Hello, I looked at Aldis card and tried to play him in a game recently. I have trouble making full use of his special ability, Drill Master, which let Aldis or a friendly follower within 3’’ exchange 2 yellow dice against a black dice when performing a one handed, two handed and block test. This is a cool ability but it can’t work actually, due to the fact that imperial soldiers, even when boosting their attack action will only gain 1 yellow dice, and thus never be able to use the ability.
Same with the block action (the imperial soldiers gain a red dice when obtaining a succes for a block test), and two handed tests are non-existant for the followers.
The only character Drill Master can work with is the archer when he’s in melee.
So for now, Aldis’ ability only works for him. Is there a typo to the dice modified by Drill Master?
The issue is that there’s currently barely any friendly followers, Hirelings or otherwise with whom it would actually interact because barely any have a means of reaching 2 Yellow Die for any of those tests.
It just feels a bit egregious given the whole theme of the ability seems to be improving (specifically Imperial Legion) troops via training but nobody in the Legion faction can actually benefit from it. Appreciate that there’s likely to be more Hireling/Neutral followers coming who might interact with it but it’s just a bit odd that it’s near-functionally useless for the faction Aldis is actually a part of and something of a thematic disconnect with what most people would probably think of with an ability called Drillmaster and what we see Aldis doing on a day to day basis in TES:V.
So if no other followers can benefit from his ability, what’s the point to include “followers” in it? I mean, his ability is to use it within the imperial legion faction, why would i use other hirelings? It’s not even correct lorewise… And he don’t have the hold guard faction icon too, which makes him a hireling within this faction and he can’t benefit from their special rule. Why was there no synergie with the imperial recruits? Same thing for them afterall, they cost 3 septims less than imperial soldiers without the block skill and the same attack dice. 100% of the time, i’ll take the imperial soldiers with shield…
Or, there is an update coming for the hold guard and new profiles from this faction will come up, which will be usable with Aldis? With the chance that imperial legion and stormcloak can be part of the hold guards without counting as hirelings? Then that would explain a lot.
I really don’t like that we bought models which can’t work properly during months, waiting for other models to make them useful.
No other Followers isn’t strictly true. Remember, we had the instance of the Archer in the first comment being effected.
I wouldn’t be able to comment on what is coming up. Far above my pay grade.
I’m also going to post what @Modiphius-Gavin thinks of the matter;
‘The idea is that the Ability is used on himself, and Followers that haven’t been through his drill yard training. The Imperial Soldiers have already had the benefit of his instructional bellowing. He’s a character who enhances irregular troops, so Neutral models included in an Imperial force, for instance. The options may be limited now, but with the addition of further Mercenaries in future Chapters, Aldis will get to yell at lots of hairy, undisciplined layabouts.’
Like in my mind, it is offering a second list building option. You can go with the standard Imperial Legion bits or fill up on Hirelings with the Drill Master.
We’ll see what the future brings in terms of adding value to the ability because that hypothetical list ‘filled up on Hirelings’ (well…25% full as that’s the max) is currently more than a little niche when the options are:
Breton Ranger, Khajiit Bandit, War Dogs (& Vigilance). Summoned Zombies and Flame Atronachs if we’re feeling especially generous.
On review, I’d personally advocate for just adding the Hold Guard Faction symbol to Aldis; the Solitude Guard is his actual primary faction in Skyrim after all and would at least mean in CtA he can synergise with 2 of their Followers outside of the very specific “if you’re playing as the Defender in a scenario within Act 2 of the Stormcloak Rebellion Campaign”.
Thanks for the answer. So we’re waiting for future profiles then. (and i agree with Jimmy, adding the hold guard faction for aldis would make more useful)
Adding the Hold guard icon to him makes a lot of sense. They obviously weren’t around when we created his card (cards are often finalised up to a year before release). I’d be interested to see how he works out in a Hold Guard force.