Welcome back to SGP.
Today we look at the full rules for Shang-Chi that, officially, know since yesterday.
We’ve known his front side card since Adepticon and it remains a really awesome one. No Spender but a 6 dice builder that can change type and has a paid for trigger, which doesn’t need a dice face is pretty awesome. A Range 3 gainer that places him is also great. Combined with his Charge (only allows the builder) and the Advance possible from it Shang-Chi is very mobile indeed.
Dragon Chases Its Tail might be the coolest reactive superpower in the game. Not getting damaged by the attack is helped by Supreme Martial Artist.
Shang-Chis weakness is how squishy he is outside of Range 3. He really doesn’t like to see his box partner Silver Sable on the other side of the board for example.
So as Will Shick promised his back side changes quite a bit. First and most importantly: he has 6 Stamina on the back. You’d prefer 6/5 instead of the way we got it but at least it isn’t 5/5.
His Gainer with the place is replaced by a Spender: Dim Max. 10 dice Mystic and changing a Stagger to an Activated is pretty decent for 5 power but you have to watch out not to clear a Stagger of an already activated enemy model.
Shang-Chi looses some mobility on his back side with the loss of the Gainer and also the option to advance off of the Builder is replaced by removing a damage and condition from himself.
The reactive throw is also only on his frontside. On the backside he can reactively advance S and after the advance place the attacker within 1 of himself. It is not necessarily as bad a displacement in your opponents turn as the reactive throw but this has no “can’t take damage” clause so they will always have to account for it.
The articles mentions Heroes for Hire (which are rolled into Defenders in MCP) and Avengers as teams Shang-Chi has worked with so we can assume it’s safe he’ll be in those two affiliations. Having (unknowingly) worked for his crime boss father for some time Criminal Syndicate wouldn’t be outlandish if still unlikely.
The Panel to Play also mentions MI-6 which might be a hint, that some British people are on their way into the game in the future. Black Knight being one of my favourite characters (not British himself but having been part of MI-6 for some time) I’d be all for them as a new affiliation.
Mystic Ward we’ve seen at Adepticon. It is very good and an auto include in any Defenders 10 and probably most 5s. Just switching off an objective for a round is really really good. Especially as it is only Active and doesn’t have to be played by the character that is activating.
Chi Mastery is a good effect for a good price, guaranteeing a key Stagger, but I think it might have trouble fitting in the 5 more often than not. Especially because Human Weapon also exists.
It is a charge into an Area attack that auto Stuns and can also Stagger (about a 25% chance). Can be devastating on the right setups. Shang-Chi can even use his usual Charge afterwards (or before).
Now the wait begins for the new Asgardian cards and Apocalypse. I’m hopeful we’ll see something of it during Ministravaganza in July.
Cheers from Germany 🍻