This new F.U.N. Focus (previous parts here) is a needed update to a far-too-long article reviewing all characters with the Atlantis keyword in much better bite-sized installments. And speaking of bite-sized, last installment looked at the cheapest members of the keyword. Now it’s time to take a gander at pieces that take a bigger bite of your team — and, hopefully, from your opponent’s force!
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51-75 points: barracudas
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Arthur Curry (Hypertime): The last of the Hypertime set, he spends 10 more points over the Vet’s 41 to add Willpower to his top-dial and Toughness/Close Combat Expert to his back half. The former makes him a tiny bit more likely to maybe get that first strike off. The latter makes him a tougher KO than he ought to be, lengthening his very long dial. Sadly, though, his CCE is wasted on a terrible AV — he’ll either need it to give himself a goldfish’s ghost of a chance of hitting with minimal damage — and his similarly weak DV means he will take fire before he can attack unless you can TK him in for that first attack. HEROCLIXIN’S VERDICT: 3 of 5 stars.
CARDS TO CONSIDER: Atlantis, Submerged, Justice League (Silver Age), Lunge, Opportunist
Speaking of Telekinesis:
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Mera [Justice League New 52]: For a long time, Atlantis lacked a TKer. Now there are a couple in the form of Aquaman’s squeeze Mera, and this one’s the cheapest and best. She starts with the power, a special version that grants +3 when moving a foe in water, and rocks a trait allowing her melee attacks against enemies in or next to water within 6 squares. Her damage is very light, and her DV is never stellar, but she’s only 51 points and you may not want her to survive anyhow, depending on if you’re running her paramour from the same set in the game. (More on him in future installments.) Regardless, she’s a must for the mobility-challenged Atlantis team. HEROCLIXIN’S VERDICT: 5 of 5. Unless it’s a Modern Age game, you don’t run an Atlantis team without her.
CARDS TO CONSIDER: Atlantis, Submerged, Armor Piercing, Justice League (Silver Age), Justice League Dark, Justice League: New 52, Justice League
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Experienced Aquaman (Icons): Leadership, 10 AV, JLA TA and 4 range make this 56-point figure a huge upgrade over the Icons Rookie, but less useful overall because of his general mediocrity. Keep him Submerged so he can potentially snipe from watery cover — or make a Contingency Plan with the 12-point Leadership-based feat of the same name. Not both, though, as his cheap cost is his main asset. HEROCLIXIN’S VERDICT: 2 of 5
CARDS TO CONSIDER: Atlantis, Submerged, Justice League (Silver Age), Contingency Plan
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LE Garth (Crisis): For a massive 25-point increase over the 40-point Aqualad, you get two more clicks of life with Toughness, the same Stealth-plus SP, and, 2nd click in, a SP granting him an extra supply of light objects for 65 points. Unfortunately, there’s a good chance all standard light objects will be carried — if there are any at all in this Modern Age of special objects — and he won’t get to use this. Tough to recommend him over the ‘Lad. HEROCLIXIN’S VERDICT: 2 of 5
CARDS TO CONSIDER: Atlantis, New Teen Titans
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Ocean Master [DC 75th Anniversary]: Bring on the bad guy. Orm here is the first villain on the Atlantis list, and he looks like crap with a lame 3 range and Mastermind in a theme full of characters who all cost more than him in Modern Age. Good thing he’s Golden Age now, where there are plenty of sub-65-pointers to dump damage onto.
It’s his perma-Prob Control in water that makes him worthy of running. Can’t tell you how many games were won or lost due to the presence or absence of Ocean Master’s PC. Run him with Mastermind fodder and some method of ensuring water terrain and make sure he’s close enough to the action to affect it with either rerolls or by drawing fire from the real fighters. HEROCLIXIN’S VERDICT: 3 of 5
CARDS TO CONSIDER: Atlantis, Submerged, The Society, Outsmart
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Aquaman (Justice League 101): Finally, an Aquaman that can first-strike without needing TK! His solid DV SP gives the Atlantis roster its cheapest (at 70 points) Invulnerability. The downside: It comes with an immediate downgrade to Toughness when out of water. But when he can Charge from 6 out from water (thanks to the Surge SP), it’s not so bad. Use him as a 1-2 punch with other pieces. HEROCLIXIN’S VERDICT: 3 of 5
CARDS TO CONSIDER: Atlantis, Submerged, Justice League (Silver Age)
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Arthur Curry (Justice League 105): Similar to his sculpt-mate above (though with only normal Charge), A.C. offers, for the same cost, more Toughness after his Invulnerability-in-water SP runs out and, via his other SP, a shot at Regen or Close Combat Expert (but only in water) in lieu of the JLA TA. The boost to the latter power, and the Plasticity it’s paired with, really aid this version of the Sea King compared to when Heroclixin’ first looked at him in 2011. HEROCLIXIN’S VERDICT: 3 of 5
CARDS TO CONSIDER: Atlantis, Submerged, Lunge, Justice League (Silver Age), Automatic Regeneration
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Veteran Aquaman (Icons): the first real Invulnerability piece on the roster, he still lacks that vital ability to move and attack. Though offering both Regen and Support end-dial, he does so with such low AV and DV numbers that neither is very usable. Once the cream of the Aqua-crop, he’s now just so much mediocre flotsam. HEROCLIXIN’S VERDICT: 1 of 5
CARDS TO CONSIDER: Atlantis, Submerged, Contingency Plan, Automatic Regeneration, Justice League (Silver Age), Justice League International, Justice League: Generation Lost, Invigorate
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Next time, Heroclixin’ looks at the next set of swimmers: 76-100 points. Be there! The water’s fine!