New Big Guy for the Slanns

[Greyhound]

Hi,

I love the Krox for the Slanns, and I think it fits well with the team.
I miss however the opportunity to fit a big fat Slann on the pitch an I was wondering if there couldn't be an alternate universe where the Slann team plays with one of their mage.

Here's a tentative.

The Slaan mage come to the pitch for a short time using his magical power to levitate its own platform. Slaan mages are rarely understood, and although extremely intelligent they sometimes focus on action mere mortals cannot understand. They've been known to be lost in their thoughts sometimes for a whole drive. There is nothing wrong with a fat toad coming on the pitch but as soon as the drive start they use extensively their magical powers, which will force the referee to expel them at the end of the drive.

0-1 Slann Mage 160k 4539, Bone Head, No Hands, Secret Weapon, Hypnotic Gaze, Disturbing Presence. Skills S (GAP)

Note: once a game, if the Slaan mage is on the pitch, the team is a allowed to use the Fireball, or Lightning Bolt spell as if they purchased a Wizard.


Rational: he would be the only big guy you don't want to put in contact with other players. He would be more efficient from afar than in melee, although with ST5, he can keep someone busy. He offers 150k worth of inducement BUT the spell has to be used when he's on the field, so it's not as efficient and flexible. He's a sort of deathroller.
Hypno Gaze with AG3 is not that powerful, Disturbing Presence is added for extra anti-passing skill and showing his magical aura/spells/ability to disrupt the game.
He doesn't have loner, and plays well with his other Slaan friends, like the old deathroller used to.

PS: I repeat this is an alternate universe, think about a rainy sunday afternoon as an alternative to your day-to-day blood bowl.

[gandresch]

Hi,

so you buy a wiz for every game and get an additional 4539 player for one drive for an extra cash of 10k. Have you thought about that?
For me this is far too strong! Why don't you give the player 4529 without MB and therefor only add Hypno Gaze to his skilllist. This would be nice for a mage, wouldn't it?

So perhaps:
0-1 Slann Mage 160k 4529, Bone Head, Hypnotic Gaze, VLL, Grab. Skills S (GAP)

Wouldn't that be enough for a cool player? Giving the player SW and this Wiz would be way too hard. You can even think about Really Stupid, because mages are always lost in thoughts and arrogant and so have to be convinced to start their actions.

But i still think, that the Kroxi is far more attractive. Especially the MA6 and the Tail make him a very good player. The new one wouldn't equalize that adavantage.
The more i think about that, the more is dislike the idra of another Loner for the Slann team.

Greets,
gan

[Greyhound]

You don't always get a free wizard since he stays for only one drive and it may not be the best time to blast. Hyp gaze with AG2 would suck wouldn't it?

[SierraKiloBravo]

Bonehead doesn't make sense. Don't the mages run the lizardmen? Seems like they shouldn't have bonehead because of that.

[duckwing]

Bonehead doesn't make sense. Don't the mages run the lizardmen? Seems like they shouldn't have bonehead because of that.

Didn't you read the fluff? I think bonehead fits pretty well when interpreted like that.

[Greyhound]

Yep, I put this in the fluff for bonehead:
Slaan mages are rarely understood, and although extremely intelligent they sometimes focus on actions mere mortals cannot understand. They've been known to be lost in their thoughts sometimes for a whole drive.

I am making this big guy a very random piece.
Pros:
- one more man on the pitch (ST5)
- a potential for hypno Gaze (AG3)
- some mobility but risky (AG3) I expect Break Tackle to be a good skill for this guy
- Contribute to the anti-passing game of the frogs (Disturbing Presence)
- a Potential ZAP from afar once a game while he's on the pitch.

Cons:
- Bonehead + secret weapon means he may do nothing for the whole game
- No mighty Blow nor Claw, No Hand, and his primary use being not blocking means that the Slaan mage isn't going to SPP fast at all
- AG3 is mostly undermined with No Hands
- No access to general skill (usual big guy curse)
- you may be forced to unleash your Lightning Bolt of Fireball at the most useless time wasting its potential

I don't think it is too strong and I would still prefer a Kroxigor. I take your feedback though, if you want to remove the Spell ability (Wizard) you've also eliminated the Bonehead/No Hands/Secret weapon, so you're back in a classic BG role.
I don't think VLL would be fitting a really fat toad who can't move though

[yumi_cheeseman]

Greyhound, even if u can only use the wizard in 1 drive, it's extremely potent. It FORCES the other player to score and not stall the last 2 turns, allowing you to score, OR it allows you to get the ball out, and a blitz on a marker and a catcher could easily get it out. This player with the wizard ability is worth at least 260k easily!

Remove the secret weapon, and remove the wizard ability, hypnotic gaze on a big guy would be SUPER AWESOME. Even with only AG2. Think about it, most of the time with a big guy, all you do is move him and mark a player with your STR 5, AV9 MB player. Imagine if at the end of that you had a free chance to hypno! If it fails who cares! If it passes, yay! As a more desparate play the slaan could easily use him to try and get a guard player out of a cage. Actually I'd pretty much exclusively use him to take out guard players or receivers. No chance of turnover from hypno gaze either.

[Greyhound]

Fair point.

I costed him using the deathroller of doom, but if I can see that I underestimate wizardry.
260k is a bit too much for a single piece. I should tank the idea until I figure out a way to make something for wizardry on the ball using current rules (I'm not a huge fan of making new skills).

Thanks for the feedback !

[mattgslater]

What if the fireball or lightning bolt counts as the player's action, and automatically causes a turnover, or even turns over and places the Slann prone?

Also, SW players tend to be the kinds of guys you field on offense, while Wizards tend to be defensive pieces.

Oooh... instead of SW, how about this? I put "go off" in quotes, because there's got to be a better term.

At the end of the opposing team's turn, before moving your turn marker, your Slann Mage may "go off", vanishing in a puff of smoke and casting a fireball or lightning bolt, not to return. The Slann Mage may "go off" as an action. Whenever you declare any action with the Slann Mage, roll 1d6. On a 1, the player "goes off" instead. If the Slann Mage goes off on your turn, this causes a turnover.

Nah, but I'm going to file that away for when I make another crack at Tzeentch teams. Still, what about the first bit, where he has SW and can cast his spell as his action, and it ends the team turn?

[Greyhound]

Yep, it's for the scrap pile. Maybe a new version/flavour in 2 years time

Remember that spells fail on 2+ already. Not considering the armour break, the dodge etc...