Stat boosting is a very popular tactic, especially when you can get multiple uses out of it. That's exactly what Enhancement offers: a +1 to ranged damage for anyone adjacent. It's nice to get a little help from a friend...

Click "Full Story" to find out who's on hand for an aggressive assist!

Stat modification is considered essential these days, and game after game the recipient of the majority of that modification seems to be the damage value. An increase of 1 point never makes more of a difference than when applied to damage; it's the combat stat that's guaranteed, while attack and defense rely on probability much more than numeral value.

Enhancement may seem less flexible than the more prevalent Perplex, but what it lacks in options it makes up for in 'recharge rate'. Enhancement can be used numerous times in a turn; its modifier applies any time an adjacent figure makes a ranged attack. It's not hard to envision scenarios where you can trigger this 10 times in a turn, and I'm sure more outlandish examples exist.

More facts about Enhancement:
-Enhancement is the rarest of all the PAC abilities. It appears on only 66 dials.
-The sets with the most Enhancement are both Marvel expansions: X-Plosion and Fantastic Forces. This is primarily due to the old REV format; of the 6 dials with Enhancement in X-Plosion, 4 are versions of Psylocke, and in Fantastic Forces the 6 are 3 versions of Mr. Fantastic and 3 versions of Dr. Strange.
-Enhancement's unique timing once allowed for an increase in damage dealt by Energy Explosion. This combo was shut down when the wording of Energy Explosion changed from (paraphrasing) 'damage becomes 1 for this attack' to 'damage dealt is equal to the number of times a character is hit by this attack', and as a result no one fears Infinity Challenge's Veteran Ultron anymore.
-Ironically, a later version of Ultron is one of the elite figures to actually possess Enhancement!
-The highest attack value of any character while sporting Enhancement is 14. The highest attack value of any character while sporting Ranged Combat Expert is 13. Which just goes to show that teaching it makes you better at it.
-There are 7 characters with Enhancement who are incapable of making a ranged attack anywhere on their dial. So that's 7 characters who think they can help you shoot a gun without ever having used one themselves.

The Most Popular Figures with Enhancement!
(As determined by a 5 rating in the Units section)
-Valkyrie (Hammer of Thor Super Rare)
-Wiccan
That's it! Those are the only people with 5 star ratings and Enhancement! Come on people, start ranking some of those little guys a little higher!

So are you ready to meet the Best at What They Do?


jh003 U Lilah
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 4
Points: 15
Keywords: Past

6 6 13 1

6 7 12 1

6 7 12 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

KO KO KO KO

Really, did this come as a surprise to anyone? My favorite part of this dial isn't the obvious joke about 'enhancement', or the different interpretations of 'penetrating damage'. No, my favorite part is that opening 6 attack! To me, that feels like a dig at Megan Fox's competency! Ignoring all that, 15 points for a figure who can add damage recurrently in a single turn is a steal.


cd002 E HIVE Trooper
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 6
Points: 22
Keywords: HIVE, Soldier

7 8 15 2

6 8 15 1

6 7 14 2

5 6 13 1

5 5 13 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

It really pains me to do this, because I love the identically priced U-Men, but HIVE Trooper is an incredible option for 22 points. With 2 clicks of Enhancement, this bee can push from his ranged combat focus into Flurry if an opponent comes too close. 5 clicks is a deep dial, making HIVE Troopers great mastermind options in a pinch, ready to die for their queen. (Really, it takes 3 of these guys to make the Queen Bee even playable; I hope she appreciates all her drones do for her!)


aa006 V Gotham City Detective
Team: Police
Range: 6
Points: 27
Keywords: Detective, Police, Gotham City

8 9 17 2

8 8 17 2

8 8 16 2

7 8 16 1

7 8 16 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

The Gotham City Detective is well trained not only in holding his own in the chaotic streets of Gotham City, but also in how to work alongside their more colorful associates. This training shows not only in the Enhancement, but in the -1 to defense the Detective can impose on a friendly character's target. That's twice the benefit for just standing by, and it makes the Gotham City Detective worth the 5 additional points. Willpower and handcuffs? Just perks of the job...


sv012 V Badoon Commander
Team: Skrulls
Range: 6
Points: 37
Keywords: Badoon, Soldier

8 9 16 2

7 8 16 2

7 8 15 2

6 7 14 2

6 7 13 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

An aquatic enhancer? Leave it to the Badoon to bring you something like that. The real perk of the Badoon Commander, however, is his extensive Stealth tactics and a team ability worth sharing among your wildcards.


sv031 R Tessa
Team: The Brotherhood
Range: 6
Points: 39
Keywords: Hellfire Club, Mutant, Spy

7 8 16 2

7 8 15 2

6 8 14 1

6 7 14 1

5 7 13 1

5 7 12 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

Really, Tessa is a bit of everything rolled into one. She can attack, she can defend herself, she brings a slew of supportive powers. But on her Rookie, the starting point is Enhancement, and ultimately that's the role you'll place her in. The Brotherhood ability means moving her won't use an action up, which can really come in handy should you need to move her from one ranged attacker to another (double your boosting!)


wm008 U Captain Metropolis
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 6
Points: 40
Keywords: Minutemen, Soldier

