The Warlock's Guide to Promo Characters!

Other Games SotM Game Engine
#1

With so many promo characters popping up, thanks to special >G promotions and Kickstarter specials, it’s high time that we have a consolidated look at all of these hero variants in one place.  This guide aims to do just that. 

In terms of comparison, we’ll be looking primarily at hit point changes and how the new base powers interact with the existing hero decks.  We will not, under most circumstances, be discussing incapacitated abilities as they simply have much less bearing on the game than the two earlier elements.  Not to say that they’re not important; rather, they simply matter much less than a power that you’ll be using from the start of the game. 

If you weren’t lucky to receive a certain promo card yet, they’re always available for download and print on the BoardGameGeek page for Sentinels of the Multiverse.  

#2

The Freedom Six!

 

Base Legacy [32 hp; Galvanize - Until the start of your next turn, increase the damage dealt by hero targets by 1.]

Greatest Legacy [30 hp; Gung-Ho - 1 Hero regains 1 HP and may use a power now.]

Young Legacy [30 hp; Atomic Glare - Legacy deals 1 target 3 energy damage.]

 

Almost everyone loves having Legacy in a party.  Galvanize is an oft-pursued buff that any damage-dealing hero loves, with few exceptions (Nightmist, normally, is the only one to object).  As such, giving up that buff is a tough call and many would look at default Legacy as being the most powerful.  However, Galvanize isn’t the most “exciting” power, so if you’re looking for a more active play of Legacy’s deck, his variants offer great variety.

However, don’t overlook Greatest’s “Gung-Ho”.  His innate healing can really help out low hit point heroes with survivability while allowing them to use a power for free.  Argent Adept and Omnitron X can really use that hp boost while aiding the rest of the party in getting set up.  Glass cannon heroes like Ra or Chrono-Ranger appreciate the extra chance to deal some damage as well as the hp.  Gung-Ho also has great interaction with The Scholar, particularly when he’s in Energy Form!  Further, used in conjunction with the deck’s tanking cards (Lead From the Front, Fortitude, etc.) and Motivational Charge, Greatest Legacy can serve as a better tank than his base set counterpart!

Young Legacy definitely changes how a player plays the Legacy Deck, as Atomic Glare is currently the highest-damage base power in the entire game.  Surge of Strength becomes a much more optimal play, to say nothing of Legacy’s numerous damaging one-shot cards.  With the Legacy Ring and Surge of Strength out, Young Legacy can really lay out the damage with Atomic Glare and Motivational Charge! 

Recommendations?  Play Greatest Legacy to facilitate quick set-up or to keep glass cannon heroes alive.  Play default Legacy when there’s damage reduction to worry about or if your compatriots deal lots of 1 point damage pings.  Play Young Legacy when you’re lacking a true damage dealer, but still need a tank in the party.  All three are great options.

 

Tachyon [27 hp; Rapid Recon - Look at the top card of your Hero Deck. You may discard that card]

Team Leader Tachyon [28 hp; Team Leader - Each player draws 1 card.]

The Super-Scientific Tachyon [26 hp; Experiment - Reveal the bottom two cards of a deck.  If they share a keyword, put them into play.  If not, discard them.

Tachyon’s base power is great, even if it seems lackluster.  Tossing burst cards into her trash really fuels cards like Sonic Vortex and Lightspeed Barrage.  However, in reality?  Tachyon has so many cards that allow her to play multiple cards (Fleet of Foot, Lightning Reflexes, HUD Goggles, Pushing the Limits) that her Team Leader variant can easily keep pace with her base version while providing her entire group with tons of hand options.  All that, with a hit point increase?  This is an easy choice.

The Super-Scientific variant, however, adds a new wrinkle.  While at slightly lesser hit points, SST can really speed past base Tachyon in terms of putting burst cards into the trash or help a setup-heavy hero get cards into play.  SST pairs phenomenally with The Sentinels, whose entire deck is almost totally one-shots!  However, this can be a double-edged sword:  sometimes, you may end up playing cards that you don't want in play--End of Days, anyone?!  Used judiciously, SST adds a neat wrinkle to an awesome character.

Recommendations?  Play Team Leader Tachyon.  She’s superior in almost every facet of the game.  If you're looking for something new or have heroes that need accellerated set-up, try SST.

 

Bunker [28 hp; Initialize - Draw a card.]

Bunker Engine of War [27 hp; Locomotion - Discard a Mode card. If you do, you may destroy an Ongoing card.]

GI Bunker [27 hp; Panzer-Buster - Select a target. Damage dealt to that target is irreducible until the start of your turn.]

Termi-Nation Bunker [26 hp; Modulize - Destroy one of your Ongoing or Equipment cards.  If you do, Draw 1 card, Play 1 card, and use a power in any order.]

Bunker’s base power is useful to fuel his Gatling Gun or OmniCannon, but I find that I rarely end up using it after I have either a Grenade Launcher or Flak Cannon ready to go.  This problem is exacerbated by a well-played Ammo Drop, which provides tons of cards with little effort. 

Bunker EOW’s power covers a huge gap in Bunker’s deck, providing him 9 cards that can destroy ongoings.  However, against villains that don’t have ongoings, this power’s useless.  As such, playing EOW against The Chairman or The Ennead is a poor choice.  But, against ongoing-heavy villains like Kismet, Miss Information, or Citizen Dawn?  EOW Bunker can really become a powerhouse, doubly so when you consider that Locomotion can be used while in Turret Mode.

