Unmatched
Invisible Man
Overview
During a snowstorm in an old English village, a mysterious man wearing a thick long-sleeved coat, a wide-brimmed hat, and a face wrapped in bandages approaches a remote inn. The events that would later transpire can only be described as horrifying, as the mysterious man is revealed to be a mad scientist who turned himself invisible. When his secret is revealed, he goes on a murder spree while trying to find a way to change himself back. There have been many iterations of the Invisible Man, but the most iconic remains the original novel published by H.G. Wells in 1897. In Unmatched, the Invisible Man uses his extraordinary ability to escape from sight and scheme his way to being the last man standing.
Invisible Man is included in Unmatched: Cobble & Fog
Hero Stats
Health:Â 15 /Â Attack:Â Melee /Â Movement:Â 2
Special Ability
At the start of the game, after you place Invisible Man, place 3 fog tokens in separate spaces in his zone. When Invisible Man is on a space with a fog token, add 1 to the value of his defense cards. Invisible Man may move between two spaces with fog tokens as if they were adjacent.
Strategies and Tips
Invisible Man is a very different kind of fighter compared to the other heroes in Unmatched. His scheme and attack cards can deal a lot of damage, but this will likely not be enough to defeat any one opponent. Offensively he is weak, so the Invisible Man’s goal is to use his scheme and attack cards to weaken the enemy hero, then survive until they die from exhaustion.
Primary Strengths
Strong defense
Maneuverability and elusiveness
Schemes that deal direct damage
Primary Weaknesses
Low attack power
Low health
Heroes with strong sidekicks (e.g. Alice, King Arthur)
Tip #1: Step Lightly
The key to using Invisible Man effectively is properly utilizing his fog tokens. He is only as mobile as his fog tokens are spread out. Use your card abilities that allow you to move your fog tokens as soon as you get them. Your goal is to have the fog tokens spread out enough so that your opponent has to cover a lot of ground to reach you when moving between them.
It is also critical for Invisible Man to stay on his fog tokens. Most of Invisible Man’s powerful card effects require him to be standing on a fog token to activate. When maneuvering, be sure to only maneuver between tokens and only step off of them for the occasional attack with a plan to get back. If the Invisible Man stays primarily on the fog tokens, then your opponent will be forced to come to him. The primary counter to this strategy are ranged fighters, so have a plan to move your fog tokens into striking range.
Tip #2: Scheme
Invisible Man has many scheme cards in his deck:
- Reign of Terror allows Invisible Man to deal 2 damage to any opposing fighter if he is standing on a fog token.
- Step Lightly allows Invisible Man to deal 1 damage to an adjacent fighter, but if Invisible Man is on a fog token, the damage dealt is 3 instead.
Both of these cards are excellent ways to deal damage to your opponent and are essential to Invisible Man’s strategy.
Invisible Man also has access to schemes that provide maneuverability options:
- Rolling Fog allows you to move 1 fog token to another space and gain an action. This card is great for reaching an elusive ranged hero and synergizes well with Step Lightly. The ability to move a fog token anywhere you choose is excellent and can be used offensively or to get you out of a dangerous situation.
- Vanish is his final scheme card, and also his most important. This card allows you to recover 1 health and remove Invisible Man from the board until the beginning of your next turn. This card is great no matter the situation. In a 1v1 game, you force your opponent to double maneuver, forcing them closer to exhaustion. In a FFA you force your opponents to fight each other instead of you.
If you have two Vanish cards in your hand, you can set up a devastating combo:
- Use Vanish as your first action, leaving your opponents with nothing to do but maneuver.
- On your next turn, place Invisible Man next to your opponent.
- Attack with Surprise Attack.
- On your second action, use Vanish again.
- On your next turn, place Invisible Man next to your opponent once again, and deal as much damage as you can on your first action.
- Use your second action to retreat to a Fog token.
Tip #3: Disappear
Invisible Man is capable of all sorts of devious schemes and trickery, but to claim victory he must be elusive and always out of reach. It is highly unlikely Invisible Man will defeat an opponent by attacking until their health is at 0. He simply does not have enough offensive options. Between uses of his attacks and schemes, he must use his fog tokens to stay far away from his opponents. Force them to draw as many cards as possible by making them maneuver to reach you. When the enemy does attack, Invisible Man has many defensive options he can use to minimize damage and create distance once again.Â
Lurking is a defense with a value of two that lets you draw a card and choose 1 of 2 effects:
- Move Invisible Man to a space with a fog token
- Move 1 fog token up to 3 spaces
Coded Notes is a defense with a value of 3 that, after combat, allows you to draw 3 cards, then choose 2 cards from your hand to put on the top of your deck in any order. The true benefit of this card is it lets you put any two cards in your hand back into your deck, which gives you knowledge of your next 2 cards and allows you to protect certain cards from heroes with discarding effects.
Into Thin Air is a defense with a value of 4 that allows you to move Invisible Man up to 1 space after combat. Your opponent then moves a fog token up to 3 spaces. 1 space may not sound like much, but if you are on a fog token then you can create some serious distance. Your opponent getting to move a fog token isn’t ideal, but the value is worth it, nonetheless.
Impossible to See is a versatile card with a value of 2 that immediately makes the value of your opponent’s card to 0 and makes it unable to be changed with card effects. This is excellent against cards like Jekyll & Hyde’s Forever Hyde or Dracula’s Beastform. This effect makes this card invaluable on defense.Â
Do not forget, if you are on a fog token the value of all of your defense cards are increased by 1, making every defensive option very good. With so many tools of escape, your opponent will constantly be on the move just to reach you. Strategically play certain Scheme cards to minimize your own card draw, and before you know it your opponent will be out of cards, taking damage for each move they make towards you.
Final Thoughts
Invisible Man is a very devious and sinister character. Unlike most heroes, no basic cards will be found in his deck. He can be complicated to play since he relies on his defense to secure victory, whereas most heroes rely on attacking to win. Not everyone will enjoy playing as or against such a defensive character, but his presence adds much more variety to the ever-growing roster of Unmatched.
