DC Arkham Asylum Primer: Part 1 - Commons

[AZS]

http://www.hcrealms.com/temp/hcatoz-head.jpg
Arkham Asylum
Primer Review – Part 1:
Commons
White Martian (#001) to Batman (#016)

Part 1: Commons | Part 2: Uncommons | Part 3: Rares | Part 4: Super Rares | Part 5: Cards
.
Click ‘Read More…’ below for the full review.

[AZS]

Arkham Asylum is a fun set that purports to focus on Batman’s rogues gallery, taking advantage of the popularity of the villain in Dark Knight from this summer.
Does it live up to the hope? Well, that’s a mixed bag, judging from the rating for the Commons at least!


This set is also the first DC set following the revised ruleset from the Fantastic Four starter.
For an update to the Rules, click here.
For an updated version of the PAC, click here.

The set also runs a pretty wide gamut power-wise. There are a number of very playable 50 point figs that could make for a good 6 figure team. Or there are some 150+ point power houses that can anchor a smaller team.


#001 V White Martian
Team: none
Range:6 :bolt:
Points: 90
Keywords: Warrior
m-winga-normald-normalg-normal8916389163810152710152791526914368143KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO
A great generic piece and one I’ve thought was long overdue for the game. It’s great that this is #1 in the set so it is (in theory) easier to collect.
With that said, WM isn’t great for a 300 pt sealed game. At nearly a third of your team, the powers and stats on this fig are painfully mediocre. AV starts low while damage is just ok. When AV bumps up, damage drops. HSS at the end is cool, but is paired with EW which don’t work together. The whole dial seems like a bunch of mild contradictions – as opposed to something that gels and works together.
White Martian - :ermm::ermm::ermm:

#002 R Manhunter
Team: none
Range:6 :bolt:
Points: 64
Keywords: Robot, Sinestro Corps
m-winga-normald-normalg-normal8917279162681526815268142KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOAttack- Power Battery Manhunter can use Steal Energy, but is also healed when its ranged combat attack causes an opposing character to take damage.
Damage- No Man Escapes the Manhunters! Manhunter can use Incapacitate and Outwit. When Manhunter uses Outwit, it can't counter defense powers.
An interesting figure in theory, and one that could play really well on bigger Sinestro Corp theme teams. In the sealed tournament though, it’s a mixed bag. The starting Outwit is always welcome, but can’t be used against defenses. (Which seems to go against the Manhunter actual powers to diffuse a GL’s power ring, thus robbing them of their defense!) Having only 5 clicks of life on a 64 pt character is also a bit unsettling. The ranged Steal Energy at the end is neat, and could help keep him alive longer. But with an 8 AV and only 2 damage, it’s more like a minor stop-gap measure than something really helpful.
Manhunter - :disappointed::disappointed:

#003 E Multiplex
Team: Suicide Squad
Range: 0 :bolt:
Points: 30
Keywords: Scientist, Suicide Squad
m-normala-normald-normalg-normal7916278162681526715167141KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKODefense - Safety in Numbers: Damage dealt to Multiplex is reduced by 1 if he is adjacent to a friendly Multiplex.
This is a decent figure for only 30 points. Of course, don’t count on using his Safety in Numbers power, since you’ll have to pull, and play, multiples. But even just a 30 pt fig with Leap/Climb and fair stats in general can be worthwhile. Plus he’ll be good for filling out a team, and the Suicide Squad TA is cool, particularly if you have a good Wildcard that can borrow the TA.
Multiplex - :ermm::ermm::ermm:

#004 R The Question
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 6 :bolt:
Points: 37
Keywords: Detective, Gotham City, Martial Artist
m-normala-normald-normalg-normal81017289171881618816178151KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKODamage - Ask The Question: Once during your turn, the Question can use Outwit or Perplex. When the Question uses Perplex, she can modify the combat values of only opposing characters.
If Multiplex is good for just 30 points, Question is great for only 7 more. Stealth, Range, Willpower, good Defense and Attack values, and Outwit!. For just 37 points. This is a bargain if there ever was one.
Move around the board, hiding in hindering terrain. Use Outwit to trip up your opponent, and Willpower to get into position for Outwit. Good AV and 6 range allows her to be a pinch hitter for attacks, and at only 37 points you can even afford to sacrifice her as a tie up piece or meat shield. Finally, as a common, expect to face her at least a couple of times in any given game. She’s good, cheap and available – just the way we like her.
Question - :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

