Midnight Sons Archives - Page 4 of 4

From Panel To Play: Black Cat

CP37 Black Cat

They say it is bad luck when a black cat crosses your path. Well, the subject of today’s From Panel to Play is living proof!

Felicia Hardy, daughter of an infamous cat burglar, initially used her athletic prowess to follow her father’s example in a life of crime as the Black Cat. When she wasn’t stealing priceless art or heisting a fortune in jewels, she enjoyed toying with Spider-Man. Despite standing on the opposite side of the law, Black Cat allied with Spider-Man against common foes, helping him to combat villains like the Kingpin and Doctor Octopus.

Never satisfied with her abilities, Black Cat was envious of those with great powers. She made a deal with Wilson Fisk in order to gain superpowers of her own, which let her inflict bad luck on those around her. Now, Black Cat struggles between her criminal and heroic natures, making her an unpredictable piece of New York’s superpowered scene and a bad cat to have cross your path.

A cat always lands on its feet. At least we hope so, otherwise Black Cat’s impressive mid-combat back flip is going to be a problem! Pushing a miniature’s ability to depict motion and agility, Black Cat is captured in the moment she’s leaping over a stupefied and unlucky mook’s head. Astute observers will notice the bit of webbing clinging to the girder she’s using as a springboard. It is a fun touch, because it is appropriate if Spider-Man is allied with Black Cat, but can also suggest she’s just dodged away from a web shot if she and Parker are on different sides of a crisis.

Felicia Hardy is a tricky cat to pin down. On the tabletop, she has numerous abilities to get her into—and out of—trouble. With an emphasis on evasion, a sprinkling of good old-fashioned robbery, and the ability to turn her foe’s luck bad, Black Cat is a troublemaker you’ll want to have on your side of a crisis.

Black Cat isn’t what you’d call a heavy hitter. She can ruin somebody’s day with a rake of her Cat’s Claws thanks to the Pierce special rule, but she isn’t on the team to dish out damage. This is proven by her Troublemaker attack, which lets her leave a target dazed and confused as she backflips away to safety. Though it hits at Strength 6, Troublemaker actually trades in the potential to deal damage for interesting special rules and effects. When it lands, Troublemaker is limited to a single point of damage, but leaves the target Staggered and lets Black Cat make a short advance thanks to the Elusive special rule. Bye, Felicia!

That’s not the only tricky way Black Cat can move around. No self-respecting cat burglar would be caught without a way to get to Wilson Fisk’s penthouse (that’s where he keeps all the good stuff), so Black Cat brings a nifty grappling hook. For 2 Power she can shoot a line to anywhere within Range 2 and reel herself in. It’s perfect for accessing open windows or getting clear of the path of a charging Venom.

Backflips and ziplines are fun and all, but Black Cat can also help immensely during a crisis by practicing the family business—larceny. Swooping in out of nowhere, she can steal whatever bit of world-threatening menace her opponents have conveniently collected for her. The Master Cat Burglar active superpower lets Black Cat pay 3 Power to pilfer an asset or civilian token from an enemy in Range 1.

The ability to steal assets (and victory points) is likely to paint a large target on her back. Fortunately for her, people that cross this Black Cat’s path tend to run a streak of bad luck: their bullets end up being duds, their punches miss the mark, and things just don’t go their way. The Bad Luck innate superpower reflects this, preventing attackers who target Black Cat from modifying their attack rolls.

That’s all for our look at Black Cat. Check back next time when we dive in with a closer look at yet another character for Marvel: Crisis Protocol!

Until then, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off!

From Panel To Play: Iron Fist

CP49 Iron Fist

Sure, lots of people know how to punch things. But how many people can draw on the spirit energy of an ancient dragon to make their punches superhumanly strong and impervious to pain or damage? That’s gotta be a much shorter list. This time on From Panel to Play, we’re looking at Danny Rand, inheritor of the Rand-Meachum Corporation, adventurer, Hero for Hire, and the Iron Fist!

Danny Rand is a martial artist and the master of the mystical Iron Fist, which allows him to harness and focus his chi to devastating effect. As a young child, Rand traveled with his parents to the hidden city of K’un-L’un, which his father discovered years earlier. Rand’s parents died in the treacherous mountains, but the mysterious city’s inhabitants took him in and taught him the martial arts. Later, he confronted and defeated the dragon Shou-Lao. Plunging his fist into the dragon’s molten heart gave him the Iron Fist’s power and burned Shou-Lao’s mark on his chest.

Rand returned to America, where he ultimately met and befriended Luke Cage. Together they formed Heroes for Hire, Inc. The pair offered their extraordinary talents to help protect New York City’s citizens who needed them the most.

Iron Fist’s miniature is a snapshot of the last thing his opponents ever want to see. The master martial artist leaps into the air, summoning the power of Shou-Lao’s spirit and his own Chi into the terrifying Iron Fist strike. Whoever is on the receiving end is about to have an awful day. The dragon-shaped wave of energy holding Iron Fist in the air is an excellent opportunity for painters to show off their object-source lighting skills. Still, it can also be painted with simple washes and highlights thanks to the miniature’s incredible detail.

