Materia Spotlight- Mephistopheles Gift

“Mephistopheles is a demon- a worker of Satan- who grants corrupted men with a gift. Mephistopheles is known from his deal with Johann Georg Faust in which he exchanges his soul for unlimited knowledge and other pleasures. In the Afterlife, Mephistopheles grants the Student a more physical gift with a very powerful flame. This flame allows the Student to cast physical, magical and astral cards at a reduced cost but will get hit rather hard if they are attacked.”

Welcome back Students! In this Spotlight we will be looking at another Construct but on the Dark side known as Mephistopheles’ Gift! As you read above, this fire Homunculus takes the idea of trading something valuable for something just as valuable. Like Faust, you’re receiving immediate gratification for your body which may not affect you right away. This was another card where the name came first and the Ability came second.

Mephistopheles’ Gift specifically states that your cards cost 1 less to play. Attacks made against you gain 1A (This includes Magical and Astral attacks). This passive is extremely powerful and has a lot of utility. It is easy for new players to pick up and play multiple cards without worrying about dice fluxing too much. It is difficult to master however because that additional dice hitting you can add up really fast. When designing this card we thought about how powerful it was to be able to cast cards with less dice for ALL pools. So we initially had the enemy roll two dice instead of one. If you didn’t already guess, this overwhelmed your Homunculus and made games extremely one sided so that was changed after quite a few paper prototyping sessions.  

Thanks for reading and if you didn’t know, Visions of Zosimos was Greenlit! This means we will be working extra hard with check out our new Patreon too! We will be offering exclusive content and discounts for donators. We are also working on a physical board game which we will have more details on that soon!

http://visionsofzosimos.net/download.php

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Ability Glossary

Think of this post as an extension of last weeks post featuring our Quick Start Tutorial. This week, we have decided to share with you our ability glossary that details all of the special abilities our cards will have.  Like our tutorial, we are working on adding the ability glossary to Visions of Zosimos to allow players to quickly remind themselves of the abilities we have created.

This ability glossary contains the Light Earth, Dark Fire and neutral abilities. As an added bonus, we have included the Void abilities as well to tease you in anticipation for our upcoming Beta!

X = number on the card

X(Y) = Damage(Turns)

Regenerate X

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  Passive healing: for as long as the effect lasts, this creature gains X Life Points at the start of each subsequent turn of it’s owner.


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  The ability that uses this may or may not allow the gain to exceed the original total.

Mend X

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  Active healing: the target creature gains X Life Points.


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  The ability that uses this may or may not allow the gain to exceed the original total.

EARTH-------------

Momentum

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  Gain bonus attack dice: upon casting Earth spells or enchantments, this creature gains a 1A bonus. Bonus dice are lost once used, and are used first before normal dice.


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  This ability and corresponding bonus dice are removed if creature gains Hulking.

Hulking

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  Gain bonus defense dice: upon casting Earth spells or enchantments, this creature gains a 1D bonus. Bonus dice are lost once used, and are used first before normal dice.


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  This ability and corresponding bonus dice are removed if creature gains Momentum.

Shelter X

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  Physical damage resilience: reduce any incoming Physical (done with Body dice) Life damage by X.

Camaraderie

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  Strength in numbers: For a number n creatures you control on the board which have Camaraderie, each will have an extra (n-1)A/(n-1)D dice.  These are normal dice not bonus dice, but they are gained or lost accordingly as Camarades are added or removed from the board to always match to total number of Camarades.


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  Ex:
  
  
  
  
  
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    1 Camarade on board → 0 extra dice.
  
  
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    2 Camarade on board → extra 1A/1D dice for both.
  
  
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    3 Camarade on board → extra 2A/2D dice for all.
  
  
  • 
    
    ...

Vision X

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  Reveals hidden ambush cards within X tiles of the user.

FIRE-------------

Burn X(Y)- Permanent Life damage over time: At start of each of the target's next Y turns, the target takes X damage.  Sometimes passive, where upon dealing damage it inflicts Burn on the target.

Scorch X(Y)- Temporary Dice damage immediately: The target takes an immediate -X penalty to Attack and Defense pools. This effect lasts for Y turns, at the end of which the amount of damage that was actually done by Scorch (which could be less than X) gets restored. Homunculi take this penalty equally to all pools.  Sometimes passive, where upon dealing damage it inflicts Scorch on the target.

Strike X- Lowers opponents’s defenses: When a creature with this attacks, up to X successful defense rolls of the defender are disregarded.

Raze- Destroys terrain.  Creatures can use this actively to destroy the terrain they stand on, or it may be used on the target of a spell, enchantment, or ambush.

Maim X- Increases attacking power: Gains an additional X dice for attacking from behind, in addition to the normal bonus of Back-Stab.

VOID-------------

Consume X- Passive Minion, Unit gains XA and XD each time it defeats an enemy unit in combat.  Not a new ability; similar planned for Spawn of Fenris

Decay- Passive Minion, unit loses 1A and 1D per round (minimum 0A or 0D), duration infinite.

