The Pre-SoV Workshop

[caps]

Well, he IS prone to insanity. That's what the power represents, after all.

[nyys]

Some keywords I added in a post in IshMEL's custom thread.

Cruel, Fanatical, Brutal, or Savage.

[johnny139]

For what it's worth, I personally wasn't interested in Redevac, but a Tormented personality and "Fit of Madness" would pique my interest a good deal more. Feels more cohesive.

[Son of Arathorn]

Hey all,

So I thought I'd give this a whirl, given the interesting discussion other customs have generated here. I hope I'm doing this right.

One of the my older customs, Sentinel is a Warforged Soldier (no, not those Warforged Soldiers) that brings a little bit of everything to the table.



Here's the miniature in comparison to a KoW and another D&D figure:


Feedback for him has been somewhat positive in my customs thread, but I'd like to get him nailed down before considering submission.

Sentinel adds a melee Special Attack to the Warforged army, along with a role that could constitute leadership (if indirectly) for a cost that hovers between the current 2 Warforged heroes.

His current synergy:
-Sentinel may be affected by Marcus Decimus Gallus' Soldier Leadership and Soldier Attack Enhancement.


Let me know if this isn't the proper way to submit; I appreciate any and all feedback.

[superfrog]

What's the mini used? This thread is pretty informal, so your submission is fine.

As far as the card, it looks fine to me without any playtesting.

[Scytale]

Sentinel is a solid design. A few issues to consider.

The design lacks a cohesive vision. Is he a commander? Just a rank-and-file soldier? A bodyguard? The combination of Soldier, Loyal, and Combat Leader tend to pull it in different directions. This isn't a major issue, but a change to the class and/or personality could go a long way to bringing the theme together.

"Sentinel" is a cool name, but not one that can be used. The problem is that there is already a class called Sentinel, and even a power that plays off that class, Knight and Sentinel Enhancement. It is not clear if that power is supposed to apply to this figure named Sentinel or not. I'm afraid the name will have to change.

[caps]

Well SoA... it looks okay. Not sure there's anything wrong with it. It doesn't leap out at me in any great way, though. I do like Combat Leader as a subtle boost for the Warforged, but he doesn't seem to bring them anything new to the table. Heirloom already provides an Area Effect SA, and his is more powerful. I don't understand what Heirloom does that Siege/Heirloom don't already do--aside from the subtle initiative boost, of course.

EDIT: Scytale hit the nail on the head pretty well.

[greygnarl]

Yeah, this thread is basically checking to see if you'd waste your time submitting right now.

[Son of Arathorn]

What's the mini used?

D&D War Drums Warforged Bodyguard.

Sentinel is a solid design. A few issues to consider.

The design lacks a cohesive vision. Is he a commander? Just a rank-and-file soldier? A bodyguard? The combination of Soldier, Loyal, and Combat Leader tend to pull it in different directions. This isn't a major issue, but a change to the class and/or personality could go a long way to bringing the theme together.

Closer to commander than soldier, I'd say. Suppose I changed Soldier to Leader and to Loyal to Disciplined?

"Sentinel" is a cool name, but not one that can be used. The problem is that there is already a class called Sentinel, and even a power that plays off that class, Knight and Sentinel Enhancement. It is not clear if that power is supposed to apply to this figure named Sentinel or not. I'm afraid the name will have to change.

Couple that issue with a design shift towards leader, and I'd say you're right. Could focus on his SA, or on his leadership capabilities (small though they may be). If focusing on the SA, perhaps Hammer/Hammerfell? If focusing on his leadership, Chief, Forefront, Spearhead, Vanguard?

Well SoA... it looks okay. Not sure there's anything wrong with it. It doesn't leap out at me in any great way, though. I do like Combat Leader as a subtle boost for the Warforged, but he doesn't seem to bring them anything new to the table. Heirloom already provides an Area Effect SA, and his is more powerful. I don't understand what Sentinel does that Siege/Heirloom don't already do--aside from the subtle initiative boost, of course.

