The Worst HeroClix LE's Ever

[ol_Dut]

http://www.hcrealms.com/gallery/data/500/medium/JusticeLeague.jpg
Please tell me we're NOT on the list!


We all know about the best LE’s out there. People play hard to win them, trade up a storm to get them, or drop some cash to buy them. Those who have them will put them on the map as often as they can to improve their chances of winning more of these precious bronze-ringed figures. But what about the obverse side of this coin? What about the LE’s that are shunned and never fielded; residing as outcasts among their brethren in HeroClix collections around the world? What about those LE’s that are so horrible, so pointless as to only be loved by those with an impressive or funny story about how he/she won it, or those with a huge affinity for the character in question? Those are figures that we shall ruminate upon as we count down The Worst HeroClix LE’s Ever!

Please click on “Read More” to continue reading.

[ol_Dut]

Before getting on to the subject at hand, I must first state that it’s great to be back. I’ve been battling a horrific case of pneumonia for nearly a month, which resulted in loads of X-rays, a pint of blood work, seven different medications and more time in the hospital than I ever need to have again. I missed out on some of the Coming of Galactus goodness, and with only very intermittent presence on the boards here during that time, it seems like I’ve lost much more time than 30 days. Whole lotta crazy stuff going on these days. And if at any time this article stops making sense, I’m telling you right now I’m blaming it on the unknown effects of drug interaction. But enough of that, it’s time to get down to:


The Worst HeroClix LE’s Ever!


First, a couple of ground rules.
1. To make the list, an LE must be terrible. To be marginal is simply not enough.
2. It must be a figure that would never see play in any real competitive environment. What certain fans want to play for fun, or what thematic obsessives like me feel they must play out of necessity/obligation is a different issue altogether.
3. The figure must be so derided, so completely pointless that “winning” it almost feels like punishment.
4. “But with “XYZ” feat, “123” Battlefield Condition, and “ABC” pit crew, so-and-so is pretty good!” What a pile of rubbish, and I don’t buy it. Any figure that is actually good doesn’t need these things to be good because they’re good already. Having to pile all that stuff onto a figure to make it playable proves the point that it wasn’t playable to begin with.
5. This list is highly subjective and even though I’m most likely 100% correct, please realize that these opinions belong to one surly and highly medicated cat from Minnesota and are intended for entertainment purposes only.

That is level to which we aspire. And so, without further ado, here are The Worst HeroClix LE’s Ever (Part 1)!


http://www.hcrealms.com/units/sn210.jpg
Get ready for "Death by Disco"!

#20 – Monica Rambeau (Captain Marvel/Photon/Pulsar - Sinister) Get thee back to the Harbor Patrol or whatever nasty old boat you crawled off. Why do we love the E and V Photon and Pulsar? They start with Hypersonic Speed, 11 and 12 move and a respectable 8 range. For three more points than the E Photon, Monica starts with Phasing! Phasing! She also drops the Ranged Combat Expert so that she can do less damage as well. No one in their right mind is going to pay more points for a figure with less coveted up-front HSS mobility and less mid-dial damage potential. As a fan of the character, this was a figure I had to have, but she will never, ever make it out of the box. Reed Richards designed it specially to prohibit Phasing.

#210 LE Monica Rambeau
Team: Avengers
Range: 8 /
Points: 79
m-winga-normald-normalg-normal11916310915398162108152107152127162137172KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO


http://www.hcrealms.com/units/cd207.jpg
I could been a contendah!

#19 – Basil Karlo (Clayface - Collateral Damage) Like Monica, Basil is noteworthy because for no apparent reason he is so at odds with his REV counterpart. Look at Vet Clayface. You’ll never find a more beautiful, elegant and deadly walking pile of ooze if you try. Starting with Charge, Super Strength, four (4) damage and an 18 defense, this big boy is going to punish whoever he hits and punish them well. A quick push puts him on Exploit Weakness and then the fun really begins. Then there’s Basil. Perhaps it’s because of his name that he must be so unfairly put upon. Basil drops that opening click of Charge for…nothing. A big, screaming, honking void of Speed power. How many game designers soiled themselves laughing when they dreamed this one up? “Instead of Charge, let’s not give Basil anything! Brilliant! Bwahahahahah!” But wait. There’s more. The 18 defense is gone. The Exploit Weakness, too. And with them go any desire to play this cruel joke of a figure; as horrible and flawed as the Veteran Clayface is perfect.

#207 LE Basil Karlo
Team: Batman Enemy
Range: 2 /
Points: 87
m-normala-normald-normalg-normal8917468173681626816257162571524615246142KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO


http://www.hcrealms.com/units/un207.jpg
Maybe I should let Koko do my fighting for me.

