The Daughters of the Dragon are No. 4:

Colleen Wing and Misty Knight [Amazing Spider-Man 044]

WHY I WANTED THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE: Read this post. Wishes do come true, right down to most of the powers I wanted.

I WANT TO RUN THEM EVERY WEEK BECAUSE: Again, see above. But more than that, I like the flexibility of the 140-point version’s choice of starting lines and the pick of playing either Colleen or Misty at the 70 price.

I DON’T PLAY THEM EACH WEEK BECAUSE: As much as I love these gals, they’re a bit difficult to run at 140 points. I also lean somewhat more toward Misty as a solo — she’s a little more F.U.N.

I’LL FIELD THEM NEXT: One or both are on all Heroes for Hire teams, or I don’t run the Heroes for Hire team. I’ll also get them running with other Martial Artists.

Next: Back to black

No. 5

Valkyrie [Fear Itself 005]

WHY I WANTED HER IN THE FIRST PLACE: Longtime Heroclixin’ reader have already guessed the two-word answer: Secret Avengers. This Valkyrie was the final piece needed to complete the founding lineup of Commander Rogers’ black ops heroes in Avengers-keyword-theme team form. If I only got one figure out of the entirety of the Fear Itself event, it was going to be this one. It’s no stretch to say she was my MOST wanted piece of the year.

I WANT TO RUN HER EVERY WEEK BECAUSE: Secret Avengers is one of my absolute favorite themes to run. That the piece is quite playable to boot doesn’t hurt.

I DON’T PLAY HER EACH WEEK BECAUSE: I can’t run Secret Avengers every week.

I’LL FIELD HER NEXT: The next time I field a Secret Avengers team or if I ever again attempt a Ride of the Valkyries game. I might also try her on a Fearless Defenders theme sometime.

Next: Speaking of such…

No. 6

Question [WizKids D-008]

WHY I WANTED HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE: Well, he’d be an addition to my Trenchcoat Brigade theme of long-coated figs. But with A) him being a convention exclusive, and B) me hating team bases and C) there being little incentive for owners to sell or trade him as a single apart from the base, I didn’t really need him …  until I saw that sculpt. OMG that sculpt is really awesome. And so I got one of my players to get me one at GenCon — and he came through even through trials and tribulations.

I WANT TO RUN HIM EVERY WEEK BECAUSE: That dial! So, so good that he also made the top 10, which is rare for the Heroclixin’ Fave list. But he’s still pretty F.U.N. too, thanks to his soft skin (no damage reducers that he’s likely to use) making his Mystics TA less brutal on the other guy.

I DON’T PLAY HIM EACH WEEK BECAUSE: Hey, he’s not THAT F.U.N., you kiddin’ me?

I’LL FIELD HIM NEXT: Trenchcoat brigade. Also want to play an all-Question team sometime.

Next: The first lady of the list!

Actually not really a boy scout is No. 7

Captain America [Fear Itself 201]

WHY I WANTED HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE: I always liked this costume and Bucky Barnes as Cap, but it’s the inventive dial for this version of the character that really got me interested. I split the cost of the scenario pack with a fellow player just to get Bucky Cap and some of the pogs.

I WANT TO RUN HIM EVERY WEEK BECAUSE: Actually, I usually forget about this fig entirely until something reminds me of him. Then I can’t stop thinking about him. There’s not a bad click on him and I love the SPs/traits that make him a boon to whole team in general (+1 DV to pals, auto-hit Support on cheaper allies) and one in particular (perma-bonus stats to an ally after he’s KO’d). But…

I DON’T PLAY HIM EACH WEEK BECAUSE: He’s really hard for me to use! He has a great 1st click but the lack of Indomitable hurts. It can also be a little hard to set up some of the SPs, since he’ll have to be damaged to start pumping DVs yet out of base to heal his friends. And I just hate the idea of letting him get KOed.

I’LL FIELD HIM NEXT: Probably any time I both need this version of the character and know he’ll have a teammate around his cost that can benefit from his powers. Recently teamed him with AvX Cap.

Next: another man in blue.

