More Avengers Buzz
Three weeks from now the Avengers Heroclix set will be hitting stores, and the latest issue of Critical Hit (it's a pdf) four sneak peeks of different stripes in it. One new character and three Feats.
The character is one launched in the early '90s, and one I've forgotten about periodically until one fan or another mentioned him: Darkhawk. (Click on the image for a larger view; I'm keeping him small here so as to not throw the text structure off too much nor feel that I have to write multiple paragraphs on him.)
The version provided is a rookie, and at #19 in the set he's an uncommon, so if my somewhat optimistic (in terms of quality control) previous analysis holds he'll show up twice per case.
The keywords he's been given are Excelsior, Loners, New Warriors, Teen, and West Coast Avengers. (To be perfectly frank, while I've picked up the Loners reference from some current fans - a recently-formed team - I have no idea what the "Excelsior" affiliation is about.)
Certainly not a raging powerhouse, the piece is nonetheless a mobile and potentially useful way to spend 56 points. Here's his dial:
The mid-dial click represents when he switches back to his normal, human body, enabling the Darkhawk form to heal/rebuild itself. As the Darkhawk body itself isn't living -- it's a robotic/android form -- the stats remain fairly steady in terms of Speed, Attack and Damage. Unrepaired damage to him, though, leaves him more open to additional damage, hence the drop in Defense and the switch to trying to evade damage rather than absorb it (Energy Shield/Deflection) late in the dial.
That a character such as Darkhawk has made his way into the set helps assure comics fans that almost anyone is now a possibility.
As for the three bits of cardboard previewed, two of them are Marvelized reprints of Feats introduced in Legacy (and so, otherwise, slated to be retired in mid-July) that I'm pleased to see. I'm pleased to see them not because I need them (though it's usually nice to have more to draw on) but because I'm both glad to see them re-validated by the current game designer and I'm very happy they'll be available for newer players without having to pay through the nose for the currently relatively rare cards.
The first of the two repeats is Fortitude, which grants immunity from both Exploit Weakness and Outwit. Sure, it's a hefty 25 points, but it's worth it to protect the powers -- especially damage-reducers -- that many of the more expensive pieces have. The wording has changed from the Legacy version's simple "The character ignores other characters' Exploit Weakness and Outwit" to "The character ignores other characters' Exploit Weakness. Outwit can't be used by other characters to counter the character's powers."
The distinction I'll leave to the rules lawyers at the moment, but I suspect the "character's powers" language is intended to either open loopholes for the likes of Dissent, which doesn't specifically target powers but Team Abilities. Hopefully it's intended to seal them -- maybe even for Thwart, but it seems likely it's intended to ultimately weaken Fortitude because someone whined loudly enough.
Next up is Stunning Blow, a cool, 10-point Feat that allows one to deal damage in the course of Incapacitating them. This can really help characters with Incapacitate lay the hurt on an opponent. Often it's run alongside Armor Piercing so that it'll penetrate even those with damage-reducing powers. So, if one successfully hits someone with Incapacitate, placing a token on the target, he also can deal at least a click of penetrating damage to the target. If the token added is a second token, then an additional click of damage will go through for pushing, unless the character has Willpower or the Power Cosmic/Quintessence TA.
This is a card that'll breathe new life into Incapacitating pieces, especially those with multiple targets. It won't, however (barring an unexpected ruling) help the new Avengers Spider-man with his already impressive Webbing power because he doesn't technically have Incapacitate on his dial.
New to the land of Feats is at least part of something we've been waiting for -- though we'd hoped it was going to come simply as a change on the Powers and Abilities Card. It's Telekinetic Reach. Simply put, for 12 points it enables characters with Telekinesis to reach out up to 6 spaces away to pick up and move objects. If it's just moving the objects, it can move them up to 10 spaces away from the piece doing the telekinesis. If its for the purpose of attack, the object can be moved up to 4 spaces against a grounded or hovering piece, or 2 against a soaring one. It's something of a baby step -- it doesn't allow the Telekinetic piece greater reach with respect to an ally or an enemy as a thing to be moved -- but it's nonetheless a step in the right direction.
Three weeks from now the Avengers Heroclix set will be hitting stores, and the latest issue of Critical Hit (it's a pdf) four sneak peeks of different stripes in it. One new character and three Feats.
The character is one launched in the early '90s, and one I've forgotten about periodically until one fan or another mentioned him: Darkhawk. (Click on the image for a larger view; I'm keeping him small here so as to not throw the text structure off too much nor feel that I have to write multiple paragraphs on him.)The version provided is a rookie, and at #19 in the set he's an uncommon, so if my somewhat optimistic (in terms of quality control) previous analysis holds he'll show up twice per case.
The keywords he's been given are Excelsior, Loners, New Warriors, Teen, and West Coast Avengers. (To be perfectly frank, while I've picked up the Loners reference from some current fans - a recently-formed team - I have no idea what the "Excelsior" affiliation is about.)
Certainly not a raging powerhouse, the piece is nonetheless a mobile and potentially useful way to spend 56 points. Here's his dial:
The mid-dial click represents when he switches back to his normal, human body, enabling the Darkhawk form to heal/rebuild itself. As the Darkhawk body itself isn't living -- it's a robotic/android form -- the stats remain fairly steady in terms of Speed, Attack and Damage. Unrepaired damage to him, though, leaves him more open to additional damage, hence the drop in Defense and the switch to trying to evade damage rather than absorb it (Energy Shield/Deflection) late in the dial.That a character such as Darkhawk has made his way into the set helps assure comics fans that almost anyone is now a possibility.
