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It's new set time once again clixers.
Follow along our primer to dominate all nine realms of sealed play. Saturnflight and Jruffing return to wage a war of words once again. Which figures are worthy of your force? Who should be cast back into the booster to learn a lesson in humility? Do either of these writers know what they're doing? Does anyone actually read these things? Read more to find out!!!
SHIFTING FOCUS: Son of Asgard: FREE: If Thor begins your turn on the map, replace him with another character with this trait on the same click number. Hammer Throw: POWER: Improved Targeting: Characters, destroy Blocking. Make a close attack regardless of adjacency targeting all opposing characters within 6 squares along a single direct line of fire. Each hit character is dealt Thor's printed damage value instead of normal damage. After resolutions, destroy any walls or squares of blocking terrain along the direct line of fire. JR: Loveable Screwup
Even more than the first two SF Thor we saw, this one does not stand on his own. Opening Sidestep makes a useful combo for the other Thor's Charge or Running Shot, but it leaves him a slowly advancing non-threat if left alone. I give him one , with the caveat that if you running one of the other SF Thor you can add that to their score for the pair.
SF: JRuffing was kind enough to leave it for me to call out his abysmal opening 10! That's 2 Thors out of 3 in this Shifting Focus set! I love the Hammer Through the Wall trick, but it's just not worth the price of admission. Long-term, this will be a desirable figure- but you should hope to pull him at home, not at the tourney.
#046 Daredevil
Real Name: Matt Murdock
Team: Cosmic Energy
Range: 0
Points: 75
Keywords: Asgardian, Marvel Knights, Deity, Martial Artist, Mystical
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Radar Sense at a Cosmic Scale: Adjacent friendly characters can use Super Senses. Open the Bifrost: Passenger: 2. Phasing/Teleport, Sidestep.// Passenger: 4, but only to carry characters with the Asgardian keyword. Heimdall's Sight: Probability Control, but may target a character within 8 squares regardless of line of fire. JR: Theme Stealer
Matt Murdock's selflessness is on full display here. Ole Hornhead isn't charging into battle on his own, but what he provides to the team on his way in more than makes up for it. DD can take a hodgepodge of Asgardian fighters and turn them into an effective fighting unit.
SF: Irresistably Bad
What about 'Cosmic Scale' says 'adjacent' to you? Because I certainly expected better from that trait's name! Daredevil is gonna make you overconfident about your evasion rolls, and then the dice gods are gonna remind you that 1 in 3 actually refers to how many people are gonna be blessed with good Senses rolls, and you're not the 1. That said, I won't be able to resist playing Daredevil of the Bifrost if I pull him- I'll probably even build around him in Constructed.
#047a Gamora
Real Name: Gamora
Team: Guardians
Range: 6
Points: 80
Keywords: Guardian of the Galaxy, Infinity Watch, Assassin, Cosmic, Warrior
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Role Tag: Ally Targeting: Elevated, Characters, Adjacent Collecting the Infinity Stones: SIDELINE ACTIVE, UNIQUE MODIFIER. Friendly Captains and Sidekicks modify attack +1 when attacking one or more equipped characters. Most Dangerous Woman in the Universe: Super Senses. // Once per turn, when Gamora hits with a close attack, after resolutions she may make a range attack. JR: Extra range attacks are certainly nice, every little bit of firepower helps, but Gamora still needs to get in and hit that close attack first. Evaluating her as a close combat brick, she's not particularly fast or durable for her cost in this set.
SF: If I cross my eyes just right, I can blur the powers from the latter half of the dial with the stats from the front half and see a wildly impressive figure. But I don't want 80 points to open with Gamora's 17 Toughness, and I don't want a durable second wind that relies on Blades and mediocre attack values. Everything about this dial points toward a synergy build that you can't create here.
