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From Panel To Play: Iron Fist

CP49 Iron Fist

Sure, lots of people know how to punch things. But how many people can draw on the spirit energy of an ancient dragon to make their punches superhumanly strong and impervious to pain or damage? That’s gotta be a much shorter list. This time on From Panel to Play, we’re looking at Danny Rand, inheritor of the Rand-Meachum Corporation, adventurer, Hero for Hire, and the Iron Fist!

Danny Rand is a martial artist and the master of the mystical Iron Fist, which allows him to harness and focus his chi to devastating effect. As a young child, Rand traveled with his parents to the hidden city of K’un-L’un, which his father discovered years earlier. Rand’s parents died in the treacherous mountains, but the mysterious city’s inhabitants took him in and taught him the martial arts. Later, he confronted and defeated the dragon Shou-Lao. Plunging his fist into the dragon’s molten heart gave him the Iron Fist’s power and burned Shou-Lao’s mark on his chest.

Rand returned to America, where he ultimately met and befriended Luke Cage. Together they formed Heroes for Hire, Inc. The pair offered their extraordinary talents to help protect New York City’s citizens who needed them the most.

Iron Fist’s miniature is a snapshot of the last thing his opponents ever want to see. The master martial artist leaps into the air, summoning the power of Shou-Lao’s spirit and his own Chi into the terrifying Iron Fist strike. Whoever is on the receiving end is about to have an awful day. The dragon-shaped wave of energy holding Iron Fist in the air is an excellent opportunity for painters to show off their object-source lighting skills. Still, it can also be painted with simple washes and highlights thanks to the miniature’s incredible detail.

On the table, Iron Fist is a ticking time bomb for the enemy forces. As Iron Fist pummels opponents with flurries of Chi Strikes, a solid Strength 5 energy attack with the potential to stun his targets, he is gradually building up Power. This is further enhanced by his innate power Immortal Weapon. As one of the Immortal Weapons, the champions of the Seven Cities of Heaven, Iron Fist can manipulate his chi’s flow. In the game, this power gives Iron Fist 1 bonus Power during the Power Phase.

Once Iron Fist has accumulated enough Power and focused his chi’s flow, he can unleash the Iron Fist’s devastating power. With a punch strong enough to bring down a Helicarrier, he strikes with an astounding Strength 9 energy attack. This strike’s shockwave is strong enough to cause enemy characters within Range 3 of the initial target to suffer damage, and whoever is on the receiving end of this empowered punch can be Staggered and thrown back from the impact. Perhaps more damaging for the enemy’s plans, if the Iron Fist attack’s target didn’t already have an Activated token, this attack places one on them. He won’t be able to do it all the time—in early stories, this attack left Iron Fist drained and exhausted —so you’ll have to spend 8 Power to pull off the strike.

While his Iron Fist attack is undoubtedly eye-catching, Iron Fist has other attacks and powers to reflect his martial arts mastery. Unfortunately, that’s all we have time for today!

That’s all for our first look at how Iron Fist leaped Panel to Play. Check back for our next installment, when we examine another of your favorite characters as they jump onto the table in Marvel: Crisis Protocol.

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

From Panel To Play: Luke Cage

CP49 Luke Cage

In this installment of From Panel to Play, we’re taking a look at the people’s protector and the real power of a good man. This time, we’re looking at how Luke Cage made the jump from the panels to the table in Marvel: Crisis Protocol.

Wrongfully imprisoned at Seagate Prison for a crime he did not commit, as a convict, Luke Cage volunteered for an experimental cellular regeneration procedure that gave him impervious skin and strength beyond standard human capabilities. Cage used his new powers to escape Seagate and returned home to New York City to become Power Man, the Hero for Hire.

Working to keep the streets safe, Heroes for Hire, Inc. is an independent organization that offers comprehensive investigation and protection services for people who need it. As the savvy muscle of Heroes for Hire, Luke Cage uses his enhanced strength and durability to take on criminal outfits and powered villains alike.

Luke Cage is a man who shrugs off bullets with ease, and his miniature needed to capture a sense of his incredible durability, stern demeanor, and raw physical strength. Arms folded across his chest, Cage has an expression like someone just tried to test the strength of his impervious skin. Under one foot, the crushed steel beam shows just how much power this hero has.

Luke Cage is a steady defensive player able to keep his whole team in the fight. His above-average Physical Defense lets him get in close with his foes, where he can use his enhanced strength to good use. Power Man Punch, his primary attack, hits at a respectable Strength 5, and if you’re lucky enough to get two wilds in the attack roll, will leave Cage’s target reeling from the impact thanks to the Stagger condition. When Luke Cage rings somebody’s bell, it stays rung.

