A long nearly five years ago, Heroclixin’ began a big ol’ series about the Guardians of the Galaxy, once a completeist theme for ye olde webmaster, on the eve of the release of the hit MCU film.

My intent was to do periodic updates as new figs in the keyword were released. But things change and plans go awry. Nevertheless, I’m coming back to do a belated update even though a few pieces have debuted and then rotated to Golden Age before I ever got around to this. (Sorry about that.)

As before, in addition to a general review of the piece, Heroclixin’ will note which version of the GOTG each piece thematically fits best.

1. Original 1960s far-future team
2. Updated 1990s roster
3. 2008 Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning series (DnA)
4. Brian Michael Bendis run in the 2010s
5. MCU-based team

Here, we’ll start with the new and work back to the oldies, K?

 

Venom Rocket Raccoon [Earth X 065] 100 points

The latest Guardian in the game, this Plasticity’d, Shape Changing, 6-range-2-arrow symbiote-possessed HSS Outwitter with Improved Targeting:Destroy Blocking — which aids him in racking up Rummage tokens he can use to modify his range or attack or damage — has a LOT going on. He fits with the Bendis team, I guess, though IDK what comic he became a Venom in. Note that he has the Monster keyword, not Animal. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Not so thematic but wildly useful.

Moondragon [Avengers Infinity 006] 60 points

The latest TK for the Guardians is Indomitable, so you might be able to follow her transport duties with a Mind Control or Psychic Blast attack. Targeting 100-pointers grants her an AV or damage bonus. And she has CCE and Super Senses. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Not bad for a DnA team.

Rocket [Avengers Infinity 009] 60 points

Though he has a nifty trait to basically get the old GOTG ATA (PROTECTED: Outwit) on a Guardians team, his starting with Charge Blades is problematic. Shifting to late dial RCE Willpower is too little, too late. There are much better Rockets. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Use this one only for novelty’s sake.

Star-Lord  [Avengers Infinity 021] 75 points

Here in his first suit and powerset, he also has the anti-Outwit trait of fellow pre-Guardian Rocket above but with a proper range dial. A nifty SP grants EE, Incap, Quake and the KNOCKBACK keyphrase. Running Shot swiftly downgrades to Sidestep but middial he gets Perplex. Toughness helps him not get completely spun through his dial, which ends with Willpowered RCE. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Not bad.

Venom, Spaceknight  [Avengers Infinity 023] 125 points

125 is pricey and he’s hardly an icon of the theme, only appearing the Bendis-era team briefly. But with Indomitable Running Shot PPB with Perplex to boost his numbers and Invulnerability and trait Shape Change for defenses, HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE is that he could do some work for your squad. He’s also a wild card.

Mantis [Avengers Infinity 030] 50 points

Here in her pre-Guardians human form, she’s a decent melee piece with Charge, 11AV, 2 Exploit and 17 Reflexes that can’t be Outwit. But it’s her other trait that HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE considers worthy of fielding: her ability to turn off nearby allies’ Battle Fury or Earthbound. That could aid a number of Guardians through clix history. Though her look is wrong, she’s a fit for the DnA team or the movie take.

Nova [Avengers Infinity 032] 150 points

Immune to Outwit and starting with HSS and Leadership, this DnA-era GOTG ally gets the keyword to properly team up on bigger squads. He’s a heavy hitter with 11 AV 4 damage Precision Strike. Make sure to often move him 6 squares to get ESD via trait, because even one damage drops him to SP Charge (that smashes walls only if a direct path). HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Not quite a must-play but has no bad clicks.

Cosmo [Avengers Infinity 039] 70 points

Psychic Russian doggo returns to Modern play and like his Galactic Guardians self, he’s prime TK for the team. He also bears Outwit (and immunity to same) with IT:Hindering. Mind Control (with +1 AV against multitargets) is hampered a little by 6 range, as is his second damage power to shut down POWER actions. Fortunately, he doesn’t need LOF for that SP. His last click is Charge with 12 AV and BCF and Battle Fury. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: His short, unarmored dial is his one weakness, especially for a lot more points than his earlier incarnation.

Rocket Raccoon [Avengers Infinity 100] 75 points

12 AV Running Shot with 8 range IT:Hindering,Characters? Sign him up for your DnA and modern era teams! He’s also a good demolition piece with his SP that gives his team FREE: Close Destroy for a turn, though it’s pretty situational. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: A little bit pricey but still the best pure Rocket in Modern Age.

Groot [Avengers Infinity G025] 400 / 250 / 150 / 20 points

One of the top pieces in the game right now, this proto-Groot actually fits worse than all the rest, thematically, as he pre-dates even the Marvel Age of Heroes ushered in by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, let alone the Guardians. But he’s got the keyword and the traited immunity to Outwit like the rest. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Don’t use his “Puny Mortals” trait on a Guardians team. Dr. Leslie Evans has never been on the team and GOTG Groot does not spawn minions.

Iron Rocket Man [The Mighty Thor 034] 75 points

For only lightly armored 5 clicks of life, this raccoon in an Iron Man armor might not be the best choice. But 11 AV PPB is nothing to scoff at, and he is a source of Prob Control for the team, especially with IT:Characters to shoot and reroll from the back line. Just ignore his Sideline Active trait, though. It’s hard to imagine any 75-point-plus Rocket Raccoon that you’d rather swap for this guy. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: He’s an alternate selection for Bendis-era teams.

