Brotherhood of Mutants Archives - Page 3 of 3

From Panel to Play: Gambit

CP60 From Panel to Play: Gambit

If you’re a fan of spicy gumbo, zydeco music, and charmingly folksy sayings, then the subject of today’s From Panel to Play is going to be right up your alley. Just don’t play any card games with him. That’s right; we’re talking about the Ragin’ Cajun, none other than Gambit!

Remy LeBeau is Gambit, a dashing scoundrel with the mutant power to accelerate the molecular energy of an object, transforming mundane items into kinetically-charged explosives. Raised by a gang of New Orleans street thieves, Gambit is a master pilferer and former member of the Thieves’ Guild. He was forced to defend himself in a duel, leading to his eventual exile from New Orleans. Thrust into the employ of the Marauders, Gambit had an unwitting hand in the destruction of the Morlocks. His wandering life ended when he met Storm, who inducted him into his ultimate membership as one of the X-Men. As a loyal member of his new family, he dishes out punishment with his combat staff and trademark playing cards. Drop in a bit of kinetic enhancement and Gambit always has a winning hand.

Gambit can be unpredictable on the tabletop—and that’s a good thing! Every one of his three attack options has its own special rule triggered by a wild result, appropriate for a man who is so fond of games of chance. Whether he’s striking with his Bo Staff or throwing one of his signature playing cards, there’s the chance for the kinetic energy he controls to give the strike a little extra oomph.

His Bo Staff has the Push special rule that can affect characters of Size 3 or less. The Short push is enough to clear a pesky opponent off a critical objective or can be used to set up an attack angle for later in the turn. Meanwhile, his Kinetic Ace has the potential to detonate with the Explosive special rule, causing damage to enemy characters within Range 2 of his target.

When he wants to make a statement though, Gambit can toss out a storm of kinetic punishment with 52 Card Pickup. This flurry of cards is represented as a Strength, Range 4 Beam attack. As the cards strike everyone along their path, a few detonate with a bit more force, thanks to the Flurry of Cards special rule, which counts wilds as two successes.

Gambit can invest in his mutant power, overcharging his attacks to make them even more effective. The Accelerate Charge superpower lets him heighten the reaction of his empowered attacks and allows him to add 2 dice to his following attack action. And if Gambit wants to, ahem, stack the deck, he can pay 1 power to give it A Little Something Extra, a reactive power that allows him to convert one of his hits into a wild.

Of course, any card shark worth his salt will draw some unwanted aggression every once in a while. That’s why it’s fortunate Gambit has preternatural reflexes that can help him get out of a bad situation. Enhanced Agility is a reactive superpower he can use after an attack against him is resolved, dealing 1 damage to his attacker and letting him duck out with a Short advance.

That’s it for our look at this ragin’ Cajun!

Be sure to check back for yet another installment of From Panel to Play, the series where we give you your first look at how your favorite characters transition to the tabletop in Marvel: Crisis Protocol. Pre-order your own copy of the Rogue & Gambit Character Pack at your local game store or through our webstore here.

Until then, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off!

From Panel to Play: Colossus

CP57 From Panel to Play: Colossus

Here’s an old saying that a man with cold hands will have a warm heart. Well, when those hands are made of Siberian metal, then that man’s heart must be hot as Hel. This time on From Panel to Play, we’re taking a look at the X-Man who can wear fridge magnets as fashion accessories; it’s Colossus!

Born in Siberia during Communist rule, Piotr Rasputin is a mutant with a skin of steel and a heart of gold. He can transform his entire body into organic metal, granting him superhuman strength, durability, and stamina. Colossus is a gentle giant, however. He is sometimes reluctant to use his physical strength in combat, feeling a responsibility to use his powers to improve the lives of mutants and humankind. He has been a cornerstone of the X-Men for many years, acting as a sage and calm presence of strength among the team.

Colossus adds some defensive clout on the tabletop, with abilities that give him staying power while helping protect the other members of his team. He has decent Stamina and respectable defenses, especially against physical attacks. When it comes time to dish out a bit of behavioral correction in the form of punches, he strikes with the added impact of his bioorganic steel flesh.