GI Bunker runs into the same issue as EOW, in that his base power is very situational.  Against villains with damage reduction like Apostate, Spite, or Akash-Bhuta, he can provide great utility.  Against villains with no DR, Panzer-Buster is useless. 

Termi-Nation Bunker marks Bunker's 4th variant and really offers some distinct power.  Despite the slight loss of hit points, the ability to get set up and to start churning out equipment--especially when your opening hand is full of Mode cards--really provides an interesting alternative.  

Recommendations?  Know your opponent.  I generally default to Bunker EOW unless I know that the villain has no ongoings.    If I'm in for a quick, no holds barred battle that can't waste time on set-up, I'll go for Termi-Nation Bunker.  If I know I’m in for a high damage reduction villain, I’ll go for GI Bunker.  Base Bunker is a reasonable generalist, but his base power is just too weak in comparison to his other deck options and the strength of his variant counterparts.

 

The Wraith [26 hp; Stealth - Reduce the next damage that would be dealt to The Wraith by 2.]

Rook City Wraith [27 hp; Sleuth - Reveal the top card of the Environment Deck. Discard it or play it.]

Wraith, The Price of Freedom [25 hp; Last Stand - The Wraith deals up to 2 targets 1 melee damage each.]

 

Base Wraith’s power suffers the same fate as Bunker’s in that it quickly becomes outpaced by her other deck options, particularly Infrared Eyepiece, Throwing Knives, and Razor Ordinance.  However, in conjunction with Utility Belt, Stealth really helps Wraith’s biggest weakness:  her survivability. 

I can’t imagine ever using Rook City Wraith.  There are so few beneficial Environment cards in comparison to the number of harmful or double-edged ones that playing additional Environment cards is rarely a good idea.  I can see good combinations when facing down Akash-Bhuta or when another character scrys the Environment deck, but overall there’s just no comparison.

The same goes for Price of Freedom Wraith.  While her ability to deal damage from the very start is a help, the loss of hit points on a low hit point character makes PoF Wraith a target from the start, and Throwing Knives are more effective than Last Stand under almost every circumstance, especially when linked to a MicroTargeting Computer.

Recommendations?  Base Wraith is likely the strongest, with Rook City Wraith being useful when facing Akash-Bhuta.  Price of Freedom Wraith is a weak sister.

 

Absolute Zero [29 hp; Thermodynamics - Absolute Zero deals himself 1 fire damage or 1 cold damage.]

Absolute Zero, Elemental Wrath [27 hp; Elemental Wrath - Absolute Zero deals 1 non-Hero target 2 cold damage.]

Termi-Nation Absolute Zero [25 hp; Violent Shivers - Until the end of your next turn, increase all damage dealt by and to Absolute Zero by 2.]

The biggest difference between these two variants comes down to play style.   Base Absolute Zero can heal himself with a single card play (Null-Point Calibration Unit).  Elemental Wrath cannot.  Elemental Wrath can significant damage from the very start of the game, while his base compatriot requires set-up time or assistance from support heroes.

Likely, if you’re playing as Elemental Wrath AZ, your play order will change significantly.  Focused Apertures become a higher priority play, as it’s a straight damage increase for your base power.  Module cards become luxuries, as opposed to mandatory equipment.  Further, AZ’s numerous ongoings (Impale, Cold Snap, SubZero Atmosphere) become much more desirable, as you’re not as worried about your constant yo-yoing hit points. 

Termi-Nation Absolute Zero exacerbates base AZ's yo-yo hit point status to incredible statuses.  While it can make him a damage-dealing powerhouse with his one shots, it also can also make him particularly vulnerable to cheap hit that might take him out.  It also pushes a much higher emphasis on his one-shots, rather than using Thermal Shockwave or even Coolant Blast.  Just know what you're getting into with this one!

Recommendations?  I find that I prefer Elemental Wrath Absolute Zero, particularly in short or medium length games.  His ability to deal damage right out of the gate makes him a much more potent force on the battlefield and much less reliant on aid from others in terms of set-up.  However, in a longer game (against a high-hit point villain like Akash-Bhuta or a villain with significant damage mitigation or DR), base Absolute Zero’s healing and survivability become much more vital.  Also, in a game with multiple support heroes like Omnitron-X and Argent Adept, base AZ becomes more appealing.  Save Termi-Nation AZ for when you have some games with AZ under your belt and really want to push his damage-dealing potential.

 

Unity [26 hp; Bot Hack - Destroy 1 Equipment Card. If you do, put a mechanical Golem from your hand into play.

Golem Unity [25 hp; Golem-Spawn - Unity deals herself 4 Energy damage. Put a mechanical golem from your hand into play.]

Termi-Nation Unity [27 hp; Reconfigure - Shuffle a Mechanical Golem from play into your deck.  Move a Mechanical Golem from your Trash into play.  You may draw a card.]

Unity has a tendency to be very polarizing in my play experience.  With a good flop, she’s able to unleash a horde of golems, utterly swarming her foes and dominating the battlefield.  With a poor draw, she struggles to draw cards and often ends up with a hand full of bots that can’t be played or equipment which has little effect on its own.  Luckily, Unity’s card draw is generally pretty high and she can usually at least contribute while she tries to mine the deck for golems.

