Hi everyone...when I first opened the SoB expansion I wasn't just disappointed with the fact it had only 4 Overlords in it. I was also disappointed that by doing so, Manticores and Ogres were the only monsters remaining from the original box which had no corresponding Avatar!
Hence I decided to go as far as doing them myself and here's the result.
As per other Avatars corresponding to monsters with the Undying, I removed it from him. SoB lacked an overlord paying less only to upgrade Humanoid monsters and with higher Traps cost (compared to Monsters and Event) and I thought he was perfect, since Ogres are Humanoid and they shouldn't be particularly skilled with traps either!
His ability is nice in my opinion since it reduces greatly the ability of heroes of stacking potions (expecially with the Alchemist skill, this may become a problem to the Overlord!). I really believe it should be quite a nuisance.
As for his upgrades:
HASTENED RIGENERATION - XP10
The Avatar has +1 Armor and Regeneration 10.
I didn't want him to have the typical Ironskin most Avatars get, but still the regenerative powers of Trolls had to be "shown" somehow.
RISE OF THE OGRES – XP5
Whenever you play a Spawn card with cost 5 or less, you may spawn an Ogre, instead of what’s written on the card. Whenever you play a Spawn card with 6 or less, you may spawn a Master Ogre, instead of what’s written on the card.
Ok, he makes Ogres stronger, but then you go and discover there are so few Ogres around and only a very mediocre Spawn card for them. Now you've always the option of bringing a big guy in play and for higher level spawns you may even bring to the table the Undying one!
SEA OGRES - XP15
All Ogres have the Swim and Unstoppable abilities.
Swim and Unstoppable are nice...I also thought about some "flooded" final stage, where the Avatar might take advantage of his Swim ability.
SMASH - XP5
Whenever an hero moved by the Avatar’s Knockback ability ends the movement adjacent to a wall or rubble obstacle, roll the Red die. The hero suffers those many wounds, ignoring Armor.
Just to give Knockback some utility during the final battle (in a field full with rubble, of curse).
And his Lieutenant...
THE WHITE TERROR - XP16
AVATAR: The Hungry Maw only.
POWER: Doom.
The White Terror may only move along Water and Secret Trails, but may not travel through the Great Maelstorm.
MINIONS: 4 Daggertooth Sharks and 2 Ogres.
The White Terror has the Bleed, Grapple and Swim abilities. Other Daggertooth Sharks have the Grapple ability.
The White Terror and the other Daggertooth Sharks may each Grapple one hero at a time and have Pierce 6 on all attacks against that hero.
Campaign Level - Speed - Wounds - Armor
Copper - 7 - 40 - 6
Silver - 7 - 80 - 8
Gold - 7 - 120 - 10
The big Daggertooth is here...it wasn't easy making him different from Sweetheart though, so I had to think of something. It might be unbalanced (very likely). I think balancing Lieutenants is pretty difficult.
The other Overlord:
Completing the circle, she upgrades for 25 both Beasts and Eldritch (which are just the right the "types" I'd attribute to a Spinx!) and pays less for trap treachery...still the Sphinx paying a lot for treachery sounded bad to me, so I thought her ability would be an actual doubling o fher treachery efficience. Compared to Overlord with Max treachery 4 and 10 to upgrade, she's still slower (she has to build up lots of xp to upgrade anything) but when she upgrades stuff, she's really awesome (reaching an actual treachery of 6 with traps!). Also, she may upgrade BOTH Beasts and Eldritch to highest levels (but again...she's got to pay a lot for that, 50 points per campaign level isn't exactly few xp). The Sphinx is an Avatar for very self confident Overlords, requiring enourmous investments, but reaching the highest power levels.
Her upgrades:
FINAL RIDDLES – XP20
During the Final Battle, you may select and play a hand of cards, just like during a Lieutenant’s encounter and you begin with the Trapmaster Power Card in play for free.
With all the XP she's spending on Treachery, she deserves to get use of it in the end...besides 20XP are a lot for an upgrade and don't allow her to start with it.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER – XP20
Your Avatar has the Aura 3, Dark Prayer, and Ironskin abilities.
Stong abilities for an amazingly high cost. Again, The Sphinx has the best weapons in her wargear, but has to pay a high price for them. I like how this ability works in combo with the first one.
RELENTLESS SERVANTS - XP15
When you purchase this upgrade, choose and permanently remove 1 card from the Overlord’s deck and add the “Lone Golem” card to the deck. You cannot remove it from the deck using Treachery during Dungeons. All Golems have +1 Speed and roll an additional Power die of the best type they have.
I wanted her to give power to some eldritch creatures and I ended up with the idea of something like Ushabti warriors and decided that having better Golems would be ok, but since they are (really) so rare, she had to at least get a free (treachery-wise) chance of evoking one of them at least once per Deck-cycling (c'mon, the Lone Golem treachery card is otherwise absolutely useless, everyone knows it).
SMART AGENTS - XP15
When you purchase this upgrade, choose and permanently remove 1 card from the Overlord’s deck and add permanently the “Lone Manticore” card to the deck, free of treachery cost. You cannot remove it from the deck using Treachery during Dungeons. All Manticores have the Trickster 2 ability. All Master Manticores have the Command 2 ability.
The upgrade for Manticores had to be there. I decided a Trickster might be nice for an Avatar who can pack its deck with tremendous traps and I also though that giving Command to the (few) Master Manticores would make them really feared enemies (and it's flavorful, since Manticores are supposed here to be lesser sphinxs serving the great one and hence controlling her minions). The "free" treachery card thing is there for the same reasons discussed earlier.
The Lieutenant
ANASATEP – XP20
AVATAR: The Sphinx only.
POWER: Brilliant Commander.
Anasatep may only move along Water and Secret Trails. Anasatep may travel through the Great Maelstorm.
When Asanatep is within 1 Trail of the Overlord’s Keep, upgrading Monsters costs 5 less XP for each other Monster Upgrade purchased during the current Campaign Level.
MINIONS: 2 Manticores, 2 Golems, 1 Master Manticore.
Anasatep has the Aura 5, Dark Prayer, Sorcery 5, and Swim abilities.
Golems within 6 spaces of Anasatep have the Swim ability.
Campaign Level - Speed - Wounds - Armor
Copper 4 - 20 - 4
Silver 4 - 40 - 5
Gold 4 - 60 - 6
Campaign Level - Attack Dice
Copper - White+Green+Yellow+Black+Black
Silver - White+Green+Yellow+Yellow+Silver+Black+Black
Gold - White+Green+Green+Yellow+Gold+Silver+Black+Black
The Old egyptian-styled mage-priest. Paper-thin (the weakest Lt ever, statwise), with very big offensive potential. Still, his greatest ability is having the Overlord pay less for upgrading monsters (it's really needed since everything costs so much to this Avatar!), but then, you can't use him to go around that much, which is lame for a Lt.
Feedbacks are very much appreciated as always. I still have to think about keep location and starting point for lieutenants and suggestions are very welcome! As for each Avatar's dungeon level...well, I'll have to think about it, I have a few ideas, but I still have to really design the levels.