Colossus’ basic attack, Strike, swings his metal appendages and lands as a Strength 5 physical attack. Catching a right cross from a steel fist is enough to rattle almost anyone, so this attack has the Concussive Force special rule, which adds a chance for Colossus to cause the target to lose 1 Power on a hit. For tougher opponents, the Siberian X-Man can bodily slam his targets into the ground with a heavy Supplex in the form of the X-Slam: a Strength 7 attack that stuns his target and has the chance to stagger it as well. But if his opponents aren’t within arm’s reach, Colossus isn’t totally without options. His mutant-enhanced strength lets him pick up interactive terrain of Size 3 or smaller and chuck it Medium range.

But Colossus is more concerned about keeping his teammates safe from harm, sometimes at his own expense. Big Brother has him putting his steel body in the path of harm to shield his companions. For 2 Power, when an enemy targets a character within Range 2 of Colossus, he becomes the target of the attack instead.

Colossus can soften the blow of the enemy attack with Bozhe Moi when he makes this noble sacrifice. With this exclamation, Piotr manages to escape the worst of a physical or energy attack, adding 2 dice to his defense roll.

Piotr can rely on his Organic Steel innate superpower to protect him for any damage that does make it through. His metal flesh deflects enemy attacks and reduces the damage he takes by 1.

And while some heroes bring out the big guns when they get injured, Piotr doubles down on his protective nature. Bozne Moi becomes innate on his injured side and passively adds blanks in his physical and energy defense rolls to his successes.

That’s it for our look at this steely hero!

Be sure to check back for our next installment of From Panel to Play when we look at Gambit in Marvel: Crisis Protocol! Pre-order your own copy of the Colossus & Magik Character Pack at your local game store or through our webstore here.

Until then, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off!

From Panel to Play: Juggernaut

CP56 Juggernaut

Former President Teddy Roosevelt’s cross-country motto was “Over, Under or Through—But Never Around.” Well, today on From Panel to Play, we’re taking a look at the man who says, “Through. Through is good.” That’s right; it’s Cain Marko, a.k.a., the Juggernaut!

Cain Marko is the Juggernaut, a human wrecking ball of unstoppable force which lays waste to everything unlucky enough to be in his path. He was once an average human before discovering the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak, a conduit to the power of the deity of the Crimson Cosmos that transformed Marko into the Juggernaut. Possessing unfathomable strength and durability, he is among the strongest physical beings alive. Juggernaut has endless strength and kinetic power, with the ability to shatter mountains, and a mystical forcefield makes him impervious to any harm. Once he gains momentum, nothing on earth can stop his advance.

Juggernaut is an absolute steamroller on the table with powers and attacks that reflect the build-up of his momentum before he unleashes a devastating, unstoppable attack.

A simple punch from the Juggernaut’s fists is enough to send anyone flying back. His Strength 5 basic Strike has the Push special rule to reflect this irresistible force. But for those truly heavy hits that he’s known for, may we offer you his second attack: I’m the Juggernaut!

This attack is a real one-two punch. After paying its Power cost, you get to land a thunderous strike that hits at Strength 7. Then, you get to use Cain’s active power immediately; Nothing Stops the Juggernaut.

This ability reflects the truly indescribable power of the Juggernaut once he’s at speed. Like a living wrecking ball, he is pushed a Short distance. If he contacts a piece of interactive terrain of Size 3 or smaller, he doesn’t stop, and the terrain is obliterated as he barrels through it. If he contacts another character during this movement, then that character takes 1 damage, and his movement stops. Oh, and if he was Staggered before using the power? He isn’t anymore because (say it with me), nothing stops the Juggernaut.

In fact, movement and momentum are kind of his whole thing. For proof of that, consider his Unstoppable Momentum innate power. After he resolves a movement action, Cain gains 2 Power, and the next attack he makes adds 3 dice to the attack roll. Timed right, you can nail a target with a Strength 10 I’m the Juggernaut! Attack, followed up by a bit of destructive mayhem as he either lays on extra automatic damage or takes out a downtown coffee stand!

