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As with most changes to the game, the new Alternate Team Abilities mechanic produces some win/lose situations in HeroClix.
ALPHA FLIGHT
Keyword(s): Alpha Flight
Cost: 4
Once during each game, choose any team ability or opposing character. Each friendly character using this team ability modifies its attack value by +1 when attacking the chosen character or a character possessing the chosen team ability.
WHAT’S CHANGED: It’s gone from an alt. Avengers TA to an Alpha Flight-specific one. Its cost is also dramatically higher. Finally, since all current Alpha Flighters have the Avengers symbol, they don’t have to give up the free move TA.
WHO WINS? Wildcards can copy it, so adding a random Alpha Flight member may be useful for the whole team. Box is usable in Modern Age games (over 300 points, IMO…he’s too much of your team otherwise — though I think he might work in 200). 129 points for a decent brick and an AV boost for the team? Could work.
WHO LOSES? Avengers, obviously, who are now stuck with their own TA (horrors). Pure Alpha Flight teams are also wounded due to the cost increase killing feat optimization for a team that needs ’em.
BOTTOM LINE: For a mechanic shifting to thematic use, it’s not friendly to the theme. (Yet. Maybe the ubër-Wolverine we’re hoping the Web of Spider-Man versions to be will have an Alpha Flight keyword and change everything. But I’m not holding my breath. Wolvie’s never been a member of Alpha Flight.)
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AMAZON
Keyword(s): Amazon
Cost: 4
Whenever a character using this team ability takes 2 or more damage from an opponent’s attack, put a Sisterhood token on this card. Before being given a non-free action, a friendly character using this team ability may remove any number of Sisterhood tokens from this card. Modify that character’s speed, attack, or range value by +1 for each token removed until that action is resolved.
WHAT’S CHANGED: It no longer overwrites existing TAs. Characters no longer have to possess the TA to benefit or contribute.
WHO WINS? Wildcards, again, thanks to it not being a feat and changes to the wording. Similarly, Amazons can get a boost thusly as part of a Warrior theme. Every Wonder Woman and most Wonder Girls with a natural TA also gets to keep hers now.
WHO LOSES? Nobody? Seriously, I don’t see a downside to this ATA shift at all.
BOTTOM LINE: Good for themers and powergamers alike. Rejoice for the Sisterhood!
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CHECKMATE
Keyword(s): Checkmate
Cost: 6
Minion: Kings and Queens and Bishops. When another friendly character using this team ability and with a point value greater than 50 is within 8 squares, this character can be given a power action to use Perplex if it can’t already use Perplex.
WHAT’S CHANGED: It no longer is only equip-able on the Checkmate 50-points-or-less set and no longer is only usable by same. It also spares existing TAs.
WHO WINS? Wildcards, again, so long as the 50+ Checkmate “king/queen” is near enough to activate it. Definitely one for the cheaper WCs, though, or those with Willpower. Similarly, now the Kings and Queens can use the Perplex ability. The Willpower-using and generally-only-supporting-anyway Amanda Waller gets a big boost from this tweaked ATA. So, too, do the OMACs  and V Mr. Terrific in Golden Age versions of the team.
WHO LOSES? Pure Checkmate teams with a lot of generic fodder may find themselves entirely too weighted down by the cost of the ATA to field enough fighters. Many of the King/Queen pieces end up paying for a TA they’re not realistically going to use much, if at all.
BOTTOM LINE: This one can be useful for theme players, but it’ll take a powergamer’s savvy to properly leverage it. Meanwhile, it’s too unwieldy for most min/max players. Checkmate’s kind of a wash.
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FANTASTIC FORCE
Keyword(s):Fantastic Four
Cost: 5
Characters using this team ability may replace their defense value with the unmodified defense value of an adjacent friendly character using this team ability.
WHAT’S CHANGED: It used to not require adjacency or the FF keyword (just the symbol) or add a cost (other than wiping out the real FF TA).
WHO WINS? Wildcards, who’d been banned from using the FF ATA feat version for the past couple of starter sets. The Fantastic Four keyword also benefits by getting to share DV AND get the healing effect if things go way south — or, more proactively, if players push members of Power Pack (or the Alicia Masters pog, in Golden Age) to get back some clicks lost to light damage or pushing.
WHO LOSES? Power Pack, big time. Lacking the keyword means their sad DV values get no boost anymore. LE Sue Storm is no longer the team-making cornerstone (literally. Her role was to hide in the corner and keep the DV up) she was.
BOTTOM LINE: Ultimately a needed change to a nearly broken ATA.
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GREEN LANTERN HONOR GUARD
Keyword(s): Green Lantern Corps
Cost: 5
Whenever a character using this team ability attacks, modify their attack value by +1 for each other friendly character that attacked the same target this turn while using this team ability.
WHAT’S CHANGED: No longer requiring the GLC symbol or overwriting the TA granted by same, it also doesn’t require ownership of the new TA to gain the AV boost or ownership of the GLC symbol to activate said bonus. All this comes at a cost, though.
WHO WINS? Wildcards, hugely. A GL tank of SI Spider-Men could be an absolute deathmobile.