Angela [The Mighty Thor 053b] 125 points

Oh, Angela … the figure that made me give up on my Guardians of the Galaxy completism. A member only briefly/randomly during the Bendis era, this Super Rare prime was a bridge too far for me. She sure is a great melee piece, though. 11 Charge, 11AV, 4 damage and Invincible with two SPs: one guarding her from Outwit (and Perplex from high-point foes) and the other giving her extra attacks when she KOs. And this is not to mention her trait allowing her to power up by killing her highest point enemy. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: If you’re running a Bendis team and you have her, might as well fit her on, especially if it’s a bigger game.

Groot [The Mighty Thor G003] 0200 / 150 / 100 / 20 points

At his top two point costs, he offers a lot of 4 damage and good DV clicks. As a colossal with good speed, he’s a decent taxi for your flying standard size Guardians. But beware: His budget Retaliation click has no real offensive or taxi ability, which limits the use you get from the Defend SP he’s got there, even if the semi-free healing is pretty good. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Use with care for a Bendis team.

Rocket [Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 001] 65

Until this 2017 release, standard-sized Rockets were kinda rare. So, too, were Rockets with starting Prob Control, making this version a welcome addition to GOTG teams. His SP Mastermind is pretty much just the same as the standard power now. Running Shot+EE rounds out his contribution. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: He’s a decent replacement for the original Hammer of Thor RR from 2009 though more accurately a movie team member.

Groot [Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 002] 30 points

Bay-bee Groot! (Groot groot grootgroot grootgroot) Baby Groot. Based on the 2017 movie character (and so best for that theme), Groot is a fantastic supporter with Tiny Size making him easy to cart around for his Enhancement and ability to allow allies within 1 square to traverse elevated terrain without needing stairs/ladders. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: It’s worth bending theme to add the little guy.

Mantis [Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 003] 55 points

The first MCU version of this character is also the worst Mantis overall, lacking the martial skills of the most recent and the upfront Prob and Mind Control abilities of the first — and 3 to 5 points more expensive to boot. At least this one has Indom to help her stay active in the field, though CCE is just a push away and Prob appears late dial. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: The only choice for a movie team, she’s not terrible, just outshined.

Star-Lord [Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 004] 70 points

That legendary outlaw returns in this fig that fits the movie team best but also works as a stand-in for the modern comics version. Running Shot is standard stuff for Pete, but it doesn’t show until mid-dial here. Instead, you run him for his Leadership and Outwit (don’t ever count on that crit hit though). HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Not my first choice for this team.

Drax  [Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 005] 75 points

One of the most budget-priced versions of the Destroyer, he’s also the first with the keyword to start with Invincible. His 16 DV is sad, though, so you’ll need to bolster it with his trait to +1 his stats for each action token. In fact, all his values are a bit low for that reason. Run (or taxi) him in and use his Indom and trait Colossal Stamina to go to work. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: There are better Drax pieces, but this one is fun, cheap to field and still Modern.

Gamora [Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 006] 65 points

Finally an Indomitable Gamora for less than 70 points with respectable numbers — no AV below 10, no DV under 17, and the 2 damage clicks have BCF. Be careful, though: With no SPs or armor or traits, her 5 clicks can be short-lived. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE is that her Perplex might be the main reason to field her.

Rocket and Groot [Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 010] 70 points

Stealth Outwit with 11 AV and 18 Willpower is the main draw topdial, and that’s before spawning the Groot Twig pog with Enhancement and Poison. Click 2 swaps in Sidestep and Perplex with some ESD to help with the loss of Stealth. If the Twig (which is Tiny) is KO’d, Rocket and Groot get a +1 stat boost and Precision Strike. If the reverse happens and the Twig isn’t already on the map, the Twig appears with ITS stats boosted +1. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Definitely the most budget mode to run these two characters together.

Star-Lord [Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 013] 90 points

Flying and Hypersonic, THIS is the movie Peter Quill of choice, especially being Indomitable and bearing Precision Strike, EE and KNOCKBACK. Leadership is also welcome, and if you attack with him first, the action doesn’t drop your total. Shape Change and Perplex show up later to compensate for a soft Super Senses middle and being Earthbound later. But HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE is that this is a solid dial for 90 points.

Nebula [Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 015] 100 points

This GOTG frenemy starts completely soft, so you must be super-careful not to let her get shot before she gets her Charge+Flurry off — especially given her trait to roll 2 BCF dice and pick the best. No Willpower slows her down, too, but her opening Outwits shifts to Prob. Control. Late dial she gets Invulnerability, some RCE and one more click of Outwit. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Only fits movie themes, and a little pricey, but worth running.

Yondu [Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 016] 100 points

Another former antagonist in the first movie and related clix set, trencoat Yondu gets membership proper here. Sidestep is all he gets for moving attack and 10 AV to start is nothing to cheer. But his special though:

WHISTLING ARROW ATTACK: Give Yondu a range combat action targeting a single opposing character. Each time he hits and the attack resolves, he may make a range attack targeting a single opposing character that has not yet been targeted this action, counting range and drawing lines of fire as if he occupied the square of the character most recently hit. Each hit character is dealt 2 damage instead of normal damage.

Assuming he keeps hitting, he could hit a whole team with one shot. And his Yaka Arrow trait means his range damage can’t be reduced to 0. That works with his normal 3 target shots as well. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: At 100 points without Willpower, he’s a little unwieldy for play, but on a large force it won’t matter.

