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The Book of Hand Mystics

Ronin

Ronin

Symbiotic
Site Supporter
The Book of Hand Mystics

C3G MARVEL SUPER SECRET EXCLUSIVE 58
HAND AND FOOT

C3G_HandMystics_comic.png

Comic PDF

C3G_HandMystics_mini.png

Mini PDF

The figure used for this unit is a Heroclix figure from the Deadpool set.
Its model number and name are #006 / Hand Ninja.

The figure used for this unit is a Heroclix figure from the Deadpool Gravity Feed set.
Its model number and name are #206 / Snakeroot Clan Ninja.​
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Character Bio - The Hand is an organization steeped in mysticism. Though best-known for their seemingly endless, unstoppable hordes of ninja, what makes them truly terrifying is their ability to defy death and bend great warriors to their will. They've brainwashed Psylocke into being their puppet and returned Doctor Octopus from the grave to stalk Spider-Man, but they most often bedevil Matt Murdock.
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-Rulings and Clarifications-
  • N/A
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-Combinations and Synergies-

Incoming Synergy:Outgoing Synergy:
  • Hand Mystics may choose a Unique Hero you control that is a Human, Mutant or Mutate for their Hand Brainwashing special power, replacing any of their class-based synergies with these Ninja Synergies. Current Human, Mutant, and Mutate Unique Heroes.
Immunities, Benefits, and Weaknesses:
  • As Humans, Hand Mystics interact differently with these special powers.
  • The Hand Mystics' Hand Resurrection special power can be used to resurrect and take control of an opponent's Human, Mutant or Mutate Unique Hero. Current Human, Mutant, and Mutate Unique Heroes.
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-Strategy, Tactics and Tips-
  • N/A
-Heroscapers Community Contributions-
 
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Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

NAME = HAND MYSTICS
SECRET IDENTITY =

SPECIES = HUMAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE SQUAD (3)
CLASS = NINJA
PERSONALITY = DEVOUT

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 1

MOVE = 6
RANGE = 3
ATTACK = 3
DEFENSE = 3

POINTS = 145

HAND BRAINWASHING
At the start of the game, place one black Hand Marker on the card of a Unique Hero you control that is a Human, Mutant or Mutate, and place one Hand Marker on this card. While there is an Order Marker on this card, any Hero you control with a Hand Marker on its card has the class of Ninja and a Ruthless personality instead of what is listed on its Army Card.

HAND RESURRECTION
After an opponent's Unique Hero within 3 clear sight spaces of a Hand Mystic is destroyed, you may place the Hand Marker from this card on that Hero's Army Card if that Hero is a Human, Mutant or Mutate. If you do, take control of that Hero and its Army Card and remove all Wound Markers from its Army Card. At the end of the round, return that figure to play by placing it on any empty space within 3 spaces of a Hand Mystic you control. When all of your Hand Mystics are destroyed, return control of that Hero to the player that controlled it before it was Resurrected.

PHANTOM WALK
Hand Mystics can move through all figures and are never attacked when leaving an engagement.
 
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Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

Comic:
Spoiler Alert!


Figure:
Spoiler Alert!


Background:
Spoiler Alert!
 
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Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

Does the change to Ruthless personality do anything mechanically?
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

It can take away personality synergies. I'm not totally married to it, but I like it as a little theme touch, if we have the space.

I also have some vague ideas about tackling an Empress Hydra (Susan Richards) design somewhere down the line - she's a recurring Exiles villain that was the head of both Hydra and the Hand, and leaned on the brainwashing trick a lot. I was thinking about having her do something with the Ruthless personality, since Hydra already partially leans on that with the Ruthless Masterminds.

