HeroClix A to Z: DC ICONS Marquee Primer - Part 1

[AZS]

Welcome to another Marquee Primer review, and the first for an all new “Base Set!”

There is no Pre-Release for this set, and the Marquee is still a few weeks away, but that doesn’t mean we can’t play in a few friendly sealed games before then.

Since the set is smaller than a regular expansion, I’ll be reviewing it in 3 parts:
Part 1 – The first half of the set (today)
Part 2 – The second half of the set, including uniques
Part 3 – The cards

* Since you can’t play the Starter pack figures in the Marquee, I’ll be reviewing those in a separate article later.

click on comments below to read the review.

[AZS]

Since this is a smaller set, and the coalition has changed, the difference between Commons and Rares gets a little blurry. Also with fewer figures overall, even if some are considered more rare than others, you’re still more likely to pull just about any figure. So I’m keeping that in mind when reviewing and not calling anything ‘common’ or ‘rare,’ except for the Uniques - which are still somewhat ‘unique.’


Standard Intro:
This review and rating system is for a 300 point, 3 booster Sealed event only. Using a star (*) rating system.

* Steer clear of this figure.
** Not so good. Should be considered with caution.
*** Fair. Based on how you need to fill out a team.
**** Good. Definitely consider this figure.
***** Great! Should be a top choice for your team.

There will be very few 1 or 5 star ratings here. So please realize that even though your favorite character might not have gotten five stars like you think it should, I’m just trying to be fair.

Everything written here is in the most general form possible.
Since the specific combination of figures pulled will work together to determine which are more playable than others.

Lastly, this review is just my opinion. And these are a lot of work to write, so I ask you very kindly, please don’t get angry at me for my ratings. I give reasonable explanations for each choice. If you disagree (and you are welcome to do so), please try to do the same.


Part 1 – First half of Icons:

There are no generics in this set, and there are fewer figures all around, so these figures will be just as important to a team as the second half of the set and the Uniques.

Scarecrow
37 / 45 / 56 – All Batman Enemy
Well, there’s a pro and con to this guy.
With all the heavy hitters in this set, his Psychic Blast will be of great use.
Conversely, without any defense to speak of, those same heavy hitters will likely score themselves 37 – 56 points off Scarecrow without breaking a sweat.
The rookie and exp are Attack Value borrowers, so unless you pull another Bat-Enemy to help him out, his AV will probably be too low to do much.
The vet at least has a fighting chance, and if he takes a hit he can still help out with Perplex
R - **
E - **
V - ***

Beast Boy / Changeling
59 / 71 / 86 – All Titans
The rookie and exp are a little tough to get going due to the activation clicks, but once they’re off and running they’re ok.
The rookie is probably best suited for constructed / theme games. His starting AV & damage aren’t enough to justify his nearly 60 points in the marquee. And by the time he gets to Blades or Exploit Weakness his AV is too low to be any good.
The exp is better with 3 damage and higher AV, along with overall improvements in stats and powers. Without any TK in the set, mobility powers like Charge will be very important. Even so, with so much other running shot and charge in the set, by round 4 when you do get him going, the game will already be well underway!
The vet stands quite a bit above the others without the activation click and with better defense. Still, he’s nearly the same cost as many other figures in the set that will serve you better in this format.
R - *
E - **
V - ***

Robin
32 – Bat Ally / 42 – Bat Ally / 65 - Titans
There are only a handful of figures in this set with any kind of Stealth, so Robin will be great as mobile blocking terrain, above and beyond his basic use as a member of your team.
His willpower will also be a great asset, and Incapacitate means that even at 32 points he can still be able to slow down the big guns. Also since the rules for shooting out of adjacency change with this set, cheap tie up pieces like this will be extremely useful.
The Rookie and Exp are good for their Bat Ally TA and Incapacitate, but the Vet is good for his Outwit and higher AV. Willpower also means that he can move around and not push off that important first click. If he does though, he’ll be taken out fairly easy, so be cautious. Still, without Fortitude in this set, Outwit will be one of the most important powers you can pull!
R - ****
E - ****
V - ****

