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Concluding the countdown of the Top Ten most F.U.N. Modern Age Monsters in Heroclixin’s estimation. Here’s the top 3!

#3

Morbius (Secret Invasion #029)

At the sort-of cheap cost of 67 points, the Living Vampire delivers a wee bit of Super Strength and Stealthy, Leap/Climb-y mobility along with a weak form of Super Senses. Better still is his Steal Energy SP later in his dial, that either A) can get him back in prime condition with even a single successful attack, or B) will make opponents so nervous about that eventuality that they focus on him instead of bigger monsters on your team. That’s a win-win for the Morbuis player.

Speaking of bigger monsters, here’s one that Heroclixin’ will always consider first for the theme:

#2

Mindless One (Giant-Size X-Men #005)

Folks were kind of down on this 100-point generic when it was revealed. Short six-click dial, no moving attack, slooooow speed, anemic DV numbers seemed to equal overcosted junk to the naysayers.

Then they actually played it, or faced one on the table, and they learned that a Psy-Blasting, Impervious and Indomitable Mystic is fearsome indeed…especially when played in multiples!

In fact, a Mindless One horde is so surprisingly effective that Heroclixin’ has to sort of dock some F.U.N. factor from it. While this piece scores on Utility and the Nifty elements, Impervious Mystics aren’t a very Friendly team!

Therefore, the top Monster in Modern Age for Heroclixin’ is:

#1

Frankenstein (Arkham Asylum #041)

Running Shot, Invulnerability, Blades/Claws/Fangs and Indomitable make this classic monster reborn a solid 98-point fighting piece in a Heroclix game. His starting 9 Attack Value makes him Friendly enough to run in less-competitive environments (and fear not; a single push gets him to double digit AV if you need it). And monsters just don’t come any Niftier than Frankenstein — come on, now! Plasticity, Close Combat Expert and Regeneration give plenty of options late-dial.
Are there more playable Monsters in Modern Age? Sure. But that’s not what this Top Ten is about. It’s about F.U.N.! And Frankenstein here scores the highest in that category.
That does it for another end-of-month countdown…almost. Check for a rare weekend bonus update sharing Heroclixin’s Top Ten Golden Age Monsters!

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Continuing to countdown the Top Ten most F.U.N. Modern Age Monsters in Heroclixin’s estimation.

#7

Vermin (Web of Spider-Man #036)

 

At the cheap cost of 43 points, you get a Charging, Super-Sensing, Blades/Claws/Fanging, free-damage-to-folks-in-hindering (thanks to his Rat Army SP on click #2 and on) solid AV 3rd-stringer. He’s a piece that  WoS Nightcrawler players MUST respect. If Vermin had higher defense, he’d be mean. As is, he’s just F.U.N.

Despite his small cost, I don’t really consider him filler. That honor goes to the next on the list:

#6

Moloid (Secret Invasion #002)

 

At 15 points, these lil’ guys are THE filler pieces to make your Monster team themed. But you really should save at least 30 points on your team to get at least two or more on to use their swarm-friendly SPs to carry each other and get AV bonuses when trying to overwhelm a weakened (or damage-reducerless) enemy.

Of course, the MOST F.U.N. thing to do is to run a bunch of them. :)

Moloids are pretty mindless, though. Monsters need one who’s considerably more mindFUL:

#5

Zibarro (Superman #104)

54 points buys you the cheapest by far starting Outwit amongst Monsters, and the only one available in Modern Age. Better still: he’s got it with Superman Ally TA to see the Stealthy (look out, Nightcrawler!) and move through hindering terrain unhindered. And being a boot speed character, he can get carried by one of the few Monster fliers around (say, Man-Bat Assassin) to do his Outwitting — and negating the usual Carry penalty with his Special Power.

Later in his dial, he becomes a bit of an offensive threat with Willpower and Exploit Weakness to clean up after the bruisers have worn a target down. He’s not gonna win games by himself at all and isn’t too hard to counter. But he brings a unique set of tools for Monsters to maraud with, and thus makes the list.

On the complete opposite end of the scale from the dwarfish Moloids and normal-sized Zibarro, we see the sometimes-disputed monarch of Planet X…

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#4

Groot (Web of Spider-Man #049)

 

"I AM GROOT!!!"

Although his printed cost is 152, he’s really 157 thanks to his essential 5-point ATA, Guardians of the Galaxy, which prevents his powers from being countered. This keeps his Super Strength, Shape Change and 18 DV Invulnerability usable against most threats. More importantly, if he does get shot up from range before he can slowly lumber into reach to hit someone with the object he should be holding, chances are he’ll drop the object in his own square and can then heal for free while on the hindering terrain it creates.

