Read the introduction to the series here and catch up on the rest of the series here. Especially note an update to the Civil War article.
E200 CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS: PARIAH
Another e-dial with a sculpt, this one based on this image:
Such a WHINER. Just because entire universes are being destroyed is no reason to be such a drama queen.
THE SETUP: Put this event dial (also called “PARIAH”) in a square of clear grounded terrain as close to the center of the battlefield as possible. The square occupied by PARIAH is considered to be blocking terrain for movement purposes and hindering terrain for line of fire purposes.
WHAT IT MEANS: Read on.
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MORE SETUP: Any standard character adjacent to PARIAH modifies its defense value by +2 when attacked by a character with the Colossal damage symbol.
WHAT IT MEANS: Ah, it would seem that one would like to get adjacent to the center of the map, and PARIAH, as quickly as possible. But it’s not that simple…
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TURN THE DIAL: At the end of the round, roll 2d6. If any character is adjacent to PARIAH, turn the dial on a result of 8-12; if no character is adjacent to PARIAH, turn the dial on a result of 6-12.
WHAT IT MEANS: The dial moves slower if PARIAH has company.
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GREATEST SCIENTIST OF THEM ALL (green, slot J): Once during your turn, choose a character on your force that can draw a clear line of fire to PARIAH and is 8 or fewer squares away. The chosen character can use Perplex or Probability Control if it can’t already use it.
WHAT IT MEANS: This is another reason to stick near PARIAH. Stealth might be a good idea, too, to be able to use this effect without being in the open.
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HOW MANY MORE WORLDS MUST DIE (white, slots B-G): Roll a d6 at the beginning of the round. All characters a number of squares equal to or less than the value on this event away from PARIAH that are not adjacent to PARIAH are dealt 2 damage; on a result of 1 or 2, the damage is penetrating damage.
WHAT IT MEANS: You REALLY want to be next to PARIAH if you’re anywhere near the guy. But, as I alluded to earlier, it’s not that simple, because of the next effect…
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HERALD OF THE END (purple, slots B-G): At the end of your turn, roll 2d6 and subtract 6 from the result (minimum result 0; a player playing Anti-Monitor does not subtract 6 from the result). You must move PARIAH a number of squares equal to the result, ignoring characters and terrain as long as PARIAH ends the movement in a square of non-blocking terrain as far as possible from the square he previously occupied.
WHAT IT MEANS: Whoever gets first turn has a disadvantage. Because this effect allows players to move PARIAH in a straight line in any direction, player 2 (or whoever) can march him near (but not adjacent to) enemy figures who will then have no choice but be dealt damage by “How Many More Worlds Must Die” in the beginning of the next round. For this reason, one might want to avoid themed teams and the initiative roll bonus they offer.
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I CAN ONLY WATCH! (cyan, slots C, E-F): Characters adjacent to PARIAH can’t be given an action if they have one or more action tokens.
WHAT IT MEANS: Being next to PARIAH isn’t all good. In fact, it might be positively disastrous if “Herald Of The End” and “How Many More Worlds” combine to get these effectively frozen figs exploded.
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SAVED FROM EARTH-6 (yellow, slots F-G): At the end of your turn, choose a friendly character adjacent to PARIAH and heal the character of damage equal to 4 minus his damage value (minimum 0).
WHAT IT MEANS: Your big tentpole hitter shouldn’t be cowering near PARIAH on principle…not for this effect, anyhow. Lesser pieces, on the other hand, may well benefit.
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TRAPPED AT THE DAWN OF TIME (orange, slot H): Remove PARIAH from the battlefield (all events on the event dial remain in effect normally). All characters ignore pushing damage.
WHAT IT MEANS: All those bonuses you were depending on in the earlier phase of the battle? Gone now. But now you get super-Willpower.
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FINAL BATTLE OF QWARD (red, slot I): During one attack per turn, a character can modify its damage value by +1 if that value is not otherwise modified or replaced. Damage dealt by this attack can’t be reduced to less than 1.
WHAT IT MEANS: Armor piercing for everyone! This is a good reason to field characters with good defense numbers down the dial, because their damage reducers will be rather compromised. By the same token, though, higher-level damage reducers might be worth having to weather the extra-hurtful attacks.
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SUMMING IT UP: For a guy named PARIAH, he sure has a lot of company. This dial will only mess up themed teams if they win first turn and then get hit with “How Many More Worlds” consistently.
Next time, we’re back in the Marvel universe to look the Illuminati.