#18 – Querl Dox (Brainiac 5 – Unleashed) Now here’s some real low-hanging fruit. This feels about as sporting as going after the fat kid as hard as you can in dodgeball, but what can I do? This figure is begging for it! Why does anyone field Brainiac 5? He’s a lousy fighter, his defenses are marginal at best and his dial is really short, so obviously it isn’t any of those things. No, the only reason you put this figure on the map is to give the Legionnaires a source of Outwit and Perplex. So, in making this LE, what happened is they completely took away the entire point and purpose of the figure and left us with a pack of powers and numbers that make no sense and the diabolical result is a figure most would simply want to smash out of spite. Instead of Outwit, QD starts with Leadership! Instead of Perplex he gets Exploit Weakness! This might actually seem like something if he wasn’t swinging away with sixes (6’s) and a five(5) for attack values at that point in time. Since he has no prayer of hitting the power is an abject waste. But the cherry on top of this doggy-doo snowcone are his clicks of Defend coupled with a 16 and two 15’s for defensive values. If Brainiac 5 is so smart, how come it feels like he’s trying to hurt the Legion instead of help them? Leaving this guy in the box is a no-brainer.

#207 LE Querl Dox
Team: Legion of Super Heroes
Range: 0 /
Points: 47
m-winga-normald-normalg-normal67161661515615155141KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO


http://www.hcrealms.com/units/lg212.jpg
As a matter of fact, I never take the stick out!

#17 – Capt. Nathaniel Adam (Captain Atom – Legacy) There was a time when LE design was at worst clever or novel and at best truly inspired. Then, there were the dark days where basically laziness seemed to have those once great designers in a figure four leg-lock from which they’d never escape. However, no matter how completely lazy a designer has been, nothing exceeds the low-water mark established by LE Capt. Adam. If you look up “Lazy LE Design” in Wikipedia, here is what you find:
Step one – Copy over the same dial from the Veteran version of the figure.
Step two – Add an activation click.
Step three – Reduce the figure’s range from 10 to eight (8).
Step four – Increase the figure’s cost by seven (7) points.
Step five – Voila! You’ve just created LE Capt. Nathaniel Adam.
Anyone who plays this figure over the Vet Captain Atom should seriously start considering dropping clix for the highly glamorous lifestyle of the Professional Go Fish Tour held in that smelly kid’s treehouse every third Thursday afternoon as soon as school is out.

#212 LE Capt. Nathaniel Adam
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 8 //
Points: 161
AE Base: Major Force/Clifford Zmeck (Red)m-winga-normald-normalg-normal8101511210174101016410916299152981628815287153771437614266132KOKOKOKO


Our last stop on this bus to oblivion today is none other than:

http://www.hcrealms.com/units/ul201.jpg
Born to die!

#16 – Jonny Ell (Morlock – Ultimates) Has there ever been a team that has gotten the fuzzy end of the lollipop more than the Morlocks? It took them forever to get in the game and as of this writing there are all of two team members, four if you count the LE’s. The Veteran Morlock can actually be an effectively irritating harasser. With an eight (8) attack, two (2) damage and Super Senses, he can end up hanging around and causing more damage than he’s worth. Then you get to LE Jonny Ell. He’s 30 points. For that I get a 12 defense with Toughness. A seven (7) attack with one (1) damage and Close Combat Expert. Then I get Regeneration to get him back to full health to start the hit parade all over again! Don’t count on it. For 14 points LE Joey the Snake will eat this guy for breakfast. The 12 defense is hitable by any figure or pog on the map, no matter how lame they are. His seven (7) attack will make sure that he’s not going to do anything to delay is inevitable and extremely expeditious demise. If ever there was a figure that was born to die it was Jonny Ell, the most pathetic of all four of the Morlocks.

#201 LE Jonny Ell
Team: Morlock
Range: 0 /
Points: 30
m-normala-normald-normalg-normal67121661215611145111KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO

Next week, we’ll return with more of The Worst HeroClix Ever! Thanks for reading! And if you see any of your friends playing these figures, take all of their clix away for a week to teach ‘em a lesson because ol_Dut said so! Friends don’t let friends play carp!

[omrac77]

how the hell is Adam bad ?????????????

[ol_Dut]

how the hell is Adam bad ?????????????

Umm, in a nutshell because he's 7 more points than the vet, has less range, and other than that cursed activation click (which is a huge waste of time and space) the dial is a carbon copy of the Vet's. Paying more points for a worse figure makes him bad in my book. For fewer points, the Vet is superior and should ensure that this LE never sees the light of day.

[Par2ch]

I cannot belive that Ororo Munroe or Blanche Szlawhatshername are NOT on this list

[Sho-nuff]

how the hell is Adam bad ?????????????

You did read his review, right? Why play the LE, that costs more, for accomplishing less, when you can play the Veteran?

[DaveZee]

Is Parallax an LE or a Unique??

[evereadyhdst]

GREAT list! I can't wait to see what is next. When it is all said and done, I will have to put all of these "wonderful" figures on the same team and see just how badly they will lose to a team of generics and pogs :laugh:

[CurBludgeon]

In Querl Dox's defense, he has a place in the unrestricted environment when paired with Sue Storm and the Alt FF TA. Of course, that place got superseded by the arrival of Umbra/Shadow Lass, and to a lesser extent Positron, but he did a perfectly fine job sharing that 19 D.

