Easy! Place the 3 in a line in front, the shooter in the middle back and Tellus within 4 squares of them all.

Here's my hoping this one gets nerfed a bit. Not made worthless, such was what was done to Spiral, but roped in some.

I had some ideas of how I wanted to abuse Tellus, having saw the potential from the first posting of the dial. So I brought him to this month’s AvX event (700 points base with some sealed added), didn't bother with theme, given the sealed aspect and what I thought were compensating factors of Tellus' abilities. I hadn't guessed the half of it....

Started with a couple AIM Renegades for Hydra and Enhancement. A bunch of various mystical figures with Probability Control (including Brother Voodoo). A spare TK figure. AvX Thor for Penetrating Damage / Pulse Wave. Emerald Empress at 115 for enhanced targeting Psychic Blast and Mind Control and Outwit. Aldrich Killian. Astral Doctor Strange. A couple pogs. And...

Bat Signal.

I think most people can see where this was headed. First turn, TK repositions the Bat Signal to a safe zone, other figures do a bit of prep.

After that, if the opponent stayed remote, Brother Voodoo does a board crossing TK + Phasing Mind Control. With Tellus initially allowing a double attack Perplex regardless of whether the Perplexers were properly positioned with LOF to Brother Voodoo. Bat Signal Voodoo back after the disruption. The first opponent I played that faced this, decided to close the distance while they still had an intact team. Subsequent opponents weren't willing to let it happened, and closed fast early.

But if opponents close - even half board - things got ugly, fast. Free move Astral Doctor Strange. Move Tellus to a mid-point, if needed. Use an agent, possibly with Perplex to range, to blow away any intervening blocking terrain, then let Empress and/or Thor and/or some of the sealed pull contingent shoot through the breach. With so many attempts at Probability Control available I'm surprised neither I nor my opponents got carpal tunnel by tournament end. Then non-free move Astral Doctor Strange back home after the devastation. TK Tellus back in place (if needed), Barrier up if needed (I didn't need to, or latter could when opponents decided getting even [b]closer[b] was the answer, which it wasn't). Lather, Rinse, Repeat.

It wasn't just on simple ranged attacks that Tellus tilted the balance. The preps for the attack - getting lines of fire with Hydra, Outwit, and (in this match) Probability Control made every attack almost a no-miss, no defense affair with none of the usual difficult positioning needed. On the defense, things got even nastier - any figure of mine close enough that was targeted by an opponent could draw on every Probability Control figure on my team.

And as you start reading through the PAC over the many, many things that trace either range and/or line of fire (not all of them range combat), you start to get glassy eyed over just what shenanigans this potential 9 by 9 square box of interconnectivity can do. I only scratched the surface.

When it was over, it felt a bit like taking your glasses off in the testing ground bunker of the Manhattan Project. Overwhelmed at the scale of what was witnessed, and with little desire to ever do it again.

Noooooooooo!

Agreed. This guy is my new BFF in the game. I love the figure. He compliments my play style better than anything the game has ever produced. The idea of extending range, shooting around corners and so on...amazing.

LINK TELEPATHICALLY makes this piece so undercosted! The fact that its a trait that you can't do much about makes this piece even worse!! How can this piece be 82 points!!? If LINK TELEPATHICALLY was a power on maybe 1-2 clicks it might justify this point cost but man what was WK thinking? Anyone who likes this piece wasn't on the receiving end of it.

I have two(so far!), just for pulling hilarious hijinx, especially on larger forces.

What a dirtbag. All Tellus pieces should be recalled, melted down, and fed to cats.

Let's just give him his 5 stars, let him be exploited for a while, and have him eventually be stripped of his usefulness... Like my Spiral was.

So many ridiculous possibilities. My favorite? "Remote Pulse Wave." Have your bystander/horde token of choice move into position, then PW away. Perplex down your attacker's range if need-be, to ensure Telly isn't hit by the attack (or have him hide behind a wall/barrier token).

This guy is too good. He will make the watch list for sure.

Does he count as a "friendly figure" so he can draw lines of fire from friendlies within 4 squares?

I'm fearing the 'nerf' WK is going to apply to him... Action tokens when you use the ability? Only for identic keywords (this would be too much)? Reduced range? One attack per turn? You need LOF between everyone à la Telekinesis?

Figures are always friendly to themselves.

So I have a couple of questions.

If a friendly character decides to count range from Tellus (or another linked ally) can it ALSO draw squares from himself AND his ally while he is linked, simutaniously (Let's say, for example is the case of AVX Prof X, or SLOSH Science Police's special DMG power)?

Another question is does this work for close combat attacks? If an ally is adjacent to an opposing, can Tellus make a close combat attack through his linked ally who is adjacent? And if Yes, does this work for Enhancement, and other "if adjacent" powers?

In most cases, a player can "simultaneously(essentially by constantly changing his mind)" target from different characters which are all under the "Link" effect.

I asked a question regarding counting adjacency squares in another thread, and while a neat philosophical debate, you cannot "count" adjacency from another character's square.

Hello everyone! I need your help concerning Tellus and his trait...
Does it runs with:
Science Police Officer:
"TACTICAL DEPLOYMENT: When an opposing character within 8 squares is given a free action, if that character has been given a non-free action this turn, after actions resolve, deal that character 1 unavoidable damage."
Some of my friends say yes and they count the 8 squares from a character who's within 4 squares from Tellus... I do not think that's correct ? Am i wrong ?

They sure can.

It's due to the specific wording.

SciPol: "When an opposing character within 8 squares..."

Tellus: "...can draw lines of fire and count range and squares..."

So yes, the SciPol can use Tellus' ability.