Mid-dial, Groot reveals hidden genius via Outwit before hitting his immobile but utterly mighty Colossal clicks. And he gets a shot at healing with Regen on his end-dial.

Groot’s slow speed is his biggest downfall (especially with him being one of the very few Monster taxis — the penalty makes that bit of utility practically useless) and keeps him from placing higher on the list. But as longtime Heroclixin’ readers know, he’s definitely a favorite in these parts.

 

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Regular readers will note I did four installments instead of the usual two-a-day. That’s because tomorrow, I’m posting another extra-large edition of Token-Totin’ focusing on some of the more freakish sculpts in Heroclix! Then join us Friday for Heroclixin’s top three Modern Age Monsters!

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It’s that time of month again (no, not the full moon), when Heroclixin’ counts down the top ten Heroclix whatever. With the Halloweenish theme of October, we’re looking at Monsters! The ground rules are a little different this month, though: where I usually rank them according to strict playability, this time the focus is on F.U.N.

For me, Halloween is about the fun factor, not the fear. (It’s about the only redeeming quality of the holiday, IMO. But that’s a subject for another blog.)

In case you’re new to Heroclixin’, here’s what F.U.N. means:

F = The character is good for Friendly play. It’s probably not going to make most opposing players’ hearts sink with dread to see it across the table from them. That said…

U = Utility. The character isn’t automatic KO fodder, either. Played well and on the right team, this piece can compete with anyone.

N = Above all, this character is Nifty for some reason other than pure game effectiveness or popularity.

So that’s the criteria. And believe me, that made this Top Ten one of the hardest I’ve ever done! In fact, I totally wasn’t able to narrow it down to ten at all. So I refocused the countdown:

Heroclixin’s Top Ten MODERN AGE Monsters

OK, now that I could work with. With no further ado, here’s

#10

Atrocitus (DC75th Anniversary #042)

The stuff I wrote about him in January — his great numbers, his indomitability, and his anti-defenses abilities — all still applies. He’s also still SO expensive; he almost got squeezed out of the running (like his setmate Doomsday (#056) does at even 57 points higher). But for high-point Monster builds, he’s one I’m liable to try to fit on.

That is, until I consider the next freak of the week…

#9

Morlun (Web of Spider-Man #052)

Besides being well-dressed, this vampire-ish beast one-ups Atrocitus by being Impervious and taxiable. Moreover, his Steal Energy trait, Indomitable, and even his late Regeneration conspire to make him a tough KO. He’s still expensive, but 180 beats 202. Can’t forget his SP that helps him chase down the enemy he wounded.

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#8

Ulik (Hammer of Thor #021)

At a comparatively svelte 118 points, Ulik sports excellent AV, high damage numbers and a defensive power that’s Outwit- and Pulse Wave-proof. He can deal out clicks upon clicks of Super Strength and Close Combat Expert beating while only taking a single click of damage from enemy attacks at a time. If only his actual defensive numbers were any good, so enemy attacks would actually miss him from time to time…he’d be higher on the list. Run him with his minion, the 40-point Rock Troll, to help block and/or draw fire.

Regular readers will note I did three installments instead of the usual two-a-day. That’s because tomorrow and Thursday, I’m posting extra-large editions of Token-Totin’ focusing on some of the most monstrous sculpts in Heroclix! The countdown to Halloween is on!

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As always, there are honorable mentions who didn’t quite make the Heroclixin’ cut. Let’s take a final look at those:

The Flash and Green Lantern (The Brave and The Bold #048): At 200 points with a max 10 AV, this duo was just too much of any given team to crack the top ten. But when teamed with a lot of smaller Police pieces, their double-Telekinesis SP can be of great use. And a trio of Gotham City Detectives make their ranged Duo Attacks lethal!

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DEO Agent (Unleashed #002): Sporting PD TA, Perplex and Support, this Experienced generic was considered for the list. her practically unusable AV with the latter power squeezed her out of consideration. Similarly, her LE version Cameron Chase (Unleashed #201) has problems with her numbers and takes too long to truly contribute to the Police themed team when compared with the cheaper and much more immediately useful GC Detectives or Mandroid Armor. But Stealthy, Impervious Outwit is great if you can get her there.

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Zoom (Arkham Asylum #036): Leaving aside his villainous tendencies, his high price and low damage kept him from cracking the top ten. Sure, Perplex helps the latter liability. But early Perplex is a rare power in the theme, requiring other expensive cops or really underpowered ones.

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Allen the Alien (Invincible #004): While an excellent melee threat, he’s completely soft-shelled and can’t take a hit at all.