[ol_Dut]

I cannot belive that Ororo Munroe or Blanche Szlawhatshername are NOT on this list

Keep an eye out for the future installments of this series of articles. There are still plenty of spots left on the dance card:laugh: .

[hail_eris]

I cannot belive that Ororo Munroe or Blanche Szlawhatshername are NOT on this list
Hey, I *like* the Manaconda LE. She's a cheap tie-up piece who can hit for decent damage, and she's so universally regarded as a joke, no one takes her seriously until she tags you with a heavy object. And she's got a surprisingly solid AV all the way down. Now Rachel Van Helsing - I *know* she'll be getting some love in the top ten...

[omrac77]

ooohhh I see you mean in comparison to the other versions of there figures....

but in general hes not bad at all

[TheFreak]

Whoa whoa whoa. Johnny Ell? I have played him MANY a time, much to a lot of players chagrin, and he has owned! Him and Curt Connors took out a KC Shazam BY THEMSELVES. If that's not tough stuff, I don't know what is. Get Ororo Munroe or just about ANY of the MM or Legacy LE's out there, but Johnny? No way. Totally wrong..

Other than that, I agree.

[ol_Dut]

Hey, I *like* the Manaconda LE. She's a cheap tie-up piece who can hit for decent damage, and she's so universally regarded as a joke, no one takes her seriously until she tags you with a heavy object. And she's got a surprisingly solid AV all the way down. Now Rachel Van Helsing - I *know* she'll be getting some love in the top ten...

I've always had good luck with Blanche as well. She seems a tough little bugger for the points. And you're right, everyone underestimates here until it's took late. She has created more expressions of utter disbelief on the faces of my opponents than any other figure. Blanche's always a treat to play!

[K-Ness]

I'm hoping to see the Emerald Eye of Ekron make this list. Now there's a piece that does nothing to represent the character.

Also of note, I would like to see Bobby Drake, Marc Spector, and Hepzibah make the list.

[K-Ness]

I've always had good luck with Blanche as well. She seems a tough little bugger for the points. And you're right, everyone underestimates here until it's took late. She has created more expressions of utter disbelief on the faces of my opponents than any other figure. Blanche's always a treat to play!I played her with Songbird and a few others on a wrestler theme team. She did surprisingly well. I like that LE.

[DarkCorsair]

Good to have you back, Dut. I see that your time away hasn't dulled your edge, and that's a good thing. Definitely looking forward to further installments of this gem. And the nod to Joey the Snake refreshing, cuz there's not a whole lot of figs he can beat.

[samuraigrifter]

I'm looking forward to the rest of the list. Nice article sir.

[SomaCruz42]

I'll take some Matt Murdock, please.

[CurBludgeon]

I expect Sam Guthrie probably has an invitation, too.

[theanalogkid]

Great article. I predict Ted Sallis is in the top 5.

[Blubeard]

i actually like monica rambeau....since i can think and position i dont need all of my figures to be front loaded...she doesnt belong on the list....and im assuming ororo monroe is still to come :)

[rwint1968]

Thanks for the review Ol_Dut! Thanksfully, out of the five you covered today, I only own one of them (Capt. Nate Adam). He hasn't ever been used, and your'e right, even when I do play Captain Atom it's the V.

Thanks,
:cool:

[littlebitte]

I'm not sure if I should expect a lot of MM Les in the top five or not. Most of them were just tiny insignificant changes from the REV. (Let's take Blink E and remove her TA, we have an LE! Let's take Deadpool E and take out 3 clicks of Phasing. That's worth a 3 point reduction!) I guess most of those were more lazy design than bad design though.

I've got to speak up in defense of Jonny El, however. On his own, he's horrible. But with auto-regen, he's 42 points of very good Mastermind fodder. Anything that does 4 clicks or less will be shrugged off and most likely regenerated back next turn. I used to use him a lot with the old Dr. Doom V and he worked really well. Granted, he can't survive under concentrated fire, but I got a whole lot of use out of him.

[SpinnerLover]

Man-Thing has to be number 1! I couldn't give that away...even the newbies turned it down. ;)

[Sho-nuff]

Is Parallax an LE or a Unique??

LE - he was a convention-only piece, not available from boosters, so an LE. Not to mention he has a golden/bronze ring rather than silver. Hope that helps.

[azathoth]

Great list! I'm waiting to see where Jervais Tetch, Oswold Cobblepot, and Johnathan Crane rank.

[Uknown352]

I really think you got it wrong. Captain Nathaniel Adam is indeed the worst LE ever. Followed closely by Northstars crappy LE which is also paying more points for less powers. Even Johnny Ell has more of a purpose then Nathaniel Adam. You can use him as a Mastermine fodder atleast and he is different then the REV to make him cooler. Nathaniel Adamn just deserves to be repeatedly stomped on and if you won him be sure to throw him in the trash with the other hundred's of him.

[Uknown352]

I'm not sure if I should expect a lot of MM Les in the top five or not. Most of them were just tiny insignificant changes from the REV. (Let's take Blink E and remove her TA, we have an LE! Let's take Deadpool E and take out 3 clicks of Phasing. That's worth a 3 point reduction!) I guess most of those were more lazy design than bad design though.

