Yeah, it may be mostly bad luck. I look at the cards in my hand and I think "In a few turns I will have insane combos" but then I always get equipment wipes and ongoing wipes as soon as I pick up any speed. Also if Im being kicked while I'm down, I'm more likely to skip an action or whatever in order to deal with the enviroment.
I can see card destruction as really hurting AA. I started playing him without looking for crazy combos until they happen naturally so to speak. In otherwords I play the cards that help me now, and then when I have several out I can start looking at the combos.
The only thing I really look for at the start is an Inspiring Supertonic and an intrument that can play it. Giving your choice of hero a power use is one of the best powers in the game, doing an accompany with it is even better. I feel like if AA has IS he is in great shape.
I also look for situational cards, so if I we need ongoing or environment destruction I might look for the song that lets me destroy those things early.
Ah yeah, Inspiring Supertonic is very handy - I like to combo it with the Lyra and the Harp (using both instruments to activate its Perform text to let me use the next instrument) in order to use a bunch more instruments that turn :).
Actually, now that you mention it, Argent Adept IS really frustrating, just because of those two instruments.
There's Telamond's Lyra, which is actually a lute, and Musaragni's Harp, which is actually a lyre! You'd think they could at least get their medieval instruments right!
I had wondered about that myself, actually - I've heard of a lyre but not a lyra, so I looked it up and it is indeed a musical instrument. I had wondered whether it was supposed to be called Telamon's Lute before that, though. And somehow I'd never clocked that the harp is a lyre...even though I know that's what a lyre looks like!
He's a bartender, what does he know?
I want an evil Argent where he plays an electric guitar and wails damage on all good guys. He could form an evil metal band of evil and it could be the 80's but with Super Powers. His Nemesis could be a producer who constantly introduces keyboards and Saxaphone solos into his songs in post production.
I read this and automatically thought of Jem and the Holograms.
Truly outrageous.
I still don't like Mr. Fixer. Even moreso after Chrono-Ranger was released. People claim that Fixer is able to handle situations that others cannot. However, unless he teams up with the right heroes or you house rule him playing him makes me feel like a feeble old man. I think I'd like him a lot more if Bloody Knuckles stayed in play like Hunter and Hunted.
I would have to say for me it is Bunker (Keep in mind I still like all the heroes). I just can't seem to time his switches between modes correctly. I've also gotten some poor draws with all of my weapons being at the bottom of my deck. His playstyle reminds me a little bit of how Mr Fixer switches between his Tools & Styles but with Mr Fixer, I have him down. I'll keep trying, but so far Bunker has been my most frustrating.
My cousin loves Bunker, but hates running into anyone that specializes in destruction.
Read the bunker guide, it's helpful. But if you'd rather a 90 second overview: Don't try to switch between modes. Get out Flak Cannon and grenade launcher ASAP, then play turret mode immidiately. That's the dream setup, and it's not worth it to try to linger before going into turret mode to make things "better" by heavy plating or gatling or whatever. Those are cards you play if you cant play flak cannon, grenade launcher, or turret mode.
Get out Flak Cannon and grenade launcher ASAP, then play turret mode immidiately.
That is very effective, and also super boring. For the whole rest of the game, you won't draw or play another card, you'll just keep shooting stuff with the ones you have out. Not too fun, until you either lose your Mode card or decide to leave Turret Mode out of sheer boredom. :)
The better bet is to team Bunker with players that can help him get cards in play, Like Adept or for real fun Omnitron-X. Visionary is good to get his hand started, but Omni putting cards in play while he's in turret is great.
Also if you want a mod for him that makes him play much faster there are quite a few, my favorite is adding a destruction ability to his mode cards. I have it written down in my box, but I believe it goes:
Upgrade mode: when you destroy it at the start of your turn you can play an equip from hand or pull an equip from your deck to your hand.
Recharge Mode: When you destroy it at the start of your turn you can put another mode card in play from your hand or trash.
Turret Mode: When you destroy it at the start of your turn you may put it back in your hand instead of the trash.
Techarge to Upgrade to Turret plays a lot faster, and upgrade can be played and destroyed just to pull an equip you really need. It dones't make him that much more powerful, but it feels faster and more fun.
My two favorite characters in the game seem to be really unpopular here.
