Oh, how ironic.
I know this is a relatively old point, but I wanted to bring something else up because I wasnt 100% sure how stuff worked at the time, but now I remembered why this struck me as fishy.
Driving Mantis style allows fixer to redirect damage, but -like wih all redirections- the source of the damage remains the same. In other words, sure you could use a one-shot or grenade launcher or something similar to attack Fixer and have him redirect damage with Driving Mantis Style, but there would be no point in doing so as you would not get to use any of Fixer’s buffs from Harmony or Tools or anything.
It’s not about Mister Fixer’s buffs, it’s about doing damage to the targets you want not the targets you are forced to hit. The point is that you can hit the same target you have already hit with more damage.
For instance with Grenade launcher you could hit
Citizen Summer for 2
Mister Fixer for 2
Citizen Dawn for 1
Mister Fixer redirects the damage to Citizen Summer and now Citizen Summer takes 4 points of damage, not 2 and a partially wasted attack because there weren’t enough targets for Grenade Launcher (or you just wanted to make sure Citizen Summer went down from this attack).
From what I gathered playing him, he’s not supposed to be as strong as the other damage heroes. He’s really more of a utility/jack of all trades hero. Also, he has an infinitely shorter recovery time than Wraith or Expat or the purely damage-dealing heroes.
I hadn't thought of using Driving Mantis to allow other heroes to use multiple targets on the same target. I still think he and Expatriette (Why does she have 0 drawing cards?) are some of the weaker heroes. Maybe that's because they don't have superpowers like the other heroes. I don't think they are the weakest, though. We use a house rule for Absolute Zero's base power (in my signature) because if he can't find his modules he is the worst hero in the game.
What I don't like about Fixer is he has so many "Don't play that" cards. Every hero has cards that I usually refuse to play. Surge of Strength, Wrathful Gaze, Enduring Intercession, etc. Fixer just has too many of them. Bloody Knuckles, Riveting Crane, Tire Iron, any stance if you already have a stance, any tool if you already have a tool. I know there are situations where they are useful. Maybe I'd like him more if he had ongoing/environment destruction (maybe his broom tool ;) or a finishing move.
0 drawing cards?
She has the one that lets her find Pride or Prejudice. She has Armory, where she reveals and pulls out guns. And she as another one too, i believe (?) that lets her get a gun out. - If you mean 'Draw one card' yeah sure, she has no of those, but she has Deck manipulation mechanics within her deck.
Its not perfect sure, ive played plenty of games where I didnt see a gun for her until round 6 or 7, and it really blows to be completely useless in that time period. did a lot of 'No Play, No Power, draw 2 cards'
There's plenty of heroes who don't have "superpowers" that are still pretty incredible. I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum: I think Mister Fixer and Expatriette are only made better by the fact that they don't have superpowers and still kick ass. Both of them are up there in my favorite heroes. Mister Fixer is 80 years old, and he can still beat up anything the universe throws at him. How cool is that?
And I think all of his tools have their own use throughout the game. He can pretty much be applied to any situation and get the job done, no matter what. That's why he's got 5 tools and 5 styles; that gives you 25 possible combinations to apply to whatever situation you may need. Now, that's not to say you're going to be using a ton of those combinations every game. Odds are you'll stick to 2-3 combinations over the course of an average game, but that still means you've got what you need. Maybe you don't manage to get the right two cards you need, but at least they're there, and you can get lucky and get them in another game. Sure, you might stick with Pipe Wrench and Grease Monkey Fist in a lot of games, but that's understandable; it's a good combo. But if you're fighting Voss and he's got a lot of shielding around him, you might need Alternating Tiger Claw to break that defense. Anything that needs to be attacked in a particular way, Mister Fixer can make it happen. I LOVE Mister Fixer. Honestly, I think he's one of the best heroes in this game.
I can totally understand people's apprehension when using Bloody Knuckles, though. It is a pretty risky play. It really just depends on benefits vs. costs, and whether or not you can predict if he's going to be hit in the next turn. But trust me, used at the right time, Bloody Knuckles can be an amazing card.
Final thoughts on Fixer: much like Nightmist, you can't be afraid to let yourself get hurt. You don't wanna hide behind Pipe Wrench and Driving Mantis the whole time--get out there and put yourself on the line, and do some serious damage.
Other Heroes' deck search cards let them draw cards in addition to searching. Quick Draw in particular is so specific that it amazes me it doesn't have 'Draw 1 card, Play 1 card' on it.
Even Absolute Zero's Onboard Module Installation has that. Except, of course, that he isn't allowed to put one of his Modules directly into play, so it usually amounts to only one perk of "Draw a card" if you want him to suck ice or coldify fire that turn.
BTW anybody use MR. FIXER vs Spite yet?
I had a great game of tennis going on... Mr. Fixer would whip out Bloody Knuckles and do extra damage... Spite would bounce them back with that strenght drug of his, and then Fixer preps bloody knuckles on his turn again for more beatdown goodness. I really liked him vs Spite and he is the boss of Voss.
I certainly don't disagree - she could use more draw. But she does have draw cards, they just arent the typical draw 1 card sort of deal. its a bit more refined, and I believe that is because she is entirely dependant on her guns to do -anything-, that she needs a less random depend on the shuffle draw, and a bit more of a direct call - while still maintaininga bit of the randomness.
On topic, I really like Mr. Fixer against Apostate. Jack Handle/Alternating Tiger Claw is great against the Orb of Delirium, and Hoist Chain is serious damage control.
Dont know if he need more fixing, but I definitely found it lacking.
Being a support character doesnt mean he shouldn't be doing anything usefull. He definitely lack use for his cards, one-shot or power. Having only one power to rely to is meeh. He isn't that much versatile and once he commit to a style cannot change it or he wont be able to get back.
