Mantis [Guardians of the Galaxy 003] 56

At last, this 2008-team member is a HeroClix, and she’s a game changer for the keyword. First, she’s another of those crazy pieces with friendly Mind Control, one of the most effective special abilities in the modern game. It only works on adjacent Guardians, but it’s still beyond excellent — especially because it doubles as normal MC as well. Second, she’s another great tie-up fig for the team with Combat Reflexes and CCE. Her DV is only 16, but there are ways to improve that. Third, at 56 points she’s the cheapest source of Probability Control for the keyword. Fourth and maybe most importantly, her late dial bears both 17 DV Regeneration and decent AV Support, making her a self-healing “pit crew” piece we haven’t seen the likes of in a long time, if ever. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Indispensible for GotG teams and likely many others as well.

The latest version of the One Who Knows brings a tiny bit of Prob Control and Outwit to the team via his Past Lives tokens — at least 2, as many as 6 — which each allow him a one-time use of those two powers per token. But that’s just icing on the main cake of him being a 4-damge Running Shot Psychic Blaster that pushes directly to Hypersonic Speed.

And as long as we’re doing this cake analogy, there are morsels in the batter: When he takes damage from a foe, he can be swapped out for Aleta from the set or vice versa. So if he, say, gets Poisoned off his early unarmored clicks, Aleta can jump in and nullify the threat with her Toughness SP. But even if you don’t go for that option, there’s late Regeneration and Phasing to help. He best fits the 1990s team, but thanks to time-travel state of being, he can find a place on any incarnation.

HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: He’s OK, a combo of a leading attacker and pit crew fig.

So he’s got a weakness to penetrating damage thanks to a trait increasing damage from such. But it’s not a big deal, because he’s on the team for his damage SP granting Leadership, Perplex and especially Telekinesis that he can use twice in a turn if the second is a fellow Guardian. Therefore he’ll be in the back and probably safe from that nasty p-damage. But eventually he’ll need to venture forth after initially mobilizing the team to A) continue bolstering the team with Leadership and Perplex and B) leverage penetrating damage of his own via his 11 AV, 4 damage Running Shot PPB combo. Late dial, he goes down swinging with Pulse Wave and Force Blast — nuke ’em and throw ’em all back! He’s a fit for every incarnation of the team except the Bendis one. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: He replaces every previous version of Major Victory/Vance Astro and will make any GotG team better.

This 1990s team member starts off the uncommons of the set. Like Mantis, he’s a cheap source of Prob Control but much more offensively oriented with Charge and Blades/Claws/Fangs. There’s no nutty traits or specials to keep track of. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Simple and straightforward melee fig.

Running Shot+Precision Strike at 3 damage is good. But he’s on the team for his ability to shoot through EVERYTHING as a power action. At 8 range, that’s great, and even basing him won’t stop it thanks to Improved Targeting OO> . He’s a founding member of the ’60s team and 1990s team but has made appearances in the 2008 version as well. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: A short dial isn’t enough to stop him from being a strong addition to GotG teams.

Starhawk’s better half is possibly also a better piece. She starts with Hypersonic Speed instead of pushing to it — and pushes to Running Shot Pulse Wave. She starts with a SP bearing ESD WITH Toughness instead of just the green DV power. 10 range instead of 8 (though she loses a target). But maybe her best boon to the team is that she shares her ESD with adjacent friendlies during the first half of her dial. Don’t forget she can swap out for Starhawk 003 after taking damage from a foe, though the Ranged Combat Expert and Perplex liberally scattered down her dial may dissuade you from that option. Best fits the 1990s team. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: She doesn’t really have a bad click. Use that ESD SP!

She starts as another TK figure for a 2008 version of the Guardians. But feel free to push to click 2 for Running Shot + Penetrating/Psychic Blast with free Mind Control. AND Outwit. She ends up showing why she gets the Martial Artist keyword with a little chopsockiness in Reflexes and CCE and Precision Strike. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Not bad at all, if not a must-field.