Cheetah
37 / 45 / 55
Back to the importance of mobility; Cheetah is one highly mobile and dangerous chick.
Charge with Blades/Claws/Fangs is deadly and will let her have a chance to take on figs 2 – 3 times her own cost. Her defense is also very impressive at 17 on all three versions. She doesn’t have any defensive powers, but if she takes a moderate hit she’ll end up back on a click with high AV. Her rookie will have to settle for base 2 damage at that point, but the Exp and Vet keep Blades for a while!
All around, she’s a steal for her points at any level and will probably see a lot of play beyond the marquee.
R - ****
E - ****
V - ****

Blackfire
48 / 62 / 76
Wow, Running Shot and high damage for only 48 points. This chick is hardcore. Toughness gives her a small degree of defense, but its really the Running Shot that will keep her safe. Let her hide behind a building or a teammate and then come out shooting.
If she takes a hit, Willpower will allow her to retreat without pushing to death, and Force Blast will make sure she doesn’t get based.
If the rookie is that good, the Exp and Vet just get better from there.
The Exp’s range and AV get a big boost, but Leadership is questionable. With a number of high point figs in this set you’ll probably end up with a small team. Still, it’s a nice addition, if not necessarily a reason to include her.
The Vet is even nicer, take her 10 range and add a second target and now she can split up her high damage or hedge her bets.
When splitting targets, know the difference between how Super Senses and Impervious work: An opponent will get to roll Super Senses before you split up the damage, since if they get the roll, the attack is avoided altogether. Whereas with Impervious you assign damage first and then they roll to see if the damage is reduced to 0.
Multiple targets are awesome against Super Senses for this reason. If you’re worried about them getting the dodge roll, target a SS fig and a regular target. If they get the SS, you just put all the damage on the other target. If not, put it all on them and get SS out of the way!
R - ****
E - ****
V - ****

Starfire
62 / 77 / 96 – All Titans
Rookie Starfire starts out at the same cost as her sister’s Exp, but with substantially less ‘oomph.’ It would appear that you’re paying quite a bit for the Titans TA, and also a few points for her to be a flier. What you lose is all of the back end powers Blackfire has, along with some points on Attack Value. In a constructed game you can build a team to make up for this, but in a sealed environment this will be a detriment. The Titans TA can also be helpful at certain times, but ultimately all you’re doing is shifting around the damage and nothing more – and it costs you an action to do so.
Exp Starfire is a slightly better bet, her AV is up, and stays there for a while, she also keeps her high damage and Running Shot longer. She’s a fair figure for her 77 points, but nothing overly impressive.
Her Vet has the stats that she need to be worth her points, but in this set you may not find room for a nearly 100 point figure, and she’s not worth putting on the team at the cost of leaving someone else off. However, her Running Shot with high movement and Range could be huge if you can squeeze her in, and if your team lacks other move & attack powers.
In this format Blackfire is definitely a much better figure. That might not seem like a fair comparison because you may not have the choice to play one over the other; but keep in mind that they are arch enemies and it will likely come up that one will face off against the other. At which point Blackfire will have a little advantage that could net an opponent double points from Starfire!
R - **
E - ***
V - ***

Aquaman
39 / 56 – JLA / 71 – JLA
Much like his HT counterpart, Aquaman’s rookie starts off with just the basics. In this case its Toughness and Super Strength. He has fair stats, but nothing spectacular. Lack of any kind of mobility might hurt his playability.
Some people might hope to pull Submerged to play with him, which could be good, except that you’d have to find a map with water terrain, and even then he’s only protected as long as he’s in the water. So if you pull it, play it, but don’t put too much stock in it. Rookie Aquaman’s best use is actually as a tie up piece. Since rangers can no longer shoot out of close combat, a figure that can take a direct hit from Superman and live to tell the tale (at least for 1 turn) could give your team the breathing room it needs to set up an attack.
Exp Aquaman is a bit better thanks to his short ranged attack. His stats are also a little better, and if you need it he also brings Leadership to your team. Unlike the rookie, he’s dangerous to the end of his dial thanks to Blades/Claws/Fangs.
The Vet is different yet again and actually starts off with Invulnerability to make him that much harder to hurt. His real assets though are Regen and Support at the end of his dial so he can help your team and be self sustaining. Although he is a lot of points for the small potential to help, and his lumbering speed might mean that he never really makes it into action.
R - **
E - ***
V - ***

