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Legacy cards are clearly here to stay. So far they’ve been a way to:

  • Bring some old pieces back into Modern/Silver play with a twist (L038 Thing, for example)
  • Make some old figs that never really worked right work better (L056 Hawkeye, L052 Human Torch)
  • Completely change the play style of some old figs (Ultimates Captain America)
  • Bring some now-unplayable-due-to-game-changes pieces back into some sort of playability (X-Plosion Destiny)

And until now, they’ve been pure F.U.N.: Nothing too strong or possibly meta.

Until now.

 

ha044

L044 Air-Walker (Hammer of Thor, 2009)

THEN: I rated him an honorable mention among the best of the year due to his opening Hypersonic Speed, once-excellent AV and Power Cosmic. though his low damage and poor defense for his cost lost him his spot.

NOW: Changes to powers make him a little better on top dial. But the only material changes to him personally are a MAJOR cost drop from 201 to just 125 points — with a trait that respawns him in your start zone on click #1. Wild, that point formula.
F.U.N.? Now that you can actually fit him on a team, sure.

———

Ct075

L075 Dr. Doom (Clobberin’ Time, 2003)

THEN: He almost made me quit the game back when I started in 2005 thanks to Enhancement EE. But the rules got changed and, while never bad, he faded into Golden Age obscurity. Still, with a sky-high 12 AV, Perplex to aid his printed 3 damage, his old Minions of Doom wild card status and two clicks of Mastermind, he could last a good while on that top dial with the right 102 points of support to back his 198-point price.
NOW: No longer a wild card and with Perplex no more working on damage, he instead gets a cost shave to 175 and a bunch of traits centered around making up to 3 Doombot pogs (which have the same powers/stats as the old Veteran Doombot) to serve as MM fodder and Leadership tokens off Doom himself, boost his AV and DV and number of [BOLTS], and FREE KO them to heal and teleport to their last square.

F.U.N.? He’s super F.U.N. Having to hit to create Doombots keeps him from being unfair.

———

ff095

L095 Dr. Doom (Fantastic Forces, 2005)

THEN: Totally relying on his wild card status, he was generally unplayable because a bloated 186 price left him with few points to team up with. And his strong Pulse Wave numbers notwithstanding, he really wasn’t impressive stats-wise.  
NOW: .He gets a couple of new traits: one that makes Mosquito pogs and the other that boosts his AV and DV against targets he and his pogs hit this game. Also drops to 125 points.

F.U.N.? Seems OK. Definitely not an overbearing piece.

———

ic138

L138 Firelord (Infinity Challenge, 2002)

THEN: With sky-high starting numbers and gameplay allowing him to carried into battle and attack right away, he was part of the S-tier meta early on. Changes to the game made him much less central, but he remained a top figure for years after retirement thanks in part to his TRASH numbers down his very long dial making him very easy to heal back into the fight.
NOW: .He only drops 7 points … a very modest discount compared to others so far. But he gains a lot: Cosmic Energy, FREE Regen and, once a game, a free attack with his printed values.

F.U.N.? That last thing is a nice nod to his original play style, but balanced in a way that it wasn’t back then. So yeah, F.U.N. indeed

———

ff003

L003 Lockjaw (Fantastic Forces, 2005)

THEN: As the “L” in “L.A.M.P.,” Lockjaw was part of a meta-defining strategy: Use the Phasing transporter Lockjaw (L) to taxi a piece bearing the Armor Piercing feat (A), the Mastermind defense power (M) and the Poison attack power (P) next to a target, then deal free damage to the target turn after turn while any enemy damage gets thrown onto the big dog’s very long dial.
NOW: He still has Passenger:1 but can carry 4 if they share a keyword, making him more of a mega taxi than ever. Moreover, keyword pals get to use Mastermind on him, so three-fourths of the LAMP strat returns! Finally, he has a great use as a tie-up piece — when he misses attacks, he immobilizes the target (thanks to his poor AV). All for 8 points less!

F.U.N.? Without Armor Piercing (think Precision Strike that also works with non-attacks), LAMP isn’t really as effective. But I daresay this is 100% a meta piece again.

———

gg026

L026 Mole Man (Galactic Guardians, 2012)

THEN: His friendly Mind Control SP with +3 AV made Monster teams viable.
NOW: The SP is changed to double target Incap … not good with his not good 9AV, even though his Incap deals penetrating damage. Better is his new trait that gives him Passenger: 6 for Monsters, even colossal ones.

F.U.N.? Mole Man usually rides out with his armies, so this is much more character accurate.

———

gg021

L021 Red Shift (Galactic Guardians, 2012)

THEN: At the time he was one of the cheapest Power Cosmic figures at 106 points. But his SP to teleport foes he damaged up to 3 squares away was never that great despite his Hypersonic Speed.
NOW: He no longer has to damage in order to ‘port targets, just hit, and it’s based on his BCF roll instead — a power that combos with HSS now. He also costs WAY less: just 60 points.

