Welcome to the second part of forum member Hesster56's HOT TAKES on the Disney+ set. This thread will be covering the Uncommons.
To read the full analysis, follow the link!

#017 Post-Apocalyptic Black Widow
Real Name: Natasha Romanoff
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 5
Points: 50
Keywords: Avengers, Future, Martial Artist, S.H.I.E.L.D., Spy

8 11 18 2

8 10 17 2

8 10 17 2

7 10 17 2

7 10 17 2

7 9 16 2

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

Survival Tactics: Steal Energy, Stealth.

I loved the Black Widow movie, but I always wanted them to take a different tack with that movie. Give her the “Old Woman Nat” treatment, let her run around an Earth where the Avengers failed and the villains took over, and then leave it open to have her come back to the main MCU timeline. Which means I really dug the Fallou version of Nat here, at least in the show. Very solid attack values throughout and that lovely steal energy means she’s going to be hard to put away, and the back half of her dial is going to be a nightmare unless you can one-shot her.

#018 Dr. Strange Supreme
Real Name: Stephen Strange
Team: Cosmic Energy/Mystics
Range: 8
Points: 195/95
Keywords: Mystical

12 12 19 4

12 12 19 4

12 12 19 4

l l l l l l

10 11 18 3

9 11 18 3

9 11 18 3

8 11 18 3

8 11 18 3

7 11 17 2

7 11 17 2

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

Targeting: Hindering
(+5 Points) Nice Cape: Dr. Strange Supreme starts the game with the Disney+ #s004 Cloak of Levitation equipped.
Spent Centuries Researching: Energy Shield/Deflection, Invincible.

Blink. Blink blink. Just play him. Even the smaller line is going to be rocking a 12/4 penetrating at the highest range in the set (tied). This Royale with Cheese can be the centerpiece of your team, easy.

#019 Mobius M. Mobius
Real Name: Mobius M. Mobius
Team: Police
Range: 6
Points: 30
Keywords: Detective, Future, Past, Police

8 9 16 2

8 9 16 2

8 10 16 2

8 10 16 2

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

Work for Us: Leadership. // Once per turn for all characters with this effect, when a friendly character within range uses Phasing/Teleport and moves 4 squares or less, after resolutions they may make a close attack.

Owen Wilson takes all the complaints about Phasing/Teleport being boring and throws them out the window. Phasing and then attacking and getting the PDTA buff? More than worth the 30 points. Again, he’s probably going to be gross in Constructed, but depending on your pulls, he’ll be fun.

#020 Ravonna Renslayer
Real Name: Rebecca Tourminet
Team: Police
Range: 4
Points: 30
Keywords: Future, Past, Police, Politician

8 10 18 2

8 10 17 3

8 10 17 3

8 9 17 2

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

I Looked Out for You, Hung My Neck Out for You: Probability Control. // Friendly characters with a shared keyword within range and line of fire have SAFEGUARD: opposing Probability Control.

Calling it now, she’s gonna be named Raven Renfair. I’m also calling that she’s gonna be left in your tray. Prob and Defend sound nice, but she’s pretty weak offensively, and you still need to KO your opponents.

#021 Vision
Real Name: Vision
Team: Mystics
Range: 0
Points: 45
Keywords: Avengers, Celebrity, Robot

9 11 18 2

9 11 17 2

9 11 17 2

8 10 17 2

8 10 17 2

8 9 18 2

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

All-New Halloween Spooktacular!: Shape Change. When Vision uses it and succeeds, heal him 1 click.
Please Stand By: STOP.
Well, There Were No Other Clothes in My Closet, So: Close Combat Expert, Exploit Weakness.

The Vision that launched a thousand easy cosplays shows up, and he’s a classic tie-up Vision. No plasticity unfortunately, but the heal-off-Shape Change and the EW/CCE combined with the Stop click makes him a decent, but not required, use of 45 points.

#022 Wanda Maximoff
Real Name: Wanda Maximoff
Team: Mystics
Range: 6
Points: 45
Keywords: Avengers, Celebrity, Mystical

8 10 19 2

8 10 18 2

8 10 17 2

7 11 17 3

7 11 17 3

7 10 18 2

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

All-New Halloween Spooktacular!: Shape Change. When Wanda uses it and succeeds, heal her 1 click.
Please Stand By: STOP.
Billy, I Need You to Focus: Probability Control. When Wanda Maximoff uses it to reroll a friendly attack roll, if the attack hits, after resolutions remove an action token from the attacker.

What is a required use of 45 points, you might ask? Mrs. Maximoff if you nasty. 19 defend and prob means put her in a safe spot backing up her family and wear your opponents down. Just keep momma safe and you’ll be a happy player.

#023 Tommy Maximoff
Real Name: Tommy Maximoff
Team: Mystics
Range: 0
Points: 45
Keywords: Celebrity, Speedster

8 10 17 2

8 10 17 2

8 10 17 2

8 10 17 1

8 9 17 1

8 9 18 1

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

All-New Halloween Spooktacular!: Shape Change. When Tommy Maximoff uses it and succeeds, heal him 1 click.
Trick or Treat!: Precision Strike. // When Tommy Maximoff hits with a close attack, hit characters immediately drop any held objects and/or unequips any equipment.
Please Stand By: STOP.

You play the Maximoff kids at your own peril. Sure, they’re cute, but even with the precision strike there’s not a lot of offense here. Save the kids for Constructed.