I love Argent Adept more than any other character in the game. I love his flexibility. He's bad against quicker villains like Iron Legacy (who in my experience will generally kill you if you have to take the time for a slow ramp-up), but against long-haul fights like The Ennead or Akash'bhuta, he winds up with a ton of options. I occasionally wish he had a little more direct damage and wasn't such a profoundly support-oriented character, but it's worth it for the ability to keep other heroes alive and in the game, and to not get stuck doing the same thing turn after turn.
Speaking of which… Bunker's probably my second favorite character, but I never seem to use Mode cards. There always seems to be an upgrade or option in my hand that I want to play, so I never go fully into focused damage.
And I love Unity. She can be more hit-or-miss than others — she's REALLY draw-dependent, and I've certainly had games where she barely goes anywhere. But I've actually had less luck with her variant card, which seems designed to fix that problem.
The only character I've entirely given up on is Mister Fixer. Not because he's broken, but because he's boring. For any given villain, there's generally one useful style and one useful weapon, and once I have those, it's just plink, plink, plink, tiny bits of predictable damage, and hoping for a Grease Gun to do something that will actually be useful to fellow players. At least when Unity or Bunker or AA go wrong, I feel like it's a matter of card luck, and that the next game might be better. With Mister Fixer, it never feels like "This game would have been terrific if I'd gotten to X card," it just feels like "Well, I peaked four turns in, might as well doze through the rest of the game."
Have you tried the "Stance-Shifting Master" variant for Fixer? That might help your issue, there...
Have you tried the "Stance-Shifting Master" variant for Fixer?
The toughest for me to play are:
Fanatic - She has a lot of very situational cards. I end up with a handful of "not useful here". And damage reduction with no Absolution makes her cry sad angel tears.
Expatriette - Her ammo is very often just a passing phase. A minor boost to one attack and never seen again. The rest of her cards are often "play for later" if she has the shotgun or automatic rifle, only to get tossed from an equipment wipe.
I'd say Mr. Fixer, but I'm pretty good with him. My strategy for him is: Tools: Use Pipe Wrench, Dual Crowbars, or Jack Handle. Rest are very situational. Styles: Use Grease Monkey Fist or Driving Mantis. Alternating Tiger Claw is situational, Riviting Crane is VERY situational. Other cards: Grease Gun for emergencies (off-turn plays can be awesome!, Scrap Yard for after equipment destruction, Charge and Overdrive as needed. Avoid Bloody Knuckles unless you are immune to damage. With any damage booster, Mr. Fixer can do amazing. And an off-turn Overdrive is sweet.
Grease Gun for emergencies (off-turn plays can be awesome!, Scrap Yard for after equipment destruction, Charge and Overdrive as needed. Avoid Bloody Knuckles unless you are immune to damage. With any damage booster, Mr. Fixer can do amazing. And an off-turn Overdrive is sweet.
I love Expat/Fixer/Adept. Just make Adept last.
If you get speed loading ammo is great, don't worry about putting it on top, just use it and wait for a salvage yard. Mr. Fixer can tank, kill important villains through DR, deal non Melee/projectile damage and use grease gun.
Adept lets you play Grease gun out of turn, as well as overdrive and Salvage Yard (another overdrive out of turn option) and save Vernal Sonata for after a salvage yard hits the trash. Out of Turn Unload is really fun as well, esp. if you have Pride and Prejudice out, then you get to play a card too. (double unload anyone?)
If Expat or Fixer die? Fixer puts an equip into play from the trash (awesome for Expat), and Expat lets Fixer do a seperate instance of damage if he uses a power, it gets modified by tools just like his other damage, like a second strike, only projectile. They really work great together.
It is a lot of fun, even more so with a Legacy up front to make everyone super happy.
As Expat you really need to know what destruction you are facing in the villain and Enviro decks. I'm playing her in the Kismet/Tomb match on the forums right now, and knowing that the only destruction is Kismet's destroy (H) equips I am throwing out guns I don't need to eat destruction for my better guns (and the team), I only really need to keep the Assault rifle out. The only time I find Expat bad is if you only get a Submachine Gun or a pistol for guns early with no damage boosts, or no guns at all. That really stinks. An early Shotgun is awesome, or an Assault rifle with +1 damage.
I wish Adept had just a couple more hp. It's all too easy for him to get stuck on the hero-with-the-least-hp train to Deadsville.