Finishing this highlight of several solid figures that either just missed the top 10 or bring something new to the game that no other piece does but didn’t have an overall good enough dial to carve out a place among the very best.

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Darkstar  (Captain America #043) 
Game-Changing Contribution: Free action powers
So many times, when a wishlist of changes to HeroClix is proposed, free Smoke Cloud is nearly always suggested. Darkstar shows why it shouldn’t be. The special power is great on a figure like her, that’s a bit too high-priced to be a mostly support piece. On less-modest dials, it could be absotively, posilutely broken like a window on the business end of a thrown brick.

other contributors who missed the prime slot:

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Cypher (Giant-Size X-Men #012)
Game-Changing Contribution: extra team abilities without paying extra ATA points 
There was an old feat called “Siphon Power” that purportedly allowed a wildcard to copy enemy team abilities, but it was hobbled by A) said wildcard’s inability to share that TA with other wildcards, B) the wildcard’s inability to switch up TAs at will since the Siphon Power’d TA was a once-at-the-beginning-of-turn deal, robbing the normal flexibility of the wildcard ability at C) a staggering cost of 20 points.

Now, Cypher here can copy a single enemy TA and give it to all his friends — not just wildcards — via his “Crack Enemy Communications” trait AND sit back and Perplex his friends’ stats as needed AND he offers both the Brotherhood (good for a support piece like himself) and X-Men TAs. At 38 points, he’s worth THREE Siphon Powers.

other contributors who missed the prime slot:

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Gideon (Giant-Size X-Men #024)
Game-Changing Contribution: Power copy/steal
There were a few characters this year who could grab others’ powers, but none as inexpensively as the ponytailed Gideon here. And while his version is less foolproof than theirs, requiring a die roll based on proximity, he’s the only one who also can grab allies’ powers with no problem.

other contributors who missed the prime slot:

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Matter-Eater Lad (Superman #025)
Game-Changing Contribution: Easy demolition
His ability to eat terrain for free is unprecedented. Enemies who depend on otherwise indestructible special objects like Mjolnir or the like will fear this 35-point flying wildcard.

other contributors who missed the prime slot:

• Doorman (Captain America 024): Actually doesn’t wreck terrain.
• She-Hulk (Incredible Hulk 007): Tied to an attack.
• She-Hulk (Incredible Hulk 204): Ditto.

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Abin Sur (Green Lantern Fast Forces #006)
Game-Changing Contribution: Taxi the taxis
For a long time in HeroClix, characters that could carry other characters were (appropriately) unable to be carried themselves. I mean, the only reason Angel ought to be carting Storm around is if she’s unconscious. That equals getting KO’d in HeroClix. But I digress.

Abin Sur offers so many new tactics for play through his ability to carry flyers on the cheap.

other contributors who missed the prime slot:

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The Flash (Superman #047)

Game-Changing Contribution: Alpha strike the turtles

Although he’s one of the less impressive Flash figures to hit the game with his decidedly average combat values, he’s utterly unmatched in this context, being the only character in the game who can ALWAYS get the first strike. There’s also his ability to knock folks about with his “Sudden Stop” trait.

other contributors who missed the prime slot:

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That wraps up this quick look at the not-top-flight-but-still-game-changing-pieces-and-elements from 2011. Click on the site next week for the Top Ten WORST HeroClix of last year! Enjoy Super Bowl weekend in the meantime!

Instead of just writing a normal list of honorable mentions, I decided to highlight several solid figures that either just missed the top 10 or bring something new to the game that no other piece does but didn’t have an overall good enough dial to carve out a place among the very best.

First, the almost-rans:

Lobo (Superman #042) 

Every year, there’s that one piece I kinda overlook for the Top Ten, one that could easily take another’s place. This time, it’s Lobo. Boasting the free-heal trait we loved on a pair of recent Wolverine figures with a far longer, more durable dial than either, along with Indomitable and an SP granting him a melee attack that works at range for under 175 points, he’s good enough to be among the best after all.