WHO LOSES? Ironically, the Green Lantern Corps itself. They still can’t use their natural TA, being all flyers (so far), so they are paying extra for an TA that, due to the high cost of the average GLC keyworded character (only 3 of a total 36 pieces cost less than 70 points — and well over half are 100 points and up) they just won’t get enough attacks to really benefit them.
BOTTOM LINE: Better for powergamers than for themers.
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GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Keyword(s): Guardians of the Galaxy
Cost: 5
Powers possessed by characters using this team ability can’t be countered. This team ability can’t be used by wild cards.
WHAT’S CHANGED: It got a 1-point price bump in return for not overwriting Phyla-Vell’s characters’ existing TAs. It can be countered now, though.
WHO WINS? Phyla-Vell and the whole Guardians of the Galaxy keyword. They get to keep their natural Defenders TA, which is very good for Star-Lord, a lynchpin of the team with the weakest DV. And now Phyla-Vell no longer has to give up half her natural TA’s ability. Rita DeMara is also a potential winner, especially if she’s the only GotG on her force. Finally, Skrull Yellowjacket has a new target for his TA-busting SP.
WHO LOSES? Wildcards, for once. But not badly, since they get to use the Defenders TA now.
BOTTOM LINE: Totally theme-friendly and not bad for powergamers including a qualifying character on their cheeseball teams.
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JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL
Keyword(s): Justice League Antarctica, Justice League Europe, or Justice League International
Cost: 3
Whenever a character using this team ability would be dealt damage, you can choose to reduce damage dealt by 1 if you deal 1 unavoidable damage to a friendly character using this team ability that is adjacent to this character.
WHAT’S CHANGED: Super Buddies are no longer among the keyword prereqs. Possession of this TA is no longer needed for its effects. It no longer overwrites the JLA TA. :)
WHO WINS? Wildcards need only be next to a JLI member to use the ATA.
WHO LOSES? Super Buddies who aren’t also JLI. Poor V Elongated Man, V CD Mary Marvel and V HT Blue Beetle.
BOTTOM LINE: I guess they won’t be handing out the Super Buddies keyword anymore. The TA still isn’t super-great.
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LEAGUE OF ASSASSINS
Keyword(s): League of Assassins
Cost: 7
Lines of fire to a character using this team ability are blocked if this character is adjacent to a wall or blocking terrain.
WHAT’S CHANGED: They get to keep existing TAs.
WHO WINS? Wildcards can copy this, making it very useful for certain Martial Artist builds. LoA members with other TAs really benefit as well.
WHO LOSES? Pure LoA forces will sacrifice a lot of extra characters and feat room due to the extreme expense of this ATA. That 7 per character adds up quick with as many super-cheap characters this keyword can pack on!
BOTTOM LINE: Better for wildcard abuse than for theme players.
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LEGIONNAIRES
Keyword(s): Legion of Super Heroes
Cost: 2
Whenever the friendly character with the highest point value that’s using this team ability is KO’d, remove one action token from each other friendly character using this team ability.
WHAT’S CHANGED: It has a cost now in return for not wiping out their wildcard ability, and no longer requires the Legion symbol to use the ATA.
WHO WINS? An optimized Legion of Super-Heroes team under the Teen or Future theme with TAs to WC (provided you don’t field a Legionnaire significantly higher than the rest. Smart players may isolate and nerf that piece to concentrate on weaker ones that won’t trigger the mass token clear). Cheap LSH members rounding out a team (say, as tie-up and secondary fighters) can also gain a bit of extra usefulness in even while copying other TAs. And oh yeah, other wildcards can use this, too.
WHO LOSES? A pure LSH team, like the GLC, doesn’t gain anything from the change. Actually, they gain even less, since it only kicks in when you’re losing. But at least the cost is modest.
BOTTOM LINE: Probably best for teams where the Legionnaires are the wildcards abusing other TAs, assuming there’s no better ATA to have on the force.
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MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL
Keyword(s): Injustice Society or Monster Society of Evil
Cost: 5
At the end of your turn, you may roll a d6 for each friendly character using this team ability. On a result of 5 or 6, deal 1 damage to each opposing character adjacent to that character that hasn’t already been dealt damage by this team ability this turn.
WHAT’S CHANGED: The Superman Enemy symbol isn’t the prereq anymore. It also doesn’t work at beginning of turn anymore. It doesn’t wipe out existing TAs anymore. And possession of the TA isn’t needed anymore. All this for a not-so-modest 5 points per piece instead of 0!
WHO WINS? Injustice League keyword and the very few actual Monster Society of Evil pieces…if they have a powerset that lends them to basing or being based. Wildcards also get a boost.
WHO LOSES? It’s sad that solo Superman Enemies who lack the keywords needed for this ATA are saddled with a most expensive and utterly useless TA. There are also quite a few Calculators who won’t be able to copy this TA due to owning it outright…but is this really a loss?
BOTTOM LINE: Hurts a TA that needed the help, and only modestly improves its new targets. Not a fan.
