The Book of Soundwave

[Yodaking]

The Book of Soundwave

C3G IDW WAVE 29
CHRISTMAS IN JULY


Comic PDF


Mini PDF

Alternate "Name Confusion" Card:

Spoiler Alert!

...Comic? PDF

The figure used for this unit is a Walmart Exclusive Transformers Titan Guardians non-transforming figure made by Hasbro *sold in store only*.
Its name is SOUNDWAVE.

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Character Bio - Soundwave is one of Megatron's most reliable troops, and he has positioned himself comfortably and irreplaceably in the Decepticon upper command structure. On top of hearing all in his role as Communications Officer and Decepticon spy-master, Soundwave stands at Megatron's side as a confidant, comparable in rank to Starscream and Shockwave, but unlike them, entirely loyal to his leader.

Soundwave commands an ever-growing legion of cassette troops to carry out tasks big and small. Stored within his signature chest compartment and called forth on Soundwave's whim with a push of a button, these miniature menaces are most commonly employed as spies for either the Decepticon cause or Soundwave's personal objectives, but are just as effective as warriors, and are entirely devoted to their master. (tfwiki.net)

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-Rulings and Clarifications-

• Base Clarification: Soundwave is a double-based figure.

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-Combinations and Synergies-

Incoming Synergy:

• As a Cybertronian, Soundwave has these Cybertronian Synergies.
• As a figure with the Super Strength special power, Soundwave has these Super Strength Synergies.
• As a Huge figure, Soundwave has these Huge Synergies.

Outgoing Synergy:

• Soundwave's Relay Orders special power allows him to move Order Markers from the card of a Conqueror or Strategist with the Super Strength special power to another card you control.
• Soundwave may activate a figure with the Cassette Storage special power with his Relay Orders or Eject special power.

Immunities, Benefits, and Weaknesses:

• As a huge figure, Soundwave interacts differently with these special powers.
• As a figure with the Super Strength special power, Soundwave interacts differently with these special powers.
• Event Heroes are not affected by Soundwave's Operation: Disruption special power.

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-Strategy, Tactics and Tips-

• N/A

-Heroscapers Community Contributions-

• Initial playtest: Yodaking, additional tests,
• Initial playtest Take 2: Yodaking 1, Yodaking 2/3
• Second playtest: Ronin
• Third playtest: Tornado
• Art: Comic, Figure, Background
• Art by Scapemage

[Yodaking]

NAME = SOUNDWAVE

SPECIES = CYBERTRONIAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = SPY
PERSONALITY = CALCULATING

SIZE/HEIGHT = HUGE 15 (Double-Spaced)

LIFE = 7

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

POINTS = 340

OPERATION: DISRUPTION
Once per game, immediately after initiative is rolled, you may reveal an "X" Order Marker on this card. If you do, for the rest of the round, opponents' Common and Unique figures that are within 7 spaces of Soundwave can only be activated when Order Markers are revealed on their cards, cannot use any special powers on their cards to activate another figure, and may not roll for leaving engagement attacks.

RELAY ORDERS
At the beginning of your turn, if Soundwave is within 7 spaces of a Conqueror or Strategist Hero you control that has the Super Strength special power, you may move an unrevealed Order Marker from that Hero's card to this card or the card of any Hero you control within 7 spaces of Soundwave. Before taking a turn with Soundwave, you may take a turn with a figure you control that has the Cassette Storage special power. If you do, Soundwave may not move during his turn.

EJECT!
After taking a turn with Soundwave, if you did not attack with Soundwave, you may choose one friendly figure with the Cassette Storage special power on this card. Place the chosen figure on any unoccupied space within 2 clear sight spaces of Soundwave and take an immediate turn with that figure.

SUPER STRENGTH

[MrNobody]

I’d limit Eject to Cybertronian figures just to minimize weird corner cases situations like Soundwave vs Ghost Rider.

