Hello all. I am a newbie to HC but got into it for the storyline event and having a blast! I do however need a little help as I am getting stomped. My build for month one was:

Cyclops AvX at 150
Longshot WatX at 75
Professor X FF at 75

Next build is 400pts with only Phoenix Force resource dial allowed. I had a lot of problem with stealth range attackers. Really liked the shape change ability with Prof X. If I can figure out how to use the Phoenix Force resource dial I would like to try and incorporate it on my team. Not sure if it's worth it. I did win the LE Cable and would like to build a team around him so may have to do a complete overhaul on my team. I am willing to purchase individual figs to build a decent team. Any thoughts on how to tweak my team to actually be competitive would be awesome. Thank you for any assistance and I will be sure to follow up with my results!

Welcome.

My first question is what X-Men Keyword figures do you have available? There are a lot of them out there now with various rarities. So I could suggest you build a team around figure Y, but if you don't own it that wouldn't really help you much.

Second, what is your preferred style of play? X-Men gives you a LOT of options so it is best to build a team that compliments you. Do you prefer to sit back and set up the perfect shot, rush in and hit the opponent with a gigantic opening salvo, or do you like to have them attack you and then you counter attack them?

As far as characters go I have just about every clix from the WatX set (except no chase or primes). I do have Hope Summers to go with the LE Cable. I am ok with purchasing the right clix as long as it stays under $10 per fig, I can justify it.

If I can I like to kill from a distance. One of the biggest issues I have in the first event was no TK, no flyers, and really no improved movement traits either. My opponents could just use the map terrain to destroy me.

One of the things I like to do with AvX Cyclops at 150 was sit behind blocking terrain and blast away keep Prof X close for the added SC ability since the terrain is destroyed after my attack.

I usually play the characters I like in the comics. Probably why I added Longshot for the 3rd figure. That and the double Prob Control with Prof X.

Question 1- are you intent on keeping Cyclops (at that 150 point or otherwise) as your AvX piece? If not..

alternatives for lead pieces I'd suggest Magneto, likely at the 100 point for space sake, or possibly Magik @ the 125 point. Both have capacity to get your pieces where they need to be- Eric perhaps moreso as even when he's double-token'd, he can still tk a friendly piece as a free action.

You prefer the ranged game, but suffer from the same problem that range-heavy folks tend to suffer from- get a stealth'd character in the line of fire, and you can't see anything. Now.. this may sound kinda crazy.. but.. do you own Husk?

the reason I say "sound crazy" is because yes... she IS another 100 point sink for your team. Why do I bring her up? Because between her capacity to self-heal via shapechange, and the capacity to either reduce by 2 flat out, reduce damage dealt by half, or negate it entirely, via her peel away layers ability (which can't be countered by a character of lower points, I might add), well.. she can potentially get into the stealther's face and possibly knock them off the stealth, or otherwise mangle them.

if you're set on cable, well...

AvX Cable 124
AvX Magik 125
WatX Husk 100
GSX Lockheed 47
totaling out at 396. if you intend to use the phoenix force dial and whatnot, maybe just pull lockheed and go from there. just an off the wall thought

I know this is a figure that is well over the cost limit that you stated, but hear me out. Dark Phoenix from Marvel 10th anniversary is well worth her cost on the field. At 100 points you get; Running Shot, pulse wave, telekinesis, outwit, with invulerability and super senses (limited). Oh, and power cosmic / x-men to boot.

If that seems like a good idea then;
Dark Phoenix 100
AvX Emma Frost 100
AvX Cyclops 100
WatX Longshot 75
Phoenix Resource on any 2 you choose (not dark phoenix, she *will* die). 24 pts

Emma frost at 100 points is also a really efficient attacker; also sporting a uncounterable powerset, with charge, outwit, exploit weakness, impervious and shapechange.

If you wanted Cyclops at 150 points, Dagger from ASM would be a good addition instead of longshot and the resource. She has a good attack value for her point cost, and has penetrating damage with healing as a ranged attack. Lots of value for 45 points.

Dark Phoenix and emma can handle stealthed attackers; via either pulse wave and telekinesis with phoenix, or a simple charge/exploit weakness with emma.

That is a very solid team. The only thing I'd want to change about it is I'd rather have someone on the team who could TK Dark Phoenix out into the thick of battle. She is highly destructive and just a straight up nasty member of the X-Men.

Either that or I'd build a Namor Team...

If you have Hope, Cable's Bonus goes nicely, and especially when paired with other awesome powers to copy. Her perplex goes a long way to helping herself, and others (Husk at 2 base damage, for instance). I've seen quite a few different builts lately focused on Nate/Hope. Forge is an interesting one for her. Using his power to eat a token gives him/hope Perplex for the rest of the game, even if the power is lost- a boost for hope on her last few clix where she loses it and gets her Jumpstart power. Also Forge's attack special is even better on Hope, as she just needs to hit- no damage needed, so she can take out an opponent's defense, and perplex up another attacker's damage instead.

AvX Cable 124
WatX Hope Summers 75 (199)
WatX Forge 90 (289)
FF Professor X 75 (364)
Phoenix Force with Cyclops and 1 other of your choice (Cable seems to be the man of the hour for having RCE ^^) 24 (388)
12 points for horde? Damaged Warbot is extremely useful when you hit the sweet spot, but Mutant Student would be a good backup, thematically ^^

alternatively, you can forgo the professor and phoenix Force to put in the WatX Colossus at 100, having Forge keep him healed each turn for free is quite nice.

On the oddball side...

ASM Cloak & ASM Dagger 100
WatX Hope Summers 75 (175)
FF Professor Xavier 75 (250)
AvX Magneto (b) 150 (400)

Move Hope and Dagger up side by side with Cloak behind them in hindering. Copy Cloak if you want Incapacitate and stealth with Hope, Copy Dagger if you want to deal penetrating and heal someone or herself. Corner Magento in between them all if no one against you has EE, and make abuse of that Leadership. Xavier will keep the dice in your favor as well as more protection; you should be able to hold Erik in reserve with the constant flow of healing and stealth swapping. And if someone really puts all in for a close combat, Cloak's double Incap really keeps things in check. ^^

There is a guy at the venue I play AvX at that uses this exact build. He does ridiculously well every time. This build is a Solid X-Men strategy.