Hi guys and gals. I'm new here and I recently got into playing Heroclix again after a long break. I was wondering on the Keywords for charecters, what is the purpose and how do they affect the game. If you can please go into some detail. I'm just wondering because I see all these theme teams built around certain keywords and I want to know what they are used for. Any help would be greatlty appreciated. Thanks

theme team PC (give a character a token if it has not taken an action, free or otherwise, this turn. this character can use PC on an attack. It's pretty complicated to hash out here, I suggest picking up either the LoSH starter or Fantastic Four starter to get the meat). you get 1 for every two figs on your team. so 5 figs=4 pcs.

Also, map choice. +1 to map roll for each character on your team if they share a common keyword.

There are two types of themes: generic and non-generic. to qualify for a theme, you need 1 figure for every 100 points for generic keywords (spy, soldier, etc. The rule book lists them all, and if you use the units section, they're the non-bolded keywords) and 1 for every 150 for non-generic keywords. For example, I'm playing spy, so I need at least 6 spys to qualify in a 600 point game. If I was playing JLA or some other non-generic keyword, I'd only need 4 in a 600 point game.

last but not least is the keyword-ignore, allowing you to ignore a battlefield condition for the duration of a game during a tournament. you only get one, but it's basically an ordinary day, except you get to play another BFC.

It's a lot to hash out (though not terribly complicated once you get used to it), so if you have more specific questions feel free to ask, this is just a brief rundown on what they do.

Back when keywords were introduced, WK published this article about how they work.
Keep in mind that the rules have since been tweaked and updated somewhat, but the basic jist of it should still be in the article.

So I don't have to make a theme team, it is just beneficial to me.

Correct. There's no requirement for it, it just provides a benefit: you'll have to decide case-by-case if those benefit is worthwhile.

Ok, one last question. The pieces that came out without cards, where do I find a list that has their keywords. Thanks for the help

The HCR Units section is best for this. Just go to the keyword drop-down list and choose your keyword.

Figures that match said keyword then show up.

As easy as pie!

And if you want an "improved" keyword list (fixing mistakes that WizKids made and never fixed) then you want to go here: http://www.continuumedia.com/clix_cave/checklists/

Even though I lost every round of the HCRealms Friday format I loved the theme team I made up: 'got their powers from gamma rays'

I had Explosion Hulk, CT V She Hulk, V Doc Samson, Emil Blonsky and R Sasquatch. I love the fact that they left it open for us to be able to make up our own keywords (with judge approval of course)

nbperp has a link in his signature to the last official documentation I believe: that one is organized by set and then by figure. Harpua has gone to the trouble to re-format that by keyword. For hard documents both are very good: want to know what keywords Raven has? Check nbperp's list. Wnat to know who else has Sentinels of Magic? Check Harpua's.

And here's a post to put my signature here.