Raven
54 / 68 / 73 – All Titans
Power and stat-wise this Raven isn’t much different from her original version. Although that really has no bearing here anyway. :)
Like before, Raven is a phenomenal utility figure. She’s mobile thanks to Phasing, and can help your team out with Probability Control. Do Not underestimate the usefulness of Barrier in this game. The ability to protect your teammates from a Superman or Darksied with a barrier could turn the course of an entire game.
Beyond those support powers, Raven can also attack with Incapacitate and affect the big guns on the board. With all these powers you may end up pushing Raven often – but don’t sweat it; she gets Support a click or two in on every version, and has 2 clicks of Regen to help herself. The one big thing to keep in mind though is how much barrier she has. If you push to put up a barrier and lose the power, the barrier comes down and you’ve wasted an action!
Another thing Raven could be good for is using the Titans TA. She can take her teammates’ clicks to help them out, also possibly putting her on Support to heal the rest, or even Regen to heal herself back up.
She’s a strategy piece for sure, but one that could turn the tide of a game.
R - ****
E - ****
V - ****

Wonder Woman
84 / 109 – JLA / 127 - JLA
Wonder Woman indeed! This version is a serious heavy hitter and a steal for her points.
The rookie is a low point heavyweight champ, and is mobile thanks to Charge. Her AV is as solid as they come and she’s playable and strong to the end of her dial.
The Exp turns it up to 11 with huge 5 damage (plus Super Strength), and Impervious defense. And the Vet is just off the charts with the same high damage but keeping it and her high AV for longer. She’s also impressively deep with 10 clicks of life. For only 127 points she’ll be a pain in the butt to KO, and minimally worth the effort. (Playtip; If you face her, don’t waste too much time or firepower trying to knock her out. Either stay out of her charging range, or put enough damage on her to take her off her Charge clicks. Then focus on taking out easier targets to rack up points.)
R - ****
E - ****
V - *****

Bizarro
177 / 199 / 222 All Superman Enemy
Superman’s evil clone, and a Supes Enemy in all 3 versions, the sad truth here is that you will not be able to use that team ability in this tournament. There are no wildcard figures to help him out, and the other Superman Enemies are too many points to fit on a team with Bizarro.
Besides that, he is somewhat strong. For 177 points his Rookie is the least of the bunch. Range, AV and even mobility powers are less than impressive. Even though he does keep his AV for a long while, it just doesn’t start off good enough to justify the points.
The Exp is a bit better not only with a point more AV, but also that huge 5 damage popping up again. He keeps high damage for most of his dial, and has a click of charge that pops up about halfway through as well. However, with everything else you’ll pull in this game, 199 points for Bizarro will probably be the least of your options.
And even though his stats get better with the Vet, his playability in this format just goes downhill. Two hundred and twenty two points is more than you would spend for a good figure in this format, and certainly more than Vet Bizarro is worth.
He absolutely has potential in constructed games, particularly higher point ones or themes, but in the Marquee he’s the bottom of the barrel.
R - *
E - **
V - *


That’s is for part one. The rest of the figures including the Uniques will be posted Tuesday and then I’ll finish off the set with a review of the Cards on release day – Wednesday.

[sniksder]

Nice reviews as always...

and after playing against and with these figures this past weekend at DC, you are right on with your assements.

[EmperorNorton]

Good overview, azs.
Some minor changes I'd have made: I see E Wonder Woman right up there with the Vet and IMO R Cheetah deserves 5 stars, too.

Now if only I could go to the Marquee...

[K-Ness]

Nice review, but what about the starter figures?

[AZS]

Nice review, but what about the starter figures?....
* Since you can’t play the Starter pack figures in the Marquee, I’ll be reviewing those in a separate article later.

[Puuka]

Nice review, but what about the starter figures?

This is in his first post

"* Since you can’t play the Starter pack figures in the Marquee, I’ll be reviewing those in a separate article later"

[K-Ness]

....WHoops! :p Missed that part somehow! Sorry about that.


This is odd, though. I've heard from many different reliable sources that you CAN use a starter in the Marquee in the place of one booster. My whole outlook on the upcoming marquee has been shifted now. I'm buying a case and didn't want to buy the three boosters to play, so I thought this would be a good way to acquire the starter. Are you guys certain this is true?

[Yeti]

Just think about it for a second, K-Ness.