It always feel like there is someone that could do it even better and that everyone else could do it just as good. As far as support goes he feel a lot lackluster compared to other support character (Legacy, AA, Visionnary,...).
He look more like a concept character than a balanced character.
I disagree. I've found him able to do quite well, he just needs proper care and feeding.
Legacy + Argent Adept + Mr. Fixer
+2 damage from your allies, Argent can get you Bloody Knuckles on his turn, and then Overdrive on your turn. Jack Handle + a Style + Harmony = 6 damage to ALL targets (or use dual crowbars and get 7 damage to two targets) - this can really make a huge difference in some villain fights (I think there is only 1 or two citizens that would still be alive after that strike).
Mr Fixer is not the single-target damage powerhouse, he is a multi-striker. If you think of his abilities as AoE, then they are pretty powerful.
Sorry but put any heroes with the same 2 other helpers and they all will rocks... and some a lot more than Mr. Fixer.Just Tempest and his basic power will be 3 damage to every vilain, Fanatic 3 + 3 damage, and Expatriette a lot more with just one gun.
If you say Mr Fixer need a +2 Damage boost and someone to play his cards for him to do quite well, then indeed you say he need help.
I find Mr FIxer to be an invaluable member of any team. Choose the most profitable style+tool you can manage, charge, overdrive, change set up when needed : he is very adaptable, and good at dealing lots of damage, or helping other to deal lot of damage, or/and tanking. And he as Salvage Yard. And the incredible Tire Iron that took me so long to use efficiently.
I don't feel he needs any fixing, but it is true that a player can feel playing him to be repetitive - though it is true of most other heroes.
In fact you can really argue why is power is not : put a style or a tool in play. Then have each tool provide for the actual power. It nearly wont change a thing about him.
And that is why he feel so dull to play, no real choice, totally dependant on the draw to sustain him his only 3 cards he could have in play at the same time, only one power to activate, could be totally dependant on other players/environment to provide him with damage bonus, could often manage to do with 3 cards what other heroes could do with one.
His deck is too many cards that cant enter play and not enough one-shot and other to provide things to do when you have your 3 cards set.
In fact sometimes I would love his power to be : deal 2 melee damage to one target or deal 1 melee damage and draw a card. Or that he can cycle his deck for non-style, non-equipment cards.
I'm intrigued by the way we analyze hero decks.
Each deck is specifically designed with a style and flavor that is unique to that hero. In Mr. Fixer's case, he's designed to be versatile, but very zen - he doesn't need a bunch of stuff to be effective, just a simple configuration of a few cards that are appropriate for the current situation. That's the flavor of his deck.
We've had many games were Fixer did wonderful - for what he does. No, he's not flashy and he's not highly dynamic. But he generally does a decent to good amount of damage, gets past the villain's defenses/offenses (with styles, tools, and his grease gun), and makes himself important to the game.
Again, it's just his style. When I'm looking to play lots of cards, I'll play Tachy. If I want to have lots of stuff and options, I'll play Wraith (or, if I have the brainpower, Argent Adept). If I'm feeling like I have an attitude, I'll play Absolute Zero, Fanatic, or NightMist. If I just want to burn things, it's Ra.
But if I'm looking for something effective and thoughtful, but not overly active, Fixer's the guy I go to.
Now, when he's with the right team, he's even better. Argent Adept letting him play cards on AA's turn is wonderful! Boosts from others always helps. Having someone like Visionary help him get the right cards is great, also, but everyone loves that.
On the flip side, having Fixer give everyone else their destroyed equipment back is pretty shiny - Bunker, Zero, and Wraith love that! In our experience, because he generally sets up well and quickly, Fixer tends to be the go-to person for ditching his hand/cards, skipping his turn, and things like that. Not necessarily because he's being less effective, but because he isn't as dependent upon his cards (once he has a useful setup) and being set back a turn doesn't hurt him as much as it does other heroes. He is not the person to ask to destroy something (unless it's his Bloody Knuckles), as he rarely has much out to destroy. Having said that, he does have ways to deal with it when it happens.
I agree. Fixer would win the "Best Team Player" award were Legacy or Ardent Adept not in the game. He is always able to sacrifice a card from hand or the table to minimize damage to those characters who have more of a set up to "set up". He also usually has exactly what is needed for the situation at hand, so once he draws it, he will be a solid, consistent benefit to the team. (Mr Fixer with Harmony, his Jackhandle and Driving Mantis against a minion heavy villain is a thing of beauty)
"Argent Adept letting him play cards on AA's turn is wonderful! Boosts from others always helps. Having someone like Visionary help him get the right cards is great, also, but everyone loves that."
The trouble is that there isn't so many cards he can play ! AA could let him play the one or two cards of his decks that make sens in his turn. Visionnary can help me get his hand on the one or two cards he could play.
That is the core of the trouble : you will need to play 3 cards on a serie of 24 of your 40 cards decks. The 21 others cards you draw (still more than half your deck) aren't playable/usefull. That is a problem that is exacerbated on Mr Fixer above all the others character because he didn't draw a lot of cards and cant play a lot of cards. When another hero draw any card he usually could put it down for a later use or in case, when Mr. Fixer draw a Style, a Tool, a cards that make it draw a style or a tool, he have no use for it and cant put it down without slowing himself or cancelling another capability.
That is why I find it far less fun that other. Because when you have what you need, more than half the time you draw a card it is useless and you cant do anything with it, not even boost your actual power like Bunker or Tachyon. And it is quite fast to have what you need when you only need 3 cards. Anyother heroes is more fun because s/he rarerly cant use what s/he draw so you have to make decision on what you play and what you use.