Per, DC HeroClix New Game Mechanic – New Super Powers
by Jason Mical http://www.wizkidsgames.com/heroclix....asp?cid=38798


Speed Powers EARTHBOUND This character is grounded, and has the boot speed mode instead of its printed speed mode. If this character is soaring when it gains Earthbound, this character is dealt 1 damage. This power cannot be countered.


You’ll see Earthbound used in one of two ways in Unleashed: either to represent some powerful characters’ lack of flight on their first click or as the way certain characters lose the ability to fly after they’ve taken some damage. Earthbound can be a double-edged sword. While it allows a beat-up character to be dragged to safety by comrades, it can hinder characters who may need to fly over terrain to get away from an overwhelming enemy force. For those characters who have Earthbound only on their first clicks, you can carry them into battle easily, where they can power up to fight.

Attack Powers QUAKE (optional): Give this character a close combat action. This character’s damage value becomes 2 if it is greater than 2. Make a single attack roll, and compare the result to the defense values of all opposing characters adjacent to this character. Each character that takes damage suffers knockback.


The mighty Quake is the bane of close combat forces everywhere. Quake is a great way to make a bunch of enemies scatter very quickly—and damage them all in the process. Most of the characters with Quake tend to be big hitters who can hold their own in one-on-one combat but who can be overwhelmed by a bunch of smaller nibblers. Quake takes care of that, generally appearing later in the dial when it counts the most. Of course, it can be used offensively as well: Toss a character with Quake into the middle of a swarm of enemies and make them all disperse.

Damage Powers EXPLOIT WEAKNESS (optional): Give this character a close combat action. Damage from this attack cannot be reduced by any power that reduces damage dealt.


Sometimes hitting well can be just as effective as hitting hard, and Exploit Weakness represents that. Think of it as the HeroClix equivalent of the Ninja Finger of Death. Exploit Weakness has one use: Put your character toe-to-toe with characters that you cannot otherwise hurt and let the sparks fly.

Defense Powers COMBAT REFLEXES (optional): This character suffers knockback from any attack from which it takes damage. Knockback damage dealt to this character is reduced to 0.


A nice all-around power, Combat Reflexes represents a character’s control over himself or herself in the heat of the battle. It’s really a three-pronged power. First, if an opponent knocks you back, you don’t have to worry about taking damage. Second, it allows you to choose when to be knocked back. If you’d rather stay and fight, simply turn the power off. If you’ve had enough and need to find the nearest medic, let your opponent slap you, making break away a nonissue. You’ll also notice that Combat Reflexes works well with Running Shot.

The key to foiling Combat Reflexes—or at least preventing knock back so that characters with the power can’t run back to their medics—is either to force them into a corner or to strategically place characters behind them. Imagine when your Green Lantern finally gets in a shot only to watch the damaged character hop merrily away—right into the waiting arms of Superman.