M.O.D.O.K. (George Tartleton)

[Ericth74]

M.O.D.O.K. (George Tartleton)

Card PDF​

NAME = M.O.D.O.K.
IDENTITY = GEORGE TARTLETON

UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
SPECIES = MUTATE
CLASS = GENIUS
PERSONALITY = CONNIVING

SIZE/HEIGHT = LARGE 6

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

POINTS = 380

DESIGNED ONLY FOR KILLING
Instead of M.O.D.O.K.'s transition, he may roll 2 d20s. For each 9+, choose an enemy within 4 clear spaces to take a wound. Instead of M.O.D.O.K.'s attack phase, he may use this ability a second time, but may not choose enemies that took 1+ wounds from this ability this turn.

PSIONIC COMMAND SPECIAL ATTACK
Range 4. Attack 5.
After M.O.D.O.K.'s activation, if he inflicted 1+ wounds on an enemy Unique Hero with this ability, take control of and activate that Hero, then return control.

PSIONIC FORCE FIELD X
Before M.O.D.O.K. defends, you may reveal Order Marker X on this card to avoid the attack, and the attacker's activation ends.

FACTION = A.I.M.
PUBLISHER = MARVEL
KEYWORDS = Cyborg, Science
SYMBOLS = FLYING

THE MULTIVERSE IS FULL OF DARK THINGS: George Tarleton aka M.O.D.O.K. (Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing[3]), formerly M.O.D.O.C. (Mental Organism Designed Only for Computation[1]), was a lowly American technician working for A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics). He joined the team to help develop the Cosmic Cube, but was mutated into a human computer by the Scientist Supreme. They grew his brain to give him a superhuman intellect, but with the side effect of a massive cranium which was too much for his frail body, meaning he needed to be placed inside a life support unit dubbed the "Doomsday Chair".[11] The process also gave him a plethora of psychic powers along with an ego and ambition to match. He went on to use his new found powers to take control of the organization that had experimented on him. - https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/George_Tarleton_(Earth-616)

Resources and Rulings
• The suggested figure for this unit is a Heroclix figure: Mutant Mayhem #090 / M.O.D.O.K.
• See this card's wiki page for synergies and strategies!

Credits
• Legacy design: Spidey'tilIDie
• Playtesters:

• Ericth74 - Sanity

• Card art: Soundwarp
• Comic creators: Jack Kirby, Stan Lee
Updates

• N/A

 

[Ericth74]

1.0 Design

2.0 Changes
Attack increased by 1
Life increased by 1
Added to the AIM faction
Psionic Command is no longer a full activation because of the bonding moved to the AIM Agents and timing.

 

[Ericth74]

My hope is for Sanity Level testing with Monica and MODOK and the already completed AIM Agents and Scientist Supreme(Andrew)

 

[MrNobody]

I've always wondered if powers called Psionic XXX should have a telepath callout. Unsure.

Only part I don't love is the full activation turning into a move action/attack action. Just one of those things that feels a little less clean than the original. I guess I missed that the Hydra Agents got the turn-ending language too. So Red Skull I will need a change as well if we ever convert him?

 

[Ericth74]

I've always wondered if powers called Psionic XXX should have a telepath callout. Unsure.

Only part I don't love is the full activation turning into a move action/attack action. Just one of those things that feels a little less clean than the original. I guess I missed that the Hydra Agents got the turn-ending language too. So Red Skull I will need a change as well if we ever convert him?

No issues with a Telepath callout on either of the Psionic powers.

 

[Karat]

I haven't dug into this yet, but this design always fell a little flat for me in 1.0.

 

[Ericth74]

I haven't dug into this yet, but this design always fell a little flat for me in 1.0.

I hear that, this one was always a favorite of mine that felt like it just needed a little tweak to help it out. I think the increased attack and life will go a long ways. As will being able to bond with the Agents.

 

[Karat]

Looking at this again, I think the big thing is you aren't really incentivized to use his marque ability. Sure it's a low threshold, but outside of commons/squads you aren't going to really go on a streak with it and so it pretty.much always ended up trinket text. I think going a number of a damage dice vs a d20 might make that pop a bit more, especially if we removed the target a figure once per turn clause....or maybe just remove that clause. Lady luck is fickle anyways and I get it was an attempt to keep him for just decimating Superman or Hulk with lucky rolls, but I think it hurts the design more than it actually helps.

