Screw it: I'm fixing Mr. Fixer. [House Rule]

Other Games SotM Game Engine
1

After having read countless threads here regarding Mr. Fixer and his viability or lack thereof, and having struggled with him myself (and had other players struggle with him in my games) I'm going to take action. Honestly I feel he is rather severely outmatched as a hero: If I was to rank the heroes by how effective they each are, Fixer would probably be in the lowest tier. By himself! Whereas other characters may require luck or skill to become effective, it seems Fixer requires absolute ideal circumstances to be effective. So I'll aim to do that, as simply as possible. I love Greater Than Games for putting out this amazing card game, but I don't think they are necessarily above criticism on the gameplay front. I will note that this is simply a couple of potential house rules for playing Mr. Fixer if you feel (as I do) that he basically boils down to being the Dan Hibiki of the game: a joke character that you should never pick in a serious situation.

 

I'm just going to make two changes. First: Fixer's character card.

 

STRIKE - Power: Mr. Fixer deals 1 target 2 melee damage.

This, I feel, fixes 75% of the problems with Fixer. Strike is essentially his only power, it is a damage dealing power, and it's so low as to in many circumstances negate his usefulness entirely. He needs a damage boost to be effective, plain and simple. In late play this will end up being just 1 extra damage on top of his, meaning he will be more useful early on and not excessively overpowered in the late game, making him in general more 'fun' to play.

 

Next: Tool Box.

 

Keep text as before, add Power: Search Mr. Fixer's deck for a tool and place it into play or into your hand. Shuffle your deck. Destroy this card.

Now Tool Box has a dual use: Either use it to expand your deck quickly as is the >G-written intention of the card, or burn it to search it for the tool you need -right now- at the cost of losing it into your trash. There's only two Tool Box cards in Fixer's deck so I believe this strikes a balance between utility and scarcity. It's not supposed to be Impromptu Invention, and you should have to -think about- whether you want to burn your Tool Box for a single tool. But it saves you the problem of trying futilely to dig through a mountain of cards you don't need to get to the ONE you do in a tense situation. Maybe it's something you'll kick yourself for doing later... It's supposed to be that way.

 

I've considered lowering Fixer's max hp on the character card to 26 or 27 to offset these changes, but I honestly believe that Fixer is underpowered enough that this isn't necessary to keep him from being any sort of game dominating powerhouse. I have not yet playtested these changes but let's take a look at that +1 damage and how it affects some of Fixer's cards and effective combos:

 

Riveting Crane: Right out of the gate, this style is no longer useless without a tool or a buff from another character. If you're fighting an enemy with DR/1, you're now able to punch through it and actually deal him damage, allowing the Riveting Crane effect to take place and let your allies beat on him to their heart's content. You're now the table hero instead of the schmuck frantically looking through your deck for the other card you need to be useful.

 

Jack Handle + Grease Monkey Fist: Oh, we're talking now. Mr. Fixer now can potentially deal 3 damage to every non-hero target on every turn. Is that overpowered? No, I really believe it isn't. Tempest can do 3 damage total a turn to all targets with Electrical Storm and Grievous Hail Storm in play. And unless there's a -lot- of foes in play, Wraith can do it with Throwing Knives and Targeting Computer, as well as have a bunch of other equipment in play simultaneously. Hell, with a Utility Belt she can even fire off another power, like Razor Ordinance.

 

Let's go wild: Okay, punks. It's time to really put this to the test. Grease Monkey Fist, Dual Crowbars, and Harmony in play already. You play Overdrive. You now can deal two targets five damage.... twice. Dang, right? Well, it was four damage to four targets (or to two targets twice, totalling 8 to each) before, and very hard to pull off. I will admit that this gave me pause at first, though. Well. It's also true that Fixer doesn't get as much play at my table as other heroes but in the games I have seen I've never seen anything close to this being pulled off. Not to say it -can't-, as I'm sure it happens. And my changes to Tool Box will make it easier to pull off... though not much easier.

 

Really REALLY wild: Let's add our buddies to the mix. Legacy is on the table, he's used Galvanize and has Inspiring Presence on the field. That's an extra +2 to damage. Argent Adept uses Inspiring Supertonic to let Fix use his Strike again. And an Incap Tachyon allows Fix to play a card on her turn, and he just -happens- to have another Overdrive. So this round Fix deals an incredimazing SEVENTY TOTAL DAMAGE split between two targets and holy god NERF OP HOW CAN YOU EVEN TALK ABOUT ADDING THESE CHANGES TO MR. FIXER?

