Jack Graziano:
:ets party :)
Pulse Glazer:
What timing for the new Heroclix column, Two Guys Talking about Heroclix with the Captain America set spoiled just days before the sets release. With tomorrow being the official release date, we’ll be tackling some of the best of the set, beginning with how many stores commemorate their new sets, Sealed. What impresses you for sealed from this set, Jack?
Jack Graziano:
Quasar is pretty impressive for sealed right now. Maelstrom looks promising. And the Rare Captain America #40 looks to be pretty awesome if you keep the shield with him.
Pulse Glazer:
I agree completely for the most part. Quasar is a beast and a half, but with his limited mobility, I think he can be taken down and picked apart by a smaller team.
How do you keep that 260 pt investment safe?
Jack Graziano:
play indoors. That phasing power of his, with the +2 to defense from Incap/Penetrating is pretty powerful. He’s the new Magneto.
Pulse Glazer:
I’d agree, except for the point difference (and the only reason I’m picking on Quasar is I totally agree on the other 2). Magneto could afford support, and Magneto just can’t. I feel like HSS, which also isn’t a real problem in sealed, would pick Quasar apart.
Jack Graziano:
Till Quasar gets his own HSS with outwit.
Pulse Glazer:
Absolutely true, but he’s also down to 3 damage by then.
I like him, but I don’t fear him like I do Maelstrom, who reminds me of a better JL Darksied.
Jack Graziano:
Yeah I was just looking at that. The main reason I compare him to Magneto is his preference for ranged combat. CC is not his thing. Maelstrom, is going to cause problems.
Pulse Glazer:
You know what makes him really threatening? Maelstrom, too? That range. With most figures having 6, that 10 is going to be a huge problem, especially with multiple targets.
Jack Graziano:
Very much so. Also what makes Maelstrom so threatening to me, is by the time he gets close to those end clicks, I would assume who ever he’s fighting would of taken a few hits from him by now.
Pulse Glazer:
And by then he’s nearly unstoppable, with the ability to heal back to HSS.
Jack Graziano:
If Quasar hits him once, that puts Maelstrom on click #6. Which is HSS and PW. Granted he would need a 10 to hit Quasar for 4, if no one else is near. but thats impressive.
Pulse Glazer:
I don’t think Maelstrom beats Quasar alone, strangely, but against anyone else, I’d take Maelstrom and 75 pts of support.
Jack Graziano:
If you would, who would you use with him in a sealed environment?
Pulse Glazer:
Tie up. One of the poison pieces might be best… or my third pick for Sealed, the one you didn’t pick – Phobos.
Pulse Glazer:
People are going to want to base Maelstrom and Phobos is both pushable with charging blades, and can, after that, push away the tie up with Force Blast that gives free Mind Control.
Jack Graziano:
hmmm
Jack Graziano:
Phobos is interesting, FB with MC
Pulse Glazer:
59 points for charging blades is interesting. The FB with MC makes him deadly. If you have to take him out, Maelstrom is phasing away and shooting you again.
Jack Graziano:
Yeah, it really depends on whom i pull in the sealed if I use him, but I do like the charge/BCF.
Pulse Glazer:
I’d have a hard time ignoring him… as I would the Rare Cap. That indomitable makes him. If not, low damage would be his downfall…Will you be throwing the Shield a lot? I don’t think I will, as I’d greatly prefer to keep him with 20/21 D at range since he’s a double base.
Jack Graziano:
A strat I like with Cap, is to toss the shield and then charge in and use it in a attack as a light object.
Pulse Glazer:
His trait says he can’t use it when making close combat attacks. If he could… wow.
Jack Graziano:
Eh cant use the shield in a close combat attack… yeah just read it.
Pulse Glazer:
Still, 3 damage two turns in a row with very good defense is nice. He’ll be better with Guardians of the Galaxy than with Avengers, though.
Jack Graziano:
GotG? How so?
Pulse Glazer:
Notably, he seems like he’d be sick with Star-Lord from Hammer of Thor. They share Defenders TA. When Cap is hit, he gets Combat Reflexes and 15 Defense. Combat Reflexes and 17 or 18 Defense, though, is dangerous.
Jack Graziano:
Ah, okay, I see.
Pulse Glazer:
Since we’re now on constructed anyway, what do you like for it in this set?
Jack Graziano:
The way I do constructed is theme teams. I just can’t make myself build non-theme cheese teams. So, in that regard I’m super stoked for the new Crimson Dynamo; Winter Guard all the way.
Pulse Glazer:
That absolutely works for me. I don’t generally break theme, but, yes, Dynamo is a beast.