I also am not a fan of going move/attack action vs full bonding for his Psionic Command. Like that's his other big draw in 1.0 and helps his team be worth something if the Agents aren't around.

I've always wondered if powers called Psionic XXX should have a telepath callout. Unsure.

Only part I don't love is the full activation turning into a move action/attack action. Just one of those things that feels a little less clean than the original. I guess I missed that the Hydra Agents got the turn-ending language too. So Red Skull I will need a change as well if we ever convert him?

I don't think I would? Telepath stuff is kind of a different vein of mental power. Like Psionics are mental but they're more than just mind reading /control which is generally how telepathy is portrayed. I don't hate the idea though.

 

[Ericth74]

I also am not a fan of going move/attack action vs full bonding for his Psionic Command. Like that's his other big draw in 1.0 and helps his team be worth something if the Agents aren't around.

Isn't a move and attack action more or less a full activation? What am I missing?

I understand what you are saying about the Designed for only killing power, its certainly a risk power. But I look at Moon Knight and I use his Dart power all the time and is less powerful than this one.

MODOK is a big a enough figure that I think there is room for multiple takes. I'd really like to keep this one around.

 

[Yodaking]

I never played him in 1.0 since I didn't have a decent figure option, but I have one now and look forward to getting him into a game at some point. I state that just to clarify my next comments are not based on actual game experience, but rather theory scape.

The d20 ability seems like it could be pretty sweet at first glance, but as Karat mentioned it may be a little too dependent on squads (or at least lots of heroes being in play). It also seems like it could be pretty swingy with the need to keep hitting your d20 roll. Miss on the first roll and its a nothing burger, hit 4 in a row and it's an all star. A few thought on how to tweak it for 2.0.

1. Maybe try to even it out a bit by just giving him 4 chances at the d20 each time he uses it? That way you are more likely to get in a few hits (and adjust the d20 need if it's coming in too hot) when ever you opt to use it.

2. Maybe drop the one roll per figure rule, so it would still be an option when fighting a 1 figure army?

3. If you do give it a boost, then maybe make it once per round such that the normal attack is still relevant.

 

[japes]

Remember the AIM squad has bonding that is BEFORE his activation so that 8+ to hit the first roll will be pretty easy to get to 6+, 4+, or 2+

sure there will be times it misses but you should regularly be putting down at least one wound with chances at 2 pretty easily.

 

[japes]

You could also do something like what YK is suggesting but only allow him to use it again on a figure if he didn't wound them the previous attempt.

So let him roll it x times but if he hits he has to move on to another figure.

If you did that I'd probably reduce the bonus for the adjacent figures to +1

 

[IAmBatman]

I agree that Designed Only for Killing screams out to be his signature ability but fell flat in 1.0, largely because you couldn't hit the same figure more than once.

For the Psionic Command, I could see making it a special attack to avoid wanting to pump him with attack boosters and maybe only let the figure that you take over gain an attack phase so you're not running them up into lava or something, just getting an attack with them (more as a way to keep the ceiling lower on what that ability can do and keep the stacking with the squads and the mind controlled figure in play).

 

[Yodaking]

Remember the AIM squad has bonding that is BEFORE his activation so that 8+ to hit the first roll will be pretty easy to get to 6+, 4+, or 2+

sure there will be times it misses but you should regularly be putting down at least one wound with chances at 2 pretty easily.

I didn't pick up on that when reading it. So the reference to 'enemy' there means enemies to the figure being targeted and not enemies of MODOK. Thanks for clarifying. It's part of the reason I thought of it as an anti-squad ability. Squads can sometimes clump up and form screens, so they would be adjacent to each other and add the bonus in. Instead you want to rush the target with your own squad to gain a big bonus. Very different.

 

[IAmBatman]

Which the AIM Agents want to be unengaged to use their special attack, so as it stands it's an anti-synergy. I'd rather just chop that part altogether.

 

[japes]

Some ideas tossed around…make DofK his signature thing and really make it shine and then downplay the command power and perhaps make it a SA.

DESIGNED ONLY FOR KILLING
Instead of his transition, M.O.D.O.K. may roll 2 d20s. On an 8+, choose an enemy within 4 clear spaces to take a wound. Instead of M.O.D.O.K.'s attack phase, he may use this ability a second time, but may not choose any enemies chosen for the first use of the ability this turn.

