Thug [Superior Foes of Spider-Man 005]

• Is the figure FRIENDLY and FELLOWSHIP-worthy? Completely devoid of powers, he’s not one to make opponents nervous. A F.U.N. game is at hand, especially since Thug is likely on the squad to fill out a themed team that otherwise couldn’t be fielded. He also can’t do theme-Probability Control.   Level: MODERATELY HIGH
• Is this figure still USEFUL and full of UTILITY anyway?  He’s got no powers. He’s only good for his 4-click dial. Which….is actually REALLY GOOD for 10 points. Use a Thug to block and tie-up or take Mastermind damage from your actual team. Level: MODERATELY LOW
• Does this figure have a NEATO or NIFTY or NICHE or NERDCORE appeal? There’s nothing inherently nerdcore about Thugs.  Level: LOW

Thug is F.U.N. mainly for his ability to facilitate other F.U.N. So he makes the list.

Grace [Joker’s Wild 046]

• Is the figure FRIENDLY and FELLOWSHIP-worthy? Bricks can be effective, but tend to be literally outgunned by range figures in this game. Grace isn’t going to make a player quake at the sight of her, and she can be dealt with like any other brick. Indeed, her play style involves her being in the thick of things. Still, she’s solid and Outsiders team ability commands respect. Level: MODERATELY LOW
• Is this figure still USEFUL and full of UTILITY anyway? But if the other force has a higher-point figure, Grace can be quite offensive indeed, being able to move her full speed then punch. With an object, we’re talking about dealing 5-7 clicks to their biggest threat for possibly a first strike. She’s also supremely well-armored for her 125 cost with all the “I” powers: Invincible, Impervious, Invulnerability. Outsiders TA enables her to blunt the stat mod powers of her targets and Indom keeps her active to lay in with Close Combat Expert. She’s almost a perfect brick.  Level: HIGH
• Does this figure have a NEATO or NIFTY or NICHE or NERDCORE appeal? She only has two keywords, Amazon and Outsiders, so there’s not much there. She could go on an informal theme team of LGBTQ characters, though.  Level: MODERATELY LOW

Grace is strong. But still F.U.N.

Batman [Batman and His Greatest Foes Fast Forces 001]

• Is the figure FRIENDLY and FELLOWSHIP-worthy? Batman figures usually score too low for this level, due to their annoying tendency to hang back and be a problematic Stealth Outwitter that other player HATE dealing with. But this Batman, though Stealthy, plays nothing like that. No shrinking violet, more like a STRIKING VIOLENT. Once players realize this is a Bat they won’t have to hide from — no range, not even Charge — they’re much more relaxed. Level: MODERATE
• Is this figure still USEFUL and full of UTILITY anyway? This is a Batman who drops into the midst of enemies, daring them to hit him, then he counters and destroys them. (That’s how I like to think of his play style, anyway.) He gets to mod his AV for each adjacent foe (a trait) and hit all at once a la Quake (a Special Power) while dealing his full damage to all of them. But that fighting is all he does. None of the usual Bat-support powers on this piece.  Level: MODERATE
• Does this figure have a NEATO or NIFTY or NICHE or NERDCORE appeal? Batman isn’t niche at all and this piece is loaded with popular keywords, so his Level is LOW.

Still rates as one of the top F.U.N. figs of the year!

In years past, this has been where your friendly neighborhood webmaster has shared his personal favorites of the past year. But a friend once rather bluntly told me: Nobody cares about that list.

It stung a bit, but I had to admit he was right. It might be entertaining — one could say Friendly and Nifty, to invoke the spirit of this blog — to some readers, but was it also Useful? No.

So Heroclixin’s last look back at the year will list the Top Ten F.U.N. figs of the year, not just our favorites, in accordance with the F.U.N. acrostic:

• Is the figure FRIENDLY and FELLOWSHIP-worthy? That is, if your opponents see this figure on your team, will their hearts utterly sink at the prospect of dealing with it? If so, it’s not F.U.N.
• Is this figure still USEFUL and full of UTILITY anyway? If so, it may be F.U.N. But it shouldn’t run TOO high on this scale, or it may overwhelm the Friendly portion!
• Does this figure have a NEATO or NIFTY or NICHE or NERDCORE appeal that goes beyond its just having good stats and powers? Does it have a special place on a team outside of the usual keywords? And does this clix capture the character’s appeal? If so, it may be F.U.N. But the answer can’t JUST be, “I like this character.”