I've got to speak up in defense of Jonny El, however. On his own, he's horrible. But with auto-regen, he's 42 points of very good Mastermind fodder. Anything that does 4 clicks or less will be shrugged off and most likely regenerated back next turn. I used to use him a lot with the old Dr. Doom V and he worked really well. Granted, he can't survive under concentrated fire, but I got a whole lot of use out of him.

All of Mutant Mayhem had junky LE's like that though admittedly Deadpool was easily the worst of the lot.

[Tarnish]

Whoa whoa whoa. Johnny Ell? I have played him MANY a time, much to a lot of players chagrin, and he has owned! Him and Curt Connors took out a KC Shazam BY THEMSELVES. If that's not tough stuff, I don't know what is. Get Ororo Munroe or just about ANY of the MM or Legacy LE's out there, but Johnny? No way. Totally wrong..

Other than that, I agree.

Luck can make any fig good. But for 30 points he's........well...... junk. Compare:

ul201

to

ls008

Still feel he's worth it?

Tarnish

[ol_Dut]

I'd take what's behind curtain #2 Tarnish ;)!

[2Face]

The only surprise for me was Capt. Nathaniel Adam, not because I think he is good, but because I think he should be the #1 worst LE. That is the laziest LE ever. I'll admit to having seen him played, but that is by those who did not have the vet.

While a lot of these figures a worthless, they still see play because players don't have their better counterparts. Their very badness makes them appear because casual players have them in their collections because more competitive players don't care for them.

[nevismusic]

hahaha! great reviews, a lot of fun!

even though he's not an LE, be sure to review the lame SR superman from JL one day too :)

[tidge]

I'm tossing down the gauntlet...Jervis Tetch doesn't belong on any "worst" LE list, as it's an obvious improvement over the non-LE versions. Jervis has actual range!

I look forward to Elektra Natchios (CT)...who only gets improved by the use of a marginal feat card (Taunt).

I expect that CT figures may occupy a few slots: Ben Grimm is another activation-click casualty

[lunar]

There must not be very many bad LEs for Jonny Ell to make the list. Yeah, he wasn't as good of a designer as Seth. Still, it could have been worse (look at dreams and desires.) He is excellent mastermind fodder. His point cost isn't driven up by having high stats, just toughness and regen.

[ShellShock]

I'm sniffing out a little Guardian of Eternity in the near future

Great idea for a list, solid chocies so far

In fact, I have never even seen (tried to forget probably) these dials and wow...wowie wow wow wowzertons they are bad

[lancelot]

Luck can make any fig good. But for 30 points he's........well...... junk. Compare:

ul201

to

ls008

Still feel he's worth it?

Tarnish
In any case anybody is wondering, the second dial is that of Shrinking Violet's.

[Shellhead's Pal]

Great review as usual, Mr. Dut. I was cringing when I kept reading, wondering how many of my LE's would make the cut (or...wouldn't make the cut...or whatever). Thankfully, I don't own a single one of these dirtbags (though I do kind of want a Jonny Ell).

Wade's definitely got to be on the list. I love Deadpool, but man, I'll never field his LE. There's no point (to power ratio)!

Say, Mr. Dutterton...have you ever done a top 20 best LE's list? I forget. Gosh, I guess I could always look it up. :cheeky:

[ol_Dut]

Say, Mr. Dutterton...have you ever done a top 20 best LE's list? I forget. Gosh, I guess I could always look it up. :cheeky:

Yep, I did a Top 20 LE list a while back. Just check the link in my signature and you'll find that list and more, all compiled courtesy of your friendly neighborhood Mr. Moneypenny. He scrounged around, found it all, and stuck it all in one thread for easy reference.

[turdburglar47]

Let's take Deadpool E and take out 3 clicks of Phasing. That's worth a 3 point reduction!) I guess most of those were more lazy design than bad design though.



Actually, if I recall right, it's 4 clicks of phasing you lose, for only a 2 point reduction, and that's the only change.

I'd never play the Wade Wilson LE again, although I did play him once - before MM was officially out, I'd somehow gotten my hands on him, and I actually won a tourney with him and Team Deadpool (featuring Taskmaster, Logan, Constrictor, Titania, etc.) That was kinda neat.

He's retired at 1-0 that way. And being a big Deadpool fan, I had to keep his Super-Rare, too. HAH.

[VictorySaber]

All I can say for Nate is this. If I didn't own a vet Captain Atom, and I had to choose between the experienced and the le... which I would also have been able to pull from a box, due to the whole super rare #### that was pulled during mutant mayhem and legacy, I'd run the SR/LE... I know that's not saying much, but since everyone sees him as a dump/keep in box piece, if I'm limited on pieces, I'd still run him. just my thought.

as for the emerald eye of ekron...

that piece doesn't represent the emperess...

it's all the EYE.

That thing, if I remember my stuff from 52, was originally a weapon the Guardians created before the Corp. came along... so the immense psycic blast and mind control I think are semi-justified... depending on who carries it, the eye controls THEM... tho lobo showed no such effects when he hauled it out to deal with that fish-god fella...