#005 E Floronic Man
Team: Injustice League
Range: 0:bolt:
Points: 47
Keywords: Scientist, Secret Society of Super Villains
m-normala-normald-normalg-normal891728917279172781727816268162KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOAttack - Wilt Plant Growth: Floronic Man can use smoke cloud as if he has a range of 4; when he uses smoke cloud, he can place up to 8 hindering terrain markers; if all markers are placed 2 or fewer squares from him
Damage - In Touch with the Green: Damage dealt by Floronic Man is increased by 1 if the target of the attack occupies or is adjacent to hindering terrain
Uhhh, yeah. Ok, umm, gimme a sec to figure out how this guy is useful.
Hey, don’t rush me here, I’m thinking.
Ok, fine, I got nothing.
Going on 5 years since Hypertime came out, and Injustice League is still being used as a TA, even after The Society card is retired. Without change or errata or anything. This is like putting one of those stupid dog costumes on the world’s ugliest dog. Two wrongs in no way make a right.
Taking the mixed metaphors one step more, this is like a plant left out in the august sun without water. Withered, useless and a half step from being mulch.
Blech.
Floronic Man - :confused:

#006 V Gotham City Detective
Team: Police
Range: 6 :bolt:
Points: 27
Keywords: Detective, Police, Gotham City
m-normala-normald-normalg-normal8917288172881627816178161KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO
More of the cheap fill-in pieces, but in a good way. GC Detective is a fair figure on his own. For only 27 points, his 6 range and moderate combat values are par for the points. But it’s his support elements that really make him shine. The PD TA (that you don’t see much anymore) gives your ranges an extra point in AV. Then the Enhancement gives them a boost in damage value. Both abilities can be used as many times in a turn as you can make them work.
Plus, push him a click and he gets Plasticity and Willpower. So he can be a great tie-up / throw away fig used to protect your bigger guns. An all around value at the low point cost. If you have 27 points and any rangers on your team to make use of his support, play him.
GC Detective - :cool::cool::cool::cool:

#007 V Two-Face
Team: Bat Enemy
Range: 6 :bolt::bolt:
Points: 75
Keywords: Brute, Gotham City, Politician
m-normala-normald-normalg-normal71017279162791626101516915168141KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOAttack - Mercy or Murder: The Coin Decides: Once per turn, before you give an action to Two-Face during your turn, roll a d6. On a result of 1-3, Two-Face can use incapacitate until the end of your turn. On a result of 4-6 Two-Face can use Psychic Blast until the end of your turn. (Two-Face is not required to be given an action after you make this roll.)
An interesting and fun piece in the right circumstances. But not so great as to be a game changer or ‘must play.’ The rules changes say that Bat-Enemy figs can’t borrow AV’s from Wildcards, only lend them. And while a 10 AV is good, it’s not great – not enough to make him worth playing just for that.
The other stats and powers are similarly just ok. For 75 points, he’s pushing the envelope for playability for the cost. There are a lot of good figs for under a hundred points in this set, so hopefully you’ll have more to choose from, and it won’t require a coin toss to decide.
Two-Face - :ermm::ermm::ermm:

#008 R Street Thug
Team: Batman Enemy
Range:6 :bolt:
Points: 19
Keywords: Gotham City
m-normala-normald-normalg-normal6815168151681515714157141KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO
Ooh, a fig for under 20 points!
Basically a glorified human shield, the Thug has Stealth for defense, and a little range. You might be able to spin the Batman Enemy TA into something useful in the right circumstances, but that’s really going to be a one in three games hit, if you can use it at all. (See the ‘lend but not borrow’ rule with Wildcards.) Besides, his 1 damage isn’t really going to do much anyway. But with 5 clicks of life and starting stealth, it’ll generally take more than 1 hit to put him down. In the meantime he’ll make a good LoS blocker and tie up piece. Well worth the small price.
Street Thug - :ermm::ermm::ermm:

#009 R Kid Devil
Team: Titans
Range: 4 :bolt:
Points: 55
Keywords: Monster, Teen, Teen Titans
m-normala-normald-normalg-normal81017281017289162791627815278141KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO
A decent figure for sure, for only 55 points. Leap/Climb and Super Strength are a long standing fun combo. AV is good, and defense is nice as well.
Use the L/C & SS combo to grab objects out from under figures. Then keep in mind that ranges for throwing objects has changes. Heavies can be hurled 6 squares for 3 damage, and lights can be tossed 8 for 2. Both of these eclipse his own basic range of 4, and could very well catch your opponent off guard.
If you want to use him as a tie up piece, get in close and hope for a small hit that will put him on his Poison clicks. If he get clobbered, Regen could be a lifesaver.
Kid Devil isn’t going to be taking out any tent-pole figs on his own, but at 55 points he’s a great investment for your team.
Kid Devil - :cool::cool::cool::cool:

#010 V Gorilla Grodd
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 0 :bolt:
Points: 157
Keywords: Animal, Brute, Psychic, Rogues, Ruler
m-normala-normald-indomitableg-normal71118371118381018481017461017369163691526815268142KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOSpeed - Your Will Is Mine: Gorilla Grodd can use Leap/Climb and Mind Control (as if he had a range of 8).
The first real heavyweight of the bunch so far. Grodd has a lot going for him; great stats, good powers, and the Indomitable defense that gives him Willpower.
His SP is ok, granting L/C and Mind Control (with a range of 8). But you probably won’t be using MC much with him. Still, it could easily catch an opponent off guard who isn’t expecting Grodd to make a ranged attack.
Also, similar to Kid Devil, you can pick up and throw objects for a surprise ranged attack as well. TK works for this too, mid dial.
5 clicks of Outwit are also solid and dangerous, as is Exploit Weakness at the end. EW also works with Steal Energy, so you can make a cutting attack and heal in the process.
The one weak spot is his defense. 18 is certainly good, but he has a disturbing lack of defensive powers on most of his clicks. So hits that do get through will really hurt.
Combined with his general lack of range, Grodd is a real mixed bag. I can see him doing real well on a constructed team, even at only 300 points. But in sealed game where you can’t build to work around his shortcomings, he might be tough to pull off with real success.
Gorilla Grodd - :ermm::ermm::ermm:

#011 V The Riddler
Team: Batman Enemy
Range: 6 :bolt::bolt:
Points: 90
Keywords: Detective, Gotham City
m-normala-normald-normalg-normal7101627916278162691516914169141KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOAttack - Riddle Me This: The Riddler can use Incapacitate. He can use it normally or as a free action targeting a single opposing character if he has been given and will take no other free actions that turn. When he uses Incapacitate as a free action, and successfully hits a target, choose a number from 1 to 6 and roll 2d6. If the chosen number comes up on either die, Incapacitate resolves normally; if the chosen number comes up on both die, give the target 2 action tokens if it has zero action tokens.
Damage - They'll Never Get This One: The Riddler can use Outwit and Perplex. When The Riddler uses Perplex, he can only modify a combat value (other than damage) of an opposing character by -2.
As expected, in a set based on Arkham, there are a lot of Batman Enemy TA’s in the set. Similarly, as expected, they don’t rise above the 9 and 10 AV’s they historically have. Meaning they’re just running around lending each other their mediocre stats and then passing around the damage with Mastermind.
Riddler tries to bring something clever to the mix with his Special Powers, but with just a complicated version of Incap for an Attack power, and a severely handicapped version of Perplex as a Damage SP, he’s a few Sphinxes short of a good riddle.
Sure, ‘They’ll never get this one’ also gives him Outwit, but is it worth the 90 points? That was rhetorical, no, it isn’t.
Riddler - :confused:

#012 Amanda Waller
Team: Suicide Squad
Range: 6 :bolt:
Points: 75
Keywords: Checkmate, Politician, Spy, Suicide Squad
m-normala-normald-indomitableg-normal810152710162791717917169181KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKODamage - The Wall: Amanda Waller can use Leadership and Outwit
Holy cow! 75 points for that!? She has some Stealth. Leadership and Outwit, and minimal combat values. She’s Indomitable, yay, plus you can use Mastermind to shirk the damage off to a lower cost (but inevitably more playable) figure so she can stay alive.
Thanks, but I’ll pass.
Amanda Waller – :confused:

#013 R Human Bomb
Team: JSA
Range: 4 :bolt:
Points: 45
Keywords: Bludhaven, Freedom Fighters
m-normala-normald-normalg-normal891738917289162791627816378163KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOAttack - Trying To Keep It Under Control...: Energy Explosion and Quake
Damage - No...NO!: When using Pulse Wave, and targets 2 or more characters, you may use his unmodified damage value. If you do, deal HB unavoidable damage = that damage value.
It’s funny how some character names are really a throwback to a bygone era. No writer in today’s age of suicide attacks would conscionably name a figure as such.
As a clix figure, he’s less controversial. Average stats and powers are par for the course on a fig with a low cost like this. The Special Powers are appropriate for him, but it’s never a good idea to deal your own figure damage on purpose just for using his power.
All around, just a so-so figure, the bomb is not so much ‘da bomb.’
Human Bomb - :ermm::ermm::ermm:

#014 E Scandal Savage
Team: Suicide Squad
Range: 0:bolt:
Points: 60
Keywords: Martial Artist, Secret Six
m-normala-normald-normalg-normal91017281017289162791627815278142KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKO
A nice, tight package of sharp pointy death.
Ok, that’s a little overblown. She’s like a double priced Echo figure. But for her 60 points she delivers exactly her point’s worth. Blades is always fun, and Stealth to start isn’t bad. Between Regen and the Suicide Squad TA you should be able to keep her alive long past when she should be KO’d.
Definitely a fair piece for the points.
Scandal Savage - :ermm::ermm::ermm:

#015 R Plasmus
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 0 :bolt:
Points: 80
Keywords: Brotherhood of Evil, Brute
m-normala-normald-normalg-normal8101738101738916279162791527814268142KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOAttack - Burning Touch: Plasmus can use Poison and Quake.
An interesting close combat strategy piece. Plasticity and Poison are a killer combo. Combined with Shape Change, he’s a real pain in close combat. As an attacker, his 10 av and 3 damage are pretty decent as well, so he’s both an active and passive threat. If he can get a Shape Change roll, it really puts your opponent in a bind, since the only option they’re left with is rolling to break against Plasticity.
Thanks to his Special Power, he has Poison for this whole dial too. But Quake and Poison go together like Toothpaste and orange juice. Not sure why that was a good idea.
Also, 80 points seems like a lot for a glorified tie up piece. Particularly since poison will only work against figs without damage reducers. So Plasmus will probably end up tying up and Poisoning figs of a lower cost than his own. Which doesn’t seem all that efficient.
Plasmus - :ermm::ermm::ermm:

#016 R Batman
Team: Batman Ally
Range: 6 :bolt:
Points: 64
Keywords: Armor, Future, Gotham City, Teen
m-winga-normald-normalg-normal1091728917289162781527816277152KOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKODamage - In Contact with Bruce Wayne: Batman can use Outwit, but he can counter only standard and named powers. Batman can use Perplex, but he can target only himself.
Beyond!
Cool, a new flying Batman!
Of course, Charge and Super Strength are fun combos. And as a flier he can grab objects out from under opponents as well.
ICW Bruce Wayne is a decent SP. It’s a little restricted, but still plenty playable.
With that, the Batman TA, fair stats and powers, Batman Beyond is well worth his modest 64 point cost.
Batman - :cool::cool::cool::cool:


Thanks for reading, and check back tomorrow for the Uncommons; Manbat Assassin (17) through Lightning Lord (32).

[AZS]

Hey folks, sorry for the delay in putting this up. I aim to be more punctual for the rest of the series this week!

[discombobulous]

Love the reviews as always. Looking forward to tomorrow!

[Ignatz_Mouse]

Quick comments:

Nice reviews as always.

Rene loves Crispus, and Crispus love Rene. They work great together.

I used Plasmus-- three stars is about right. But everyone is harping on the Quake/Poison thing like it's horrible, and it's not at all. Base a few cheaper figs (lots in this set) all at once to poison them, quake them later. Or Quake people into walls. It's good to have options, and Plasmus was surprising useful when I played him-- particularly against all the cheap characters that are likely to stay in base contact with each other.


Here's what I ended up playing over the weekend
Question x2
GC Detective
Penguin
Plasmus
Man Bat Assassin

Plasmus was not worth more than 3 stars, but Quake and Poison both were very useful. I might have won the tourney if I had not had a brain cramp in the middle of my last match against a Zoom-based team.

I expect Zoom to get 5 stars, btw!