Enter Golem Unity.  No longer reliant on equipment to play golems, her ability to throw down golems becomes a game of Russian roulette, as you gamble with hit points.  However, with a proper team around her—Tempest, Argent Adept, or a Motivational Charge-ing Legacy come to mind immediately—this weakness is mitigated, providing a way to throw down golems much faster than her base counterpart.  Golem Unity also has the added benefit of being able to reap the benefit of certain equipment longer than her base counterpart:  Volatile Parts becomes a useful damage-dealing contingency, Supply Crate can be left in play for the additional card draw, and Scrap Metal can reclaim damaged bots.

Termi-Nation Unity provides an interesting conundrum.  Need a Bee Bot?  Destroy a Cryo Bot to pull one out of your Trash.  Need some damage immediately?  Destroy Champion Bot to pull out a Raptor or Platform Bot.  Plus, Termi-Nation Unity's added card draw aids her in getting out golems and equipment faster, which she always needs.

Recommendations?  I tend to stick to default Unity, though with a heavy-healing party, Termi-Nation or Golem Unity’s quicker set-up can both her to dominance more quickly.  Just be sure that you have the others on board!

#3

The Other Base Set Heroes!

 

Ra [30 hp; Pyre - Ra deals 1 target 2 fire damage.]

Ra, Horus of Two Horizons [29 hp; Sunrise - Draw 3 cards. Discard 2 cards.]

 

The multiverse’s closest thing to a glass cannon, Ra starts off with a basic damage power that only gets better as he plays cards.  Imbued Fire, Staff of Ra, Blazing Tornado, and Solar Flare all provide ways to increase that basic damage.  Ra’s deck really revolves around that basic concept:  start small and as the game goes on, bring the heat.

Horus of Two Horizons, though, takes away that initial spark that gets Ra started, making cards like Blazing Tornado or Living Conflagration almost mandatory plays to get Ra’s damage cycle started.  Staff of Ra—a near-immediate play with base Ra—becomes a card that’s only really worth playing once you manage to find a damaging power.  That means that you end up turns behind in set-up, with no real net benefit.  While the extra choice in cards is nice, Ra already has reasonable draw options thanks to Summon Staff and Excavation. 

Recommendations?  Base Ra is superior in hit points, damage, and speed of play.  No contest here.

 

Fanatic [30 hp; Exorcism - Fanatic deals 1 target 1 melee damage and 1 radiant damage.]

Redeemer Fanatic [31 hp; Redeem - Fanatic regains 1 HP. Draw 1 card.]

Prime Wardens Fanatic [29 hp; Resolute - Fanatic deals herself 3 radiant damage.  Play the top card of your deck.  One hero may use a power now.]

Fanatic’s base damage power can really be a double-edged sword.  While a single point of damage reduction can neuter her early in the game, a buff or two can really put Exorcism over the edge and bring some pain.  It’s straightforward and effective under most circumstances, though Absolution is usually a more reliable choice once it becomes available.

However, much of Fanatic’s deck revolves around sacrificing hit points and/or cards to fuel her best abilities.  Divine Focus, for instance, costs both.  Redeem can really help offset the drawbacks of Divine Focus’s massive damage capacity, keeping Fanatic fueled with cards and her hit points relatively high.  Redeem also couples nicely with Absolution or Sacrosanct Martyr, after an Embolden or Smite the Transgressor.

If you're a fan of Fanatic's self-sacrifice angle (*cough-Ronway-cough*), her PW variant can provide an awesome variation, combining a free power use with a card play.  Beware, however, of what happens when you flop a card like End of Days!  Be judicious and PW Fanatic can be an absolute wrecking ball.

Recommendations?  All three versions of Fanatic are great.  Base Fanatic brings immediate damage and great synergy with damage buffs while Redeemer Fanatic works best with her self-sacrifice powers and cards that cost either hit points or cards.  If you prefer a more “reckless” Fanatic, PW Fanatic offers huge reward for a touch of risk.   If you prefer a more “safe” version, the base Fanatic’s the way to go.  Can't go wrong with any of the three, though!

 

Tempest [26 hp; Squall - Tempest deals all non-hero targets 1 projectile damage.]

Freedom Tempest [25 hp; Sacrifice - Destroy 1 of your cards. If you do, draw 3 cards.]

Prime Wardens Tempest [27 hp; Arc of Power - Play up to 3 cards.  Each time you play a card this way, the Environment deals Tempest 3 lightning damage.]

I’ll be honest:  I just do not get the Freedom Tempest variant.  Given a choice between 3 cards and leaving one of Tempest’s spectacular ongoings in play, I’ll leave that ongoing out almost every time.  Tempest already has numerous options for card draw and recovery:  Aquatic Correspondence, Localized Hurricane, and Reclaim From the Deep all provide ways for Tempest to draw cards.  Do you need more?  I don’t think so.

All this, coupled with a hit point reduction and the loss of the game’s only base power that damages all non-hero targets?  There’s no contest here.

PW Tempest, however, provides an interesting conundrum.  Paired with redirected or negated damage--Heroic Interception comes to mind, though Ground Pound and Grease Gun would not, as I was enlightened to below!--PW Tempest could be an absolute powerhouse.  That said, if you don't get one of his alternate powers down quickly, PW Tempest may find himself in an early grave.  Much like PW Fanatic, PW Tempest is all about high-risk/high-reward play.

Recommendations?  I tend to stick to normal Tempest, but Prime Wardens Tempest offers sheer firepower that few other variants can offer.  I avoid Freedom Tempest like the plague. 

 

Haka [34 hp; Crush - Haka deals 1 target 2 melee damage.]

