gausse
Sergeant
961 Posts
    
Wisconsin
 | | 06/18/2008 9:12 PM |
| http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mi/20080619a
It's only a few more weeks before the Against the Giants prerelease, but if you make it to the Delve at Origins in Columbus next weekend, you could walk away with one or more alternate painted miniatures from the set. Those who can't make it to Origins will have to settle for the penultimate preview! Shadow Hulk  This week's huge miniature is the shadow hulk, a huge version of the Dungeons & Dragons staple. One of the many goals of 4th Edition was to extend the life of iconic monsters such as the umber hulk and the carrion crawler. Many of these creatures have multiple versions at different levels so they can be used throughout the span of a campaign. The Shadow Hulk is a solo monster usable in a mid to late paragon tier encounter. It can maneuver quite well for a huge creature, thanks to burrowing through walls, and it causes additional damage whenever a confused creature activates within the Shadow Hulk's ample reach. In sealed games with this set, if you manage to pull both this and the Tomebound Arcanist, you'll get even more use out of the Shadow Hulk's Prey on the Weak-Minded ability. Lurking Wraith  When most people think of a creature that best represents a lurker, they may think of a rogue who jumps out from the shadows and backstabs an unsuspecting opponent for massive amounts of damage. While this does represent the feeling of a creature leaving "lurk mode" to strike a crippling blow, Sneak Attack does not encourage the creature to go back into lurk mode. (It is too easy to sustain the damage bonus with flanking.) This week's lurker does encourage the creature to move in and out of battle. The Lurking Wraith's damage-boosting ability is called "Strike from the Shadows." It grants an additional 15 points of damage when the target of the attack can't see the Wraith at the start of the turn. With Phasing, it's pretty easy to ensure that a target won't be able to see the Wraith -- just walk through a nearby wall. The Wraith is also good at fighting high-AC soldiers, because its basic attack targets the creature's Reflex Defense. A creature hit by this basic attack deals half damage until the end of its next turn. If the Wraith activates again before the target does, it can disengage and take only a fraction of the damage normally dished out by an opportunity attack -- Insubstantial stacks with Enervated, meaning the Wraith takes only 5 points of damage from an attack that would normally cause 20 damage. Use that move to Phase back through the wall, and start the cycle over again on the Wraith's next turn.
That's it for this week. Next week: the final preview for Against the Giants!
The wraith looks interesting, not sure about the umber hulk colors though.
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realmaster
Underboss
2010 Posts
Home of the 2002 Winter Olympics
| | 06/18/2008 9:19 PM |
| 
I like them both. that umber hulk looks awesome. | |
Thanks, realmaster. Let's split up!!!!!
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Wraithborne
Commander
4505 Posts
The Red Light District
| | 06/18/2008 9:39 PM |
| I was really hoping that the Umber Hulk wouldn't be painted to match it's "Shadow" name, but I suppose I'll have to repaint it. Like the sculpt pretty well.
Really glad the wraith doesn't have a sword. It looked like it had one but it was cut off by the pic in the silhouette. Glad to see it's an Unc too, even if we already knew that. Not sure about the skull face, but I'll take a few regardless. | |
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Fun Guy from Yuggoth
Cthulhufnord
Warlord
11000 Posts
Umass Amherst Baby!
| | 06/18/2008 9:53 PM |
| Well one out of two 'aint bad. Love the Uncommon Wraith. Not too fond of the Umber Hulk.
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MarioCleanstuff
Warrior
325 Posts
San Diego, CA
| | 06/18/2008 10:03 PM |
| I will gladly accept any orphaned Shadow Hulks.
The Umber Hulk is my favorite monster. The Shadow Hulk is still awesome. I'm sad that it's a rare because, even though I like it as-is, at some point I'm going to have to commission a repaint of it to look like a regular Umber Hulk. | |
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Krush
Commander
3851 Posts
| | 06/18/2008 10:47 PM |
| "O oo, oo, oo Mr. Kotter. How much are we supposed to be paying for these again?" Arnold Horshack meets my lack of enthusiasm for the upcoming set.