8 10 16 1

7 9 16 1

6 9 15 1

5 8 15 1

5 7 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

(Defense) We Have to Stand Together!: When Captain Metropolis is adjacent to a friendly character, modify the defense value of Captain Metropolis and all friendly characters adjacent to Captain Metropolis by +1.
(Damage) Military Experience: Captain Metropolis can use Enhancement and Leadership.
If you really want to see someone making the most of Enhancement, you need to crack open the Watchmen box and pull out Captain Metropolis. A starting 10 attack with Running Shot lets him attack while his allies benefit from his presence. And do they ever benefit! We Have to Stand Together! boosts the defense of everyone in the cluster, and Leadership qualifies him for numerous feats that can add to adjacency bonuses. 40 points is an incredible bargain for this figure.


xp060 V Psylocke
Team: X-Men
Range: 8
Points: 45
Keywords: Martial Artist, Psychic, The Hand, X-Men

8 10 16 2

7 9 15 2

6 9 14 2

5 8 13 2

5 8 13 2

4 7 12 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

On the other hand, sometimes a quieter approach is what you want. Paired with a Stealthed ranged combatant, Psylocke can go undetected while lending extra oomph to an ally's attack. Psylocke also makes a wonderful bodyguard, dissuading an opponent with intent to tie down your ranged attacker via her Blades. Finally, the X-Men team ability gives her the flexibility to self-repair or selflessly heal an ally.


aa105 V Edward Nigma
Team: Batman Enemy
Range: 6
Points: 60
Keywords: Celebrity, Detective, Gotham City

7 10 17 2

7 10 17 2

7 10 17 1

8 9 16 1

8 8 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

(Defense) A Man Reborn?: Edward Nigma can use Enhancement and Mastermind. When an action token would be given to a character adjacent to Edward Nigma, you can instead give it to Edward Nigma and roll a d6; on a result of 1, deal 1 unavoidable damage to the adjacent character.
Another man intent on helping his neighbor, Edward Nigma offers adjacent allies the option of passing tokens off on him. It's usually worth doing, as Riddler contributes just as much via his Enhancement and Outwit. The Batman Enemies team can pass his 10 attack on to a likeminded Gothamite or a wildcard willing to mooch off his affiliation. And Mastermind can ensure you don't lose Eddie before you'd planned. Who wouldn't field this figure?


bn005 V The Flash
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 0
Points: 140
Keywords: Blue Lantern Corps

14 11 18 3

14 10 17 2

13 10 17 2

12 10 18 2

12 10 17 2

10 9 17 2

10 9 16 1

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

(Attack) Blue Hope: The Flash can use Perplex, but can only target other friendly characters.
In an entirely different point level than all the other Enhancers listed here, the Blue Lantern Flash is an expert Enhancement figure for a different reason: he's an incredible attacker while also boosting all his adjacent allies. Hypersonic Speed will allow him to maximize his adjacency, beginning and ending next to people who can use the boost in damage. And a dab of Perplex at the same time gives him the option to throw his weight heavily to one ally. Adding a significant mobile attack option to an Enhancer is a work of genius, and closes today's list as fully optimizing the potential of Enhancement. That is, until we see Hypersonic, Enhancement, Defend, and the Sinister Syndicate team ability...

So, thanks for reading! Did I miss anyone that you feel is a cryin' shame? Maybe you have some neat Enhancement trivia? Regardless, we'll see you back here next week for Probability Control!

Doombot 5953 and WoS Researcher are both worth mentioning.

Arisia from the GLC collector set is worth noting.

She's fragile and expensive, but sporting enhancement while being able to potentially carry 8 people, all with range attacks, can be really nasty.

Aargh! I can't believe I forgot the Researcher! I love him!

I had the Doombot sit because I didn't feel his Wildcard did anything to make him better at Enhancement, and he was pretty much outclassed by those around him with that set aside. I do, however, feel he's an awesome figure.

Great contribution!

He can copy SHIELD or HYDRA and give two bonuses at once.

What about the White Checkmate Knight at 22 points you have the enhancement and can push right into outwit. so give the boost for a while before pushing to outwit that stubborn super senses or impervious.

I'm also a fan of the doombot, and I would posit that the wildcard ability CAN make him better at enhancement if you copy mystics or batman ally. Now you have an enhancer that the opponent either cannot attack or is discouraged from attacking, and that will let use the enhancement longer. (Insert enhancement joke here.)
I also actually prefer the U-Men to the HIVE Trooper for the same points; the U-Men's toughness balances out the extra click of the trooper, I build "armor" keyword teams more than HIVE, and finally, the HIVE Troopers have a hideous (but comic accurate) outift.

lg215 LE The Red Hood
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 6
Points: 26
Archenemy: The Joker (Blue)
Keywords: Gotham City

7 7 15 2

6 7 14 2

6 6 13 1

5 5 12 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

I've always preferred the Red Hood for cheap enhancement that can block line of fire when needed.

Great point about the Wildcard, I don't see him as better with the HYDRA TA than the GCD already is with PD TA, but I'll give you the SHIELD prospect. Bat TA is already done by a few other Enhancers (via Stealth), and I don't realistically see Mystics as a big contribution.

I had to pick either HIVE or U-Man, and this time I went HIVE. They're about equal in my eyes.

I know for a fact that White Checkmate Knight did not show up when I did a search for Enhancement. I don't know why that is, but she wasn't in the search results, and I unfortunately don't do much beyond that to locate potential contenders. Had she popped up, she would likely have made my list; I love those Checkmate figs!

Great list! I would fight for Doombot on the list, but this is well done.

Doombot is also pretty capable of attacking. I've caught many people off guard with a surprise attack from him.

Great job, saturnflight, as always!

I love love LOVE the Vet. Psylocke. Keep her hidden while she enhances, and if she gets the opportunity, the 8 range helps her take a few pot shots! What's this? You want to base her? Blades/Claws/Fangs = large ninja sword in your gut!!!!