With the bevy of models in the pipeline, I wanted to do some First Impressions looks at the new profiles. I haven’t gotten these on the table yet, so they’re still in the land of theory-crafting, but I’m too excited about them to wait for a release to talk about them!
Miyakomo Korra
After seeing Korra’s profile, I understood why old Asami was so beloved. Korra, who essentially adopted New Dawn era Asami’s profile, is a powerhouse. Still a squishy sea witch that needs protection, but best bring protection because she can quickly become the threat your opponent is focused on. She’s the glue that can tip a list from “Good” to “You’re doing what now?”
Stat line is almost identical to Asami, with the notable exception of a boostable range. In the absence of Tidal Master, Korra has a built-in Sweep Attack (2), so having that 3ki boost is great for when you need that extra insurance. Her ranged attack range bands also become 3/6/9, giving her much better options when it comes to ranged attacks hitting reliably. Like Asami, she can’t do damage at range, but that also means higher success levels are irrelevant. A Success Level 0 Forceback Attack pushes your opponent just as far as a Success Level 5. Rolling 1 dice on a target number 4 isn’t as punishing as it can feel.
Korra sees a few more options in melee, gaining both Drag Attack(0) and Forceback Attack(0), but you best have a plan if you’re using these because if Korra is in melee combat, something has gone wrong, Still 2 dice in melee with no boost (and just missing the cut for Yuji’s inspiration!), without driving your opponent’s melee pool down to 1, which is still a risk, you are better off pinging at range. Ranged attacks have the Drag, Forceback, and Sweep options that make the sea witches board control experts. With two sea witches, you can keep people off of objectives and out of zones with annoying consistency.
Immune[Fire] and Lightfoot return, with the addition of Willpower(1). Willpower is a huge boon to her Ki Feats, as two out of three are opposed Ki tests. Combined with her 2Ki, Ki boost, she can contend with most spellcasters. Only the Cult and Ito Shisai can consistently contend with her caster power.
Those ki feats…Cleansing, still great, still a huge risk, but if you need to use it, it’s worth it every time. Now that that’s out of the way, the good stuff:
Blood in the Water. The sharks have a new best friend in Korra. Spitting out a practically free Blood Token, on an active feat, is just…glorious. Arata’s Impetuous is no longer inhibiting his ability for the Banzai boost. Korra can pop a blood token on a model before he declares his action. All the sharks love it, but Hitokuchi makes a perfect partner release with Korra, because the two are destined for each other. A better artist than me needs to make a “Free Willy” style poster of these two. Once per Turn keeps this from becoming a bonkers ability, but the shark lover in me wants to see that unlimited Blood Token mayhem.
Maybe you’re some kind of freak who plays Jung wrong and you don’t want to play the sharks. I accept that. I judge you, but I accept it. Fog of Hesitation gives a new layer of control to Jung, pushing them into Cult territory. The ability to make a model activate last, again on an active feat, can shut down your opponent’s plans at the top of the turn. Combine it with Mari’s Provoke and the Taunt Enhancement, and you have serious control on how your opponent plays their turn. Jung pirates go full Blue Deck. This can also lock down a model before your sharks charge in, protecting them from a full counter-attack before they have a chance to disengage.
At 17 rice Korra is in a sweet spot. She is worth every rice more than Asami, but Asami brings a different vibe. Asami is the back support, the distant threat that can throw a wrench into plans with the ability to ignore LoS and Cover. Korra is the aggressor. Not in her positioning or way she plays, but in what she brings out in Jung. She helps them survive aggressive maneuvers. She is a major threat on the board for the sheer toolbox she brings.
Add in Miyakomo Rising, and she can get that last extra Ki she’s been missing. Just when your opponent thought you were too low on Ki to cast that Fog of Hesitation again. She also becomes a bank for any Kami that she may be hanging around with for extra protection…
Hitokuchi
Big, meaty, and brutal. Hitokuchi is the charging shark of doom I tried to play Arata as when I first started Jung. I love him and I apologize to all of my opponents who will get sick of seeing him on the table.
Boostable 3 dice in melee can help you save up for that power hit, or add that extra defense die in to keep him alive longer. Speed 4, but really Speed 5 because he craves the charge. And the blessing of 2 ki max 8! Disguise is no longer a threat! Opposed Ki tests are no longer a death sentence! Its a good thing he can’t Focus because that would be a turn 1 guarantee to churn that Ki up fast, because he is going to want to mow through it.
+1 Bleed (1/1) on the attack is fair. I’d love to see a Slam or Sweep, something to help him disengage after a Charge, but he is straining against his 18 Rice cost as it stands, those would tip him well over the 20 mark and into unbalanced territory.
