Every year, there’s always a piece or three (or ten or more) that ALMOST makes the cut, but some slight flaw squeezes it off the list. Let’s see what slid off mine.
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Air-Walker
He won consideration due to his opening Hypersonic Speed, excellent AV and Power Cosmic. His low damage and poor defense for his cost lost him his spot. A solidly Invulnerable middle and lots of Hypersonic and Regen almost won it back; he’s a difficult piece to pin down and finish off!
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Beta Ray Bill
He won consideration due to his opening Running Shot, excellent AV with high damage and solid defense. But a run of low-DV Super Senses mid-life kills his Top 10 aspirations despite a late-dial upswing in AV and the return of Running Shot.
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Odin
As costly a piece as can be currently run under 300 points and still have room for feats, Odin is mighty indeed. Outwit, Power Cosmic, very high defenses and attack to start unfortunately give way to all-too-soft Super Senses in the middle. This pudgy underbelly undermines Odin’s otherwise deadly and resilient dial and costs him a place in the Top Ten.
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Sif
One of the game’s best taxis thanks to her “no-Carry-penalty” SP, being a minion-activator and a Super-Strong fighter, she’s a great piece for under 100 points. If she’d had move+attack ability or even Indomitable, she’d certainly have made the list.
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Thor & Loki
This duo figure is absolute death against many teams thanks to titanic damage and the ability to use Thunderbolts and either hide in the shadows (Bat Ally) or double up on Mystics retaliation (by picking either Crossgen or Arachnos). Unfortunately, one of their SPs kills their range attacks, making them highly vulnerable to the game’s best Hypersonic bricks. Unforgiveable at their highest-cost-yet price point.
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Ulik
With a DV topping out at a rather putrid 15, one may wonder how Ulik even makes the also-ran list. Answer: because of his Outwit- and Pulse Wave-proof defense power that reduces damage dealt to just 1. Unless the enemy is dealing penetrating damage like Exploit Weakness or Psychic Blast, or using the Meteorite, Ulik can absorb a lot of attacks. Meanwhile, he’s dealing as much as 6 damage per hit and never less than 3 with very high AV. But the low DV and the fact that he takes a click from even peons’ attacks hold him back.
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Every year there’s a truly deserving piece that gets knocked off for lack of space. This time it was because I was pretty enamored of the generics who, in retrospect, should have probably shared an entry. (Honestly, I wonder if maybe I haven’t overrated them a tad, since they won’t be quite as superb without their leaders. But…I digress.)
So. Like I did with Gamora last year, feel free to drop your least favorite of my Top Ten pick and replace it with:
Ultron
wing & indomitable symbols
174 points
Team: none
Keywords: Cosmic, Masters of Evil, Robot, Ruler
Range: 12 x 1
DIAL: http://wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/gallery/
STRENGTHS: 12 range, 12 AV, 12 Speed with Charge, 4 damage, Impervious and Pulse Wave. And he’s indomitable, costing well under 200 points. Any questions?
Well, OK, there’s Outwit on clicks 2-4 should he get hit to those. Mid-dial, he can shunt damage off to subordinates with Mastermind while using “Transfer Essence” (Mind Control that doesn’t take feedback from controlling Armor or Robots) or Psychic Blast. Late-dial, Running Shot makes a reappearance along with Regeneration to give him a second wind.
WEAKNESSES: Aside from his leading 3 Impervious clicks, he’s devoid of damage reduction…could be a problem. Energy Explosion is kinda pointless.
CARDS TO CONSIDER: FORTITUDE might be extra-necessary on Ultron as he cannot afford to lose ANY of his defensive powers…ever! Because he has the indomitable ability, he can totally ignore the pushing damage NOVA BLAST usually causes. AUTOMATIC REGENERATION is probably a good fit, too, so he doesn’t have to waste actions trying to heal and can instead continue eradication of all flesh!!!!!!!…in HeroClix.
IN SUM: Able to deal hurt from extreme range or in close with Charge or medium range with Pulse Wave, Ultron is the total tentpole package.
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SR Loki
This is another piece that could have scratched a spot on the top 10. Stealth + Mastermind is a superb combination, one that various version of Doctor Doom have been lauded for since the early days of HeroClix. And Loki does it a bit better with his special 4-square Mastermind. He also gains a solid defense in mid-dial Invulnerability, getting the best out of his Mystics TA. It’s his utter lack of move+attack powers or Willpower that hold him back from being among the best. At his price point, he needs to be more actively fighting and less supportive.
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The Warriors Three: Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg.
Sporting 11 AV and 18 DV with Invulnerability or better on their first clicks for around 100 points each, the members of this trio are pretty solid alone. However, they work best in a group so their shared Trait can supercharge their AVs to can’t-miss 13s, and they’re highly vulnerable to ranged fighters.
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That wraps up my look back at 2009’s top pieces. Look for a big sequel to my Guardians of the Galaxy campaign very soon and then resumption of the event dial series!