From Panel to Play: Emma Frost

CP103 From Panel to Play: Emma Frost

Any self-respecting super knows it’s important to be adaptable. The subject of today’s From Panel to Play couldn’t agree more, as she puts her opponents to shame with diamond-clad stratagems for every eventuality. Let’s hear a royal welcome for the mutant whose X-gene decided one power set was simply not enough: it’s Emma Frost!

While her peers were busy inventing masked identities and dying in shuttle crashes, Emma Frost was already playing a much larger game. Her connections to high society gave her access to a wealth of hidden knowledge, including the existence and nature of the Phoenix Force. As her mutant powers manifested into top-tier telepathy, Emma took it upon herself to attempt to control the dangerous celestial entity. This path brought her into eventual conflict with the X-Men as the battle to save both Jean Grey, and the entire world, from The Phoenix commenced.

Though her methods are often questioned by those unaccustomed to harsh truths, Emma Frost has always set her aim on the preservation of her more vulnerable mutant brethren. Gifted with incredible power and influence from birth, she has often stepped into mentorship, leadership, and protectorship capacities when younger mutants bite off more than they can chew. And while her ties to the Hellfire Club mean she sometimes keeps sinister company, her results are undeniable: it’s far better to play with Emma on your side than across the table.

Emma’s first and favorite set of abilities reside in her formidable mind. A telepath, telekinetic, and general strategic genius, Ms. Frost prefers to keep the battlefield under control. Her Psychic Spike attack can target foes at a lengthy Range 4 while she builds her plan around the Power gained for Damage dealt. And if her Mystic mind-boggling lands just right, a Wild and Hit result will let her Advance her target Short.

As alluded to, Emma Frost was born of high society. She’s very fond of her personal space, and will treat anyone who breaches it to a healthy Hands Off. At Strength 8 and Range 3 directly into the opponent’s Mystic defense, I’d highly recommend respecting her boundaries. And if decency and raw psychic annihilation aren’t enough encouragement, a single Wild will trigger Defenestrate, allowing her to flex her telekinesis on anyone Size 4 or less as they are Thrown Short.

But Emma doesn’t only care about herself. She’s dedicated to seeing her whole team succeed, and she’ll step in if it looks like an ally needs a helping mind. Her Reactive Shield Mind superpower costs her only 2 Power, and allows her to defend an allied character anywhere within Range 4 of her from falling prey to the tricks she knows so well. If they would be Pushed, Advanced, or Thrown by Mystic enemy effects or superpowers, her telepathic guidance will help them resist.

Telepathy, telekinesis, telepathy, telekinesis. This mixed-tactic approach works well for her, and she continues it with Telekinetic Deflection. Incoming debris can be easily brushed aside for 2 Power, leaving Emma unharmed and undisturbed.

And if that wasn’t enough, Emma intends to make SURE no-one interrupts her plan once she sets it in motion. Her innate Power Inhibition allows her to hold all interjections, preventing reactive superpowers or reactive Team Tactic Cards from being used during her Activation.

If you’ve been playing close attention (as well you should, when Emma is around), you may have noticed an extra Reactive superpower lurking near the top of her card. Diamond Form activates her secondary mutant ability. She is loathe to employ it, but if an enemy character breaks through her psychic barrage and targets her with an attack, the situation may call for it.

Emma considers her Diamond Form transformation to be “Far From My Best Look”. She’s eager to transform back once the danger has passed, and after any Activation she starts in Diamond Form ends, she’ll do just that. And it’s not hard to see why. Despite the utility of being made of nigh-indestructible organic diamond, having a Diamond Mind is tough for someone who prides herself on being a telepathic technician. While in Diamond Form, she isn’t able to use any of her telepathic abilities… or play any Team Tactic Cards.

Despite her personal preference to the contrary, being made of diamond has its upsides. Emma may well be locked out of her own psychic abilities, but so too is does she have Psychic Immunity to those of others. She cannot be Pushed or Advanced by Mystic attacks or superpowers, and adds Blanks to her defense rolls against all Mystic attacks. She also gains Immunity to Bleed, Incinerate, Poison, and Stun, which paired with her solid 4 defense stats and 6 Stamina makes her difficult to take down.

As comfy as unbreakable skin may be, staying on the defensive isn’t Emma’s style. Another perk of a diamond body is enhanced strength, and when duty calls, Sometimes One Must Get Their Hands Dirty. For 3 Power Emma can hurl a terrain feature up to Size 3 Medium, either clearing the way or volleying damage into her foes. Once she closes the distance, a good old-fashioned Diamond Strike will make her enemies think twice about engaging her up close. With a Stun and a Pierce for a Wild and a Critical, enemy jaws are a lot more likely to break than her diamond fist.

Even in her more direct form, Emma is ever the strategist. Sometimes waiting for the end of her Activation to transform back to her Normal form will simply not do. In this case, she may employ a devastating Shatter attack. This Area 2, Strength 7 explosion of psionic diamond costs her 6 Power. But for a single Critical the shards will apply Pierce to her foes, and after all attacks are resolved, she will stand once more transformed into her Normal state!

That’s all for today’s look at Emma Frost’s red-carpet debut into Marvel: Crisis Protocol. But if you’re one of Emma’s biggest fans, you might be wondering: what of The White Queen? Fear not, and stay tuned: this versatile valiant has yet more tricks waiting in the wings.

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