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The Book of Zatanna (II)

Arkham

C3G Con Champ 2021 and 2022!
The Book of Zatanna (II)

C3G DC SUPER SECRET EXCLUSIVE 59
PRESTO CHANGE-O


C3G_ZatannaII_comic.png

Comic PDF

C3G_ZatannaII_mini.png

Mini PDF

Alt Cards:
Spoiler Alert!

The figure used for this unit is a Heroclix figure from the Justice League set.
Its model number and name are #028 / Zatanna.
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Character Bio - Zatanna is a magician with great magical prowess, who casts spells in a rather quirky fashion by speaking backwards. She works her own magic shows on stage, and has been a member of the Justice League of America and Justice League Dark.
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-Rulings and Clarifications-
  • N/A
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-Combinations and Synergies-

Incoming Synergy:Outgoing Synergy:
  • N/A
Immunities, Benefits, and Weaknesses:
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-Strategy, Tactics and Tips--Heroscapers Community Contributions-
 
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Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

NAME = ZATANNA
SECRET IDENTITY = ZATANNA ZATARA

SPECIES = HOMO MAGI
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = MAGICIAN
PERSONALITY = TRICKY

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 4

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

POINTS = 220


MISTRESS OF MAGIC
After combat dice are rolled for Zatanna or a friendly Unique Hero within 10 spaces of Zatanna, if they were not rolled for a special attack, you may roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 13 or higher, change one die rolled to a blank.

TRAP DOOR TELEPORTATION
Once per round, after revealing an Order Marker on the Army Card of a Unique Hero you control and instead of taking a turn with that Hero, you may immediately switch Zatanna and the Hero. After switching, take a turn with either Zatanna or that Hero, and you may not take any additional turns with other figures you control. Figures switched by Trap Door Teleportation never take any leaving engagement attacks.

SLEIGHT OF HAND
After a figure rolls defense dice against Zatanna's normal attack, if Zatanna has more blanks than the defending figure, the defending figure immediately receives one wound.

MAGICAL DEFENSE
When Zatanna is attacked by an opponent's figure that does not have the Magical Defense special power, the most wounds Zatanna can take for this attack is one.

FLYING
 
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Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

Comic:
Spoiler Alert!


Figure:
Spoiler Alert!


Background:
Spoiler Alert!
 
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Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

I really dig your version of retirement. :p

So what's your line of thought on the first power? Are you looking to set up Justice League Dark stuff? Or are you still looking at some of the elemental spell stuff you were way back when?
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

I really dig your version of retirement. :p

So what's your line of thought on the first power? Are you looking to set up Justice League Dark stuff? Or are you still looking at some of the elemental spell stuff you were way back when?
Legit :lol: at that retirement comment. It comes and goes.

This one is going to still need some designing, so I'm not expecting to fast track this, but I like the base of what I had before.

It was suggested at one point to go with:
MISTRESS OF MAGIC
Each time Zatanna casts a common spell, before discarding that common spell, you may roll the 20-sided die, adding 3 to the roll if it is a common Elemental Control spell. On a roll of 9 or higher, do not discard that common spell.
As the 3rd power, and accompany her with some elemental spells that I had a lot of excitement about. However, that was pre-spells release, and really...I haven't even adopted spells into my games. It's not that I don't like them or think they were executed poorly, not at all... I think it comes down to the fact that my friends and I hardly play any more, so it's really not worth adding the new feature at this point.

With that said, I think I'd prefer to not go with a spell focused design for her 2nd version. I want a Justice League friendly version here, be it standard Justice League or Justice League Dark. I could go either way, or both really.

