing to bring it down to the appropriate power levels.

After some thought, these are the tweaks I'll be testing next:

NAME = PROJECT: Cloudcover
GENERAL = ULLAR
PLANET = ALPHA PRIME
SPECIES = SOULBORG
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = PROTECTOR
PERSONALITY = REBELLIOUS
SIZE/HEIGHT = LARGE 5

LIFE = 1
MOVE = 6
RANGE = 7
ATTACK = 3
DEFENSE = 4
POINTS = 70

SUPPRESSING FIRE 17
If an opponent's figure within 4 clear sight spaces of PROJECT: Cloudcover targets any other non-adjacent figure you control with a normal attack, roll the 20-sided die. If you roll a 17 or higher, no dice are rolled for this attack, no defense dice are rolled, and you may immediately roll an unblockable attack die against the attacking figure.

VIGILANT PROTECTOR
Before revealing Order Marker 1, you may reveal an "X" Order Marker on this Army Card to move PROJECT: Cloudcover up to 4 spaces. PROJECT: Cloudcover must be able to end its move within 4 clear sight spaces of a friendly figure to use Vigilant Protector.

STEALTH FLYING
When counting spaces for PROJECT: Cloudcover's movement, ignore elevations. PROJECT: Cloudcover may fly over water without stopping, pass over figures without becoming engaged, and fly over obstacles such as ruins. If PROJECT: Cloudcover is engaged when it starts to fly, it will not take any leaving engagement attacks.

--------------------------------------

Originally Posted by Sherman Davies

I like Grim Bay. Always nice to see new, yet clean, takes on bonding.

Thanks for the kind words. I agree with you, there; straight bonding is great in the most competitive settings, but I often find unconventional or limited variations more enjoyable to design.

--------------------------------------

Of course, I haven't just quit making customs for the past five months. Once I mock up a suitable card, I'll properly revive this thread.

[Blue Trails]

After a little break, this thread is back in action!

Proftaka's Stratagem - Large Expansion - Brandar's Enigma

Original figure image credit goes to Paizo.com

The figure used for this unit is a Pathfinder Battles figure from the Darklands Rising set. The name of the figure is Arboreal Regent. The figure's base is double-spaced.

Character Bio:

Spoiler Alert!

As the sun rises over Feylund's great forests, three barbarian hunters emerge from the shady depths with the carcass of a burly, antlered beast. This is the first sign of nature's providence. With luck, generations of tribesmen will prosper under such beneficence.

Unnoticed by the tribal heroes is a great figure of bark and leaf; a curious observer camouflaged among the mighty Mimir trees. This is the forests' steward. Experience tells him their future. The hunters will edge closer to the forest, gradually implementing it into the foundation of their society. Woven garb will replace their shabby pelts and wooden dwellings will replace their shrub-guarded caves. they will flourish. Eventually they will overreach, taxing the forest beyond reason through simple ignorance. Assistance will be begged, the steward will answer, and the harmony of the forest will be restored.

With resolute detachment, the steward watches the hunters depart with their prize. Of the eight such cycles he has overseen, only twice has mutual peace been achieved; only two peoples have proven willing to respect his ward's limits. Nevertheless, the newcomers will receive the same chance as any others. The forest still invites new species, and it is not his place to defy their wishes.

Card Text:

Spoiler Alert!

NAME = Mimameid
GENERAL = ULLAR
PLANET = FEYLUND
SPECIES = AESASKR
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = STEWARD
PERSONALITY = RESOLUTE
SIZE/HEIGHT = HUGE 13

LIFE = 8
MOVE = 5
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 4
DEFENSE = 5
POINTS = 215


ARBOREAL FORM
Spaces occupied by Mimameid are considered a single evergreen tree. Figures may not move through Mimameid.

THICK ROOTS
If Mimameid has not yet moved this round, opponents' small and medium figures treat the elevation of all spaces within 2 clear sight spaces of a tree or bush within 2 clear sight spaces of Mimameid as 1 level higher while moving.

NATURE'S MIGHT
After moving and before attacking, choose up to one figure within 2 spaces of each tree or bush within 2 clear sight spaces of Mimameid. Roll the 20-sided die, one at a time, for each figure. If you roll a 15 or higher, that figure receives a wound.