-Jim | |
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Bert the Troll
Commander
3964 Posts
Adelaide
| | 06/18/2008 11:12 PM |
| I like them. The wraith espically.
I thought the hulk good for a huge uncommon, then realised it was a rare o_O | |
"Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don't look like mutton again tomorrer." Bert the Troll - The Hobbit
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zenthrus
Warlord
5101 Posts
SLC, UT
| | 06/18/2008 11:21 PM |
| I always thought that the Hulk was green not electric blue 
I'll need 2 Shadow Hulks. One to keep as-is. One to repaint as a Truly Horrid Umber Hulk.
I like the wraith. Glad it's uncommon. | |
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Nyarlathotep333
Warrior
283 Posts
Alaska
| | 06/18/2008 11:22 PM |
| Umber Hulk isn't too bad, I lke the sculpt but I'm just not sure I'm going to be using a huge UH in my games. There were other huge critters I'd rather have seen, but this one rates an OK I guess.
I like the idea of the uncommon wraith, the skull face doesn't make me unhappy, I'll certainly take a few...but why does it look like it is hailing a taxi?ÂOh well, undead (for the most part) are always a welcome addition to my collection - especially the higher CR ones. I have lots of skeles and zombies, but it's nice having more shadow/wraith types.
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Knight of the
Round Table
Thenameless
Warlord
11768 Posts
The Fortress of Solitude
| | 06/18/2008 11:49 PM |
| The Shadow Hulk is certainly a deviation from the norm. It looks metallic in the picture. I'll have to wait to see it in person before I can give a final opinion.
The Lurking Wraith looks fine. Nothing great, but at least not crappy either. | |
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shazam01
Warrior
229 Posts
| | 06/18/2008 11:50 PM |
| Good preview, until this set it somehow escaped my attention that there was a huge version to the Umber Hulk. I should pay closer attention to the MM.
The Shadow Hulk from the pic looks fairly conservative in the paint steps department, I thought it might be uncommon, but if it were wouldn't it kind of be like the Displacer Beast Pack Lord, lots of the "Lord" and not enough minions with the only other hulks being rare.
The Wraith looks nice, its a nice change from the Dread Wraith being without a weapon, though for those that don't like the face what kind of face should he have?
Nice that its an uncommon. | |
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Knight of Argenis
Corim Danex
Warlord
6809 Posts
West Valley City, Utah
| | 06/18/2008 11:58 PM |
| Funky paint job on the UH. Sculpt good. Paint funky/few steps.
I don't know what to think of a wraith with a skull. That is a rather disproportionately large hand. | |
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Fun Guy from Yuggoth
Cthulhufnord
Warlord
11000 Posts
Umass Amherst Baby!
| | 06/19/2008 1:02 AM |
| The head does look quite a bit smaller on the card..... perhaps dremeling out the skull might work?
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XAos
Underboss
2403 Posts
London
| | 06/19/2008 1:03 AM |
| Wraith is a nice looking generic ghost for rpg use.
But I'm wondering why WotC selected the 16 worst figures in the set to preview....?
And why the set has that many pathetic figurues | |
Don't worry about the current metagame. It doesn't matter if it's ugly, bad, or the best ever. In 2 years time, set rotation will ban everything. | |
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Dordledum
Commander
3398 Posts
Netherlands
| | 06/19/2008 1:19 AM |
| Kind of like both, the Hulk is awesome!
Next week: fire bat and efreeti sultan (just check the silhouettes),
D. | |
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Sirohk
Commander
3930 Posts
USA
| | 06/19/2008 3:08 AM |
| Good Preview.Â
I like both, but the stats of the Shadow Hulk for the cost seem a little underwhelming.Â
Lurking Wraith seems cool. Not sure on the point cost, but why is he not evil? An Undead Shadow that deals necrotic damage should be evil. And, he would be so cool paired with the Death Knight.Â
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Wolfgang
Warlord
5762 Posts
Milton, Ontario Canada
| | 06/19/2008 4:41 AM |
| wow here is a first.....
i like both of them the umberhulk looks good and the wraith is cool cause you can never have enough undead | |
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yack
Commander
3270 Posts
Gatineau Canada
| | 06/19/2008 5:06 AM |
| Love them both!!!
