With the advent of the revised
D&D Miniatures game, we have reworked the rules for Epic Sealed Tournament play. The format for the
Against the GiantsPrereleases will be "400 Point Epic Sealed." Players at the prereleases
will build 400-point warbands with no more than 10 figures. The assault
scenario will be used. To win a game, players must score 400 victory
points. Players earn victory points by eliminating opposing creatures
(points = the creature's cost) and by occupying victory areas at the
end of a round (points = 20 for occupying one or more areas).
Players will also be required to have an Epic battle map. But not to worry, each player who attends an Against the Giants prerelease event will receive the Epic battle map "King's Road," freshly updated for the new rules.
This week, we feature two figures similar in more than one way.
Uncommon? Check. Deal fire damage? Check. The ability to rain fire from
a distance? Check.
Eladrin Pyromancer
The
Eladrin Pyromancer is a straight up artillery piece who rains down fire
on your opponents. His signature Fireball will hurt anyone but the few
pieces resistant to fire damage, even if he misses with his attack.
Once that's used up, he can still peg off enemies with Fireblast.
Defensively, the pyromancer surrounds his person with a shield of
circling blades. If you think you're about to be attacked in melee, you
should active this ability and cause automatic damage to any creature
that tries to hit with a melee attack. It lasts as long as the wizard
chooses not to move. If you have other creatures that can slide the
Eladrin around, you might be able to have it last quite a while and
still throw off a few Fireblasts.
The pyromancer can be a bit aggressive. Here's a guy that actually
wants to burn himself! His damage output skyrockets if he's able to
take a little bit of fire damage, thanks to his recharging Fireball. If
stuck in the area of effect of his own Fireball, he can use it again.
In his spare time, he jumps over fire pits in his hometown village of
Evermelt.
Of course, if he takes fire damage too many times, he'll start to look like our next guy …
Blazing Skeleton
Now that you have your 4th Edition Monster Manual, turn to page 234. Against the Giants fills
your Blazing Skeleton needs with this Uncommon miniature. This is one
of my favorites in the set: a dynamic pose, a good use of clear
plastic, a painted charred skeleton; what's not to like?
The Blazing Skeleton can't control as much of the battlefield as the
Eladrin Pyromancer, but it's also not as fragile for the points.
Opponents need to be sure of their attacks before coming after this
creature; if a melee attack misses, the attacker suffers 15 fire damage.
Speaking of fire, there are five creatures in the set with the Fire
keyword. I think the identity of four of them has already been revealed
in previews, at D&D Experience, or on box art. Don't think too hard on the fifth one; it might just drive you a little batty.
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