W5 - Giant Scorpion - brainstorming

New Pathfinder Battles set came out and they have a few cool new mini's - like this one : P


Unit Name: CHEPHALAX
Figures: Pathfinder Battles – Crown of Fangs – Giant Scorpion
General: AQUILLA
Species: Arachnid
Type: Unique Hero
Class: Predator
Personality: Wild
Size: LARGE 5
Points: 120
Stats
Life: 5
Move: 7
Range: 1
Attack: 3
Defense: 5

DOUBLE ATTACK
When Chephalax attacks with a normal attack, it may attack one additional time.  This additional attack may be a normal attack or its Poison Sting Special Attack.

PINCER CLAWS
After moving and before attacking, you may reveal an X order marker on this card and chose a figure adjacent to Chephalax. For the duration of the round, while adjacent to Chephalax, the chosen figure cannot be moved by any special power on an Army Card or glyph and rolls 2 less defense.

POISON STING SPECIAL ATTACK
Range 1, Attack 3
If Chephalax inflicts at least 1 wound with Poison Sting Special Attack roll the 20-sided die for Poison Damage.  If you roll 1-9 nothing happens.  If you roll 10-19, add 1 additional wound marker to the defending figure’s Army Card and roll again for Poison Damage.  If you roll a 20, destroy the defending figure.

Great start out of the gate. Will Chephalax fit on a small base?

I ordered the mini and should have next week. Probably a large round.

Lord Kai wrote:I ordered the mini and should have next week.  Probably a large round.

Okay, this mini is pretty darn awesome!!!  Probably a peanut base to avoid "stinger denial."  There is a central 'peg' under the belly for basing that would work. I am ordering another copy for sharing!

Spoiler:

Unit Name: CHEPHALAX
Figures: Pathfinder Battles – Crown of Fangs – Giant Scorpion
General: AQUILLA
Species: Arachnid
Type: Unique Hero
Class: Predator
Personality: Wild
Size: LARGE 5
Points: 120
Stats
Life: 5
Move: 7
Range: 1
Attack: 3
Defense: 5

DOUBLE ATTACK
When Chephalax attacks with a normal attack, it may attack one additional time. This additional attack may be a normal attack or its Poison Sting Special Attack.

PINCER CLAWS
After moving and before attacking, you may reveal an X order marker on this card and chose a figure adjacent to Chephalax. While engaged with Chephalax, the chosen figure cannot be moved by any special power on an Army Card or glyph and rolls 2 less defense. This effect ends at the end of the round.

POISON STING SPECIAL ATTACK
Range 1, Attack 3
If Chephalax inflicts at least 1 wound with Poison Sting Special Attack roll the 20-sided die for Poison Damage. If you roll 1-9 nothing happens. If you roll 10-19, add 1 additional wound marker to the defending figure’s Army Card and roll again for Poison Damage. If you roll a 20, destroy the defending figure

Pretty cool looking figure and the base stats look good.
How about for Pincer Claws
After moving and before attacking, you may reveal an X order marker on this card and chose a figure adjacent to Chephalax. While engaged with Chephalax, the chosen figure cannot be moved by any special power on an Army Card or glyph and rolls 2 less defense until the end of the round. This effect ends at the end of the round.
Couldn't think of any at the end of the round powers, but Kira Jax is the end of her turn.

On Poison Sting, do you think any one would have a problem with the same power as Sujoah but with different attack value? Maybe increase the attack to 4 (maybe drop the ability to use the special on the additional attack as well?).

Good suggestion on shortening the Pincer Claws!!

I did copy word-for-word the Poison Sting and had it at 4-attack initially but though the reduction in defense from Pincers made it too strong. I could always change it to SCORPION STING S.A.

I like the idea of mix-and-match double-attacks (because sometimes you'll want height for 2 attacks of 4). I certainly breaks consistency - so might need another name instead of DOUBLE ATTACK.

Still need a play-test but I'm excited to him on the battlefield. I think the Pincer claws will really boost the Spiders too for follow up attacks. Might be better than 120-points after some testing but that's the range that I'm starting at (using Kaemon and Hydra as a baseline for A-rated).

I looked at Scarcarver's X-order marker and used some of that wording:


PINCER CLAWS
After moving and before attacking, you may reveal an X order marker on this card and chose a figure adjacent to Chephalax. For the duration of the round, the chosen figure cannot be moved by any special power on an Army Card or glyph and rolls 2 less defense.

Kai wrote:PINCER CLAWS
After moving and before attacking, you may reveal an X order marker on this card and chose a figure adjacent to Chephalax. For the duration of the round, the chosen figure cannot be moved by any special power on an Army Card or glyph and rolls 2 less defense.

This is only while engaged with Chephalax, right? If Chephalax runs off, then Pincer Claws is no longer in affect.

PINCER CLAWS
After moving and before attacking, you may reveal an X order marker on this card and chose a figure adjacent to Chephalax. For the duration of the round, while adjacent to Chephalax, the chosen figure cannot be moved by any special power on an Army Card or glyph and rolls 2 less defense.

Nomad wrote:

Kai wrote:PINCER CLAWS
After moving and before attacking, you may reveal an X order marker on this card and chose a figure adjacent to Chephalax. For the duration of the round, the chosen figure cannot be moved by any special power on an Army Card or glyph and rolls 2 less defense.

This is only while engaged with Chephalax, right? If Chephalax runs off, then Pincer Claws is no longer in affect.