On the table, Iron Fist is a ticking time bomb for the enemy forces. As Iron Fist pummels opponents with flurries of Chi Strikes, a solid Strength 5 energy attack with the potential to stun his targets, he is gradually building up Power. This is further enhanced by his innate power Immortal Weapon. As one of the Immortal Weapons, the champions of the Seven Cities of Heaven, Iron Fist can manipulate his chi’s flow. In the game, this power gives Iron Fist 1 bonus Power during the Power Phase.

Once Iron Fist has accumulated enough Power and focused his chi’s flow, he can unleash the Iron Fist’s devastating power. With a punch strong enough to bring down a Helicarrier, he strikes with an astounding Strength 9 energy attack. This strike’s shockwave is strong enough to cause enemy characters within Range 3 of the initial target to suffer damage, and whoever is on the receiving end of this empowered punch can be Staggered and thrown back from the impact. Perhaps more damaging for the enemy’s plans, if the Iron Fist attack’s target didn’t already have an Activated token, this attack places one on them. He won’t be able to do it all the time—in early stories, this attack left Iron Fist drained and exhausted —so you’ll have to spend 8 Power to pull off the strike.

While his Iron Fist attack is undoubtedly eye-catching, Iron Fist has other attacks and powers to reflect his martial arts mastery. Unfortunately, that’s all we have time for today!

That’s all for our first look at how Iron Fist leaped Panel to Play. Check back for our next installment, when we examine another of your favorite characters as they jump onto the table in Marvel: Crisis Protocol.

Until then, this is Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off.

From Panel To Play: Doctor Strange and Wong

Doctor Strange and Wong

Get ready for a two-for-one Panel to Play! In today’s Transmission, we are looking at Doctor Stephen Strange and his loyal companion Wong.

Once, Doctor Stephen Strange was a masterful—if arrogant—surgeon. A car crash robbed Strange of his ability to perform surgery, reducing his once fine hands to ruin of twisted bones and damaged nerves. In search of healing, Strange wandered the world and exhausted his funds, eventually becoming a drifter. It was then that he met the Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth. From the Ancient One, Strange learned the mystical arts, mastering them and eventually taking up his mentor’s mantle as the world’s defender against mystical threats.

Wong is the companion and protector of the Sorcerer Supreme. Born in the hidden land of Kamar-Taj, Wong is the most recent in a long line who swore their loyalty to the Ancient One. From early childhood, Wong has studied the mystic and martial arts, mastering them in order to serve in his role. Upon reaching adulthood, the Ancient One sent him to the Sanctum Sanctorum in New York to defend Doctor Strange. Since then he has stayed by the Sorcerer Supremes’ side.

Doctor Strange and Wong both have miniatures that capture their approaches to conflict. The Sorcerer Supreme stands confidently amid a massive whirling mandala of mystic runes and shapes (the Shield of the Seraphim, perhaps?) while magical winds whip at his cloak.

Meanwhile, Wong stands in a defensive position drawing on the martial arts of Kamar-Taj. His miniature is poised to leap into action against any who would threaten the Sorcerer Supreme.

Doctor Strange skillfully commands the mystic arts in battle. His rules mirror this mastery with a set of potent and quite tricky attacks and superpowers.

When it comes to attacking, the good doctor doesn’t rely on the brute force of Physical attacks, using Energy and, appropriately, Mystic attack types instead. This gives Doctor Strange an edge on his foes, who often are less resilient to these attack types. Bolts of Bedevilment has a decent Range 4, but the iconic Crimson Bands of Cytorak attack is a true showstopper. By default, this attack allows Doctor Strange to inflict the Stagger special condition, but if the attack roll produces a critical, wild, and a regular hit, Doctor Strange can use the Mystic Binding special rule instead, giving the target an activated token—monkeying with your opponent’s action economy as a result!

Doctor Strange has four different superpowers, each taken from one of the many classic spells the Sorcerer Supreme has used in defending the world from mystical threats. Each one is potent and useful, but special mention goes to the Eye of Agamotto innate power. Not only does this permit Doctor Strange to modify and reroll failures, once per attack he can reroll all the dice of an attack or defense roll. Wielding a Vishanti’s weapon of wisdom has its benefits!

Doctor Strange defends the world aided by his loyal protector, Wong. While he lacks the breadth of abilities the Sorcerer Supreme possesses, he is a valuable addition to any crisis team’s roster! With a Threat of 2, Wong can help to fill in the gaps and put another character on the field, which can be quite useful when you’re trying to secure valuable assets or hold critical locations.

Wong’s rules are a reflection of his role in supporting Doctor Strange. Most of his superpowers benefit other characters in Wong’s vicinity, from Faithful Assistant which allows a friendly character within Range 3 to gain 1 additional power to the potent The Vishanti’s Blessing power that allows an ally of Wong to remove 2 damage or a special condition.

That’s all for our look at this duo of magical protectors. Be sure to check back when From Panel to Play returns, as we take a look at another of the characters coming to Marvel: Crisis Protocol.

See you then! Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off.