The Book of Bishop

[Margloth]

The Book of Bishop

C3G MARVEL WAVE 16
XTINCTION AGENDA


Comic PDF


Mini PDF

The figure used for this unit is a Heroclix figure from the Mutant Mayhem set.
Its model number and name are #052-054 / Bishop.
Its model number and name are #206 / Bishop of XSE.

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Character Bio - Lucas Bishop was born in the 21st Century A.D. of an alternate future timeline in which the mutant-hunting robot Sentinels had taken control of North America. In this timeline, Professor Charles Xavier and most of the members of the mutant team he founded, the X-Men, had been killed. Surviving mutants were hunted down and either killed or imprisoned within relocation camps. Bishop became a cadet at the X.S.E. Academy. Among the other members of their class was a mutant named Trevor Fitzroy. Fitzroy eventually turned criminal and was imprisoned, but escaped with other mutant criminals through a portal to the X-Men's own time. Bishop followed, even though he was aware he had no means to return to his own time. Stranded in the past, Bishop tracked his mark into the midst of a fray between the X-Men and the Sentinels. Only through the X-Men's intervention did the badly injured Bishop survive. Finally coming to terms with his time-tossed situation, Bishop was honored when Professor X invited him to join the team whose members he had idolized since childhood. Bishop found new purpose with the X-Men, fighting alongside the mutant adventurers to avert the genetic war that for him was history. Initially uneasy with Bishop's presence, the X-Men soon came to realize he was a devoted disciple of Xavier's philosophy, albeit an oft-times over-zealous one.
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-Rulings and Clarifications-

• N/A

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-Combinations and Synergies-

Incoming Synergy:

• As a Mutant, Bishop has these Mutant Synergies.
• As a Lawman, Bishop has these Lawman Synergies.
• As a figure that starts the game off the battlefield, Bishop has these Off-the-Battlefield Synergies.

Outgoing Synergy:

• N/A

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-Immunities, Benefits, and Weaknesses-

Immunities:

• N/A

Benefits:

• N/A

Weaknesses:

• As a Mutant, Bishop interacts differently with certain special powers. Special Powers the Interact Differently with Mutants.
• As a figure with a Special Attack, Bishop can be affected by aspects of certain special powers. Special Powers that Interact Differently with Special Attacks.

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-Strategy, Tactics and Tips-

• N/A

-Heroscapers Community Contributions-

• Initial playtest: (Margloth)
• Second playtest: Tornado
• Third playtest: Lord Pyre
• Fourth Playtest: Gurei-Ornery
• Comic, Figure, Background, Marker
• Art by tcglkn

[Margloth]

NAME = BISHOP
SECRET IDENTITY = LUCAS BISHOP

SPECIES = MUTANT
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = LAWMAN
PERSONALITY = DETERMINED

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 5

MOVE = 5
RANGE = 6
ATTACK = 4
DEFENSE = 5

POINTS = 170

TIMESLIP PURSUIT
Bishop does not begin the game on the battlefield. Before rolling for initiative, if Bishop has not been placed on the battlefield, you may place Bishop on any empty space within 3 clear sight spaces of an opponent's figure.

ENERGY ABSORB
When defending against a non-adjacent attack, one shield will block all damage. After rolling defense dice against any attack, if Bishop did not receive any wounds from that attack, place one blue Energy Marker on this card. A maximum of 3 Energy Markers can be on this card.

CONCUSSIVE BLAST SPECIAL ATTACK
Range 5. Attack 2 + Special.
Roll one additional attack die for each Energy Marker on this card. After attacking with this special attack, you may remove an Energy Marker from this card to attack again with this special attack.

[tcglkn]

Straightforward and strategic. I like what I see here.

[Griffin]

ENERGY ABSORB
Before rolling for initiative, if there is at least one Order Marker on this card, you may place a blue Energy Marker on this card. When Bishop rolls defense dice against an attacking figure who is not adjacent, one shield will block all damage and you may place an Energy Marker on this card. A maximum of 3 Energy Markers can be on this card.

Does he get an energy marker for rolling a shield, or for merely defending? That isn't clear.

CONCUSSIVE BLAST SPECIAL ATTACK
Range 5. Attack 4.
After attacking with this special attack, you may attack again with this special attack by removing an Energy Marker from this card. You may continue attacking with this special attack by removing an Energy Marker from this card until there are no Energy Markers remaining on this card.