Let’s look at an unrecognized F.U.N. fig from 2015 along the F.U.N. scale:

Scarlet Spider[s] [Avengers Assemble 005]

• Is the figure FRIENDLY and FELLOWSHIP-worthy? Their almost total lack of moving attack (they need to be next another Scarlet Spider to use Sidestep) or Willpower keeps them from being very scary at all. It takes 2 or more points at 60 apiece to get any real use out of them. And with only five clicks of life, they can be handled. Level: HIGH
• Is this figure still USEFUL and full of UTILITY anyway? There’s a lot of Flurry on this dial, and a fair amount of 3 damage. A 50% Shape Change SP makes it tough to damage them when fielded in multiples (or with other Scarlet Spider figs from other sets) and Toughness plus ending Regen makes it hard to KO them. Improved Movement helps get them where they can do the most good. Level: MODERATELY HIGH
• Does this figure have a NEATO or NIFTY or NICHE or NERDCORE appeal? There’s something about clone teams that’s pretty nifty. And considering every character named Scarlet Spider is a clone, this can be a fun informal theme to build on. Also, build around the niche Initiative keyword. Level: MODERATELY LOW

Stay tuned this week for last year’s most F.U.N. figures! We’ll wrap up the look back with our personal top 10s as well.

1. Bizarro Aquaman [Joker’s Wild 065]

Wanted this piece because Aquaman is a completist streak. But…

He nerfs swimmers, making aquatic teammates considerably more useless even though he can make temporary water terrain.

Swim is the lamest ability in the game. No one cares about fielding BizAqua to thwart it.

Drown this fool

No.2 (tie)

Raphael [Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 102]

Michelangelo [Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 103]

The TMNT starter set was really bad. But Donny has some good utility with Outwit, Defend and, later, Support, while Leo sports decent 10AV Precision Strike then Blades.

But their brothers?

Oh brother.

Rurouni KJS: Those starter Turtles tho…
R: I feel like the one really turrible one is Mikey

Sceritz: he is the worst of them but man that whole set
S: So bad.

R: It’s that 6 speed for all of them
R: Whyyyyy

S: That is a major reason
S: It came with the van right?
S: I think they want you to drive it
R: No

S: oh whoops
S: nvm they just suck
S: LOL
R: the low speed keeps them from getting in close to use Reflexes and not get shot
R: Leo and Raph anyway.
R: Mike and Don just have Willpower

S: The 2 damage and some have 9 attack..
S: guh
S: so bad.
S: Who made those?
S: who is the opposite of Steev?

Raphael has a 9 attack. For THREE STARTING CLICKS. Even Flurry isn’t much help. Then he inexplicably gets Running Shot and P/PB. But for only 1 damage. Meanwhile, Mikey is wasting points on Incap when his 2 damage might be a better choice…wait, 2 damage. That’s not good for 75 points, especially since it ALSO drops to 1 damage. He’ll need it on himself with only 9 AV and Charge…wait, why bother? It’s 1 DAMAGE.

These turtles are just soup stock.

3. Sandman [Joker’s Wild 040]

Sceritz and I were torn here.

Rurouni KJS: What about all those “terrible” Joker’s Wild figs you were gonna add?
Sceritz: Well… I may have to go back [on that]
S: I didn’t add them because together with JSA they have synergy
S: I mean they aren’t AMAZING but I can see how combining them could give them a fighting chance
R: They can do OK, sure
R: But……
R: Sandman still makes my list. Full stop.
S: Oh yes!!
S: I forgot about him!
S: I was trying… trying to get him on a team
R: There’s so much I like about him. But then I look at that SP and

Stealth is good. Willpower is good. An Outwit-like power that only works when he hits with an attack … and only works if the target has an action token at the time … is NOT good.

Even his “A Simpler Time” trait (grant Prob Control if the opponent rolls a 6) is worse than all the rest of his teammates’ identically named ones.

ALL

OF

THEM

Well, OK, Hourman’s is identical and thus as bad.

There’s only trash here.

4. Condiment King [World’s Finest 038]

So he has a nifty trait that nerfs AV of foes -1 when they attack him and an additional -1 if they’re next to him, which combines well with his Speed SP granting Plasticity and Force Blast.

…..Wait. Who wants Force Blast with Plasticity? You usually want to keep an enemy tied up with Plasticity. That’s just wasting points.

…..Wait. That SP doesn’t show until click 2? Well, that’s trash. Guess you have to run him into adjacency for best results.

…..Wait. He starts with Running Shot and Incap with 2 targets. So you really DON’T want to run into adjacency and waste that extra arrow.

…..Wait. A naked 16 DV. Or worse. He won’t live to use his Poison or Exploit Weakness or…

…..Wait. Is that 0 damage Close Combat Expert with his 9 AV Incap returning on his end clicks? So you HAVE to mod damage?

I know he’s a joke piece but COME ON!

Both Sceritz and I thought he was junk food.

5. Spider-Man [Superior Foes of Spider-Man 031]

Both Sceritz and I chose this piece, another one we wanted to like. Watch me (kinda sarcastically) cape for Miles in our FB exchange:

6. Arclight [Uncanny X-Men 009]

Another Rurouni KJS selection, and here’s why:

No moving attack or improved movement skills at all. So she has to trudge to her target, hope her Invuln holds [then clear cuz there’s only one click of it AND her DV drops] then use her 2 damage CCE. Her free Quake trait is useless unless she misses and unavailable if she’s hitting.

Force Blast is just wasting points. She’s never going to want to knock foes away from her, where she can’t fight them. No moving attack, remember?

When I mentioned her to Sceritz:

Right you are, brother.