Kitty Pryde [Uncanny X-Men 023b] 65 points

A member during the Bendis run, this longtime X-Man was the first Prime figure to join the keyword. Kitty’s Speed SP allowing her to potentially quasi-Incap as many as 7 foes with one attack roll is kinda neat, if not quite an absolute bargain at 65 points. There’s also the X-Men TA for wildcards to use. But she’s hardly an iconic member of the team (one of the chief reasons I’ve not tried hard to get her), so HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE is to leave her alone unless trying to build a complete Bendis-era roster.

Yellowjacket [Age of Ultron 007] 85 points

The oldest Guardian in this update, this piece has trait Shape Change and is a wild card. And Sidestep. 2 damage Perplex. Just 17 DV with Super Senses. None of this is exceptional unless you look at her other trait: the beginning of turn ability to be standard or Tiny Size. That gives her some flexibility, but HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE is to avoid her unless you’re set on playing Rita DeMara here on a 1990s version of the team.

Agent Venom [WizKids M15-009] 120 points

120 points is a lot these days. Here it buys a decent Running Shooter (with an attack SP that deals his full damage to both targets) that shifts to Charge Exploit and Battle Fury on his back dial. He’s also a wildcard who can only copy TAs if at least two teammates can use the TA. Not sure how that works on a GOTG team, where the only copyable TAs are ATAs or Defenders. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Only use him if you are trying hard to build a Bendis team.

Star-Lord [WizKids M16-007] 79 points

One of the last figures with a point cost not ending in a 5 or 0, this version of Peter Quill is an updated Bendis look. The dial is nothing special: Running Shot, Leadership that grants +1 AV on success and a late dial Flight SP that gives Charge (but with only 2 damage RCE, which you’d probably rather use given his ESD). HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Nice sculpt. That’s about it.

Gamora [WizKids M16-008] 60 points

This Bendis-era Gamora starts with Charge Blades Exploit but its only guarded by a thin 17 Super Senses. Her only boon is that she ignores characters for movement. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: The price is right, but this isn’t the deadliest woman in the galaxy.

Drax [WizKids M16-009] 100 points

Starting with Invuln.+Willpower and a range threat with his Blade Throw SP (BCF at range) is pretty OK. But his trait is where it’s really at:

SLICE & DICE: Drax begins the game with 2 Blade tokens on his card. When Drax has 2 of these tokens, he can use Flurry. When Drax has at least 1 of these tokens, he can use Blades/Claws/Fangs. When Drax has none of these tokens, he can use Plasticity and Super Strength. When an opposing character with his Blade token on its card is KO’d, place a Blade token on this card.

HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Not quite our favorite Drax, but the best yet.

Rocket Raccoon & Groot [WizKids MP16-003] 130 points

One of WizKids’ first non-Duo duo figures, this con exclusive makes a Rocket bystander rather than being a full-on pair. Sidestep, Invincible and CCE mean Groot isn’t the fastest bruiser, though the Indomitable helps. Use the Rocket Raccoon pog for the range threat (-range Running Shot, EE, 18 Senses, 3 damage Prob) but beware: if RR is KO’d, you don’t get him back. But Groot gets Battle Fury and +1 stats, so maybe you don’t care if RR takes a dirt nap. Best for a Bendis team. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Something of a bargain (points-wise) to get both Groot and RR on a squad.

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That wraps up our long delayed GOTG update. Hope you enjoyed; we’ll try to be better about tracking this F.U.N. keyword more closely.

A BLAST FROM THE PAST (aka a post I scheduled literal years ago but never hit the publish button)

The scenario: Modern Age* game with no characters over 75 points.

*This game was held before July 1, 2015, when Amazing Spider-Man, DC 10th Anniversary, Fear Itself, and Streets of Gotham sets were retired from Modern Age play.  

The team: Animals.

 

Lockjaw [Guardians of the Galaxy ] 75
Rocket Raccoon [Guardians of the Galaxy Movie 005] 75
Vixen [Streets of Gotham] 74 + Justice League: Generation Lost ATA 3
Alyosha Kraven 70
Dex-Starr [War of Light] 68
Catwoman [DC 10th Anniversary 008] 35
+ Bat Signal 2

= 399 points.

The opponents:

Derrick and his Stargirl [Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes]+Ion entity, Boodikka, Riddler [SLOSH],  and Phoenix Force
George and his Bizarro [SLOSH 039], Tony Stark [Iron Man], Lockjaw [GotG], Sister Sercy, Captain America [Marvel 10th Anniversary 001], two Alpha Primitives and Book of Skull+Angrir’s Hammer.
Matt and his Red Lanterns Dex-Starr, two Recruits, Rankorr + Black Hand entity, Boodikka + Butcher entity and Power Battery+Sapphire ring.

The results:

2-1. The animals squeaked out a 1-point win over Derrick by KOing his 3-point Phoenix Fragment-wearing 75-point Boodikka while losing the equal-priced Lockjaw and wasting the 2-point Bat Signal in a missed attack. But the second match against George couldn’t have gone more poorly unless I rolled actual critical misses. From an unexpected one-hit KO of Vixen by a hammer-wielding Bizarro who landed on Hypersonic Speed EVERY SINGLE TIME he could act, to a seemingly inconsequential failed breakaway Sidestep to an actual late-game misplay that absolutely killed off any chance of scoring a single other KO, it was a complete disaster that should have been a closer game by rights. I had to take it out on Matt’s team in the third round.

