The Book of Changeling

[Yodaking]

The Book of Changeling

C3G DC SUPER SECRET EXCLUSIVE 59
PRESTO CHANGE-O


Comic PDF


Mini PDF

The figure used for this unit is a Heroclix figure from the Rookie Hypertime set.
Its model number and name are #064-066 / Changeling.

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Character Bio - Changeling has the ability to morph and transform into any animal that he has seen himself or has seen in an illustration. These transformations take only a second and Changeling has demonstrated that he is capable of rapidly changing his form with little or no effort expended. His power enables him to completely alter his body mass, being able to take the shape of animals far larger and heavier than himself, such as an elephant or a hippopotamus (though such larger forms would physically exhaust him), or smaller and lighter animals such as mice and insects. As a result of his rapidly changing genetic structure and mass, Changeling has an increased healing factor, allowing him to heal from bullet wounds, burns, and broken bones in a matter of seconds, and in some story lines regrow entire limbs. His power also enables him to radically alter his body structure and take forms of animals without limbs, like snakes, or those without skeletons like a jellyfish. While an animal, he gains all of the physical abilities, attributes, and characteristics of said animal, such as greatly enhanced superhuman strength (a gorilla), superhuman speed (a cheetah), and enhanced durability (a turtle), and abilities such as flight (various birds), and aquatic breathing (various fish). (Wikipedia)
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-Rulings and Clarifications-

• N/A

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-Combinations and Synergies-

Incoming Synergy:

• As a figure with a secret identity, Changeling has these Secret Identity Synergies.
• As a Metahuman, Changeling has these Metahuman Synergies.
• As a Titan, Changeling has these Titan Synergies.
• As a Troubled figure, Changeling has these Troubled Synergies.
• As a figure with the Super Strength special power, Changeling has these Super Strength Synergies.

Outgoing Synergy:

• N/A

Immunities, Benefits, and Weaknesses:

• As a figure with the Super Strength special power, Changeling interacts differently with these special powers.
• As a potential flying figure, Changeling may interact differently with these special powers.
• As a potential tiny figure, Changeling may interact differently with these special powers.
• Tiny, large and huge figures cannot be chosen for the Python effect of Changeling's Attack Metamorphosis special power.

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-Strategy, Tactics and Tips-

• N/A

-Heroscapers Community Contributions-

• Initial playtest: Yodaking
• Second playtest: Arkham
• Third playtest: Ronin
• Fourth playtest: Tornado (w/attack bonus from Ape form dropped by 1)
• Art: Comic, Figure, Background
• Art by Arkham
• Comic art by Jonboy Meyers
• Changeling created by Arnold Drake, Bob Brown, Marv Wolfman and George Pérez

[Yodaking]

NAME = CHANGELING
SECRET IDENTITY = GAR LOGAN

SPECIES = METAHUMAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = TITAN
PERSONALITY = TROUBLED

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 4

LIFE = 7

MOVE = 5
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 4
DEFENSE = 3

POINTS = 190

MOVEMENT METAMORPHOSIS
Before moving normally, you may choose one animal form for Movement Metamorphosis.
• Ferret: Changeling is considered tiny, may move through all figures and never takes leaving engagement attacks.
• Owl: Changeling gains the Flying special power.
• Stag: Add 2 spaces to Changeling's move.

ATTACK METAMORPHOSIS
Before attacking normally, you may choose one animal form for Attack Metamorphosis.
• Gorilla: Roll 1 additional attack die.
• Panther: Choose one additional adjacent figure to be affected by this attack.
• Python: Instead of attacking you may choose a small or medium figure adjacent to Changeling and roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 12 or higher, the chosen figure receives one wound.

DEFENSE METAMORPHOSIS
Before rolling defense dice, you may choose one animal form for Defense Metamorphosis.
• Porcupine: If Changeling rolls excess shields when defending against a normal attack from an adjacent figure, the attacking figure receives one wound.
• Rabbit: After rolling defense dice, Changeling may move up to 2 spaces. He will not take any leaving engagement attacks when moving with this special power.
• Turtle: Roll 2 additional defense dice.

SUPER STRENGTH

[Yodaking]

This is where we last left the design and I'm still pretty happy with it. Although looking at it again I see it can use some refinement. Also not sure on where we should start the points testing at, he seems like he could come in around 200 or so.

Looking at the move segment, while the extra move will certainly be good for moving up into the fight quickly and the flying will be very good at moving up to higher ground or crossing water, I suspect the Rhino power will be most often used and thus drive his points there. Once engaged in a fight, he'll be charging around the battle trying to trigger as many unblockable rolls as possible. As such I was thinking of maybe reducing his base move down to 4 to keep the number of unblockable die rolled per move to a minimum. Will still be a good squad swarm counter move though when combined with his Bear attack.

On the attack front, the +2 should be used most often and the price driver. The T-Rex power will be nice vs. 1W per att. figures, ie. MD figures, Conan, Luke Cage, etc., but that is only maybe 5% of the field. Bear attack will be best for crowd control, that leaves the big hit as his go to move.

Then on defense, I see myself using the +2 def. anytime I'm facing an attack of 5+ dice. The free move will be nice for multiple attacker to avoid some def. rolls. Then the counterstrike one I think I'd use vs. lower attack rolls of 1-3 dice. Do we want to clarify only vs. normal attacks for this power? The 4 dice attack rolls would be on a case by case basis. So once again I suspect the +2 def. will be the most often used and thus the price driver.