Would you rather let someone buy a starter where they know what pieces they are going to get and they are going to get 2 more of them to boot. Or have everyone be on a level playing field and not know what they are going to get and have the same number of pieces. There is a reason why these are sealed booster tournies.

[Bubblehead]

I want to know who Best Boy is???

And which movie did he rig in???

:p

[Blubeard]

/offtopic on

well i guess i wasn't aware that super senses was rolled before damage was distributed. i guess i owe StormX an apology for my ruling yesterday. No real harm done i guess since he won anyways ;)

/offtopic off

great reviews! one of the things i look forward to with every new set. I always catch a thought or two about a fig(s) that hadn't occured to me :)

[Darth Sabre]

/offtopic on

well i guess i wasn't aware that super senses was rolled before damage was distributed. i guess i owe StormX an apology for my ruling yesterday. No real harm done i guess since he won anyways ;)

/offtopic off

great reviews! one of the things i look forward to with every new set. I always catch a thought or two about a fig(s) that hadn't occured to me :)

Yeah, Super Senses has always been rolled after the attack roll and before damage was dealt.

Great review! it's good to see that (for at least the first half of the review) Icons has some solid sealed potential.

[Aeturnus]

Man, I absolutely love these marquee primer articles. Keep up the always excellent work, azs.

[tyroclix]

Man, I absolutely love these marquee primer articles. Keep up the always excellent work, azs.

Gets you excited, don't it.

And I'm glad you officially can't use a starter (I would have ruled you couldn't anyway). The point of Sealed events is you don't know what you're going to get. The starter's just don't fit that scenario...

As an aside, I wonder if the Marquee prizes will be the only time (outisde of cons, etc) that you can win these or are these going to be available again in later prize packages. After all, there are only like 6 LE's in the entire set...

[K-Ness]

Just think about it for a second, K-Ness.

Would you rather let someone buy a starter where they know what pieces they are going to get and they are going to get 2 more of them to boot. Or have everyone be on a level playing field and not know what they are going to get and have the same number of pieces. There is a reason why these are sealed booster tournies.I've thought about this, which is why it struck me as odd, but the people who said you could are very educated on the game's rules. Oh well...

[GoodMansBrother]

Blackfire

The Vet is even nicer, take her 10 range and add a second target and now she can split up her high damage or hedge her bets.

The WK site has the Blackfire Vet listed with one target. Have you seen the figure, and can you confirm that she has two?

[doczoom]

we'll probably see the Marquee prizes again since there's only 6 of 'em. We've already had tournaments where the Fantastic Forces marquee prizes were up for grabs and there's only 8 LE's in the FF set. Might help out in the long run since alot of folks in my area RREEAAALLLYYY want the Tim Drake. I guess some folks just want their Bruce Wayne LE to have a lil buddy.

[Wolverine_Hulk]

Are you can to review all the cards.

[George Smiley]

I'm looking at the Vet Starfire vs. Blackfire question and I'd much rather have the flying/ TA ed figure even though its more expensive.

Its true Starfire will be used more in constructed (esp. with ICWO on damage)
but in a draw type tournament with ICONS you have a good chance of pulling another Titan anyway. I'd rather pull V Starfire than V Wonder Woman in the tournament. (I'd gladly play either figure).

Its probably just me but I play a lot better with ranged combat figures with high movement like GL, Human Torch or Starfire.

[dittobeetle]

Great review. These are really useful - thanks! 8)

Here's my slightly silly question - but it just occurred to me, so I'll ask: what do people think is the best Icons upgrade of a figure that previously existed in another set? (The flipside is, what's the worst downgrade...)

My pick is Lex Luthor - so much better than his CJ version. Worst is difficult, 'cuz none of them seem downright awful... but it's probably Cyborg for me.

I'm interested to hear what others think. :ermm:

[Ultimate Robin]

I'd say best upgrade, was either Wonder Woman or Luthor, but the CJ Luthor was like the worst Unique ever, but I'm most looking forward to Darkseid. All the figs are good, but the new Batman would die compared to the old one.

[ThePieMan]

but the new Batman would die compared to the old one.

I don't know, I poersonally like the new one better than the old. I love the up front incap. and the sculpt is a lot better.

