Back in 2021’s rules overhaul — less than two years ago! — we looked at each power and how each lost or won something. And we found that the streamlining back then felt like weights coming off.
Although this year’s version isn’t quite as massive, it’s still significant and no power will be unaffected. So let’s take a deeper look at each change.
SPEED POWERS
FLURRY:
BUFFED in 2021, it neither gains nor loses much now other than possible interaction with Quake.
Still F.U.N.? Yes — and possibly more relevant in a more melee-focused game.
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LEAP/CLIMB:
NERFED in 2021 and still bad today. In fact, with the new elevation movement rules, it loses EVEN MORE of what little makes the power special.
Still F.U.N.? Nope. L/C continues to be one of the more unexciting PAC powers in existence, and really needs our F.U.N. Fix for it: “If this character attacks or is attacked, after resolutions you may place it in an adjacent square.”
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PHASING/TELEPORT:
It retains its minor boost from two years ago, where just having the power means easier breakaway from Plasticity, even if you’re not activating it.
Still F.U.N.? Yes. Phasing remains perfect — and with more cramped maps, it might be more important that ever.
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EARTHBOUND/NEUTRALIZED: No change.
Still F.U.N.? No,, it still needs our F.U.N. Fix — “Deal this character 1 unavoidable damage when it gets a 2nd action token” — but it remains what it it’s supposed to be: weakness.
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CHARGE:
BUFFED in 2021 by new combos and multi-targets but NERFED by loss of knockback immunity, it should get a lot better with smaller maps, elevation rules and new interactions with Super Strength. New Telekinesis ranges might hamper it, though.
Still F.U.N.? It’s legit my favorite of the move and attack powers.
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MIND CONTROL:
In 2021 it was BUFFED by minimum range increase from 4 to 6, but that’s been completely reversed. The controlled character also loses Quake as a potential power to use.
Still F.U.N.? Every time I use this power and any of the 3+ rolls fail, I say “THIS IS WHY I HATE MIND CONTROL” but the power is actually OK as is.
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PLASTICITY:
It got a needed NERF in 2021, but a surprising, hidden boost against giants, who still need a 6 to break away from it instead of the normal 3-6 roll.
Still F.U.N.? Plasticity is just about where it should be.
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FORCE BLAST:
It got a big BUFF in 2021 by getting a new minimum range of 6 instead of adjacency; now it’s NERFED to just 4. But it gets a HUGE boost with the return of knockback damage.
Still F.U.N.? I’m looking forward to using Force Blast more than ever. It’s still situational, but with knockback damage returning and few figs immune to knockback now, on smaller maps, this power is finally worth using.
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SIDESTEP:
New elevation rules make for a massive mobility BUFF in 2023.
Still F.U.N.? Still possibly the best standard power in game. But it loses some F.U.N. factor for us because while scaling a building wall as FREE (thanks to new movement rules) is semi-apropos for a superhero, it maybe ought not to be with a mere celeb like Mary Jane Watson. But there have been weirder things in HeroClix over the past 20 years… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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HYPERSONIC SPEED:
Though BUFFED in 2021 by a host of new power combos, it loses one of them — Quake — and it likes the extra reach granted by TK more than most powers.
Still F.U.N.? Yes, still one of the best. Just a little worse now.
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STEALTH:
It got NERFED in 2021 by green terrain changes and non-effect vs. adjacent foes. It’s also harder to use with heavy object terrain no longer hindering line of fire.
Still F.U.N.? Yeah, it’s OK. About in line with how it should be.
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RUNNING SHOT:
Mildly BUFFED in 2021 and tweaked to grant a basic attack option a while later, it gets some new interactions with Super Strength, of all things. It loses a bit with TK being reined in, but smaller maps mean it’s got better reach than ever.
Still F.U.N. or nah? Still one of the best powers.
ATTACK POWERS
BLADES/CLAWS/FANGS:
It retains all the BUFFs it got in 2021. Also of course combos with Charge, which gains some prominence.