I could even see the Mastermind, as the eye itself is gonna avoid taking damage any way it can... especially by dumping it off onto whomever it may be working with.

the PC and Outwit I would simply surmise as additional means for yonder eyeball to ensure its survival.

again, all surmising and whatnot.. for all I know, I'm dead wrong. *shrug*

[vamroc]

Knuckles (Infinity Challenge) has to be in the top five pointless L.E. ever made. I don't like playing tournaments only to win freakin Jessica Jones with one power and is K.O.ed after one hit. GIVE ME SOMETHING WORTH FIGHTING FOR like Power Cosmic Superman. Don't laugh Supes really did have the Power Cosmic when it was revealed that the big G redirected his ship to earth as a baby. Knowing that Earth's yellow son would make him the most powerful being on that planet. Big G just waited untill Kal El grew up and wham turned the big blue boy scout in to a being who's power was second only to Galactus himself. Supes will was to strong and what Galactus gives he can also take away. In the end every one went back to their own demensions and lived happly ever after.

[spider_ham]

I'll go out on a limb and defend Capt. Nathaniel Adam. Sure, he has less range and starts out with an activation click, but his stats remain the same as the Vet's (he has a 10 AV on his A.C., which is decent), and that extra click gives him a full dial (11 clicks). He's one of those figures you rarely use, but comes in handy for odd scenarios where you could only play LEs, need characters with a range under 9, etc.

As far as the worst LE is concerned, my vote is for Fred J. Dukes. Extremely low speed (peaking at 4! and ending at 2) paired with low-average AV and DV. The Vet loses 3 clicks of Charge, but at least he gains Incap and has slightly better values. :ermm: I certainly hope he's remade properly in M&M!

[Wolverine_Hulk]

I have tried to play Johnny El multiple times, he has sucked every time.

[K-Ness]

All I can say for Nate is this. If I didn't own a vet Captain Atom, and I had to choose between the experienced and the le... which I would also have been able to pull from a box, due to the whole super rare #### that was pulled during mutant mayhem and legacy, I'd run the SR/LE... I know that's not saying much, but since everyone sees him as a dump/keep in box piece, if I'm limited on pieces, I'd still run him. just my thought.

as for the emerald eye of ekron...

that piece doesn't represent the emperess...

it's all the EYE.

That thing, if I remember my stuff from 52, was originally a weapon the Guardians created before the Corp. came along... so the immense psycic blast and mind control I think are semi-justified... depending on who carries it, the eye controls THEM... tho lobo showed no such effects when he hauled it out to deal with that fish-god fella...

I could even see the Mastermind, as the eye itself is gonna avoid taking damage any way it can... especially by dumping it off onto whomever it may be working with.

the PC and Outwit I would simply surmise as additional means for yonder eyeball to ensure its survival.

again, all surmising and whatnot.. for all I know, I'm dead wrong. *shrug*I know what the LE is supposed to represent. That's why it's so aggravating. How could such a powerful artifact end up with such an unplayable dial?

[Tange Freelove]

JERVIS TETCH! Back when he was a prize we use to loos so that we didn't have to win that joke of a fig.

[Ghost-x]

Very interesting so far Dut.

I look forward to the future installments, and so far I don't disagree with anything you have said in this comparison. Good job.

[lunar]

Knuckles (Infinity Challenge) has to be in the top five pointless L.E. ever made. I don't like playing tournaments only to win freakin Jessica Jones with one power and is K.O.ed after one hit. GIVE ME SOMETHING WORTH FIGHTING FOR like Power Cosmic Superman. Don't laugh Supes really did have the Power Cosmic when it was revealed that the big G redirected his ship to earth as a baby. Knowing that Earth's yellow son would make him the most powerful being on that planet. Big G just waited untill Kal El grew up and wham turned the big blue boy scout in to a being who's power was second only to Galactus himself. Supes will was to strong and what Galactus gives he can also take away. In the end every one went back to their own demensions and lived happly ever after.

Knuckles gets two more clicks of 2 damage over the vet for FREE! As in you pay nothing for an upgrade. Not pointless at all. Pointless if all you play are guys with huge point values, but for those that include generics as tie-up or mastermind fodder he's great.

[turdburglar47]

I concur. Kunckles and Joey The Snake are awesome.

[QueensGambit]

Even as the best worst LE Monica shouldn't be here, although I can understand how different people are attracted to different... aspects of a figure. Some guys prefer front-loaded HSS with a big Movement Value and are willing to put up with whatever extra expense comes with it. Nothing wrong with that.

Me, I prefer my pieces with a little depth to them, ones who don't fall sobbing to the pavement at the first click of damage. Ones who don't waste points on frivolous power combinations like RCE and any movement power. And since you're all thinking the same thing ('What does he see in her?') let me just say that outside a vacuum I slap Protected on her and she's good to go.


(Looking forward to the rest, and I would suggest posting the corresponding REV dials up against the offending LEs.)