As usual, Alyosha served as the engine of the Animal team and Vixen, as its potential lead attacker. But the additions of Rocket, Lockjaw and Dex-Starr gave the team much more shooting, mobility and swarming power than usual.

 

 

It’s been a literal TWO many years since our most recent Atlantis Attacks F.U.N. Focus: a whole Modern Age rotation (figures denoted by italics) has come and went without us reviewing them. Here’s an attempt at a mea culpa.

First things first: Nearly every Atlantis piece got an upgrade with the 2017 rules overhaul: The Dolphin speed symbol grants the Swim keyphrase, which now not only allows unhindered movement through water, but also adds +1 defense against range attacks.

That stacks on top of the identical Atlantis ATA effect:

Nice +2 DV for Golden Age games!

Second: The frequency of water on maps has increased a LOT in recent sets. We’ll look at your best choices at the end of the article. Now, let’s get into the figures, in order of points and newest pieces first. We’ll note when a fig should TEAM UP with certain allies and when a Golden Age piece has CARDS TO CONSIDER.

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^^^^^ Below 50 points: shrimps and chum ^^^^^

 

Giganto & Namor [Avengers Infinity G017] 15 points

The whale is a walking paradox, being a colossal yet the least expensive Atlantis piece one can field. With just 4 Speed, he’s only there to fill points and for Colossal Retaliation.

King Aquaman [Elseworlds 045] 20 points

He’s Immobile, but useful to give a beached Atlantis team water terrain anyway. He can add a square of water each turn and use it to nudge an enemy out of it. And if a crit hit strikes an ally, he transforms into a formidable fighter. Caution: his anti Outwit/modification trait doesn’t work at this level.

Atlantean Warrior [Avengers Defenders War 016] 25 points

Great filler for Atlantis, especially TEAMED UP with a leader that also has the Ruler keyword to give him +1 AV.

 

Dolphin [DC Rebirth 036] 30 points

Though only 3 clicks long, Dol has some skills with Sidestep 4 range 10 AV Incap with 2 arrows. And with her 2 damage, you’ll maybe lean on that power. Or at least you WOULD if she didn’t have the FREE ability to flip to a second dial with 10 Charge — full Speed in water! — and 11 BCF with Battle Fury. Push her and flip back to her first dial to help pals with Empower. Really solid; just make sure to TEAM UP with water-making allies.

 

Shark [WizKids DP16-007] 30 points

This companion piece to the con-exclusive surfboard Batman is absolutely no good out of the water, so make sure you field a way to make some. Good damage potential with Charge and Exploit (which it only has when in water). TEAM UP with water-makers such as the next entry,,,

 

Aquaman [Batman The Animated Series 065] 30 points

Superfriends Aquaman is another who needs the water to be at all successful. Fortunately, he always brings it with him via his SP. At this point cost, he’s maybe better backing up pals with Empower. Do not give landlubber foes (who get +2 AV or DV against him if they’re out of water) easy shots at him.

Mermaid [Superman/Wonder Woman 022] 33 points

11 AV Incap and +2 DV against non-Willpower’d foes is all she offers alone. It’s why she must TEAM UP…

…with Lori Lemaris [Superman/Wonder Woman 042] 45 points

When she or Mermaid is KO’d, enemies nearby are dealt 2 penetrating. A little Willpower and Mind Control give her some use beyond that, but she’s maybe better dead than alive. TEAM UP with Aquaman [Brightest Day 005] to possibly deal even more payback damage.

 

^^^^^^ 50-75 points: barracudas ^^^^^^

Aqualad [DC Rebirth 012] 50 points

He’s the latest source of Telekinesis for Atlantis, so he’s a good pick for this keyword full of other Charge pieces. He can make a good mid-game fighter once he pushes off that sole TK click into five straight of BCF+Reflexes (and landing on Flurry, too). Very efficient. Teen Titans TA might be wasted if you can’t TEAM UP with others with the symbol or wildcard status.

Aquaman [DC Rebirth Fast Forces 001] 50 points

A piece starting with 9 Charge, 11 BCF and Perplex is pretty darn good for just 50. But the real reason to play this brand-new bearded version of the sea king is his “Lord of Atlantis Reborn” trait that not only grants Leadership but allows him to make a FREE close attack after being carried, if he’s dropped in water. So for best results, TEAM UP with a flier or a Great Size piece.

Giganto & Namor [Avengers Infinity G017] 50 points

This was one of our Top 10 figs of 2018, and I’ll quote: “…when you have an Indomitable colossal figure that can full-move Quake while wrecking terrain on the way with 18 DV Invincible and a STOP click to protect from the inevitable fire coming at it, along with the ability to shoot with Energy Explosion+Incap SP or clobber with Super Strength AND Colossal Retaliation for just 50 points” it means this is a must play on every Atlantis build that allows Marvel figs. Just be careful not to block allies’ attacks with too much hindering terrain.