#047b Prime Gamora
Real Name: Gamora
Team: Guardians,Police
Range: 7
Points: 125/60
Keywords: Asgardian, Battleworld: Asgard, Battleworld: Other, Guardians of the Galaxy, Police, Warrior
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The Deadliest Thor in Battleworld: When Gamora targets more than one character with an attack, instead of dividing the damage, she may deal her printed damage value to each hit target. Crack the Case Wide Open: Once per turn, when an opposing character within 4 squares makes an attack, give Gamora an Evidence Token. // FREE: Remove two Evidence Tokens to place Gamora adjacent to an opposing character within 4 squares and then make an attack. Lightning Channeled Through Godslayer: When Gamora targets a single character with an attack, they can't use defense powers. Maintain Battleworld Borders with an Assassin's Touch: Combat Reflexes, Impervious. JR: Crack the Case returns, from all the way back in Battleworld, with a hefty upgrade to boot. Ditching the line of fire requirement and throwing in some short range placement will help prime Gamora thrive if you can supply her with her preferred battlefield: a messy close combat scrum. Even with the Charge and 7 range, I am likely to wanna carry/move/place her right into the thick of things rather than risk setting up a Charge for later. Let her get picked apart from range and she'll crumple as fast as any tentpole in the set.
SF: Look, I'm fine with your plan to carry Gamora in, but let it be said that she's perfectly capable of closing a gap all on her own. This is a dial I'd be willing to invest 125 in, though the 60 point dial is no slouch either. 125: 60:
#048 Unique Hela
Real Name: Hela
Team: Mystics
Range: 8
Points: 125
Keywords: Asgardian, Deity, Mystical, Ruler
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Targeting: Ignores Characters A Gathering Of The Dead: Whenever a standard character is KO'd, generate a Grave marker in the square they occupied. // POWER: Generate Draugr Warrior bystanders in all unoccupied squares with Grave markers within range, then remove each of those Grave markers. Gain 1 MISSION POINT for each Draugr Warrior generated this action. Commanding The Dead: Leadership, Mastermind. When Hela uses Leadership and succeeds, you may instead generate a Grave marker.
#048bt Draugr Warrior
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 0
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JR: Hela may appear firmly in the typical mold of pricey tentpoles, but she does have a few points giving her a leg up. Damage could be higher, but that solid range coupled with both forms of penetrating damage will give her excellent reach without being handicapped when your opponent does close that gap. Mastermind and pog generation has plenty of potential to extend her dial, but between Mystics and end dial healing I'm situationally willing to eat some hits that I could otherwise pass off. Hela is both better and less straightforward than she appears.
SF: With an opening reach of 13 squares, Hela is the very real threat that all of our damage-reducing bricks have been held back by. I've previously been critical of 100+ point characters throwing 3 damage, and that's still true here- but Hela should be able to enter battle on her own terms, picking her targets, and reinforcing herself with a few Draugr Warriors as she makes progress. Let the pawns move before the queen, and Hela should be too complex to take down by the time your opponent reaches her.
#049 Valkyrie
Real Name: Jane Foster
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 6
Points: 100/60
Keywords: Asgardian, Deity
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Undrjarn, the All-Weapon: Free: Choose a standard attack or standard damage power printed on Valkyrie's card. Valkyrie can use the chosen power until she chooses again. Thor is a God...Valkyrie is a Job: When a character damaged by Valkyrie this turn would be KO'd but isn't, after resolutions modify Valkyrie combat values +1 this game. Mr. Horse, Your timing is Impeccable: Charge. When Valkyrie uses it, don't halve speed unless she has generated a Mr. Horse bystander this game. // Once per game, FREE: Generate a Mr. Horse bystander.
wotr049bt Mr. Horse
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 0
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JR: Blade. Save you all some trouble checking the dial list, as far as sealed is concerned her "Would be KO'd but isn't" is a silver bullet for exactly one half vampire (wait.... weren't those for something else...). She's still good besides, I particularly like the flexibility of her limited Pick-a-Power, just don't let dreams of a permanent +1 cloud your judgement.
SF: I like the opening on Valkyrie, especially considering her full-speed Charge. Opening with the (let's be realistic) pairing of Outwit and Probability Control has incredible utility for your team, and might even make you think about picking some softer targets in the early game. While the 60 point dial can pick Outwit and still have the support-role power pairing, you really sacrifice all of her aggressive competence. 100: 60:
#050 Dr. Strange
Real Name: Dr. Stephen Strange
Team: Defenders,Mystics
Range: 8
Points: 50
Keywords: Avengers, Defenders, Illuminati, Mystical
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Targeting: Hindering Recruiter: POWER : Choose a character with the Mystical keyword in your KO area that hasn't been chosen for or generated by a Recruiter effect. If you do, generate a character with the Mystical keyword from your Sideline that has a lower point value than the chosen character. This game, the generated character can't be replaced and your opponent scores them immediately instead of when they are KO'd. Mentor in the Mystical Arts: FREE : Once per turn for all characters with this trait, choose a friendly character with the Mystical keyword. This turn when the chosen character attacks, after resolutions deal a hit character 1 penetrating damage. JR: Boring, But Practical
The set may not be overflowing with fellow Mystics, but Dr. Strange can always mentor himself. (Talk about conceited...) Gives a little bite to his otherwise lackluster offense honestly. Play him for cheap carry and Prob.