[jimthegray]

Umm, in a nutshell because he's 7 more points than the vet, has less range, and other than that cursed activation click (which is a huge waste of time and space) the dial is a carbon copy of the Vet's. Paying more points for a worse figure makes him bad in my book. For fewer points, the Vet is superior and should ensure that this LE never sees the light of day.

that makes the vet better but if you did not have the vet the le adam is ok.
no a real bad one is like pythons le :)

[disciple1976]

I traded a monica rambeau for a nimrod!!!!

[KO Bossy]

I traded a monica rambeau for a nimrod!!!!


Very nice, I feel bad for who you traded:cool:

Other then that, I don't quite agree with the LE Basil Karlo. Of course the V is much better, but the Batman Enemy TA at least allows him to stay somewhat useful. And loads of Shape Change in that dial can't hurt either. Overall, definitely not as bad as you'd think. I wouldnt have put him in that list, but then again, thats my opinion. Other then that, Im liking the list so far. Id have put Capt.Adam further up on the list tho. Can't wait to see next week's installment!

[JohnnyAngel77]

i love this article. too bad there werent more on there though. ill agree, Parallax should be somewhere on the list.

[mohenjo]

One of the worst is Ted Sallis, Man-Thing's LE.

[norris021]

A useless LE is Knuckles completely useless just another body to hit the floor..

[Monkey Joe]

i actually like monica rambeau....since i can think and position i dont need all of my figures to be front loaded...she doesnt belong on the list....and im assuming ororo monroe is still to come :)

I like her too, more than the Vet that's for sure. She has a higher overall defense, one more click of life, the Avengers TA and costs 25 points less. Oh, and the late dial willpower! I'll use her LE over the E if I have the 3 points, mainly for the extra click of life.

[Grinner]

RE: Capt. Nathaniel Adam (and all the uproar about him either not belonging on the list or belonging higher on the list) -

He belongs on the list because outside of not having the vet there is no good reason to pay more points for an activation click and less range.

He doesn't belong lower on the list because while he belongs on the Lame List when compared to his r/e/v, he's still a relatively good and playable figure.

[I Am The Game]

In the land of lame LE's, Quentin Beck is king!

[CornsilkSW]

i hope that parallax takes the number one spot when we get there.... Worst. LE. Ever.

[robot_100]

Parallax is the Best Paralax figure that we have so he does not deserve to be on this list.

- Also - He was not won, which Ol_Dut has as Ground Rule # 3

[Xero Boy]

Thanks, Dut! Nice start, can't wait to see the rest.
Glad your feeling better. I know what you've been going through. Two summers ago, I got a bad case of pneumonia, which eventually landed me in the hospital, needing surgery. I know it takes a long time to recover. Take it easy and take good care of yourself. We need more of these lists!

[mr_moneypenny]

Glad you're back, ol_Dut! We really missed you around here... Man, I hope you're feeling back to 100% very soon.
I was really enjoying the patented Dut wit and wisdom ("Any figure that is actually good doesn’t need these things to be good because they’re good already." Yes! He's back! :) ), until I came across the LE Monica as #20... Huh? I had to scroll back to the top of the post to make sure this was, indeed, supposed to be the WORST list... (or the list of the worst pieces, I mean... :) )
I really disagree with your assessment there, my friend. I would play the LE before any of her REV equivalents. I just am a real fan of the late dial DV upswing, along with the accomapnying RS / HSS / Willpower combo(s). The fact that she has a move and attack power on every click (save the first) is another big draw to this figure for me. And that first click is not by any means bad. Phase carrying a Stealth fig, etc. (we all know the drill); it's easy to push off of, and then you have a very capable harasser for the COMPLETE length of the rest of the dial, as opposed to the Experienced Sinister Captain Marvel which (while a good piece in its own right, please don't misunderstand) kind of peters out around click # 4 or so. Then, it's pretty much just points for your opponent. To say nothing of the whole Keyword sensation: LE Monica has the NEXTWAVE keyword (w00ty w00ty w00tykins!), the Exp DOESN'T. Heck, for that reason ALONE, LE Monica deserves NO place on this list! :)
Also, I'll cast my lot in with the other folks who value Jonny Ell as Mastermind fodder. Good stuff...

But great writing and compelling arguments (for 3 of the five! lol!)! Awesome to have you back. It's lovely to read your stuff again. Be well,
-jason

[biz567]

Basil is just horrible. I've never seen that dial until now. Wow.

[Iago]

I can't resist thinking sardonic commentary, like...
Monica Rambeau has that last click with 13 move HSS/17 defence willpower! (oh yeah, and a seven attack value)
or
Jonny Ell may have a low attack value, but that's easily supplemented by his team power!

I'm looking for Sidewinder's LE to be among the cream of the carp already predicted.

[Tollas]

As mentioned earlier, tack on Marc Spector to this list. 8 extra points for... a second target?

[thanosrules]

Knuckles (Infinity Challenge) has to be in the top five pointless L.E. ever made.

I really have to disagree w/ that.