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MORLOCKS
Keyword(s): Gene Nation or Morlocks
Cost: 2* (0 if the character possesses the Morlocks team symbol)
Whenever a character using this team ability makes a close combat attack, modify its attack value by +1 for each other character using this team ability adjacent to both this character and the target.
WHAT’S CHANGED: Nothing, except an additional cost for the oodles and oodles of un-symbolized Morlocks made since Ultimates.
WHO WINS? Wildcards playing alongside V Marrow or Dark Beast. And yeah, I guess those two as well.
WHO LOSES? Characters who should have the TA (E XP Storm, maybe).
BOTTOM LINE: I suppose it’s enough to just have these morts back in the game!
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RUNAWAYS
Keyword(s): Runaways
Cost: 3
Whenever a character using this team ability attacks, modify their attack value by +1 for each other friendly character that dealt damage to an opposing character this turn while using this team ability.
WHAT’S CHANGED: Possession of the TA is no longer needed to activate or use the AV bonus, and it no longer wipes out existing TAs.
WHO WINS? You guessed it: Wildcards! But the Runaways also get a boost because many WCs have a better chance of landing damage on a foe than these kids do.
WHO LOSES? Pure Runaways teams. But whaddaya expect from a team whose battle cry is “Try not to die”? And they really only stay on the old status quo, so this really isn’t a loss.
BOTTOM LINE: It’s better for themers and powergamers.
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SERPENT SOCIETY
Keyword(s): Serpent Society or Serpent Squad
Cost: 6* (0 if the character possesses the Serpent Society team symbol)
Characters using this team ability can use Phasing/Teleport.
WHAT’S CHANGED: Nothing, other than a not-so-modest cost for any potential Modern Age Serpent people we may see.
WHO WINS? Serpent Society is back, baby!
WHO LOSES? No one, because any new Serpent Society folk, if they don’t get this TA as a trait, Watchmen-set-style, will be costed for the addition of this ATA.
BOTTOM LINE: Serpent Society is back, baby!
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THE SOCIETY
Keyword(s): Secret Society of Super Villains or The Society
Cost: 3
Whenever a character using this team ability is targeted by Outwit, you roll a d6. On a result of 4-6, the opposing character that targeted your character cannot use Outwit to target that character this turn. This team ability cannot be used by wild cards.
WHAT’S CHANGED: The IL symbol is no longer the prereq, and unlike most of these post-feat ATAs, it’s not wildcardable. It also won’t override existing TAs and now adds a modest cost.
WHO WINS? The keyword prereqs, many of whom couldn’t use the former version of this ATA. Unfortunately, both were pretty sparingly given. Other DC villain themes loaded with wildcards only might finally have a piece or two that has some sort of TA (thinking of you, Rogues)!
WHO LOSES? Wildcards lacking the keyword, which includes a lot of Calculators. The IL symbol, too, is stuck with a natural TA that isn’t very good.
BOTTOM LINE: Another old ATA nerfed by the new era through no fault of its own.
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SQUADRON SUPREME
Keyword(s): Squadron Sinister or Squadron Supreme
Cost: 5
While at least two friendly characters using this team ability are adjacent, one of them of your choice can use Mind Control. This team ability cannot be used by wild cards.
WHAT’S CHANGED: This ATA is purely for its namesake keywords now, not for all Defenders. It also doesn’t wipe out the Defenders TA if they’ve got it, and it allows them to swap who’s got Mind Control at the moment.
WHO WINS? The Squadrons alike, esp. the Sinister, who couldn’t use it before. This TA could work well combined with their natural Sinister Syndicate TA.
WHO LOSES? The rest of the Defenders, who probably weren’t using this ATA anyway.
BOTTOM LINE: A wash, but a good one, I think.
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THUNDERBOLTS
Keyword(s): Thunderbolts
Cost:8
Once at the beginning of the game, choose any one Marvel team ability other than an alternate team ability, a wild card team ability, or a team ability that can’t be used by wild cards. Characters using this team ability can use the chosen team ability if they can’t already.
WHAT’S CHANGED: No more DC abilities available. No Avengers symbol prereq — it’s actual keyworded Thunderbolts ONLY. No loss of natural TAs. And a significant price hike.
WHO WINS? Thunderbolts lacking the Avengers TA get quite the boost, especially the cheap ones who can act as a TA source for Wildcards, who also get their groove back re: T-Bolts. (R FF Songbird springs to mind.) V Bullseye just got way more awesome than LE Lester.
WHO LOSES? Pure Thunderbolts teams may find the cost of the TA too great. And, of course, Avengers are the huge losers.
BOTTOM LINE: This old ATA, more than any other factor, is what’s ushered in this whole change. I, for one, wished WizKids had let the old ATAs remain as feats (with immunity to the 10% cap) with all their TA-overwriting clauses intact, to give players a wider range of choice and to not render the B&B ATAs instantly obselete.
But something had to be done about Thunderbolts. It couldn’t remain as was and maintain real game balance. (Alt. FF, too, but it was only a hill compared to the mountain of TBolts.)
So I don’t blame WK for making a clean break the way they have, and hope this analysis (which took way longer than I anticipated) has helped put things into new perspective.