Designer's Thoughts:

Spoiler Alert!

Those of you who've read this thread before probably know that I've been intermittently fiddling with this unit for about a year. The persistently vexing factor was finding a way to reconcile the consequences of Arboreal Body (now named ARBOREAL FORM) with the possibility of fighting Eilan Sidhe, as I was unwilling to sacrifice what I saw as the natural conclusion that a walking tree counts as a tree DO for the ability to harm a squad that really shouldn't be "protected" by their attacker. NATURE'S MIGHT, an adaptation of an older draft, solves this problem by giving Mimameid a fair chance to smash nearby squaddies while incentivizing OM placement on the big tree, itself, thereby creating more of a decision on whether to abandon Mimameid once his THICK ROOTS have been laid. The unit's theme is tightened in the process, as the "tree with a slowdown aura and a Reach-Wild Swing-hybrid SA" has become a "tree that forms a danger zone from other, nearby trees and bushes." Finally, by capitalizing on the fact that Mimameid's space is technically within its own sight, I've trimmed the card's word count for a cleaner look.

As with past iterations, Mimameid still requires a few trees and bushes to achieve its fullest potential. This map dependence can be inconvenient for such an expensive unit, with only the prevalence of such DO's on competitive maps to soften the blow. That is, until I happened upon a certain sculpt...
------------------------------------------

Rannveig's Might - Unyielding Titans

Original figure image credit goes to ICV2.

The figure used for this unit is a Pathfinder Battles figure from the The Mwangi Expanse set. The name of the figure is Arboreal Warden. The figure's base is double-spaced.

Character Bio:

Spoiler Alert!

A murmur is heard from the Mimir trees. Leaves rustling in the breeze carry a plaintive cry for aid. The forest struggles under the burden of its reckless new occupants.

With a great creak, the steward rises to answer his ward's call, wresting his stone sword from the nearby earth. He weaves extending woody tendrils into a sturdy shield to complete his armaments and strides to meet this threat with lethal resolve. In cycles past, a steward's role was that of mediator, offering peace and redemption, but no longer. He shall not repeat the mistakes of his predecessor; the offenders shall not receive the chance to retreat, to regroup, to plan his demise. There can be no more second chances; harmony can be restored only at the end of his blade.

Card Text:

Spoiler Alert!

NAME = Hoddmimis
GENERAL = AQUILLA
PLANET = FEYLUND
SPECIES = AESASKR
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = STEWARD
PERSONALITY = MERCILESS
SIZE/HEIGHT = HUGE 9

LIFE = 7
MOVE = 6
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 6
DEFENSE = 4
POINTS = 190


ARBOREAL FORM
Both spaces occupied by Hoddmimis are considered a single evergreen tree. Figures may not move through Hoddmimis.

STEWARD'S RUSH
At the start of the round, before placing Order Markers, if at least 1 opponent's figure is within 2 clear sight spaces of a tree or bush, you may move Hoddmimis up to 4 spaces.

PREEMPTIVE STRIKE 14
When moving Hoddmimis, the first time he moves into engagement with a small or medium figure, you may roll the 20-sided die. If you roll a 14 or higher, that figure receives one wound. Hoddmimis may not Preemptive Strike a figure to which he was engaged when starting his movement.

Designer's Thoughts:

Spoiler Alert!

Hoddmimis serves the role of an expensive cleaner with few outside synergies and a complementary set of special powers. The unit utilizes its reused ARBOREAL FORM in a different capacity from fellow ent, Mimameid, instead cornering Phantom Walkers and setting up a combination of Hoddmimis's other two powers. In a vacuum, STEWARD'S RUSH provides Hoddmimis with free positioning on tree-heavy maps prior to the endgame, while PREEMPTIVE STRIKE 14—sort of a reverse Engagement Strike—helps Hoddmimis break through sparse screens or ambush vulnerable Heroes. When considered alongside Arboreal Form, however, Hoddmimis gains the ability to stretch his threat range after losing initiative and cut down weak figures at the start of each round.

As always, comments are welcome.

[Blue Trails]

Well, I'm back with another unit!

Sturla's Miracle - Skulks and Shamblers

Original figure images credits go to Paizo Inc. and MinisGallery.