So I'm open to suggestions, but ultimately, that's where I'm at currently with the design. I've held her off long enough due to not wanting to have to do 5+ spells to get her to where I wanted her, I'd prefer a simplified approach, and have the core of the character represented on the card itself.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

Very pleasant surprise to see this thread get started up. No qualms from me if you want to not focus this design on spells in anyway, Magical Defense is all that is needed to be covered. I'm really digging the trap door concept, an OM management with a surprise movement aspect. Could be difficult to maximize initially but really fun and powerful once it is mastered. The most obvious first combo will he to fly her up to HG, then let someone like Cable take her next turn from that perch. If you can engage with her and swap in Blob or Dr. Octopus for a surprise lock down that could prove valuable too. I'm sure more ideas will be generated in time.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

As for the Dark Justice League stuff, maybe something that would make a future Constantine card a good ally for her? I can try to dig up the last Constantine card idea we had brainstormed if you want to take another look at it. It doesn't look like the ally that really wanted to run the design will ever do so, so perhaps I can run that design and release it with her sometime after the 10th Anniversary wave is out.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

The Trap Door power is absolutely what's kept me interested in the design from the start. I love the theme of it, and mechanically it can make for some interesting combos and strategies.

As for the 3rd power, and the card overall, I'm liking a focus on her personality as a zany magician. If we don't go with any sort of JLD synergy, I'd prefer to further play that up. Her first card was showing her power, this one I like being a bit more on the playful side. Personality over strength type of feel.

I feel like anybody who has gone up against Zatanna I, you fear her negation and once negated, you're left bummed. As the person playing her, that's really your main objective is to cripple your opponents by removing markers and negating etc. I'd like this one to elicit more of a "woah, that's cool" reaction.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

Yeah, don't feel her second card has to be a JLD focused design. Lots of design space for her and I would enjoy a new take on her that could play with anyone rather then in a focused group of characters.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

If we want to do something that helps the JL Dark without being too over-the-top, what about something like this?

When a friendly figure within X clear sight spaces of Zatanna rolls defense dice or attack dice for a normal attack, you may choose one die that does not show a blank and change the result to a blank.

Doesn't seem like much at first, but it feels magic-y to me, and it gives her synergies with figures that have blanks-as-skulls and blanks-as-shields effects. The former includes Frank and Zauriel, and the latter the Kryptonians, so there's some JL Dark and broader JL implications.

It could also be nice for Undead Resilience types (which again includes Frank) - there are times when you might actually want to take a shield away from them to bump them from taking 1 wound to 2, so that they'll heal off the damage.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

I like that. Nice and simple, and it captures a theme that I was going for in her transforming things. We could even possibly keep that in mind when creating a couple of these other characters yet to be designed, to build in something blank related if we want.

I wonder if we should open it up to enemy figures too, maybe tie it to a once per round against an enemy, or tie it to an "X" reveal to work against an enemy or something?

The power I see it representing is her changing bullets into birds, bubbles, or paper airplanes etc.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

Flash likes blanks for the JL hook, we could then have some of the undesigned JLD characters do something with blanks or d20's and they would like Constantine or Zatanna or both.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

I think we could probably put in a 4th short simple power since the card as a whole feels really simple as-is, but here's where we're at:
MISTRESS OF MAGIC
After a friendly figure within 4 spaces of Zatanna rolls combat dice, defense dice, or attack dice for a normal attack, you may change one die rolled to a blank.

TRAP DOOR TELEPORTATION
Instead of taking a turn with Zatanna, you may choose a single spaced Unique Hero you control. Immediately switch Zatanna and the chosen Hero, and take a turn with the chosen Hero. Figures switched by Trap Door Teleportation never take any leaving engagement attacks.

MAGICAL DEFENSE
When Zatanna is attacked by an opponent's figure that does not have the Magical Defense special power, the most wounds Zatanna can take for this attack is one.
Possible 4th power:
ELEMENTAL CONTROL
Start the game with an ice, molten lava, shadow, and swamp water tile on this card. Instead of attacking, you may remove a tile from this card and place it on any empty land space within 4 spaces of Zatanna, if the tile fits normally onto that space.
 
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Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

If we want to do something that helps the JL Dark without being too over-the-top, what about something like this?