Still F.U.N.? Yup
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ENERGY EXPLOSION:
In 2021, its new combos with Penetrating/Psychic Blast and Precision Strike made us nervous. In practice, the combos came up so infrequently that we think our worries were overblown.
Still F.U.N.? Sure
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PULSE WAVE:
Heavily NERFED in 2021 to only deal 1 damage ever, this year it gets a further streamlining: 4 range. Overall, this is a hefty boost to the power: low range PW gets more reach and Perplex, when used with care, can still modify it. Meanwhile, certain characters with SP “Pulse Wave with a range of X” can now use it at that full range, no more halving required!
We should also mention the unexpected BUFF PW got in ’21 that it keeps today: Any power cut off by being in range of the power — not hit, not targeted/targetable, just in range — has its duration ended. So a Pulse Waver can nullify a ton of Outwits just by using it.
Still F.U.N.? Heroclixin’ was split before, but I’m sold on the power as it is now. It would be nice to add our F.U.N. Fix to make it do 2 damage always, but it’s a low priority change — and might be too much, honestly.
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QUAKE:
Last time, it was BUFFED by tons of new combos while it was NERFED by loss of knockback damage. Today, it gets a big BUFF by being a new way to wreck terrain —especially walls — and by the return of knock back damage. It loses a step as it returns to being a dedicated CLOSE action, so it no longer activates with any close attack, like those granted by Hypersonic Speed.
F.U.N. or nah? On balance, this is a big upgrade and looks more F.U.N. than ever.
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SUPER STRENGTH:
The victim of near-constant NERFING across the years since 2017, this power gets massively BUFFED this year.
- Its KNOCKBACK matters much more with KB damage.
- New terrain rules give it many more weapons at hand, and with much greater damage potential.
- It is also a solid utility power with Telekinesis taking a step back.
- It’s a needed hard counter to Barrier.
F.U.N. or nah? The worst standard attack power in HeroClix finally is looking good again.
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INCAPACITATE:
It was heavily NERFED in 2021, and despite working in more combos…
…Nah. Just nah
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PENETRATING/PSYCHIC BLAST:
BUFFED in 2021. No change.
Still F.U.N.? Still good.
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SMOKE CLOUD:
It was NERFED by the hindering movement removal in 2021. Now it loses the BUFF it got then with the general return to 4 minimum range.
Still F.U.N. or nah? Still situational unless it’s a FREE version. Hard power to balance.
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PRECISION STRIKE:
BUFFED by loss of single target restriction in 2021
Still F.U.N. or nah? An important power to keep around, with Super Senses’ growing prominence.
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POISON: No change in 2021. Still F.U.N. in 2023.
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STEAL ENERGY:
No change in 2021, but it takes a mild hit in 2023 with the new rule on resolving simultaneous actions/effects. Before, the active player decided all the orders of those effects. But now the active player has to resolve theirs first. Specifically, now they can’t choose to take the Mystics damage first and then heal with Steal Energy, because as the active player they HAVE to use their effect (Steal Energy) before the other player resolves their effect (Mystics).
Still F.U.N. or nah? This loss of a workaround vs. Mystics is a mild disappointment.
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TELEKINESIS:
NERFED in 2021, losing its attack options. This time, it gets some of its might back, with the return of RANGE attacks using terrain! But its reach is sharply curtailed, down to just 4, making it less useful for deployment. Also, with the single-row start zones, TK lanes are a little more difficult to easily get. BUT! The old “No TK after being TK’d” restriction is gone, so that could make up for the shorter reach.
Still F.U.N. or nah? I got my Darth Vader TK back.
DEFENSE POWERS
SUPER SENSES:
It got NERFED by Precision Strike being usable with multiple targets again in 2021. This time it gets a mild boost, thanks to the new order of actions making it usable with Mastermind: Before, the active player — the attacker — got to force you, the defender, to choose either Senses or Mastermind if your fig had both. Now you can try your d6 roll before dumping the attack on a teammate.
Still F.U.N.? As ever!
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TOUGHNESS:
NERFED two years ago, today it’s unchanged.
