Oct.13-19 - More Returns and Changes

There's a half-naked man with wings and a mace!

Today's Heroclix sneak peek is Hawkman.

Seth posted a set of designer's notes for him.

Since as of this writing they hadn't uploaded the official image I decided to make a dial comparison graphic so one can look at the REV in a glance. Just click on the image to bring it up to a good viewing size.
All three versions have the as yet unseen Shadow Thief as his arch enemy, btw.

Well, those waiting for a worthy Hawkman now appear to have one, though I'm sure there's always room for complaint. Undoubtedly there will be some annoyance at the point cost, and that some will want versions more easily fit on a team, and that they'll want a JSA version closer to the point cost of the JLA one -- which could easily turn out to be the LE. Some will find the vet in particular to be too powerful, with a 4 Damage and Super Strength allowing him to potentially do up to 7 clicks of damage. This is a Hawkman who's capable of dealing Superman/Wonder Woman levels of damage. Still, the character has been retconned, remade and folded as best Geoff Johns could manage into a current version... so who knows what's really going on? If asked, look at the dial and say "He's just an excitable boy" or tell them to look at the size of his mace.

Here's what the new Hawkman will look like.

Many will simply not want to spend so many points on a piece with little (the experienced version has some) to no ranged attack capacity and no to modest damage reducers. It's not that Hawkman deserves any Invulnerability, much less Impervious, but I suspect some will still have preferred the approach taken on the Origin versions, but simply applied to shorter (and therefore less costly) dials. Something for them to shoot for if the game's around three or four years from now, I suppose.

In all versions we have a flying piece with ample Charge. All have some Quake, Super Strength, Close Combat Expert, Energy Shield/Deflection and late-dial Willpower somewhere in the mix.

Despite the lack of a TA, the 59 pt. rookie may become the new favorite for many players, some of which will simply house rule a JSA or JLA TA onto him for the purposes of a game. He is in all respects a vast improvement over what we received as the character back in Hypertime, yet he's only 11 points more than the Hypertime veteran.

There's a ferocity present in both the rookie and veteran versions with the clicks of Flurry, allowing two close combat attacks in the same action.

As noted above, each of the new versions start with at least a click of Energy Shield/Deflection, presumably (the designer notes aren't up as of this writing, though I'll add a link to them and the image as soon as I see them) as an expression of his being a skilled flier. This gives him a +2 boost to his Defense from ranged combat, so it's there primarily to keep him safer as he gets into position to attack. Placed over hindering terrain and that becomes a 19 or 20 Defense from range, so as with Sandman he's another piece who will do very nicely on the JSA Museum map. (As I mentioned in an earlier entry.)

Close up he has to simply rely on his base Defense numbers. The rookie could benefit from Force Field, since he has no damage-reducing powers, so at least on his ES/D clicks - his first four - he'd have built-in Toughness. (The experienced and veteran versions can't use it because they have Toughness on their dials.)

The veteran version ends with two clicks of Regeneration, which could allow him to bounce back as high as his fourth click.

The new 135 pt vet replaces the Hypertime Carter Hall LE in terms of a JSAer who can pull off Inspiring Command, though old the 54 pt LE with Tactics might easily suffice on some teams for some players.

My focus with respect to Hawkman has been on the JSA, so here's a look at how the three JSA TAed versions of him we will soon have available:
Quite a gulf of points between the old versions and the new.

There's no contesting that the new version has greater utility and staying power. It's not inexpensive, though, and as with the JLA the JSA is remaining a difficult team to field a representative - especially classic - force of in a 400 pt or lower format. Not a major complaint nor even a concern, just an observation.

Origin is scheduled to hit the streets March 7.