 

Aquaman [Batman The Animated Series 065] 50 points

Like his guppy 30-point self, seahorse Aquaman needs water to work and he temporarily brings it to the field. But this sea king can actually fight with Charge, Exploit and 10 AV. Note that because his watery terrain SP only has 4 range and his targets get a big +2 DV bonus when not in water, his 5-square Charge speed is more like 3 actually. Use his POWER to make autonomous Average Fish bystanders to tie up those potential targets, maybe.

 

 

Namorita [Civil War Storyline 033] 60 points

Stealthy and, if next to blocking, Shape Changing, Namorita is better than most Atlantis keywords when high and dry. Though it’s maybe hard to land without Charge and with only 10 AV, her Acidic Touch SP that degrades good armor to just Toughness for a turn has some potential. Trouble is, such a move is likely to put her in harm’s way and may not be worth it.

Tempest [DC Rebirth 028] 75 points

A long-needed remake (not really seen since Crisis in 2008), grown-up Garth here is also another water generator for Atlantis, with FREE Smoke Cloud that makes water instead of hindering. He also has a great free damage move with the same trait that can act either as a no-attack-roll Incap or as a 6-ranged Poison. Starting Perplex is really useful, too, and he can fight with 6 range and Charge+SStrength. His weakness is only two clicks of Toughness and soft clicks from there on. TEAM UP: Wild cards and Aqualad to get the Titans TA heal.

The Drowned [DC Rebirth 064] 75 points

This chase figure of an alternate universe female version of Batman that became a villainous Aquaman type (don’t ask) is defensively soft with only Super Senses or Reflexes, so she needs her Stealth to keep her safe. Fortunately, her first trait makes water into hindering terrain for line of fire, and shooting at her in clear terrain still gives her at least +1 DV thanks to a third trait.

Forcing most foes to get close is good for her full dial of Poison, and all her damage is penetrating when she’s in water. Offensively, her damage peaks at 3 and drops to 2, but she has her second trait to help:

 Reckless Disregard For Life: Once per turn, when The Drowned targets and hits a single opposing character with a close attack, after resolutions deal each other character that is adjacent to either The Drowned or the target 1 penetrating damage. (Includes friendly characters and usually the target.)

Not bad. She’s Indomitable so you probably want to run her as a berserker to do maximum damage before she drops.

Aquaman [Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Fast Forces 004] 75 points

A rare source of Barrier for Atlantis. And it’s a FREE when in water. Charge Exploit is almost just gravy.  The downside: Only 4 clicks of life at this price.

 

^^^^^^ 76-100 points: sharks ^^^^^^

Aquaman [DC Rebirth 045] 80 points

With Charge, 11 AV S.Strength, 17 Indomitable Invulnerability and Leadership, the latest version of Arthur Curry is kind of standard and even a bit weak with an unarmored middle dial (Reflexes). But there’s his “Leading the Charge” trait, which, combined with his FREE 4-square move in water, extends his swing greatly and grants Justice League pals Exploit Weakness. There’s also his FREE Mind Control of dolphin speed characters, which is only really good against same. He’s OK, not great.

 

Namor [Earth X] 80 points

Though his starting stats (8/10/18/3) are … OK … his DV spikes +2 when in water (thanks to a trait; as a flier, he doesn’t get the Swim bonus against range), so that’s his sweet spot as a meat shield. Out of water, he gets Poison. AV rises to 11 down dial with Flurry and his Indom. to press the attack. Still, he’s pricey for 5 clicks of life.

 

Aquaman [DC Rebirth Fast Forces 001] 100 points

Twice the price of the 50-pointer only buys two more clicks of life, though well armored with Invulnerability, and armed with Super Strength and CCE for much better damage dealt. But for that much more, one needs his 17 DV to start at 18 and his damage to be greater printed 3 — especially to get more use out of his traited FREE attack.

 

Giganto [Avengers Infinity G007] 100 points

He starts with a Phasing SP that makes hindering in his destination squares to give him a little cover against shooters. But his real skill is to MOVE and smash blocking with no cost Quake afterward. On an Atlantis team, you have to be very careful not to block your fellow swimmers from moving through the huge amount of permanent hindering terrain he makes.

Namor [Secret Wars: Battleworld 062] 100 points

Though priced with the stats of a fighter, this odd Indomitable piece is more of a Leadership taxi and medic with his SP to carry 4 and heal 1 if he can move far enough. Mid-dial he becomes an offensive force before shifting back to his taxi skill later with a shot at Regen. TEAM UP: The Trench, Atlantean Warrior

Mera [Harley Quinn and the Gotham Girls 035] 100 points

A Modern Age source of TK for Atlantis, Bombshell Mera only has a single click of the power and you don’t really want to push off her starting numbers. OTOH, maybe you do want to push to her SP Quake that can rack up Bombshell tokens (that can grant her FREE attacks or serve as armor upgrade to her trait Toughness) in a hurry, though with a 9 AV that might not be happening. She’s a piece all over the place, gaining PPB late dial and with two scattered Regen clicks. Probably better for bigger games.

Aquaman [WizKids DP16-006] 100 points

A strong Aquaman that guarantees some water terrain (adds 7 squares if you’re 2nd player and you get stuck on a dry map). he also gets Reflexes and Willpower when in water while gaining quasi-Stealth against foes trying to see him from land. TEAM UP: Superfriends Aquaman or King Aquaman at 20 points really increase his flexibility.

 

Giganto & Namor [Avengers Infinity G017]100 points

Though superb at 50 points, doubling the price literally doubles this piece’s lifespan. Not a bad move if you can spare the points.

