No. 1

Ghost Rider [ASM 046]

Usually, a Heroclix figure has one or more weaknesses built into it. It’s just a fact of design; with limited materials, one can only get limited results.

For instance, there’s a position out there that humans’ difficulty in childbirth is an argument for evolution and against God’s creation because He would have made it easier while the messiness of evolution from being four-footed animals to bipeds accounts for the imperfect delivery method. But this position doesn’t consider that the bipedal woman’s delivery canal must, by necessity, fight against gravity for all nine months of the gestation period. Otherwise, accidental premature birth would be a danger every time a pregnant woman squatted to do, well, anything.

The point is that  even a perfect God has to design within the limits of matter.

And moreover, not everything is designed to DO everything. Character accuracy factors a lot in adding weaknesses to HeroClix dials. Hence, the lack of damage reduction for Question or Cerise or Brother Voodoo are appropriate. Some figs lack range, or moving attack ability. Some are just too much of a team and so lack the action advantage that swarms can leverage.

But sometimes, even within the limits of design, you still get that one nigh-perfect figure. And in 2013, Ghost Rider is that figure.

Unlike so much of the Top Ten, he is:

• well-armored with Invulnerability and 18 DV
• Well-priced as a tentpole at 145 points, leaving ample room for a secondary fighter or supporter or both
• Armed with lots of mobile attack options with good AV
• Able to get in attacks and damage every turn via a) Indomitable, b) his Living Hellfire Chain SP and/or Poison and c) the Heroes For Hire ATA, if so equipped
• bearing the Mystics TA to deter a lot of attacks
• Able to taxi his help as a Transporter.

This is a piece with no weakness. No blind spot. Nothing that requires a relic or resource to truly cover. And it’s deservedly the top piece of last year.