I think someone needs to make a Guardian of Erich Zann, the mad violist. Perhaps some abilities about pacifying the old ones, holding back monsters through his music, and keeping the terror in the town low. Any ideas on specifics?

I'm actually surprised that this hasn't been done yet.

That's a great idea, McCaber! I'll give it a try and post the results ASAP!

In the mean time, here is my first attempt at a Guardian. I would appreciate feedback on the powerlevel.

Well, he is definitely powerful. The art is very fun. Where did you get it? Deviantart? Epilogue?

"You will be protected" could use a little work. As it stands, it is confusing with the final battle. Say Yig devours one investigator... is that investigator then in South church? Kinda odd. Maybe include a clause that says "Before Final Battle begins."

As it stands, he is definitely the most powerful. Even Hypnos' storm of clues sort of pales in comparison, especially because Merlin saves a lot of clues. Of the five abilities (including gathering of heroes) any 1-2 would make him as powerful as Nodens or a usual guardian. Maybe divide him up into two Guardians, each with some of the abilities (I don't know, maybe Galahad or someone) that you've come up with.

I do like the abilities, though. It is tricky to think of ways to help the investigator, and these are pretty varied.

Graksnor said:

@Graksnor: I tried to take an editorial eye to the powers, changing some and removing others. The point of a guardian is not to do the work of the Investigators for them but simply to make it easier for them to do their jobs. For example, the "Light of the Old Ones" Ability doesn't defeat monsters for the investigators, it simply gives them a fighting chance against otherwise super-tough monsters. Same thing with "Gathering of Heroes" - the investigators don't start with any extra allies, they simply won't be denied any allies if given the opportunity to get one. Unlike Bast, who make one investigator super cool, or Nodens and Hypnos, who hapazardly apply their bonuses regardless of need, Merlin is intended from the begining to be equally useful to all investigators but not do too much for them.

Btw, the art was stock fantasy poster art I found online. Let me know what you think of this version...

@Graksnor: I tried to take an editorial eye to the powers, changing some and removing others. The point of a guardian is not to do the work of the Investigators for them but simply to make it easier for them to do their jobs. For example, the "Light of the Old Ones" Ability doesn't defeat monsters for the investigators, it simply gives them a fighting chance against otherwise super-tough monsters. Same thing with "Gathering of Heroes" - the investigators don't start with any extra allies, they simply won't be denied any allies if given the opportunity to get one. Unlike Bast, who make one investigator super cool, or Nodens and Hypnos, who hapazardly apply their bonuses regardless of need, Merlin is intended from the begining to be equally useful to all investigators but not do too much for them.

Btw, the art was stock fantasy poster art I found online. Let me know what you think of this version...

Should the Light of the Old Ones ability read "Monsters with Physical Immunity have Physical Resistance" instead of Magical Resisitance?

Phibby said:

Should the Light of the Old Ones ability read "Monsters with Physical Immunity have Physical Resistance" instead of Magical Resisitance?

Yes. Yes it should. I'll fix it (and the size) on the next batch.

Here is a fun one I've been working on. Thematically, it doesn't match, but it could always be changed to something that does pretty easily.

yes yes yes MOTHRA!!!! i love him i would change one thing the weaker mothra doom tokens (half to take off) is a bit clunky, have mothra spew some silk at the AO and have the ao roll a die on a 1 cancel the attack? thanks!! how bout a King Ghodaroh herald?

McCaber said:

Done and done.

lets try that again..

.

By my understanding of Patrice's rules, and assuming no double doom token mythos cards, in a game with Patrice and this guardian, the doom track will never exceed 9.

I'm not sure if I have a problem with this. The game has enough ways to screw the investigators, and it seems that the odds get stacked higher against the investigators with each expansion. So the fact that a single investigator from a single expansion shuts down one of the multiple ways to loose the game.

Stlll... it is something to consider.

The middle ability is broken. I think that giving investigators the ability to continually remove Doom tokens is likely to stall the game. Tbh, this herald seems a bit too 'preventative' all round. Couldn't there be some sort of more unusual cost/reward ability? Right now, it's pretty much a vending machine that dispenses extra turns. (Actually I've just had quite a good idea. Any objection if I make an Erich Zann guardian of my own?)

What's an 'appropriate mix'? Does 1 clue token equal one monster toughness?

thecorinthian said:

I see your point about the middle ability. I'm considering adding "Once per game" or some such to it to balance it out. I'm still working on it. I was wanting to find a way to reflect the benefits of Erich Zann but still allow player interaction. The "vending machine" approach was the best I could com up with

If you have an alternate idea for Erich Zann I'd love to see it!

As far as an appropriate mix, I took my cue from other game elements that suggested the ratio of clues/gate trophies/monster toughness. I wasn't quite happy with it, but it was the mixed used elsewhere.

I like it, but it does need some work. That taking monsters off the outskirts and sky ability was just the sort of thing I was looking for. We'll need to balance the clues and trophies, but that's as simple as playtesting with my group a few times.

@McCaber

Glad you like it, especially as you are the one that inspired it. Once you have some feedback on the abilities I would be glad to adjust it as needed. I am still considering making the "Chaotic Babel of Sound" Ability to a one-shot, or mebbe doubling in cost each time... I know it is broken but am unsure how best to fix it yet.

Well, this is my first time posting, and I had a few ideas for new guardians with abilities I hadn't seen anywhere before. Please forgive the picture, Cypher is supposed to look like a pink cluster of nerve-like tendrils with pink membranes between them. The idea is from a short story I wrote a while ago.

The main goal was to let one player make a roll for another, and I think it does that well. I also have a version of him as a herald, but that did not turn out so well.

Any feedback is welcome.

Any feedback on the others yet?

Suggestion of a guardian to play with "forgotten" cards.

Feonor said:

Woah. Many good suggestions, but all in one guardian makes it *too* helpfull. Maybe you should split the abilities. Remove the bank one (which I found interesting though) and the military assistance. Overall, leave only 2 or 3 abilities.

update of hermes (if anyone cares :-)

OK, move from Photo Shack to Photo Bucket:

Veet said:

Mmm... Despite my disliking guardians, I can almost agree with you. I would suggest one thing, for the special condition cards, you should make them ten toughness worth of monsters or gate trophies. Some of those conditions are *very* powerful and shouldn't be so easy to acquire (they'll still be quite strong, but, you don't want to make them too easy to get, I'd think, especially compared to an Ally or Deputization).

Funny. It doesn't to bother you Hermes is low quality. I guess it is me you hate, not my actions.