Still F.U.N. or nah? This armor power regains relevance as a defense against knockback harm.
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DEFEND:
No change then or now — though we maybe should’ve noted in 2021 that increased frequency of knockback made it a little less reliable.
Still F.U.N. or nah? Knockback damage is a real potential counter to this power, though not a hard counter.
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COMBAT REFLEXES:
It was NERFED by loss of knockback immunity in 2021. With the return of knockback damage, that’s a further ding to the power.
Still F.U.N. or nah? I was glad the immunity was gone then and I feel OK about it now even though the power’s a little worse for it.
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ENERGY SHIELD/DEFLECTION:
No change. But knockback damage makes it less reliable as a defense at range.
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BARRIER:
It got BUFFED in 2021 — maybe too much. This year, it’s mega-NERFED now that the minimum range is reeled back to 4 and it can be wrecked by Quake, Super Strength and Telekinesis.
Still F.U.N. or nah? In ’21, we thought Barrier would need a hard counter of some sort. This is a F.U.N. one that will make the power much less game-stopping.
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MASTERMIND:
No change in 2021, but now it gets new interaction if you also have Super Senses, thanks to the order of resolutions.
Still F.U.N.? MM might need a hard counter again, eventually — other than Energy Explosion or Outwit or Pulse Wave. Actually, maybe that’s enough ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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WILLPOWER:
BUFFEDin ’21, it holds fast.
Still F.U.N.? Yes! Might be my fave of all the power upgrades from then.
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INVINCIBLE:
It got NERFED by the loss of the 3 damage cap and then benched. It’s back now.
Still F.U.N. or nah? Yep.
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IMPERVIOUS:
NERFED since 2021 because penetrating damage got so common that it might as well not exist.
Still F.U.N. or nah? With Invincible unbenched, this power can be great again.
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REGENERATION:
BUFFED in 2021. No change today.
Still F.U.N. or nah? Yes!
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INVULNERABILITY:See Impervious
F.U.N. or nah? See Impervious
DAMAGE POWERS
RANGED COMBAT EXPERT:
BUFFED in 2021; unchanged today
Still F.U.N.
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BATTLE FURY:
BUFFED in 2021 by new immunity to anything similar to Incap, it now gets a massive upgrade by being able to make RANGE Terrain actions.
Still F.U.N.? For a power that classically was supposed to be a drawback, it’s gotten some wonderfully thematic boosts across the years.
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SUPPORT:
It got no change two years ago, but this year it’s COMPLETELY different, working on a single d6 roll like Regen. Gone is the quasi-attack roll (with its possibility of failure) and the requirements to not be adjacent to enemies. While all that represents a massive BUFF to the power, it’s NERFED in that the old minimum 2 healing is gone and the maximum is now capped at 3 instead of a possible 4
Still F.U.N.? Heck, more F.U.N. than ever.
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EXPLOIT WEAKNESS:
In ’21, it was BUFFED by new combos with HSS and Quake and more. It retains them.
Still F.U.N. or nah? It gains even more prominence with Charge getting more opportunities.
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ENHANCEMENT:
BUFFED in 2021 by change to Perplex and combos with Range Destroy actions.
Still F.U.N. or nah? Yep.
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PROBABILITY CONTROL:
It got no change in ’21, but today it’s NERFED by the minimum 4 range down from 6, making it riskier to use against enemies. But it gets an effective BUFF with the end of theme teams — it’s becoming a must-add to your team now.
Still F.U.N.? On balance, probably yes.
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SHAPE CHANGE:
No change to the power itself either last time or now. But it takes a hit with Battle Fury able to ignore it from range now via terrain actions.
Still F.U.N.? Yes. It’s a very effective attack and damage deterrent.
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CLOSE COMBAT EXPERT:
It got majorly BUFFED in 2021 and stays good.
Still F.U.N.? Indeed.
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EMPOWER:
BUFFED by change to Perplex and combos with Close Destroy actions in 2021.
Still F.U.N.? For sure.
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PERPLEX:
NERFED in 2021, now it’s further weakened by the minimum range rule.