The Eternal Haka [33 hp; Haka of Knowledge - Draw 1 card. You May Discard 1 card with "Haka" in the title. If you do, draw 2 cards.]

Prime Wardens Haka [35 hp; Guardian - Play a card.  If that card has "Haka" in the title, select one target to gain the benefit of your discarding.]

Haka’s power is almost identical to Ra’s, with only damage type changing.  However, his Eternal variant does provide more use than Horus of Two Horizons, as Haka actively gains benefit from having a large hand:  his Haka cards become more effective.  Having a larger hand means that when Eternal Haka unleashes that Haka of Battle, it hits that much harder. 

However, that comes at the cost of Haka’s base damaging power.  And, considering that both of Haka’s other primary damaging powers—Mere and Taiaha—are both equipment, Eternal Haka can quickly find himself without a way of dealing consistent damage upon which to build that Haka of Battle.   One could make the argument that in a long-running game, Eternal Haka’s hand size becomes more useful than base Haka’s, but the overall difference in card draw can easily be mitigated by Mere and Dominion, perhaps even through multiple Dominions. 

Prime Wardens Haka sets up some phenomenal possibilities.  Thanks to Haka's relatively superior card draw (all Haka cards, Dominion, Mere, Vitality Surge), it's entirely likely that he can throw down huge Haka of Battle bonuses for one of his allies or use Haka of Restoration/Shielding to keep low hp heroes alive much longer than they would otherwise.  And at 35 hp?  He's going to be tanking for a long time!

Recommendations?  Base Haka and PW Haka are both generally superior to his Eternal counterpart.  If you’re really interested in creating Haka of Battle ‘novas’, though, Eternal Haka can provide an interesting alternative, though I much prefer the versatility of PW Haka over the additional card draw of Eternal Haka.  

 

Visionary [26 hp; Enlighten - 1 player draws 2 cards, then discards 1 card.]

Dark Visionary [25 hp; Turmoil - Reveal the top 2 cards of a deck. Put 1 on top and 1 on the bottom of the deck.]

 

Visionary provides the perfect ideal of how the variants should work:  both powers are spectacular and could be of great use in nearly any sort of situation. 

Base Visionary’s power provides options for both herself and her comrades.  More cards in hand means that your fellow heroes are more likely to find a card suited to the current situation.  Equipment dependent characters particularly appreciate the additional card draws, as do heroes like The Scholar, Sky-Scraper, Haka, and Fanatic, who use cards as fuel for their various abilities.

Dark Visionary’s power can seem redundant considering her numerous deck-scrying cards, though Turmoil provides her the ability to scry without those cards in hand or, with a single play, scry both the environment and villain decks in the same turn.  If that’s not enough, Turmoil can also be used on hero decks, stacking them nicely to provide heroes with better options.  Dark Visionary does lose a hit point compared to her normal counterpart, which wouldn’t be a huge price to pay, if not for her overall low hit points.

Recommendations?  Either/or.  You really can’t go wrong with either version of Visionary. 

#4

Rook City, Infernal Relics, and Shattered Timelines!

 

Expatriette [29 hp; Load - Play a card.]

Dark Watch Expatriette [30 hp; Aim: Increase damage done by Expatriette by 1 until the end of your next turn.]

 

Base Expatriette is all about speed.  She can throw down guns and her ongoings with aplomb, setting up a huge arsenal for a coming Unload.  The issue here, however, is that Expatriette can quickly run herself out of cards.  While she has numerous ways to retrieve guns (Arsenal Access, Quick Draw), Expatriette has no cards that actually allow her to increase her hand size.  As such, her base power can become utterly useless after a turn or two, unless another hero allows her to draw cards. 

Her Dark Watch counterpart, however, requires planning and—pardon the pun—careful aim.  Her Aim power makes Submachine Gun and Assault Rifle much more appealing, helping her breach damage reduction and take out multiple foes.  However, if you’re prevented from dealing damage in the next round, your power’s been wasted.  Dark Watch Expatriette does gain a hit point for her trouble, as well, helping a character whose only true damage mitigation is Flak Jacket.

Recommendations?  Both versions are fairly good, though I’d give a slight edge towards Dark Watch Expatriette, given the deck’s overall lack of card draw.  However, if you have a party that facilitates card draw, I’d lean back towards base Expatriette.  On the whole, though?  Aim is typically more useful than Load.

 

Mister Fixer [28 hp; Strike - Mr. Fixer deals 1 target 1 melee damage.]

Dark Watch Mister Fixer [29 hp; Bitter Strike: Mr Fixer does one target 3 damage. Destroy an ongoing or equipment Hero card.]

 

One of the most common complaints about Mister Fixer is his overall lack of damage.  While Fixer has multiple ways to penetrate damage reduction, those Styles fill a slot that could be used for damage mitigation or damage increases.  While even a single buff can turn Fixer into a titan on the battlefield, that does make Fixer reliant on his teammates.

Dark Watch Fixer pumps up his damage output, but with the significant drawback of equipment or ongoing destruction.  This changes Fixer’s interactions with his deck significantly.  Bloody Knuckles becomes a one-round, two-point damage buff with no real drawbacks.  Overdrive changes from a no-brainer play to a heavily weighed risk.  Tire Iron and Jack Handle become more appealing options, as their efficacy increases significantly.  However, all this is predicated on the party being able to keep equipment and ongoings in play.  Villains that destroy these make life significantly harder for Fixer’s party to be effective.