 

^^^^^ 101-125 points: maneaters ^^^^^

Namor [Civil War Storyline 111] 110 points

Lounging Namor is a pog factory, spawning bystanders (equivalent to click 2 of the Atlantean Warrior) with the Atlantis keyword. But his real boon to teams is his +1 AV boost to the whole Atlantis force. An absolute must play for that reason alone.

King Aquaman [Elseworlds 045] 110 points

Where his cheap 20-point level is a team player, this Exploit Weakness Charge piece is a lead attacker. Being immune to Outwit and enemy Perplex is nice, as is the Kingdom Come team ability to possibly dodge shots. At only 6 clicks, he might go down fast as foes prioritize his 12 AV threat. He needs friends to block and draw fire.

Aquaman [Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice 006] 110 points

Gaining Super Senses and Hypersonic in water make this one of the most dangerous Atlantis pieces — to yourself! That’s because with only 3 damage, he doesn’t hit very hard and could overextend. He needs to be part of a one-two punch for best results.

Aquaman [Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Fast Forces 004] 125 points

Meanwhile, his sculptmate gets a +1 DV for his action tokens but might be more involved with tossing up FREE Barrier every turn to gain the bonus. Starting Perplex makes him a boon to Atlantis as well.

 

^^^^ Above 125 points: apex predators ^^^^

Namor [Earth X 033] 130 points

Gaining three Battle Fury-ous clicks of life compared to his 80-point level doesn’t seem like the best upgrade, even with a couple bearing Impervious over the Invulnerability and Toughness. No, you want this full-cost version for his SP Charge+Flurry with 4 damage. Add to that his Super Strength and Poison-when-dry ability, and you get a figure that can do a LOT of hurt across a couple of turns.

Namor [Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD 054] 140 points

Compared to his newer version above, this Subby looks overcosted and less powerful. But one must take into account his SP:

MASTER OF UNDERSEA TRAVEL: If Namor occupies a square of water terrain and has 0 or 1 action tokens, give Namor a free action to place him in another square of water terrain within 6 squares.

On a properly waterlogged map, that can effectively more than double his Charge speed. And with 11 AV Super Strength 4 damage, coupled with a trait that busts through Smoke Cloud and Barrier, that’s good for an alpha strike. He also has a long 9-click dial. Caution: He has Flight instead of Swim.

 

The Drowned [DC Rebirth 064] 150 points

At double the price of her lower dial, full value The Drowned adds three clicks of life well-armored with Invincible and Impervious, plus an opening 4 damage. It’s probably even more important that she have plenty of water terrain at this point level — the Stealth will aid in her not getting shot/Outwit and she absolutely needs to be able to land that big penetrating hit.

 

Giganto [Avengers Infinity G007] 200 points

Like his rarer sculptmate, doubling his price also doubles his life. He also gets a long string of 11 AV. Lack of Willpower is a bigger problem here than with his 100-point level.

 

Giganto & Namor [Avengers Infinity G017] 200 points

The top point cost only offers six extra clicks of life and no better stats other than a little extra speed. The only reason to play at this level is to fill points for really huge games.

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^^^^^MAPS FOR ATLANTIS^^^^^

Water has also grown far more common on maps. While your competitive Golden Age choice should always be ATLANTIS from Trinity War, in Modern Age, consider:

• WEIRDWORLD: A good 30 percent of the map is water, and with a lot of blocking terrain to grant extra cover from landlocked shooters, especially snipers on elevated terrain. Downside: those snipers are far away from the water, so you won’t be able to fight back.
• NY HARBOR: Like Weirdworld, there’s a lot of water here (even more) and strategically placed blocking terrain. This is also a map with a Location bonus that spawns extra objects, good for a Super Strength-laden keyword like Atlantis. Caution: Also like Weirdworld, there’s elevated terrain easy for snipers to shoot from and hard for swimmers to reach.
• MUIR ISLAND: Water on three sides of the map plus a lot of walls and blocking make this an OK field for Atlantis. The downside is that much of the fighting will likely be on dry land no matter what, so the sea is only really good for early defensive positioning.

Avoid these seemingly watery maps:

• GOTHAM CITY WATERFRONT: All the drawbacks of NY Harbor and Weirdworld and much, much less of the blocking terrain to keep from being shot. Pass.
• WAKAKNDA: Not only is it misspelled, but the special hindering terrain could prove a nightmare for Atlantis’ few shooters and trip up most of its swimmers from reaching foes deep in the brush. The main water zone is also easily shootable.
• ICEBERG LOUNGE: Though there’s the moat of water in the central part of the map, the blocking on top of the iceberg means there’s virtually no advantage to said moat. Pass.

 

We intended to do this a lonnnng time ago, instead of literally letting an entire rotation of Legionnaires come and go without updating the humongous LSH series from 5 years ago.

I was hoping maybe something in the new DC Rebirth set would be a timely reason to present some fresh, still-Modern Age clix for the keyword. But no. The superteens of the future remain on ice at DC and in Heroclix.

As a refresher, here’s a sort of ranking:

 This piece has a role best reserved for a huge Legion team.
 The piece is fine for most Legion teams of any size.
 This piece must be considered for any Legion team, big or small.

And we’ll also be looking at each Legionnaire’s Hidden Charm: some small element of their playability that doesn’t leap to mind immediately.