Thing is? Fixer can already do that. My change to Fixer's base damage only added 10 more to that total damage. Without those changes? Fixer can, in that scenario, deal SIXTY damage in a single round total. So why doesn't it happen?

Because it's really, really, REALLY HARD to pull off. It requires a VERY specific team to have specific cards and specific situations in order to unleash that sort of power. What I just described? It's that ONE game, that perfect situation where your team all happen to have the right stuff out to put out tremendous earthshaking power. Even if you played a hundred games with that exact team, I don't think you'd be able to pull something off like that more than once or twice tops. And if you tried to do it deliberately? You'd probably get killed by the villain first trying to set it up. If you ever pulled it off? I doubt ten more damage total would shift the balances THAT much. Whatever you were attacking aside from the villain probably died before you could even get the full 30 or 35 damage you were firing at them off anyways.

Let's also note that with vanilla Fixer swapping out Jack Handle for the same setup I described under 'Let's go wild' Fixer could do 6 damage to -every- non-hero target on a single turn. I've never seen that happen either. Are these combos significant already? Yes, they are. Will my changes make them more significant? Yes, they will (Jack Handle+GMF+Harmony+Overdrive with my damage boost will make him deal 8 damage total to every non-hero target. That's probably enough on its own to wipe all but the most hardened minion team off the board and do some nasty damage to the villain as well). But an important thing to note is that these are NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO PULL OFF ALREADY. I doubt that in many games Fixer will be -usually- be putting out much more than 4 or 5 damage total a turn even with these changes in place. (In nearly every game I've played with Fixer, he's rarely put out more than 3 damage per turn, adding a single point of base damage won't change that, I think).

 

I'll be playtesting this soon, hopefully, but feel free to leave your thoughts here.

2

I really like the toolbox idea. His Meditation card is great to have and people have complained about searching for tools.

I don't think I like a straight damage boost. The 80 year old man with no superpowers should not be dealing the same base damage as some other heroes. How about the following:

STRIKE - Power: You may discard a card. If you do, Mr. Fixer deals one target 2 melee damage. If you don't, Mr. Fixer deals one target 1 melee damage.

This makes it less likely that people will complain you've overpowered him while still giving him access to the boost. It also deals with one of the things I don't like about playing him. Cards in hand that I can't use.

I've tried lots of Mr. Fixer fixes. Love the toolbox idea. Let us know how your playtesting goes.

3

 

This change, I like.  Fixer seems to always have a bunch of cards in his hand that aren't always worth using, and contingency plans aren't necessary worth having multiples of within a given hand.  This gives him a quick buff, while allowing you to cycle the cards in the deck.

Very spiffy.  Might try it soon!

4

I'm enjoying the change discussed in one of the other topics, which rewards Fixer with extra damage when he cycles through styles and weapons.  It tends to give Fixer the +1 damage you want, plus give him a reason to use all of his styles and weapons, which makes him more entertaining to play while also feeling good thematically.  But then, I don't usually find myself gritting my teeth because I haven't drawn a specific weapon or style of his.  I just didn't like playing one style and weapon and then not having much motivation to ever play another one.

5

I also saw a suggestion where styles went back in his hand, like his tools, rather than the trash.  I thought this change made a lot of sense thematically.  He's more likely to lose a tool (or more likely - given that he's a gifted mechanic - have it broken) than forget a style.

I've played the change suggested by Spiff, and it works well.

That said, I love the proposed change to Toolbox.

6

Spiff, that's the one where he gets a +1 boost on turns he plays a style or stance from your website, right? I've played that one and I really like it, also. I still haven't figured out which I like the most. I also like the versions where stances return to hand. Hmmm, so many decisions.

7

Yeah, it's the one on the oversized card from my site.

8

[quote=“j1hopki1”]
STRIKE - Power: You may discard a card. If you do, Mr. Fixer deals one target 2 melee damage. If you don't, Mr. Fixer deals one target 1 melee damage.
[/quote]

 

So I actually playtested Fixer today using this discard rule, not the straight damage buff. Right out of the gate Fixer was much more fun to play. I did not always use the discard, even when I could, because it really tended to limit his hand. I didn't get a chance to use the Toolbox alternate rule because a card made me choose to discard my equipment and ongoings. This really messed up my flow (as it tends to do) and if I was playing vanilla Fixer I would have probably started being frustrated again, however using the discard rule Fixer was still able to put out alright damage, though I ended up with a turn that I skipped to draw twice because of my low hand. It turned out to be the final round anyways.