The first figure used for this unit is a Pathfinder Battles figure from the Maze of Death set. The name of the figure is Juju Zombie. The second figure used for this unit is a D&D Icons of the Realms figure from the Boneyard set. The name of the figure is Zombie #014. The third figure used for this unit is a Pathfinder Battles figure from the Ruins of Lastwall set. The name of the figure is Skeletal Soldier. The fourth figure used for this unit is a Pathfinder Battles figure from the Crown of Fangs set. The name of the figure is Fungal Guardian.

Character Bio:

Spoiler Alert!

A new sound drifts over the realm of Morindan. The usual shuffling of feet and wailing of undead are joined by the rattling of metal, the fluttering of fabric in the wind, and the scrape of armored boots across stone. Within the mass of putrescent flesh shambles a cluster of upright dead, stalking to battle without uttering a single groan.
The Rites of the Iron Horde are formidable. Their components are scarce; their risk, terrific. They are reserved for the mightiest of Morindan's foes that perish within its bounds. More than mere automatons, these undead soldiers retain a measure of the skill at arms they possessed in life, making them deadly to even veteran warriors. Bleaker still is the fate of those who stand against them, as the Iron Horde's cursed blades infect their victims with slivers of the dark magic involved in their wielders' creation. Thus it is ensured that the ranks of Morindan's Iron Horde are continually filled with the bodies of the best and bravest.

Card Text:

Spoiler Alert!

NAME = Iron Horde of Morindan
GENERAL = UTGAR
PLANET = FEYLUND
SPECIES = UNDEAD
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE SQUAD
CLASS = WARRIORS
PERSONALITY = TERRIFYING
SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 1
MOVE = 3
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 3
DEFENSE = 4
POINTS = 135

HORDE ONSLAUGHT 2
After attacking with the Iron Horde of Morindan, if at least two Zombies in the Iron Horde destroyed a figure with their normal attacks, you may move each Zombie in the Iron Horde up to 2 spaces and attack again. You may continue using Horde Onslaught 2 until fewer than than two Zombies destroy figures with their normal attacks.

UNDEAD HORDE MOVEMENT SUBSTITUTION
When using the Horde Movement special power on an Army Card you control, instead of moving one or more Undead Squad figures, you may move an equal number of Zombies in the Iron Horde up to 3 spaces each.

WARRIORS RISE AGAIN
If the Iron Horde of Morindan destroys an opponent's small or medium figure, replace that figure immediately, if possible, with one of your own previously destroyed Zombies in the Iron Horde. Newly placed Zombies may not attack this turn. Undead are not affected by Warriors Rise Again.

Designer's Thoughts:

Spoiler Alert!

The Iron Horde is intended to be an elite melee unit that differentiates itself from established respawning Unique Squads by borrowing heavily from the Zombies of Morindan's model of swarming offense. HORDE ONSLAUGHT 2 is the centerpiece of the design, as it enables the Iron Horde to chew through weaker figures while replenishing their own ranks via WARRIORS RISE AGAIN. Additionally, when run alongside Classic 'Scape's Zombies, the Iron Horde Zombies enjoy free movement through UNDEAD HORDE MOVEMENT SUBSTITUTION, facilitating easier cleanup duties. Although a Move of 3 means these slash-happy undead absolutely suffer against longer-ranged units, even a single Horde Onslaught can shift the balance of an encounter to devastating effect.

Comments are welcome.

[Alexandros]

Originally Posted by Blue Trails

snipped for brevity
As always, comments are welcome.

These are very cool. A couple questions:

1. Is Arboreal form meant to stop flyers or ghosts from moving through the unit?

2. As is, thick roots makes terrain feel "higher" for movement purposes which i think is neat. Should it also feel higher for attacking? Should a figure on top of the roots get height advantage on someone outside of the roots who would otherwise be on the same level of terrain?

[caps]

I really like what you did with the Iron Horde of Morindan. Are you sure the 4 defense is justified, though? Seems like you could drop the price quite a bit and drop the defense to 3.

[Sherman Davies]

Originally Posted by capsocrates

I really like what you did with the Iron Horde of Morindan. Are you sure the 4 defense is justified, though? Seems like you could drop the price quite a bit and drop the defense to 3.

