#10 “Pick a power” pieces
One of HeroClix’s slogans used to be “It’s all on the dial.” That hasn’t really been true since the introduction of feats back in 2005 and especially with Special Powers’ debut in ’07, But in this year of power leap, we got some characters that aren’t even constrained by what actually does appears on their respective dials!
- Stranger (Galactic Guardians 043): This big fella not only can grow from normal to giant to colossal size each turn, but for much of his dial he gains a SP granting him use of any one power on the PAC. Wanna Outwit that SP? Hope you built in one of the very few tactics that can do it regardless of the Power Cosmic TA.
- Xavin (Galactic Guardians 022): goes a little further in that he isn’t even constrained by the click he’s on if he’s on either his first or last click: you can literally turn the dial to any click you want. It’s not quite any power, but with his rainbow dial he basically has access to 14 different powers when on clicks #1 and #6.
- At year’s end, Vixen (Streets of Gotham 028) got the ability to gain access to every standard-colored power showing on every Animal keyworded character on the battlefield, friend or foe, for the low price of a 1-in-6 chance of self-damage. On the right team or against the right opposition, she can potentially “have” every single power on the PAC — except Smoke Cloud — on one click.
As torrid as these characters and the power leap in design they represent seem to be, they really aren’t that bad by themselves. Stranger’s stats are pretty modest for his 213 price and he’s got to push to get to that crazy power. Vixen has to be built around to compensate for her average numbers and inborn abilities. And Xavin is most frequently used as pure support. But there’s another figure which does that better…
#9
Scarlet Witch (Chaos War Fast Forces 006)
The most expensive non-blind pull, nonexclusive HeroClix figure of all time is this one, one of Heroclixin’s most wanted remakes. She certainly raised the ante on design for both the character and her sheer utility as the ultimate support piece. Of the old TOPPS formula of team-building, she supplies three of the five in one 75-point Mystic package. At her more economical 50-point price, she also can supply a bit of offensive threat with Penetrating Psychic Blast or defense with Barrier.
She’s so good that she finds a spot on teams everywhere. People bought multiples of the Fast Forces she came in, basically threw away the other four or five pieces and held onto Scarlet Witch.