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I cropped out Drs. Light and Fate because they were not worthy of my team (translation: I ran outta room for her and didn't have him at all).

Nostalgically beloved, sometimes maligned, the humor-focused era of the Justice League was a daring experiment in mainstream comics. For the first time, one of the Big Two’s marquee team books focused more on the relationships of the characters than on the villain(s) of the month. It proved surprisingly popular (for a while, anyhow), spawning a spin-off or two before it collapsed under its own ridiculous weight. Perhaps if writers Giffen and DeMatteis had dialed back the humor and played it a little bit straighter, the novelty wouldn’t have worn off in only 5 years. After, Brian Michael Bendis has essentially done the same thing with his team books for the past 6 years, with no sign of real fatigue in sales.

But I digress. This is supposed to be about HeroClix.

Now, with the release of several new pieces in The Brave And The Bold set, one can play a solid Justice League International themed team. Here’s mine, from a recent tournament:

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL
Martian Manhunter (Brave and the Bold) 202 + Camouflage 8
JL Green Lantern (Justice League) 133
Fire & Ice 131
Mr. Miracle & Oberon 115
Blue Beetle & Booster Gold 82
Batman (Justice League #001) 75 + Inside Information 4
Black Canary (Justice League) 50
= 800 points.

Each round I picked the JSA Museum map from the DC Origin set. Using Mister Miracle and Oberon’s (MMO) Perplex, I boosted Blue Beetle and Booster Gold (B+G) to Charge a hole in the wall so Green Lantern could ferry Canary and Bats to hindering and himself to my Kinetic Accelerator. Then I moved the rest of the team to various set up points.
In Round One, that nearly went terribly south for me against my opponent Wil’s team of Green Arrow and Red Arrow (both from Crisis and both equipped with the Stealth-busting feat Trick Shot), The Wizard Shazam (The Brave and the Bold), Hitman, Songbird (Hammer of Thor), Dr. Strange (Secret Invasion) and Max Mercury with Armor Piercing and Swingline.

