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Wow, a little time has passed since the last update that was SUPPOSED to come early last week, not early THIS week. We promise there’s a reason for it (more than standard laziness, anyhow) that’ll be apparent in the near future. Anyway, we continue the FUN Focus on the Guardians of the Galaxy, this time looking at the early NECA-era pieces. (NOTE: much of this text is edited from the original reviews from 2009 and 2010.)

Still ticked that he's *tik* not on the "A-list."

Bug [Hammer of Thor 001] 44
His mobility (Leap/Climb to get in any position), defense (Super Senses with a 17 DV to loan to other members with the Defenders symbol), damage ability (Exploit Weakness makes him impossible to safely ignore) and surprise 4 range makes him worth every point. He’s filler, but he’s gooood filler. Like the cream in a Twinkie. Feat him with Lunge, if anything. Fine for any size GotG build but thematically only fits the DnA team. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Could make the “A” team, finally.
rocket-raccoon_large
Rocket Raccoon [Hammer of Thor 028] 65
Leap/Climb-ing Probability Control and 17 DV with Super Senses make this critter indispensable for the theme. In between forcing rerolls and loaning his defense to fellow Defenders, his 8 range keeps him in the fight. Getting hit only turns him into an Running Shooting Outwitter. Excellent combination of secondary fighter and support piece. The only reason to leave him off the team is if you’re running a 1990s or earlier build or if you’d rather run a different RR. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: He’s still the cheapest Rocket on the market

...but he's Number ONE with the BULLETS.

Star-Lord [Hammer of Thor 025] 90
He needs defense help from his teammmates, he’s very soft and he’s very short-dialed for his near-100-point cost. Compounding the problem is that Star-Lord’s Running Shot makes him a key attacker ahead of more stationary shooters or melee-oriented teammates.
His SP “Galactic Marksman” is just about good enough to counterbalance ALL that.
It gives him the choice to boost his AV +2 against a single target or his damage +2 against two. And suddenly this fragile, 9 AV piece is blasting for 4 clicks all over the place again and again (because he’s quite pushable). Basing him doesn’t help; he’s a Sharpshooter with Combat Reflexes. Hitting him may only knock him into Stealth and Ranged Combat Expert for continued damage and/or AV boosts. Feat him with Contingency Plan and field him in any size build over 100 unless you decide to go with a different version of the character. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: His time may be gone, though, with so many other versions of the character to use

Now I'm a believer!!!!

Phyla-Vell [Hammer of Thor 042] 138

Top-loaded Perplex wouldn’t seem the best use of her high points, but that’s what Phyla’s good for. It’s not as pathetic as it sounds. For example, since she’s one of the team’s taxis, it’s good that she can boost the defense of her fare or herself during that round she’s not attacking…and being able to make herself a nigh-unhittable 20 DV at range (in hindering terrain) isn’t a bad way to pass the time. Moreover, she can still make herself useful when she’s got two tokens after using Power Cosmic to push for free (being one of the cheaper figs with the TA to date, and the ONLY one under 150 with 8 fighting clicks of life) and shoot someone for 3 or 4 (again thanks to Perplex) with her high 11 AV.
‘Course, all that paints a day-glo bull’s eye right on her chest (um…literally), so she needs Protected in case her high DV and Super Senses both fail and she would take 5 or more damage. But if she’s NOT taking 5 damage, just take the hit and and get Hypersonic Speed and thank your opponent with beatdowns two of every three turns. She fits thematically on the DnA series team. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Save her for those huge battles where she’s not taking as much fire and won’t be a tentpole. ‘Cuz she’s just not one

It wedges under his mask!

Jack Flag [Captain America 011] 64
He fits a heretofore empty role on the Guardians roster: The inexpensive melee fighter. With Charge, Super Strength (as noted in the repurposed Token Totin’ image above), Toughness and Indomitable, Jack is the perfect backup for a team full of mid-to long-range shooters and a few tie-up figures. He’s been supplanted a bit with some welcome additions in the close-fighting corps, but he’s still equally welcome on a DnA-based build of any size. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: He may hate cosmic stuff but he can handle some of it

He is Groot.

