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nycfarmkid
Underboss
1210 Posts
    
Wadsworth, OH
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zdrake
Warrior
279 Posts
Albany, CA (near Berkeley)
| | 12/03/2005 9:11 PM |
| I definitely have my eye on this piece, since seeing it in action in Underdark sealed events at Gen Con SoCal.
It's base stats aren't so bad: 27 points gets you AC 17, 50 hp, Level 7, Speed 8, and +10/+5 (10 magic + 5 cold). Then add Conceal 6, Melee Reach 2, Spell Resistance, Wall Walker, and Mounted Melee attack and the package starts looking very attractive. It's not hyper-efficient, but it can do more damage in 1 turn than its cost.
With most maps, it seems like starting adjacent to a wall is not that difficult to arrange.
Wall Walker + Mounted Melee Attack + Melee Reach 2 allows you to attack something 18 squares away. This is a greater threat range than the Red Samurai and even many dragons. Better yet, you can attack where you want and then withdraw behind a sturdier unit, if you can do so with 16 movement and melee reach 2. Since you're "flying", you don't generate attacks of opportunity. My jaw dropped when someone first used this against me in this way. You mean I don't even get to hit you back!?!
In some ways, the Mounted Drow Patrol seems to be like the Wizard Tactician and Rikka: it makes it very hazardous to leave "squishy", low-hit point figures alone in the backfield, or even have them in your warband at all.
Another thing this unit allows you to do is concentrate your attacks on one unit, despite walls and blocking figures. Many times, I've found I want to get a hit in on an enemy figure to force a morale check or eliminate it. But to get into position, I have to either take an attack of opportunity, or leave myself vulnerable to a counterattack by other figures. The Drow Mounted Patrol can get in and make an attack, and get out. In some ways, it's like having a ranged attack, but with complete control of who gets targeted.
The weakness of the unit seems to be the low hp: 1 hit from a big hitter and you're looking at a 40% chance of routing, assuming a commander 4 like Ryld or Tiefling Captian. Its attack bonus is not particularly good either, and this could be a fatal weakness in a githzerai monk-rich metagame. You can mitigate this somewhat by getting flanking, which shouldn't be too hard to do with this piece.
I wonder if the Drow Mounted Patrol will encourage use of "blocker" units like Zombie White Dragon or Hezrou. But maybe this is a red herring, and it should just be part of standard hitter CE warbands.
I have not played this piece in a competitive 200 point constructed environment yet, so this is all armchair speculation at this point. As intriguing as the Drow Mounted Patrol is, is there a competitive 200-point band that includes one? Here are some ideas that include "blockers":
Death Slaad
Tiefling Captain
Orc Champion
Cursed Spirit
Mounted Drow Patrol
Zombie White Dragon
Troglodyte
Abyssal Maw
or
Hezrou
Mounted Drow Patrol x 2
Eye of Gruumsh
Cursed Spirit
Abyssal Maw (or Orc Spearfighter)
Orc Warrior x 2
Thoughts from experts and those with experience would be appreciated. | |
Champion of Acererak the Demi-Lich (w/ Epic Card)
D&D minis gathering in Berkeley, CA at Games of Berkeley (every other Tuesday, and sometimes every Tuesday.) | |
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Kalrin
Sneak
90 Posts
| | 12/04/2005 12:27 PM |
| I think the MDP classifies as a tech piece. There are a significant number of things out there that it can have problems with, so you can't rely on it as the damage output for your band. As such, I think that two is a bit too much, since it leaves 146 points left. Spending 21 on the tiefling and you're now at 125.
You still need:
a Second Commander
preferably 2 damage dealing blockers
at least 2 pieces of fodder.
And getting that into that 125 points can be kinda hard (at least with my collection). | |
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Crescent Hawk
Sergeant
828 Posts
| | 12/04/2005 7:38 PM |
| | Thanks guys, It was actually me(Crescent Hawk) that posted this. The boards were still acting screwy when I posted. | |
Part of the Rush Vocal 3 :)
Pending:
Completed:
Wizards.Com: Rich | BewareofKobold | DrSheep | Dalishere | SothRaistlinAriakus
Maxmini's: Thatoneguy |VanDeBeast |Pale Rider |Plasticrack Addict |Zenako |Ironfist Boulderbender |nyjastul69 |Marjorie |Faragdar the wise |Templar Saint |Shoesan |Korhal IV | IcktheGreat |Unearthed Arcana | DrX| Ghendar| PigSnot| Salamander | |
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nycfarmkid
Underboss
1210 Posts
Wadsworth, OH
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bshugg
Underboss
1833 Posts
| | 12/05/2005 10:12 AM |
| I'm a fan for sure. Just haven't settled on what to use with him like everyone else. His flexibility seems like it would be SO useful.
I would probably try for 3 CE hitters +2 patrol + tiefling designs. If I HAD to use him.
Or maybe
2 Death Slaad
1 patrol
1 Ogre Ravager
Tiefling
3 filler figs
The patrol helps offset the higher cost of the Slaads, and the ravager helps against the heavy offense bands like CE.
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Looking for someone to cosponser a midwest DDM event. let me know if your interested!
Check out my brand new blog:
http://bshugg.blogspot.com | |
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