Unless the situation requires speed, consider skipping DW Fixer’s first power phase in favor of getting ahead of his own destruction curve.  That allows Fixer to reap stronger, continual benefits from his Styles and Tools, rather than using them as single turn damage/effect sinks.

Recommendations?  I really like Dark Watch Fixer, but I’d never want to take him into battle against La Capitan.  In a party that facilitates out of turn card play, go with Dark Watch Fixer.  In one that provides damage buffs, go with base Fixer.  If neither is available, take your pick—they’re both good.

 

Argent Adept [24 hp; Vocalize - Activate a Perform text.]

Kvothe Six-String Argent Adept [23 hp; Sympathy - Reveal the top cards of two decks.  Put one card into play and the other into the trash.]

Prime Wardens Argent Adept [25 hp; Conduct - Put the bottom card of your deck into play.  You may activate an Accompany text.]

Argent Adept--rightfully, in my eyes--is often viewed as one of the most complex characters in Sentinels of the Multiverse.  The sheer number of combinations he can create through plays and power usages is staggering.  A well-set-up AA can hand other players entire turns, utterly ruin villainous ongoings or environment cards, and heal himself from near-death to full.  

The problem is getting there.  Base AA often struggles with getting both songs and instruments into play; both of his variants, however, fix this issue, accelerating his (and others', in the case of Kvothe AA) set-up time.  Kvothe AA also adds a degree of deck control as well, as you could easily toss a pesky villain card into the trash, after someone's had a peek at it, while simultaneously aiding your own set-up.

PW Argent Adept walks something of a balance between base and Kvothe, with a faster set-up time than base AA, but maintaining the ability to activate most of his songs without an instrument.  That said, PW Argent Adept cannot activate Melody cards without a Melody-performing instrument, meaning that PW's Sarabande of Destruction is right out until you've found yourself some pipes or a drum.  PW does work particularly well when using Arcane Cadence, as it essentially allows you a free play (from the bottom of your deck), while still allowing your to Accompany yourself!  That's some sweetness, right there.

Recommendations?  If you're just starting out, definitely make sure to start with base Argent Adept.  That said, both of his alternate versions provide worthy variations for him.  I tend to prefer PW Argent Adept, as he walks a nice balance betwen faster set-up and starting ability.  That extra 2 hp helps, as well, considering that Adept tends to be fairly squishy.

 

Nightmist [27 hp; Investigation - Nightmist deals herself 2 infernal damage. Draw 2 cards.]

Dark Watch Nightmist [28 hp; Attunement: Reveal the top 3 cards of your deck. Put them back on top of your deck in any order.]

 

Nightmist lives and dies on the size of her hand.  Many of her spells are predicated on discarding cards, which can quickly leave Nightmist with nothing in her hand, if not for Investigation.  However, Investigation’s damage rider makes this a dangerous proposition, usually offset with Amulet of the Elder Gods, Starshield Amulet, or Master of Magic.  Amulet of the Elder Gods also provides Nightmist a good deal of consistent offense through damage redirection, keeping her on her feet while dealing out significant damage.

Dark Watch Nightmist, however, is more methodical and deliberate.  Attunement allows DW Nightmist to set up chains of cards, making Heedless Lash even more appealing and taking much of the danger out of Oblivion.  Further, Attunement gives DW Nightmist leeway with the arcane value of her cards, either taking more or less damage, based on what’s more desirable at the time.  However, because of her relative lack of card draw compared to base Nightmist, DW Nightmist is much less likely to use either Amulet of the Elder Gods or Starshield Amulet, both of which require discards.  Master of Magic is much more important to DW Nightmist, as is Enlightenment.   Further, DW Nightmist has to be careful of cards that would force her to shuffle her deck or play cards out of turn, as they foil her well-made plans. 

Recommendations?  Both versions of Nightmist have merit, but I tend to prefer base Nightmist over her Dark Watch counterpart.  The more card draw a party has, though, the more preferable DW Nightmist becomes.  Try both and play flexibly.

 

Chrono-Ranger [28 hp; Quick Shot - Chrono-Ranger deals 1 target 1 projectile damage.]

C-R: The Best of Times [29 hp; True Purpose - Select a non-Hero Target.  Until the start of your next turn, all Bounty cards also affect that target and are not destroyed when a target leaves play.]

Chrono-Ranger's base power is fairly simple:  damage.  When his bounties are in play or with a few buffs, that measly 1 point damage-ping can be amplified into a brutal pounding.  However, it's quickly outclassed by the powers offered by his Equipment cards:  Masadah and Compounded Bow, particularly.  

The Best of Times Chrono-Ranger, however, starts to spread around the love.  When two targets of particular priority, it can increase damage on multiple targets, offer C-R additional healing, or wipe the field of small targets with The Whole Gang.  While it makes Chrono-Ranger much more reliant on his damage dealing One-Shots, True Purpose can really line up targets for other damage-dealing party members.

Recommendations?  Chrono-Ranger is another hero with two great variants.  I would take base C-R when there's one major target of priority in the villain deck (like Kismet, Chokepoint, or Spite), and opt for the variant when multiple, high-hp targets are on deck (Gloomweaver, Grand Warlord Voss, or others).  You can't go wrong with either, really.

 

Omnitron-X [25 hp; Timeshift - Reveal the top card of a deck. Put it into play or into the trash.]

(No Omnitron-X promos yet!)

 

The Scholar [29 hp; Better Living - The Scholar regains 1 HP.]

The Scholar of the Infinite [31 hp; Channel - The Scholar deals himself and 1 target X Infernal Damage, where X = the number of cards you've discarded since the end of your last turn plus 1.]

