A thought on smoke cloud.

[Slade Wilson]

I cant help but feel sorry for smoke cloud. It seems to be the most useless standard power in the game. I would love to see it get a tweak in the upcoming starter. Im thinking...

SMOKE CLOUD Before or after this character is given a move action; put up to four hindering terrain markers on the battlefield within this character’s range. Each hindering terrain marker must be put adjacent to another hindering terrain marker created by this character. If this character has a range of 0, it can put the markers only in the square it occupies and/or in adjacent squares. This character must have a clear line of fire to at least one of the hindering terrain markers. These markers can’t be put on blocking terrain but can be put in hindering terrain or in squares occupied by characters. These terrain markers remain until the beginning of your next turn or until this power is countered or lost.

Your thoughts?

[TheQuestion]

It'd make several Batman Allies much stronger. They don't really need that.

[JNW7]

LOVE IT! I've also really like the idea of free action Smoke Cloud if the fig has zero action tokens(like lamppost bats)

[Amora's_best_friend]

I cant help but feel sorry for smoke cloud. It seems to be the most useless standard power in the game.

It's not though - placing hindering terrain wherever you please is a very useful ability to have.

Practically nerfs any grounded figure without leap/climb or phasing.

[Toughest 1 there is]

I cant help but feel sorry for smoke cloud. It seems to be the most useless standard power in the game.

Actually to be quite honest, I like it alot. Just takes alot of strategy to play. As ABF mentioned above.

[etv3333]

it would be more comic accurate, so im going to start a thread on comic accurate powers check it out i included this topic

[Slade Wilson]

It's not though - placing hindering terrain wherever you please is a very useful ability to have.

Practically nerfs any grounded figure without leap/climb or phasing.

I get what you mean but compared to incapacitate, barrier or an attack, it feels like weak sauce.

[JNW7]

I get what you mean but compared to incapacitate, barrier or an attack, it feels like weak sauce.

Agreed and I rep'd your for using "weak sauce" lol

[canaaron]

I would change it slightly from what you have it as to make it a little less abusable:

SMOKE CLOUD Give this character a power action. Move the character up to it's full movement. Before or after this character is moved; put up to four hindering terrain markers on the battlefield within this character’s range. Each hindering terrain marker must be put adjacent to another hindering terrain marker created by this character. If this character has a range of 0, it can put the markers only in the square it occupies and/or in adjacent squares. This character must have a clear line of fire to at least one of the hindering terrain markers. These markers can’t be put on blocking terrain but can be put in hindering terrain or in squares occupied by characters. These terrain markers remain until the beginning of your next turn or until this power is countered or lost.

This way, characters with a "free move" such as a JLA character can't run wild and cover the entire map with smoke in 1 turn. makes you count toward your action allotment for the turn, but still gives you the flexibility to move before or after making it similar to flashbang.

[adamkomar]

I'd keep it the way it is, but allow free action usage and only allow placement of two markers.

[UltraDRGN]

It would be nice if smoke cloud actually effected the movement of fliers.

Because you know, it's really hard to fly places when you can't see because there's a bunch of smoke/vines/gas in your face.

[adamkomar]

It would be nice if smoke cloud actually effected the movement of fliers.

Because you know, it's really hard to fly places when you can't see because there's a bunch of smoke/vines/gas in your face.

That's why it affects their line of fire. They just plow right through it or fly over it when moving, regardless of how well they can see what's on the other side.

[UltraDRGN]

And smack into a wall.

Case closed gentlemen.

[adamkomar]

And smack into a wall.

Case closed gentlemen.

Odds are they saw the wall was there before the smoke appeared so they know to avoid it. Smoke Cloud doesn't erase a character's memory or sensibilities.

[BLACKHEART25]

I find battlefury more "weak sauce" than smoke cloud, but I would find it more useful if it grounded characters on top of what it already does. It could be more strategic this way so it'll pretty much:

1. Add 1 to defense versus range attacks.
2. half a characters movement when beginning in it.
3. Ground flying characters.

I never could see why it never affected flyers at all. If you throw a smoke cloud at a flyer, they pretty much fall from flight.....it happens on cartoons and comics all the time.