Degenerate- Afflicted unit takes 1 damage at the beginning of its Draw Phase every round, duration infinite.

Plague X- Passive Minion, upon unit's death each unit in radius 1 takes X damage.

Contaminate X- Passive Minion, upon unit's death each unit in radius 1 loses XA and XD, permanently.

Eternal Tundra: Ice

In the beginning, there was only Fire and Ice. Fire is endless change, and thus the light of creation. Ice is far more than simple frozen water; it is preservation and a lack of change. Old hatreds, enduring empires, ancient principles- these things are all influenced by Ice. As such, it makes sense that those who channel Ice excel at preventing change, and maintaining the status quo.
[caption id="attachment_144" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Creatures of Ice direct what change they cannot prevent outright.[/caption]
The first thing an Ice disciple learns is the ability to render creatures Impervious to a specific type of change. It is simplest to prevent change from sources that are not physical, but such immunity is impossible to maintain for all types. Instead, each is aligned with a particular element; even a mighty bolt of lightning can do no harm to a creature rendered Impervious to that element.

For physical sources, from the blow of a weapon to the strike of a homunculus, it is necessary to expend energy actively to Block such attacks. If you are prepared to offer up such elemental power, such attacks can be prevented from having any effect on you or those near to you. Be warned, however, such power must be given each time if such violent change is to be prevented.

A more advanced technique is to use Ice’s namesake for both attack and defense, while preserving range of motion and movement capabilities. This brings with it great power, but such frozen creatures eventually Thaw, slowly reducing their increased power until only the creature itself remains.

It is possible for talented alchemists to delay violent change for a time, rendering a creature Numb to its effects. Note that this protection only lasts for a time upon receiving such an attack, but it allows a creature to continue to act normally no matter their grievous wounds. Sadly, after this protection runs out, the full effects of the damage are felt by the creature.

Only the most skilled of practitioners can go beyond preventing change, to directing it. This can allow a creature to Deflect a blow, causing another willing creature to feel the effects. This may seem like a detriment, and indeed one cannot reduce the damage redirected in this way. However, it can allow a less important creature to take a powerful blow. Creatures already Numb to their wounds can be Defected to with impunity, though they still feel the effects when their protection fades.
[caption id="attachment_142" align="alignnone" width="3018"] Though many are built for power and defense, some Ice creatures are made for speed.[/caption]
Ice creatures can be found in any place far enough from the light of creation, often in the old forgotten places of the world. As such, they are far more numerous than one might expect, and alchemists with talent can draw them from their hidden places to do battle in the Afterlife. The element holds great appeal for those who wish to achieve and then maintain power, its effects felt long after it is but a memory. Any element can bring you strength, but mastery of Ice can make you a legend.

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Return to Ashes: Fire

Fire is an element of creation. It brings light, and therefore life to every corner of the world. Much of the universe was created with Fire, and even now it remains the basis of nearly every form of life we yet know.

But that is not what most remember.

Fire is known as a force of violent change. Some call it destruction, but it is not true annihilation; rather it is a process of changing the form of both matter and energy. It is this which shows the element’s power. Those aligned with Fire bring this powerful force to bear, leaving piles of ashes and scorched earth in their wake.
[caption id="attachment_122" align="alignnone" width="593"] Creatures of fire bring sweeping change and raw power to the battlefield.[/caption]
What all remember is that fires Burn. Over time, the raw element strips away flesh and spirit alike, leaving grievous wounds. Though it grows no hotter as it consumes its fuel, the reaction lingers, and many cannot help but succumb to the flames.

When that energy is concentrated enough, it can Strike through even the most sturdy of defenses, dealing damage with no chance of rebuke. In this case the energy dissipates soon after contact, but the damage done is often considerable.

While these are the most obvious applications of Fire’s energy, there are more subtle ones. Though no less dangerous, skilled practitioners can Scorch their foes, leaving them wounded and weak. Although these wounds will heal in time, such a wound leaves a foe more vulnerable and easier to dispatch.

However, if an adherent of Fire makes up a lack of skill with raw power, some can Raze whole territories to the ground, stripping them of their elemental alignments and leaving them bare. Those who face fire would do well to harvest their terrain’s elemental energy quickly, lest they lose it in a conflagration.
[caption id="attachment_123" align="alignright" width="256"]
Between ambition and desire for change, denizens of the lower Hells are often aligned with Fire.[/caption]
The hardest skill for a student of Fire to master, is how to cause the change to spread. Best seen in Wildfire, those with enough talent can cause other applications of this power to jump from target to target on contact, potentially leaving crippling wounds or fatal injuries. Fortunately for its foes, few Alchemists have the ability to invoke this terrible power, and fewer still can use it well.

Beings aligned with Fire are as numerous as can be expected; the passion of even a single creature can incite fervor in others, though for some this does not last. For those who seek change, those with high ambitions, or those who simply seek power, Fire has great potential. What they say about using Fire remains true, however- if you grow careless, you too shall burn.

