No. 9

Firebird [Avengers Assemble 011]

She appears to start out fine with Running Shot and Probability Control and Sharpshooter with Poison. Super Senses isn’t the best defense, but it’s OK. Click 2 looks even better as the Poison and Senses tag out for Pulse Wave and Energy Shield/Deflection.

Then click 3 happens. The 10 AV drops to 9 Poison and she’s stuck with Battle Fury, making the Sharpshooter ability useless.

Click 4 is little improvement as she’s Earthbound/Neutralized — making Sharpshooting impossible AGAIN. Pulse Wave is cold comfort.

Click 5 doubles up on BOTH “penalty powers.” There’s Regeneration, but odds are she heals to one of those terrible clicks above.

Her last click brings back the Running Shot+PW+Prob combo along with Regen. So which do you choose? Fighting as long as her paltry 15 DV holds out? Or pray for more time with Regen?

It all begs the question: How the hell does a dial with this much Battle Fury AND Earthbound still run over 100 points? Unbelievable.

Filthy.

No. 10

Viper [Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD 045]

Like the Test Subjects mentioned last time, Viper here suffers from randomness. Though she has a good chance of landing on the ever-useful Perplex or Outwit, she still has a 33% shot at getting stuck with Mind Control which, at her paltry 4 range and with her lack of Willpower, may not do the most good.

She’s a backfield supporter with unreliable traited powers but she’s got the actual dial of a close combat fighter with alternating Flurry and Plasticity with a midrun of Poison. But her defenses are unremarkable Toughness and then, two clicks of Energy Shield/Deflection.

What? And this 5-click mess is an entire 100 points?

No wonder she was shot.

In the modern game of HeroClix, there are no terrible dials anymore, really. Not the way there used to be.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t a few stinkers made. For the next few days, Heroclixin will look at the bottom of the barrel and make its picks for the least playable figs of 2015.  Let’s start with the ones that weren’t the worst ever, just the worst except the VERY worst.

DISHONORABLE MENTIONS

Arcade [Avengers Assemble 044] is straight god mode when you can win map and run him on Murderworld. But the plain fact is that you have to build your team to account for the map loss as well. Just so hard. And not worth it.

Test Subject [Avengers Age of Ultron 004] — So what could be a nice cheap little filler is ruined by the inability to plan at all for the random dials. There are far, FAR better choices for LESS points.

Wraith [Superman/Wonder Woman 051] — For 175, you want more than Toughness. But that’s all you get, even if it is traited. The Absorption ability can’t keep up with the damage he’ll take.

Dr. Light [Trinity War 007a] — There are better Enhancers and shooters to be had for the points. So USE those points for those pieces.

Signalman [Trinity War] — Actually not so terrible — IF you run him with other Mind Control pieces. But alone, he’s going to have to push to get to anything useful. Maybe he’ll get one Outwit before he’s pasted. Or maybe you just don’t field him at all. For Secret Society of Super-Villain keyword themed teams ONLY.

Blight [Trinity War 060] — Terrible range and no moving attack until mid-dial means he’s almost as bad as they come in his weight class. Almost.

Stay tuned this coming week for at least 10 of the worst figs you could’ve played last year.