F.U.N.? Better than before, but still not much use.

———

ic141

L141 Thanos (Infinity Challenge, 2002)

THEN: “Fat Thanos” as I used to call him, had a fearsome mid-dial 15 AV but not much else to make him notable even just three or so years after his release.
NOW: .Oh brother. Not only does he shave from down to points, but he gains Cosmic Energy TA (Power Cosmic didn’t exist in the very first HeroClix set), the ability to reduce penetrating damage, and, above all, his Infinity Gem-themed trait “Behold the Ultimate Power in the Universe” that add 1 to 3 powersets of his choice each turn. It’s a lot more than I want to go through. Suffice it to say that he can always see through EVERYTHING from 10 range and hit you hard right after Mind Controlling you, maybe even after Phasing 5 squares for free. Or free heal up. And more.

F.U.N.? Not in the least. This guy is pure top tier meta, something we kinda hoped these cards would never be. Only his putrid defense numbers on his latter half make him even slightly fair.

———

Heroclixin’ supposes that because these cards are event prizes rather than being simply a little bonus for buying a brick, they were made a bit stronger. But we’re still a little disappointed that they’re not quite the pure F.U.N. their predecessors were.

Like we said, legacy cards are here to stay. Look out for our review of the 12(!) in War of the Realms.

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Batman and Ace

Friday, March 18, 2022, WizKids announced its 2022 rotation of sets to retire.

It’s the worst.

The following sets will be leaving Modern Age: 

5-Figure Booster Sets (including Organized Play game elements and incentives associated with each set 

  • DC Comics HeroClix: Rebirth 
  • Marvel HeroClix: Avengers Black Panther and the Illuminati 
  • Marvel HeroClix: X-Men The Animated Series: The Dark Phoenix Saga 
  • Marvel HeroClix: Captain America and the Avengers 
  • DC Comics HeroClix: Justice League Unlimited 

Fast Forces Packs 

  • DC Comics Heroclix: Rebirth 
  • Marvel HeroClix: Avengers Black Panther and the Illuminati 
  • Star Trek HeroClix Away Team: Resistance is Futile 
  • Marvel HeroClix: X-Men The Animated Series: The Dark Phoenix Saga 
  • Marvel HeroClix: Captain America and the Avengers

Starter Sets 

  • WWE HeroClix: The Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection 
  • WWE HeroClix: Mixed Match Challenge 
  • Orville HeroClix: The Orville Starter 
  • DC Comics HeroClix: Justice League Unlimited 
  • Marvel HeroClix: Fantastic Four Cosmic Clash 

Micro Sets (including Organized Play game elements and incentives associated with each set 

  • Marvel HeroClix: Wolverine v Cyclops: X-Men Regenesis 
  • Star Trek HeroClix Away Team: Resistance is Futile 
  • Star Trek HeroClix Away Team: To Boldly Go 
  • WWE HeroClix 
  • Marvel HeroClix Deep Cuts: X-Men Primed 
  • Marvel HeroClix: Black Widow Movie 

Convention Exclusives and Limited Edition Game Elements 

  • WK MP19-001 Ghost Rider 
  • WK MP19-002 Magneto 
  • WK MP19-003 Rogue 
  • WK MP19-004 Thane 
  • WK MP19-005 Lilandra 
  • WK MP19-006 Storm 
  • WK MP19-007 Miles and Gwen 
  • WK MP19-008 Doop 
  • WK MP19-009 Weapon H 
  • WK MP19-010 Hulk 
  • WK MP19-101 Gladiator 
  • WK MP19-102 Hussar 
  • WK MP19-103 Manta 
  • WK MP19-104 Black Dwarf 
  • WK MP19-105 I.S.A.A.C. 
  • WK MP19-106 Supergiant 
  • WK MP19-s001 Exospex 
  • WK MP19-s002 Corvus’ Glaive 
  • WK MP19-s003 Proxima Midnight’s Spear 
  • WK MP19-s101 Remaker (Mandarin Ring) 
  • WK MP19-s102 Influence (Mandarin Ring) 
  • WK MP19-s103 Spin (Mandarin Ring) 
  • WK MP19-s104 Spectral (Mandarin Ring) 
  • WK MP19-s105 Nightbringer (Mandarin Ring) 
  • WK MP19-s106 Daimonic (Mandarin Ring) 
  • WK MP19-s107 Incandescence (Mandarin Ring) 
  • WK MP19-s108 Lightning (Mandarin Ring) 
  • WK MP19-s109 The Liar (Mandarin Ring) 
  • WK MP19-s110 Zero (Mandarin Ring) 
  • WK DP19-001a Batmobile 
  • WK DP19-001b Controlled Batmobile 
  • WK DP19-002 Lobo 
  • WK DP19-003 Kyle Rayner 
  • WK DP19-004 Superman Prime 
  • WK DP19-005 Ambrose Chase 
  • WK DP19-006 Raven 
  • WK DP19-007 Robby Reed 
  • WK DP19-008 Static Shock 
  • WK DP19-009 Robin 
  • WK DP19-010 Batcycle 
  • WK DP19-101 The Flash 
  • WK DP19-102 Reverse-Flash 
  • WK DP19-103 Steve Trevor 
  • WK DP19-s001 The H-Dial 
  • WK WP20-002 Ultimate Warrior 
  • WK WP20-003 John Cena 