4 attacks of 4. That may keep his cost on the high end. Are you OK with that, or do you think that this SA would be better as an attack of 3 instead? Also, isn't a range of 5 a bit too far for this ability?

ENERGY HEALING
After taking a turn with Bishop, you may remove an Energy Marker from this card to remove a Wound Marker from this card.

Probably want to say "remove 1 Energy Marker" to help it communicate that only one marker can be removed per turn.

[A3n]

I echo Griffs comments, but otherwise nice design.

[Griffin]

Hey, instead of attacking multiple times with the SA, wouldn't it be better balanced and more thematic if he starts with 3 or 4 attack dice, and just adds to that attack number for each energy marker you remove for the SA? Kinda like a big blast.

[Good Pig]

Originally Posted by Griffin

Does he get an energy marker for rolling a shield, or for merely defending? That isn't clear.

Should be for rolling a shield. A small tweak is probably in order.

Originally Posted by Griffin

4 attacks of 4. That may keep his cost on the high end. Are you OK with that, or do you think that this SA would be better as an attack of 3 instead? Also, isn't a range of 5 a bit too far for this ability?

I'd like to shoot for the projected 230 that I've got him at. I think with him realistically getting 4 attacks of 4 maybe once per game, possibly twice that should be doable. I think range 5 is fine. He's channeling the absorbed energy into his fists or his gun and firing it back at his enemy.

Originally Posted by Griffin

Probably want to say "remove 1 Energy Marker" to help it communicate that only one marker can be removed per turn.

OK

Originally Posted by Griffin

Hey, instead of attacking multiple times with the SA, wouldn't it be better balanced and more thematic if he starts with 3 or 4 attack dice, and just adds to that attack number for each energy marker you remove for the SA? Kinda like a big blast.

I just don't see that approach giving him much value. Like I mentioned earlier, I don't see him getting to use the ability more than once or twice a game so I'd like to make it worthwhile. Him using that energy to fire multiple blasts is just as thematic and I really think it will much more useful and balanced.

[Hahma]

I like this design GP, very cool I don't know Bishop other than fighting against him in Marvel Alliance 2, but I think the power set you have is neat.

I like the multiple attack option for his special. The main concern is that he can turtle and get markers easily or he can get carried to height where he can only get attacked by ranged attacks from opponent's figures. So he has potential to last quite a while and build up markers. The only counter to him is melee and if he can get height with a carrying unit, then a flying melee unit is needed to counter. So that will have be tested for sure.

Looking at Flash with 4 special attacks of only 3, he has to be engaged to do that and his normal attack is melee. Bishop has a normal ranged attack and his special is ranged, he can heal and has 5 lives. Then you add his 1 shield blocks all vs. all ranged attacks could be better than Flash's Speed dodge. So 230 might be tough to hit here. But testing would bear that out as usual. So if he ends up too powerful at that cost, either tweak his defense so he's not so hard to hit from range, or maybe lower his special to attack of 3. We'll see though.

[IAmBatman]

I think the multiple attack option is preferable too, especially since it shouldn't be easy to get off consistently, and if you ever maximize it at four attacks, it's going to be a while before you can build it back up.

I'm not in love with the two different ways to place markers on his card right now ... I understand the desire for it in terms of game balance, but it's not very elegant. Any way we can streamline it to one way? Maybe make it any time he rolls at least 1 shield against any attack or something like that? Maybe start him with some markers to help him out?

[Good Pig]

It was for balance and also it's theme. He can slowly draw ambient energy from his surroundings. In game play this would allow for him to be camped in the background and get some markers before hitting the front lines. What I wanted to avoid was him never getting any markers because the opponent knows how his powers function and just doesn't shoot at him.

I'd be fine with that trade off, but will likely want to test both versions. On the upside this change would allow you to come out swinging with him and he'd also play nicer in a Prof X army.

[IAmBatman]

Yeah, I think starting with a certain number of markers on his card (pre-charged) and then letting him only get them back when he rolls shields would probably make it a bit more elegant and would have the benefits you mentioned as well (I like a Bishop who comes out swinging!). Really digging this design overall, btw.

[Good Pig]

SP updated with change to Energy Absorb. Sending this out for ERB.