No. 8

Clark Kent [Man of Steel 009]

WHY I WANTED HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE: Longtime readers may recall a set of articles called “Diana’s Wardrobe” featuring a large team of Wonder Woman clix each wearing a different outfit, from the classic armored bustier to the librarian-chic Diana Prince to the J. Michael Straczynski-run’s “Wonderpants” outfit. Well, I foolishly decided to do a variation on the theme starring her current boyfriend called “Kal-El’s Closet [or What the Well-Dressed Superman Is Wearing This Season].” So this pre-costume, pre-flying version of the great Kryptonian was a lock for me to try to track down.

I WANT TO RUN HIM EVERY WEEK BECAUSE: He’s a superbly different take on the character, one that’s great F.U.N. due to the Niftiness of the non-costumed look, the Friendliness of the modest, hasn’t-quite-tested-his-limits dial, and the Usefulness of his Stealth trait, +3 Speed on move actions with Leap/Climb and Toughness+Willpower SP.

I DON’T PLAY HIM EACH WEEK BECAUSE: He doesn’t fit every theme and he kinda needs his Super Strength and Invulnerability up front to be more competitive at his cost.

I’LL FIELD HIM NEXT: On every single “plainclothes” team I build. And, naturally, with the “Clark’s Closet” theme (that I may never complete because White Lantern Supes is SO EXPENSIVE)

Next: Another boy scout. We’re not stopping for the weekend this time.

No. 9

Deathlok [Wolverine and the X-Men 11b]

WHY I WANTED HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE: Because of 2007’s Sinister set.

See, that’s when this Deathlok, Michael Collins, was first made in HeroClix. But it was so underwhelmingly poor that the LE version was somehow named Michael Roth instead. They couldn’t even get the NAME right. With this, we finally get a proper rendition of Michael Collins. And he’s also a candidate for the Black Box.

I WANT TO RUN HIM EVERY WEEK BECAUSE: Deathlok’s the kind of F.U.N. fig I like. He’s a Nifty addition to my black character themes but extra Useful thanks to his ability to use Ranged Combat Expert with Running Shot. But despite the fact that he can have an 11-12 AV all dial long if you like, he remains a Friendly piece because he can never one-hit-KO a foe due to his trait. He’s not a point-and-click bruiser; he requires finesse and teamwork.

I DON’T PLAY HIM EACH WEEK BECAUSE: I have no cute themes to run him on. He’s also a bit more powergamey than I like. Finally, he’s a prime, which sometimes limits what teams he can run on.

I’LL FIELD HIM NEXT: Who knows? Maybe a black cyborgs’ convention? May also want to try the Maximum Carnage ATA on him.

Next: Somebody white. We’re not TOTALLY racist

No. 10

Cloak [Amazing Spider-Man 202]

WHY I WANTED HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE: He’s another addition to “The black box,” my collection of black HeroClix characters. But I frankly didn’t NEED him since there are plenty of other versions of Cloak in the game. But…

I WANT TO RUN HIM EVERY WEEK BECAUSE: He’s a “black box” fig that happens to be a wild card with Charge, Exploit Weakness and Improved Movement: Well, Everything. So he could be next to enemy Plasticity and still move five squares through two walls and sucker-punch a brick right through his Impervious.

I DON’T PLAY HIM EACH WEEK BECAUSE: At 85 points, he’s a little pricey, and he’s missing the natural Stealth that 5 of the 7 Cloaks in the game start with. Sure I could spend an extra 10 points for Marvel Knights TA Stealth, but then he’s really overpriced. He also doesn’t fit many themes I like.

I’LL FIELD HIM NEXT: On a wild card abuse team, especially if I can use the Spider-Man Family ATA.

Now it’s time for Heroclixin’s favorite countdown: Its Top Ten Favorite Figs of 2013!

But first, we’ve got to cop to a blunder in the Top Ten list re: Team Bases.

Heroclixin’ considered Justice League, Trinity of Sin and Shi’ar Imperial Guard to be in a three-way tie as the best of the once-broken, now merely powerful team base characters. But, still swoony over the sheer alpha-striking strength of TBs pre-Watch List, Heroclixin’ completely overlooked a challenger for the title outright:

Hellfire Club Inner Circle [Wolverine and The X-Men T006]

Like the other three, it deals high damage and starts with its best Asset Dial abilities (in its case, it can’t be Mind Controlled, Psychic Blasted or targeted by unfriendly Perplex and has Mastermind and Stealth). By using Solo Adventure to drop off Black King as Mastermind fodder, Hellfire Club becomes very difficult to KO.