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Landslide Victory: Earth

The Earth is timeless. It has provided for all life since before recorded history, and it will remain long after the last of us has passed. It nourishes, protects, and provides. With such strength, it is little wonder that it is harnessed both to nurture and to destroy.

To choose Earth is to choose stability, strength, and endurance. While its adherents may lack some mobility, they make up for it in durability, and given time, can bring forth power sufficient to lay waste to their foes. As with Lightning, Earth too has special abilities it wields against its foes with impunity.
[caption id="attachment_112" align="alignnone" width="750"] Creatures of Earth are known for their extraordinary resilience.[/caption]
The most common of these abilities is, in fact, a pair utilizing inertia. Hulking minions use their added bulk to deflect blows and remain unharmed, gaining additional defense dice. Minions with Momentum use their mass as well, gaining attack dice to inflict punishing blows. In both cases, new bonus dice are added whenever an Earth spell is cast by their controlling Alchemist, and the bonus dice are permanently used at the first opportunity. In other words, once Hulking or Momentum dice are used, successful or not, they vanish and must be earned anew.

But Earth is not merely known for its mass; the bounty of life it supports has an energy all its own, and users of Earth learn to Replenish that energy. This allows a skilled alchemist to heal the wounds of their minions or even their homunculus, though this effect cannot make them stronger than they began.

More than just supporting life, however, Earth helps to Shelter it. Even if it cannot withstand the full fury of an assault, the resilience of these Earth minions helps to reduce damage taken from any source, dramatically increasing their longevity.
[caption id="attachment_113" align="alignnone" width="545"]
Though known for defense, do not underestimate Earth's offensive capabilities.[/caption]
As life grows upon the Earth and becomes more complex, occasionally something wondrous happens. Sentient beings can form incredible bonds of Camaradarie, their underlying connection bringing them great strength. In fact, the more of these comrades there are, the stronger each one of them becomes, striking terror into the hearts of their foes as the legion becomes unstoppable.

Unsurprisingly, creatures and beings aligned with Earth are found everywhere. Those that strive to protect others, those that make use of their surroundings, those that withstand the fury of their foes- all these exemplify Earth. If you, too, wish to endure and build your strength until none can stand against you, Earth will take you there.

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Shock and Awe: Lightning

A crash of thunder, a whiff of ozone, and a patch of scorched earth; these are all that remain in the wake of a lightning strike. With such power, it is little wonder the forces of the Light chose to use it in their endless struggle. For this reason, too, talented Alchemists harness the fury of the storm.

As you can imagine, Lightning has a number of benefits going for it. The most obvious are that it strikes fast and hard, but there is more. Its unpredictability allows it to catch its opponents off guard, and take advantage of each opening it creates. Like all elements, there are a number of abilities that Lightning has at its disposal. Other elements may use them here and there, but Lightning is the undisputed master of these.
[caption id="attachment_105" align="alignleft" width="591"] Lightning users harness the fury of the storm to swiftly destroy their foes.[/caption]
Among the most common abilities is Backlash. While Lightning is not known for its stalwart defenses, it can make sure that those who dare to strike back pay for it. Some minions innately store electrical power, ready to lash out at any who create a link to ground. Others simply have reflexes so incredible that no strike goes unanswered. For those that lack either, there are spells that grant the power or speed necessary.

Lightning’s ability to appear where least expected is made manifest in many cards’ ability to Teleport. Though this transportation requires some form of power (often in the form of Elemental Power Dice or a Terrain where Lightning is strong), the advantage it can bring is undeniable.

Instant travel is not the only movement advantage Lightning can confer upon its adherents, however. Some minions are able to move with great Haste, seeming to fly across the battlefield to bring the fight to their foes. This often has fewer restrictions than Teleport, so it adds considerable maneuverability to those units that benefit.

Rarer still are those units which Bolt from skirmish to skirmish, making a strike only to be gone to the next fight. With this ability, units may move again immediately after successfully attacking, taking themselves out of danger or moving to a better position from which to strike.

The most powerful weapon Lightning has in its arsenal is the ability to Stun an enemy minion or homunculus. If hit by this surge of power, a target is unable to move or attack for one round, rendering them docile and potentially vulnerable. It should be noted, however, that it cannot prevent a player from casting other cards.
[caption id="attachment_106" align="alignleft" width="500"] Blitzkrieg tactics are favored by many who channel the power of Lightning.[/caption]
Creatures and people aligned with Lightning come from all corners of the world, from those that embody the physical qualities of the element to those that embody the spiritual aspects of the element and its realm. Among humans, there are many who strive to bring swift vengeance to their enemies; those with the necessary discipline and strength are often Lightning aligned.

Do you wish to strike with the fury of a thunderstorm? To see your enemy scattered before your might, to give them no chance to fight back? Do you wish to see them stunned by the fury of your assault? If so, seek Lightning; it will serve you well.

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