Yuuzhan Vong

Ever polarizing. (well, except for blast bugs - there seems to be a near consensus on those)


Clearly they are virtually all melee and SA based for means of damage. This is one major reason that many feel that they have been so held back (and then launched forward through overcompensation).


So what if we had a Vong shooter? Not talking about this peace brigade outsider crap. I'm talking about a legit YUUZHAN VONG without outsider, having a gun.


We've only ever had one. (And yes, because some jackleg will point out that technically the Yammosk is non-melee, we've had one more. But I mean having an ACTUAL BLASTER in-universe. And Meezhan Kwad can make a non-Vong temporarily Vong, but that was made so restrictive that it is purposefully very hard to use.) Nom Anor came out in set 4, and we have had 25 sets since then (literally? Wow!) without a single legit Vong shooter. Clearly Nom is used for his CE.

So what about a Vong FOLLOWER, without outsider, with a blaster?

Thoughts?

Some (rarely but it happened) had actual blasters. Nom Anor was one (because he was atheist for most of his story arc), and there were others.

There were also personal blaster like weapons (Yaret-Coral Neonates). They were literally infant versions of the Lava/plasma spitters on Yorik-et Skippers (their living starfighter analogues) created by YV shapers then raised by YV harvesters.

(Yaret-Coral Neonates) could be a really great ability but it would have to have some oversights to who get it. We've talked about this sort of thing a lot and I'm glad you are bringing the question to the community.

I think it could be hard to pull off because the YV up to now have been built to min-max. Any shooter or shooter-like ability that had an attack value would probably be best if it couldn't be increased or twinned. Something like twin blaster wording with added verbage for not available with twin or buffs.

I don't see anything wrong (for instance) with a shaper giving non-uniques higher than 15 points :
Yaret-Coral Neonates - (Replaces turn: Move up to speed and make an attack against an enemy within line of sight at +10 Attack for 10 Damage. Twin Attack may not be used with this ability. Attack and damage values my not be increased.)

+10 attack still gives the threat of killing off turd blockers like uggies but doesn't slow the enemy to a halt while trying to engage. it's not auto damage and it's not based on a save. It can be avoided with evade. The greater than 15 point clause would make for hard spamming and making it non-unique kind of sucks because I like uniques, but Vong Uniques are crazy powerful if you ask me. With the right "shooter" support they would make for hybrid squads of some shooters and some beats like a lot of squads found in other factions.

Now you have to look at what's already there. I would imagine most people would look at it and say, "why would I want to have a shoot ability like this against somebody who is 24 in cover. I have to roll a 14 to hit for 10. May as well just use razor bug and take the 50/50% chance."

So how do you correct it? Give the ability to shoot a higher damage value? 20 starts to get pretty crazy. Give it a higher attack value? Maybe 12 or 13, but then there isn't a use for razor bug anymore.

After thinking about this, I'm starting to wonder if the Vong are just doomed by their own design to be Melee with bugs forever. Any shooter character or ability can be easily outclassed by Razorbug, Blastbug or Spit Poison.

Maybe a single Unique Vong with something that shoots would be cool but I don't think it could be given to the masses with a CE.

/me steps down from soapbox..

That just sounds wrong.

You can't have a shaper and give him twin (shaper changes base damage), so it becomes an odd dilemma. He's also super important to your team for his CE (presumably), so it's risky to bring him out for shots against many squads.

He does have a decent attack, and has cunning built in (easy to get regardless - Advance Agent Officer).


So the best I saw back in the day was with scarification (several priest options now) and Czerka for twin (probably ooglith her to make her super stealth), Momentum (Tsavong Lah - very impractical) and Poison (Yomin Carr) Always love a poison gun!

There's some new options to try and boost him more these days than when I tried it last, but it still is difficult.

Now you can add master shaper WITHOUT Shaper (Dovin Basil Keeper), a cannon shot from the Executor, Puppet Master him with Onimi, scar him easily from a YV Seer, Crab Armor 6 from Vergere, wallclimber and extra movement from the YV Consul, Amphistaff from Dooje Brolo, and of course whatever the Yammosk can steal.

Without getting totally ridiculous - I'd say a priest, Czerka, Yomin, Executor, a Yammosk, and the Dovin Basil Keeper, are what you got.

So, when scarred against unactivated targets, that gives you +24 attack for 40 damage +10 Poison, x2 for twin. Then you can do it again with the Executor. All with Force Immunity.

Of course that all costs 138 points. You can do a heck of a lot better for 138pts.

Probably want to add a Seer to self scar and Lobot to add an optional MTB (gotta get that cunning!) Now you are at 179pts, and barely have room for fodder to make use of his CE.


Then - just because we are insane -

Very soon you'll If you really want to get nutty you can pair him up with the Apostle of the Undying Flame for an extra turn, +2 speed from Warmaster Nas Choka, move and make an additional attack from Commander Sha'kel (although not stacked with the Executor), pseudo accurate vs droids from the Shaper Adept, Evade from the Bith Vigo, and then stack that with GMA from the Twi'go.

Of course you can't get anywhere close to fitting that all in a squad.

Still not practical. But a fun exercise. :)

I won't even touch the Epics.

Uh-oh

http://www.bloomilk.com/Forums/default.aspx?g=posts&t=20528

Maybe ok because he's actually better in NR. but mostly I like my Vong not being shooters... just like back in the day.

I'm not totally against the idea of the Vong having shooters, but I think it should be done carefully. I would agree with most of the points made so far about keeping the damage down and the cost up at first.

I would ask that it be done thematically however it turns out. Don't just randomly take away melee attack on a unit unless it represents something that makes sense (blaster/new bug/bow&arrow/whatever). An ability functionally similar to Blaster but renamed might take up space on cards but would help to keep things consistent, instead of the Vong being all melee and then melee suddenly vanishing from newer pieces.

Great thoughts on the general concept - what do you think about this piece specifically?