Standard Shark array for traits. Aggressive, Bravery, Fear(5), Sixth Sense, all goodies. No ranged defense, with a large base, he is very vulnerable to ranged assaults. Best keep him close to cover, or Kami that grant him cover. His Charging Bonus[Brutal(1)] defines his actions. He is going to hit, and he is going to hurt. This lets you safely roll that defense dice to keep him from getting cut down quick, and still contend with a high defense model. Pay for Crushing Blow as well, now he’s an Aggressive, 3 dice, Brutal(2), PIerce (1) set of razor teeth on a 10” charge. Got the Ki? Boost him to 4 dice because of course you can.
His other Ki feat is Second Wind and you want to save your ki for it. For 1 Ki…he can essentially Charge for free, as long as he caused wounds. Extra activations is Jung’s favorite thing. Outnumbered, outactivated. Ryu’s Pass Token games will get a run for their money.
Perfect world: Korra pops Blood in the Water and Fog of Hesitation on Model A. Hitokuchi charges, wounds, get his activation marker back. Model A is stuck there. Korra Forceback Attacks from range, Hitokuchi is no longer engaged. He charges a Tired Model B, wounding, Exhuasting and slapping a Bleed token on B, while getting 1 of his 2 spent markers back. Korra Forcebacks B, freeing up Hitokuchi once more. Charges back to A, wounds, Second Winds. If A is still alive, they are sitting on 3 Bleed tokens. If you can’t bring another model in to help disengage, you can use that last activation to put the hurt on Model A. If by some miracle Model A lives, top of the next turn, either Queen of the Waves theme or Kamikaze Hitokuchi out of the ZoC and start again.
Its an easy strategy to shut down, and requires the dice to be in your favor, but the possibility is too enticing not to chase.
Ryujin
“Ryujin is the deeps of the ocean, a kami greater than any before seen on the Jwar Isles. Some say he was summoned by the Miyakomo witches. Some say the summoning caused the great tsunami and this was the price they had to pay. Some say a kami of this might can never be controlled, only unleashed on the world.
It is known only that Ryujin is loose and he fights with the Jung.”
Very excited to announce the Spirit of the Deep Ocean, Ryujin!
Since my first glance at his profile, I have been giddy about this guy. A model that is worth every point of his 30 rice cost.
All of his stats are boostable, for 3 ki, giving him options when he needs them. As a Kami, he starts with 10 Ki, and gains 3 back every turn. If you don’t overspend, Ryujin is virtually unkillable. Melee and Ranged 3 are formidable, but defendable by your opponent, meaning he can’t wipe the board without expending some effort, and as Most Wanted #1, expect a lot of firepower headed his way.
When his Bite hits, it is going to hurt. +4, Pierce(2), Sharp(2), even Minimoto is gonna feel that. Drag(0) and Forceback attack(0) pairs him well with the sea witch control, and Slam Attack (0) keeps him from getting Overwhelmed too easily.
Tidal Force is a modest 4/6/8 range, but he’s a model that dares others to come to him, and they have to. Standard Drag and Forceback, but the addition of Combo Attack (1) give him some ranged damage output that can put the hurt on a model he just slammed away.
Believer[Shugenja (1/2 ”)] is worth about 10 of his 30 points alone. Korra now casting Blood in the Water and Fog of Hesitation for 1 ki each. Asami can cast Tide Master for 1 ki, meaning you can cast multiple effects each turn. The only downside is they have to stay within 2 inches of Ryujin, but that might be where you want them anyway…
Cloudwalk, Fear(6), Kami, Sixth Sense and Soulless are all welcome protections. Soulless help protect him from a lot of methods of Control, which is very dangerous on him. The kicker of his traits, Tough(2). If your opponent doesn’t have Sharp, they need to deal more than 5+ damage in a single hit, or 3 hits of 3 damage, to have a shot at taking him down. That means high success levels, which average defensive rolls will prevent.
Tsunami is the only ki feat he needs. Getting overwhelmed, threats looming? Blast them away. 2 ki is cheap enough to expend when you need it. Having been on the receiving end of Riku’s Tsumani regularly…I’m excited for Jung to have access to it.
Incoming Tide is a perfect blend of rules and lore. Ryujin is staying on the board for a lot of the game. Seeing Turn 6 is going to be a regular occurrence. Giving him a 6″ pulse, a quarter of the board, that is Rough Terrain and Cover. Shielding your models early turns from Ranged attacks, and protecting zones and objectives in the final turns. A looming threat on an already big threat.
Ryujin isn’t invincible, but your opponent is going to need to expend a lot of resources to take him down, and if he makes it to the end, he is a major asset to swing those final turns your way. With “healing” options via abosrbing water kami and Leeching from Miyakomo Rising, there are ways to protect him unfortunate rolls.
I am beyond excited to see the model for this release. The tease of the artwork on the card is gorgeous.
These three models are all major pieces for Jung, and I cant wait to get them all on the table. Thank you to Jason and GCT for letting me be a part of the announcement!
The 9 Worlds Gaming 