Welcome to Sentinels Spotlight! This series’ goal is to explore each of the unique decks available for play in Greater Than Games’ cooperative superhero card game, Sentinels of the Multiverse. This series will strive to introduce you to the hero, and then give you an overview on their deck – what it is made up of and some basic strategies so that you may sit down at the table and choose the deck that is the best fit for your play style.
Jim Brooks was your average, mild-mannered sheriff of a small town in the Old West. Until he fell through a time portal into a monster infested futuristic wasteland. He barely escaped, thanks in part to the Concordant Harmony Entity or “Con,” a sentient computer system. Con had found what time periods the monsters originated from over the years and gave Jim a chance to go back in time and stop the monsters before they overran the future. He accepted, becoming the time-traveling bounty hunter known as the Chrono-Ranger.
Chrono-Ranger is a Complexity 2 hero from the Shattered Timelines expansion released in 2013 as one of the two heroes included in the expansion. Much of his deck revolves around 6 “Bounty” cards that are wholly unique to his deck, and as such, revels in a target-rich environment. At 28 hit points, he is firmly middle of the road in terms of being able to absorb punishment. His starting power Quickshot allows him to deal 1 projectile damage to a single target. This is a good power right off the bat, but he will most likely find himself utilizing the various additional powers granted to him by his equipment to better effect as he gets the cards into play.
Speaking of, Chrono-Ranger has six different equipment cards, five of which only have one copy in the deck. Of the six, only Jim’s Hat gives him something other than an additional power to use. It instead allows him to play an additional card during his play phase. And at the start of his turn, he may destroy any single Bounty card on the table. Temporal Grenade allows him to as a power sacrifice it to deal up to 3 targets 1 energy damage each and also destroy 1 ongoing or environment card. With only two copies of the card in the deck, it’s not a great method of dealing with those kinds of cards, but it can work in a pinch. He does have ways of getting it back into his hand if he needs it as we’ll see later, but there are better uses for that card. The Neuro-Toxin Dart Thrower gives him a power that lets him deal 1 target 1 toxic damage. In addition, the target reduces all damage it deals by 1 until the start of Chrono-Ranger’s next turn. The Compounded Bow is a straight damage dealing power, that allows him to deal 1 target 1 projectile damage and 1 damage of any type you choose. Danny-Boy deals up to a number of targets equal to the number of bounty cards in play 2 fire damage each. Finally The Masadah allows him to deal 1 target irreducible energy damage equal to the number of bounty cards in play.
Now, just what are these bounty cards? Well, they are six unique cards that get played next to villain targets that affect how they act in certain ways. “The Whole Gang” is played next to a non-hero target. When that target leaves play, you may also destroy a target with 4 or fewer hit points. Then the bounty card is destroyed. “The Ultimate Target” on the other hand increases the damage Chrono-Ranger deals to the affected target by 1. Additionally, the first time that target takes damage each turn Chrono-Ranger can use a power. There really is no reason not to play this next to the main villain, especially since the only way to destroy it is with Jim’s Hat. “No Executions” meanwhile is a prime card to play on an ally target. Instead of being destroyed the affected target is put on the bottom of its deck. Then the bounty card is destroyed. This is also useful against villains that rely on their trash to reach a certain level, like Baron Blade. “Kill on Sight” meanwhile must be played next to a non-hero target. When that target leaves play, destroy the bounty card and draw 3 cards. “Dead or Alive” is also played next to a non-hero target. At the start of his turn, Chrono-Ranger heals 1 hit point. When the target leaves play, he gets to draw 1 card and then destroys the bounty. Finally “By Any Means” increases the damage dealt to the affected non-hero target by 1. When it leaves play, the bounty card is destroyed. Again, no real reason I see not to play this next to the main villain (unless you’re facing The Dreamer).
As far as ongoing effects are concerned, Chrono-Ranger only has one, but it’s a bit of a doozy. Hunter and Hunted is a limited ongoing that increases the damage dealt to and by Chrono-Ranger by the number of bounty cards in play. This card can be very, very high risk, but the payoff can be super effective, especially when combined with The Masadah, doubling Chrono-Rangers damage output. And damage from The Masadah is irreducible to boot.