But, obviously, there's nothing concrete there and my vague notions of what you could do with weird alternate universe characters in a few years shouldn't drive this design too much.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

Will be interesting to see how it plays out. You'll need 1 somewhere close to the action if order to be within 3 spaces of a fallen hero, but then they could just get killed off before the hero falls and they roll a 15+. When facing armies filled with high point heroes, they'll have fewer chances to resurrect one but the pay off will be bigger when they do, while facing armies filled with low point heroes will give them more chances to resurrect someone, but that pay off will be limited.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

I'd say Assassin is more thematic than Ninja for their victims, but I assume that's already been hashed out for factional reasons. I'm fine with Ninja here.

It'll be an interesting dynamic trying to keep them close to the fray and not getting them killed.

Not in love with Brainwashed here for nomenclature. Might be clearer to go with markers, too? It would put a cap on possible resurrections but that's not necessary a bad thing.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

I just noticed these guys need an Order Marker on their card for the Brainwashed to be considered Assassins. This calms my fears about Brainwashing obscenely strong figures a lot.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

johnny139 said:
I'd say Assassin is more thematic than Ninja for their victims, but I assume that's already been hashed out for factional reasons. I'm fine with Ninja here.

It'll be an interesting dynamic trying to keep them close to the fray and not getting them killed.

Not in love with Brainwashed here for nomenclature. Might be clearer to go with markers, too? It would put a cap on possible resurrections but that's not necessary a bad thing.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm in the same boat - would have preferred Assassin, but Ninja seems a little less concerning.

Markers might be a good idea.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

HAND BRAINWASHING
At the start of the game, place one black Hand Marker on the card of a Unique Hero you control, and place 3 Hand Markers on this card. While there is an Order Marker on this card, any Hero you control with a Hand Marker on its card has the class of Ninja and a Ruthless personality instead of what is listed on its Army Card.

HAND RESURRECTION
When a Unique Hero that is within 3 clear sight spaces of a Hand Mystic and does not have the Mental Shield special power would be destroyed, if there is at least one Hand Marker on this card, you may roll the 20-sided die. Add 3 to the roll if that Hero would have been destroyed by an attack from a Ninja Squad figure you control. If you roll 18 or higher, the Hero is not destroyed. Take control of the Hero and its Army Card, remove all Wound Markers from its card, and place a Hand Marker from this card on its card. When all of your Hand Mystics are destroyed, return control of all Heroes with Hand Markers on their Army Cards to the players that controlled them before they were Resurrected.
Click to expand...

Here's a spin at a marker version of the two main powers here.

It could maybe use some language to remove all the Hand Markers when the Mystics are destroyed, but I thought it was harmless to save the language and leave em on - they're not doing anything once the Mystics go down. Might even be a good synergy hook if there's some specific Unique Hero Hand-affiliated magic-user down the line (no idea who that would be, but it feels like an archetype that someone or other probably falls into).
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

I would prefer not using markers if possible, but it might be the most clear way of working this one. I think we use markers a whole ton and that can get confusing sometimes.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

I'm also against using Markers if we don't have to, because I agree having a lot laying around adds to complexity a lot. But when there's multiple figures changing hands and having permanent changes to their card, I think it's a "pick your poison" situation between memory issues and complexity issues.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

I try my best not to create more markers, or even more glyphs that must be drafted with a card, but sometimes the design needs it and you do what you have to do. I'll let you make the call here on whether it's needed or not. I have so many markers now (I've lost quite a few too and they aren't easy to just print off again without printing the whole card), that I started just proxying the markers. If their is only 1 set of markers in the game then any marker will do, if two different markers are in play then any marker of the correct color works. It's only when two or more markers of the same color are in play that sometimes we have to find & use the correct markers.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

That's my approach as well. I try not to, but if the design needs it, it needs it.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

Yeah, I tend not to leap to them either. I think this is a case where they don't hurt, but they're not really vital - I feel like if I take control of the opponent's Batman, I'm not going to easily forget that he can now bond with my Hand Ninja.

