The Book of Red Lantern (Dex-Starr)

[Karat]

Maybe just pick one of them, slap this guy on hold and then revisit him after you design one of them? h

[IAmBatman]

You could see how he does in that less RL focused third army test you have lined up to see if it's more him or more the faction. If it's more him, going on hold won't help, obviously. If it's more the faction, you could still try to test and cost him for outside of the faction use and then work to improve the faction as you continue to build it.

[Arkham]

Ok, here's what I'd like to go with:

NAME = Red Lantern
SECRET IDENTITY = Dex-Starr

SPECIES = Cat
UNIQUENESS = Unique Hero
CLASS = Ravager
PERSONALITY = Vicious
SIZE/HEIGHT = Small 3

LIFE = 4
MOVE = 6
RANGE = 2
ATTACK = 2
DEFENSE = 6
POINTS = ~240

BLOOD OF YSMAULT 2
Start the game with 2 red Battery Markers on this card. Add one to Red Lantern's Move and Attack for each red Battery Marker on this card. Whenever Red Lantern receives one or more wounds from an attack, if there are fewer than 2 red Battery Markers on this card, you may choose any red Battery Marker that is not on an Army Card and place it on this card.

CAT SCRATCH FEVER
If Red Lantern inflicts at least one wound on an adjacent figure with his normal attack, the defending figure receives one additional wound. After attacking, you may remove a red Battery Marker from this card to attack again.

FURBALL FACADE
Figures subtract 1 from their defense dice when attacked by Red Lantern or an adjacent friendly Ravager. After moving normally with a friendly Ravager, you may move Red Lantern as long as he ends his movement adjacent to that Ravager. Red Lantern will not take any leaving engagement attacks when moving with Furball Facade.

SUPER STRENGTH
FLYING

Revamped Atrocitus (II) a bit to have him provide some self survival tactics, thus opening up Dex for a different role that should combo nicely.

[IAmBatman]

Hmm, OK, I can get why the Facade power lets him surprise enemies and get them to have -1 defense, but I'm not sure why adjacent friendly Ravagers get that particular bonus.

The rest looks solid enough to me.

[Arkham]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

Hmm, OK, I can get why the Facade power lets him surprise enemies and get them to have -1 defense, but I'm not sure why adjacent friendly Ravagers get that particular bonus.

The rest looks solid enough to me.

He’s acting as a distraction.

[IAmBatman]

Hmm ... I guess. "Facade" doesn't exactly scream "distraction." My concern is that the number of different mechanic effects being crowded under one heading for that power make it difficult for the theme to come across cleanly. Might just be me, though.

[Arkham]

Open to a different name, or a different approach. Just wanted to provide a benefit to Atrocitus to make them a solid combo, and felt the vicious cat hovering around him engaged with the same enemy would provide a pack tactic like bonus.

[IAmBatman]

I'd probably choose a lane more. Go with a distraction power or a movement power. It's a lot to do both in the same power, IMO.

[johnny139]

I think something like "FELINE UNDERFOOT" would capture both themes pretty well. He's just constantly hanging around, being annoying, in a catlike way.

But I do always agree with simplification where possible. I'd keep the defense reduction and leave the bonus movement to a future Red Lantern strategist type.

[IAmBatman]

Ooh, that title is solid.

[Arkham]

C3G INITIAL PLAYTEST FEEDBACK FORM

NAME OF THE TEST UNIT Red Lantern (Dex-Starr)

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Army Test 1 (Arkham vs. Gutudak)
Map: Country Road
Units:
Dex(240), Rankorr(280), Cap(240), Nebula(240) (1000)
vs.
Guy(320), Hal(350), Kilowog(310), Shield Construct(20) (1,000)

Spoiler Alert!

Normal Attack Damage:
R4T2: 2 wounds on Kilowog.
• 1 wound on Kilowog.

Cat Scratch Fever:
R4T2: 1 additional wound on Kilowog.
• 1 additional wound on Kilowog, kills him.

Blood of Ysmault:


Furball Underfoot:
R1T2: follows Rankorr.
R2T1: follows Rankorr. Engages Guy for -1 defense.