Its weaknesses are that unlike the others, it has zero moving attack, has shorter range and is more dependent on map choice to properly leverage its Stealth. But with a well-armored dial that’s a full three clicks longer than any of the others on the Top Ten, who really cares? Feel free to replace your least favorite choice of Heroclixin’ Top Ten with this one.

OK, on with the F.U.N. stuff!

–––

Here’s the usual honorary mention from the previous year that got released too late to truly shine in its calendar year but got its due the following one.

Black Lightning [Batman]

WHY I WANTED HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE: First of all, I collect all the black characters in the game and he’s an old favorite. But he’s also a solid update of the character: Evocative of the old Collateral Damage Vet, he bears the same Running Shot, Willpower and Outsiders TA combo. His boost comes from his Special Power granting Energy Explosion, Penetrating/Psychic Blast and triple-targeted, Sharpshooter Incap. In all, he’s a great example of the general excellence in modern clix design.

I WANT TO RUN HIM EVERY WEEK BECAUSE: He became a piece I considered running all the time during the No Man’s Land events of 2013. With Outsiders TA, he was the rare counter to the Utility Belt’s too-frequent stat bonuses. And even now, he’s a figure that fits my F.U.N. playing style.

I DON’T PLAY HIM EACH WEEK BECAUSE: He’s still more of a piece I use in competitive games than friendly ones. But that purpose is undermined by his soft, middling defenses and the uncopyable TA.

I’LL FIELD HIM NEXT: On an “electrify” team of him and other figs with electric sculpt elements. He’s a lock anytime I try out a Politician keyword team.

Next: My fave list begins in earnest with what might be the blackest character of all…

So here it is…the crud at the bottom of the slop trough. The scum of the sewage runoff. The nasty stuff that grows on that forgotten leftover dish in the back of the fridge.

No. 2

Pepper Potts [Invincible Iron Man 016]
Alter Ego figs are always a bit clunky to field; most of the time, they’re just whiling away rounds, trying push — or get hit — to their transformation clicks. In the meantime, what do you do with them?

In Pepper’s case, nothing. Not unless she’s paired with an Iron Man or Tony Stark, to whom she grants immunity from Mind Control and P/P Blast from 150 points or less. And from whom she gets to switch to AE for free if she’s about to be KO’d next to him.

But by herself? Absolutely useless…until she gets to her AE clicks. Then she’s suddenly a half-decent medic with 14-13 Defend and 7 AV. So…do you use her as a medic, or swap in a Rescue suit and get stuck with a token or two and less healing ability?

She’s called Pepper but she’s not so hot.

BUT…she’s quite the meat shield for an Iron Man or Tony Stark thanks to her trait

No. 1

Mandarin [Iron Man 3 104]
Starting with Stealth, Perplex and Shape Change, Mandarin looks like a stolid supporting piece. But he’s only any good on an A.I.M. team., and only if he’s the beefiest member. When the beefiest member is only leveraging 2 damage and 5 range, all the traited Leadership and Mind Control in the world likely won’t help — especially as his mid-dial Mastermind-only-when-next-to-AIM SP lacks Stealth to guard it. This 100 points is indeed a fraud, only rivaled by his sculptmate…

Mandarin [Iron Man 3 004]
At first he looks so much better, being able to hide within the start zone [via “Terrorist Mastermind” on clicks 1-3] and attack from same [via “Activate the Sleeper Cells”] like certain other figures in years gone by. But the latter’s activated by and through non-free actions by AIM personnel — and, worst of all, it doesn’t even show until click #4 [of six].

His third SP, “Message of Terror,” grants Leadership, Outwit and Perplex along with a super version of the latter two if the Extremis Explosion power ever gets used. Good luck with that: Because he’s stuck in the start zone, until then he’s not going to do much Leading, Outwitting or Perplexing, ever. And even if he self-pushes to mid-dial where he can use his “shoot-from-start-zone” SP, he’s by then lost Message of Terror and only has 8-9AV and 1 damage. 120 points is TWICE as much as this bum is worth.

BUT…well, maybe he can lead an AIM team, maybe? Blegh.

___

Next: A dubious bonus round of dishonorable mentions