- (tie)
Mary Marvel [World’s Finest 041]
WHY IT’S ONE OF THE BEST: At 150 points, she needs to be a tentpole, and she certainly delivers with 12 Hypersonic Speed, Super Strength and 4 damage. She’s also immune to cheaper Outwit and enemy Perplex and Probability Control while packing her own Prob to help herself. Starting with Invincible guards her from the threat of penetrating damage. Most of all, this Indomitable piece has a one-time STOP click with super-Regeneration that gives her a very good chance at extending her 7-click dial even further — maybe even healing her back to full!
BUT WHAT ABOUT FURY? She’s the exact kind of enemy that Fury’s made to fight to a standstill. But with 12 HSS, she has the potential to maybe get first shot at Balls before he can shoot her. It all depends on the spymaster’s Shape Change.
WHY IT’S HERE ON THE LIST: With 0 range, she’s also vulnerable to Plasticity, and her starting 17 defense is very low for her points and role on a team, so it wasn’t immediately apparent that she ought to top our list — and new contributor Sceritz didn’t think she should, placing her at No. 5. But those shortcomings are more than made up for by her strengths, and so she’s Heroclixin’s Top Ten fig of 2016…along with her sorta big bro:
Shazam [World’s Finest 065]
WHY IT’S ONE OF THE BEST: All the Kingdom Come chase pieces in World’s Finest were strong. But corrupted Captain Marvel here is the finest of all. 15 Hypersonic Speed. 11 AV … that rises to 12. Super Strength. 4 damage with Shape Change and 3 range to get around Plasticity. Invincible. Immune to Outwit or Perplex from non-KC members. Wildcard. End-dial Prob Control and Running Shot Pulse Wave. All for a relatively svelte 170 points.
BUT WHAT ABOUT FURY? He’s easily able to get a first shot from outside Fury’s range before Balls can turn off his HSS. But he’s the exact kind of enemy that Fury’s made to fight to a standstill — and kill.
WHY IT’S HERE ON THE LIST: Click for click, he’s Heroclixin’s Top Ten fig of 2016, but her forcing the double tap where he does not forces this first-ever tie.
Sceritz buried these two at the bottom of his top 5, in favor of one of the pieces that I actually vocally disagreed with him on:
1. Krang [Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 031]
And finally we come to HIM. The reigning champ, hailing from the far corner of the TMNT set. KRANG. There is so much I can say about this figure and how much I absolutely hate how powerful he is. By himself, he’s capable of changing size, and all increase his combat values. He has to take damage after of course, but where we are really hurt is that in addition to already having Prob (and then outwit and prob), he can also choose a power. This means he can be attacking on turn one with 13 attack, and 6 damage, with prob and whatever power is most worthy at the time. Then, after actions he’s still sitting at 19 defense at least. Now 170 points is a lot, but it’s not the complete total of any team. Pretend we are playing 200 points for the giggles. Add Baxter Stockman [Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 013] for 30 and you’d solved your taking damage problem, and are crushing most teams easily. I refuse to discuss what Juston Seyfert does to put him beyond No. 1 on this list, but if you’re a competitive Heroclix player, you already know :P.
I denied Krang the top slot because as I noted in my No. 4 ranking for this dude, unless you field a very specific 70 points with him, he’s not nearly as potent as the TRUE No. 1 figs of the year, which don’t need specific teammates. But Sceritz is correct in his counterargument: HeroClix is a team game. So we’ve just agreed to disagree here.