Ugh — three shooters who see through hindering terrain and characters and one who sees anything for Probability Control purposes. I didn’t help myself with my colossal mental fail of the evening; not using MMO’s Indomitable ability to freely push to safety and not be wide open to the Arrows’ line of fire. MMO immediately took big damage and had to flee to the nearby Eleha’al Vine for eventual healing.
To stop the twin Trick Shots, I used Green Lantern to taxi both A) Black Canary in base with both of them and B) Batman nearby to make a follow-up attack next round. The first tactic was thwarted when Canary was KO’d the very next turn and the second, when Songbird built a Barrier to stop Batman.
I thought I was thoroughly hosed at this point; the Barrier would fall and the free Trick Shot pieces would murder Batman with impunity. But I saw an escape route. Batman shadow-warped to an adjoining room to shoot out a wall and counter Songbird’s Barrier, giving Blue Beetle & Booster Gold a chance to take Canary’s place as the tie-up. That was all the stall time I needed to get Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern and Bats into the fight for real so they could clobber Green Arrow for the win before I could lose any more characters. 1-0.
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ROUND TWO was vs. Zach, Wil’s son, running Iron Man (Secret Invasion) + Elite Sniper, Zauriel, Yellowjacket (Secret Invasion #006b), Talia (The Brave and The Bold), Punisher (Secret Invasion), Batman  (The Brave and The Bold), Venom (Hammer of Thor) and Pawn 502. I stuck with the Museum.
I was more careful of my placement this time. Zach wasn’t, putting Zauriel and Iron Man in a spot where my Batman could harass them immediately with “Out of the Shadows.” I decided to swarm Iron Man, taking care to avoid Talia clear on the other side of the map. Pounding and pounding Stark until he was down, I then followed suit upon Punisher and Yellowjacket  (although his high % of Skrull rolls made that take a lot longer than it should’ve). I again lost Canary but she did her job of drawing fire and taking theme PC tokens. 2-0.
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FINAL ROUND was vs. Bradley’s not-quite-themed team of Spectre (Crisis), Wizard Shazam (The Brave and The Bold), Phantom Stranger, Deadman, Jason Blood and Scarlet Witch (Avengers SR).

After surviving Spectre’s first strike on MMO by burning all three of my theme PC rolls, I shot back with Fire & Ice for a successful RCE hit of my own. I again used GL to carry Batman in closer, pushing Fire & Ice to compound the damage to Spectre.
From this point, with Spectre neatly tied down by GL, I began to advance my force in earnest to rid myself of Phantom Stranger, whose 18 Defend was making further hits on Spectre unlikely — especially with 1-3 enemy Probability Controllers to get through. But despite a crit miss or two, I got the Stranger off Defend, took down Spectre and eventually added Phantom Stranger and Scarlet Witch for a commanding win, losing only Green Lantern when my young opponent used Deadman to Possess Fire & Ice into blasting the stuffing out of GL.
Final: 3-0. The prize, appropriately enough, was the Justice League International alternate team ability. :)
Much like the characters in the comics, this is a more effective team than it looks on the surface!

Yes. The cookie throne sculpt IS comic-accurate.

Martian Manhunter (The Brave and the Bold)
After some 5+ versions in HeroClix, they’ve finally gotten J’onn J’onnz exactly right (in spite of the humorously thematic nature of his cookie-mad dial). Hypersonic Speed is a power he’s always needed in ‘clix but never gotten until now because his more iconic Phasing ability has always taken up the slot. Now that and Shape Change are tucked away in a Trait, freeing up his Speed slot for HSS and Mind Control. That trait makes him perfect for the Camouflage feat, which makes him utterly invulnerable to ranged attack (when he’s next to a wall or blocking terrain) since his Shape Change can’t be countered by enemy Outwit. If he gets hit, “Telepathic Invisibility” offers a hefty defense boost. He can sport as high as a 20 DV!
Both appropriate and effective, “Cookie Martian” is thoroughly essential for JLI teams 400 points or higher.
JLI Rating: Bwah-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!

Words of unintentional hilarity and uncomfortable truth.

Green Lantern (Justice League SR)
The sole representation of bad-boy Green Lantern Guy Gardner in HeroClix is mediocre. He starts with Charge but his damage is low, his Enhancement shows at the worst spots, and his Flurry SP arrives when his defenses are soft.
But for this team, the Green Lantern Corps TA was invaluable for carrying Black Canary and Batman, and he was able to draw a lot of fire thanks to his starting Invulnerability. I’m not overstating matters to say that at least one game would’ve been lost without him.
(Great. Now he’ll get the swelled head.)
JLI Rating: Bwah-HA-HA!