Seriously. Swap him in. I won’t be mad.

Another:
Sauron (Lord of the Rings #208): dropped off by being 335 points and not Modern Age. Otherwise great.

OK, on to the actual list. It’s in no particular order this time, since it’s kinda impossible to actually rank these.

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Squirrel Girl (Captain America #056)
Game-Changing Contribution: All-you-can-beat Tie-up/Mastermind fodder
Cheap tie-up pieces are a gameplay staple, and this little chick is a never-ending supply of such. A decent tie-up in her own right, her ability to repeatedly spawn Monkey Joes to lock down enemies is a potential gamechanger.

other contributors who missed the prime slot:

• Falcon (Captain America #030): but lacking the never-ending factor.
• Horde tokens (Lord of the Rings): DO have the never-ending factor (mostly) but only allowed in Golden Age for now.
• Madrox (Giant-Size X-Men #001): requires dice luck 
• Hydra Agent 003: hurts your team a bit to respawn
• Humanoid (Incredible Hulk #005): See Madrox

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Quake  (Captain America #034)
Game-Changing Contribution: Attacking through walls and other terrain
She’s a bit puny, damage-wise, and fits on only a few themed teams. But her ability to Quake through walls and through a selected target’s Impervious will probably get her at least a look for top-flight tournament teams.

other contributors who missed the prime slot: 

• Jackal (Beam Rifle) 008: Needs dice luck. But 8 range penetrating damage = good
• Scientist Supreme (Captain America 033) / Matt Murdock (Incredible Hulk 022): Only can Outwit through walls, and at shorter range
• Kitty Pryde (Captain America #055): Only does close combat…not as well as Quake does, either, despite costing like 50 points more
• Moonstone (M-001): Doesn’t work with her range powers
• She-Hulk (Incredible Hulk 204): Smashes wall after attack, causing possible mobility problems

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Aragorn (Lord of the Rings #003) 
Game-Changing Contribution: Redefines the term “free move”
His dial is mostly ordinary and certainly does not glitter. It’s his Epic Action trait that’s gold, making him change all the rules of mobility and positioning. Offensively, it sometimes only gets your team into harm’s way quicker. But defensively, he’s like a get-outta-jail-free card.

other contributors who missed the prime slot:

• Aquaman (Superman 048): Only good for swimmers, but usable anytime and great for setting up attacks
• Nick Fury (Captain America 023): Not a free move but a free token remove for select keywords

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General Thunderbolt Ross (Incredible Hulk #208) 
Game-Changing Contribution: Impossible to turtle against
Remember back when I said there were a couple of silver bullets holding Professor X to the lower end of the Top Ten? This guy is one of ’em. By the midgame at the latest, Ross has the ability to explode whatever turtling nuisance the rest of your team can’t get to — or to force your opponent to overextend to get to Ross before he can do it!

other contributors who missed the prime slot:

• Flash (Superman 047): Also can attack from anywhere on board, but hits much softer

Check out the rest next time.

Superman (Superman #001)

That the Last Son of Krypton tops the list probably comes as no surprise to anyone who played HeroClix at all last fall. Superman was a terror.

• He compounds the best-in-game power combination of Hypersonic Speed and Super Strength with Outwit, Superman Ally TA and excellent combat values on his first click (and two more on various points of his dial).
• He’s Indomitable.
• He’s got the Scientist keyword, one of the best in the game.
• Even on his other clicks, he’s blessed with some Charge, some Running Shot+Psychic Blast, some Perplex.

Seriously, his only problem is his sky-high 300-point cost. A second price-point of 150 trades that weakness for a relatively glassy jaw — he’s only got the one Hypersonic, Super-Strong, Impervious and Outwitting click on top. It’s not much of a weakness, given the 150 points he can now fit on the team to help him out.