 

With one game I'd say that Fixer being able to discard a card to add damage to Strike makes him feel much more satisfying as a character. Losing a card to gain 1 extra damage is an acceptable trade, I think, in terms of powers, and in terms of 'fluff' it's easy to justify it as Fixer sacrificing skill for power.

 

It's actually kind of interesting, the way the game played out was probably a textbook example of why Mr. Fixer needs fixing. I started drawing garbage cards immediately after my in-play cards got destroyed and without the discard rule Fixer would have quickly become obnoxious to play again without it, while the other characters bounced back almost immediately.

 

I can definitely recommend the Strike discard rule.

9

Thanks for the endorsement, savagegreywolf. Have you tried the Mr. Fixer version on Spiff's website? It's also really quite good. It is similar in that you can get a 1 damage boost each turn. His version says you get a +1 boost each turn you play a tool or style. That means unlike my discard version you get to keep what you have in hand. The downside is you don't have access to the boost on the turns you are doing other things like playing Harmony or Toolbox. I've played both and I really like both. As I've mentioned in other posts I still don't know what my "official" house rule for Fixer is. I guess I'd have to say its, "Play the version of Mr. Fixer that is the most fun."

10

I don't know how much I like the idea of having to play a style or tools in order to get the damage boost. I can see that just leading to the same situation where you're stuck without the damage boost that he so clearly needs in order to be effective in several situations or you're stuck playing a non-ideal tool or stance just to get the damage boost. Yes, you work with what you have, but you shouldn't have to play a card you don't want to play in order to gain damage on one turn, particularly if the net outcome isn't much more of a gain. (If you've got Grease Monkey Fist and Dual Crowbars out and the only other tools and stances in your hand are non-damage increasing, is it worth it to switch stances?)

 

I know mechanics being different isn't bad, but discarding is a lot more in line with things that other heroes can do. And I feel it compliments the Tool Box rule I posted above, because of how it makes you consider increasing your options vs instant gratification.

 

I won't -knock- it without trying it, but it just seems like it might lead to me being annoyed by Fixer again.

11

Disclaimer: I've not tried this, just on first read I have a couple thoughts...

Does it increase the fiddly-ness too much?  (i.e. is it hard to track "in the moment" ) ?

Maybe something a little simpler like Mr Fixer always starts with (that card, i think it's meditation - that is a + if have a tool and stance in play) and any time you play a stance, you can discard one card to draw a new card. ?

 

12

I would say that the main benefit of the "+ damage if you're switching through stances and cards" alternative isn't the +damage, but that he feels more fun to play that way.  He's shifting stances, always moving, being all martial artsey and stuff.  That's why I like it, at least.  The old way, you'd find the most advantageous stance and weapon, put them into play, then never have to play another one.  That's not the Bruce Lee way.

13

I've had a good time with a simple fix, which I actually read elsewhere on this forum.

STRIKE - Power: You may play a Tool or a Style. Mr. Fixer deals one target 1 melee damage.

This allows Mr. Fixer to be up and running pretty much on turn 1, assuming the cards needed are in his starting hand, and it allows him to easily retool as needed each turn. I also played where Styles went back into your hand like tools, making Mr. Fixer's schtick consistent-but-versatile-beat-downs. Using Overdrive, you could play an offensive card (like crowbars or grease monkey fist) for the first use of the power, and then play a defensive card (like wrench or mantis) for the second, leaving you well positioned to weather the Villian and Environment turns.

14

I like that one.  It doesn't make it so frustrating to play Strike or Overdrive instead of a Style or Tool that turn.  It really allows Mister Fixer to flow, and do some crazy Jackie Chan-esque feats.

15

From reading other threads on Fixer, I remember someone saying that each style should have an extra boost, as well as return to hand. I was about to begin testing out some "upgrades" to the stances when I saw someone talk about an ST environment that makes Fixer really powerful, so these changes have had no testing whatsoever. See also: take with a grain of salt. All changes are going to be in italics as well, just to make it easy to see where the original stops.