#024 Kid Loki
Real Name: Loki Laufeyson
Team: Mystics
Range: 4
Points: 30
Keywords: Asgardian, Deity, Future, Mystical, Past

10 10 18 2

10 11 18 2

10 11 18 2

10 10 18 2

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

(+5 Points) The Tesseract: Kid Loki starts the game with the Disney+ #s006 Tesseract equipped.
We're Done Talking, Let's Go, Just Do What You Want, I Guess: Leadership, Shape Change. // UNIQUE MODIFIER - FREE: Choose a combat value other than damage. Until your next turn Kid Loki has "Opposing characters within range and line of fire modify the chosen value -1".

I feel like I’m repeating myself. Save the kids for Constructed. I like Kid Loki even less than the Maximoffs though. His dial feels inverted. I’d rather see 11/10/10/11. And you’ve got better choices for cheap leadership.

#025 T'Challa Star Lord
Real Name: T'Challa
Team: Guardians
Range: 6
Points: 100/40
Keywords: Guardians of the Galaxy, Pirate, Ravagers, Wakanda

10 12 18 4

10 11 17 3

10 11 17 3

10 11 17 3

l l l l l l

8 11 17 3

8 10 17 2

8 10 17 2

8 9 17 2

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

Let Me Introduce You to the Family I Made Along the Way: When establishing themed teams, characters on your starting force with the Minions of Thanos, Ravagers, or Wakanda keyword gain the Guardians of the Galaxy keyword.
Wakandan Born, Ravager Trained: Energy Shield/Deflection, Super Senses.

You’d think a 12/4 attack line with Pulse Wave and Outwit would make me happier, but sadly it does not. Full Price T’Challa is a decent secondary attacker/finisher, but he’s limited by his range and his up-close softness. I do like him at 40 though. That’s a miniseries worth watching.

#026 Monica Rambeau
Real Name: Monica Rambeau
Team: S.H.I.E.L.D.
Range: 0
Points: 45
Keywords: Celebrity, S.W.O.R.D.

8 10 18 3

8 10 18 3

8 10 18 3

7 10 17 3

7 10 17 2

7 10 17 2

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

Stopping the Bullets That Pass Through Me: UNIQUE MODIFIER - When an opposing character makes an attack targeting one or more adjacent friendly characters, modify their attack -1.

I don’t blame Monica for making me watch reruns, it’s the broadcast network’s fault. This is 45 points that probably won’t be earning back the points you invest-in Sealed. In Constructed? There’s gonna be Monica’s parked behind your big hitters like antennas parked behind TVs.

#027 Tyler Hayward
Real Name: Tyler Hayward
Team: S.H.I.E.L.D.
Range: 5
Points: 20
Keywords: Politician, S.W.O.R.D

8 10 17 2

8 10 16 2

7 9 16 2

7 9 15 1

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

If Only You Had a Little More Vision: Leadership. When Tyler Hayward uses it and succeeds, this turn he has "POWER: Move an adjacent friendly character up to half its speed value. If that character has the S.W.O.R.D keyword, after resolutions it may make a close attack."

Tyler’s a villain. I don’t mean that he’s an evil character, I mean that if he’s on the board, he’s going to be doing mean things with his Leadership special. There’s certain characters that he can get to move around to devastating effect. We’ll deal with that one down the primer a ways. At the end of the day though, I really wish there was a Darcy Lewis with Pilot abilities to ram this guy.

#028 Baron Zemo
Real Name: Helmut Zemo
Team: Masters of Evil
Range: 6
Points: 60
Keywords: Assassin, Masters of Evil, Ruler, Soldier

8 11 17 2

8 11 17 2

8 10 17 2

8 10 17 2

8 11 17 2

8 11 17 2

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

I Have the Will to Complete This Mission: Outwit, Perplex. When Baron Zemo uses either to target an opposing character, after resolutions roll a d6. 5-6: Deal 1 penetrating damage to an opposing character that is adjacent to the targeted character.

Ignore the fact that this Zemo is from the show; what you have here is a perfect example of Civil War cruelty. It’s not a sure thing, but this Sokovian slimeball will make adjacent figures sad to be standing next to their friends just by existing. He’s a great counter to Mystics, and the only thing that keeps him from being more dangerous is his low damage. Consider the reducers on the rest of your team, and dance with this devil in the pale moonlight.

Gotta say Hesster/Tidge, I’m really loving this series (I know, it’s only two installments in, but it’s a great addition to the usual primers!)

All merits go to Hesster56. I'm just helping to circulate his work!

Another great HOT TAKE. Keep 'em coming!

Tidge is my unsung hero of an editor. He thought it up, I just smack the keyboard until it looks viable.

But honestly, thanks again for the kind words. I'm weirdly proud of having a byline on this site after so many years. And of course thanks to all the other people who's footsteps I'm tiptoeing in with their primers and articles.

I'm hoping to have some comments of my own after I open some boosters. Sometimes the potential for certain figures is immediately obvious, sometimes its more subtle, and occasionally having a figure in-hand makes all the difference to me.

I am the sort of player that enjoys the force-building aspect, yet there is another subtle point that hits me when I open boosters: the distribution of figures that come in a booster can make-or-break my attitude about a set. I'm not specifically talking about an event-dominating high-rarity figure (although such pieces do exist for sealed play) that can ruin an event if pulled. I'm more likely to be sour on a sealed set when it is very likely that I'll need 8 or 9 figures (out of 10 from two boosters) to even make a 300-point team. That really puckers my puss. If the rare figures are sub-50 point scrubs... that is something that really sours me on a set.

So far this set looks more like one I want to build teams around and not necessarily one I'd want to walk into a standard sealed event to play. I'm uncertain as to how well this set would do in a Battle Royale.

Excellent. Another!

The Pulp Fiction reference was enough to sell me on this review. Great stuff!

Halloween Wanda was the MVP of my pre-release team Sunday. The 19 Defend and Shape Change were great, but her "take away your token if you hit" Prob kept my characters attacking turn after turn.