As for the three bits of cardboard previewed, two of them are Marvelized reprints of Feats introduced in Legacy (and so, otherwise, slated to be retired in mid-July) that I'm pleased to see. I'm pleased to see them not because I need them (though it's usually nice to have more to draw on) but because I'm both glad to see them re-validated by the current game designer and I'm very happy they'll be available for newer players without having to pay through the nose for the currently relatively rare cards.
The first of the two repeats is Fortitude, which grants immunity from both Exploit Weakness and Outwit. Sure, it's a hefty 25 points, but it's worth it to protect the powers -- especially damage-reducers -- that many of the more expensive pieces have. The wording has changed from the Legacy version's simple "The character ignores other characters' Exploit Weakness and Outwit" to "The character ignores other characters' Exploit Weakness. Outwit can't be used by other characters to counter the character's powers."The distinction I'll leave to the rules lawyers at the moment, but I suspect the "character's powers" language is intended to either open loopholes for the likes of Dissent, which doesn't specifically target powers but Team Abilities. Hopefully it's intended to seal them -- maybe even for Thwart, but it seems likely it's intended to ultimately weaken Fortitude because someone whined loudly enough.
Next up is Stunning Blow, a cool, 10-point Feat that allows one to deal damage in the course of Incapacitating them. This can really help characters with Incapacitate lay the hurt on an opponent. Often it's run alongside Armor Piercing so that it'll penetrate even those with damage-reducing powers. So, if one successfully hits someone with Incapacitate, placing a token on the target, he also can deal at least a click of penetrating damage to the target. If the token added is a second token, then an additional click of damage will go through for pushing, unless the character has Willpower or the Power Cosmic/Quintessence TA.This is a card that'll breathe new life into Incapacitating pieces, especially those with multiple targets. It won't, however (barring an unexpected ruling) help the new Avengers Spider-man with his already impressive Webbing power because he doesn't technically have Incapacitate on his dial.
New to the land of Feats is at least part of something we've been waiting for -- though we'd hoped it was going to come simply as a change on the Powers and Abilities Card. It's Telekinetic Reach. Simply put, for 12 points it enables characters with Telekinesis to reach out up to 6 spaces away to pick up and move objects. If it's just moving the objects, it can move them up to 10 spaces away from the piece doing the telekinesis. If its for the purpose of attack, the object can be moved up to 4 spaces against a grounded or hovering piece, or 2 against a soaring one. It's something of a baby step -- it doesn't allow the Telekinetic piece greater reach with respect to an ally or an enemy as a thing to be moved -- but it's nonetheless a step in the right direction.
Comments
For half a second, I thought he had Enhancement, and, you know, good Enhancement pieces are always a nice way to wake up in the morning, but, noooooo, it's just some ES/D on some crappy, crappy Defense Values. All told, a waste of a slot, a waste of plastic, and a waste of my time and money.
All I can say is, Giant-Man had BETTER rock out loud.
Depending on what else comes out of the two boosters in a sealed match he may see play, but he does have some aspect of the Heroclix grave about him as he's hardly a favorite character for me. Still, I'd rather have more team-building options than less, and not everyone can shake the world even though almost every character has fans who recall a favorite story where the character, effectively, did. (Not all the Taskmaster fans living eternally in his finest moments, not to mention those real basket cases who keep mentioning how a guy with a sword once took on the Avengers... ;) I always try to remember that every age of comics is someone's personal golden age.)
At this stage I don't know what to expect for the new (almost undoubtedy rookie-level, based on the costume) Giant-Man. Well, we know he's a giant. Some Outwit should be expected. Perhaps some Perplex. There won't be any Running Shot, but there could be some Charge. Super Strength for part of the dial (sure, it should be all of it, but that stuff costs serious points)... but beyond that it doesn't seem to be something obvius unless Seth wants to try to work in switches from giant to ant-size as part of the shtick.
If he has to have a special power, let's hope it's as nicely done as Spidey's new Webbing was.
Since he's one of the sculpts we've been shown he's still riding high on the list as one of the sneak peeks we have coming our way. With only three weeks to go I hope we're going to get at least three per week; that'll still leave the vast bulk of the set in the dark.
Characters I'm not looking forward to in clix version: SuperPro, Sleepwalker and Terror, Inc. We can live without those.
I followed the series for a while, but I see that I slipped off the train somewhere along the way -- probably within the first year. Looking over the covers and details now it may have been the Mike Manly & various inkers (including himself) artwork that made my grip slippery -- not that Danny Fingeroth was ever much of a compelling writer.
Hmm... now I'm thinking I might make a note to look through the cheap back issue boxes at various comics shops and even at WWE for missing issues at the 25 cents or less level. That's where picking up reading copies of things like this really shine.
Back to the clix, though, I'm almost always happy when people get an old favorite inducted into Heroclix, and Darkhawk isn't an exception. This'll be a potentially fun addition -- and the sculpt looks pretty sweet, too.
Thanks for stopping by, Al!
I like to wear different hats when I'm playing on the blogosphere...