PINCER CLAWS
After moving and before attacking, you may reveal an X order marker on this card and chose a figure adjacent to Chephalax. For the duration of the round, while adjacent to Chephalax, the chosen figure cannot be moved by any special power on an Army Card or glyph and rolls 2 less defense.

DOH! I will fix that part!  Yes - only engaged.  I cut that part when I updated the language.  I'll add it back in.

--
In the meantime - Army Ideas:

Chephalax ... 120
Spiders x4 ... 280
Estivara ... 360
Wyvern ... 460
Theracus ... 500

Use Predator bonding to get Scorpion and/or Wyvern into position then OM3 on Theracus to "taxi" Estivara up into the fray.  Scorpions are arachnids so Estivara's +1 attack aura at 6-range works on Chephalax : P

This is an awesome looking figure. I think we should focus on a 5 big figure release! So with height and Estivera he will be rolling 5 attack die, while the defender rolls 2 less. What do you think about Pincer Claws only reducing defense by 1 and upping the S.A. to match Sujoah?

Derek S wrote:This is an awesome looking figure.  I think we should focus on a 5 big figure release!  So with height and Estivera he will be rolling 5 attack die, while the defender rolls 2 less.  What do you think about Pincer Claws only reducing defense by 1 and upping the S.A. to match Sujoah?

Yeah, he needs a play-test but it could be two attacks of 5 with Estivara. Being a double-space figure, it might be harder to get height. The -2 Defense is strong, as the spiders that he's bonding with will also benefit from it. It makes the Pincer Claw power into an 'assassinate' the hero which might be too much.

I'll try the -2 and see how bad it is for heroes. Poison Sting against -2 defense might be too rough.

Gave the GIANT SCORPION a few play-tests today:

Matsuko ... 80
Kaemon Awa ... 200
Tagawa Samurai ... 320
Samurai Archers x3 ... 515

vs

Giant Scorpion ... 120
Wyvern ... 220
Estivar ... 300
Theracus ... 340
Spiders x4 ... 500

1st match the Spiders won every round of initiative except the last and the 2nd match the Samurai won every round.  The game was split of 1-1.

Chephalax was about 50/50 in his matches.  The first game I tried to balance him with the Wyvern based on the board and the opposition.  Once he got into the mix he was pretty solid - with 5 Life and 5 Defense he held out well.  The Pincer Claw X was good and generally used at the end of the round in the 1st match.  He had advantage of Estivara's +1 attack for most of the match.  A pair of Tagawa Samurai held him up with their 5 defense for a turn and then he finally made it through.  The Pincer was not over-powered.  In the 1st match he fell to Kaemon Awa's double-special after an awesome volley of 4/4 skulls and a whiff on defense.  He did not quite earn his points.

In match 2, I pushed him out right away.  He got boxed in by Samurai Archers who were podding with Matsuko.  I took a leaving engagement to get in a double-attack and it worked but taking two archers out (one which needed the -2 defense for Pincer) opened him up to high-ground attacks from Matsuko and a few archers and he went down surprisingly quick to bad defense rolls.  I had wanted to move him to a space behind Matsuko but his legs blocked him from fitting in the space {which happened more times than I'd like and might be a concern with the figure}.

Most of the losses for Spiders were from Counter-Strike, which was a plus for the Samurai obviously.

I'd say the Giant Scorpion plays very well.  He had Estivara most of the game which made him a greater threat. I don't know if needed Theracus so maybe drop a squad of spiders and get another Wyvern.

Spoiler:

Nice pics.

The spider is going to cause issues with placement with the legs and the claws sticking out front. I wonder if it can be raised on the base so that the legs are above one more hex higher, or if the legs can be bent up. I'll need to see it to know.

The Giant Scorpion had one play-test yesterday. I was trying to set up too many auras for him (Bellochar for +defense and Estivara for +attack) and then he ran into the Cathar Spearmen and their natural 4 Defense. Pincer Claws were used a few times but the -2 defense and some hot defense dice meant the bad guys held out.

As expected, Spiders and Predators do fall to range and against the bonding Samurai Archers and Matsuko it wasn't much of a game. Loosing the Wyvern too early also hurt and the board was very large so range was also aided. Still - I really enjoy the spiders and having different support options like Bellochar and/or Estivara is really cool.

I think the Scorpion is priced right, especially for a potential "hero killer" with Poison Sting. 3 dice for attack is low, but double attack certainly helps.

Biggest concern is the mini not fitting in certain spots on the board because of its smaller legs.

Here is the first attempt on the card. I changed the name of the Double Attack power and tweaked the wording a bit - it is not a true double attack. Also, I added that the figure affected by Pincer Claws cannot move either, which I think is the intent. Let me know what you think about those changes.

Awesome!!!

I so need to find this miniature!! (and the cards he was with … )


Might have to shop for a replacement on eBay : )

I have your mini. You gave it to me to rebase and raise the leagues up a bit. I have not gotten around to that yet . . .

Nomad wrote:I have your mini. You gave it to me to rebase and raise the leagues up a bit. I have not gotten around to that yet . . .

Does that mean you have 2 in your possession (one for me, one for you)?

Lord Kai wrote:

Nomad wrote:I have your mini. You gave it to me to rebase and raise the leagues up a bit. I have not gotten around to that yet . . .

Does that mean you have 2 in your possession (one for me, one for you)?

yes - I have two