Monthly Organized Play Sets 

  • January 2019 (M19-001 Negasonic Teenage Warhead, M19-002 Deadpool, M19-003 Wolverine) 
  • March 2019 (M19-004 Misty Knight, M19-005 Luke Cage, M19-006 Iron Fist) 
  • April 2019 (M19-007 Ai Apaec, M19-008 Spider-Man, M19-009 Scarlet Spider) 
  • May 2019 (M19-010 Bullseye, M19-011 Punisher, M19-012 Daredevil) 
  • June 2019 (M19-016 Queen Shuri, M19-017 Klaw, M19-018 M’Baku) 
  • July 2019 (M19-013 Storm, M19-014 Rogue, M19-015 Phoenix) 
  • November 2019 (M19-019 Dweller-In-Darkness, M19-020 Nightmare, M19-021 Baron Mordo) 
  • December 2019 (D19-001 Kyle Rayner, D19-002 Guy Gardner, D19-003 John Stewart) 
  • January 2020 (D19-004 Martian Manhunter, D19-005 Batman, D19-006 Despero) 
  • February 2020 (D19-007 Black Canary, D19-008 Green Arrow, D19-009 Wildcat) 
  • March 2020 (D19-010 Mera, D19-011 Atlantean General, D19-012 King Trench) 
  • April 2020 (D19-013 Catwoman, D19-014 Batman, D19-015 Poison Ivy) 

 

What the what, WK??

See, last year, the rotation was slimmer than usual because the pandemic had kept much of the world from playing in 2020. Good decision by WizKids.

But the pandemic endures. And while more of the world has been able to play HeroClix, there have been zero official WizKids Open events or ROC events in that time.

That’s why I highlighted certain sets in orange (sets that had no appearance in a Worlds championship event) or red (sets that didn’t even get a single WizKids Open).

It’s outrageous to retire them under these circumstances.

It’s even worse, considering the scarcity of DC sets in general in recent years, that Justice League Unlimited is summarily retired as though its Modern Age wasn’t entirely subsumed by the pandemic.

Yes, there’s been some online play. (Which Black Widow ruled. And that set’s also exiting.) But it’s not the same and WK could have given JLU one proper season of WKO play.

What’s weirder is the inclusion of the Fantastic Four Cosmic Clash starter set in this cutoff.

I was legit pissed about it all. Was gonna start a hashtag “#JUSTICE FOR JLU!” and everything.

But Silver Age, though.

 

 

Silver Age, tho

ROC founder Howard Brock popped up early March to announce that the league’s events would be 100% Silver Age this year. It’s a much-needed shot in the arm for the new format, which hasn’t seen any action or support from WizKids since it was announced nearly a year ago.

I think that’s what this year’s too-aggressive Modern rotation is actually about: WK wants to put life into Silver Age. And shuffling some still-fresh, not-quite-expired stuff like JLU (and semi-problematic, maybe-expired licenses like WWE) to Silver might do that.

Speaking of Silver, WK also made real changes to the ban list and watch list for the format.

 

Ban List 

  • All Special Terrain Dials 
  • WK MP-18 001 Blackbird resource dial 
  • FF JW 004 The Penguin 
  • ADW 067 Hawkeye
  • EAX 019b Vulture 
  • XTAS 048 Jason Wyngarde 
  • AOU AUID-103 Captain America 
  • NFAOS NFID-009 U.S. Agent 
  • WF WFID-103 Green Lantern 

The listed game elements are being banned due to their effects and/or abilities causing prolonged turns, if not games. In some cases, their ability to combo with other game elements greatly exceeds their strength from when they were Modern legal.

Changes from the previous ban list are in green. Interestingly, it appears that the Blackbird jet itself, previously banned, is Silver legal again and only the resource dial is barred from the format.

Special Terrains, too, are nixed. Heroclixin’ is perfectly fine with this because the idea of a force carrying around a boxing ring (EDIT: It’s actually allowed; only terrains with a dial are banned) for its fight is ridiculous even by the standards of the source material — to say nothing of the un-F.U.N. negative play experience of facing them.

