I've been playing around with the idea for a Druid/Beastmaster-type hero. I haven't had a lot of time to play-test this, but I would welcome any thoughts as to how I could better use this idea. I would especially appreciate thoughts on gameplay balance. Too powerful? Not powerful enough? Too like the other heroes? Too different?
------------------------------------
Druid Hero
Weapon - Staff
Dmg - 1d
Move - 2
HP - 4
Skills:
Beast Rider - Your Druid hero can lead a Creature. Place your Druid hero in the Creature's hex. This combined unit MUST ignore 2 flags and retreats 1-3 hexes (at the players' discretion) when forced to retreat. The Druid is protected from Casualty Checks until the Creature is killed. The Creature is otherwise considered a troop for Heroic Leadership purposes.
Special: Your Druid Hero is considered Mounted while in a combined unit with a Creature.
Creature Healer - (Lore Cost: 3) Your Druid Hero's Creature may ignore one hit in melee combat. This skill can only be used once during a melee combat dice roll. Use after battle dice are rolled to subtract one die from the critical hit check. (Prerequisite: Beast Rider)
Beastmaster - Your Druid Hero/Creature combined unit rolls one extra die in combat. (Prerequisite: Beast Rider)
Spirits of the Woods - Your Druid Hero (or combined unit) may score one hit for each lore rolled against a target on or next to Wooded Terrain.
Spirits of the River - Your Druid Hero (or combined unit) may score one hit for each lore rolled against a target on or next to a Waterway Hex.
Spirits of the Hills - Your Druid Hero (or combined unit) may score one hit for each lore rolled against a target on or next to Elevated Terrain
Path Finder - Your Druid Hero on foot may move on additional hex and ignore terrain movement restrictions. Impassable terrain may be moved through but not stopped on.
Staff Fury - Your Druid Champion rolls two additional dice in melee combat.
Once your Druid Hero joins the War Council, his seat on the Guest spot counts as one level on the Creature spot. If a Creature is not present in the adventure, he may summon a Creature to the battlefield and place it next to a friendly unit during the War Council set up. Appropriate levels must be assigned to the Creature spot in the War Council.
OR
"If a Creature is not present in the adventure, he may summon a Creature to the battlefield by removing a friendly unit and placing the Creature in its hex during the War Council set up."
----------------------------------
Note the absence of an actual Riding skill.
I've also played around with the idea of the terrain-based combat (Spirits of whatever): what about +1d or +2d & all lore rolled = 1 hit?
What think ye?