First off let me say I'm a fan of keyword based "Theme Teams" and employ them often. I believe for the most part that in addition to the strategic bonus they offer, theme teams enhance the game in general with the comic accuracy that most of us who either play or collect Heroclix enjoy.

Having said that, now thanks to Noh-Varr's "Traitor to All" trait, I cannot for the life or me imagine any situation where I would use this:

ws038 E Noh-Varr
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 8
Points: 141
Keywords: Animal, Cosmic, Dark Avengers, Future, Kree, Soldier, Spy, Warrior

10 11 18 3

10 10 17 3

9 10 17 3

9 9 17 3

9 9 17 2

8 9 17 2

8 9 16 2

8 8 16 2

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

(Attack) Transforming Gauntlet Gun: Noh-Var can use Energy Explosion, Penetrating/Psychic Blast, and Pulse Wave.
(Special) Traitor to All: As you reveal your force, you may choose that Noh-Varr loses all keywords this game. If you do, modify his attack value by +1 this game.


When I just as easily use this:

ws038 E Noh-Varr
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 8
Points: 141
Keywords: None

10 12 18 3

10 11 17 3

9 11 17 3

9 10 17 3

9 10 17 2

8 10 17 2

8 10 16 2

8 9 16 2

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

(Attack) Transforming Gauntlet Gun: Noh-Var can use Energy Explosion, Penetrating/Psychic Blast, and Pulse Wave.
(Special) Traitor to All: As you reveal your force, you may choose that Noh-Varr loses all keywords this game. If you do, modify his attack value by +1 this game.

I know his wealth of keywords is engineered to make this a pragmatic decision. However, I am one of those players who is cursed with ill-favored rolls of the dice (and I am hardly alone), so when I have an opportunity to improve those odds on already great stats, for no additional cost, I take it. In my mind the "tough choice" is anything but.
Thoughts?

I don't like theme team reroll. I make theame teams all the time and never use the rerolls. I feel that I'm getting something without paying points and that feels wrong to me so I don't do it. If others want its in the rules and I have no issue with it, personal choice. So to get the +1 attack I am all over it. Just me though.

Look at it this way, if your using the Loner feat you get a good bonus by not having a theme team in the first place then triggering his ability to pump him up on top of it.

Maybe I'm confused, but if you have a hard time with dice rolls, wouldn't it be better to put this guy on a theme team and get some re-rolls out of it. In looking at it this way, it would be a difficult decision because sometimes a new roll could be more beneficial then a 12 attack. Like if you roll a critical miss.

Nor-Var is over 100 pts.................no Loner for him.......makes it easier for his teammates to use it though.

It could all depend on the highest defense that you're trying to hit. Supposing that you'd only get one theme team PC in position to use per attack, here are the odds of hitting certain defenses:

To hit a 16 defense
11 attack with two tries: 97% chance to hit
12 attack with only one try: 92% chance to hit

To hit a 17 defense
11 attack with two tries: 92% chance to hit
12 attack with only one try: 83% chance to hit

To hit an 18 defense
11 attack with two tries: 83% chance to hit
12 attack with only one try: 72% chance to hit

To hit a 19 defense
11 attack with two tries: 66% chance to hit
12 attack with only one try: 58% chance to hit

To hit a 20 defense (like Captain America at range)
11 attack with two tries: 48% chance to hit
12 attack with only one try: 42% chance to hit

To hit a 21 defense (like Captain America at range through hindering)
11 attack with two tries: 31% chance to hit
12 attack with only one try: 28% chance to hit

To hit a 22 defense (like Black Flash at range through hindering)
11 attack with two tries: 16% chance to hit
12 attack with only one try: 17% chance to hit

So, well, at least in all of these circumstances, having PC is better than +1 attack. Now of course, with Noh-varr, you can make a non-theme team and gain many advantages that way which could easily include having someone else with PC on the team which you might not be able to get on a theme team.

So now someone's complaining about a figure designed to be good to whatever type of player is using it.....

You play a theme team based on his keywords? Great, you get to enjoy the theme team perks.

You don't play a team built around keywords? Great, you get a +1 AV.

Looks like a win/win to me.

I'm assuming the order of battle goes

1) forces are revealed
2) noh-varr chooses to traitor or not (and stuff like thunderbolts are declared, etc.)
3) roll for map choice and so on

If you get to see your opponents team beforehand, you can (presumably quickly) determine which is more important: map choice and theme PCs or +1 AV down the dial. I'm sure there are instance where one choice is better than the other - it's cool that he has some options.

i would probably more often choose to have the +1 av since i don't really know how to utilize the keywords/theme teams yet... it's not like every time i field this guy i will be doing a theme team anyway! this guy is a beast though, definitely one of my top wants from this set

Well, suite yourself.

But consider; If you make a theme team including this figure, you'll be able to enjoy using those PC rolls - because you're "paying" for them at the expense of Noh-Vars full potential....

Given the marginal gains from the theme prob over the attack bonus, the opportunity cost of the theme prob, and the limited number you'll get, the +1 attack seems like a no brainer.

I'm not complaining, in fact I think it's great. I'm just saying I can hardly imagine when you would not use the bonus offered by the trait.

This is exactly my point.

One other instance that could be a reason for him to keep keywords is the Dark Avengers ATA (assuming they get one and its good) that might be worth the -1 if it is stellar (like Perma Stealth

There are lot's of 'costs' associated with using the theme team PC re-roll:

1) you have to apply a token to the character using it ----> which can cause push Damage.

2) said character cannot have been given an action (any action, including free actions) before hand.

3) applying said token to said character, could mess up your strategy for that turn, if you'd planned on attacking with said character that turn. (By causing said aforementioned push Damage)

4) Many (not all) keyword theme teams have some severe limitations. Things like: no TK, no natural PC, no Outwit, no Perplex etc etc.

Honestly, I see no reason not to use it if you can. But hey, if you want to handicap yourself that way, by all means.

To the OP: it's a matter of different situations. Sometimes, you'll want the +1 to Attack, and you won't have built a theme team anyway. Sometimes, it's more beneficial to keep the theme team to have the re-rolls.

I think this guy is going to be the 'sleeper' hit of this set.