The Book of General Zod

[Arkham]

Originally Posted by Viegon

Actually, you don't need to choose a Kryptonian Spy at all, we can do: "Choose one figure adjacent to a Kryptonian Spy you control and roll 1 unblockable attack die against it".

Wouldn't this lead to the same ambiguity to where someone could interprit that as "I get to roll 1 unblockable against 1 figure for each Kryptonian Spy" though?

[Yodaking]

I'm pretty sure I've always played it as one spy, one wound, but I have not played a Zod led army in a very long time now. I'd actually be for the interpretation that multiple spys can inflict a wound, then I might give them another shot.

[Arkham]

I'm not too keen on his design for his point value, so I think I've only ever used him once in the couple years since I got him. For 380, he just doesn't stack up IMO. Even in his own themed army, I don't think he quite reaches that level. There's several other figures with "Instead of taking a turn, take a turn with _____ " as an ability, that are far less points, and aren't limited to Kryptonians. Instead he can move 2 Kryptonian Soldier figures, which once again, isn't really that worth it. The one Infiltrator one unblockable seems like a waste of a turn, at least in most cases. The multiple Infilitrators getting an unblockable would be far more fitting for his point value, and more worth a turn.

Kneel Before Zod is awesome, but that can be hard to setup, and he's got a 4 Attack without it...not exactly great for 380.

So yeah, just feels a bit underwhelming draftability wise in his point range. That's just my opinion though.

[japes]

Originally Posted by Aggressive Sock

I'm not too keen on his design for his point value, so I think I've only ever used him once in the couple years since I got him. For 380, he just doesn't stack up IMO. Even in his own themed army, I don't think he quite reaches that level. There's several other figures with "Instead of taking a turn, take a turn with _____ " as an ability, that are far less points, and aren't limited to Kryptonians. Instead he can move 2 Kryptonian Soldier figures, which once again, isn't really that worth it. The one Infiltrator one unblockable seems like a waste of a turn, at least in most cases. The multiple Infilitrators getting an unblockable would be far more fitting for his point value, and more worth a turn.

Kneel Before Zod is awesome, but that can be hard to setup, and he's got a 4 Attack without it...not exactly great for 380.

So yeah, just feels a bit underwhelming draftability wise in his point range. That's just my opinion though.

rolling for multiple infiltrators could be problematic balance wise but multiple for One infiltrator might not be as bad. There is still a set max (6) where as multiple infiltrators could get out of hand in large battles.

[Arkham]

Originally Posted by japes

rolling for multiple infiltrators could be problematic balance wise but multiple for One infiltrator might not be as bad. There is still a set max (6) where as multiple infiltrators could get out of hand in large battles.

I honestly see no issue with it being multiple Infiltrators, one per Infiltrator. It'd be the best use of your Infiltrators, and make the whole army feel more fun. If you're worried about a bunch of Infiltrators swarming the same figure, and getting up to 6 unblockables on said figure, there is a solution of just not allowing an Infiltrator to roll against the same figure on that turn.

choose a figure adjacent to each Kryptonian Spy you control. You may roll 1 unblockable attack die against the chosen figure. A figure may never be chosen for this special more than once this turn.

Something to that effect, to keep it in check. It'll be powerful in the early game, and get less and less powerful as the game goes on, and there's fewer figures between them. By that point, most of your Spies would be killed off anyways. It'd certainly make Zod more playable for his point range, and make his army feel more threatening. As is, there's little reason to draft Zod in just about any army/synergy. He's rated C- in the power rankings, and for a synergy leader of sorts, that's pretty poor.

[Xael Raymand]

off topic but I would love this

GENERAL OF NEW KRYPTON
After revealing an Order Marker on this card and instead of taking a turn with General Zod, you may:
* take a turn with 1 Unique Kryptonian Hero you control; or
* move up to 2 Kryptonian Soldier Heroes you control; or
* roll 1 unblockable attack die against any figure adjacent to a Kryptonian Spy you control.


to be changed to this

GENERAL OF NEW KRYPTON
After revealing an Order Marker on this card and instead of MOVING with General Zod, you may:
* take a turn with 1 Unique Kryptonian Hero you control; or
* move up to 2 Kryptonian Soldier Heroes you control; or
* roll 1 unblockable attack die against any ONE figure adjacent to any ONE Kryptonian Spy you control.

[Arkham]

That'd be fine as well.

It's really just a matter of that power in general not being very useful in the state that it is in, but that is one change that would certainly make it better. As is, it's just a mashup of limited versions of what other figures have. For 380 points, you'd expect something with a bit more viability.

I'd be perfectly fine with only rolling 1 unblockable for 1 Spy, if you're still able to attack with Zod. It'd make him much more useful in general as a leader.

With all this said, I should say I do love the design and powers he has, he just needs the 1st power retooled to be more useful.

[Hahma]

I don't know. Seems like Zod is best suited to higher point battles (1,500-2,000) because his GENERAL OF NEW KRYPTON becomes more powerful the more Kryptonians he has to command. It allows for a ton of options and being able to issue orders to any other Kryptonian hero is pretty huge if you have several of them, and some badass high point ones too. Being able to move two Kryptonian Soldiers can easily get them into positions to lock up key enemy figures or force them to leave engagement. The Spies seem to be a throw in and be situational, but allow for bypassing defenses of the likes of Flash and Green Lantern.

I don't see him earning his value in lower point armies, but perhaps he's just one of those guys that is at his best in big smackdowns. If you tweak him to be better at lower point games, that may make him be that much better in high point games and then there can be issues.

[Arkham]

I really disagree here.

I don't think his GoNK power is good in any size army. It doesn't suffer from not having enough Kryptonians as options to take turns with instead of himself, or enough Soldiers to move. It suffers because there's really little real value to those options instead of taking a turn himself. His stats and specials alone do not warrant 380 points as is if you ask me, not in its current state.

The 1st option is an Order Marker hub, a limited one at that. Nothing too special considering most Kryptonians have good survivability, thus placing Order Markers isn't necessarily a huge risk. It's a limited version of what others offer, and it's non-essential. Is it nice to have? Sure, but it's not something that's making him really good.

The 2nd option of moving Soldiers instead of taking a turn or being able to attack in any form, isn't anything to write home about considering other synergy leaders who offer a full turn then movement of figures, or being able to attack and take a turn with another figure as long as they did not move. So nothing too great here either.

The 3rd option, if it is indeed just 1 Spy and 1 unblockable, that is not worth giving up movement(something that is key to him with his Kneel Before Zod), and an attack for, in most cases. So nothing great here either.

These 3 sub-par abilities together do not add up to anything spectacular as is, no matter what size of army at play, IMO.

I think Xael has had the best suggestion to make him decent as a leader, and play to his point value.

[dok]

Yep - there's a reason he's a C-. He just doesn't offer very much. He's a somewhat sub-par big hitter for his points, and his "bonding" is actually nonding - trading one turn out for a different one.

There are lots of ways to improve him; I don't feel the need to suggest one in particular. XR's would work. In the mean time, if you want to play a Kryptonian build, take Business Suit Lex, along with Hired Guns and some Bodyguards. Cheaper than Zod and more versatile.

[johnny139]

If we're making a change it's to clarify wording, not change power level. We're not in the business of changing cards unless they're harmful to the metagame - at the moment, at least.

[TrollBrute]

Originally Posted by johnny139

If we're making a change it's to clarify wording, not change power level. We're not in the business of changing cards unless they're harmful to the metagame - at the moment, at least.

Some of those suggestions are good (and I agree that Zod is pretty terrible as a leader), but without more testing, the only change we want to make at this point is to clarify the wording.