So HAWT!!!!! And so coooooool.

Fire & Ice
Can you say “damage cannon?” ‘Cause that’s what these babes are, able to hit for 5 via Ranged Combat Expert or 3 and 2 with the Duo Attack. Even better, they can push off it to gain their Barrier+Poison combo SP, making them super versatile. They’re also JLI fixtures, theme-wise. Fit ’em in if you can!
JLI Rating: Bwah-HA-HA-HA-HA!
Don't worry, Scott Free. You and Oberon totally belong.
Mr. Miracle & Oberon
Lots of Perplex really helps the team’s stats. 18 DV + Combat Reflexes also helps the team by tying up someone and being nigh-unhittable. But it’s the combo of Duo Attack and Indomitable that makes MMO a fixture on any team, and with Perplex that means he can deal 10 clicks in two turns. He certainly dealt a lot of clicks in this tourney. (Lunge is a super feat for him, but I didn’t have room for it this time around.)
JLI Rating: Bwah-HA-HA-HA-HA!!

These truly Super Buddies are way better than the slackers they appear to be.

Blue Beetle & Booster Gold
Their damage is low and their starting AV is just an OK 9. But the good news is that they push well to 10 AV and Outwit to help that damage stick. They also sport Perplex on other clicks.
But the reason they, perhaps more than any other member of this team, should be the first to add to your force is “Super Buddies Forever,” which gives adjacent keyword sharers +1 AV. Their double base offers a lot of said adjacency, and it frees up Perplex for damage. YAY!!! And, of course, there’s no piece more worthy for this themed team than the Blue & Gold.
JLI Rating: Bwah-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!

Not really happy to be here. But then, when IS Batman happy?

Batman (Justice League #001)
He’s a key piece of course, delivering plenty of clutch moves and yet he’s not the biggest threat. He’s also not as iconic for the team as some of the others.
JLI Rating: Bwah-HA-HA-HA!!
Black Canary (Justice League)
She was only filler. But she was Stealth-shielding, theme-PC-taking, shooter-locking-down filler well worth her points.
JLI Rating: Bwah-HA-HA!!
Hope your own JLI games have Bwah-ha-happy endings!

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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!

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…and the number one figure of Hammer of Thor is the one who wields said hammer:
Thor
wing symbol
226 points
Team: none
Keywords: Asgardian, Avengers, Deity, Warrior
Range: 10 x 2
DIAL: http://wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/gallery/
STRENGTHS: Running Shot + 10 range, 2 targets and 5 damage. Indomitable means he doesn’t have to stop shooting just ’cause he has one token. Any questions?
Well, there’s also his opening 12 AV and 18 DV and uncounterable Super Strength trait (which means whoever bases him, trying to stop him from blasting will take even more damage from the heavy object he’ll be toting). He’s loaded with Invulnerability. He can deal 4+ damage on every click and has some form of move-attack for his first 2/3 of life. Ending with an AV/damage surge with Exploit Weakness is just horrible news for anyone basing him.
WEAKNESSES: Lack of Impervious is a bit unusual at his price point, and his dial is slender for the cost.
CARDS TO CONSIDER: FORTITUDE forces foes to dig through all those Invulnerability clicks. PROTECTED is the bargain alternative and is always good for Indomitable characters. Because he’s usually going to be fighting at extreme range, try CONTINGENCY PLAN to give his teammates and Minions timely stat boosts.
IN SUM: This is the Thor fans have waited for…one that lays down the hammer without being a low-defense damage magnet. Top piece of the set.
Now that the top 10 list is done, be here next week for those Honorable Mentions that just missed (or, in some opinions, should have made) the list!