Groot [Web of Spider-Man 040] 152
The first version of the big guy did so much for the team.
  1. He’s got great defense. He can chain his 18 DV with weaker members possessing the Defenders ATA. Being the first able to do so is key.
  2. He’s another taxi. Being a giant affords that. But…
  3. He’s terribly slow. Without TK (he’s a giant) or the speed boost of, say, the Kinetic Accelerator special object, it takes him a looooong time to get in the fight.
  4. He’s tough to put down. Protected by Shape Change and Invulnerability and a self-healing SP when in hindering or water, Groot can stick around. And with him loaning that DV, he’s liable to draw fire away from lesser members of the team.
He is Groot. And he should be on your Defenders TA-heavy DnA or Bendis teams. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: The first Groot may still be the best
  =====================

OK. Next up is the look at Galactic Guardians. We PROMISE it’ll be out this week. (EDIT: It wasn’t. Sorry!)

by ·Comments Off on coming soon: Heroclixin’ 2.0!!!!!!11!!!!!

Don’t you kinda hate when anything puts the “2.0” rider on to indicate it’s new and improved? We sure do, especially HeroClix players who remember the game’s immediate ancestor, Mage Knight, which put out a 2.0 version that immediately rendered the entire “1.0” game unplayable.

Hence Heroclixin’s rather ironic use of “2.0” in the title.

What’s actually changing:

  • It’s heroclixin.wordpress.com with a new “www.heroclixin.com” domain
  • It’s getting a new look.
  • It’s getting back to a more regular schedule.

We’ve got some other ideas in the works, too, but the core raison d’être is still the focus: Heroclixin’ is all about F.U.N.

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 OK, finally time to start this, because Heroclixin’ has seen the film. Liked it, didn’t quite love it. But almost. Recommended.
Which clix are recommended, though? Read on.
Yellowjacket [Clobberin’ Time 027] 37
A Guardian by keyword alone, she appeared in the 1990s series as a refugee from the 20th Century. And this Vet, coming from an early set, is predictably terrible. With Incap as her only power and AV of just 8 and lower, the only thing she’s good for is being the dirt-cheapest member of the team and a mediocre taxi. Use her as sacrificial tie-up/meat shield/point filler if at all. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Don’t quite hate her — barely
Rita DeMara [Clobberin’ Time 109] 43
The LE of the above Yellowjacket, she packs on 6 extra points to gain the Spider-Man Ally TA. This, at least, allows her to copy the Defenders TA that many Guardians sport to make her a more efficient sacrifice. But near her price point, there are better pieces to play. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: No.
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R Vance Astro  (Supernova 058) 49: 
This Rookie is  junk with terrible stats despite the solid 8 range and Incapacitate. Only play him if you’re aiming for a comic-accurate 1969 series original lineup, and then only if you’ve got to squeeze down to this version for points’ sake. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Junk otherwise

Still a lot sturdier than she looks!

R Aleta (Supernova 043) 51:
 Unless you’re trying to field a comic- or movie-accurate team for the more recent series, you should put her in every GotG keyword team you can. Telekinesis doubles the team’s effectiveness. Barrier, too, helps, and she’s got multiple clicks of both. In fact, she was nearly the best Barrier specialist of all in Heroclixin’s Top Ten a few years back. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Love her.
E Vance Astro  (Supernova 059) 70: 

The Experienced Vance adds considerable cost over the Rookie but gains two starting clicks of Invulnerability and 3 damage to make him the most durable and damaging of the three versions, actually. But the lack of the shield just makes him less fun, in my opinion. :) Stunning Blow is an OK feat to use, though I hate to add points to him. Save him for old-school GotG builds. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Do we even still own this piece?
Vance Astrovik (Supernova 208) 72
The LE of Vance Astro, he trades off the opening Invulnerability of the Exp. for  Toughness, Force Blast and Leadership. He’s really not very good down the dial but he does get a second shot at living with a pair of Regen clicks. Again, he’s only for comic-accurate teams from the 1969 or 1990 series. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Not a fan
Aleta  (Supernova 044) 75
Here’s what Heroclixin’ wrote about her as a Barrier specialist: “Very much on the high end for a Barrier specialist, and her attack values are middling for her cost and role as a sniper. But 10 range is great for the power. Better still is that, with Running Shot and Telekinesis appearing after Barrier’s gone, she has great utility in the mid- to late-game action. Her Defenders TA could be useful. Adding the Guardians of the Galaxy ATA protects her from Outwit.” And it’s all still true. It’s hard to recommend her over the Rookie, though. Use her best on 1990s team builds. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Don’t love her

