2020! It was the start of a whole new decade.
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Unlike the Golden Age, or years 2017-2018 or 2019, would it see Black Panther finally walk into having a piece with ALL his key attributes?
- SMARTS: Outwit is his signature power.
- SOVEREIGNTY: Leadership is a must.
- SPEED: Needs IM:Elevated and good values
- STEALTH: ‘Nuff said.
- STRENGTH: Can he hit for 3-6 clicks on top dial?
- SURVIVABILITY: Damage reducers and good values.
What would THE KING’S VERDICT be?
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Captain America and the Avengers 037A Black Panther
- SMARTS: He doesn’t start with Outwit but gets it later. Opening SP makes him immune to enemy stat nerfs, Incap and the like. He sees through Stealth! B+
- SOVEREIGNTY: Leadership at start and at end. A-
- SPEED: Great Charge speed and IM:Elevated. A
- STEALTH: Trait. A.
- STRENGTH: Blades that penetrates on doubles (which is too unreliable) but lasts most of dial. AV is steady 11s to start. B+.
- SURVIVABILITY: No armor at all. C.
THE KING’S VERDICT: He’s a Team Player TA fig but with his own Stealth, he doesn’t NEED it like earlier wild card BPs. If only he started with Outwit or had any reducers, he’d be a model Panther even at 85 points.
Captain America and the Avengers 37AE Black Panther
- SMARTS: Actually starts with Outwit unlike the full cost. A
- SOVEREIGNTY: But loses the Leadership until he’s nearly out of the game. B-
- SPEED: A.
- STEALTH: A.
- STRENGTH: Loses some AV. B
- SURVIVABILITY: Only 4 clicks with no armor means a likely swift end. C-
THE KING’S VERDICT: See above but minus three clicks of life.
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Captain America and the Avengers 037B Azzuri
- SMARTS: He has none of the relevant powers. But it’s a different character so not a totally failing grade here. D
- SOVEREIGNTY: Not only has Leadership, but a trait boosting friendly Wakandan offense on his side of the map AND his SP removing tokens from those allies when he KOs targets. A
- SPEED: Decent Charge value with IM:Elevated. But only one click of it. B+
- STEALTH: Only shows at end dial. C-
- STRENGTH: Blades/Claws/Fangs to start, Close Combat Expert to end. A
- SURVIVABILITY: No armor at all, so he’ll need to hit with those late Steal Energy clicks to stay alive. C+
THE KING’S VERDICT: This is T’Challa’s grandpa. He definitely scales when built on a proper Wakanda force, but he’s not really a great use of the prime slot. And of course not a “prime” Panther.
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Fantastic Four 013a Black Panther
- SMARTS: A full dial of Outwit! A+
- SOVEREIGNTY: SP Leadership. A
- SPEED: No IM:Elevated, and his trait requires him to stay in the shadows anyway. Leap/Climb comes later. B
- STEALTH: It’s traited. A
- STRENGTH: His AV is fine, but 3 damage Precision Strike is too weak for a high grade here. B-
- SURVIVABILITY: He starts with high DV Reflexes, then gets Toughness. B-
THE KING’S VERDICT: This 60 points is so close to being a definitive BP with all the abilities — if a little weak at nearly all of them.
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Fantastic Four 013b Black Leopard
- SMARTS: He thoroughly lacks Outwit, but has Perplex that scales to +2 if he’s faced with a higher stat value. And of course his stat-nerfing trait is peak. B+
- SOVEREIGNTY: Leadership in the first few clicks. And his trait helps a whole team a lot. A+
- SPEED: No Improved Movement at all that matters anymore. Charge is adequate, though, and his SP Perplex can potentially extend it a lot. B-
- STEALTH: Completely lacking. F
- STRENGTH: Charge BCF with a possible 12 AV against a max 17 DV for the defender? Yes please. A+
- SURVIVABILITY: No reducers, though his stat nerfing keeps most within 6 from one-shooting him. C
THE KING’S VERDICT: Though a distinctly meta version of BP, he’s far from definitive.