When a friendly figure within X clear sight spaces of Zatanna rolls defense dice or attack dice for a normal attack, you may choose one die that does not show a blank and change the result to a blank.

Doesn't seem like much at first, but it feels magic-y to me, and it gives her synergies with figures that have blanks-as-skulls and blanks-as-shields effects. The former includes Frank and Zauriel, and the latter the Kryptonians, so there's some JL Dark and broader JL implications.

It could also be nice for Undead Resilience types (which again includes Frank) - there are times when you might actually want to take a shield away from them to bump them from taking 1 wound to 2, so that they'll heal off the damage.

Nice. I like these more subtle synergies.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

The blank power is awesome! That's a stellar way to get the JLD integrated without removing her stand-alone play ability. For that reason, she may want to be able to affect enemies as well, as Arkha's saying. I love Elemental Control, but I have a soft spot for terrain changing powers.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

I'm open to ideas on a 4th power if we leave things as-is, keeping her blank power to allies only.

My concern is she has Magical Defense, a passive ally only power that's limited in what figures it helps, and a teleportation power that's instead of taking a turn with her. The concern being, she has no real reason to take a turn, and I feel she lacks her pizzazz of her own to use. Hence throwing around different elements. That said, even the elements won't always come in handy, so I could see a different power entirely.

Any ideas or thoughts?
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

...I'm liking a focus on her personality as a zany magician. If we don't go with any sort of JLD synergy, I'd prefer to further play that up. Her first card was showing her power, this one I like being a bit more on the playful side. Personality over strength type of feel.

I feel like anybody who has gone up against Zatanna I, you fear her negation and once negated, you're left bummed. As the person playing her, that's really your main objective is to cripple your opponents by removing markers and negating etc. I'd like this one to elicit more of a "woah, that's cool" reaction.

What about tapping into the zany magician bucket you mentioned earlier. Not necessarily tie yourself into the elemental thing. Is there something else you can think of here?

What's some examples of zany that you could envision?

Just trying to make sure we are all working off the same definition of zany magician.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

When I think zany, I'm thinking of her turning people into rabbits, bullets into airplanes etc. That's the type of stuff I think about when I think of Zatanna. There are several magic users out there, but I associate those sort of stage magic tricks and illusions to her.

The reason I specifically thought of the elements is this line:
During a portion of her initial tenure with the Justice League, her powers were more limited, consisting in the manipulation of fire, air, water, and earth.

Since I was going for a less devastating Zatanna, and the mini and art was going for a classic Justice League/stage magician theme, I wanted the powers to stay in line with what you'd generally see in a magic show.

Rabbits out of a hat
Sleight of Hand
Disappearing acts
Changing one object or element into another
Trap doors
Hypnosis
Mind Reading

I like the over the top flare for this design. So whatever we go with for #4, keeping it simple and short, I'd want it to be something along those lines. Something fun and useful for her specifically rather than it being support based.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

I would make the blank power a once per round deal, makes it more strategic and ensures she doesn't just give the Flash a blank on every single defense roll until she dies.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

RABBIT OUT OF A HAT
Before attacking with Zatanna, you may guess how many blanks will be rolled. After rolling attack dice and applying any special powers, if you guessed correctly, add one automatic skull to whatever is rolled.

Here's an idea for a simple magic-type power that utilizes blanks.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

RABBIT OUT OF A HAT
Before attacking with Zatanna, you may guess how many blanks will be rolled. After rolling attack dice and applying any special powers, if you guessed correctly, add one automatic skull to whatever is rolled.

Here's an idea for a simple magic-type power that utilizes blanks.

That power is really sweet and I hope we use it somewhere if not here.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

If we extended her blank power to herself I could see that being fun. Though I’m not entirely sure on the auto skull being the benefit. I think something flashier or grander could be cool.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

Rather than once per round, I like a d20 roll requirement here to keep it in check. With us building the faction with powers that revolve around blanks, I'd prefer not to make it only once per round that the benefit is seen. I also like having a d20 roll aspect on her to provide the natural tie with Constantine and JL Batman.

