From Panel To Play: Cyclops

CP41 Cyclops

Welcome back to From Panel to Play, the series where we look at how your favorite characters shape up in Marvel: Crisis Protocol. This time, we’re talking about a natural leader who some might accuse of being a little… myopic: it’s Cyclops.

Orphaned at a young age, Scott Summers discovered his mutant powers while living in an orphanage. Blasts of powerful force shot from his eyes, damaging a crane and endangering the people standing beneath the payload. Believing the young mutant had tried to kill them, the bystanders became a mob and sent Scott on the run.

Charles Xavier took Scott in and helped him understand his powers, training him to be one of the first X-Men and the team’s principal leader. To control his optic blasts, Cyclops wears a ruby-crystal visor at all times. Taking the name Cyclops, he fights for mutant equality and peace between humans and mutants.

Cyclops’ miniature is set in the most iconic pose for the first X-Man, with his hand ready to adjust the controls of his ruby visor to let loose an optic blast. His posture is measured and confident, exactly what you would expect from the restrained leader of the X-Men. Cyclops also comes with two different heads, allowing you to choose between either the hooded uniform or exposed head.

Translating Cyclops to the tabletop required two major considerations: his leadership qualities and beams of unstoppable force that shoot out of his eyes.

The optic blasts are an interesting aspect of Cyclops’ character. While they are one of his greatest assets, they are also somewhat tragic. He cannot control them, and without the special visor he wears to keep them in check, they could destroy the people he loves and protects.

Both of Cyclops’ attacks, and several of his powers, involve his optic blasts. He has two decent ranged energy attacks from them, putting him on par with the best of ranged characters. The Optic Devastation attack represents the full force and fury of Cyclops’ mutant power, a torrent of force that can leave his targets reeling. This Range 5 Beam attack hits at a respectable Strength 7 and has the unique Concussive Force special rule. If the attack roll produces a wild result, the target loses 1 Power as they are rattled and thrown off guard by the power of the attack.

Of course, Scott Summers is much more than the man with the worst case of red eye in history. He is a stalwart and confident leader of the X-Men, most notably the classic Blue Team. His Leadership ability Blue Team affects members of the Uncanny X-Men affiliation and represents the kind of coordination and teamwork in the face of a battle that Cyclops excels at. Once per turn, when a team member declares an attack, any number of characters within Range 3 of the attacker can donate 1 Power, reducing the cost of the attacker’s attack action to a minimum of 1. The X-Men work together to protect their ally and support them, making certain no one is left vulnerable.

Cyclops’ other leadership-based power, Field Leader, represents him giving orders to his team to coordinate the battlefield. This active power costs 3 Power to use and allows a friendly character within Range 4 to advance a Short range, perfect for getting vulnerable allies into cover or to close the distance with a critical objective.

Cyclops has other powers to help him lead the X-Men to victory, but that’s all we have time for today. Be sure to visit again soon as Atomic Mass Transmissions brings you more From Panel to Play and other news and information about Marvel: Crisis Protocol.

Until then!