Still F.U.N. or nah? Having to be much closer to the action could make life dangerous for Perplexers going forward. It remains my favorite support-style power, though … for now.
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OUTWIT:
Two years ago, it got BUFFED by the change in Stealth to be targetable by adjacent characters. Now it’s NERFED by the minimum 4 range.
Still F.U.N. or nah? Back in 2013, when Outwit, Prob. Control and Perplex got their former 10-square reach slashed to just 6, Outwit suffered the most. That’s about to repeat. It’s still a great power, but it’s SO much more dangerous to use unless you have good natural range.
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LEADERSHIP:
No change then or now.
Still F.U.N. or nah? Due to the slimmed-down starting areas, teams will need the extra actions to position.
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And some other PAC stuff:
INHERENT ABILITIES
CARRY:
BUFFED in 2021. No real change today.
Still F.U.N. or nah? Mega-Carry figs (3 or more passengers) get a little stymied by the slimmer start areas. Otherwise still OK.
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OBJECT ACTIONS:
NERFED by loss of heavy damage in ’21, they’re rebranded as Terrain Actions and are much more powerful — and complicated. (They’re also nerfed by loss of default 6 range down to 4.)
F.U.N. or nah? TBH, it’s adding way too much complexity in a game they’re otherwise streamlining. We’re also concerned about the availability of terrain objects to include on the force. Will they be in boosters? Or only in $70+ starter sets? Prizes? Unknown. But the renewed relevance of Super Strength might make it worth it all.
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DESTROY ACTIONS:
NERFED because some terrain will require higher than 3 damage to wreck.
F.U.N. or nah? There’s that complexity again. We’ll see if it’s too much or just right.
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IMPROVED MOVEMENT: ELEVATED:
Not really a nerf to figs that can already use it, but a big boost to normal boot speed characters as a whole.
F.U.N. or nah? It’s kinda dumb on one level (hey … PUN!) that the likes of J. Jonah Jameson can suddenly scale walls. But … this is a SUPERHERO game and one less impediment to play is one less impediment to play.
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IMPROVED MOVEMENT: DESTROY BLOCKING:
BUFFED this year to function like you probably thought it should. Until now, the Rule of Occupancy kept characters with this IM from stopping in the blocking they were destroying..
F.U.N. or nah? I liked that there was one defense against IM:Destroy, but it was a bigger pain to explain why.
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SWIM:
In 2021, it was BUFFED to make them invisible to range beyond 4 squares when in water. Now, with so many minimum ranges shrinking, this may not be much of a boon after all.
F.U.N. or nah? Jury’s still out.
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TEAM ABILITIES
BUFFED
SPIDER-MAN: No longer a basic wild card team ability, so these characters aren’t dependent on teammates to use it.
S.H.I.E.L.D.: Though the TA gets no actual change, shorter maps and ranges in general will make its worth rise.
MYSTICS: The changed order of effects means sometimes Mystics will work better. But…
NERFED
MYSTICS: …sometimes, the changed order of effects means Mystics might work a little less effectively.
SPIDER-MAN: No longer a wild card team ability, so these characters lose their versatility.
SUPERMAN ENEMY: Because Outwit is worse, this is worse if you have less than 5 range.
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OTHER ABILITIES
THEMED TEAMS: They got a bunch of buffs in 2021. But now virtually ALL those boosts are gone: only a static +3 to map roll if you have a themed team. Moreover, winning the initiative no longer gains you map choice and going first.
F.U.N. or nah? We think they went way too far with this change. Themed Team Probability Control was popular and, IMO at least, finally somewhat in proper balance and streamlined. (I still recall a loss from the early days — we’re talking before this blog’s 2009 launch! — where a single, game-wrecking attack got theme probbed like 5 times into a hit.) And while the old map bonus roll was overcomplicated, it just needed to follow a version of the rule of three: +1 to the roll, up to a max of 3. Simple.
The upside?
Now my “BIG BRIGHT YELLOW BOOTS” themed team is JUST AS VIABLE as any keyword themed team!!!!!!