Knuckles has +1 damage on his 2nd & 3rd clicks over his Vet for the same price.

Also keep in mind, WizKids didn't start making all good LE's until (what?) Unleashed. Before that they used to give you cannon fodder pieces that had a little tweaking upgrade from their REV counterparts.

[thanosrules]

Knuckles gets two more clicks of 2 damage over the vet for FREE! As in you pay nothing for an upgrade. Not pointless at all. Pointless if all you play are guys with huge point values, but for those that include generics as tie-up or mastermind fodder he's great.

Doit! You beat me to this analysis. LOL

[thanosrules]

A useless LE is Knuckles completely useless just another body to hit the floor..

What the heck are you expecting for 10-points?! :)

I'd take him over a pog any day of the week. At least you get a max of 8 actions out of him.

[Project: J-ko]

I have but one gripe about Johnny Ell being on this list. He's not high enough up.

"Oh hey! Let's make an LE out of a generic figure! Hmm...what should we call it, John L.? OHWAIT! Johnny Ell! Ha! Get it! Everyone will love the inside joke! It'll be great!"

:angry:

[bryan88gt]

i would just like to say that, in nathan adams defense, the LE is easier to get than the V, and if you put all of the figures mentioned so far on the field in a free for all, he would pwn everyone pretty much by himself. only basil carlo and monica combined would really give him any trouble at all, assuming they ever hit him. add to that the fact that by time this list is done, he should be able to one-shot a third of the list by himself with average or better die rolls, and i think his numbers are just too good to be on this list.

not that his numbers are amazing for 161 and an AC, i just don't want something REALLY unplayable to miss the list in his stead, y'know?

and don't forget bajounte-ka on that list. and bishop from one-shot-me.

[egg bandit]

i think jesse chambers pretty much takes the cake

[Hypersonic90]

I laughed the whole time i was reading... Don't know why.... Weird!!! LOL!!

Capt. Nathaniel Adams isn't bad.... it's BAD!!!!!!

[gatharion]

Origin had a few big misses when it came to LEs.
I wouldn't be surprised to see dark Supergirl, Animal Master, J'onn J'onzz, or Alan Scott make the list.

[technohead]

Hands down its The Red Hood LE.. don't compare to it Vet. version.

[tidge]

I looking forward to some contraversy in future installments: For example, I think tha the LE Destiny is probably the worst LE figure that I've (repeatedly) tried to use, but I know that some folks will defend her on the basis of street value and playability with Sentinels (neither of which is as relevent today, IIRC)

[Dr.HellCustom]

Great Review. I can't wait to see the follow up. Of the ones mentioned, I only have Basil Karlo. And boy you're absolutely right. Eversince I got the Vet, I haven't looked back.

I'm really anxious if some of my other unused LEs I have will be on the list like:
Eddie Nashton
Selina Kyle
Wade Wilson
Jonathan Crane
Thanks again for the great read!;)

[Grinner]

Eddie Nashton


I doubt Eddie will make the "horrible" cut because he's the only Riddler where the Perplex and the Mastermind overlap.

[Thunderwebs]

Good to have you back, Dut. I see that your time away hasn't dulled your edge, and that's a good thing. Definitely looking forward to further installments of this gem. And the nod to Joey the Snake refreshing, cuz there's not a whole lot of figs he can beat.
Hey, back in the day my Joey the Snake KO'd both Vet Hulk (IC) and Vet Mr Hyde in the same game :eek: !!!! Don't dis the Snake, he'll bust a cap in your %&* !

[Alpha-Omega]

I can really agree with what you've said on some of the figures you mention. My biggest pet peve with LE's, & most other figures for that matter, is a complete lack of real research before they create them. I could take any number of figures & make my point but I will start with the greatest offender on your list so far: Querl Dox.

Brainiac 5, in any form, had his Force Field belt. This force filed was comparable to anything that Sue Storm ever created & saved the lives of the Legion so many times it is almost legendary. To give such a device a measly 16 defense borders on the ludicrous & is at best absurd. (The defense power given this figure I presume was to illustrate the belt.) Brainiac also had an intellect greater then most of the Legion put together, so to not give him Outwit & or Perplex at least half his dial again smacks of too many doughnuts & not enough oxygen.

This seems to be a rather unpleasantly common occurance in clix creation in most sets so far. I do not know what these guys are drinking before they make these things but it has to have been sitting around for decades to get some of these freaky results.

Another thing that really tweaks me is making a figure like 'Kraven the Spider' & not giving him a ranged attack - he has '0' range. THE FIGURES HOLDING A CROSSBOW FOR GOD"S SAKE! Can I hear a big fat 'DUH!'! This is fairly prevelant in a lot of figures, not just LE's either. I understand that they are trying to incorporate different aspects of figures in different mods of those figures but for pete's sake! Why make a mod of a character that is obviously capable of something by it's appearance & then act as if they are blind to the build?

This kind of thing coupled with the continued lack of any real quality control on the way the figures are made overall is really detracting from the enjoyment of the game. Several of the figures I have gotten have literally twisted right off their dial base just trying to click them for the first time. Also there is the continued lessening of the grade of materials used to make the clixs. Oh and has anybody been able to use a ring to turn Avenger dials? Good luck on that let me tell you.