Notes:
R1T1: Kilowog removes a marker.
R1T2: Kilowog removes a marker.
R1T3: Guy puts 1 wound on Rankorr. Rankorr adds 3 markers. Guy removes a marker to take an additional turn.
R1end: Rankorr removes a marker.
R2T1: Rankorr puts 3 wounds on Guy, then removes a marker, kills Guy.
R2end: Rankorr removes a marker.
R3T1: Hal kills Rankorr.
R3T2: Hal puts 2 wounds on Cap.
R4T1: Cap puts 2 wounds on Hal.
R4T1: Hal kills Cap.
R4T2: Hal kills Dex.
R5T2: Hal puts 3 wounds on Nebula.
R5T3: Nebula puts 1 wound on Hal with VS.
R5T3: Hal kills Nebula(botch).


Hal Jordan with 3/4 wounds(4 markers remaining).

Kilowog buffed his team right out of the gate, as Cap and Reds moved out. Guy put a hurt on Rankorr, but Rankorr fought back with help from Dex's defense reduction, and killed Guy. Hal came in and wrecked Rankorr, then placed a shield construct, and engaged Cap. Dex went off to take down Kilowog. Hal killed Cap, but Dex then managed to take Kilowog down. Hal met with Nebula, she almost kills him with Vengeful Strike, but Hal decimates her.

___________________________________________________________

Army Test 2 (Arkham vs. Gutudak)
Map: Country Road
Units:
Dex(240), Rankorr(280), Bleez(350) (870)
vs.
Uncle Same(240), Cap(240), Bane(190), Merlyn(160), Shield Sniper(40) (870)

Spoiler Alert!

Normal Attack Damage:
R2T2: 1 wound on Bane.
• 1 wound on Bane.
R3T2: 1 wound on Uncle Sam.

Cat Scratch Fever:
R2T2: 1 additional wound on Bane. Removes a marker to attack again.
• 1 additional wound on Bane.
R3T2: 1 additional wound on Uncle Sam. Removes a marker to attack again, blocked. Last marker removed, blocked.

Blood of Ysmault:
R3T1: gains 1 marker back after wounded from Cap.

Furball Underfoot:
R1T1: follows Bleez
R2T1: follows Bleez, engages Bane and Merlyn subtracting 1 from their defense
R3T1: follows Rankorr, engages Bane subtracting 1 from his defense

Notes:
R1T1: Bleez takes a marker from Rankorr.
R1T3: Merlyn puts 1 wound on Bleez.
R2T1: Bleez puts 1 wound on Bane.
R2T1: Cap puts 2 wounds on Bleez, then takes 1 wound from Raging Plasma.
R2T2: Uncle Sam puts 1 wound on Bleez, then takes 1 wound from Raging Plasma.
R2T3: Uncle Sam kills Bleez.
R3T1: Cap puts 2 wounds on Dex.
R3T1: Rankorr puts 1 wound on Bane, kills him.
R3T2: Uncle Sam puts 1 wound on Dex.
R3T3: Rankorr puts 1 wound on Merlyn.
R4T1: Cap puts 1 wound on Rankorr, giving Rankorr 3 markers, then kills Dex.
R4T1: Rankorr puts 1 wound on Merlyn, then removes a battery to put a wound on Cap.
R4T2: Uncle Sam puts 2 wounds on Rankorr.
R4T2: Rankorr kills Merlyn, then removes a marker to put a wound on Cap.
R4T3: Rankorr puts 1 wound on Uncle Sam, then removes a marker to put a wound on Cap.
R5T1: Uncle Sam puts 1 wound on Rankorr, giving him 3 markers back.
R5T2: Rankorr kills Cap, then removes a marker to put a wound on Uncle Sam.
R5T3: Rankorr kills Uncle Sam.
R5end: Rankorr removes a battery.
R6T1: Shield Sniper kills Rankorr.


Shield Sniper unwounded.

Bleez led the charge with Dex in tow against Cap and his army. Bleez didn't manage much, but Dex got some nice wounds on Bane, and helped take away defense. Rankorr came in and was the clear MVP of the game, putting in some serious work, but ultimately he was bested in the end by Shield Sniper, who would have easily been killed had Rankorr won initiative. Very close finish.

