Theme; Horrors from above

I would love to see the notion of a group be explored of creatures not from the world. The problem is, I haven't a clue where to put such a thing to even begin suggesting creatures.

I could see a split approach, as I don't think alien horrors would fit purely into a single faction, but with what? Would alien/eldritch horrors be too far outside the themes in Pox to have a place?


Edit: Below includes thought process and an approach to the concept.
Long story short on approach: A group of corrupted angels or angel-like beings known as the Sothari, which are centered around the mechanic of driving opposing champions insane and permanently making them possessed (though confused and wounded) allies, rather than simply killing them. They are IS/UD champions.

 

There are other planes of existence i believe, like where the Arroyo come from. That leaves quite a lot of possibilities.

 

Im thinking... Things more to the tune of H. P. Lovecraft's works. Tentacled horrors and corruption of the blood.

Off the top of my head... Savage Tundra/Underdepths. Demons from above, accustomed to the bitter cold of the airless void. Though... that nixes Demon Jakei..

 

I could get behind this.

 

If we can come up with a suitable pair of factions to reflect such things, I'd say lets turn some out. I imagine Psychic damage (and loss of life), fear effects, debuff heavy... Maybe Psychological Warfare or similar abilities would be common? Maybe with some unorthodox mechanic(s) thrown in.



Edit; I've had an idea. Lets take some inspiration from something they did with a couple units in UD and build a theme around a similar mechanic. Lethal Poison. What about something like that, except it is interwoven or tied to horror.. It stacks 4 (or however many) times and the creature ties of fear. Conversely.. Maybe it could be a possession heavy theme, flavored towards driving enemy champions insane and adding them to their number.


Edit 2:

Inflict Madness: When this champion successfully damages a champion with a basic attack, that champion gains a stack of Madness. This condition cannot be cleansed.

Madness: If this champion has 4 stacks of Madness, it is Possessed and Confused.



Edit 3:
For perhaps an Exotic or Legendary champion under this theme..

Surge: Possessed (This champion has +1 damage for each Possessed champion in play.)

Edit 4:
More layers, more ideas...

Sothari (or some other strange common term)
Faction: Ironfist Stronghold/ Underdepths
Race: Angel, Mutant, Class: ?, Size: (some 1x1, others 2x2), Rarity: (the full range)
Artwork: See Below

Typical Champion Stats
DAM: (Low), SPD: (4-7), RNG: (Typically melee and short ranged), DEF: (0-2), HP:

Typical Champion Abilities
Attack: Psychic
Inflict Madness
Flight

Possible Other Abilities
Attack: Loss of Life
Attack: Physical (because who doesn't have that?)
Catalyst: Psychic
Fear (and effects that inflict Frightened)
Merciful (With this sort of effect.. this ability could be quite useful)
Multiattack 1
Psychic Aura
Resistance/Immunity: Physical
Heal (and related abilities)



Appearance Design Example; Following this idea... perhaps in the direction of this thing from MtG

 

Vague Proof of Concept Champion (If going with the route I proposed in my prior post, and not a different direction which I think is still worth discussing).

Sothari Acolyte
Faction: IS/UD
Race: Angel, Mutant, Class: Priest, Size: 1x1, Rarity: Common (or Uncommon)
Artwork: A faintly angelic twisted in form. Her proportions unbalanced, and tendrils trail behind her.
Flavor-Text: "Im not sure I believe what I am seeing. In fact, I don't think I want to."
Nora Cost: 63~

Champion Stats
DAM: 5, SPD: 6, RNG: 1-2, DEF: 1, HP: 45~

Champion Abilities
Attack: Psychic
Inflict Madness
Flight

Upgrade Ability Set #1
Depression
Incoherent Babling
Liability

Upgrade Ability Set #2
Regeneration (1)
Regeneration (2)
Empathy

 

Sothari Ascendance
Faction: IS/UD
Spell Rarity:
Artwork: An angel who's features are being twisted horrifically.
Flavor-Text: "So this is their vision. The corruption of Al'mara's gifts."
Nora Cost: 40~

Spell Effect
Target friendly champion gains Race: Mutant, Flight, and 1 additional rank of Psychic Aura. If target champion possesses Race: Angel, they also gain Inflict Madness.


Purpose: To help expand the theme to pre-existing champions, adding increased synergy with Ironfist as well as K'thir Forest splits of either. While each faction has at least one angel, those two have the most to gain from it. Ironfist has the most to gain, not only for the numbers of angels they possess, but that they possess a spell that grants Race: Angel to champions belonging to particular classes, which are found in Ironfist Stronghold and to lesser extents in Underdepths. That being said, if someone is running a Mutant battlegroup, this would also allow one to better include champions that arn't mutants by nature into it. The theme, however, can operate without this spell.


Horrifying Sacrifice
Faction: IS/UD
Spell Rarity:
Artwork: An insane looking creature (of any race) screaming, violet cracks rippling across their body which appears on the verge of bursting. Tendrils peak through the cracks in their bodies.
Flavor-Text: ...
Nora Cost: 30

Spell Effect
Sacrifice target champion with Possessed and Confused. All champions within 2 spaces take 12 points of Psychic Damage. Opposing champions damaged by this effect gain 1 stack of Madness.