Since I'd prefer moving towards leader rather than soldier, perhaps enhance his leadership in the most obvious way to differ him from the other Warforged heroes; give him Warforged Leadership. Considering that possibility brings up an interesting point of whether to replace Combat Leader with it, or to eliminate his SA in favor of Leadership.

Suppose the following changes to the design:

Spoiler Alert!

NAME = VANGUARD
GENERAL = VYDAR
PLANET = EBERRON
SPECIES = WARFORGED
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = LEADER
PERSONALITY = DISCIPLINED
SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM/5

LIFE = 5
MOVE = 5
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 4
DEFENSE = 2
POINTS = 110/???

COMBAT LEADER
If at least one order marker is on Vanguard, you may add 3 to your initiative roll.

WARFORGED LEADERSHIP
All Warforged you control, except Vanguard, move one additional space.

WARFORGED RESOLVE
When Vanguard rolls defense dice against a normal or special attack, add 1 automatic shield to whatever is rolled.

Conversely, I could move him closer to Soldier than Leader with these changes:

Spoiler Alert!

NAME = CHARGER/???
GENERAL = VYDAR
PLANET = EBERRON
SPECIES = WARFORGED
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = SOLDIER
PERSONALITY = LOYAL
SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM/5

LIFE = 5
MOVE = 5
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 4
DEFENSE = 2
POINTS = 110/???

SHIELD BASH
If Charger begins his turn unengaged, opponent's figures roll 1 fewer defense dice when attacked by Charger this turn.

WAR-HAMMER SPECIAL ATTACK
Range 1. Attack 3.
Choose a figure to attack. Any figures adjacent to both Charger and the chosen figure are affected by War-Hammer Special Attack. Roll attack dice once for all affected figures. Each figure rolls defense dice separately.

WARFORGED RESOLVE
When Charger rolls defense dice against a normal or special attack, add 1 automatic shield to whatever is rolled.

I'm more partial to the first, but that's just me.

[Scytale]

I think just changing the class and personality is enough to focus the design, but your two suggested reworks are significant improvements, imo. I'm partial to the leader version as well (though that will require the most testing prior to submission) as he changes army builds, though the second version is a decent solo hero, probably solid in a dungeon crawl.

Incidentally, I rather like the figure, enough that I made a custom with it as well. Is there enough availability for an SoV submission?

[Son of Arathorn]

Originally Posted by Scytale

I think just changing the class and personality is enough to focus the design, but your two suggested reworks are significant improvements, imo. I'm partial to the leader version as well (though that will require the most testing prior to submission) as he changes army builds, though the second version is a decent solo hero, probably solid in a dungeon crawl.

Incidentally, I rather like the figure, enough that I made a custom with it as well. Is there enough availability for an SoV submission?

15 at auggies, 45 at miniaturemarket, and most online miniature stores have at least 3-4. For a Unique Hero, probably close.

I'll start testing with the leader version, with any further feedback taken into account.

[IshMEL]

Thanks all for your input on Lord Revadac. I think "Tormented" works just as well with his bio. I also liked "Cruel" which captures his disdain for his own troops, but doesn't quite capture his blaming them for his current rotting state, causing the soon-to-be-renamed "Insane Commander." (Yep, I've just psychoanalyzed a plastic miniature skeleton.)

On the first power, I'd also considered "Withering Grasp", among these other fine suggestions, but I still like the connection on "Cadaverous" to his name so I'm going to go with "Cadaverous Grasp". (Although how cool would "Liquefactive Necrosis" be?) The "Grasp" part gets across the "I grab your sword hand as you wound me" better than "Touch" did.

For the second power, I nearly went with "A Momentary Lapse Of Reason", but he really looks more Iron Maiden than Pink Floyd. "Fit Of Madness" better captures what's going on with this power (see psychoanalysis above.) But... any thoughts on "Eternal Madness" as a possibility? It hearkens to "Eternal Hatred" which everyone's familiar with as a somewhat-similar negative power. I also feel like it better explains the "story" behind the power without having to read the bio.

So to sum up:
Personality: Tormented
First Power: Cadaverous Grasp
Second Power: Eternal Madness

Your suggestions, as always, are greatly appreciated.