[Yodaking]

Seems as we've mostly worked out the details here. A few things I feel are still left unresolved are the class and how he might interact with a future Shockwave design. I was reminded recently that Shockwave was the Decipticon's Science officer, so it seems logical to assume his class might be Scientist. Not sure about roping the Scientist class into the Relay Orders power with Conqueror, while I can see Soundwave taking orders from some of our other Conqueror's I can't see him taking orders from all out various Scientist. Was thinking maybe restrict it to Huge Scientist, or Cybertronian Scientist, but then would be be required to similarly restrict the Conqueror synergy to only those who are similarly Huge or Cybertronian? Then for his own class, is everyone okay with Spymaster or should it be something like Communications Officer?

[Yodaking]

Originally Posted by MrNobody

I’d limit Eject to Cybertronian figures just to minimize weird corner cases situations like Soundwave vs Ghost Rider.

I was actually thinking it would be cool if he could Eject! Atom, but I was going to ask about other characters that can jump onto someone's card to see if there are any issues there. I didn't think about Ghost Rider, but I think that could be fixed by limiting it to friendly figures. Then he couldn't Eject! an opponents Atom who was irritating him, but he could Eject! a friendly Atom that was just hitching a ride.

[MrNobody]

Unfortunately Atom can only hop onto opponent’s cards. But limiting it to friendlies sounds like a good option. I’m sure there are/will be some other guys that can hop onto his card.

[Yodaking]

Ah, that's right he just has a Carry power.

[Karat]

Well the Soul Gem also has an odd interaction with figures being placed on cards but they are already destroyed for that one, so probably not a problem.

Also, I wonder if Event Heros shouldn't be immune to the Communications Disruption.

[Yodaking]

Could you go into more detail on why Event Heroes should be immune? I don't see why Ax Cop should be able to bond with someone when Batman can't.

[Karat]

Well well I was thinking their status alone for the most part. I think Axe is a very borderline Event to begin with, but it seems like most Events are somewhat mystical or cosmic and like a Communications Disruption shouldn't really affect them. Maybe limit it such that you can't take turns with Non-Event Heros unless you reveal an OM on them.

{Edit} Sent you a PM explaining further.

[Yodaking]

Looks like I already had some UH language in the second part of the power, and I'm not sure how many figures can boss an Event Hero around as it is. Where do you want me to add in the Event Hero exception? I can do so, I just don't know how it should read or where it's needed.

COMMUNICATIONS DISRUPTION
Opponents figures within 6 spaces of Soundwave may only take a turn immediately after revealing an Order Marker on their card. When an Order Marker is revealed on the card of an opponents Unique Hero within 6 spaces of Soundwave, that figure must take that turn and may not take turns with any other figures.

[Karat]

Originally Posted by Yodaking

Looks like I already had some UH language in the second part of the power, and I'm not sure how many figures can boss an Event Hero around as it is. Where do you want me to add in the Event Hero exception? I can do so, I just don't know how it should read or where it's needed.

COMMUNICATIONS DISRUPTION
Opponents figures within 6 spaces of Soundwave may only take a turn immediately after revealing an Order Marker on their card. When an Order Marker is revealed on the card of an opponents Unique Hero within 6 spaces of Soundwave, that figure must take that turn and may not take turns with any other figures.

Reading it more closely it has some weird interactions anyways. Clause 1: "Opponents figures within 6 spaces of Soundwave may only take a turn immediately after revealing an Order Marker on their card." Simple enough, no figure can take a turn unless they first reveal an OM on their card. Clause 2: "When an Order Marker is revealed on the card of an opponents Unique Hero within 6 spaces of Soundwave, that figure must take that turn and may not take turns with any other figures." This indicates that you could reveal an OM on the Street Thugs and take a turn with them and then activate a Crime Lord, but only if they are not within 6 spaces of Soundwave and a Unique Hero.

I think I would just exclude Event Heros and have it affect the rest. So something like:

COMMUNICATIONS DISRUPTION
Opponent's figures within 6 spaces of Soundwave may only take a turn immediately after revealing an Order Marker on their card. When an Order Marker is revealed on the card of an opponent's Uniquefigure that is not an Event Hero within 6 spaces of Soundwave, that figure must take that turn and may not take turns with any other figures.

I think this safely covers most of it, but we may want the same figure clarifier in the first clause to close out any weird interactions with Non-Event Heroes outside of the 6 spaces bonding with an Event Hero within.