But the Juggernaut isn’t just heavy-hitting, momentum-based damage output. He’s also a sturdy defensive character who’s protected from harm by the powers of a demon’s gem! In-game terms, this is reflected by him having a good 8 Stamina, solid physical defense, and the Nice Punch reactive power, which allows him to shrug off some of the damage an opponent inflicts. He also wears a special helmet that helps to protect him against psi-energy. His headgear not only gives him 5 Mystic defense, but he also has the Helmet innate power that prevents him from being moved by any Mystic attacks or superpowers!

Cain isn’t completely invincible though; only unstoppable. Once he flips to his Injured side the helmet snaps off and his rage breaks free. The Helmet superpower is replaced by Avatar of Cyttorak, an active superpower that lets him throw Size 3 (or less) terrain Medium.

That’s it for our look at the Breaker of Stone!

Be sure to check back for yet another installment of From Panel to Play, the series where we give you your first look at how your favorite characters transition to the tabletop in Marvel: Crisis Protocol. Next time we’ll be taking a look at Colossus! Pre-order your own copy of the Juggernaut Character Pack at your local game store or through our webstore here.

Until then, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off!

From Panel To Play: Quicksilver

CP63 Quicksilver

This installment of From Panel to Play is a real “blink, and you’ll miss it” opportunity. We’re here to talk about the man with the best 40-yard dash in the game, the lightning-fast Quicksilver!

Pietro Maximoff and his twin sister Wanda were abducted at a young age from their home in Siberia for experimentation by the High Evolutionary. Afterward, they were returned disguised as ordinary mutants. Both of the siblings manifested extraordinary abilities, with Pietro’s taking the form of superhuman speed. Both Pietro and Wanda would have fallen victim to human prejudice if it were not for Magneto’s intervention, who took the twins in and inducted them into his Brotherhood of Mutants.

Quicksilver’s miniature springs into action with a dramatic sprinting pose. Quicksilver uses a piece of flying debris from an explosion as a literal stepping stone, capturing how, to Pietro Maximoff, the rest of the world might as well be standing still. Wearing his classic outfit with its distinctive lightning bolt slashed across his chest, Quicksilver is ready to sprint across the tabletop.

When you look at Quicksilver’s rules, the first thing you might notice is that he’s fast. Some might even say insanely fast. His Long movement range is a good starting point, but the Speedster active power is where things start to get really interesting. For 2 Power, Quicksilver puts on some blinding speed and can make an additional Long movement—provided he isn’t holding something to weigh him down, like a celestial hammer or a Kree power core. That’s potentially three Long moves, or as we say in these parts, most of the map.

It doesn’t stop there. Quicksilver moves so fast he can blaze across water without sinking or sprint up the side of a building, so he has the Wall Crawler innate superpower. Quicksilver’s super-speed also makes him a challenge for opponents to hit. He has a pair of powerful defensive superpowers that let him duck out of the line of sight and actually dodge bullets.

And when he reaches an enemy, Quicksilver’s speed comes in handy on the offensive, too. Both of his attacks draw on his speed and mobility, giving him the chance to move after striking. His basic attack, Supersonic Strike, not only lets him perform a hit-and-run on one target, thanks to the Dash special rule, but he can carry that momentum into another attack on a different target with the Velocity special rule. Best of all, there’s no limitation on how often either of these two rules can trigger with Supersonic Strike, so Quicksilver can blur through the enemy, leaving a line of bruises to mark his passage!

With that, we’ve crossed the finish line of this first look at Quicksilver for Marvel: Crisis Protocol. Be sure to tune in next time when we show off how yet another character makes that first jump from Panel to Play. You can pre-order your own copy of the Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver Character Pack at your local game store or through our webstore here.

Until then, this is Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off!

From Panel To Play: Scarlet Witch

CP63 Scarlet Witch

What do you get when you take the daughter of a powerful sorceress, subject her to unethical genetic experiments, and mark her as the vessel of an elder god with one eye on stepping into the mortal world? You get Scarlet Witch, that’s what!

Along with her twin brother Pietro, Wanda Maximoff was abducted at a young age by the High Evolutionary and subjected to unrestricted experimentation. Wanda is the Scarlet Witch, possessing the power to alter reality and receptive to magical energy as a powerful sorceress. The mutant Magneto rescued the pair from a group of humans intent to do them harm and brought them into the fold of his Brotherhood of Mutants. After ending her time in the Brotherhood, Scarlet Witch has served with numerous teams of powered individuals.