We’re also seeing a trend in the other bans (which include a number of pieces that weren’t even on the Silver Age watchlist before): WK is barring effects that allow nigh-endless chains of attacks. So no Silver revival of Hawkguy, prime Vulture, Wyngarde or the Cap and GL ID cards’ Inspiration effects.

That leaves the U.S. Agent ID card as the head-scratcher here. I suppose WK didn’t want to completely nerf Stealth, Smoke Cloud or Barrier as a global effect, even for one turn. It’s a good move, though maybe not as necessary as the others.

 

 

Let’s see some IDs

Speaking of ID cards, WK is leaning HARD into them for Silver Age. Even cards from sets that pre-date Superior Foes of Spider-Man by a full year-plus are Silver legal.

I was not enthused at this news. While they were never as odious as resources, IDs certainly became absolutely ubiquitous and drove up the “pay to play” factor in HeroClix exponentially. There were whole decent pieces you COULD NOT PLAY competitively because a 3-point Cyclops call-in could one-shot them for 6 damage Penetrating Blast.

Worse, like resources were for more of their tenure, IDs have no counter outside of a single silver bullet of a figure … maybe two. And both are themselves chase figures.

Worst yet, they were very low risk and high reward. Sometimes ZERO risk, with the ID fig being able to exit the field if 6+ squares from the fig that generated it.

A couple of things have softened my opinion on this, though.

Loss of Perplex. For example, that Cyclops ID was always juiced to the max with the brown damage power in the past. It no longer affects damage, so to properly weaponize the cheapest Cyke, you’ll need multiple Enhancement/SHIELD TA — at minimum — and the chance to “poof” him and avoid counterattack is harder to do in that case.

Changes to Hypersonic Speed. The loss of easy breakaway for close attacks makes it MUCH harder to poof away with a HSS ID fig.

A more mixed meta. Maybe you don’t need to field a dedicated Barrier piece if you’re sure you only need it for a round. So that opens room for the team you REALLY wanna play.

A new rule banning multiple identical ID figs. Sorry to pick on Cyclops so much, but he was a HUGE problem when for 8 points (5-point Headmaster card and the 3-point Student version) you could KO a 12-click Impervious fig in two turns.

Even though we’re about F.U.N. here at Heroclixin’, a healthy meta contributes to that. So we’re here for it.

 

But watch (list) out now

I guess we shouldn’t get too attached to the IDs. They’re the first item on the updated Watch List.

Watch List 

ALL ID Cards

 

No Update, but remains on Watch List 

  • JW 060 The Joker 

  • FF HQGG 006 Corrupt GCPD Cop 

  • EAX 054 Daredevil 

  • AI G001 Giant-Girl  

  • AI G025 Groot 

  • FF AI G001 Giant-Girl 

  • WK MP18 005 Lockjaw 

  • XTAS G014 Proteus 

  • XTAS G018 Wendigo 

  • HOX 030 Moira X

It appears WK is questioning some of the “don’t-die” pieces out there and some of the retaliation pieces. (They also errata’d Mangog, Surtur and Carnage retaliations to match others so they have to make the attack to do the additional effect.)

But here’s some they decided were OK:

 

Removed from the Watch List 

  • JW 053b Jakeem Thunder 

  • TMT 058 Uni-Mind 

  • TMNT3 Mini Shredder 

  • SW:BW 061 Black Panther 

  • XTAS 011b Magneto 

  • XTAS 023b Sabretooth 

  • XTAS 043b Mister Sinister 

  • XTAS G020 Dark Phoenix 

  • AI G017 Giganto & Namor 

  • WK MP-18 G001 Tri-Sentinel 

Interesting there’s no mention of Goblin King, who was on the list before. But he was only gross with Special Terrain. With that gone, he’s a fair tentpole.

  • JW 053b Jakeem Thunder: He never belonged here, IMO.
  • TMT 058 Uni-Mind: Boy oh boy do I hate this piece. But he’s probably OK now that Perplex doesn’t work on damage.
  • TMNT3 Mini Shredder: Probably should still be watched. Free damage like that doesn’t belong in the game. Not again.
  • SW:BW 061 Black Panther: I suppose WK decided he’s not so deathless after all. 
  • XTAS 011b Magneto, XTAS 023b Sabretooth, XTAS 043b Mister Sinister: Same for this holographic trio.
  • XTAS G020 Dark Phoenix: has been in serious check for a WHILE now, even though she’s better in the 2021 rules.
  • AI G017 Giganto & Namor: The Swim ability really isn’t as much an advantage in this melee-friendly meta we find ourselves in. 
  • WK MP-18 G001 Tri-Sentinel: He got errata’d more than a year ago to actually have to Colossal Retaliate to get his second effect. So until WK does the right thing and retires/bans all CRs for good, I suppose he’s all right to stay on.

Whew! That was more than I planned to write. But I had feelings about it.

TL;DR: Silver Age is sort of the new Modern for ROC and could get interesting.