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Author Topic: What Sounds Fun?  (Read 2073 times)

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Offline Wyldhunt

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What Sounds Fun?
« on: April 20, 2010, 07:07:43 PM »
Hello, ladies and gents.  I love trying to forge new units for 40k, but I often find that it's hard to figure out which ideas to sit down and focus on or, worse than that, that my ideas don't appeal to others as much as to myself.

That said, I like to think that I'm at least a semi-capable unit designer.  So, I'm going to present a few ideas for units that I've had.  Please tell me what sounds interesting and what sounds lame, and I'll use your feedback to determine what to focus on forging.  Also, feel free to suggest your own ideas. No promises that I'll make them, but I'll consider it if you happen to be the sort of person who has cool ideas but doesn't trust themself to forge stuff.

All names are subject to change as is pretty much everything else about them:

Zani:  Troop choice, similar to Harlequins in stats.  Sacrifice number of attacks for Defend (as per the Dire Avenger exarch power) and possibly a 4+ save of some kind.  Fluff wise, they're just harlequins that have focused on defense rather than offense. I intend for them to be a tarpit unit.

Tadderdemalion:  Elite or maybe HQ?  Fluff is that it's a lesser-spirit of the warp that Cegorach saved from being tainted like the other creatures of the warp by binding him to the materium.  Think daemon but not associated with chaos.  Would have "trickster" powers like misdirection and maybe something similar to the Changeling's power that makes the enemy shoot one of his own units.  Maybe something that let's him turn into a monstrous creature?  Other ideas for capabilities welcome.

Masks of Mockery:  Fluff is that, pre-fall, Cegorach had Vaul craft three masks so that he could better arrange a performances mocking the vices of the eldar.  These vices correspond to the three chaos gods other than Slaneesh.  Post-fall, Cegorach occasionally gives them to Great Harlequins to give to a harlequin for a single performance (fight.)  None dare wear these masks more than once for, though the blessing of Cegorach gives them some protection, prolonged use of the masks might doom them to a fate similar to that of the Solitaire. 

They use the masks to sip from the stream of power that flows to the gods of chaos, and then bend it to Cegorach's use. They taunt and satirize the chaos gods even as they wield their power, and in this way, simultaneously steal power from chaos and corrupt more of it with laughter.  Yeah... this makes more sense in my head, but just assume a healthy amount of metaphysical phlebotinum is used.

Mechanically, it would be 3 special characters with gear and special rules to represent the chaos gods.  Nurgle might get fnp, khorn preferred enemy, tzeentch wings, that sort of thing.

Photomancer: I actually wrote this guy up mechanically a while back, but I did so hastily and really ought to rework him. If there's interest that is.  He's meant to be the opposite of the shadow seer, lighting up the enemy and making them easier to see. That sort of thing.

Thoughts?

Mechanically, these guys would be HQ choices.

Offline Aluinn

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Re: What Sounds Fun?
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2010, 08:37:15 AM »
Actually, even though they're the more "out there" ideas, I like the Tadderdemalion and Masks of Mockery the best. Maybe it's even because they're the craziest, now that I think about it :).

I'm not so sure about the Zani, since it kind of seems like a concept you could use as an extra option for Mimes rather than requiring a new unit. The Photomancer might be a cool idea in terms of the powers (it could also blind enemies and reduce their A, WS, or I, maybe) but I just can't envision what the model would look like to make it distinct from a Shadowseer. I'm also not sure I like the name that much, but I hesitate to criticize because no alternatives spring to mind for me to suggest. It seems like it should also end with "-seer", though.

But the Tadderdemalion has a lot of potential for a conversion (I immediately thought of the Deceiver model when I read that, with a new head maybe, but it could be a lot more bestial too). I think rules-wise, just be sure not to make him so much of a blunt beatstick as an Avatar, and that he relies more on deceptive abilities, to keep him feeling unique. The mask-wearers could have all kinds of interesting powers that might range from carry-overs of actual Chaos abilities to things that only indirectly evoke them. I would try to stick, very generally, with Nurgle being resilient, Khorne being good in close combat, and Tzeentch being fast or evasive, though.

Offline Wyldhunt

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Re: What Sounds Fun?
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2010, 10:50:26 AM »
Hey!  Thanks for the response. And just when I had given up hope for this thread and started day-dreaming about other possible harlequin units.  Sounds like the Zani doesn't really grab ya.  I came up with them as a possible alternative troop choice to harlequins and mimes, but couldn't find  a good offensive roll (other than shooting which isn't very 'quiny) and thus made them defensive.  The Masks and Tadderdemalion should be fun to make, so that will probably be what I start working on today. 

For the photomancer, I had pictured a model decked out in lots of metallic golds (especially on the mask) and other bright colors like yellow with some black areas to contrast against.  Maybe even give him something big, shiny, and way-stone shaped on his mask.  I'll think up some different names for him.  The first thing that came to mind after reading that bit of your post was "Helion" as in being related to the Greek titan Helios (sun titan), but then I realized the Dark Eldar have Hellions, and have fun explaining that to them every game.

Out of curiosity, what do you guys think of these ideas:

*Will-o'-Whisps:
Swarms of benethai-like devices that surround themselves with light making them appear like glowing, ghostly orbs, flying fire balls, etc.  The unit would consist of swarms of weak models that would move like jetbikes, and a single harlequin that controls them. You could have the swarms actually break off from the controller, but this would, of course, leave the controller exposed to danger.  If the controller dies, the swarms die as well. 

So basically, you get a bunch of fast, weak swarms that you could use to tie up enemy infantry, provide a cover save, etc, but in order to benefit from their speed, you'd have to risk their controller. You could keep the swarms attached to the controller if you wanted to play it safe; you're just losing the benefit of the Whisps' speed.

*The Lovers:
A squad of two independent characters, each with its own wargear.  They get benefits when fighting near each other, and one can mourn the ending of their "Tragic Romance" when the other dies by claiming the other lover's corpse as an objective.  Sorta like Bjorn's weird special rule, but only the surviving lover can claim it.

The idea is to have a couple of harlequins playing the lead love interests in a dance involving romance.

Yeah, kind of weird ideas, I know.  They sound like fun to make, however, so if you guys don't think they'd be too clumsy, I think I'd have fun making them.

Offline Aluinn

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Re: What Sounds Fun?
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2010, 03:39:16 PM »
Oh no problem at all, I was just thinking this board moves really slowly and could use some more replies :). I wouldn't want to see Harlequins and Exodites ignored.

And heck, go ahead and make them if you'd have fun doing it, that's reason enough. I think all of those could be good. Actually the Wisps, if they take the form of blinking lights like fireflies, might be a good accompaniment for the Photomancer. Just to throw something out there, it might be interesting if they made a unit dedicated to disabling enemies and tying them up, but weren't likely to actually kill any (like, even less likely than Nurglings and Scarabs). They could counter the Harlequins' lack of numbers by occupying large or expensive enemy units for several turns. Just an idea. It kind of steps on the toes of the role you had in mind for Zani, is the problem.

Anyway all of this is just one gamer's opinion. I'm sure other people will like your ideas too, though. You could post them in The Forge for critique if you wanted, once you have rules.

Offline Wyldhunt

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Re: What Sounds Fun?
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2010, 03:59:17 PM »
I fully intend to put these in the forge once I get them made. The only problem being that I got the new Splinter Cell for graduation the other day along with the newest Final Fantasy game, so my attention might be... split for a bit.

 


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