From Panel to Play: Beast

CP43Beast

This time on From Panel to Play, we’re talking about the man who proves you can have both brains and brawn, the brilliant scientist, veteran X-Man, and pretty capable acrobat, Beast!

Hank McCoy was marked by his mutation at birth, having enormous hands and feet. During his childhood other children mocked him for his unusual appearance, calling him by the nickname “Beast.”

He was an early inductee to Charles Xavier’s school and his team of mutants. The promise of a dedicated private institution was attractive to the young McCoy, and he accepted. He was a cornerstone member of the early X-Men, where he used his superhuman agility to great effect. Later on in his career, Hank discovered a hormonal extract that causes genetic mutation. He took this extract in an effort to conceal his unmistakable appearance, but there were unforeseen side effects. While the extract enhanced his already impressive abilities, it forced him to undergo intense physical changes as well. His body became more beast-like, growing a coat of blue fur, fangs, and pointed ears.

Despite his unmistakably mutant appearance, Hank McCoy did not let prejudice or fear get the better of him. He achieved his doctorate in genetics and became a world-class expert on mutation and evolutionary biology in humankind. When he’s not fighting alongside his fellow X-Men, Beast acts as a voice of reason in the dialogue between humanity and mutant-kind.

Poised on a bit of scaffolding, Beast’s miniature showcases his incredible physical prowess and agility. Hank McCoy can be a fearsome opponent, but he’s also a gifted intellectual who enjoys reading the classics as much as he likes defeating his foes. That’s why his miniature comes with two options: you can assemble Beast either with a snarling expression and clenched fist to depict him giving in to his animalistic side, or you can build him with his glasses on his face and an open book in his hand… perhaps he’s reading the Art of War?

Hank McCoy has an interesting play style on the tabletop, with a lot of opportunities to fill a hit-and-run role in your roster.

Beast’s animalistic strength and agility serve him well in combat. He is able to leap across the battlefield to tangle with his opponents with overwhelming force. Acrobatic Strike, one of Beast’s two attacks, allows him to target an adversary within Range 3 for a Strength 5 hit. If he rolls any wilds in the attack, he can be placed within Range 1 of his target thanks to the Ambush special rule. He bounds over cover, off of obstacles, and drops next to his unsuspecting prey.

Most of the time, Hank McCoy is a reserved and cool-headed member of the X-Men, but even he gives in to his instincts every once in a while. Baser Instincts is an active superpower that costs 2 to use and allows Beast to throw an interactive terrain feature or enemy character of size 2 and within range 2 a Short distance away. Sometimes brute strength is called for when pure intellect fails.

Beast is an expert at applying the scientific method: if he tries something and it doesn’t succeed, he can use that knowledge towards a new approach. The amusingly named Disconcerting, Yet Provocative! innate power represents his analytical method. Whenever Beast rolls dice after the roll is resolved he gains 1 Power if the roll produced any failures. Combined with his Stars and Garters ability that allows him to spend power to reroll defense rolls, and Beast is able to defend himself from even the grimmest situations.

That’s it for our first look at Beast’s transition from Panel to Play. Check back next time when we talk about another one of your favorite characters and their move to the tabletop!

Until then, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off.