I'm guessing it's because the regular Zombies of Morindan already have a 3 Defense, and these minis wear armor. Probably also why they have a 3 Move.

I like the card. Not sure I would ever personally play an army that contained two different types of zombie squads (maybe too much of a good thing, plus I like my armies eclectic), but the combo could make for some fun thematic games.

[caps]

I did not even notice the 3 move. Maybe they're super good in a Zombies army, but they seem overpriced by a lot to me.

[Blue Trails]

I'm glad to see that so many people like what I've been doing!

Originally Posted by Alexandros

These are very cool. A couple questions:

1. Is Arboreal form meant to stop flyers or ghosts from moving through the unit?

2. As is, thick roots makes terrain feel "higher" for movement purposes which i think is neat. Should it also feel higher for attacking? Should a figure on top of the roots get height advantage on someone outside of the roots who would otherwise be on the same level of terrain?

1. Arboreal Form prevents figures from moving through the trees, not from passing over their spaces. It helps to think of the figures as actual tree DOs; while Ghost/Phantom Walkers and friendly figures are thus out of luck, Flying, Stealth Leap, Grapple Arm, and other such movement powers are supposed to be fair game.

2. Good question! Thick Roots is really just supposed to cause problems in climbing or traversing the affected area, so I hadn't considered rolling height advantage into the effect. However, this would make Mimameid significantly more powerful with ranged pods, which could drive its expensive price further higher, and give opponents' figures height advantage against Mimameid's player's army, which is anti-synergistic with the unit's intended role as a defender.

---------------
As for the Iron Horde, @Sherman Davies is correct about the reasoning behind their stats; this unit is to the Zombies of Morindan as the Heavy Gruts are to the Blade Gruts, boasting greater skill at arms and better protection at the cost of mobility. Meanwhile, the price is justified both by the potential annoyance of destroying a self-replenishing squad with 4 Defense and by the power of developing such a slow squad without spending Order Markers. I'll admit that Zombies of Morindan x3/Iron Horde/PKs x2 isn't the strongest army, but it's fun and thematic, and the Iron Horde killed their points worth in Knights of Weston more than once during playtesting.

That said, I'd be interested in hearing what you think the squad should cost, @capsocrates . I assume realizing it only has 3 Move didn't help your impression!

[caps]

Spoiler Alert!

Originally Posted by Blue Trails

I notice that I forgot to update this thread's title when I last posted here. I don't track the views this thread gathers, so I'll just say that there are now two new additions to some of you.

Original figure image credit goes to Paizo, Inc.

The figure used for this unit is a Starfinder Battles figure from the Planets of Peril set. The name of the figure is Dragonkin. The figure's base is double-spaced.

Character Bio:

Spoiler Alert!

Marr is an old world. As Valkrill's access to wellsprings increases, his growing power enables him to look beyond the age best known on Valhalla and reach into forgotten eras to retrieve fragments of a warrior culture that rose, flourished, and ultimately annihilated itself eons before the first Primadon tread the planet's surface. By the days of the Marro, the only traces of the once-mighty Oppolifnid empire lie in the fossil record: scattered fragments of tooth and bone interred in humble tombs of dust and rock, unable to convey their owners' former glory to the Primadon paleontologists that uncovered them. Although a complete set of Opponilfid remains is still lost to time, those known fossils now silently observe the latest power struggle in the ongoing history of a planet ruled by might, as Marro instigators threaten to irreversibly corrupt Marr.

Alsigmis Edasich is a proud soldier and a veteran of two successful wars of conquest. His sheer size and strength make him a formidable combatant, able to fell the toughest foe with a skilled stroke of his sturdy axe, yet his main duty on the battlefields of Valhalla is aerial support. Armed with a chemically-powered laser cannon, the Oppolifnid's keen eye guides a volley of devastating blasts from high above the fray. Lone targets can be incinerated by a single ray's intensity, and those who would seek protection in numbers fare no better; by reconfiguring his weapon, Edasich can sacrifice accuracy to diffuse the deadly beams, which illuminate Valhalla's skies like a localized meteor shower.

Card Text:

Spoiler Alert!