Of course, if you want to lay a massive hit on someone, look no farther than Luke Cage’s signature Sweet Christmas attack. Cage wallops his target with a shout of his festive catchphrase and sends them flying back with the impact’s force. Though it costs him 4 Power to use, it’s worth it to see the dazed and confused expression on their face as they pick themselves up from whatever debris they just got power-housed into.

While his enhanced strength will let Cage get some solid hits in, where he stands out is his imperviousness to damage. The medical experiment that transformed Luke Cage gave him bulletproof skin and the ability to heal from wounds at an accelerated rate. When Cage shows up to a crisis, his enemies know they have to figure out how to deal with him and fast. The power Too Dangerous to Ignore represents just how threatening this Hero for Hire can be. When an enemy attacks a nearby friendly character, Cage can spend 2 Power to force the attack to target him instead. This ability is even better combined with his innate power Impervious Skin, which allows him to reduce the damage he takes by 1. Luke Cage can draw fire from multiple attacks, shielding more vulnerable allies from harm and redirecting some of the nastier enemy effects from his teammates who hold critical objectives. He can help a team pull through a crisis on the power of his presence alone.

That’s all for our first look at how Luke Cage leaped Panel to Play. Check back for our next installment, when we examine another of your favorite characters as they jump onto the table in Marvel: Crisis Protocol.

Until then, this is Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off. Sweet Christmas!

From Panel To Play: Doctor Strange and Wong

Doctor Strange and Wong

Get ready for a two-for-one Panel to Play! In today’s Transmission, we are looking at Doctor Stephen Strange and his loyal companion Wong.

Once, Doctor Stephen Strange was a masterful—if arrogant—surgeon. A car crash robbed Strange of his ability to perform surgery, reducing his once fine hands to ruin of twisted bones and damaged nerves. In search of healing, Strange wandered the world and exhausted his funds, eventually becoming a drifter. It was then that he met the Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth. From the Ancient One, Strange learned the mystical arts, mastering them and eventually taking up his mentor’s mantle as the world’s defender against mystical threats.

Wong is the companion and protector of the Sorcerer Supreme. Born in the hidden land of Kamar-Taj, Wong is the most recent in a long line who swore their loyalty to the Ancient One. From early childhood, Wong has studied the mystic and martial arts, mastering them in order to serve in his role. Upon reaching adulthood, the Ancient One sent him to the Sanctum Sanctorum in New York to defend Doctor Strange. Since then he has stayed by the Sorcerer Supremes’ side.

Doctor Strange and Wong both have miniatures that capture their approaches to conflict. The Sorcerer Supreme stands confidently amid a massive whirling mandala of mystic runes and shapes (the Shield of the Seraphim, perhaps?) while magical winds whip at his cloak.

Meanwhile, Wong stands in a defensive position drawing on the martial arts of Kamar-Taj. His miniature is poised to leap into action against any who would threaten the Sorcerer Supreme.

Doctor Strange skillfully commands the mystic arts in battle. His rules mirror this mastery with a set of potent and quite tricky attacks and superpowers.

When it comes to attacking, the good doctor doesn’t rely on the brute force of Physical attacks, using Energy and, appropriately, Mystic attack types instead. This gives Doctor Strange an edge on his foes, who often are less resilient to these attack types. Bolts of Bedevilment has a decent Range 4, but the iconic Crimson Bands of Cytorak attack is a true showstopper. By default, this attack allows Doctor Strange to inflict the Stagger special condition, but if the attack roll produces a critical, wild, and a regular hit, Doctor Strange can use the Mystic Binding special rule instead, giving the target an activated token—monkeying with your opponent’s action economy as a result!

Doctor Strange has four different superpowers, each taken from one of the many classic spells the Sorcerer Supreme has used in defending the world from mystical threats. Each one is potent and useful, but special mention goes to the Eye of Agamotto innate power. Not only does this permit Doctor Strange to modify and reroll failures, once per attack he can reroll all the dice of an attack or defense roll. Wielding a Vishanti’s weapon of wisdom has its benefits!

Doctor Strange defends the world aided by his loyal protector, Wong. While he lacks the breadth of abilities the Sorcerer Supreme possesses, he is a valuable addition to any crisis team’s roster! With a Threat of 2, Wong can help to fill in the gaps and put another character on the field, which can be quite useful when you’re trying to secure valuable assets or hold critical locations.

Wong’s rules are a reflection of his role in supporting Doctor Strange. Most of his superpowers benefit other characters in Wong’s vicinity, from Faithful Assistant which allows a friendly character within Range 3 to gain 1 additional power to the potent The Vishanti’s Blessing power that allows an ally of Wong to remove 2 damage or a special condition.

That’s all for our look at this duo of magical protectors. Be sure to check back when From Panel to Play returns, as we take a look at another of the characters coming to Marvel: Crisis Protocol.

See you then! Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off.