The Scholar's method of play can vary drastically, based on what's needed.  In Flesh to Iron, The Scholar provides a phenomenal tank.  With Mortal Form to Energy and his healing ability, damage is on the menu.  Outside of forms, he provides great card draw, healing and support.  

Really, the version of The Scholar that you want to use varies most by what form you prefer.  If you like to tank with The Scholar, Infinite Scholar provides offensive output with little drawback on your part.  However, Infinite Scholar also makes cards like Truth Seeker less desirable.  If you want to focus on Scholar's healing abilities and backlash damage, he needs the additional healing possibilities afforded by Better Living.

Recommendations?  Know your playstyle.  Both variants are viable and interesting, but both change the way The Scholar's deck works significantly.  Experiment and have fun!

#5

Vengeance and Wrath of the Cosmos Heroes!

KNYFE [30 hp; Energy Lance - KNYFE deals 1 target 2 energy damage.]

KNYFE Rogue Agent [29 hp; Infiltration - Reveal the bottom card of a deck.  Either put it into play or discard it.]

KNYFE may well be my favorite character from the recent expansions as of this writing.  She interacts well with support characters, has a number of interesting combinations, and can pour on the damage.  She feels like a somewhat more complex version of Ra, but that complexity comes with additional choices and unique opportunities.

At the end of the day, though KNYFE is all about damage.  And, while she has numerous opportunities for damage dealing powers--both through her equipment cards and through the phenomenal Battlefield Experience--her base power, much like Ra's, is where it all starts.  Rogue Agent KNYFE gives up that solid damage base for a degree of deck control.  But, while Ra has numerous other damage dealing powers in his deck that last, KNYFE has significantly fewer of these.  Really, only her Servo-Gauntlet and Primed Punch would provide a continuous damage-dealing power without being destroyed.  

Recommendations?  Base KNYFE's power may not be spectacular or innovative, but it allows her so much more stability and ease-of-setup than Rogue Agent KNYFE.  Without that, it's so much harder to build up to KNYFE's true potential.  All that, plus more hp over her variant?  Stick with base KNYFE.

 

The Naturalist [29 hp; Transform - Search your Deck or Trash for a Form and put it into play.  If you searched your Deck, shuffle your Deck.]

The Hunted Naturalist [27 hp; Desperate Prey - Select Crocodile/Gazelle/Rhinoceros.  Until the end of your next turn, you may activate that icon's effects.  Either draw a card or play a card.]

The Naturalist lives and dies by his animal forms and, anything that change those forms provides him additional versatility, if not necessarily the benefit of a given form.  The idea of maintaining multiple forms simultaneously?  Obviously desirable, as you trigger the effects of every icon representing a form you're in!

The Naturalist provides the easiest way to get in and out of a form.  With Natural Form's Power, you're guaranteed to be able to change form every round.  However, if you can get a form in hand with The Hunted Naturalist, you can activate two, even three forms per turn!  But, getting that form in hand relies significantly on luck, while simultaneously making him even more vulnerable to Ongoing destruction.  A lost Form for Hunted Naturalist can really set you back more than base Naturalist would be.

Recommendations?  The sheer power afforded by The Hunted Naturalist is tempting, but if you're going to try for tri-partite forms, be sure you have another character feeding you cards and keeping Ongoing destruction out of the way.  If you want versatility, though, stick to base Naturalist.

 

Parse

(No Parse promos yet!)

 

The Sentinels

Doctor Medico [13 hp; M.D. - 1 Hero Target Regains 3 hp]

The Idealist [11 hp; Telekinetic Jab - The Idealist deals 1 Target 2 Psychic damage.]

Mainstay [14 hp; Block - Reduce damage to all your Hero Targets by 1 until the start of your next turn.]

The Writhe [14 hp; Extract - Reveal the bottom card of a Deck.  Discard it or put it on the top of that Deck.]

The Adamant Sentinels

Doctor Medico [13 hp; Regeneration - Each of the Sentinels regain 1 hp.  You may draw a card.]

The Idealist [11 hp; T.K. Thump - The Idealist deals 1 target 1 Psychic damage.  Reduce damage dealt by a target dealt damage this way by 1 until the start of your next turn.]

Mainstay [14 hp; Haymaker - Mainstay deals 1 target 2 Melee damage.  The next damage dealt to that target is irreducible.]

The Writhe [14 hp; Shroud - The next time a non-hero target is destroyed, you may move it to the bottom of its deck instead of the trash.]

The nuances between the four Sentinels heroes make them particularly difficult to discuss, but I'll do so in the face of their biggest weakness:  Area of Effect Villain/Environment Damage.  Given that, mitigating the weakness is their biggest challenge.  Adamant Medico and Base Mainstay are best at this, providing group Healing (with added card draw!) and DR, respectively.  Both of Idealist's versions are reasonable, though I tend to prefer the DR- based rider from her Adamant variant.  Unfortunately, Writhe is still the odd-duck-out in the Sentinels in both versions.  Given the two versions, I'd pick Base Writhe, unless I know I'm facing someone like Apostate or Citizen Dawn, for whom his Adamant variant is desirable.

Recommendations?  As above, I'd generally take a team of base Mainstay and Writhe, with Adamant Medico and Idealist.  Your milage may vary!

 

Setback [31 hp; Risk - Add one token to your Unlucky Pool. Play the top card of your deck.]