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“When blood is shed, let the Staff of One emerge.”
Nico Minoru
boot symbol
84 points
Team: none
Keywords: Mystical, Runaways, Teen
Range: 8 x 1
DIAL: http://wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/gallery/
STRENGTHS: It’s all about “Staff of One,” the Special Power that can be ANY power…any power that appears on the Powers and Abilities Chart (PAC) that she didn’t use last turn, that is. This makes her the absolute most versatile character in HeroClix.
Need some mobility for your team? Pick Telekinesis. Need an enemy power countered? Outwit. Need to push her to get out of the line of fire? Willpower. She already have two tokens and can’t move or act? Impervious. Afraid of getting Psychic Blasted? Energy Shield/Deflection. Got an opportunity to blast a weakened foe? Ranged Combat Expert. Need to heal a pal? Support. Need to help a fellow medic’s Support roll actually work? Probability Control.
And so on. Nico’s AWESOME.
WEAKNESSES: Aside from a pair of 9 AVs on top, all her numbers are absolutely sub-par–she’s got the stats of a piece less than half her cost.
CARDS TO CONSIDER: CONTINGENCY PLAN, first and foremost. Saves her from having to use a power on boosting her attack or range. ARMOR PIERCING also helps her low, low damage. And, if she’s with any of her keyword mates, RUNAWAYS is a fit. And, given how weak she is without Staff of One, FORTITUDE might be an apt investment.
But also note this: at least until the next set of rules appear in May 2010’s Blackest Night starter set, she can be equipped with almost any feat in the game because she can use any power in the game. Pretty much the only ones she’s denied are feats that trigger off symbols she lacks.
Only a few feats really make sense to use, though. AUTOMATIC REGENERATION is an excellent choice for her to get up to two shots at healing the turn she picks the prerequisite power. And either MENTAL SHIELDS or COMPEL are great if you plan to use Mind Control. But…why would you plan to use Mind Control with so many other powers to pick from?
IN SUM: Last year, The Chief made #1 on my top 10 list of 2008 for his versatility. Nico blows him away in that department.
Yet she’s only #2 for 2009. Who’s the number one piece in Hammer of Thor? Hmmm…

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The Sentinel of Liberty returns to HeroClix with his best sculpt ever!

All those who oppose this shield must yield.

Captain America
boot symbol
72 points
Team: Avengers
Keywords: Avengers, Martial Artist, SHIELD, Soldier
Range: 8 x 2
DIAL: http://wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/gallery/
STRENGTHS: Aside from an excellent Running Shot speed, good damage and stellar 18 DV + Energy Shield/Deflection, Cap seems a bit of a disappointment until you note his special power “Deflection Trajectory.” Only walls and indoor blocking terrain block his line of fire. This means he can shoot:
  • past characters, friend or foe (take that, Sharpshooters)
  • around buildings
  • from the middle of a roof to the ground, or vice versa
  • at Stealthed characters
  • at characters using the Camouflage feat(!)
  • through Barrier(!!)
This one power makes Cap an indispensable piece.
Fortunately for foes, he can’t shoot when based (“nyah, nyah” taunt the Sharpshooters like Star-Lord and Arkham Asylum’s Hitman) and the power’s gone from mid-dial on, anyhow. That’s when he shifts to Willpower and Close Combat Expert, which is highly unfortunate for whomever based him. Great keywords and economical cost means he can show up on a lot of teams.
WEAKNESSES: Although hard to hit, he’s a very soft target with a pretty short dial and a very large bull’s eye on his head. He’s also a fair bit less effective on indoor maps.
CARDS TO CONSIDER: Because he’s able to fight from behind cover and characters alike, he’s a key candidate for CONTINGENCY PLAN. FORCE FIELD can lengthen his life ever so slightly. DAMAGE SHIELD also works his whole dial. THUNDERBOLTS, ALPHA FLIGHT and PYM PARTICLES  are made for Avengers.
IN SUM: “Deflection Trajectory” is one of those Special Powers that make one question the wisdom of their creation. It’s so broadly powerful that it threatens to make Cap one of those crutch pieces run by players who can’t quite master the normal rules and tactics of the game and thus turn to the same few game-bending figures, feats and battlefield conditions to shift the meta-game in their favor. That doesn’t change the fact that he’s a top piece of the year and will be a staple on top teams for some time.
And yet his isn’t the best SP of all time. #2 has that one…

