SUBHUTI:
Challenge Level:
MEDIUM
Backstory:
SUBHUTI is the codename for Jue Xiang, a Buddhist monk. Having mastered the art of reincarnation, he has been reborn many times; each time retaining his consciousness and memory from his past lives.
His current life sees him born into the Super Snipers program, where his extraordinary abilities were quickly recognized, studied, and synthesized into technologies that led to the creation of the Jane Program.
After the war, SUBHUTI retreated to the mountains and meditated for 14 days to gain clarity on where his path lies. He sensed a grave calamity ahead that was caused by the Super Sniper project. Walking the path of Bodhisattva, SUBHUTI makes a solemn vow to protect humanity with the tools that he has been given.
Basic Ability: Composure
After set up is complete for the round but before starting, choose any Focus from your opponent’s LOS and place it on or next to this card. During gameplay, anytime you place a Focus that is an exact match of a Focus on this card (same color, same shape) you may also play the matching Focus on this card. You are not forced to use the ability, and Focus on this card remain until used. If you have multiple of the same shape, you may place all of them when a match is played. This ability also works if activated when placing Surveillance. During clean-up between rounds, return any of your opponent’s Focus that you played.
Adrenaline Ability: Manifest
If it helps, you can rotate a Damage Tracker by 90 degrees to track uses of this power during a round and return them to their normal orientation at the end of the round. When using this ability, state what Focus Type you are playing your Focus as and then place it as if it were that color/type. After it is placed it is treated as its actual color.
SUBHUTI is all about maximum flexibility. That’s his advantage for sure; but he can be tough for players with AP tendencies. His Basic Ability is unique in that it can build up over the course of the game. Typically, any opportunity to get ahead by a turn should be taken. But with SUBHUTI you must consider whether it is best to get ahead by a turn now, or let it build up so that you can potentially place 2-3 extra Focus in a future round. Additionally, when you have the opportunity to get two of the same Focus on your Basic Ability, you are choosing whether to take the chance that the matching Focus shows up for you and you can place both, or whether it’s better to diversify and increase your odds that at least one will show up.
Pay attention to your own LOS when selecting the Focus you are stealing from your opponent. If you see you have a potential match coming up you can decide to take it and trigger it during your Locate Phase (or avoid taking it if you don’t want to).
You can use a Recalibrate to steal a Focus from your opponent with the express purpose of triggering Equanimity.
SUBHUTI’s Adrenaline Ability should also be used flexibly but it presents a unique opportunity to get a Focus type into the middle of the Target Grid for maximum chaining flexibility.
Strategy When Playing as Subhuti:
Strategy When Playing against SUBHUTI
Pay attention to what Focus he has available for Equanimity. Use your Recalibrate to steal a Focus that would trigger it. In Quickdraw Mode, keep up the pace and don’t give him a chance to think too much about the best use of his Abilities.
AI (Solo):
Challenge Level:
HARD
AI Basic Ability: Composure
It is your choice which Focus to add to his bag at the start of each round. Pay attention to the border of the Focus as you refill his LOS. If it is one of yours, play it immediately. Retrieve any of your Focus that the AI played between rounds.
AI Adrenaline Ability: Breath Control
While Adrenaline is active, this ability overrules the normal placement rules for the AI.
SUBHUTI is a challenging AI and there isn’t much you can do to mitigate his abilities. If you are playing J@[/]u5, you can reliably intercept his Adrenaline Ability and may get lucky in stopping his Basic Ability.