As for the Rabbit out of the Hat power, rather than the guessing game, which I think is more of a gambler power, so I'd rather save it for a gambling centered character, I like the blanks mattering here. So how about sleight of hand representation, showing off her quickness and misdirection, resulting in her wounding her opponent without them even being able to defend it.

Zatanna is a skilled illusionist, showgirl and stage magician even without resorting to her innate magical powers. In fact she considers part of her "training" exercising sleight of hand tricks, and she claims to have invented a variation of the three-card monte called the "Zatara shuffle", in which she is so fast and precise that, even without resorting to cheating, only skilled gamblers like Selina Kyle are able to follow the movements of her hands.

I'm thinking this is a fun direction:
MISTRESS OF MAGIC
After Zatanna or a friendly figure within 7 clear sight spaces of Zatanna rolls combat dice, defense dice, or attack dice for a normal attack, you may roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 7 or higher, change one die rolled to a blank.

TRAP DOOR TELEPORTATION
Instead of taking a turn with Zatanna, you may choose a single spaced Unique Hero you control. Immediately switch Zatanna and the chosen Hero, and take a turn with the chosen Hero. Figures switched by Trap Door Teleportation never take any leaving engagement attacks.

ZATARA SHUFFLE
When attacking with Zatanna's normal attack, if she rolls more blanks than the defending figure, the defending figure immediately receives one wound.

MAGICAL DEFENSE
When Zatanna is attacked by an opponent's figure that does not have the Magical Defense special power, the most wounds Zatanna can take for this attack is one.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

Rather than once per round, I like a d20 roll requirement here to keep it in check. With us building the faction with powers that revolve around blanks, I'd prefer not to make it only once per round that the benefit is seen. I also like having a d20 roll aspect on her to provide the natural tie with Constantine and JL Batman.

As for the Rabbit out of the Hat power, rather than the guessing game, which I think is more of a gambler power, so I'd rather save it for a gambling centered character, I like the blanks mattering here. So how about sleight of hand representation, showing off her quickness and misdirection, resulting in her wounding her opponent without them even being able to defend it.

Zatanna is a skilled illusionist, showgirl and stage magician even without resorting to her innate magical powers. In fact she considers part of her "training" exercising sleight of hand tricks, and she claims to have invented a variation of the three-card monte called the "Zatara shuffle", in which she is so fast and precise that, even without resorting to cheating, only skilled gamblers like Selina Kyle are able to follow the movements of her hands.

I'm thinking this is a fun direction:
MISTRESS OF MAGIC
After Zatanna or a friendly figure within 7 clear sight spaces of Zatanna rolls combat dice, defense dice, or attack dice for a normal attack, you may roll the 20-sided die. If you roll 7 or higher, change one die rolled to a blank.

TRAP DOOR TELEPORTATION
Instead of taking a turn with Zatanna, you may choose a single spaced Unique Hero you control. Immediately switch Zatanna and the chosen Hero, and take a turn with the chosen Hero. Figures switched by Trap Door Teleportation never take any leaving engagement attacks.

ZATARA SHUFFLE
When attacking with Zatanna's normal attack, if she rolls more blanks than the defending figure, the defending figure immediately receives one wound.

MAGICAL DEFENSE
When Zatanna is attacked by an opponent's figure that does not have the Magical Defense special power, the most wounds Zatanna can take for this attack is one.

That's actually pretty cool.
 
Re: The Book of Zatanna (II) (Breathing)

Good call on incorporating the d20 roll there. 7+ might be a little low to start considering the potential boosts from Batman or Constantine but I dig the concept. The shuffle power for auto-wounds could prove pretty good since she can get at least 1 blank fairly consistently. I like it as it'll make you want to use her attack vs some harder to damage units like Superman, and since Superman has a weakness to magic if fits thematically too.
 
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