Super, indeed. He’s the Top HeroClix figure of 2011, hands down.

Check out Heroclixin’ next week for a brief Top Ten Addendum (two installments, tops) that was going to be a list of Honorable mentions, but has morphed into something a bit different.

Then, after that, look for Heroclixin’s Top Ten WORST ‘Clix of 2011. Should be fun.

#2

Magneto  (Giant-Size X-Men #053)

Nearly a year ago, I pegged the Master of Magnetism as a virtual shoo-in for this Top Ten of 2011 list,  and despite a lot of powerful competition, he nearly claims the top spot. Here’s why:

• Running Shot, 10 range and 2 targets make him a supreme shooter. Especially due to…
• …his Energy Shield/Deflection-granting trait “Magnetic Field.” That 18 DV becomes as high as 21 if he’s got hindering terrain to help him.
• Also, occupying debris markers boosts all his already impressive stats +1 — again, courtesy of his trait.
• He also carries up to 4 friends with the trait, making him very team-friendly for a tentpole.
• His “Magnetic Mastery” SP granting him twice-in-a-row Telekinesis also is good for teammates. But the other bonus — that hurled objects deal +2 damage — makes him doggone scary with heavy objects on the board. That’s 10 clicks he can deal in a single round!
• Oh, and while he has great range, no one else does if they target him. His “Magnetic Shield” SP halves opponents’ range. 
• Later in his dial he gains great standard powers like Ranged Combat Expert, Pulse Wave and Perplex, ensuring he’s always useful.

His Brotherhood TA isn’t very useful for him, though. And he’s a bit weak in close with only Toughness for survival — compounded by the fact that his powers compel foes to get in close if they can. But even that works to your advantage if you ensure that Maggie’s carrying a friend or two who’ll benefit  from enemies wandering into their fighting zone(s).

And that’s why Magneto practically tops the list: at 189 points, he’s tentpole-priced but still just cheap enough that he can fit on capable fighters besides himself. Moreover, his abilities allow him to either support those allies or to carry the load himself with equal aplomb. Such power paired with flexibility makes Magneto the best HeroClix of 2011…save one. See what’s up with that one tomorrow!

#3

Captain America (Captain America #040)

On the surface, wall-Cap seems an odd choice to be so high on the list, lacking the sheer might and versatility of the likes of Prof. X or Magog. But the Sentinel of Liberty totally deserves his spot.

• First, his base starting stats are solid across the board. 10 Speed, 11 AV, 18 DV and 3 damage. Charge and Toughness round that stuff out.
• But it’s his removable shield that puts him in elite company. Granting Cap Energy Shield/Deflection, it makes him a very difficult target at range. He’s got an effective 8 range and ability to deal 3 to two targets even though his natural damage is only 3.
• Indomitable ensures that he’ll be able to move up and immediately act next turn without taking pushing damage .
• Later in his dial, he shifts to Combat Reflexes and some Close Combat Expert  or Exploit Weakness to make him particularly dangerous in close.
• Finally, there’s Outwit at the end to keep him a vital part of the team.

His DV does suffer a bit after the first click and it often feels like a waste not throwing his shield. Trouble is, doing so always exposes that weak DV, his only real weakness. But given his 83-point cost, that’s a weakness he’s well able to cover with teammates (perhaps wildcards able to share his Defenders TA?) he can easily fit alongside himself. Being a force unto himself on any team for an economical price, Cap winds up the 3rd best HeroClix of last year.

Who’ll the first runner-up be? Perhaps a contemporary of the Living Legend…

#6

Cyborg Superman (Superman #034)

This evil part-clone/mostly robotic double of Superman emerged as one of the strongest pieces of the year thanks to the following…ahem…upgrades over previous iterations of the character:

• Running Shot and 4 damage enable a first shot, while his Impervious and Shape Change give him a solid chance at thwarting first shots.
• But it’s his “Mental Backup” trait that gets him on the list; he can heal for free by “eating” a single object within six squares, held or not. It’s a nifty way of getting clicks back and nerfing nearby enemy Super Strength in one free action.
• Being Indomitable ensures he’ll have actions to spare.
• And another SP gives him a free chance to use Telekinesis (but only on objects).
• As a Superman Enemy, he’s got the ability to use Outwit as well.