The remainder of his deck is made up of seven different one-shot effects. Bounty Board moves all bounty cards from the trash into your hand and then Chrono-Ranger deals 1 target 1 projectile damage. Quick and simple. Displaced Armory allows you to search your deck or trash for an equipment card and put it into play. Then Chrono-Ranger deals 1 target 1 projectile damage. This is great for getting equipment back into play if it’s taken away by equipment destroying villains or giving you a free shuffle while you get an extra power out on the table early on. It can also be used to get more copies of Temporal Grenade should you need to destroy more ongoing or environment cards, but pulling The Masadah back into your hand is a better use of it, I think. Eye on the Prize lets him deal 1 target 1 projectile damage, draw a card, and play a card. “Just Doin’ My Job” gives each player the opportunity to discard a card. Then Chrono-Ranger draws an equal number of cards and finally deals 1 target 1 projectile damage. Ranger’s Mark lets him put a bounty card in his trash back into play. And then deal 1 target 1 projectile damage. Sudden Contract lets him search his deck for a bounty card to put into play. And… you guessed it – deal 1 target 1 projectile damage. Finally Terrible Tech Strike allows him to deal 1 target 2 melee damage and, just to mix things up, 1 target 1 projectile damage.
As you can see, Chrono-Ranger thrives when he has a large number of targets on the field. Sure, he can pile all of his bounties onto a single target, but more than one bounty provides benefit when a target leaves play. So while throwing them all out on the main villain does rack up the bounties for several of his equipment cards and Hunter and Hunted, you’re only getting half of the benefit. On the surface, he doesn’t appear to have a lot of drawing power, but he does have a lot of control over his equipment and bounties with several of his one-shots that allow him to search his deck or trash for a card, and with over half of his deck being made up of those one-shot effects, the odds of you having one of what you need is high. And if worse comes to worst, “Just Doin’ My Job” can net you a few cards if you have allies with cards in their hands they don’t need. Just don’t rely on it. The fact that his six equipment cards only make up seven cards of the deck means that you’re going to spend a lot of your time diving into the trash for them against villains that get their jollies by destroying equipment. There’s not much worse than having out The Masadah, all six bounties, and Hunter and Hunted out only to have your equipment taken from you.
There’s nothing necessarily fancy about his abilities when he’s incapacitated, but they’re still worth noting. If he’s taken out, on his turn, he can allow another player to play a card, use a power, or let them deal 1 projectile damage to 1 target.
Since several of his cards deal damage from multiple sources, heroes that can boost his damage output like Legacy are great choices. A Galvanized Chrono-Ranger can deal 5 points of damage with Terrible Tech Strike. Other heroes that boost his damage output can quickly turn him into the highest damaging character on the table with the right equipment/bounty spread. Visionary and Twist the Aether can also help with his over-reliance on projectile damage, and also pump it up that damage by another point.
Chrono-Ranger’s nemesis is the villain called Plague Rat who can be found in the Rook City expansion of the game.
Chrono-Ranger Deck List
Bounty Board x2
“By Any Means” x1
Compounded Bow x1
Danny-Boy x1
“Dead or Alive” x1
Displaced Armory x4
Eye on the Prize x4
Hunter and Hunted x3
Jim’s Hat x1
“Just Doin’ My Job” x4
“Kill on Sight” x1
Neuro-Toxin Dart Thrower x1
“No Executions” x1
Ranger’s Mark x3
Sudden Contract x4
Temporal Grenade x2
Terrible Tech Strike x3
The Masadah x1
“The Ultimate Target” x1
“The Whole Gang” x1
That has been Chrono-Ranger. Next time we’ll take a look at the wily, gun toting Expatriette!
Ben Erickson
I freakin’ love the Chrono-Ranger. One of my favorite heroes to play. Great write-up, sir.