Dark Watch Setback [30 hp; Mitigate - Remove 1 Token from your Unlucky Pool. Reduce the next damage dealt to a Hero Target by 2.]

Setback's always struck me as a sort of character that's at his best when he's active and moving.  While many of his cards have some type of drawback--usually damage to Setback himself, or occasionally destruction of another Hero's equipment or ongoing--the benefits nearly always outweigh the drawbacks.  Base Setback's power seems to fit him better thematically, adding "kinesis" to the sometimes-manic experience of playing Setback.

Of course, all of Setback's antics revolve around the Unlucky Pool, with a significant majority of Setback's cards requiring an expenditure from the Unlucky Pool.  Setback's best cards--Silver Lining, Turn of Events, and Karmic Retribution--involve spending quite a few tokens and, while Looking Up can really fill Setback's pool quickly, there's no guarantee to get or keep Looking Up in play.  Base Setback gets a player closer and closer to playing those great cards into play, while Dark Watch Setback actively works against that.

Recommendations?  I can't really see myself using Dark Watch Setback, outside of a "hardboiled Dark Watch slugfest" match.  While Mitigate's a perfectly fine defensive power, Setback lives and dies by his Unlucky Pool, which base Setback fuels more readily.  If you want to play Setback's best cards, you need those tokens in your Pool.  Risk adds them; Mitigate takes them away.  

 

Sky-Scraper [33 hp; Tiny - Sneaking - Play up to 2 Link cards. You may move to your hand either 1 Link card from play or 2 Link cards from your Trash; Normal - Surveillance - Draw 2 Cards; Huge - Concussive Clap - Sky-Scraper Deals each Non-Hero Target 2 Sonic Damage and each Hero Target 0 Sonic Damage]

(No Sky-Scraper promos yet!)

 

Captain Cosmic  [27 hp; Fabrication - Reveal the top card of your deck.  Put it into play or into your hand.]

Prime Wardens Captain Cosmic [28 hp; Absorption - Until the start of your next turn, whenever a Construct card is destroyed, you may shuffle it into your deck instead and either draw a card or play a card.]

Much as Unity lives and breathes her robotic Golems, Captain Cosmic lives and dies through his Constructs.  And, considering that those Constructs each only have a mere 4 hit points, keeping Constructs alive can be an incredible challenge.  

Both versions of Captain Cosmic deal with this issue in differing ways. Base CC simply lets you pump out *more*.  While you don't necessarily have control over the Constructs that enter play through Fabrication, there's no Construct that will be a negative for anyone.  And, of course, the more Constructs you have out, the more lethal some of CC's one-shot cards become.

PW CC, on the other hand,  provides a degree of mitigation through Absorption.  Unfortunately, this mitigation does not extend to yourself--if it had, CC's numerous Construct-destroying one-shots would become extremely appealing options and allow CC to chain card play in an extraordinary manner.  Even as it stands, the ability to return Constructs to your deck and either draw or play a card can definitely be appealing!  This goes double if you're working with heroes that facilitate either card draw or card play...such as his Prime Warden variant cohorts!

The issue with Absorption, however, comes in knowing your foe.  Against villains and environments that deal global damage or attack low-hp targets, Absorption will trigger early and often.  Against someone like Apostate, who rarely hits anyone but the highest hp hero?  Absorption becomes nearly worthless.  

Recommendations?  Honestly?  Unless I know that my Constructs are going to be taking damage on a regular basis and I have a party that's willing and able to support out of turn card draw/play, I'd sooner go with the sure thing in base Captain Cosmic.  That said, if you're facing a foe that often targets low-hp targets, Absorption can reap massive dividends.  Choose where you're comfortable in the risk/reward spectrum.

 

Guise [27 hp; Tough Choices - Draw a card or play a card (how to choose?!) then Guise deals 1 target 1 melee damage (but who?!)]

Santa Guise [25 hp; It's Gift-mas time! - Put the top card of each Hero deck face down in their play area.  OR One play may flip all face-down cards in their play area, treating them as if they were just put into play.]

Guise's deck, by and large, is particularly selfish and parasitic.  He provides little benefit to his fellow heroes, while benefitting from their own set-up, using their Ongoings and Equipment as his own.  Being able to play multiple cards per turn allows Guise to better benefit from this parasitic nature, though if others are struggling to get set up--or are focused more on One-Shots, based on the situation of the game--this leaves Guise in the lurch.

Enter Santa Guise, who has gifts for everyone.  With a few turns of power usage--or perhaps some out-of-turn power usage, gifted by a fellow hero--Santa Guise can help others get set-up, helping himself greatly in the long run.

Recommendations?  Anything that helps Guise's allies get set up faster helps Guise more in the long-run.  I'll go with Santa Guise pretty much every time.

#6

I wuv Rook City Wraith!  But you're not wrong that she's mechanically less than optimal, I just like the extra variety she brings to the game, interacting directly with the Environment in a way many heroes don't.  And since she's always got the uber-borkenness of Impromptu Invention in her corner, I figure she sort of deserves to have a weak promo.

Aside from that little quasi-complaint....great guide!

#7

I could be wrong, but isn't Freedom Tempest in the Freedom Six and not Legacy? They are pretty much defined by the fight against Iron Legacy.

#8

shrug I guess I was working from the perspective of Freedom 5 + Unity as intern.

#9

 

yeah Freedom 6 is Tempest, not Legacy :slight_smile: But awesome guide still!

