20. Matter-Eater Lad – 025, 35 pts. – Sure he’s a cheap taxi, but he’s cheap and demands to be dealt with. He’s cheap and pushable. He’s cheap and messes with an opponents strategy. He has exploit weakness to invulnerable/impervious guys, steal energy to heal back up, and, most impressively, can use a free action to get rid of blocking terrain or an object, regardless if it’s held or not. That’s a lot of utility for mighty cheap, and if his 16 defense makes a guy with an item 1 shot him? Well, he’s just wasted a turn of the enemy’s big gun for 35 points while you can do something else with the figure he’s hopefully moved into position. And even the naked defense isn’t so bad with Brainiac 5 being able to give him Toughness and Invisible Kid able to give him Stealth. He usually won’t win you game, but he’ll really help.
19. Supergirl – 010, 200/100 pts. – A 200 point Hypersonic, Super Strength brick is always handy, especially when she sees through Stealth thanks to Superman Ally. That, however, besides the Stealth-busting, can be found far cheaper. What gets Supergirl her high rank is her utility, as she can easily be 100 pts, still effective with 4 opening damage, and the copyable Superman Ally TA. And even that gets a nice boost as she has the Legion of Superheroes keyword to give the TA to her wildcard buddies. With as many damage reducers as she has, this is a dangerous beatstick in a set full of big, dangerous beatsticks.
18. Magog – 035, 172 pts – 12 attack is the closest this game gets to auto-hit. Adding in Exploit Weakness, Super Strength and charge is just mean with 4 damage at this cost. This guy is 1 TKer from first strike huge damage, and if he does mess up somehow and get hit, he’ll then still be able to use Close Combat Expert for 5 damage or Pulse Wave and just bypass everyone’s defenses. He ends with Support, which I guess is fine, but that’s icing – you’re paying for the first part of that dial, especially given the trate that lets him Charge (or Pulse Wave or whatever) and attack again when he kills anyone.
17. Hope Taya – 030, 40 pts. – 40 points for 4 damage with Super Strength isn’t unmatchable, but it is nice. It’s also damn near unmatchable with the 10 attack, 11 if Lex Luthor is near. Toughness makes her take two hits to kill, and at 40 points, you don’t really need much else. Metropolis and Amazon keywords even allow her some theme availability without delving into the overcrowded Martial Artist realm.
16. Ursa – 044, 150 pts – Ursa is a great piece who’s being overlooked thanks to the Stealth-busing in this set. She’s fine for Metropolis and Phantom Zone teams, but they don’t necessarily need her Stealthy powers. Spies and Soldiers, however get a big bosot from her being Stealthed, while being able to see into Stealth for Psychic Blasting 4 damage, and, for added range, Running Shot. Her attack is already good, but in hindering, and since she’s got Stealth she’ll be in hindering, it’s an 11 that never drops below 10. Her weaker end dial still sports both Hypersonic Speed and Ranged Combat Expert, ensuring she has a way to deal with targets big and small. The recent proliferation of Stealth killers lowers her value a bit, but she’s still all around excellent.
15. Manchester Black – 028, 96 pts. – This is my favorite piece in the set. Once upon a time TK and Psychic Blast meant no way to deal with Stealth, but no longer. TK an object to hit in Stealth, or Psychic Blast a big, damage reducing enemy. TK also adds a ton to a Suicide Squad team, as the groups was previously missing that essential power. He has two targets to make sure he’s doing damage no matter what, and he loses tokens whenever an enemy dies. If he’s hurt then, he also heals if they’re more than 100 pts. Add in his healing from Suicide Squad TA when allies die, and he can last a long, long time for a guy with only Toughness. He’s a team player who can damage bricks, lower damage to himself, and heal multiple ways. His raw numbers fall to 2 damage after click 2, but he still has Exploit to deal with heavy enemies. He’s just dangerous and even his two weak clicks at the back end of the dial aren’t bad given how easy it should be to heal him from there late game.
14. Maxwell Lord – 013, 99 pts. – Triple Target Incapacitate or Mind Control is just straight up mean and can either lock down or destroy a team. Add in Outwit and this is one of the more annoying characters possible. He only has Super Senses, but one made roll will almost guarantee he makes his cost, as whoever tried to hit him will be locked down with Incapacitate or Mind Controlled to hit a buddy.
13. Superman Robot – 100, 75 pts. – Indomitable makes this guy a damage dealing machine. At 75 pts, he’s dealing 5 damage thanks to Super Strength, then going for 3 again. He always has Psychic Blast or Super Strength, he can heal up to full with Regeneration, and his Toughness gives him that chance. He’s good taking Super Ally or helping Super Enemies thanks to his trait that gives him those abilities if someone else has them, but he might be better as a Robot – an army of him with M-11, or him and Ultron, is a frightening proposition.
12. Sun Boy – 022, 79 pts. – This is a simple figure that you can do a ton with at an affordable cost. As a Wildcard and Taxi he can have plenty of fun right there, but adding in Psychic Blast and Pulse Wave means he WILL be doing penetrating damage early if his ten attack hits. Of course, if you’re that worried about it, run him with a cheap Bat Enemy like the Holiday Killer. If you think his 20 Defense at Range is fragile, give him a Bat Ally to hang out with. He can always make people not hit him by borrowing a Mystic. It goes on and on. He even has Poison mid-dial to punish those that base him. The lack of damage reducers is a problem only if you let him get caught, and at 79 pts, anyone chasing him is ignoring a lot more enemies that can take shots at them.