OK. Back to the future!

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Rond Vidar [War of Light 103], for 80 points, brings another Outwit. And like others in the WoL set, he has his Construct trait to gain any number of extra powers. He’s also got Stealth and Shape Change to make up for his lack of armor.  Hidden Charm: Assuming he isn’t hit too hard, you can warp him or his attacker back to their starting zone with the Time Cube trait.

Tornado Twins [The Flash 036] deservedly made our Ten Worst of 2014 list, but maybe on a Legion squad with the TK they need to get in position to rack up Speed Tokens, they can do something. Also, there’s the Hidden Charm of their quasi-STOP clicks and the fact that they benefit from some post-2017 rule changes (no more Damage Depletion).

XS [The Flash 004] is a must-play for the Legion due to her 1) Hypersonic Speed+Prob Control combo, 2) her ability to carry a fellow Legionnaire or snatch one away mid-movement. Maybe a bit pricey at 82 points but still worth it. There’s no Hidden Charm here; Jenni’s appeal is plain to all.

At 190 points, Supergirl [Superman/Wonder Woman 053a] is one of the most expensive Legionnaires, but you’d expect a 4 damage HSS brick like this to be so. Her Outnumbered trait likely won’t come into use on a big Legion team, but if it does, it’s her Hidden Charm: being able to get a massive +3 Speed topdial and a +1 to all stats if her allies all drop.

Though thoroughly void of Special Powers or traits, the latest Kon-El Superboy [Superman/Wonder Woman 031] brings not only a decent-priced Indom 100-point Invincible brick to the team (with Empower) but a trio of team abilities: Teen Titans, Superman Ally and of course LSH. He also gets Prob down his dial. Hidden Charm: TK along with the PC clicks. 

Lana Lang [Superman/Wonder Woman 029] starts as a mere reporter with Sidestep and Empower. At just 20 points, that’s not bad. But upgrading to 50 points shifts her downdial into Insect Queen to sport Charge and Blades, then Flurry and Poison, all with an SP granting Flight, Toughness and Senses. Hidden Charm: Early dial, if you can manage it, she can lock a foe’s stats from bonuses via her “The World Needs To Know…” trait. And if they hit her, she becomes the fighter.

Jimmy Olsen [Superman/Wonder Woman 027], like Lana, is pure supporter at his 25-point level, only with Perplex and ability to nix Shape Change and Super Senses for a turn. Pay 60 points and he’s a giant turtle boy with Charge, SStrength and Battle Fury.  Hidden Charm: If you’re running him on a team with Superman, he can POWER call Supes into position for next turn.

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Look for more keyword update articles on past F.U.N. Focus series such as Guardians of the Galaxy and Atlantis keywords. It’s all part of Heroclixin’s 10th anniversary celebration of all that’s F.U.N. IN Heroclix!

 

DC Rebirth is here and we at Heroclixin’ are liking/looking forward to a few pieces in particular.

TAYLOR

Starfire [DC Rebirth 055]

They’ve never made a bad Starfire and this one is the best yet. Taylor touts her “10 outta 10 hypersonic Energy Explosion” but it’s her still-slim 100-point cost despite that SP and Titans TA and QUINTESSENCE TEE AYY that push her over the top for me as well. If she’s a bit less well-armored than most versions of the character (just one and two clicks of Invulnerability and Toughness, respectively), that’s to be expected to keep her price down. All three of us are hoping to pull this Titan in our boxes.

Taylor also likes Aqualad [012]: “Aqualad is the most push-able TK’er ever.” I’m unsure if I totally agree after I had poor results with him in a prerelease. But given that BLACKqualad has been on my Heroclixin’ Wish List since 2011, suffice it to say that I am stoked to have him in my collection.

 

SCERITZ

So in an unpublished article, Sceritz had some characters on his Clix Wish List back in 2017. Some of those got made in Rebirth:

Mr. Terrific [029] is one Sceritz is glad to see, but he’s not sure how well he likes the design. He thinks Mr. T’s completely soft, no-evasion defense might be just an easy KO. I tried to argue with him, but I can’t really deny it.

He also had a tad of criticism at first glance at Orphan [034], an updated version of Cassandra Cain that he and I have been longing for in HeroClix. “What is she doing with EMPOWER?” he said. “And all that low 10 AV?” we both said. But then we saw that she’s designed to ramp up her AV and DV for each adjacent foe. And now we get it and we love her now.

Raven [040] is a little too much a support piece for Sceritz’s taste — she’s a healer, Perplexer, Probber and Titans taxi — and not enough a fighter for Sceritz’s taste (because yes, Raven fights sometimes. But he’s glad another one on his clix wish list got a good version.

 

RUROUNI KJS

Ye olde webmaster is by far the most interested of the three of us in this set. Whereas in earlier full releases I’ve only sought out between 20 to 50 percent of pieces, this time I’m wanting some 55 of the 70 available. That’s the most since Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes in 2014.

Like Sceritz, I’ve been fiending for a new Mr. Terrific. And unlike my friend, I see great potential in this uncommon piece (even if, like him, I also see great peril in running him) due to his ability to remotely make melee attacks via his autonomous T-Sphere bystanders. He’s a brilliantly balanced piece that, properly tricked out, could be highly competitive.

But even more useful will be Mr. Terrific [100], the release event OP figure, that simply ratchets the Rule Of Three down to the Rule of One. Also bringing Outwit and 18 DV for the JSA, he’s another dream come true.