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Detective John Jones (Origin #210): Although he’s the best of the Police-keyworded Martians, he’s far too expensive for his early supporting-style clicks and not beastly enough down the line to make Top Ten status.

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Boodikka (Green Lantern Gravity Feed #010): With decent stats, powers and a good balance of ranged and melee ability, she was cut down by low overall damage numbers.

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Jane Foster (X-Plosion #206): One of the game’s best healers just happens to have the Police keyword. If Support were still as big a factor in HeroClix as it used to be, she’d have been a shoo-in. But in the power’s current more-balanced state, Foster is merely an also-ran.

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Green Lantern (Green Lantern Fast Forces #001): Indomitable with TK, RCE and a long dial, this version of GL couldn’t make the cut due to his relatively high price and lack of moving attack to be more effective at that cost. Setmate Kilowog (Green Lantern Fast Forces #002) had many of the same issues, with his lack of Indom and shorter life and range offsetting his lower cost. Neither was quite impressive or unique enough to carve a place in Heroclixin’s Top Ten…but maybe they do on yours!

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Thanks for reading. Be back tomorrow for the first in a number of special Token Totin’ installments for the month of October.

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#2

Barry Allen  (DC 75th Anniversary #054)

Good cop:

  • Hypersonic Speed is the best power in the game. 
  • He’s got solid numbers backing it up.
  • Mid-dial Exploit Weakness with Combat Reflexes give him a reason to not just hit-and-run all the time.
  • If he does get hit to deep clicks, then he can Flurry with his SP…and Flurry anyone on the board. 
  • A little Outwit in the end can be a rude surprise for the enemy.

Bad cop:

  • His JLA TA is largely wasted on his 119-point cost.

Final report: Overall, he brings that extra little bit of close combat prowess that the Police are largely lacking, a bit of a tentpole’s effect on a game but without the tentpole’s high price tag. All this earns Barry the #2 spot among HeroClix’s cops.

#1

 

Hal Jordan (DC 75th Anniversary #053)

Good cop:

  • Running Shot + 8 range, 11 AV and 4 damage make him a solid first-string, first-strike piece for the Police.
  • Two targets is also good with that high damage. Hedge your bets and make it hurt!
  • He’s Indomitable,  so you don’t need to fear pushing. But if you do decide to take the pushing damage, on click #2…
  • …behold Penetrating/Psychic Blast for when you’ve got tough hides to crack. He’s got three straight clicks of this power.
  • Perplex shows up soon for a couple of slots, making him solid support during his mid-dial.
  • His SP “One-Man Justice League” allows use of any standard attack power not showing on your squad, giving him extreme flexibility even after taking big hurt.
  • It’s his trait that makes him great for fellow cops, though. “The Aviator” gives pals Flight when he makes move actions. 
  • And thanks to the JLA team ability, his move actions are free!

Bad cop:

  • He’s one of the most expensive Police keyword pieces out there. May not be able to get him on a proper team.
  • Most times, he’ll be making tentpole-style attacks rather than using his Aviator trait. 
  • For the same reasons, his JLA team ability is basically an utter waste most of the time.
  • He has a very soft mid-dial.

Final report: In the end, though HeroClix is a superhero game, and Hal’s a superhero cop. So it’s no surprise he’s the #1 Police keyword figure in the game.

Monday: Heroclixin’s honorable mentions the other top cops in ‘Clix!

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#4

Bishop (Mutations and Monsters #014)

Good cop:

  • Running Shot + 8 range, 11 AV and 3 damage make him a solid first-string, first-strike piece for the Police.
  • Leadership is also good, with many of his cohorts being cheaper than his 100-point cost.
  • Push easily to Outwit on click #2 in case you’ve got tough hides to crack. He’s got more clicks down-dial, too.
  • Mid- and late-dial Ranged Combat Expert keeps him a consistently dangerous shooter.
  • A couple of Regeneration clicks can get him back in great fighting shape.

Bad cop:

  • He’s pretty soft, defensively, starting with Energy Shield/Deflection instead of the Toughness scattered on his dial.
  • His X-Men team ability is wasted points on virtually all cop squads.

Final report: Bishop is an ideal leader of smaller friends and he needs the help.

#3

Gotham City Detective  (Arkham Asylum #006)

Good cop:

  • Enhancement is very good for a theme that does a lot of shooting. It also works hand-in-hand with his…
  • …PD team ability.
  • Pushes easily to Plasticity and Willpower, making him a good tie-up piece in a pinch and one who can act 2 of 3 turns.
  • All for a low 27 points.

Bad cop:

  • Not very strong on his own.