Scarlet Witch’s miniature rises from the earth within a crackling storm of chaotic, magical energy. Wearing her iconic red costume and distinctive headpiece, she is a striking figure on the tabletop, and the intricate pattern of magic surrounding her gives her a dramatic punch that’s hard to beat.

Scarlet Witch brings a little bit of chaos to her opponents in a game of Marvel: Crisis Protocol. With multiple opportunities to impose special conditions on the opposing force, and powers that make it hard for an enemy to shake those conditions, Scarlet Witch can be a potent controller in your roster.

As you might expect, both of Scarlet Witch’s attacks are mystic. They have decent ranges and above-average Strength, but what makes them stand out is the special rules representing the forces of reality manipulation and chaos magic Scarlet Witch can command. Her basic Hex Bolt attack is a great example. Hitting at Strength 6, Wanda weaves a bit of debilitating chaos to hex her enemies with the Chaos Magic special rule. For each failure in her attack roll, her target suffers from a list of different special conditions. This ability to impose multiple special conditions is just one of the various tools in Scarlet Witch’s arcane arsenal.

Her attacks aren’t the only place where Scarlet Witch does new and exciting things with her dice. The Elder God Chthon selected the young Wanda Maximoff to be a vessel of his power on Earth, which bestows her with unique and potent capabilities. The Chosen of Chthon innate superpower allows Wanda to add failures to her rolls when attacking, defending, or dodging. She literally alters the probability of success in her favor (to the tune of about 12 percent per die)!

There’s a whole lot more in Wanda’s suite of superpowers, including an ability that prevents enemies from removing certain special conditions while they’re in proximity to her, the ability to soar above the battlefield, and more, but that’s all we have time for today.

Be sure to check back for yet another installment of From Panel to Play, the series where we give you your first look at how your favorite characters transition to the tabletop in Marvel: Crisis Protocol. Pre-order your own copy of the Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver Character Pack at your local game store or through our webstore here.

Until then, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off!

From Panel to Play: Magneto

CP42 Magneto

In this installment of From Panel to Play, we’re looking at a complicated man with a desire to protect his people no matter what it takes, the best friend and worst enemy Professor Charles Xavier ever had, Magneto.

A powerful mutant with the ability to manipulate magnetic fields, Max Eisenhardt is a radical fighter for mutant-kind. He has firsthand experience with cruelty and discrimination, growing up in WW2 Germany and forced to survive the horrors of Auschwitz. When he discovered his place among mutants later in life, he swore to not let his new people endure the fate he had.

For a time, Magneto was a close friend and ally of Charles Xavier. Magneto’s more extreme approach to the dilemma of mutants and humans was a wedge that drove them apart, leading Magneto to form the Brotherhood of Mutants. With his seemingly limitless mastery over magnetism, he and the Brotherhood fight for mutant supremacy, a cause that often brings them into conflict with the X-Men.

Translating Magneto’s gravitas to the tabletop was no easy task. He is a rich and complex character who needed to be an eye-catching and commanding piece. His miniature hovers in the eye of a maelstrom made up of twisted metal debris. His iconic cape billowing out behind him, Magneto has an impressive silhouette and a striking, authoritative pose. The mix of sleek organic lines on Magneto contrasts with the twisted, angular shapes of the metal around him. Magneto also comes with two additional bits of metal debris which are twisted and broken versions of classic terrain pieces, which you can paint to match the street lights and signs from your core set.

Magneto is one of the most powerful mutants alive, and his rules stay true to that. On the tabletop, he is a heavy hitter with numerous abilities to help swing a crisis in your favor. His

rules have many moving parts that can be tricky to anticipate, and those who learn how to wield them effectively will be rewarded.

His stat line is about what you’d expect, with an astounding Mystic defense of 6, as Magneto’s helmet shields him from the mind-controlling abilities of his former ally Professor X. Both of his attacks are powerful and have interesting special rules, but we want to focus on Shrapnel Blast for a moment. Using his magnetic powers, Magneto sweeps up a cloud of metal debris to fire off in every direction. This Range 2 area attack hits at Strength 6 and costs 5 Power to use… but interacts with one of Magneto’s other powers, Master of Magnetism.