Let's poll it out.
A - Markers (as here)
B - No Markers (as in SP)
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

One thing the marker does is let Zatanna break the brainwashing. Of course the odds aren't very good for her d20 roll so you may as well just try and kill the Mystics to break the brainwashing.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

I don't always like resorting to markers, but with it effecting the cards of the brainwashed and having the number brainwashed changing, I like A better.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

I'm kind of leaning towards the marker approach, I'm just not sure you would ever use all 3 markers in a game. Not only are the odds not in your favor of doing so, I don't think I'd even want to save 3 of my opponents figures from death and heal them back to full health. The thought of me losing my last mystic and having all 3 suddenly return to the opponents control at once seems like a losing strategy. Also from a theme perspective, it seems excessive for them to put together and execute the resurrection ritual 3 times over the course of one battle. That seems like an event that should be a little more complicated and costly in terms of resources.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

I'd also be fine with the resurrection being a once-per-game automatic thing.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

Ronin said:
I'd also be fine with the resurrection being a once-per-game automatic thing.
Click to expand...


That would be my vote. You can only do it once, but you are sure to do it in most games.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

Once per game, when a Unique Hero that is within 3 clear sight spaces of a Hand Mystic and does not have the Mental Shield special power would be destroyed by a normal attack from a Ninja Squad figure you control, you may place a Hand Marker on its Army Card. That Hero is not destroyed. Take control of that Hero and its Army Card and remove all Wound Markers from its Army Card. When all of your Hand Mystics are destroyed, return control of that Hero to the player that controlled it before it was Resurrected.
Click to expand...

That would look like this, I guess. Blue part optional, depending on how much we want to lock it down. It's not a strict requirement, but it might be good for thematic gameplay - with that clause in the power, if they're in a fight against Daredevil and Thor, they're more likely to end up resurrecting Daredevil.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

I might drop the mental shield part since he's technically dead when they magic him back to life under their control. Also I'd allow them to magic back anyone who dies, I don't think they would care who killed them and the fact that figure could return to you opponent should keep it balanced. The more powerful hero you save, the more powerful hero your opponent could get back by just killing the Mystics off. Don't have to use this approach but this is how I would write it up. Creates a small delay in deployment to represent the time spent doing the magic.

HAND BRAINWASHING
At the start of the game, place one black Hand Marker on the card of a Unique Hero you control, and place 1 Hand Marker on this card. While there is an Order Marker on this card, any Hero you control with a Hand Marker on its card has the class of Ninja and a Ruthless personality instead of what is listed on its Army Card.

HAND RESURRECTION
When an opponents Unique Hero that is within 3 clear sight spaces of a Hand Mystic is destroyed, after that figure is removed from play you may place the Hand Marker from this card on its Army Card. If you do, take control of that Hero and its Army Card, remove all Wound Markers from its Army Card and at the end of the round you may place that figure on the board within 3 spaces of a Hand Mystic you control. When all of your Hand Mystics are destroyed, return control of that Hero to the player that controlled it before it was Resurrected.
 
Re: The Book of Hand Mystics (Design)

I'd rather keep the mental shield clause just to avoid rules questions (especially in the delayed version). It's cleaner with that immunity spelled out. I am cool with the delay, though. That leaves us here:

HAND BRAINWASHING
At the start of the game, place one black Hand Marker on the card of a Unique Hero you control, and place one Hand Marker on this card. While there is an Order Marker on this card, any Hero you control with a Hand Marker on its card has the class of Ninja and a Ruthless personality instead of what is listed on its Army Card.

HAND RESURRECTION
When an opponent's Unique Hero that is within 3 clear sight spaces of a Hand Mystic and does not have the Mental Shield special power is destroyed, after that figure is removed from play you may place the Hand Marker from this card on its Army Card. If you do, take control of that Hero and its Army Card and remove all Wound Markers from its Army Card. At the end of the round, return that figure to play by placing it on any empty space within 3 spaces of a Hand Mystic you control. When all of your Hand Mystics are destroyed, return control of that Hero to the player that controlled it before it was Resurrected.
Click to expand...
 
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