If not for his average-for-140-points AV, he’d be higher on the list for his sheer survivability. He also needs to be able to use his TA to get his points’ worth fully. Fortunately, while he’s a good chunk of a standard team, he’s not so expensive that he can’t easily fit on that extra help. But even alone and as is, Cyborg Supes 2.0 is totally Heroclixin’s #6 Best Figure of 2011.

Almost a perfect opposite to the highly physical, bombastic #8 of the Top 10, is the cerebral, mobility-challenged…

#7

Professor X  (Giant-Size X-Men #036)

The telepathic founder of the X-Men, with his rather anemic stats, seems an odd choice to make the Top Ten list. But it’s all about Special Powers and Traits these days, and his “In Contact With Cerebro” trait is a doozy enabling him to make:

• Penetrating/Psychic Blasts
• Mind Controls
• or Outwits or Perplexes…
• …all from the safety of his own starting area, so long as he has a friend with the same keyword to channel his line of fire through. Even basing said friends won’t prevent the Prof from blasting away for penetrating damage.
• Given that his X-Men, Illuminati, Scientist and even New Mutants keywords supply him with a large variety of quality teammates to draw from, he’s become a game-changing figure.

The #10 HeroClix is a little guy who’s a big help to shooters…which leads us across universes and genres to…

#9

Legolas (Lord of the Rings #004)

The elf prince of Tolkien’s epic fantasy brings epic-scale range ttacking ability to HeroClix. Here’s why:

• Range is still king in this game, and with three targets, Running Shot, 3 damage and +2 AV coupled with Sharpshooter ability, he’s royally effective at shooting even the most Impervious or Invulnerable  of foes.
• The same SP that boosts his AV when shooting also boosts his damage when hitting multiple targets (as long as he deals at least 1 damage to all).
• He’s also got “Flank,” an interesting Epic Action power allowing him to use Phasing/Teleport (but only along the edges of the map) and carry multiple characters with him (up to 5, if the build total allows). With his 10 range, he can control a board very effectively.
• Mid-dial, he gets even more dangerous to bricks with Penetrating/Psychic Blast. Late-dial, he’s dealing Ranged Combat Expert damage.

Legolas is simply an angel of death disguised as an elven archer. But his 130-point price is a high cost for seven clicks of zero damage reduction. Moreover, his range costs a lot as well; similar melee ability (think SI Iron Fist or Gamora) is 60 points cheaper!

With that in mind, I considered another strong range piece, leading to a tie at #9.

Guardian of the Universe (Green Lantern Fast Forces #005)

The diminutive cosmic-powered mentor to the Green Lantern Corps doesn’t look like much, appearance-wise, and lacks some of the mobility that Legolas sports. But he’s got all he needs to make the list, namely:

• 10 range, a value increasingly rare in the modern game;
• Impervious defense for a few clicks, sliding to Invulnerability for a few more;
• Penetrating/Psychic Blast, enabling him to bypass those defenses with contemptous ease;
• Phasing/Teleport to move into position with similar effort (i.e., none)
• Outwit during the early clicks to deactivate whatever power or ability that could threaten him until next turn, when he’ll use his Indomitable ability to push and attack.
• Even getting hit will only make him force rerolls with Probability Control or exploding you with Pulse Wave.

At 150 points, he’s good enough to be a light tentpole and still have room for a strong ally or two. The lack of moving attack ability keeps him low on the list, but the sheer danger his early clicks represent are enough to make Guardian of the Universe tie as Heroclixin’s #9 most playable piece.