SF: Basically, Dr. Strange is a perfectly competent, but perfectly bland, recruiter- which is what the set has been giving us. Mystical is, of course, a stacked keyword in constructed; I wouldn't be surprised if Mystical saw the most strategic use of the recruiter mechanic, which would in turn make Dr. Strange essential. None of that is truly relevant here; all that needs to be said is that Stephen is a Probability Control piece who won't embarrass himself as an attacker, and I'd absolutely run him.
#051 Crusader
Real Name: Sarah Rogers
Team: Avengers,X-Men
Range: 6
Points: 125/75
Keywords: Asgardian, Avengers, Battleworld: Other, X-Men, Soldier
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Targeting: Ignores characters Mjolnir and Dad's Shield: FREE: Choose one to use until you choose again.
*Close Combat Expert
*Energy Shield/Deflection Speed and Power: Sidestep, Flurry. Bring Peace or Die Trying: Leadership, Empower. JR: An otherwise pretty standard brick is really saved by that trait. She's also a rare split dial that I think works at both values. 125 is a good heavyweight fighter, but 75 is still a solid leader for a more balanced or swarmy team. 125/75: SF: Honestly, Crusader embarrasses so many characters in this set. What an absolute knockout of a dial. You hardly have to build around her at 125, but you should. 125: 75:
#052 Iron All-Father
Real Name: Odin Borson
Team: Cosmic Energy
Range: 9
Points: 300/125
Keywords: Asgardian, Avengers, Stark Industries, Wakanda, Armor, Cosmic, Deity, Mystical
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More Sons Than I Care To Remember: FREE: Choose a character on your Sideline with the Asgardian keyword and choose a standard attack or defense power printed on their card. Iron All-Father can use the chosen power until your next turn. Stark's Design, Wakandan Vibranium, and Infused Dwarven Magic: Close Combat Expert, Exploit Weakness, Outwit, Probability Control. JR: Keyword King
I know what you're thinking. I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A match of Penetrating/Psychic Blast and Exploited Weakness when the health of Odin goes clicking by. But I also see in this set, a whole army of Odin's countrymen here in defiance of Hawkeye. Ready to lend their powers to his cause. Aye, play him and you may be out actioned, run more figures and you'll keep pace. For a while. But months later, trying to make him work in constructed, wouldn't you be willing to trade every game, from this game to that. For one chance, just one chance, to run Odin against hodgepodge sealed teams instead of well built ones. Clixers, I bid you run Odin Borson, of Asgard! FREEDOM!!!!!! 300: 125:All-Father or Nothing-Father SF: Picture Morgan Freeman, his pointer finger extended upward, toward Valhalla, toward glory, toward the right decision, toward the only decision. "He's right, you know." Yes, Morgan. He's right. He's right. 300: 125: There is no glory without the story...
#053a The Destroyer
Team: Guardians
Range: 7
Points: 150
Keywords: Asgardian, Guardians of the Galaxy, Armor, Robot
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Unstoppable Juggernaut: Sidestep. At the beginning of your turn you may move The Destroyer one square. Destruction Protocols: Close Combat Expert, Outwit. JR: The New Cheese
You will get sick of this seeing this Destroyer, not so much because of everything actually on his dial, but for Kid Loki resurrecting Ye Olde Justin Seyfert combo with him. Unfortunately for his sealed prospects- where he'll usually be without that Loki- Destroyer has caught a terminal case of one-attack-from-Hawkeye-leaves-me-looking-stupid-overcosted-itis. We've had a surge of cases lately, but this one of the worst I've seen. Unless you pull Kid Loki and have that sick combo going for you, Destroyer is likely gonna get Destroyed.
SF: Woof. Look, 150 is entirely reasonable for that dial. But no one in this set seems to agree with that. I don't see how you can possibly give half your points to the Destroyer and come away feeling anything but let down.