Purpose: This, in line with Underdepths, relies on sacrificing champions. if you've possessed using madness a champion that would be of better use dead, you could sacrifice it to do damage around it (a modest amount) and bring champions around it closer to coming under your control. Like the prior spell, this wouldn't be necessary to the theme, but I believe it would integrate smoothly.

 

Question: Should posts of runes to this end be placed here as it is the discussion and train of thought, or should I make separate posts to discuss particular rune ideas?

 

I think it'd be better to have them grouped up.

 

Thank you.

I'd love feedback on what is here, suggestions on the general theme, and even individuals to pitch their own champions to this theme if they want to make nay. I think I'll either keep mine to particular posts, or just make new posts if I want to propose more. I'll figure something out.. Still need Rarities on the spells, and im sure the common or uncommon champion I pitched could use polishing.

 

So you seem to be going for like an Eldrazi type art style? I'm just wondering how closely they would be related to the Eldrazi as apart from appearances the Arroyo are very similar.

It's the kind of the thing I'd like to see more of in Pox I just wanted to point that out so they don't clash too closely. The whole IS/UD split seems very fitting for the fallen/dark angel kind of idea.

 

Oh of course. While both are of an aberrant flare, i'd certainly want it distinct. In part, thats served by mechanics.

And im glad you brought up the Eldrazi, as with the image they inspired me in the direction. An Eldrazi Angel.. It fits wonderfully with Lovecraft's themes of corruption and madness.

 

I would very much like to have an army of gibbering abominations.

 

I'm loving these ideas guys! I am a fan of foreign consciousnesses from the sky invading the homeland. I welcome our bologna skeleton tentacle overlords

It remind me of my simpler idea of fairies raising the dead, but I'll leave that separate.
For this horrors from above theme idea though:
- I'm down with this theme either way. it just sounds cool
- I think it would be cool if the devs planned to include a new faction at some point in time, rather than keep adding new ones through splits. Not that I'm hating on the new ones
- There should be more than one race for the horrors from above, and they should be capable of working together or as racial themes seperately.

just some thoughts

 

Thank you for your input. Im down with this idea.



Alright, for the purposes of naming we can keep Sothari as the name for the Angelic Mutants, OR we can instead make it the name for most things under this theme. Couple things to address beyond that.

1. Should a new race be added to the list, something to denote things from a specific location, or would slapping most things under this with Race: Mutant (with the other race be something strange) be sufficient? If a new race were added for these, it should be added to Hunter: Unnatural

2. Idea of a New faction. If this were approached as a new faction (something unlikely to be added but I'd love), the mechanics need to be addressed. Wrath, Protectorate, or neither? If neither, how would that work? One pitch I'd have is they cannot exist as a FF theme, but that adds another oddity to mechanics, whether that is fitting or not. I imagine it could operate as a Wrath group, though Im not certain what bonuses it would have. I want to say Foreboding Heavens or Twisted Skies.. Distant Stars... Something along those lines. Additionally, if this route were taken, I imagine some champions to fill certain niches; Angel of Madness, Aspect of Insanity, Tendril Elemental.. Maybe reprise the Pox Harbinger and Doombringer (Serkan crafted his own harbingers, each carrying a prophesy of apocalypse. This voice traveled far to deliver its message to the heavens.. And they have answered). And lets not forget... they would then want to consider an additional Protectorate Faction..

3. Idea on the group as a whole; Three different groups within it. A series of mad cultist champions (I.E. natives to the world who have come to revere them), native creatures that have become corrupted (which could just be folded into the formerly mentioned subgroup) and the horrors from someplace else.

 

Ok well, I'm just shooting in the dark here, throwing out what i thought would be cool.

So in that vein, I think it'd be cool if they introduced a faction that had a protectorate/wrath side, where if you happen to run the new faction FF it would technically be some kind of prot/wrath split anyways.

 

A sort of faction that is divided against itself along order and chaos..? Thats a thought, not sure how to execute it though.

 

Anyone else have anything they want to pitch in for this? I don't care how vague or specific they are.

 

This is definitely an interesting idea. I'm honestly rather doubtful they'd add another faction, and given the destructive nature that eldritch horrors tend to have, having them be Wrath/Protectorate would be best, as this would represent a neutral stance against the Wrath and Protectorate - both sides, according to the Sothari, need to die.

As for ideas for runes fitting this theme, how about a champion that can give other champions, either friendly or enemy, Race: Mutant and/or Race: Angel - or Race: Sothari, if that's added for this theme - as well as giving them a stack of Madness. Either that, or an equipment - Sothari Eye, perhaps - that gives the equipped champion Race: Mutant and/or Race: Angel and gives them a stack of madness every few turns.

 

I think Xuldori means faction in the sense of a new faction within the lore rather than gameplay wise. I think he is going for something similar to the Valdaci or Arroyo, personally i love the split themes so would love more of them.