I traded Magneto for Rojahz.

I wonder... Has anyone found that GSX Magneto quickly/immediately became one of those pieces that many wanted but some haven't played simply because of the reaction bringing him out elicits from the other players? It occurs to me that this is unfortunate, all the more so since the ones such a thing would stop are probably the people who should be playing him.

I'd say you've had enough to drink!

My only suggestion would have been dropping Trevor to get Leland in there, but that's purely because the big battle in Central Park against Nimrod is one of my favorite X-stories ever.

After six Newcastles, those buckskins start looking REAL good!

Nope. I actually have not found that. Generally he's been pretty well-received and seems reasonably well-balanced, honestly. Granted I haven't played him that many times, but I've never really heard people complain about him unless something else degenerate is going on (if I see one more Nightcrawler+Magnet-o+Cave Carson at 300 points I'm gonna stab a dude, but that's not Magent-o's fault).

Fair enough. I just know that there were some grumbles as his options were being explored prior to the set's release, and then there were comments like yours (admiring Jack's "restraint") and Haven's ("Lord of all things UnCheesy") that seemed to make the counter-argument.

It's like feeling bad for the poor guy for whom Nightcrawler has long been a favorite comics character getting the stink eye for putting him on his X-team.

It's not that Magnet-o is too cheesy to put on a Hellfire Club team (although he does start to get into dicey territory when carrying around a ton of Hellfire guards, but in 600 points you're going to lose anyway if you can't find some way to deal with that), it's just that he's very played out and seems less thematic because his outfit doesn't fit with the thing the rest of them have going. He makes the team a lot more playable, but it's a lot more interesting without him.

And as far as Nightcrawler fans go... I feel bad for them, but at least there are a few other very playable Nightcrawlers in the game. Not in modern age, but they're more fun and they look cooler if you have access to them in golden age. I'm a Colossus fan, and we have basically no Colossus. Technically he's in the game, but not practically.

Still, it seems unfair that a given player should have to suffer for the perceived excesses of others. Again, it's something to make me remember some of why the stretches where I've played somewhat regularly at venues have been few and well-separated.
Well, there are two that can operate (crudely, but improved with Feats) as Nightcrawler IMHO -- the CT Unique and the Kurt Wagner LE from Fantastic Forces.
Yeah, the Mutations and Monsters version had some things going for him, but as near as I can tell they overestimated the value of that built-in Fastball Special.

Not strictly him, of course, but how well/poorly did the GSX Colossus/Wolverine Duo piece work for you -- or anyone at your venue? I've never fielded mine (probably an oversight that I didn't sell it) and haven't seen anyone play it.

My statement had more to do with the use of Hellfire Guards and less to do with the absence of Magneto.

That anyone is "suffering" from it seems like a stretch. I'd just say that players who go the other way should be praised for their creativity.

I would have named exactly those two.

I've used them like twice and never played against them to my memory. As far as I can tell, they play extremely well against bad players or bad teams and not very well against good players or good team. I suspect they're amazing with Nightcrawler, though.

I don't actually own one, I've just borrowed them from other people. They're near the top of my wants list because I'd like to use them some more and in tournaments to see what happens, but obviously I don't quite want them enough to pick them up.

Also, got my secret santa package today. The box is pretty large. Can't even guess what's in it.

I'm... not buying that as being significant.

How would his use of Hellfire Club Guards on the stated team be different from his use of them if Magneto were on board? The only difference I'd be seeing is Magneto. They're largely going to be there to provide protection for senior Hellfire Club members, right? They're, unto themselves, less offensive if taking a shot for Magneto than for Emma or the Black King? I keep coming back to Magneto being the difference.

Absolutely. Like I said, Magneto gets dicey when Hellfire Guards are involved. I'm still not convinced it's too much, but it's close. He's balanced because of how one good whack with a close combat attack can end his reign of ludicrously high-stated terror, but Hellfire Guards completely cover that weakness. A Hellfire Guard with Magneto versus Emma is like the difference between putting Fortitude on Superman or Batman. In one case it's going way more to cover up the weaknesses that keep a character's cost at what it is and is creeping closer to imbalance.

Um. . . okay?

I like Themey teams and I like themey teams.

Any Hellfire club team featuring some cadre with Hellfire Guards is going to tickle me. It's that simple.

I have 300 pts of Hellfire Guards in both editions sometimes I just play them with NO cadre!

Hellfire Guards with Hellfire people in pseudo Ren-Faire outfits are full of win.