11. Eradicator – 033, 135 pts – Shape Change, Super Senses, Toughness, Running Shot and an 11 attack that sees into hindering with Psychic Blast. Hit him and he gets Hypersonic, unless you hit too hard and he gets Steal Energy and Exploit Weakness, which will heal him to… Hypersonic. Or hit him really really hard and he Regenerates to Hypersonic. This guy is a huge pain to put down and can deal penetrating damage close or afar all dial long. And if a Superman dies to give him a stat boost? Watch out.
10. Starman – 041, 99 pts – JSA for Legion members is a god-send, especially as Starman has his own 18 defense to lend his allies – more with Perplex. He can make anyone really difficult to hit just by Phasing next to an enemy and automatically lowering his attack by 1. With all the low defenses Legionnaires have, he single handedly makes them a whole lot more playable.
9. Superboy – 017, 125 pts. – TK for Metropolis, TK for Young Justice! Perplex for all! No more Stealth! This is an awesome heavy hitter who can afford to sit back and support his team since he’s so cheap, ideally while waiting for a Superman to die and make him a monster brick. He’s some better keywords from being top 3.
8. Lobo – 042, 169 pts – Yep, Lobo’s back, and he’s super dangerous with Wolverine’s heal a click every turn power. He’s also Indomitable, so he can attack a ton, can Charge for most of his dial and pull enemies close plenty as well, and, oh yeah, is at worst 3 damage with the potential for more. He need some TK to get close, but really, beyond that, this is a world class character to lay a beating on opponents and not break the bank. He’s a brick for the JLI and a centerpiece if we ever get more LEGION. Brutes aren’t great, but Lobo and a Hulk set go a long way to fixing that.
7. Silver Banshee – 029, 153 pts. – Silver Banshee. Wow. Extreme mobility with big move, 8 range and Running Shot. A choice of Triple Target Incapacitate to deal damage or Pulse Wave. She’s hard to hurt with Invulnerability, and hard to want to hurt as a Mystic. With a full dial of penetrating damage, she may nosedive with how much that damage is a bit quickly, but besides that, this is a scary character that there is simply no good way to face down.
6. Imperiex – 050, 280 pts. – 10 Range is now really, really rare, and Imperiex has that. He’s also got Quintessence to push freely and not worry about Outwit, a ton of damage reducers, his own Outwit and a whopping 5 damage. The Drill mechanic may be confusing, but since it’s free damage, it’s worth it. This is the best non-hypersonic brick in this point range since Thanos.
5. Human Target – 021, 47 pts. – He gives allies Shape Change for being adjacent. That means most will choose to attack him and his 18 defense in close initially. If he’s hit, oh well, your big gun is safe. If he’s missed, well, enjoy laughing at your opponent. After click 1 he can even deal 3 damage whether close or far for the rest of his dial. He’s one of the best harassment pieces I’ve ever seen. Pair him with Ben Reilly, Crimson Avenger, and any of the 150ish point bricks around for supreme harassment.
4. Wonder Woman – 045, 156 pts – Her stats and damage make her simply the best Wonder Woman ever made. It pays to play her with someone who can reposition enemies so that she can lower enemies defense by one and raise allies attacks by 1. She won’t be easy to get rid of from range either, being immune to Psychic Blast, Incapacitate and Mind Control. She deals a ton of damage all dial for the best cost since SI Namor. What a beast of a piece. I think I’d like her with Web of Spider-Man’s Vector.
3. Cyborg Superman – 034, 140 pts. – He eats Items to heal or freely attacks opponents with TK. He’s Impervious and Indomitable so he can do a ton of damage besides, while it’s tough to hurt him. He can use an object for Super Strength, TK, healing or just use his natural 4 damage and Running Shot. Shape Change offers a bit of extra defense early, and his 4 damage Ranged Combat Expert to close the dial is really just icing. This is one of those “wait, he’s HOW cheap?” characters. He might be #1 if they had decided to just go ahead and give him the Sinestro Corps keyword.
2. Superman – 055, 107 pts. – By either a better generic keyword than Reporter or not being a chase, this guy would be #1. He’s super cheap at only 107 points, comes with his own Item, and when he hits with it (5 damage), it’s penetrating. If he wants, he could just throw that item for 3 damage penetrating. He can be TK’d with ease, and in Golden Age, a dumpster makes him pure evil. Add in mid-dial perplex and late dial Hyperonic brick capabilities and you have an absolutely amazing figure that opponents will focus on for barely more than 1/3 of a regular team’s point total.
1. Superman – 001, 300/150 pts. – At 300 points his Outwit is devastating, giving him a version of Quintessence when paired with his Indomitable to all but the rare Quintessence/Power Cosmic + Outwit figure. Add in seeing through Stealth, 12 attack, 5 Damage and Super Strength? I do not care at all that this guy isn’t Justice League. He’s phenomenal, on par with the Crisis chase Supermen, and he’s a common. If you want affordable, play him at 150 for the same basic package except with 4 damage. He can even Regenerate up to full in that form, if you’re lucky, and has Psychic Blast and lots of 4 damage besides. What a great figure.
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