The Workbook of Aragorn

[caps]

Continued

Originally Posted by infectedsloth

I'm fine moving him on as is. With that being said, I have a suggestion for a possible 3rd power.

Ranger Instincts
When Aragorn receives a state boost from a terrain effect you may also add one to Aragorn's attack value.

The idea (if it doesn't come out clear in the text) is Aragorn also receives an attack die when on shadow or adjacent to jungle. The point is to show Aragorn's ranger background in a different, more offensive way. Which thus far has been lacking in are design. Aragorn has traveled to Hollin, Umbar, Moria, the Ettenmoors and the Dead Marshes to name just a few. He has an immense experience in a variety of settings, so he'd be able to perceive and take advantage of his surrounding. He did this twice when fighting the Nazgul. Once at Weathertop and another time at the Ford of Bruinen.

Originally Posted by capsocrates

Hm. That power looks like it could be a major headache to define correctly. What about just an extra attack die when on a shadow space or next to an evergreen or jungle tree?

Originally Posted by faure

I like that.

Originally Posted by capsocrates

Alright, so that would be:

Since Wilderness Instincts is an offensive power, I dropped him back to 4 attack. We could discuss that change further in Design if we want to move this version forward.

Originally Posted by faure

The way this currently reads, you could choose a unique army card on your own side. Not sure that's what was intended.

Yes, that makes sense.

Points seem a tad low. Same Life as Drake(RotV) or Sir Denrick, a bit faster with opportunity for extra move than either of those, lower attack than Drake/equal or higher than Denrick, ability to have no visible hit zones at all (even better than Thorian Speed). Suggests a 100-110 range would be better starting point.

Otherwise, I like how Aragorn is shaping up.

Originally Posted by White Knight

I think we should stay at 90 and drop Ranger of the North. And I prefer the 5 attack to Wilderness Instincts, but I could live with WI.

Originally Posted by elvenwizard9

Ranger of the North seems broken? Any friendly unengaged figure? How about friendly unengaged Small or Medium? I don't fancy the likes of Major Q9 or Nilfheim, or later on the Balrog getting protection from this power.

Originally Posted by capsocrates

Ha. You're correct. Small or Medium should definitely be in there.

Originally Posted by faure

This could be quite nasty in end game play.
I'm wondering if we should consider one of the following:
- make more like Thorion Speed where opponents must be adjacent to attack either Strider or the adjacent figure OR
- make the power active at the end of a round not after the turn (could use marker) and power goes away when you reveal OM on Strider.

Originally Posted by capsocrates

The power already works this way. You can still be engaged with a figure that doesn't have hit zones, which means you can still attack it in melee.

[caps]

Continued

Originally Posted by capsocrates

Alright, I finally incorporated some of the suggested changes. See the post here.

Originally Posted by Ninja Status

Aragorn looks like a well thought-out unit. I also like Wilderness Instincts, really gives him a slight advantage on a lot of maps.

Originally Posted by elvenwizard9

I'll be able to run some play tests and give a bit of input when I have time next week. In the meantime... How is Aragorn coming? Please excuse my long absence; I'll probably be absent until next week. Just popping in to check on the project.

I like the last version of Strider posted by Cap, but I felt Aragorn would be a Jandar unit.

Originally Posted by capsocrates

I believe our last discussion of Aragorn had us here:

There are a few more tweaks we should discuss in Design, but, I propose we move this version into Design. We should decide on an LD as well. This is one of several I am interested in if no one else wants to step up.

@faure , @elvenwizard9 , @White Knight , @infectedsloth , @Son of Arathorn

--

Once we get this vote taken care of we can start on either Frodo + Sam or Boromir, Legolas, or Gimli.

Originally Posted by Ninja Status

Aragorn looks like a solid unit, however I believe giving him a little range boost could be interesting. Here's my take:

I know everyone has different ideas of what Aragorn looks like, though I think giving him some range could bring affective performances to the game board.

Originally Posted by White Knight

I'd still prefer dropping Ranger of the North and dropping his points to 90.

Originally Posted by capsocrates

See, I was thinking of bumping his attack to 5 and dropping Wilderness Instincts. But both of those are on the list of "a few more tweaks we should discuss in Design."

Originally Posted by Porkins

Name on the card says, "Aragorn" but the powers refer to "Strider." Do you plan on having a Strider and a King Aragorn?

Originally Posted by capsocrates

Probably.

However, this card's name is Aragorn. I like using nicknames in power text, but I don't know if everyone else likes it.