While I kind of like the idea of him switching forms in between each attack roll, I figured we should at least talk about the idea of having him choose before the first def. roll and then be locked in for that whole (figure) turn. It would come into play vs. something like Swordplay where you might want to Turtle up at the beginning, then Porcupine at the end. Also I'm thinking we clarify that you must choose before the attack dice are rolled, so you can't wait and see if your opponent whiffs on 7 dice and then pick Porcupine.

That gives him 6/6 att/def stats for most of the game.

[Yodaking]

As for the mini, I have the one listed so I can get those pics if the art team does not also have it. Not sure on the mini background though, any ideas?

Here are some comic pics options though.

Spoiler Alert!

[Yodaking]

Any thoughts from the CRB?
@dok @Dysole @weebaer @Soundwarp SG-1

[johnny139]

My big concern is just, well, how is this going to look on the card? The formatting is a pretty huge break from precedent. Not against it in theory, but I'm curious if it can work aesthetically.

For the animals listed, I'd kind of like to avoid those already represented by Beast Boy's transformations. Maybe swap Cheetah for Horse, T-Rex for Lion, and Bear for Brontosaurus? Or something like that. Get as many animals in play as we can.

For the defense triggering once per turn or once per attack, that's really up to balance. No preference on my part.

[Lazy Orang]

Looks fun to me - not sure why Gar needs a different version, but I have 0 experience with the character, so....

I really like the ability to choose all those different animal forms, and I love how you've listed them by name rather than just listing the effect - makes it clearer to declare in game and sprinkles the needed theme - rather than a dry 'I'm boosting Changeling's attack', you can say 'Changeling's turning into a cheetah/horse' - much more fun.

[japes]

Originally Posted by johnny139

My big concern is just, well, how is this going to look on the card? The formatting is a pretty huge break from precedent. Not against it in theory, but I'm curious if it can work aesthetically.

For the animals listed, I'd kind of like to avoid those already represented by Beast Boy's transformations. Maybe swap Cheetah for Horse, T-Rex for Lion, and Bear for Brontosaurus? Or something like that. Get as many animals in play as we can.

For the defense triggering once per turn or once per attack, that's really up to balance. No preference on my part.

For your first point. I think Arkahm or I can figure something out.

For your second point. That sounds like a reasonable request. Though I could see the otherr side of the arguement saying...well you can't actually play the two versions together anyway.

Also, it may not be that big a deal anyways...what if someone decides they like the Rhino power and they want to create a Rhino version for the other Beat Boy? I'm only bringing that up because I thought about creating a Rhino form with Rhino's Rhino Charge power some time ago. I even picked up a Rhino animal figure to paint green.

@Yodaking ...don't get me wrong I like what you are doing and it is an easier version to play (and I'll take any help filling a Titans wave I can get) but I'm curious as to your motivations for a second version. What specifically do you not like about the first one? I think we talked about it before but I don't remember and it may be worth it to have it in this thread anyways. Just so the question isn't asked later.

[Yodaking]

Mostly I just wanted a simpler one card version at a flat cost. I know I would use him much more often as every time I look at the multiple cards required version I just grab someone else. Also from a theme perspective he seems to switch forms pretty rapidly so I find the idea he can switch as needed during each phase of a turn much more fun/accurate.

As for the animal names, at the end of the day it doesn't really matter all that much to me. I think I reused cheetah because it was the same effect. I used other animals based on the theme (porcupine, rhino, jackrabbit). I feel rhino really does sell the theme the best (no LEA due to rhino armor, unblockable die due to horn attack/charge) but I also have been wanting to get elephant on their too and I suppose that could work for the same power. I do think the animal powers granted here should be different than Beast Boys' animal forms where ever possible. Some overlap wouldn't be all that terrible though.

[Yodaking]

Originally Posted by Ronin

I dunno if that suits Beast Boy, though. He's never struck me as the stoic type. If we wanted to be a little on the nose, we could go with "Doomed". Maybe not a 'personality' in the strictest sense, but we've used "Cursed" on a couple units and it's not any weirder than that.

Bringing this over from the Teen Titans discussion thread. I guess we never settled on what personality we could use to hook the Doom Patrol together with. Doomed looks to be the last suggestion. Any other ideas before I change the personality here to Doomed?

[johnny139]

I also tend to ignore Beast Boy because I find his figure-swapping too finnicky.

For personality - I know someone in public had some Doom Patrol ideas. Can't recall who. Maybe worth checking for their input?

[Arkham]

Wording wise, this would probably be the cleanest:

MOVEMENT METAMORPHOSIS
Before moving normally, you may choose either the Cheetah, Eagle, or Rhino. If you chose:
• Cheetah, add 3 to your move.
• Eagle, you may use the Flying special power.
• Rhino, Changeling may move through all figures and never takes leaving engagement attacks. After moving, roll an unblockable attack die for each figure you moved though this turn.

ATTACK METAMORPHOSIS
Before attacking normally, you may choose either the Bear, Gorilla, or T-Rex. If you chose:
• Bear, choose one additional figure to be affected by this attack roll.
• Gorilla, roll 2 additional attack dice.
• T-Rex, if Changeling inflicts at least one wound on an adjacent figure with his normal attack, the defending figure receives one additional wound.

DEFENSE METAMORPHOSIS
Before rolling defense dice, you may choose either the Jack Rabbit, Porcupine, or Turtle. If you chose:
• Jack Rabbit, after rolling defense dice, you may move 2 spaces. Changeling never takes leaving engagement attacks when moving with Defense Metamorphosis.
• Porcupine, when rolling defense dice against a normal attack from a figure within 2 clear sight spaces, all excess shields count as unblockable hits on the attacking figure.
• Turtle, roll 2 additional defense dice.

Not sure if that fits on a card, I'd have to check later. I made some edits to the wording to be standardized, but it could still use some refining.