Based off of GotG Talon

Or
DESIGNED ONLY FOR KILLING
During M.O.D.O.K.s transition, you may roll 2 d20's. on 8+ choose an enemy within 4 clear spaces to takes a wound. You may not choose the same figure more than once per use of this ability. Instead of M.O.D.O.K.s attack phase he may use this ability a second time.

 

[MrNobody]

Okay, here's my pitch if we're tossing stuff out there!

DESIGNED ONLY FOR KILLING
Instead of M.O.D.O.K.'s move phase, you may choose up to 4 figures within 4 clear spaces and roll a d20 for each. On a XX+, that figure takes 1 wound.

PSIONIC COMMAND
After of M.O.D.O.K.'s activation, you may take temporary control of any figures he inflicted wounds on this activation and maneuver them up to 4(?) spaces each. Then, you may make an attack action with any figures he inflicted 1+ wounds on with his normal attack. Then, return control of all figures.

With the XX on DofK being adjustable based on balance.

 

[IAmBatman]

I'm very against DofK capping out at 1 possible wound against a figure each turn. In 1.0 that ability fell flat because it was only really worthwhile against swarms (making it not cost his attack helps with that, but I think it needs a higher ceiling against heavy hitters than a chance at 1 wound a turn in order to really *pop*.)

 

[Lord Pyre]

The psionic command was my favorite part from the 1.0 design. DOFK was nice against squads.

 

[Ericth74]

After some discord discussion last night and sleeping on it, I think this is what I want to go with.

DESIGNED ONLY FOR KILLING
Instead of his transition, M.O.D.O.K. may roll 2 d20s. On an 8+, choose an enemy within 4 clear spaces to take a wound. Instead of M.O.D.O.K.'s attack phase, he may use this ability a second time, but may not choose any enemies chosen for the first use of the ability this turn.

PSIONIC COMMAND
If M.O.D.O.K. inflicts 1+ wounds with his normal attack on an enemy's Unique Hero without the Mental Shield ability, you may take temporary control of that Hero and activate it, then return control.

I wanted MODOK to be able to get a full stack with the AIM Agents but it is too much.

 

[Ericth74]

The psionic command was my favorite part from the 1.0 design. DOFK was nice against squads.

Same I think that's why I want to keep it as is.

The other question with it is, should it become a Special Attack? it would help keep him more in faction and less with the Cap Star-Lord booster types.

 

[Karat]

Looks much more stellar

Some edits. The idea with the lower edit is if he doesn't wound on the first attempts he can still go all in or if he does, he has to shift his focus. Plus it sounds cleaner.

Overall, I'm digging this updated direction though!

After some discord discussion last night and sleeping on it, I think this is what I want to go with.

DESIGNED ONLY FOR KILLING

Instead of hisM.O.D.O.K.'s transition, M.O.D.O.K.he may roll 2 d20s. On an 8+, choose an enemy within 4 clear spaces to take a wound. Instead of M.O.D.O.K.'s attack phase, he may use this ability a second time, but may not choose any enemies chosen for the first use of thethat took 1+ wounds from this ability this turn.

PSIONIC COMMAND

If M.O.D.O.K. inflicts 1+ wounds with his normal attack on an enemy's Unique Hero without the Mental Shield ability, you may take temporary control of that Hero and activate it, then return control.

I wanted MODOK to be able to get a full stack with the AIM Agents but it is too much.

For pasteability.

DESIGNED ONLY FOR KILLING

Instead of M.O.D.O.K.'s transition, he may roll 2 d20s. On an 8+, choose an enemy within 4 clear spaces to take a wound. Instead of M.O.D.O.K.'s attack phase, he may use this ability a second time, but may not choose enemies that took 1+ wounds from this ability this turn.

PSIONIC COMMAND

If M.O.D.O.K. inflicts 1+ wounds with his normal attack on an enemy's Unique Hero without the Mental Shield ability, you may take control of that Hero and activate it, then return control.

 

[Ericth74]

Good to hear, thanks Karat!

 

[IAmBatman]

Good edits. I like this direction. One small thing I'd add is you don't need to say "without the Mental Shield ability" since the Mental Shield ability blocks this by itself.

Oh, I'd also say "enemy Unique Hero" rather than "enemy's."

And I'm fully in support of going special attack.

 

[Yodaking]

Since you are rolling multiple d20's, I think I'd clarify things a bit by stating it this way.

For each 8+, choose an enemy .....