Pulse Glazer:
I love that he’s impervious, I love that he’s indomitable, and I love that he gets Stealthed Psychic Blast. He seems like a handful, even in close.
Jack Graziano:
Stealth+Psy blast is awesome. Its kind of a bummer the majority of the Winter guard are rares
Jack Graziano:
Fixer is awesome, as well.
Pulse Glazer
As much as Fixer is cool, I really think he’s going to depend on what “any item in your collection” means in modern age. If he lets me bust out my kinetic accelerator, he’s must play, especially with the Thunderbolts Keyword. If not…
Jack Graziano:
Yeah, im thinking its gonna be errat’d to be modern age items. But still, building a TB team, and being able to put a Yellow Lantern on the bored for free seems cool… IF that’s how that works
Pulse Glazer:
It would be awesome. I also like that he can Perplex into Stealth. Your last big constructed gun?
Jack Graziano:
S.H.I.E.L.D. Specialist
Pulse Glazer:
Wow, that one is a surprise, care to explain?
Jack Graziano:
Support on a minion.
Jack Graziano:
9 attack, and I think Shield is going to become very popular.
Pulse Glazer:
Well, we had the Valkyrie on HoT. I like the piece, but I think Steve Rogers makes it work better.
Jack Graziano:
Red Skull was a close second :P
Pulse Glazer:
Free move on that swarm will be nasty.
Jack Graziano:
That’s going to be awesome.
Pulse Glazer:
I’d like Red Skull (and Strucker) so much more with 8 range. He’ll be great for this set, but I think he can be picked aside otherwise.
Jack Graziano:
I think that Red Skull is a good counter to NC.
Pulse Glazer:
That’s an interesting point… and he does do 4-5 damage in close, but can NC teams kill him in 1 turn with good blades rolls?
Jack Graziano:
they would need to hit a 18-19. The lowest his defense goes in close combat is an 18.
Pulse Glazer:
Nope, he has Close Combat Expert not Combat Reflexes.
He does big damage, but he can’t necessarily take a hit.
Jack Graziano:
Ah I read it wrong…
Jack Graziano:
I don’t like him any more :P
Pulse Glazer:
Still, he’s a good counter to NC, unless NC has a ton of damage dealers. There’s a LOT of good poison here.
Jack Graziano:
That’s true, but I don’t build to beat NC; I build to beat the rest of his team and then him.
Pulse Glazer:
Yeah, I’ve had less problems with NC than others. Cosmic Spidey destroys me though.
Jack Graziano:
Wizkids just dropped the Cap maps on FB
Pulse Glazer:
Anything interesting?
Jack Graziano:
A lot of open terrain.
Pulse Glazer:
With shorter ranges, that makes sense.
Pulse Glazer:
One of my three for constructed is the same theme as Fixer – Luke Cage. I can’t figure out why 100 pts for 6 damage and a potential Mystic or Ultimate isn’t getting more attention.
Jack Graziano:
Yeah, he’s pretty mean.
Pulse Glazer:
Everyone seems to be collectively shrugging. He’s on par with Thing, with better keywords since he’s not only a T-Bolt, but an Avenger, as well as the less useful Heroes for Hire and Marvel Knights.
Jack Graziano:
I don’t know about being on par with the thing. He doesn’t have indomitable.
Pulse Glazer:
Nor does thing. Ben Grimm LE does.
Pulse Glazer:
Thing has full move charge and the token removing regardless of points.
Jack Graziano:
Well, Luke does get Willpower mid-dial –
Will power with Flurry… ouch
Pulse Glazer:
Yes, 3 damage. Consistently deadly.
Jack Graziano:
12dmg in two turns
Pulse Glazer:
That’s comparable to my #2 on constructed… Sin. I won’t break theme, but if you will, GSX Empath gives her an absurd amount of damage. 16 damage in 2 turns, as well.
Pulse Glazer:
For 104 pts.
Jack Graziano:
That is pretty slick.
Pulse Glazer:
Add a touch of probability control and it’s tough to beat.
Jack Graziano:
That’s true – very true.
Pulse Glazer:
Since I won’t play her, though, as that’s off theme, let’s say Klaw instead.
Jack Graziano:
Klaw is awesome! The free attack with his barrier is a great stealth buster.
by the way, some LE dials are up
Pulse Glazer:
Researchers make almost all ranged scientists deadly. Add in the special power with Barrier and attacks, Super Senses and Toughness, and tons of different ways to be deadly at range with Masters of Evil to do it again and again… I have no idea how to stop him
link?
Jack Graziano:
http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/showthread.php?t=323930
still missing one.