Final report: But come on! For that cost — same as the #10 piece on this list, R Mandroid Armor — he makes the whole team better. Run multiples.

Tomorrow: the top two cops in ‘Clix!

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#6

Nightwing (Crisis #029)

Good cop:

  • Leadership followed by Perplex make Mr. Grayson a superb support piece.
  • His triad of team abilities keep him safe and aid in his great support ability.
  • He’s hard to hit, sporting an effective 19 or better DV almost no matter what.
  • He’s very featable, too, qualifying for many of the best. Try not to go overboard!

Bad cop:

  • His low damage is a problem, especially at…
  • …His not-low 79-point cost.
  • It’s a problem that he has to push to gain the more useful Perplex over his Leadership. 

Final report: You’ll have to make sure other pieces can crack through enemy Invulnerable hides, because Dick here won’t be without help. His need for support keeps him off the top 5.

#5

Abin Sur  (Green Lantern Fast Forces #006)

Good cop:

  • Gotta love that “carry anybody” SP! He provides an unequalled level of mobility. Especially with…
  • The Green Lantern team ability. As most Police characters are walkers, he can transport 8 of ’em at a time.

Bad cop:

  • For the latter half of his dial, he’s not carryin’ nobody. 
  • A bit weak on offense.

Final report: At just 50 points, he’s by far the cheapest source of the GL TA and, as such, is a great war wagon to cart around a lot of cops.

Tomorrow, #3 and #4.

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#8

Lt. Marcus Stone (Web of Spider-Man #021)

Good cop:

  • Hey, Outwit! Even though he’s got to get close to use it, it’s still welcome.
  • His trait  makes him a boon to ANY adjacent fellow Police officers.
  • He’s not too expensive at 45 points for all that.

Bad cop:

  • His stats aren’t too hot, especially his range.
  • He WILL be a priority target, and one that will pretty much have to be in the thick of things to fully leverage his powers. Keep that in mind.

Final report: But since his Outwit SP is used at short range anyhow, it’s not a real drag on him. Lt. Stone is a low-cost fig that only makes cops better, so he’s easily #8.

#7

Roy Harper Jr.  (Legacy #202)

Good cop:

  • Running Shot with 3 damage makes him an inexpensive cop who can hurt.
  • He pushes to Stealth on click two to make him a nice hidden sniper who can lay down cover fire…
  • …or lend aid with the PD team ability.
  • At just 39 points, he’s not breaking the bank even a little bit.

Bad cop:

  • Horrible horrible HORRIBLE defense numbers, even for the time.
  • That second target? Almost useless. Imagine he’d be barely more than 30 points without it!

Final report: Strictly a secondary or tertiary attacker on a Police squad, but one that will likely be underestimated.

Tomorrow we hit the city streets and the starlit skies…

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#10

Rookie Mandroid Armor (Clobberin’ Time #007)

Good cop:

  • low cost. At 28 points, this generic’s the game’s cheapest source of Telekinesis, a power in short supply among Police.
  • SHIELD team ability.  Even down his dial, this keeps him useful for the mostly range-oriented cop squads.

Bad cop:

  • Only one click that’s any good. 

Final report: A good filler piece that offers more than any of the other, cheaper generics, this is Heroclixin’s #10 officer.

#9

Chun-Li (Street Fighter #104)

Good cop:

  • She’s a rare tie-up piece for a Police theme thanks to a near-full run of Combat Reflexes.
  • Street Fighter team ability makes sure she can get off a potential attack during that tie-up action.
  • Or she can take an easier shot with 3 range. Options!
  • Her Flurry lasts a few very pushable clicks to deal out a fair amount of damage to soft targets.

Bad cop:

  • Lack of early Leap/Climb makes her a bit less great at tie-up.
  • Low damage, too.

Final report: She fills a specialized role on Police teams better than any other and thus earns Heroclixin’s #9 spot.

Tomorrow we climb up the chain of command…

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We in the U.S. look back on 9/11, the day 10 years ago that changed everything. One thing that event made stark to us is how very much we are continually indebted to the heroes in our midst — the first responders. The ones who, while the rest of us run from danger, are running toward it.

And although this describes any given superhero most of the time, too, there’s something more noble about the characters who are sworn to protect and serve when they’re not in the super-suits as well. In HeroClix, they’re represented by the Police keyword.

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Some criteria:

  • I’m looking at HEROES. No bad cops allowed. (I’m thinking of you, AA Zoom.)
    “RRRAAATTTTSS!!!”
  • I’m also ranking them according to how well they work with other Police, it being one of the more selective generic keywords.

Be here starting next Monday for the first of the Top Ten of Heroclixin’s Finest!