I'm putting together the accessories for Vengeance, and on the oversized villain cards I typically give each ability a name to make them easier to quickly scan during a game. I know V5 Baron Blade's front and back side abilities, but since I don't yet have his deck, I'm having a hard time putting them in context to give them a proper name. So let me ask a couple of questions:
Front side: "Baron Blade deals the hero target with the lowest hp and himself 2 melee damage". Why is he damaging himself? Is his new transformation into Buffed Boy Blade unstable or something, so he's decaying or falling apart? Or maybe he's so crazed and/or unused to his new physicality that when he punches someone he also always tears his own muscles? I don't get it.
Back side: "Each hero target deals itself 1 toxic damage." Is V5 Baron Blade radioactive maybe? It's the heroes who are damaging themselves, so he's not doing it to them, and it's toxic damage. Without knowing more about what's going on with the new Baron, I can't figure that one out at all.
I think you pretty much nailed it. Christopher confirmed in playtesting at some point that Baron Blade basically pushed himself too hard with the genetic modification, so he's unstable. Not 100% sure what's up with the toxic damage on flip side, but radioactive is about as good as anything else, and it makes sense that if you've spent enough time around him to take him down, you've probably got low-level radioactive exposure.
In his V5 bio, it mentions that he developed a serum that would grant him superhuman strength and speed, but only temporarily (in that it required regular doses), and with a high physical cost for using them without those regular injections.
It is very likely that this is why he harms himself- because he is pushing his own body past the breaking point. It is likely that he has the means within his own deck to mitigate this damage (IE, providing doses of serum).
He goes after the lowest because he can. He's had a lot of experience in being the "weakest villain", and its time for some payback.
As for having everyone deal themselves toxic damage, It seems entirely in keeping that he'd have some sort of sabotage set up in case of his own incapacitation. Its not clearly explained (or if it is, It passed me by), but I wouldn't put it past him to have some sort of poisonous backup plan.
Since the game is released it seems okay to post this and we've already got the spoiler tag on this thread. Baron Blade starts with a card that reduces damage he takes by 1 and heals him for 2 at end of his turn, so while he's hitting himself for 2, it gets reduced by 1 and he heals 2, basically gaining 1 HP on his turn.
OK, I guess I'll go with something like "Unstable Mutation" for the front side, and stick with "Radiation Poisoning" for the back side, though that one feels weaker to me.
They are certainly not being "nice"; they're glaring hostilely at each other, they just realize it's pointless to fight while they're both regenerating all their wounds.
My biggest question is if the effects of Positive Energy had any long lasting effects on those who were in it. Baron being so nonchalant about Unitys Platform Bots tells me that there might be something to this idea. And from a timeline perspective, both the Positive Energy Field art and Platform Bot art must take place *after* the events of Vengeance, since V5 blade still has that scar on his eye. Could Baron possibly be taking some time off from Villany while he helps the heros fend off a cosmic evil?
Right after Vengeance, Baron Blade gets put on trial (flavor text from V5 Blade). I have to believe the scar heals after the events of that trial.
Given that we know that Baron Blade murders Legacy (or Young Legacy)* I wouldn't think the positive energy field has any long lasting effects. Also I do not get a playful vibe from his expression on Platform Bot. World-weary? Annoyed? Put out? Yes. Playful? Not really.
*=At least before the timelines shttered and things went a bit wibly-wobbly timey-wimey nd led to Tactics where Legacy is definitely still alive.**
**=Unless of course, the death occurs after or possibly during Tactics.
Is it possible, that with the emergence of an older Visionary much earlier in the timeline than she should be, that neither Legacy ends up dieing? Or is this a case of something fated to happen?
With her being the one who reveals the IL situation, I wouldn't put it past her to end up stopping it. Who knows, maybe with both Legacies alive she can stop the future that caused her. Dual Legacy is beastly.
Three Legacies versus Mad Bomber Blade was such a one sided fight. Daddy and Grandpappy Legacy just stood back, drank beers, and occasionaly cheered and motivated Young Legacy as she beat the crap out of Blade.
Seriously, Young Legs got a Surge of Strength, and Finest Legs got inspiring presence on the first round. With Greatest Legs's power, Young Legs was doing at least twelve damage to Blade every round, it was nasty.
Playing multiple copies also runs into weird effects with things like all Legacies being able to use a single Lead from the Front, or being unable to play limited cards. The game simply doesn't have a mechanical platform to run multiple versions of the same hero deck. It's not normally a problem except for Legacy and Bunker, whose promos are actually completely different people.