#053b Prime The Destroyer
Real Name: N/A
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 10
Points: 100
Keywords: Asgardian, Armor, Herald, Mystical, Robot
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Movement: Destroy Blocking Guardian of Odin's Treasure Vault: SIDELINE ACTIVE- If The Destroyer is on your Sideline and an opposing character damages a friendly character with an attack, if either character is equipped, after resolutions give The Destroyer a Seeker token and roll a d6 adding the number of Seeker tokens to the result. 6+: Generate The Destroyer from your Sideline in a square along the edge of the map in the same row or column of an equipped character, then remove all Seeker tokens and turn The Destroyer's dial to click X where X is the number of Seeker tokens removed. // If The Destroyer started the game via this trait, when it takes damage after resolutions return it to your Sideline. Protected: Pulse Wave. JR: Point Breaker
Sometimes we get primes with strategies or powers so unique they simply have to be prime. Something truly unique or game-bending in it's novelty. And then sometimes we get primes who beat the very concept of a point formula to within an inch of it's life until it screams for mercy.
SF: Oof. That... that is a broken dial right there... I, uh... well, he's not very good against Psychic Blast... but he'll still be standing afterwards, I suppose... Is it a critique of his sealed prospects to say he'll be three times the threat in constructed when you don't even have to frickin' pay for him?!?!
Just, all the shields, just take them...
#054 Thanos
Real Name: Thanos
Team: Cosmic Energy
Range: 6
Points: 150
Keywords: Cosmic, Eternal, Minions of Thanos, Ruler
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Targeting: Adjacent An Infinity Mjolnir of My Own Creation: When Thanos hits, roll a d6.
1: MIND - After resolutions Thanos may use Mind Control as FREE, but only to target a hit character regardless of range or line of fire.
2: POWER - Increase the damage dealt by +1 to each hit target.
3: REALITY - After resolutions, you may generate a hindering, blocking or water terrain marker in a square adjacent to a hit character.
4: SOUL - After resolutions, heal Thanos 2 clicks.
5: SPACE - After resolutions, you may place a hit character in a square within 5 squares of their current square.
6: TIME - Until the end of your next turn, Thanos can use Probability Control and opposing characters can't use Probability Control. Darkness and Nothing More: STOP. Impervious, Regeneration. Thanos can reduce penetrating damage. JR: I don't need to tell you that Thanos looks scary. He's Thanos. But I think his short range and the randomness of the Infinity Mjolnir will keep him just barely in check.
SF: For perhaps the first time in his career, Thanos is the 'fun' choice in competitive tentpoles. You'll be rolling dice and picking up powers and all the while denting in your opponents' armor. I'm just really looking forward to the whole thing.
Open The Casket Of Ancient Winters: Incapacitate. // When a friendly character uses Incapacitate, after resolutions gain 1 MISSION POINT for each hit character that was given a second action token. JR: Oddly Specific
If we had an award for "figure your opponent will do their darndest to avoid engaging altogether" Malekith would win it, hands down. Going in and trying to flush him out of Stealth is not an appealing proposition, at all. The trouble is, unless you've managed to pull some sick Incapacitate strategy- in sealed no less- Malekith surviving all game isn't that scary either.
SF: 100 points. 3 damage. But there's Blades! Maybe you like rolling Blades to feel competent? I'm not sure that I do. I'd probably play him anyway, to remind myself that I don't.
Movement: Destroys Blocking Targeting: Characters No Asgardian Shall Fall: Defend. // When a friendly character that's adjacent or has the Asgardian keyword would take 4 or more damage, they take 3 instead. Lightning Storm: Giant Reach 3. Quake, but deals 3 penetrating damage instead of 2. The Battle Shall Be Ours: Leadership. When Thor uses it, he may treat friendly characters with the Asgardian keyword within range as adjacent. JR: Woof. God of Thunder indeed. Thor brings a tentpole worth his cost and a budget option that doesn't feel budget at all. It's not just the sudden appearance of benched powers either, Thor's trait and specials are all excellent and feel perfectly useable in sealed. Appropriately Thor's only downfall is likely to be the hubris he could bring out in the lucky players who pull him. Just cause you can HSS up 12 squares all by Thor's lonesome and cut the opposing tentpole's dial in half, doesn't mean it's the smart play. 175/100: SF: Oh, it's JRuff's turn for a 'woof'. Cool. Thor is a trap. And so I shall rate him as I would rate a trap, and let those of you clever enough not to fall into it freely disregard it. Thor is not as untouchable as he seems. At 100, I expect many a Thor to fall victim to a targeted takedown. Pay another 75 points for the Benched Powers Upgrade, and Thor becomes a lot more playable- and still, this is nothing we haven't all learned to contend with. There's a Superman in every set- and in the end, they seldom stand on the podium. 175: 100:
Iron All-Father is easily the must pull in sealed, with prime Destroyer a close second, but after seeing 056 Thor in action in a BR(piloted by JR no less), he's absolutely 5 stars at top dial. Your opponent would need multiple outwits AND a way to tie Thor up, because he just goes where he wants and it's important to remember his trait against Asgardians taking more than 3 damage applied to himself, so even if you outwit or ppb/ew him, it will take 3 attacks minimum at 100 and 4 at 175. I even think you might have been forgetting the IT:characters he has, JR, that or you didn't even need it. I would have been over the moon at this dial if it didn't have the higher line, as is this is definitive Thor, feeling slightly more fair than the CAAV chase.
