DC HeroClix Legacy Sneak Peek 5 – Impulse/Kid Flash!

Designer Note
Superspeed was the power of the hour when I worked on Impulse. I wanted to do something different with him; I often get that feeling when I'm working on characters that are effectively one-trick ponies. Hypersonic Speed is a great power with a lot of options, and characters that have it usually have a built-in reason for having a high defense, so I had to differentiate Impulse in some other way. In this case I thought having Impulse "lose" Hypersonic Speed and gain Charge and some other powers would represent Bart's relatively undeveloped connection with the speed force. That change still results in an effective character who can cause damage and be a real pain, but he's not at the same level of power as earlier in his dial. His Veteran version reflects Bart after his knee was blown out and he started to take things a bit more seriously. The Perplex added on the Veteran's dial allows him to help himself or his teammates out by using his big brain to point out weaknesses. At 47, 59, and 81 points, he's a darn good deal for what he adds to a team..

Playtip

Speed players, your prayers have been answered: Impulse (and his Veteran Titans version Kid Flash) finally offers a cheap, flexible Hypersonic Speed character adaptable enough for any force, but with options to give JLA and Titans theme teams a significant boost.

The Rookie version weighs in at 47 points; 12 more will buy you the JLA team ability and reasonably improved stats. The Veteran Kid Flash is 81 points, and has a longer dial and front-loaded Perplex to match. Impulse's specialty is speed, and his starts at 12 with Hypersonic Speed, coupled with a 17 Defense with Super Senses across all three versions. His last two clicks, he shifts to a Charge / Exploit Weakness combination for a starting amount of mid-to-endgame effectiveness.

Impulse isn't designed to be a primary attacker, but makes a fantastic harassment piece with his Hypersonic Speed and mobility. His Super Senses should keep out most of what his Defense lets through, but teaming him with Probability Control character to tip the odds in your favor isn't a bad idea. For fun, let him tear through your opponent's backfield, taking out Medics, Perplexers, and other support characters without fear of reprisal.

Game Design: Jon Leitheusser
Sculptor: Steve Saunders
Painter: Steve Saunders