This innate power allows Magneto to place Metal Construct terrain features on the field. If there are fewer than two in play, during the Power Phase you get to place one within Range 3 of Magneto. Not only are they Size 2 interactable terrain, but they also have other benefits. Magneto gains 1 Power for each one of them in play.

Remember how I said Shrapnel Blast interacts with this power? Well, when you use the attack, you can choose to measure the range of the attack from Magneto himself, or from a Metal Construct within Range 3, destroying it after you make the attack. This gives the Master of Magnetism an immense range with an attack that can hit multiple targets with a hail of metal shrapnel.

Of course, Magneto is much more than a metal-delivery system. He is the founder of the Brotherhood of Mutants and willing to tear down the world if he can rebuild it for the betterment of his people. His leadership ability From the Ruins benefits the Brotherhood of Mutants affiliation. When a terrain feature is destroyed, a number of Magneto’s allies equal to its Size immediately gain 1 Power… which makes his ability to place and destroy terrain at his discretion even more powerful!

Magneto has even more tricks in his arsenal, but that’s all we have time for today. Be sure to check back for the next installment of From Panel to Play, where we look at how all your favorite characters make the transition to the tabletop in Marvel: Crisis Protocol.

Until then, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off.

From Panel to Play: Toad

CP42 Toad

Not everyone is born to lead. Some people are born to follow. In this installment of From Panel to Play, we’re looking at Magneto’s personal crony and aide-de-camp with the wickedest tongue in the world, Toad!

Mortimer Toynbee is a rare strain of genetically flawed mutants. Abandoned by his parents at a young age due to his abnormality, he grew up in an orphanage where he was often tormented by the other children. His squat, toad-like posture, strange physique, and unusual skin were all expressions of his genetic instability, causing him to undergo severe physical and mental changes as he aged.

As an adult, Magneto discovered Toynbee. Seeing potential in his superhuman ability to leap great distances, enhanced strength and endurance, and his long prehensile tongue, Magneto gave him the alias Toad and brought him in as one of the Brotherhood of Mutants. As part of the Brotherhood, Toad has served as Magneto’s loyal lackey for many years.

Toad’s miniature captures the character’s bizarre appearance and posture. He’s dressed in a costume reminiscent of a jester’s outfit, fitting his role as Magneto’s amusing underling, but there is a grotesque element to his distorted features, the long prehensile tongue, and the bestial way he hangs off a bit of broken wall.

Toad is a slippery character. He’s not a frontline fighter and might have trouble going toe-to-toe with some characters, but he possesses several rules and abilities that make him perfect for maneuvering around the battlefield and taking control of critical assets.

The first way Toad helps you control a crisis is through the use of his oversized, super-strong tongue. He can whip it into an enemy and send them reeling, which is perfect for pushing them away from valuable assets. His Tongue Lash attack is Range 3, and a wild result in the attack roll allows him to push Size 2 characters a Short distance away.

Toad can use his tongue to aid his team as well. This prehensile appendage is strong enough to yank civilians or a vial of Wakandan herbs from the hands of a vulnerable ally, helping to keep an asset out of enemy hands. For 2 Power, the Finders Keepers active superpower lets Toad grab an asset or Civilian token from a friendly character within Range 3.

Of course, Toad needs to be in place to push an enemy back or snag a panicking civilian from his allies’ hands. His Medium movement distance might seem like a detriment at first, but this member of the Brotherhood knows a few moves. First of all, his mutation has granted him incredibly strong legs. He can spring into the air, landing quite a distance away. The Hop power costs 2 Power and lets you place Toad within Range 2 of his current position… when combined with his Medium advance, that’s farther than he could manage with a Long advance!

Second, Toad is slippery (metaphorically, at least. Hopefully not literally as well). He is difficult to pin down and quickly moves out of danger. Slippery is a reactive power that costs 2 Power to use and allows Toad to make a Medium advance if he is hit and damaged by an enemy attack. Combined with his other abilities, Toad is a deceptively mobile character with even more abilities to interact with crises than we have time to talk about today!

Keep your eyes on the Transmission for the next installment of From Panel to Play, as we examine how characters make the leap to the tabletop in Marvel: Crisis Protocol.

Until then, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off.