The post where Bill rants...

I hate Marvel Heroclix. It might just be the last 2 sets of Marvel that has me in a bind, but I just don't quite get the figures.

Marvel 'clix seem to be based around finding the strongest clix and putting them on the board and let luck run it's course. Silver Surfer, Spiderman, Ms. Marvel - put any one of these pieces down and the game will run around that figure. If it's a high cost game - you get to have 2 strong figures.

Contrast this with DC, which seems to work around strategy a lot more. Sure in DC you could put out that Earth-2 Superman and mop up - but if you didn't then you'd have to think about what pieces you're playing and how to play them effectively. OOTS Batman for instance, when we first saw him he was just a weak Batman but upon reading that OOTS ability - he's a beast. He won't win you games by himself but he will help out immensly by supporting your other characters. Rip Hunter is also the same way - he's awesome for his "you can't outwit me or my teammates" power. The only figure that comes close to this in Marvel is Danger and even she's reduced in power by having a range limit.

I know Doom and Reed Richards have awesome outwit powers but that comes at a huge cost. In addition to being a super outwitter, Doom costs a ton of points. Sure it's worth it if you're in a high point game, but in a low point game he's just too expensive. It would have been awesome if they made a cheaper figure with a similar power. I know Amadeus Cho was just made as a pog, but it would be awesome if he were a cheap clix with some super genius outwit power and cost < 100 points.

I'd also like it if they added something for the Marvel scientists - Iron man, Reed, etc. where they could build a construct to do something, like an outwit station or a perplex station. It's what they do all the time in comics to overcome obstacles yet there's nothing to represent that in this game! Batman on the other hand always has every toy because it's expected he's thought of everything ahead of time!

This set seems to accelerate a lot of the battles by stacking charge with flurry and running shot with pulse wave. It's welcome as it gets that figure into attacking space sooner, but it's also a potential one turn kill if used by the right click. I don't know if I like this element or not. Character wise, I can see a character like 'neck snappin' Black Adam KO'ing figures in 1 click, but Namor / Hercules - maybe not. They're more of the gloaters in the comics. I'm not complaining but I think it's really REALLY powerful. In a risky gambit with Namor, for instance, if you perplex him up 3 times for his damage, he can effectively connect for 14 damage. That's power we've seen only with Earth 2 Superman. If you add TK, Namor can be launched wherever. Add in probability control - free re-roll of a missed flurry. I'm sure that team can be made for < 400 points. Mind you - I think that this type of gambit is extremely cool and I'd love to see it used vs. Ms. Marvel - I hate that piece.

It's probably just the style of play that I like, DC offers a more planning strategy to the game where Marvel is now defined as a fast and furious game. They're both fun - but I just can't get into the Marvel rhythm...