Arch-vile's customs

[TREX]

Originally Posted by Arch-vile

Here's my next crazy idea, copying any power in the game. There's a lot of powerful combos: Raelin's or Taelord's aura, any of the Dragon specials, Queglix Gun, Trample Stomp, Deadly Shot, Hydra Heads, bonding, etc. Maybe 120 is on the lower end for her, considering her potential.

Back when I was trying to design some super heroes I tried something like this with my Taskmaster figure. I didn't have it worded too well.

[Arch-vile]

I used the wording from C3G's Orange Lantern Constructs. That's a great idea for Taskmaster, since he is supposed to know every fighting style ever (or something like that).

[Ronin]

Originally Posted by Arch-vile

Here's my next crazy idea, copying any power in the game. There's a lot of powerful combos: Raelin's or Taelord's aura, any of the Dragon specials, Queglix Gun, Trample Stomp, Deadly Shot, Hydra Heads, bonding, etc. Maybe 120 is on the lower end for her, considering her potential.

Off the top of my head, I think you really only have to worry about powers that:

a) combo well with themselves, like aura powers; or
b) Ariel could use better than the figure that has said power. Don't have an example off the top of my head, but what I mean is that if a unit has some really good special power that's counter-balanced by something else on the card (a negative power or a stat of 0-1 or something), then Ariel can take that power and run with it in a context where it's not being counter-balanced.

Redundancy on strong powers is never a bad thing, but I think those two cases are gonna be the ones you really have to think about when you're balancing.

If she had any hard synergies, you'd probably get a lot of b cases. Not sure she does in classic/C3V/SoV, though. (In C3G, that power on an Adventurer could be troubling!)

[Astroking112]

If she copies Raelin or other auras, are the effects intended to stack? +4 defense to 4 spaces sounds like a headache that would be worth the extra text to avoid.

[Arch-vile]

Originally Posted by Ronin

Off the top of my head, I think you really only have to worry about powers that:

a) combo well with themselves, like aura powers; or
b) Ariel could use better than the figure that has said power. Don't have an example off the top of my head, but what I mean is that if a unit has some really good special power that's counter-balanced by something else on the card (a negative power or a stat of 0-1 or something), then Ariel can take that power and run with it in a context where it's not being counter-balanced.

Redundancy on strong powers is never a bad thing, but I think those two cases are gonna be the ones you really have to think about when you're balancing.

If she had any hard synergies, you'd probably get a lot of b cases. Not sure she does in classic/C3V/SoV, though. (In C3G, that power on an Adventurer could be troubling!)

Great analysis Ronin. I originally thought that the game-breaking cases would be powers on melee units that suddenly apply to Ariel, a ranged unit. While there are some that are really good (Hydra Heads, Lurking Ambush, First Assault, etc.) I don't think any actually break the game. Auras, like you mentioned, are probably the biggest thing to worry about as far as power level goes.

Originally Posted by Astroking112

If she copies Raelin or other auras, are the effects intended to stack? +4 defense to 4 spaces sounds like a headache that would be worth the extra text to avoid.

Yep, it should stack. I don't think it's worth the hassle to avoid, personally. Strong combos is exactly what a power like this is about. If it's too strong I'd just raise her points.

[bmon]

I would not want to play against her and Taelord sitting behind some Omnicron Snipers on height. It's those types of aura based combos that require her points to be much higher. Higher point value makes her less intriguing in other builds, which is unfortunate because it's a cool concept to explore. I would limit her ability to not allow her to amplify auras just so she can have utility in other types of armies.

[Ronin]

Fwiw, you could probably avoid aura-stacking if you took some inspiration from C3G's Meggan (maybe with a side of Awesome Android if you wanted to still give her a chance to use defensive powers). Something like this:

THING ONE
At the beginning of Ariel Reeves' turn, you may choose a special power belonging to any figure within 4 clear sight spaces of Ariel Reeves. For the rest of the turn, Ariel Reeves can use that special power. If the special power refers to the chosen figure or the chosen figure's card, it refers to Ariel Reeves or Ariel Reeves' card instead.

MAYBE THING TWO
If Ariel Reeves is targeted for an attack, you may immediately choose a special power belonging to a figure within 4 clear sight spaces of Ariel Reeves. For the rest of the turn, Ariel Reeves can use that special power. If the special power refers to the chosen figure or the chosen figure's card, it refers to Ariel Reeves or Ariel Reeves' card instead.

That's probably the most organic way you could cut out aura-copying, if you choose to do it. It feels a little tidier than trying to tack on some language saying that auras don't work (no idea how you'd even word that).

Personally, I'd run some tests to figure out if it's necessary first - if aura-copying drives her price point too much and becomes the dominant strategy for her, then I'd try to cut it out. I don't think the aura-copying is inherently bad, but I agree with bmon that it would be unfortunate to let that kind of strategy overshadow more interesting applications of power-copying.

[superfrog]

Another workaround you could try is to prevent the power from being used by its original owner for the round. Not sure if that's the right theme, though.

[Ronin]

Originally Posted by superfrog

Another workaround you could try is to prevent the power from being used by its original owner for the round. Not sure if that's the right theme, though.

That would be an interesting direction - it'd make her more of an offensive threat rather than someone you're trying to draft with someone else she can copy.

She probably would still want to run with units that have negative powers, for those shenanigans, though. For instance, she could take away Eternal Hatred from Marcu, and then you could just not take any turns with her and activate Marcu risk-free.

Doesn't sound like a Jandar thing, though. Maybe a good idea for a thematically-adjacent Vydar unit.

[TREX]

Originally Posted by Ronin

That would be an interesting direction - it'd make her more of an offensive threat rather than someone you're trying to draft with someone else she can copy.

She probably would still want to run with units that have negative powers, for those shenanigans, though. For instance, she could take away Eternal Hatred from Marcu, and then you could just not take any turns with her and activate Marcu risk-free.

Doesn't sound like a Jandar thing, though. Maybe a good idea for a thematically-adjacent Vydar unit.

It qould be cool if she negated the ability on the other characters card while she used it.

[MrNobody]

A power-copier honestly sounds more like Vydar trickery than Jandar heroics anyways.

[Arch-vile]

These are all super interesting ideas. I especially like the idea of a character stealing a power for herself. That'd be powerful and could make some interesting choices. Do you steal the power that you can better utilize, or the power that your opponent needs more? Most of the time those would be the same thing, but I can imagine scenarios where they're different.