The Book of Stick

[Arch-vile]

The Book of Stick

C3G MARVEL WAVE 45
MARVELS

Comic PDF

Mini PDF

The figure used for this unit is a Marvel Heroclix figure from the Secret Wars set.
Its model number and name are #030 / Stick.​

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Character Bio - Stick is a blind martial arts master and member of the Chaste, an ancient organization dedicated to fighting the Hand. Stick recruited and trained both Elektra and Matt Murdock. Stick's method's were harsh, as he would often beat Murdock up with his superior fighting skills and mock him for failing to win. Stick would go on to abandon them both as he felt Elektra was too dangerous and Matt too weak. Regardless, later in life Stick would be an on-again off-again ally of Daredevil.
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-Rulings and Clarifications-

• Q: Can the figure chosen for Stick's Harsh Sensei re-roll for each attack if they have double attack or a special attack that lets them attack multiple times?
• A: Yes. The "once" in the power is just to show you can only re-roll once per roll.

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-Combinations and Synergies-

Incoming Synergy:

• As a Fighter, Stick has these Fighter Synergies.

Outgoing Synergy:

• Stick may choose a Unique Hero that is an Assassin, Fighter, or has the Blind Warrior special power for his Harsh Sensei special power.

Immunities, Benefits, and Weaknesses:

• As a figure with the Blind Warrior special power, Stick interacts differently with these special powers.

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-Strategy, Tactics and Tips-

• Defenders / Heroes for Hire faction strategy

-Heroscapers Community Contributions-

• Initial playtest: Arch-vile
• Second playtest: Karat & Splash
• Third playtest: Ericth74
• Art: Comic, Figure, Background
• Art by Soundwarp

Card Update (5/5/2022): Harsh Sensei changed to choose a Unique Hero "in your army" instead of "you control" so that it lets you choose Daredevil if Matt Murdock is in your army.

 

[Arch-vile]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

NAME = STICK

SPECIES = HUMAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = FIGHTER
PERSONALITY = UNCOMPROMISING

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 4

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

POINTS = 160

HARSH SENSEI
At the start of the game you may choose another Unique Hero in your army that is an Assassin, Fighter, or that has the Blind Warrior special power. When rolling dice for the chosen Hero's normal, special, or leaving engagement attack, you may choose to re-roll any or all combat dice once. If you do, and that roll does not inflict any wounds, roll one unblockable attack die against the chosen Hero.

BLIND WARRIOR
Stick cannot be prevented from choosing a figure to attack by any special power on any Army Card or Glyph. When Stick attacks a figure on a Shadow Tile, that figure does not receive any additional defense dice for the Shadow Tile.

RUTHLESS COUNTER STRIKE
When rolling defense dice against a normal attack from an adjacent attacking figure, if Stick is not destroyed by this attack, all skulls rolled count as unblockable hits on the attacking figure.

 

[Arch-vile]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

Comic Art:

Spoiler Alert!

Mini Pics:

Spoiler Alert!

Archie's:

Background Pics:

Spoiler Alert!

 

[Arch-vile]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

Stick is a member of the Chaste and trained Daredevil & Elektra. He’s absolutely ruthless and pushes his students way too far (both physically and mentally), which led Daredevil to call it quits with him.

Harsh Sensei is trying to show how Stick encourages his students to be more aggressive, pushing them past their limits both physically and emotionally. You can justify the wound for failure as either being too aggressive and leaving yourself unguarded. Or in Daredevil's case, he realizes that he almost crossed the line and killed somebody.

 

[Yodaking]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

Seems pretty solid.

 

[MrNobody]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

I'm guessing there's no way we can get him down to 130 to be that final part of a TV Defenders build?

 

[Arch-vile]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

I'm happy wherever his points end up, but I don't think 130 is realistic with his powerset and stats. He's a very solid fighter in his own right so thematically I'd hesitate to lower anything.

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

Looks good. Ticking his life down to 3 for "old man" status would get you to 130, but if you're not feeling that, you're not feeling that.