[Gentlegamer]

Great review. These are really useful - thanks! 8)

Here's my slightly silly question - but it just occurred to me, so I'll ask: what do people think is the best Icons upgrade of a figure that previously existed in another set? (The flipside is, what's the worst downgrade...)

My pick is Lex Luthor - so much better than his CJ version. Worst is difficult, 'cuz none of them seem downright awful... but it's probably Cyborg for me.

I'm interested to hear what others think. :ermm:Without question, it is REV Superman.

[Dusk44]

Whoa azs, are ya new ?!?


..out of previous 'shape-changers' clix ( e.g. Snowbird, Chameleon,) ..this new BeastBoy is not only an improvement of his previous Hypertime Changling release, but th' R, E, V are an excellent staple to any team,

[lchestnut81]

Good overview, azs.
Some minor changes I'd have made: I see E Wonder Woman right up there with the Vet and IMO R Cheetah deserves 5 stars, too.

Now if only I could go to the Marquee...


I have to agree with the Rookie Cheetah and Experienced Wonder Woman, they will both be great pieces!

Great review!!!!

[darthfatty]

Well thought-out review, man. Great heads-up on the SS/double-arrow business. A lot of folks don't even know about that little bit of timing.

[XStreme]

Starfire
62 / 77 / 96 – All Titans
Rookie Starfire starts out at the same cost as her sister’s Exp, but with substantially less ‘oomph.’ It would appear that you’re paying quite a bit for the Titans TA, and also a few points for her to be a flier. What you lose is all of the back end powers Blackfire has, along with some points on Attack Value. In a constructed game you can build a team to make up for this, but in a sealed environment this will be a detriment. The Titans TA can also be helpful at certain times, but ultimately all you’re doing is shifting around the damage and nothing more – and it costs you an action to do so.
Exp Starfire is a slightly better bet, her AV is up, and stays there for a while, she also keeps her high damage and Running Shot longer. She’s a fair figure for her 77 points, but nothing overly impressive.
Her Vet has the stats that she need to be worth her points, but in this set you may not find room for a nearly 100 point figure, and she’s not worth putting on the team at the cost of leaving someone else off. However, her Running Shot with high movement and Range could be huge if you can squeeze her in, and if your team lacks other move & attack powers.
In this format Blackfire is definitely a much better figure. That might not seem like a fair comparison because you may not have the choice to play one over the other; but keep in mind that they are arch enemies and it will likely come up that one will face off against the other. At which point Blackfire will have a little advantage that could net an opponent double points from Starfire!
R - **
E - ***
V - ***


Great review over all azs! Nice breakdown of the usefulness of the figures and I agree with nearly everything you said but I think you missed one thing on Starfire...If you happen to be lucky enough to pull Starfire AND a Raven then that Titans ability could REALLY come in handy with a nasty ranged combatter and a uber-supporting Regenner ;)

Just think about it for a second, K-Ness.

Would you rather let someone buy a starter where they know what pieces they are going to get and they are going to get 2 more of them to boot. Or have everyone be on a level playing field and not know what they are going to get and have the same number of pieces. There is a reason why these are sealed booster tournies.

Well if everyone has a choice of whether they want a starter in place of a booster then it is just as equal a playing ground as it was before with people picking three boosters with random figures in it...which really isn't an equal playing ground as it is. ;)

I'm not giving any info on whether or not they are legal just stating that. :)


Whoa azs, are ya new ?!?


..out of previous 'shape-changers' clix ( e.g. Snowbird, Chameleon,) ..this new BeastBoy is not only an improvement of his previous Hypertime Changling release, but th' R, E, V are an excellent staple to any team,

Just because he is better than other shape-changer clicks doesn't mean he is a good click...his stats are just horrid for his price range, if he was a little cheaper I'd be using him often but a 9 attack on a 86 point figure is just not good.

[vaders sabre]

How many booters are in a case of ICON'S?

[AZS]

The WK site has the Blackfire Vet listed with one target. Have you seen the figure, and can you confirm that she has two?The stat sheet I have, as well as the units section here on HCR both show her with 2 targets. My money is on her either having two targets, or another Exp Namor debacle.


Whoa azs, are ya new ?!?

..out of previous 'shape-changers' clix ( e.g. Snowbird, Chameleon,) ..this new BeastBoy is not only an improvement of his previous Hypertime Changling release, but th' R, E, V are an excellent staple to any team,Uh you joined yesterday and ask if *I* am new?
Anyway, Beast Boy doesn't have shape change. But if you mean shapechanging charcter I still don't see how the comparison matters. In this format he's not very good.