Finally! 2 minis I want on the same preview. :) | |
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lingster
Sergeant
778 Posts
| | 06/19/2008 5:06 AM |
| | so far none of the huges are woth thier points. In the current game, I'd rather take a couple of EBs and Wulfgar and have the same points (give or take) and wipe out 90% of the huges I've seen. They are just not worth thier points. either they have LOW damage output, or LOW hitpoints to stay alive. | |
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Username
Warlord
5690 Posts
| | 06/19/2008 5:28 AM |
| | I'll take 1 Shadow hulk and 10 Lurking Wraiths please! | |
Originally posted by Schooly_D
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wicked cool
Underboss
2129 Posts
| | 06/19/2008 6:00 AM |
| | i'm shocked at the # of people who dont mind the skull faced wraith. I like it but tradition has clearly been broken here. | |
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greyhaze
Warlord
6920 Posts
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portermj
Warrior
328 Posts
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berus316
Sergeant
656 Posts
Markham, Ontario Canada
| | 06/19/2008 8:27 AM |
| I'm a fan of both.
Not sure I'll use the wraith as a wraith...but I'll put it to good use. 1 SH and 10 LW please as well. | |
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Lord_rock
Underboss
2023 Posts
Portland OR
| | 06/19/2008 8:29 AM |
| not fond of the paint choice on the UH and I certainly would prefer a faceless wraith.
The only reason the wraith isn't evil is so it can't play with the DK and EB... That would be 2x +15 vs reflex for 60 dmg if it were evil. Too bad. I'd haveliked to see it.
Huges aren't panning out= no big surprise for me... The old ones didn't work 90% of the time either. | |
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Vrecknidj
Warlord
10446 Posts
United States
| | 06/19/2008 1:55 PM |
| These guys are sort of at opposite ends for me.
RPG: Shadow Hulk is cool, I'll probably use it. I probably won't use the Lurking Wraith much, unless it turns up in a module somewhere.
Skirmish: Lurking Wraith is cool, I'll probably run them in quads. The Shadow Hulk will collect dust.
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iluvxtina
Underboss
1501 Posts
Spain
| | 06/19/2008 2:14 PM |
| | I do not find the huge hulk very instersting but must to admit it is a very cool looking sculpt.And about the wraith...I do not use undead a lot during my campaings and they used to be very bad for skirmish but it is cool looking piece too.A good preview | |
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Nyarlathotep333
Warrior
283 Posts
Alaska
| | 06/19/2008 4:41 PM |
| Posted By wicked cool on 06/19/2008 6:00 AM
i'm shocked at the # of people who dont mind the skull faced wraith. I like it but tradition has clearly been broken here.
I don't mind the skull as much personally. He'll sub in for a number of other undead and I can use him for either a wraith or use one of my other two wraiths, or one of my personal painted ones. I might even try the dremel trick mentioned earlier on one to see if I can get it to work good. I'm still more bothered by the pose of the mini than anything else about it...not so much that I truly hate it or anything though. I'll still take several for my collection.  | |
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- N333
The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair.
- Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless
To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!
- Conan the Barbarian, on what is best in life
My Website - Be sure to check out my painted minis gallery!
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Mjollnir
Underboss
1489 Posts
Canary Islands - Spain
| | 06/20/2008 5:13 AM |
| | Shadow Hulk is good. The other one is meh. | |
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Master of the
Awesome Sauce
Teflon Jeff
Warlord
7675 Posts
Sector 2814
| | 06/20/2008 9:59 AM |
| I'm gonna have to see the Hulk, I'm hoping it looks less electric steel, and more shadowy.
I dig the wraith, for sure.
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