Oathbound...a new idea

[Kevin]

Nothing like a good mass-suicide to celebrate victory! 

[gornhorror]

Nothing like a good mass-suicide to celebrate victory! 

My idea is to have an effect that goes along with the name of the card.  They just keep fighting because they are Oathbound to stay in there even though they are outnumbered.  After the fight they are spent and if they survive are no longer a viable fighting force.

"The few will just have to do the work of many"  Right?

As an avid High Elf player I know that there is a time in every battle where maneuver mastery has gotten you only so far and the pinching begins.  It would be nice to have a card that you could play so the unit has to be killed all the way rather than failing a pre-combat rout check or regular rout check.  Some people think a 13 courage is awesome, but I'm not sure it is as good as people think, especially in this type of army where you are always outnumbered.

[gornhorror]

Just thought of this while at work.


What if we said that Oathbound is a card that could be played after movement during the movement and command phase only.  You may choose up to two of your units: They get +3 courage for the turn and automatically pass fear or pre-combat rout checks.

[RushAss]

In a sense, this is actually weaker than the current Oathbound in some regards while it's stronger in other.  Meaning I don't think this is broken.

[gornhorror]

I'm going to play High Elves with this new idea for Oathbound.  The current Oathbound just doesn't do it for me.  I feel that in an army such as High Elves where every failed rout check usually means disaster, they need something with a little more bite and flair.  Besides, Oathbound is just Uncommon Valor with a different name, which is boring.  I'm not sure why high elves can't have a reroll card like factions with tons of cheap units or like the Dark Elves.  The High Elves need it more than they do, IMHO.

Anyways, here is the version I will work with going forward.

Oathbound:  Up to two of your units automatically pass any fear and/or pre-combat pinch checks.  ***OR***  During any courage phase you may play this card to give up to two units +2 courage for the rest of the turn.

[BubblePig]

I think that is a reasonable strength card since you have to play it pre-roll, and it has some flavor, too. You lose some flexibility from the original Oathbound, since your variant needs to be played in the M&C phase and the original can basically be played before any courage roll.

[gornhorror]

I think that is a reasonable strength card since you have to play it pre-roll, and it has some flavor, too. You lose some flexibility from the original Oathbound, since your variant needs to be played in the M&C phase and the original can basically be played before any courage roll.

Yes, let the overall, (ahem) higher level courage of the high elves stand.  But have a card that's flavorful, goes along with it's name and lets them auto pass pre-combat rout checks and fear checks. 

Now that's Oathbound, stand in there and fight before you die!!!!!!

[Ostegun]

Uuuuu this sounds good will grab my elves to try it out.

[gornhorror]

Here is my latest incarnation of Oathbound. 


Oathbound:  Up to two units of your choosing automatically pass any pre-combat or fear checks and get +1 courage for the turn.  OR  you may re-roll a failed courage check at a +2 courage.

[GoIndy]

Does that card have to be played in Movement Command phase, or after you failed a check?

[Kevin]

One way per function I think.  Either way, this is unambiguously more powerful than the Lizardmen Cold Blooded card, which gives a re-roll at +1 and no secondary function.

[RushAss]

Oathbound:  Up to two of your units automatically pass any fear and/or pre-combat pinch checks.  ***OR***  During any courage phase you may play this card to give up to two units +2 courage for the rest of the turn.

Of the ones proposed, I think this is the best one so far.

[gornhorror]

Oathbound:  Up to two of your units automatically pass any fear and/or pre-combat pinch checks.  ***OR***  During any courage phase you may play this card to give up to two units +2 courage for the rest of the turn.

Of the ones proposed, I think this is the best one so far.

I would change the 2nd half to "During any courage phase, after one of your units routs, you may play re-roll that courage check at a +2 courage.  So two units automatically pass fear/pre-combat OR one re-roll at a +2.

[Hannibal]

Oathbound:  Up to two of your units automatically pass any fear and/or pre-combat pinch checks.  ***OR***  During any courage phase you may play this card to give up to two units +2 courage for the rest of the turn.

Of the ones proposed, I think this is the best one so far.

Too strong, I think.  I'd condense it down to only apply to one unit, but give the unit the Cge bump.  So it passes pre-combat checks and gets +2 Cge this turn.

I still think Oathbound works better as a card that lets you save the unit when you blow the rout check.  Damage prevention, auto-pass any follow up rout checks, and rally the unit at the end of the turn.  So a hole still opens in the HE line, but you don't have your Knights or your Celestial Guard just picked up because you boned a Cge 13 Yellow check.

Oathbound:  Up to two of your units automatically pass any fear and/or pre-combat pinch checks.  ***OR***  During any courage phase you may play this card to give up to two units +2 courage for the rest of the turn.

Of the ones proposed, I think this is the best one so far.

I would change the 2nd half to "During any courage phase, after one of your units routs, you may play re-roll that courage check at a +2 courage.  So two units automatically pass fear/pre-combat OR one re-roll at a +2.

Waaaay overpowered.  It's outright better than Cold Blooded when it comes to a reroll and it has an additional option.  This is house rules, so you guys do whatever you'd like in your home games, but this ain't making the jump to the Rules Team forum.   

[gornhorror]

This just came to me today.

Oathbound:  Play during the movement and command phase.  Up to three of your units that are being charged or charging automatically pass any fear, terror or pre-combat rout checks.

OR

One of your routing units gets +2/+0 during post routs attacks and reforms at the end of turn.