Good article man, I hope that my points were not so off topic so as to not be relevant to the issue at hand but I had to voice my 2 cents, thanks.

Chris

[Dr.HellCustom]

I doubt Eddie will make the "horrible" cut because he's the only Riddler where the Perplex and the Mastermind overlap.

Whoa! Then I'm so lucky! I only started last year and I pretty much ignored the Hypertime boosters. But i did grab a V Catwoman R Riddler E Bane among other Arkham Inmates I collect.
Thanks man. I really didn't have even have enough interest in studying HT Dials.

[Grinner]

Another thing that really tweaks me is making a figure like 'Kraven the Spider' & not giving him a ranged attack - he has '0' range. THE FIGURES HOLDING A CROSSBOW FOR GOD"S SAKE! Can I hear a big fat 'DUH!'! This is fairly prevelant in a lot of figures, not just LE's either. I understand that they are trying to incorporate different aspects of figures in different mods of those figures but for pete's sake! Why make a mod of a character that is obviously capable of something by it's appearance & then act as if they are blind to the build?

Bad choice of an example ;)

Kraven the Spider is from a very famous (and specific) storyline where Kraven "killed" Spider-man and took over his identity and went around in the black costume. Now, if WK made completely different sculpts for LE's that represent different periods or characters (and there are many), then you would have a valid point. But they don't, so we get the sculpt that was completely accurate for the r/e/v.

Now someone like Tiger Lily or Icons Hawkgirl, where no level of the figure has range...:laugh:

[ol_Dut]

Bad choice of an example ;)

Kraven the Spider is from a very famous (and specific) storyline where Kraven "killed" Spider-man and took over his identity and went around in the black costume. Now, if WK made completely different sculpts for LE's that represent different periods or characters (and there are many), then you would have a valid point. But they don't, so we get the sculpt that was completely accurate for the r/e/v.

Now someone like Tiger Lily or Icons Hawkgirl, where no level of the figure has range...:laugh:

But in the Sinister set, it would have been a simple matter to put the black suit Spidey sculpt on the KTS dial when that figure was being made. That was kind of an "oops!". I had my KTS all of about five minutes before I popped off the Kraven sculpt and replaced it with a spare Spidey, so now the Kraven the Spider piece makes a lot more sense to me.

As far as Tiger Lilly/Akemi and Hawkgirl go, however, I'm at a loss.

[Ville]

Thanks for the great article!

I detest boring LE's more than "bad" LE's. A horrible dial can be somewhat forgiven for adding "extra depth" to the character in the game.

[UrzaHC]

how the hell is Adam bad ?????????????

Said the guy with Nimrod picture in his profile

[hair10]

It's probably already been stated but... Johnny Ell with Auto-Regen is the near perfect Mastermind fodder. :classic:

I used to run him with V Nebula w/Trick Shot and Fortitude. Back Nebula and Johnny up with a couple of pogs in case Nebula takes more than 4 damage and viola! You can even throw in a couple of Parademon Scouts (or R Green Flame nowadays) for taxis if you'd like.

[spideyfriend]

monica rambeau! I love this fig! For the pts. with tbolts
I've had a great time with this fig!
I agree the the others though. Bunch of dogs.

[Sigdr]

Jonny Ell: Mastermind fodder of champions.

[airdomin8]

What an AWESOME list! LEs that you couldn't give away! A great read for any fan!

Hopefully no LE from Supernova or any subsequent set will make the list; I really think WizKids improved on giving the LEs very different powers from the REVs.

Although I can't quite understand why Jennifer Walters goes from being She-Hulk to a "defence lawyer" back to She-Hulk...

[diggergig1]

I looked up 'Lazy LE Design' on Wiki but none of that stuff was on there.

[Travesty]

My vote for most lazy-AW LE Captain America.
I guess waiting a few set's for US Agent was too much.
And so much for an LE of Steve. At least Hal Jordan wont be here

[Cliffjumper]

Ted Sallis / Man Thing anyone?

[Superclone]

Hands down its The Red Hood LE.. don't compare to it Vet. version.

No way. This is the cheapest enhance click available. It rocks.

[Wolverine_Hulk]

No way. This is the cheapest enhance click available. It rocks.

Third cheapest, after Hive Trooper and U-Men.

[Superclone]

Third cheapest, after Hive Trooper and U-Men.

True. Ok ... cheapest *coolest* figure. I mean the sculpt just rocks still.

[Zemo13]

Just wanted to add that I just got a Capt. Nathaniel Adam, and he doesn't seem that bad to me. I don't have any other version, so maybe I would use the vet over him, but taken on his own he doesn't seem that bad. As much as activation clicks suck, he has a 10 attack on his, which is really good. You could actually make an attack with him before pushing him off his first click, unlike most figures with an activation click. And he has an extremely long dial, so he could go a long time before really needing to get healed. And sometimes surviving through those last few clicks could make a difference between winning and losing the game.