Originally Posted by Son of Arathorn

The card's name is Aragorn, it should be Aragorn for however many versions end up happening (since playing Strider and Elessar in a single army would be weird).

[caps]

That vote passed and then nothing else happened, because we had rules about how many units could be in what stages at a time and blah blah blah Aragorn just sat waiting.

[caps]

Looking back on our conversation, I like where we ended up, but I would drop the Wilderness Instincts power and then either
a) restore this power from the first draft

RANGER'S ASSAULT
When Strider attacks an adjacent figure or destructible object, he may add 2 dice to his attack or attack one additional time.

or
b) bump his attack to 5


If I recall correctly White Knight would have liked either of those

[Splash]

The synergy poll is just about unanimous, so I think we should change Dunedain to Human for better bonding. Aragorn being a Dunedain probably has the most justification out of all the overly specific subspecies, but we have a shoutout to it in one of his powers so that might have to do.

[caps]

Here's where I'd like to see us go for Strider.

NAME = ARAGORN
GENERAL = JANDAR

PLANET = ARDA
SPECIES = HUMAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = RANGER
PERSONALITY = RESOLUTE
SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM/5

LIFE = 5
MOVE = 6
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 5
DEFENSE = 3
POINTS = 100

DUNEDAIN TRACKING
Before the game, choose a unique Army Card in the Opponent's Army. After the chosen Army Card takes a turn, you may move Strider 2 spaces.

RANGER OF THE NORTH
After taking a turn with Strider, if he is unengaged, you may choose an adjacent, unengaged, small or medium friendly figure. Strider and the chosen figure have no visible Hit Zones until the next time you reveal an Order Marker.

I am not sure about the RESOLUTE personality though.

[Shiftrex]

Dunedain Tracking is interesting, I like mobility features and I think they fit the heroes of Middle Earth well which is probably because of how the movies portrayed them (also running across rohan to track down Merry and Pippin).

Ranger of the North is a really good defensive ability, I've played this character with Hide in Darkness before but I think that I prefer this because it allows him to protect another figure. We aren't worried about him protecting Raelin too much though, right?

Resolute could easily be switched for Confident or Stoic or Wary.

[Chris Perkins]

I think the best personality is "Fearless". Certainly needed for the "RotK" version (since army of the dead & all) but I don't think Aragorn starts out any less fearless in the books, so I don't see a reason to change it.

I'm not worried about him protecting Raelin. Raelin won't be on your front line, which means:
A) Raelin now costs 180 points. Not worth it.
B) You used an OM to protect Raelin for only 1 turn. Not worth it.

I think moving the defense up to 4 might make sense here, with only 5 life. For a stand-alone, single attack hero I think he needs the survivability boost to validate a strong OM investment in a given round.

[boromir96]

It may depend on the sculpt we decide to use but I’d like to see him have Tandros style range. I believe he uses a small bow in both the movies and the books in FotR. It could alternatively be a special attack..

Hunting Bow Special Attack
Range 5. Attack 3.
Hunting Bow Special Attack May only be used to attack Small or Medium Figures.

[caps]

We discussed range quite a bit the first time around. White Knight was pretty set against range, arguing that he had no bow in the book. I like how that simplifies the design as well, so I'd rather not see range

[Shiftrex]

That's correct, the only place Aragorn uses a bow is in the video games. I'd also be set against him using a bow.

[Son of Arathorn]

Originally Posted by Shiftrex

That's correct, the only place Aragorn uses a bow is in the video games. I'd also be set against him using a bow.

Pardon the interruption, but this isn’t quite true. Strider uses a bow in the films as well, at least once, at the Battle of Balin’s Tomb. Minis based on the films may or may not have a bow, so do with that what you will.

Denying ranged attacks altogether for one turn strikes me as... inelegant? And also not quite hitting his ability to keep four Hobbits safe by himself. There’s already a mechanic in the game for what you’re trying to achieve, why not adapt that?

RANGER’S CONCEALMENT 16
When Strider, or an unengaged small or medium figure adjacent to Strider is targeted for a normal or special attack and receives 1 or more wounds, you may roll the 20-sided die. Count the minimum number of spaces between the attacking figure and the defending figure. Add this number to your die roll. If you roll a 16 or higher, ignore any wounds the defending figure just received.

Also, if you’re trying to represent the Ranger and not the King here, I’d say the personality is better as Tricky. He tracked Gollum across half the known world, outwitted spies of Sauron and the Nazgul, etc. Resolute and Confident are good for where he ends up, but not as representative as where he starts the books.
“I think a servant of the enemy would look fairer, and feel fouler.”
“Whereas I look foul and feel fair, is that it?”