160 matches what I got on the calculator, but wouldn't be surprised if that 160 is a tad soft anyway.

 

[Karat]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

Probably want a "once per attack" for clarification purposes so someone doesn't just cheese and reroll a bunch of times to avoid the unblockable.

 

[Lord Pyre]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

Looks cool! I would also ask if we should specify if the reroll is once per turn or per attack? I would assume per attack, but want to check intent. Lots of guys, especially in the synergy pool he's pulling from, that have double attacks, both normal and special.

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

Pretty sure it's meant to work on defense too (and push him towards counter strike types).

 

[Lord Pyre]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

Ooh gotcha. Yeah I missed that it worked on defense too. Pretty powerful.

There's not a TON of counter strike guys, I see Lady Shiva, Shang-Chi, and Swordsman. One thing to watch is Chesire, she has the stupid acrobatic dodge. Sure if you use this on defense you'll be rolling an unblockable against your figure since you're not dealing wounds, but having he be able to reroll the insta-dodge ability might be worth the potential wounds in many cases.

 

[Arch-vile]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

It’s intended to work once per attack, since both Daredevils and Elektra have multiple attacks.

I initially just had it working on attacks, but someone suggested allowing it to work in counter strike effects and disengagement strikes which seemed fun - though none of his thematic partners have an effect like that. Cheshire is a good call.

Thinking about it more, it does seem off that any figure would like to risk rerolling a whiffed defense roll just to get more shields for the cost of an unblockable.

 

[Karat]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

Well the once per attack language doesn't just limit it to attack rolls, just clarifies how often.

 

[Arch-vile]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

I'm thinking we should go with this. Rerolling defense dice is kinda iffy thematically as Stick is encouraging his pupil to be more aggressive and ruthless, and none of his thematic partners have Counter Strike.

HARSH SENSEI
At the start of the game you may choose another Unique Hero you control that is an Assassin, Fighter, or has the Blind Warrior special power. When rolling combat dice for the chosen Hero's normal or special attack or leaving engagement attack, you may re-roll any or all combat dice. If you do, and that roll does not inflict any wounds, roll one unblockable combat die against the chosen Hero.

 

[Karat]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

I'm thinking we should go with this. Rerolling defense dice is kinda iffy thematically as Stick is encouraging his pupil to be more aggressive and ruthless, and none of his thematic partners have Counter Strike.

HARSH SENSEI
At the start of the game you may choose another Unique Hero you control that is an Assassin, Fighter, or has the Blind Warrior special power. When rolling combat dice for the chosen Hero's normal or, special attack, or leaving engagement attack, you may re-roll any or all combat dice. If you do, and that roll does not inflict any wounds, roll one unblockable combat die against the chosen Hero.

I'd condense that some to this. Seems less tacked on and is still clear.

 

[Arch-vile]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

I like that.

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

Yeah, that whole thing reads much cleaner, so I'm a fan.

 

[Arch-vile]

Re: The Book of Stick (Breathing)

Cool stuff. Lets take him to initial testing.

 

[MrNobody]

Re: The Book of Stick (vote for initial)

Yea

 

[Tornado]

Re: The Book of Stick (vote for initial)

Yea

 

[Lord Pyre]

Re: The Book of Stick (vote for initial)

Yea

 

[Karat]

Re: The Book of Stick (vote for initial)

Yea

 

[Arch-vile]

Re: The Book of Stick (vote for initial)

This passes, thanks guys.

 

[Arch-vile]

Re: The Book of Stick (waiting for initial)

C3G STANDARD PLAYTEST FEEDBACK FORM

NAME OF THE PLAYTEST UNIT: Stick

Army Test
Map: A Couple Puddles
Units: Stick (160), Luke Cage, Daredevil II, Moon Knight (700) VS TMNT (700)

Spoiler Alert!

Stick chooses Daredevil for Harsh Sensei.