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From the pages of Thunderbolts and Dark Avengers comes the #4 piece…
Venom
boot symbol
73 points
Team: none
Keywords: Celebrity, Thunderbolts
Range: 4 x 1
DIAL: http://wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/gallery/
STRENGTHS: Not just his opening click, but his whole half-dial sports this killer power combo: Plasticity, Blades/Claws/Fangs, Super Senses and Shape Change. Added to his Leap/Climb trait and steady 9 AV, and you’ve got a piece that can get in the enemy’s face and keep them tied down there and avoid attacks while dealing its own.
The back half of the dial shifts to four more identical clicks: Flurry, Steal Energy, Combat Reflexes and Battle Fury. And with 10 AV, Venom has a fine chance of remaining on the field for some time.
WEAKNESSES: His initial base damage is a bit low at 2, but that’s more than mitigated by BCF. Battle Fury prevents him from being hauled off to the medic in a desperate situation. He’s quite expensive for his chief role as tie-up. His keywords are pretty thin, too.
CARDS TO CONSIDER: Venom is incredibly feat-friendly. Start with LUNGE to give him more flexibility in attacking swarms he’s tied up. Or consider POUNCE to give his initial tie-up move some bite (his 2nd click being identical to the first doesn’t hurt). Attack avoidance cards like CAMOUFLAGE vs. range or ENTANGLE vs. close attacks are tempting, but I wouldn’t go with both. TAKEDOWN is beyond awesome on him.
IN SUM: He’s the ultimate tie-up piece, bar none. Only the Clayfaces come close, and Venom’s amazing mobility leaves them in the dirt.
#3 is as good as Venom is bad…

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The shining king of Asgard is the first of the top five of 2009.

He'll CUTCHOO, man!!

Balder
boot symbol
130 points
Team: none
Keywords: Asgardian, Deity, Warrior
Range: 0 x 1
DIAL: http://wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/gallery/
STRENGTHS: Impervious for his first FOUR CLICKS? That hasn’t happened since Cosmic Justice, and Balder’s the cheapest costing piece with this combo by far. Charge, Close Combat Expert and a high AV round out his opening strengths, making him highly pushable. Mid-dial he shifts to Blades/Claws/Fangs (with a click of overlap with Exploit Weakness!) and Invulnerability before weakening to Toughness but gaining an AV spike. There’s also a Special Power granting Pulse Wave for a possible surprise range strike.
WEAKNESSES: Um…his speed might be a little low. Otherwise, I got nothin’.
CARDS TO CONSIDER: LUNGE gives his initial Charge that extra bit of range on his first two clicks (or to enable him to change targets if based). He’s cheap enough that he doesn’t need FORTITUDE just to protect your investment yet adding it won’t break you.
IN SUM: A fantastic piece that can either serve as a cheap tentpole or a secondary fighter in a larger game.
#4 is as dark as Balder is light…

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He’s called the Human Robot, but there are no fleshy bits in the #6 HeroClix figure of 2009.

Talk•to•the•hand•fleshy•ones

M-11
boot symbol
59 points
Team: none
Keywords: Agents of Atlas, Robot
Range: 6 x 1
DIAL: http://wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/gallery/
STRENGTHS: Unrelenting 3 damage for his WHOLE DIAL. 10 AV for his first SEVEN CLICKS. 18 DV and Super Strength for three clicks. Willpower for FIVE. And Regeneration the rest to potentially heal back up to his 2nd click. Psychic Blast through his mid-dial makes him deadly at range. For less than 60 points, he’s an awesome package.
WEAKNESSES: With zero damage reduction and no movement powers, M-11 is a soft, slow target.
CARDS TO CONSIDER: With so much Willpower, either OPPORTUNIST or PROTECTED are excellent fits. NANOARMOR helps mitigate big hits with enemy Super Strength. AUTOMATIC REGENERATION is choice in case he actually takes a hit.
IN SUM: Though he has his soft points, they’re easily worked around. M-11 is as good a mid-point fighter as you can ask for in HeroClix.
Next week, it’s on to the top five! This weekend, though, enjoy something from my “regular programming”… :)

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Also representing the Guardians of the Galaxy along with the #10 Star-Lord is #7…

 

Still angry about his Clix version's gun being too small.

 

Rocket Raccoon
boot symbol
65 points
Team: Defenders
Keywords: Animal, Guardians of the Galaxy, Soldier
Range: 8 x 1

DIAL: http://wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/gallery/

STRENGTHS: Top-click Leap/Climb, Probablity Control and Super Senses (the last, for his entire dial) are a great combo that hasn’t been seen since E Elongated Man way back in Collateral Damage. For only a few points more, Rocket adds effective 8 range and a shift to Outwit and Running Shot to maintain the support/offense balance. Energy Explosion and Defenders TA are a bit of icing on his cake. He’s going to be very useful on Soldier teams.

WEAKNESSES: His AV and especially DV really sag in the late dial and he’s short-lived for his cost.

CARDS TO CONSIDER: Doesn’t need any, though the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ATA  could be useful against enemy Outwit, especially if there are no other Defenders for him to pair up with.

IN SUM: Rocket Raccoon wins games. Period.

Next on the list: something else inhuman.