NAME = Edasich
GENERAL = VALKRILL
PLANET = MARR
SPECIES = OPPOLIFNID
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = SOLDIER
PERSONALITY = MILITARISTIC
SIZE/HEIGHT = HUGE 10

LIFE = 5
MOVE = 5
RANGE = 7
ATTACK = 4
DEFENSE = 3
POINTS = 170


OPPOLIFNID AXEFIGHTING
When Edasich attacks an adjacent figure, you may subtract 1 from that figure's Defense. Edasich may not use Oppolifnid Axefighting if he has already used his Split-Beam Shot special power this turn.

SPLIT-BEAM SHOT
When Edasich attacks a figure within 4 clear sight spaces of himself, you may subtract 1 from his Attack. If you do, choose one Squad figure adjacent to the defending figure. If the defending figure receives any wounds from Edasich's attack, the chosen figure receives 1 wound. Edasich may not use Split-Beam Shot if he has already used his Oppolifnid Axefighting special power this turn.

FLYING
When counting spaces for Edasich's movement, ignore elevations. Edasich may fly over water without stopping, pass over figures without becoming engaged, and fly over obstacles such as ruins. When Edasich starts to fly, if he is engaged he will take any leaving engagement attacks.

Designer's Thoughts:

Spoiler Alert!

Mechanically, Edasich is an attempt at the relatively simple concept of a unit that has three distinct methods of attack without using special attacks. The card is a bit busier than I'd like, but I am content with its effect in play. FLYING, a solid Range number, and an Attack of 4 make Edasich a good cleaner and allow him to threaten a large area of the map, but his other powers are intended to encourage a riskier, closer-ranged playstyle. Drawing within SPLIT-BEAM SHOT range allows Edasich to pick apart high-value squaddies, while OPPOLIFNID AXEFIGHTING can be used to break through high-defense figures or tear into valuable Heroes, especially when backed by height or certain cheerleaders.

Edasich is somewhat fragile for a single-attacking, non-bonding unit in his price range; this is to balance the value of a high-powered, ranged flyer and accommodate the various Soldier synergies that greatly increase the unit's power. As a result, Edasich must pick his targets very carefully to avoid an untimely demise, making him somewhat swingy. In testing, I've seen him fall to scattered 3-dice attacks as many times as he's mauled important units.

Thematically, there is virtually no middle ground for a dragon with a laser gun; it can really only be interpreted as ridiculously awesome or awesomely ridiculous. Those of you who read the character bio or the card text spoiler might find the choice of Marr as a home world a little strange, but I think it's reasonable because almost every known species summoned from that planet is a varyingly-anthropomorphic animal, meaning a dragon-like biped isn't entirely out of place there. Moreover, the detail gently references an existing unit: if it wasn't brought from Icaria, Su-Bak-Na's dragon mount must have been summoned from Marr alongside the Hivelord. While both possibilities lead to fun interpretations, the implication that dragons existed on Marr was too good to pass up as a customs creator.

-Combinations and Synergies-

Synergy Benefits Received

- Marcus Decimus Gallus: Soldier Leadership
As a Soldier, Edasich may benefit from Marcus Decimus Gallus's Soldier Leadership special power.
- Marcus Decimus Gallus: Soldier Attack Enhancement
As a Soldier, Edasich may benefit from Marcus Decimus Gallus's Soldier Attack Enhancement special power.
- Gen. Simon Fraser: Prepare the Charge
As a Soldier, Edasich may benefit from Gen. Simon Fraser's Prepare the Charge special power.

Synergy Benefits Offered

N/A

Comments and feedback are welcome.

One way to simplify the text of Edasich here would be to specify that scattershot can only be used on non-adjacent figures. It can be thematically justified and would simplify the text overall; the powers become mutually exclusive by their nature rather than by explicit text.

[Blue Trails]

Originally Posted by capsocrates

Spoiler Alert!

One way to simplify the text of Edasich here would be to specify that scattershot can only be used on non-adjacent figures. It can be thematically justified and would simplify the text overall; the powers become mutually exclusive by their nature rather than by explicit text.

That's an excellent suggestion. Somewhat amusingly, though, TheAverageFan gave the same advise back in 2021, and I implemented it after testing. I should update this thread's archive soon.