Welcome back to an occasional series Heroclixin’ likes to call Fighting Fire with F.U.N. Here, we try to help players figure how not to have games ruined by overpowered mechanics.
WizKids just came out with another Watch List, and again some was expected while other items were surprising — and still more was missing. Here’s Heroclixin’s take on each.
Entities (War of Light 060-068)
Heroclixin’ actually thinks these act like rather balanced, properly costed resources. But they have become as ubiquitous as resources lately, so we think they could use a fix. Heroclixin’ suggests recategorizing the “Entity” keyword from being a named one to generic. That one small change, we think, takes some of the teeth out of this tactic.
Hmmm…tactic. Perhaps, also, using the Possessed ability at 25 points could be reclassified as a tactic. It certainly affects the game like one!
Bill, Agent of A.I.M. (Deadpool 102)
What’s at issue is Bill’s ability to open one-way lines of fire on the highest-cost foe. This allows fellow shooters to get safe, easy shots on targets, taking positioning out of the game — AGAIN [see Spiral from last year].
Heroclixin’s idea is twofold: that it either A) be restricted to both Bill’s and his beneficiary’s range values or B) it’s a once-per-game effect.
Iron Pharaoh (IIM #051)
Heroclixin’ readers will recall this fig on our list of the year’s most needed changes. We stand by the call: Limit Iron Pharaoh to one action with locked damage value. He can Outwit, he can shoot, but he can’t do both.
Bizarro (Superman and the Legion Of Super-Heroes 039)
Fighting Bizarro can be a supremely frustrating experience, because he renders damage values virtually pointless. That’s a big part of the game to blithely ignore. So how about one of these as a fix: Either A) he can’t be healed or B) each token yields 25. For the reward of disregarding damage, Bizarros should run a little more risk.
Proxima Midnight (Guardians Of The Galaxy 050)
This is the one that baffled many. And it may be that she’s only a problem in conjunction with other figs [see Bill, above]. But her ability to hit once then possibly KO with no other hits is bonkers. Heroclixin’s fix: Tracer tokens return to her card after dealing their damage.
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What’s still missing from the Watch List? THIS:
Science Police Officer [SLOSH 004]: That anti-free action special power needs to not be stackable. Here’s Heroclixin’s rewrite:
“TACTICAL DEPLOYMENT: When an opposing character within 8 squares is given a free action, if that character has been given a non-free action this turn, after actions resolve, deal that character 1 unavoidable damage if it has not already taken damage from this effect this turn.“
It’s free damage and supreme board control. One damage is enough.
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Check in Monday for the return of Heroclixin’s Top Ten series. We’ll be looking at the 10 best tie-up specialists in the Modern Age game. Until then, have F.U.N. clixin’!