#10

I would tend to imagine that there are some timelines in which Unity becomes a full member of the Freedom Six without having to have Legacy leave.  What I'm curious about is exactly how Tempest joined the F6 in IL's future but was never invited to join in the main timeline.

#11

So far I've been absolutely loving DW Mr. Fixer, but I usually have teammates (like Ex-Pat or Wraith) who can get plenty of Equipment cards on the field for him to use as ammo.  And you're right, it definitely makes Tire Iron and Jack Handle more viable options and effectively turns Bloody Knuckles into a stark, 2 damage buff One-Shot.

 

Like most of the promo heroes, their usefulness tends to derive from other teammates who can help off-set their drawbacks.

#12

Clearly Legacy has much in common with The Empire in that he views aliens as lesser beings, not worthy of full rights of sentience.

#13

That is disturbingly plausible.  It'd be extremely easy for someone who legitimately is The Chosen One, for reasons of bloodline, to be something of an elitist/bigot without even realizing it.

#14

See, I don't think TL Tachyon is really completely better than regular Tachyon. The main advantage that I always cite for regular Tachyon is that she can make Lightspeed Barrages happen much faster, which is a very good thing. Don't get me wrong--TL Tachyon is great at being a support-oriented play, but regular Tachyon is amazing if you all need a character who can use three large attacks in a single turn and possibly swing the game.

Same thing with Horus Ra--I think he's just as good. He lets you get to your powerful one-shots faster, and it's not like Ra doesn't have other attack powers he can use after you've gone and grabbed the best cards you need via sunrise.

And doesn't everyone just use DW Fixer's own equipment and ongoings for the attacks, rather than use other heroes' cards? Just burn your own tools/styles and don't worry about asking your friends for favors.

#15

I am completley of the same mind. No promo is straight up better than the original, or vice versa.

Only Sith deal in absolutes, ect ect.

#16

I can see where you guys are coming from, but I still disagree.

Tachyon’s deck has so many cards that allow her multiple plays that the TLT variant is never going to fall far behind the original version in terms of burst efficacy. Plus the net gain having everyone draw is more than worth the potential loss of cycling a single burst card.

With Ra, its more a matter of making the most of both his Play and Power phases. Ra’s one shots are great, no doubt about that, but both base and Horus get access to them. Horus has to choose to throw down a one shot or start a damaging power, while base Ra has the power already locked and loaded, saving him at least one (if not more) play phases. That makes him more powerful in my eyes.

#17

Tachyon's deck has so many cards that allow her multiple plays that the TLT variant is never going to fall far behind the original version in terms of burst efficacy. Plus the net gain having everyone draw is more than worth the potential loss of cycling a single burst card.

I agree.  Whenever we play with TL Tachyon, everyone ends up with pretty much every card they want in their hand at some point during the game.

#18

I liked the Ra promo a lot more before the now-infamous ruling 15.  To me, that was the whole point of Horus Ra: he could get that combo out quicker.  In light of ruling 15, I play core Ra much more commonly.

 

As for DW Fixer, I absolutely love him.  My standard (if I can pull it off) is to not use powers for a few turns and get out Harmony and a style or weapon.  Then each turn, I play a style/weapon, use the power, and sacrifice a style/weapon, based on what I plan to play next turn.  He's awesome.  Obviously, like you said, Bloody Knuckles becomes a straight buff, and Overdrive becomes iffy.  I also love that Salvage Yard now becomes an AWESOME way to fetch back all the tools you've been tossing away.  Fantastic variant.

 

One quick note on variants.  So far, I think that Legacy/Young Legacy, Fixer/DW Fixer, and AZ/Elemental Wrath are the pairs that play most differently.  I think that Bunker/EoW Bunker comes close behind, but like Wraith, you tend to be using other powers as the game goes on, so your base power matters less.  I also haven't played the NightMist variant yet, so I haven't evaluated her yet.  This is what I love about promos though.  Characters that play COMPLETELY differently with just the change of a base power.  Not just the ones that change turns 1-4, but the ones that make you look at specific cards in completely new ways.  So cool  :slightly_smiling_face:

#19

The point where TLT starts falling behind regular Tachyon in effectiveness is Research Grant.  Everytime you use Team Leader over Research Grant you help the team at your own expense.  I would argue it is still a net win, until those cards are no longer improving the actual results of your allies plays enough to offset Research Grant's awesomeness.

The situations where regular Tachyon is better than TLT (same deck order and situations, self only) involves the time of the game before Tachyon has HUD Goggles and when is discarding every time she reveals.  Otherwise she is running out of cards or not milling her deck as fast as TLT.  It is still only a slight advantage because lightning reflexes offsets the gap as well.  The goal is to find Lightning Reflexes and HUD Goggles as TLT, and Research Grant as regular.  The time where TLT is not better than regular Tachyon for the rest of her team involves the point of the game where there is nothing further to be gained by them drawing extra cards.

That's a very small window of the game where you are attempting to offset your entire team getting loaded with cards with Recon being slightly better for you than Team Leader, there really is no comparison.

#20

My experience has been that TLT is definitely a lot of fun to have around, but I have not seen her go through her deck the way regular Tchyon can.

In one case I was playing Chrono-Ranger, Scholar, and TLT against promo Gloomy. Everyone but Tachyon went through their entire deck. Generally w/TLT Lightspeed Barrage just doesn't shine as much, but everyone else is happy (CR had everything he could ever want and Scholar kept up lots of forms). It really is a "Look at me hit things!" vs. "I'm here to help the team and not hit as many things." difference.