 

Grease Monkey Fist: "...Increase damage dealt by Mr. Fixer by 1. You may use an additional power during your power phase. When this card enters play, return any other Style cards in play to your hand."

I know he has Overdrive already, but between the original rules text and the flavor text, it leads me to believe Mr. Fixer probably knows a variation on "Wooden Monkey" Da Sheng Kung Fu, as none of the other Monkey variants appear to be as offensively oriented as "Wooden Monkey". So, to buff this style, I gave him an extra power to represent the unrelenting physicality of the "Wooden Monkey" style.

 

Riveting Crane: "...irreducible until the start of your next turn. At the start of your turn, Mr. Fixer regains 1 hp. When this card enters play, return any other Style cards in play to your hand."

The idea behind this particular change was a more flavorful idea, in that Fixer could catch his breath (and thus heal) while he lets others take advantage of the opponent. White Crane style, at least the Fujian variation, is also about evasion, defense and health, so a minor healing ability would fit right in with that.

 

Alternating Tiger Claw: "...irreducible. When this card enters play, you may play an additional non-Style card. When this card enters play, return any other Style cards in play to your hand."

Far more aggresive than any of the Monkey styles, Black Tiger style Kung Fu is fierce and yet simple at the same time, attacking with basic, powerful movements. Alternating Tiger Claw gives some idea to that, where Mr. Fixer attacks so powerfully his damage can't be reduced. However, Fixer often has a large hand without being able to play anything (often extra styles and tools), so an extra play is a simple, yet powerful addition to the style. To prevent any sort of loops with itself (i.e. with either of the Energy Fields, among other things), I restricted it to not allow another Style play.

 

Driving Mantis: "...would be dealt 3 or less damage... of your choice. When this card enters play, return any other Style cards in play to your hand."

Honestly, >G captured the concept of Mantis style pretty well here. All I did was give it a slightly higher chance of activating, as well as the return-to-hand text the others got.

16

The Grease Monkey Fist extra you add on is not something Fixer has a use for, since he only has 1 power. Using an additional power will not do anything for him, unless going against a flipped Plague Rat, fighting in the Tomb of Anubis, or facing Kismet.

17

Like I said, completely untested, and something like that would've been caught almost immediately (case in point). Honestly, I only put this up because it might give other people ideas for their own style fixes. If I were to change it, however, it would be more along the lines of "You may use Strike one additional time during your power phase." Stacks with Overdrive and all that, and keeps the idea the same.

18

Hmm. Perhaps "You may play an extra card this turn."

I'm a little concerned that these boosts may make Mr. Fixer too good.  While thematically appropriate, they feel like a lot.  The Spiff fix (Adding one damage on turns you play a style or tool or the Power:  "You may play a style or tool. Mr. Fixer deals one non-hero target one melee damage." seems pretty good.

19

Aniodia,

I appreciate the insight into the styles since I am not familiar with martial arts. However, I agree with Amnachaidh. I think the changes to the styles you suggested are a little too powerful. I am a big advocate of house ruling Fixer, but it needs to be a small change. I have played games where he is a juggernaut without house rules. Overpowerered heroes are just as bad as underpowered ones. It's also going to be hard to keep track of that many changes. Maybe that's because I play with a lot of new players.

Shatner,

I have played that version of Mr. Fixer, too. It was a lot of fun. The extra plays really make it easy to keep up with the other heroes. The only reason I tend to avoid that version actually has nothing to do with Fixer. It's because extra cards are the other Rook City hero's power. But, as I've mentioned my main rule for Fixer is play the version that is the most fun.

20

Having played several games now with Mr. Fixer with the discard 1 card to do 2 damage rule, I think now that the Toolbox deck search rule is entirely unnecessary (though I am proud of the idea of it). I've never used it to date.

Just having that 1 extra damage at call whenever you need it, at the cost of a card, already makes him feel much more rounded as a character, and worth using alongside other characters.

I still think Bloody Knuckles is a near worthless card that has never done anything but make me regret playing it near immediately afterward, but I feel that way most times I've played Wraith's Smoke Bomb as well, and I still think she's one of the most versatile and fun heroes to play in the game. Fixer... still doesn't seem that versatile (his form and tool switching requires far too much fiddling to play him as anything but a damage dealer reliably, unless you happen to get lucky and have the non-damage-focused utility tool and form you need already out) but by giving him access to an extra point of damage at least he can -be- a damage dealer.