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Fantastic Four Fast Forces 005 Black Panther
- SMARTS: Several clicks of Outwit. A
- SOVEREIGNTY: Two clicks of Leadership. More than adequate. A
- SPEED: 8 speed Charge is underwhelming without IM:Elevated. C
- STEALTH: Traited. A
- STRENGTH: As usual, his range is not really great but at least he has it. Charge Blades on both ends. A
- SURVIVABILITY: Starts with Toughness. Also gets Shape Change in hindering. B
THE KING’S VERDICT: Once again, this is close to being good. But the movement lacks. And at 75 points, he needs to be the whole package.
Fantastic Four Fast Forces 005E Black Panther
- SMARTS: Still has a pair of clicks of Outwit. A
- SOVEREIGNTY: But he loses the Leadership. F
- SPEED: And lacks the Charge (at first), bearing Sidestep instead. C-
- STEALTH: A
- STRENGTH: With the Sidestep, his range is actually a bit more useful. But this still drops to a grade of B-
- SURVIVABILITY: A sole click of Toughness, with aforementioned Shape Change. B-
THE KING’S VERDICT: Nope.
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The pandemic was making the world sick, but I was sick of these disappointing Panthers.
2021-22
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Avengers Fantastic Four Empyre 047a Black Panther
- SMARTS: No Outwit. F
- SOVEREIGNTY: Leadership early on (and super late on) plus the Recruiter trait to call in reinforcements from the KO area. A
- SPEED: Good Charge value with IM:Elevated. It’s what a Panther deserves. A-
- STEALTH: Somehow he has none. F
- STRENGTH: Charge then Flurry with Blades all through. A
- SURVIVABILITY: But no armor. Only Super Senses (that deals damage on misses) to save him. C
THE KING’S VERDICT: T’Challa and Shuri’s father, T’Chaka, is finally seen in clix. But he lacks a lot.
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Avengers Fantastic Four Empyre 047a T’Chaka II
- SMARTS: No Outwit. F
- SOVEREIGNTY: But a full dial of Leadership. He can also bail a friend out of getting hit with his “Distracting Banter” trait. A
- SPEED: No IM:Elevated. B-
- STEALTH: Has it for most of his short dial. A
- STRENGTH: Charge+Flurry+Blades is pretty good. A
- SURVIVABILITY: Zero damage reducers means he might need the Banter for himself to live. C
THE KING’S VERDICT: Though he was a Heroclixin’ favorite of the year 2021, this alternate-future son of T’Challa fails as a possible successor.
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War of the Realms Fast Forces 003 Black Panther
- SMARTS: He has Outwit top dial and end. A
- SOVEREIGNTY: No Leadership. F
- SPEED: No Improved Movement or even moving attack. F
- STEALTH: Top dial, end dial. A-
- STRENGTH: Has high AV but low damage potential on top while his AV drops on his Blades clicks 2-3 (which he’ll almost never see).D
- SURVIVABILITY: …because he’s bare defensively on top and end, with just Senses in the middle. D
THE KING’S VERDICT: This is a 25-point starter-style version to learn the rudiments of the game, sure, but bleh
War of the Realms Fast Forces 003v Black Panther
- SMARTS: Outwit for clicks 1, 2 and 5. A
SOVEREIGNTY: No Leadership. F
SPEED: Charge on the Outwit clicks is good. No Improved Movement is not. C+
STEALTH: On the Outwit clicks. (Sensing a theme?) A
STRENGTH: Blades throughout. A
SURVIVABILITY: Only a bit of Super Senses in the middle again. D
THE KING’S VERDICT: Also unworthy of the “best Panther” mantle. Hell, it’s not even good.
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War of the Realms 006 Black Panther
- SMARTS: Only has Outwit at the end. Bleh. C-
- SOVEREIGNTY: Leadership trait. Rally effect nerfs enemy Leadership. A
- SPEED: No movement at all. F
- STEALTH: Starts with plenty. B
- STRENGTH: Starts with Blades early on, but he loses it when Flurry appears — and his damage drops. B-
- SURVIVABILITY: No armor; Reflexes and Senses have to hold. C-
THE KING’S VERDICT: Even worse than the Fast Forces ones. Maybe an alternate universe T’Challa is needed…
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Next: AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE