Dvaasha, the Serpent Queen

Loosely inspired by Ludic asking for a Medusa concept. I didn’t have any ideas…until suddenly I did.

Super Short Summary: Dvaasha is a firepower with no real escape abilities. Dangerous, right? Yes. But she has several unique and powerful aspects — the ability to avoid dash phase damage, the ability to heal herself decently, and an ultimate that will make enemies think twice before attacking her. She’s a huntress and, thematically, something of a mix between a snake and a basilisk and Medusa. Oh…did I mention she has a Dash Phase primary?

Dvaasha, the Serpent Queen

Affiliation: EvoS

Role: Firepower

Hit Points: 130

Lore: I don’t have a strong sense of what it is that EvoS really does, so I don’t know what Dvaasha does. But she’s part animal, so she’s clearly EvoS. Appearance-wise, I would say the traditional Medusa or naga is maybe half woman, half snake. I envision Dvaasha being more like 3/4 snake, with even a serpentine head. But she could have certain aspects of a human female (hair??, arms?, breasts?, maybe a face that is somewhere between human and snake?)

Primary — Serpent Strike — Dash Phase — No Cooldown

Dash to a spot up to 5 range (minimum zero, so you can hit adjacent enemies) and strike with your fangs (fangs shape, which hits an additional 2 tiles) dealing 34 damage to enemies hit by the fangs and 10 damage to enemies passed through with the dash. Then immediately dash back (during Dash Phase). You can move as normal during movement phase. Gain 10 energy per enemy hit with the fangs, and 5 energy per enemy hit with the dash.

Notes: The dash triggers traps — but you can also, for example, pick up powerups with the dash portion. You can also dash right next to an enemy to bite them for non-cover. Note that you will end the dash phase right where you started, so this cannot really be used to dodge blast phase damage. Accordingly, despite having a “dash phase” primary (and it does dodge dash phase damage!), Dvaasha does not have a real method of escape. She doesn’t even have the ability to gain Haste on her kit, even with mods, so you’re on your own. (Chronosurge, maybe? Help from an ally? Go dash onto those Haste powerups?)

Mods:

Sharp Fangs (2 points) (default) — deal an additional 4 damage with the fangs if only one enemy is hit by the fangs.

Vampiric (2 points) — gain 5 health if you hit an enemy with the fangs.

Snake Coming Through (3 points) — the dash portion deals an additional 10 damage to enemies passed through.

Viper (2 points) — the dash range is reduced to a maximum of 3, but the fangs reach 4 squares.

Metabolic Boost (1 point) — gain an additional 1 energy per enemy hit with the dash and an additional 2 energy per enemy hit with the fangs.

2 — Venom Pool — Blast Phase — Cooldown 3

Create a 3×3 venom pool (up to 6 range to center) that lasts 2 turns. The pool deals 15 damage to enemies in it (or passing through it) on the first turn, and 25 on the second turn (the pool looks more intense on the second turn). Gain 6 health if you pass through the pool (on either turn or both). Gain 8 energy for each enemy damaged.

Mods:

Venomenal (2 points) (default) — gain an additional 2 energy for each enemy damaged.

Mending Pool (1 point) — increase the health gained for passing through the pool by 4.

Concentrated Venom (3 points) — the second turn deals an additional 5 damage (i.e. 30).

Miasma (3 points) — the pool is covered in a smoke cloud.

3 — Constrict — Blast Phase — Cooldown 4

Lash out your tail in a line, dealing 28 damage to the first enemy hit (max range of 5) and grab the enemy, pulling it one square closer to you (knockback). You cannot move but are Unstoppable this turn. Gain 8 health and 10 energy if you hit an enemy.

Mods:

Asphyxiate (2 points) (default) — if you hit an enemy, it is Weakened next turn.

Squeeze the Life From Them (1 point) — gain an additional 8 health if you hit an enemy.

Strangle (2 points) — Root the enemy but do not pull it towards you. Deal an additional 6 damage.

Captivating Coil (2 points) — increase the knockback range by up to 2 (variable with cursor).

Pythonic (3 points) — can hit all enemies in the line (but health and energy gains do not increase).

4 — Cold-Blooded — Prep Phase — Free Action — Cooldown 4

Your damaging abilities deal an additional 10 damage this turn to enemies below 50% hit points, but you cannot gain health this turn. Gain 5 energy on use.

Mods:

Hardened Scales (2 points) (default) — gain 10 shields this turn.

Track Their Scent (1 point) — damaging an enemy above the threshold Reveals them until the end of the next Decision Phase.

Ruthless (2 points) — increase the threshold to 60% hit points.

Unmoved (3 points) — gain Unstoppable this turn.

Thrill of the Kill (2 points) — gain Energized this turn.

Ultimate — Stone Gaze — Prep Phase — Requires 100 Energy

Slow and Weaken enemies in a 7-range 120-degree cone, and Mark the enemies until end of turn. Any enemies that hit you with direct damage this turn (whether Marked or not) take 15 indirect damage and are Rooted. If an enemy that hits you with direct damage is Marked, it takes an additional 20 indirect damage and is Scrambled until the end of the next Decision Phase.

Mods:

Stone Feet (2 points) (default) — all enemies hit with the cone are Rooted (regardless of whether they hit you).

Eyes Everywhere (2 points) — increase the angle of the cone to 240 degrees.

Gaze Into the Abyss (3 points) — enemies that hit you with direct damage take up to an additional 10 indirect damage (reduced by 1 for each tile away they are) and are Weakened next turn.

Fear Factor (1 point) — if no enemies hit you with direct damage, gain 50 energy.

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Sample Builds:

1. Sharp Fangs (2) — Concentrated Venom (3) — Captivating Coil (2) — Ruthless (2) — Fear Factor (1)

This build is classic huntress, designed to deal a large amount of damage to a single target. Set up your Venom Pool, pop Cold-Blooded and Might and Constrict them into it on the following turn for some juicy burst damage. Chase them down with a 38-damage primary.

2. Vampiric (2) — Mending Pool (1) — Squeeze the Life From Them (1) — Unmoved (3) — Gaze Into the Abyss (3)

This is a self-sustain build. We take Vampiric, Mending and Squeeze for lots of health regain. We also have the ability to use Cold-Blooded somewhat defensively for the Unstoppable, as we don’t want to interfere with our health regeneration. (We could also take Hardened Scales for some extra defense.) Gaze Into the Abyss is taken because we have 3 points, so why not take the strongest mod?

3. Metabolic Boost (1) — Venomenal (2) — Your Choice — Thrill of the Kill (2) — Your Choice

Energy build. Why is energy good on Dvaasha? Because having your ultimate available is very scary — enemies may not want to attack you. This is her defense! Like a real snake or basilisk. You don’t even have to use the ultimate for a while — just get it quickly and play more aggressively with the extra threat.

4. Viper (2) — Miasma (3) — Pythonic (3) — Nothing (0) — Stone Feet (2)

This build is just freaking cool. Viper gives you a cool new targeting template to fool around with, and while we’re on the subject of cleaving enemies in a line, why not yank them all in with Pythonic? Then we can follow up with Stone Feet to root them again for some sweet CC combos. Oh, and just in case we’re worried they might see us coming, let’s get some on-demand smoke for our ambush with Miasma.

Feedback welcome as always. 🙂