Also, show a little consideration, I state clearly at the beginning that these are just my oppinions and if you don't agree, try not to be a jerk about it.


Are you can to review all the cars.Yes of motorcycle furry quick zebra.

[Skarn]

Two things.

K-Ness, starters used to be allowed in sealed events, but it was when the starter sets were still the random distribution of figures (IC, HT, Indy). They counted as 2 boosters. If that's wrong, I played at a couple of venues that did it incorrectly a long time ago.

And if Blackfire is supposed to have 2 bolts, but the figure only has one, there had better not be another Namor fiasco. They corrected the V Doom figure by saying "Oh, by the way, the Vet has 2 bolts, not 1." They corrected it with later runs of the figure, I know. I think the reason the Namor/Flurry debacle happened was that it would be very difficult to remember where the Flurry clicks were on his dial. You would have to break out a piece of paper showing his dial click-by-click, which isn't allowed, or both people would have to be familiar with his dial.

I enjoy reading these primers for a couple reasons. One, it gets me in the mood for the next set, and two, it's always fun to see which figures rate better or worse than azs says. Oh wait, I guess that's three things, sue me.

[XStreme]

Two things.

And if Blackfire is supposed to have 2 bolts, but the figure only has one, there had better not be another Namor fiasco. They corrected the V Doom figure by saying "Oh, by the way, the Vet has 2 bolts, not 1." They corrected it with later runs of the figure, I know.

Since there will be more than one run of this set, it being a base set and all, I bet they will fix any errors in it.

[GMSLegion]

The Vet Blackfire figure has two bolts, yes. If we learned one thing from Dragon*Con, it's that there is a Blackfire in every booster of Icons. You literally could not give them away on Sunday, as every player had multiples...

[XStreme]

You know I just thought of something great to add to the Raven/Starfire combo...Darkness Within!

You can get Raven to her regen click and not even have to give her an action token, so she can roll for Regen that turn, and up Starfire's damage to 5! You can do this with Raven and Blackfire, also, but it should be even more deadly with the Titan ability also thrown in.

[WhiteRabbit909]

As an aside, I wonder if the Marquee prizes will be the only time (outisde of cons, etc) that you can win these or are these going to be available again in later prize packages. After all, there are only like 6 LE's in the entire set...

Well, for this month (September), Cain Marko will be a prize alongside Sue Storm. So, we'll most likely get another chance to win them.

[WhiteRabbit909]

How many booters are in a case of ICON'S?

It'll most likely be 48 boosters in a case of Icons.

[Wolverine_Hulk]

Yes of motorcycle furry quick zebra.

I meant to say are you going to review all the cards.

[George Smiley]

For Marquees, are players allowed to use the battlefield condition cards, the feat cards and the pogs that they draw?

Is the draw process for all Marquees supposed to be the same?

I have been to two Marquees and the process differed for each.

In the first Marquee the pieces were taken out of the boxes and we took alternating turns selecting pieces.

In my second Marquee we were each just handed three boosters a piece and that's what we made our team from. We could also use any BFC cards, Feats or pogs we drew.

[de4dp00l]

For me, the R Blackfire is second only to the Vet Superman in terms of must have pieces from this set. For the points, 4 damage, 9 attack and running shot are huge, especially with her 8 range. I already use Roy Harper alot, and I think he's great, so I'm really excited about her figure, with a slightly lower AV, but higher damage overall. The Exp and Vet versions are great as well, but I've got a soft spot for figures under 50 points who can really lay on the damage and irritate opponents. Running shot on her and Roy, Stealth on Bonecrusher, and high defense value on Havok...

[robii_chan]

Did I miss a click somewhere? Sorry, I have seen that name on a few posts. Who is Bonecrusher?

[Thawmus]

Excellent review as always!

And to be honest, the only thing I disagree with you on is the value of Cheetah, but you had her pretty high up there already.

Can't wait for the other parts, keep 'em coming! :)

[de4dp00l]

Did I miss a click somewhere? Sorry, I have seen that name on a few posts. Who is Bonecrusher?
Oops - I meant Skullbuster. I always call her that, for some reason.