I think you guys are a little hard on the Destroyer. Yes, he is costly, but he can be supplemented by other low-cost characters. I mean that dial is beastly, it's just costly. 3 shields all the way. Overall, Good write-up!
Last edited by Slade Wilson; 02/07/2022 at 12:01..
I think you guys are a little hard on the Destroyer. Yes, he is costly, but he can be supplemented by other low-cost characters. I mean that dial is beastly, it's just costly. 3 shields all the way. Overall, Good write-up!
Agreed. 3 Shields. He's also a giant so he'll be getting in more hits than you think. Well, if your remember to roll for the 3-6 that is.
"Strike first, strike fast, strike hard."
WWTX 08 KOTH Champ 12-2, 2011 KOTH Champ 27-6
GenCon 2012 17-4 in BR - 2013 22-6 in BR
WKO-San Diego 2014 2nd Place of 78
2015 SLCC Regional Champion of 56
2016 Team Worlds 2nd Place, 14-3 in BR
2017-20 WKO Champ x6, Team Nats 3rd Place, B2B ROC State Champ 19,20
The only thing working against The (non-prime) Destroyer's rating for sealed play is IMO this: compared to most of the other pieces in this set, the 150-point investment will require nuanced team-building and nuanced play. Neither is something that most players consider when trying to decide on a 'tent-pole'.
Personally: If I had that piece plus 9 other figures to choose from, I think I could probably build a team with The Destroyer that is more likely to win on points than I would by restricting myself to only the 9 other pieces. A piece that costs half the build is the obvious target of the enemy, as a it isn't as if The Destroy has to stay adjacent to allies or go into base-to-base contact with the enemy it is trying to defeat.
For me daredevil is my main want. He's my favorite marvel hero so I have to get him. A couple others I like, but won't be able to afford them for a long time if at all.
For me daredevil is my main want. He's my favorite marvel hero so I have to get him. A couple others I like, but won't be able to afford them for a long time if at all.
I was lucky enough to pull him and Exiles Valkyrie in sealed, along with Not the God of Hammers Thor only lost to She-Hulk(the odds would not he bad for her to solo my team without the following great support) with Black Widow, dark blue Cap and Black Knight. Daredevil is an awesome Taxi for Asgardians, his trait adds another layer of defense to adjacent characters, and that prob control anywhere within 8 can feel unfair. That said, if he gets hit, he feels it and he can get double tapped quick.
Daredevil is the only must have from the SRs. He's my favorite marvel hero so I go after all new versions of him.
A couple others I would like to get like #56 Thor, prime Destroyer, and Odin. But the secondary price will be outrageous for them for a very long time.
A little frustrated since we got Freya as a token so I was hoping she might finally show up in heroclix. Maybe in the next Thor based set 2-3 years from now.
I was lucky and pulled 053a Destroyer out of my 2nd place pack, and snag 056 Thor in a Battle Royale thanks to Hawkeye and Shang-Chi taking down Thanos and common Spider-Man to get me enough points to barely make 2nd, and first place took the Human Torch chase.
Seconded on Freya, absolutely a tease to put her on the tokens and then not make her. Much as I love what is in the set, there are some GLARING omissions.
Kinda surprised at the high rating for Crusader. Long dial, but with Charge being her primary use, she's going to get dogpiled by EW figs or picked at by PB.
All Father is legit though, he won our sealed. I almost had him with a Donald Blake/Skurge/Daredevil team, but dice were not my friend. That he has a bevy of powers and can pick more is amazing.