Daredevil and Luke move up. They deal 4 wounds to Raphael early on but just fail to kill him. Raph gets self-important and puts 3 wounds on Daredevil. Daredevil kills Raph and puts a couple wounds on Mikey. Luke puts a couple wounds on Don. Don puts a couple wounds on Luke.

Leo’s Turtle Power allows the Turtles to take out Daredevil and wound Luke. Stick then moves up. Leo attacks Stick from height and takes 4 wounds from Ruthless Counter Strike while dealing Stick 4 wounds. Leo then attacks Stick again and dies to Ruthless Counter Strike. Luke takes out Don. Moon Knight swoops down and kills Mikey.


Daredevil used Harsh Sensei’s rerolls 5 times to get 3 total extra wounds (plus 1 irrelevant extra wound). It backfires 0 times resulting in 0 autowounds against himself.


Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Luke Cage (3 wounds), Stick (3 wounds), Moon Knight (0 wounds) wins.

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Army Test
Map: A Couple Puddles
Units: Stick (160), Elektra, Hand Ninja x2, Ubu (600) VS Captain Cold II, Captain Boomerang I, Tar Pit, Abra Kadabra (600)

Spoiler Alert!

Stick chooses Elektra for Harsh Sensei.

The Hand and Elektra quickly kill Captain Boomerang and put a couple wounds on other Rogues. The Rogues kill 3 Hand Ninja. Elektra nearly finishes off Tar Pit then wounds herself with Harsh Sensei. The last Hand kills Tar Pit. The Rogues finish off the remaining Hand members. Abra and Cold each wound Elektra.

Abra kills Elektra. She had OM1, so Cold and Abra then go after Ubu, killing him too. He had OM2+3, so the Rogue duo then go after Stick and heavily wound him. The Rogues finish off Stick next round. Quite the comeback!


Elektra used Harsh Sensei’s rerolls 3 times to get 3 total extra wounds. It backfires 1 time resulting in 1 autowound against herself.


Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Captain Cold (0 wounds) and Abra Kadabra (2 wounds) win.

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Army Test
Map: A Couple Puddles
Units: Stick (160), Wolverine (Logan), Luke Cage, Spider-Man (Miles) (800) VS Wrecking Crew (800)

Spoiler Alert!

Stick chooses Wolverine for Harsh Sensei.

Both teams advance, Luke getting a couple early wounds on Bulldozer. Wolverine and Luke bring Bulldozer to 5 wounds before the Wrecking Crew takes out Luke. The Wrecking Crew then takes out Miles. Wolverine kills Bulldozer.

Wolverine’s reroll from Harsh Sensei backfires, but then it allows him an extra attack because he’s now wounded, which he uses to wound Thunderball. The Wrecking Crew puts 4 wounds on Wolverine. Wolverine uses the rerolls to bring Wrecker to 5 wounds.

The Wrecking Crew kills Wolverine - had Wolverine survived here, it would have been pretty brutal for the Wrecking Crew, as Wrecker had an unrevealed OM2 and 1 life remaining. The Wrecking Crew then goes after Stick and kill him easily with range.


Wolverine used Harsh Sensei’s rerolls 4 times to get 3 total extra wounds (plus 1 irrelevant extra wound). It backfires 1 time resulting in 1 autowound against himself.


Who won? List figures remaining in the winning army (include life remaining for heroes): Wrecker (5 wounds), Piledriver (0 wounds), Thunderball (3 wounds)

THOUGHTS ON THE TESTED UNIT'S COST, BALANCE, & DRAFTABILITY: Stick’s rerolls from Harsh Sensei are powerful and his Ruthless Counter Strike is very matchup-dependent. Wolverine is a very nice combo as he can shrug off the autowounds. Difficult to say where points should fall as I felt Stick’s presence allowed for many extra wounds, but his team also lost 2/3 games. I’m not the most experienced with the Fighters, so that may have something to do with it. I’d lean towards sending him to public testing as-is at 160.

Stick himself is nothing special offensively, but Ruthless Counter Strike can be brutal. Rough weakness against range, which is a problem he shares with the Fighter faction in general.