Another on my radar is Billy Batson [026]. Not only is he a long-overdue Captain Marvel clix remake (via an improved “Alter Ego” mechanic) while still being an unclixed character, but he has that “The World Needs To Know” trait that I liked so well a few years back. So while I’m also looking to get his Shazam form (and his opposite number, Black Adam), I am just as eager to add the young man into the press corps ready to pepper some foe with journalistic questions.

But one character in particular I’ve been wanting in clix for about a year is the new Power Girl. No, not the JSA member Karen Starr we’ve all wanted a proper remake of since that overpriced points sink in 2010’s Brave and the Bold, but the occasional guest star/foil in Deathstroke’s comic, Tanya Spears.

I love giants, and her uncommon version’s ability to grown to Great Size is, of course, very much in my clix wheelhouse. I mean, she is GOING to be on a new Attack of the 50-Foot Women team.

She sports Outwit or Perplex to giver her great utility and has a nifty trait that encourages in-character play (she and other Defiance keyword figs heal when they hit but don’t KO enemies). I also like her common version, which is more of a standard light brick with Perplex.

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There’s more in the set we like — a LOT more, in my case — but these leapt to the top for us in the F.U.N. faction. Hope you pull what buys you the most F.U.N. in your Heroclixin’ life!

So here’s our customary pocket checklist in the style that WizKids used to produce in every booster back in the days when Topps used to own the company.

Here’s the actual download link for a full page of four checklists: RebirthChecklist

Thanks as always to the crowdsourcers across the web, especially those at HCRealms.com, for compiling the info to help me get this checklist set even before official release date.

Hey all, it’s your sitemaster Rurouni KJS here for a very special installment. For my first entry into this new mostly weekly feature, here’s PHIL COULSON from the recent Captain Marvel gravity feed set.

Phil Coulson [Captain Marvel 018] 75 points

I’ve always liked the character, both onscreen and in Heroclix, but this is the first version that feels complete to me. His initial clix in 2012 was an OK Perplexer (one mostly immune to 100-plus-point attackers) with a nice evac Special Power, but he felt very bystander-like and was hard to use well.

His next appearance(s) in the Nick Fury set (036 and FF002) were more aggressive, but lacked oomph for their 75 point price. The 50-point dial on the FF piece was kinda sad, too. No Stealth on either belies his skills as a spy (one totally lacks the keyword).

This one fully reflects Coulson’s developments on the 5-season series as not only an agent of SHIELD, but as its full-fledged director without losing his field agent effectiveness. He gets to cart the team around via his Zephyr jet SP, brings the support skills with his Tradecraft trait, has the Stealth the others didn’t, and trait Energy Shield/Deflection that stacks onto his Toughness (to say nothing of his STOP click) for an overall definitive Coulson that I can’t wait to use again with his team.

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So here’s the Very Special Part of this hopefully routine installment of Heroclixin’ — today marks 10 YEARS since I started the blog!

It’s been a F.U.N. ride for sure, and one I have zero intentions of stopping now — especially with fellows like Taylor aka The Baker Tay and Sceritz aka IV Wall aka Scooter along to share in it. Thank you, clix brothers, and others who’ve been reading and sharing games with me since the blog began and before (not a complete list by far):

Psicardi

Lenny aka IconSupes

Morrison

Lord Timothy

David Leverette

Terman8er

Every single real person who ever commented on a post

…and SO many more than I can recall or name.

 

 

 

Today’s special: Batman: the Animated Series uncommon number 22- Mr. Freeze!

Our favorite webmaster has asked me (The Baker Tay) to put down my thoughts on any character daring enough to spend time in my thoughts, so I’m starting with a figure that’s been on most of my 2019 teams. Not only did he make my top-10 list for last year, he’s been freezing up my team building process!

Mostly modest values (and a slightly tougher defense) make him a great candidate for F.U.N. on both sides of the board. His presence really shines when he’s actually trying to freeze his opponents with his amazing powerset. His “You Have Reaped an Icy Wind” trait gives him an upgraded Force Blast/Barrier combo, and to top off the igloo, his special attack power “Cold Comfort” grants him a damage-dealing Incapacitate that mixes with his trait! I dare to say that it is the most satisfying combination in all of Heroclix.

I can’t help but feel guilty when I don’t set aside 100 points for him. He’s my perfect rendition of Mr. Freeze.

 

Hello, readers. It’s been a minute since our most recent substance. I (Rurouni KJS) have been a little distracted by Real Life and looking ahead to a little milestone about a week away.

In the interest of always keeping content fresh on the site, I’ve asked my board members Taylor and Sceritz to let me know what one Heroclix figure is commanding their attention at the moment. And then we talk about it in this space.

It will be Heroclixin’s Flavor of the Week!

Look for the first installment later this week, and then roughly every week going forward, unless we have bigger features to present. (For example, after DC Rebirth releases in April, it will be time for an update to Heroclixin’s Atlantis keyword F.U.N. Focus reviews, thanks to at least two or three new Atlantis figures — and I’ve been hard at work on this update already).

Crowdsourcing got done a bit early this time around (thanks as usual to the members at www.hcrealms.com for compiling it all) so here’s the pocket checklist for EARTH X, due for full release Feb. 6, 2019.

 

EarthXCHECKLIST