Pulse Glazer:
Hmm, after my last constructed, we’ll review these and call it a night until next week, fair?
Jack Graziano:
Sounds good!
Pulse Glazer:
Alright, my last pick goes absurdly well with Klaw – Baron Zemo. 50% chance of not pushing for Baron Zemo… or Luke Cage or Bullseye if they Tbolt Masters of Evil!
Outwit with Psyblast! Mastermind, always penetrating damage, usually at least 2 ways! His son wishes he had a dial nearly this good.
Jack Graziano:
that is gross
didnt look at him that close due to it being the dad and all
Pulse Glazer:
I think he’s a GenCon level figure. No one has written about him yet. He’ll be like Metron where it will be awhile before anyone realizes he’s the best in the set.
Jack Graziano:
Ehhh I’m not seeing him being as good as Metron… that dude is just broken.
Pulse Glazer:
He’s far cheaper and, like Edward Nigma, can allow figures to attack every turn and outwit with mastermind, but he has good themes and can Psychic Blast himself.
Alright, let’s look at some LE’s. We can start with Successful Dirk Anger, the first LE revealed.
Jack Graziano:
I will never ever ever use this fig
Pulse Glazer:
I like Dirk. He seems next to impossible to kill between the Steal Energy and Regeneration.
I love Nextwave, so I might.
I like the normal Dirk better.
Jack Graziano:
He has no KW’s for me,
but your right, he might be awesome MM fodder.
Pulse Glazer:
I’ll occasionally mess with a monster theme. I like the idea of him there, just surviving and letting bigger guns be free.
Jack Graziano:
I’ll give you that, but normally my non-generic theme is animal.
Pulse Glazer:
Good choice. I like Cosmic since there’s no Guardians keyword on half the Guardians.
Jack Graziano:
Good point.
Pulse Glazer:
Nick Fury LMD!
Stealth, Indomitable, Invulnerability busting, and 6 range for only 54 points!
Jack Graziano:
That’s an AWESOME trait.
Pulse Glazer:
It really is, especially since it works with any Nick Fury and can work with mroe than one LMD.
Jack Graziano:
Also, that new Nick Fury has regen on his last click.
Pulse Glazer:
Does he? I didn’t notice. That’ll be nasty Golden Age with Auto Regen.
Pulse Glazer:
I love the Secret Warriors, and really wish the LMD had that keyword.
Jack Graziano:
He dies, you replace, he Regens for free.
Pulse Glazer:
If he had that, he’d be perfect.
Jack Graziano:
Oh, by the way, he can be healed by my Shield Specialist :)
Pulse Glazer:
Ha, good point!
Jack Graziano:
Shield is turning out to be nasty.
Pulse Glazer:
Shield is getting pretty damn good. Add in Chase Spider-Woman, Classics Nick Fury, Gorilla-Man as MM fodder, and Captain America from HoT…
Jack Graziano:
My Cap is missing an arm :( the arm with the shield!
Pulse Glazer:
I have like 3 other Caps where the shield fell off. It’s absurd.
Jack Graziano:
sucks…
Pulse Glazer:
Red Guardians pisses me off, big time. This should be the regular, and he should have Winter Guard keyword.
Jack Graziano:
I agree!
He is nasty with Black Widow though.
Pulse Glazer:
Figures are just more expensive now though. How is Red Guardian more than Elsa Bloodstone?
Jack Graziano:
No idea.
Pulse Glazer:
He’s good, but she’s so much better it’s crazy for 17 points less.
Jack Graziano:
I don’t know… if your running a spy team with a Widow, he has an opening 11 attack with exploit for 2dmg.
Pulse Glazer:
Yes, which is why Elsa is so much better. At least his damage is penetrating… but if you push, you’re pushing off his one Invulnerable click.
Jack Graziano:
There is that, but his damage goes up to a three.
Pulse Glazer:
He has some 4’s in close by the end there, but he seems like he’d be good, not great.
Bob, however, is great!
Jack Graziano:
Very true, interesting dial.
Pulse Glazer:
33 pts of Stealthed Probability control for 33 pts, and Hydra team ability for Wildcards… like Deadpool.
Jack Graziano:
Good thing the WOS one is 158 points!
He has Black Cat’s Prob, too.
Pulse Glazer:
Black Cat was very effective for me. Bob is similar and cheap. I’m pleased.
Jack Graziano:
Not sure how much I would use him, as i prefer AIM over Hydra. But he is pretty slick.
Pulse Glazer:
He’d be good with my Zemo, so I have to win him… and that’s it for this week Clix Fans! See you next week with our first impressions of the new set once we’ve started playing them!