___________________________________________________________

Army Test 3 (Arkham vs. Karat)
Map: Icy Road
Units:
Dex(240), Cap(240), Ms. Marvel(350), Rankorr(280) (1110)
vs.
Sorcerer Doom, Kristoff, Wong, 4xDoombot, Final Ruin, Vapors of Valtorr, 5xLightning Bolt, 5xMystic Flames, Waking Nightmare, 4xTemporal Inversion, Mesmerize (1110)

Spoiler Alert!

Normal Attack Damage:
R3T2: 1 wound on Dr. Doom. (+1 marker, -1 to defense)

Cat Scratch Fever:
R3T2: fails on attack against Dr. Doom, removes marker to attack again.
• 1 additional wound on Dr. Doom.

Blood of Ysmault:


Furball Underfoot:
R1T2: follows Rankorr
R3T1: follows Rankorr, engages Wong and Dr. Doom for -1 defense.

Notes:
R2T2: Ms. Marvel puts 3 wounds on Wong.
R3start: Temporal Inversion cast.
R3T1: Kristoff takes 1 wound from Ms. Marvel's Best Defense.
R3T1: Ms. Marvel kills Wong.
R3T2: Dr. Doom puts 1 wound on Dex. Kristoff casts Mystic Flames and puts 2 wounds on Rankorr(he gains 3 markers), and 1 wound on Ms. Marvel.
R3T2: Ms. Marvel kills Kristoff(botch).
R3T3: Doctor Doom puts 2 wounds on Dex(botch), then casts Final Ruin to kill him.
R3end: Rankorr removes a marker.
R4start: Vapors of Valtorr is cast.
R4T1: Cap kills Doombot(blue).
R4T1: Doom puts 2 wounds on Rankorr with Mystic Flames. Rolls a 1 after taking a turn, negating his powers.
R4T3: Cap kills Doombot(red).
R4end: Rankorr removes a marker.
R5T1: Cap puts 1 wound on Doombot(yellow), and kills Doombot(purple).
R5T2: Ms. Marvel puts 2 wounds on Dr. Doom.
R5T3: Cap leaves engagement, kills Doom but Doombot(yellow) is replaced instead.
R5T3: Doom puts 2 wounds on Cap(botch).
R5end: Rankorr removes a marker.
R6T2: Rankorr puts 1 wound on Doom, then removes last marker for 1 more wound.
R6T3: Cap takes 1 wound from LEA, then puts 1 wound on Doom(botch).
R7T2: Doom kills Rankorr.
R7T2: Ms. Marvel kills Doom.


Cap with 3/5 wounds, and Ms. Marvel with 1/5 wounds.

Doom's team setup shop one a nearby hill, as Dex's team made their way over to fight. Dex got adjacent to start subtracting defense, while Ms. Marvel and Rankorr attacked from Range. Cap made his way over to Doom's base to start working on some Doombots. Wong was decimated, then Dex was taken out after doing a couple wounds. Focus turned to Kristoff, who was killed, then Cap started eliminating Doombots. Came down to a negated Doom vs. Cap, Rankorr, and Marvel. He managed to finish off Rankorr and hurt Cap, but Marvel finished the fight. Felt like the Doom army was a bit outmatched here in terms of competitive potential, but was reasonably close all things considered.

___________________________________________________________

THOUGHTS ON THE TESTED UNIT'S COST, BALANCE, & DRAFTABILITY:
Feels really on point after the changes. He tags along, to which he can be placed tactically. He comes out swinging with some potentially nasty claws that drain his markers. From there, he can be used as a support for his team by subtracting enemy defense, and possibly forcing leaving engagements. He'll certainly pair well with what we have planned for Atrocitus II. After these 3 games, with 2 very close losses and one close-medium win, I'd like to send him to public testing at 250.

[MrNobody]

I’m more for the bonus movement than the defense reduction, if we insist on only having one.

It feels a bit weird to characterize Dex as “the annoying cat” when he’s possibly the most vicious and violent of the Reds. Yeah, I know I suggested the -1 Defense, but I’m just not loving the “cat who won’t get out from under your feet” theme here.