Major Victory [Supernova 060] 84

10 range and 3 damage and Impervious on his first click is about the only thing worthy on this piece. Well, there’s some Leadership, too, but he’s maybe the third piece you’d reach for on this team for that power. Thus, he’s utterly unpushable. But if he does lose that bit of life, at least he’s got Energy Shield/Deflection to help. Another good thing about him? He has a 17 DV to loan via the Defenders TA. He’s best saved for keyword-specific builds of any size, though he thematically best fits the second and third series. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: It’s all about the shield for F.U.N.’s sake
sv045
One-Who-Knows  (Supernova) 123
The LE of the Aleta/Starhawk REV, this piece is on your team for his 10 range Probability Control, double-target Energy Explosion and 17 DV (for fellow Defenders). There’s also a smattering of other useful powers down the dial — Running Shot, Hypersonic Speed, Outwit, Ranged Combat Expert — but he’s pretty soft-shelled. The time-traveling character is at home on any incarnation of the team but is naturally a better fit on high build totals where he’s not the focal point. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: We knows we like

V Starhawk (Supernova) 144: Though he boasts an extreme 12 range and Running Shot to start, his opening AV is markedly inferior for the cost.  But he gains Hypersonic Speed mid-dial, and his attack numbers ramp up nicely. He’s probably a stronger piece feated with either Elite Sniper or Trick Shot, but those feats each bump his price well over 150 points and he might not be worth it. Save him for 400 and up. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: Top cost, second rate

Ooooo!! Iz COMIK ACCURITE!!!!!

 Yondu (Avengers 048) 53:

He’s cheap Running Shot + 3 damage and Energy Explosion. Though he fits with either old- or new-school GotG, he’s still one of the last I tend to pick, frankly. HEROCLIXIN’S TAKE: For archery themes only

++++++++++

Next time (early next week), we peek at the next batch of Guardians put out in Heroclix.

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Guardians-of-the-Galaxy-Movie-Logo_3

In the early days of Heroclixin’, battle reports starring the Guardians of the Galaxy were like a regular thing, practically. Now with a new movie on the scene, equally new HeroClix are emerging. This F.U.N. Focus is a new look at all the pieces available to the theme, set by set.

But first, a little bit of context.

The Guardians of the Galaxy isn’t just one team or series; it’s been about four or five.

The first was a quartet that fought as a resistance force against the galaxy-dominating Badoon in like 3000 AD, appearing in late Silver Age/early Bronze Age comics in the ’70s. Core members included Charlie-27, Martinex, Yondu and Vance Astro.

Screen shot 2013-03-02 at 9.46.04 AM

It was created by Arnold Drake and Gene Colan.

The second series was published in the early ’90s, expanding on the original concept and introducing a lot of new characters to the core team such as Aleta/Starhawk, Nikki, Hollywood and the Keeper.

GOTG

Written and drawn by Jim Valentino, it lasted 62 issues.

The third team was a completely new one starring Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, Drax, Adam Warlock and Groot, set in the present time instead of the future. But as early as issue 2, it frequently tied into the original Guardians characters as the new team careened through time.

From left to right: Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, Star-Lord, Adam Warlock, Drax, Phyla-Vell.

This 2008 series by writer team Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (DnA) is Heroclixin’s favorite by far.

The fourth team and series is the current Guardians of the Galaxy comic that’s mostly the previous lineup but with a few more present-day Earth characters on board. Heroclixin’ thinks this Brian Michael Bendis-helmed effort is a great letdown after the excellence of the DnA series.

Guardians-of-the-Galaxy_1

(But it’s Bendis, so there might be a great payoff coming down the road.)

The fifth is the movie-based team, which is inspired by the third and fourth incarnations.

Guardians-of-the-Galaxy_900x506

As of this writing, the Heroclixin’ staff has not yet seen the film.

 

We be looking at the figs thusly:

  • Pre-NECA sets
  • pre-“oreo-base” sets
  • Galactic Guardians
  • Movie set
  • Current set

For each piece, we’ll highlight its role on a team and which incarnation it best fits. Stick with us these next couple of weeks.