PS: Plasmus must be played while using a horrible fake German accent.

[Entertainer13]

I'd argue with you on the White Martian, but for sealed events? Yeah, you're right.

Personally, I think they're well made. I have a feeling that the "contradictions" in powers are used by Seth to bring down their cost.

Overall, excellent analysis.

[Kenny Wisdom]

Fantastic review! Can't wait to read the rest.

[Tensai no Ero]

For the most common figs you'll find in your boosters, the commons of this set aren't as stellar as those of previous ones. The ones you'll really end up using are mainly Question, Gotham City Detective and Batman (beyond)... bummer.

[malakim2099]

I honestly think Floronic Man is a lot better than 1 smiley. Really, look at his special powers... with all the stealth/Bat Allies in this set, there's a pretty good chance he'll do 3 damage to his opponents. Plus if you're playing Bat Allies, he can give a HELL of a lot of cover for only 47 points.

Scandal should be 4, as well, but I'm just quibbling now. ;)

And don't underestimate the power of -2 Perplex on opponents. That combined with Outwit means Riddler is going to be ruining people's days when he's on teams.

[Striker Mcbain]

Good write-up as always. I'd might as well add my input.

Floronic Man is certainly not the best figure, but 4 clicks of a 17 defense with plenty of barrier is hardly one of the worst figures for under 50 points. I also have to disagree with the Riddler. His (somtimes) free incap, outwit, stealth, and mastermind are a lot nastier on the field than on paper. Perplexing down someone's attack by 2 is also nothing to scoff at. Plus its likely you will pull some other Bat Enemies to share attack with. Once again not the greatest piece, but hardly a 1/5.

[absolutvt69]

Always a good read. I'd been waiting for them.

From my experience the ratings of Riddler and Floronic Man are a bit low. Floronic Man was one I didn't expect much from but I've used him and seen him used rather well. He's got a solid defense for the points and his Regen makes him good for tying people up. I've even used the Smoke Cloud power as a way to slow down HSS figures like Zoom. He's not a great piece by any stretch but he's pulled his weight at least from what I've seen.

The Riddler has been close to dominant on the teams I've seen. The free Incap is nice and kind of fun to try to "call" what you'll roll. I didn't use it a whole lot though b/c the -2 Perplex and Outwit were just too valuable. He's a little pricey that's for sure but again when I've seen him played he's done well.

[omni_42]

I thought the 'lend not borrow' issue was with the TA itself, so DC was immune until the next DC set. For the bat enemy TA. Not with the WC ability. Is this true?

[malakim2099]

I thought the 'lend not borrow' issue was with the TA itself, so DC was immune until the next DC set. For the bat enemy TA. Not with the WC ability. Is this true?

I believe they updated TAs in the Players Guide to be identical to their Marvel counterparts.

[AZS]

Quick comments:

I used Plasmus-- three stars is about right. But everyone is harping on the Quake/Poison thing like it's horrible, and it's not at all. Base a few cheaper figs (lots in this set) all at once to poison them, quake them later. Or Quake people into walls. It's good to have options, and Plasmus was surprising useful when I played him-- particularly against all the cheap characters that are likely to stay in base contact with each other.
I’m not harping on Quake, per-say. I like the power just fine. But Quake on a 0 range figure has always been a pet peeve of mine. Now, Quake on a fig with Poison is doubly annoying. It’s the inherently mismatched pairing that is bad, not either of the powers.

I have a feeling that the "contradictions" in powers are used by Seth to bring down their cost.As far as I understand it, there is a formula that calculates point cost. I don’t believe Seth ever ‘fudges’ the costs after the formula assigns it.
Keep in mind this is just speculation, I have no insider knowledge.


Floronic Man is certainly not the best figure, but 4 clicks of a 17 defense with plenty of barrier is hardly one of the worst figures for under 50 pointsEven if it’s 0 range barrier?


And, thanks for the all the compliments folks, I’m glad this series is always so well received!

[Ghost_Rider]

Good review. A couple of things, though:

With the amount of mastermind in this set, Street Thug deserves a 4. Yeah, he might not do much on his own (like Moloid) but it's always nice to have cheap stealth that can round out a team.

I think Riddler is more useful than a 1. You are underestimating his power to do -2 on opposing character stats, and he has stealth and outwit. Now if he didn't have either of those, I'd agree with you, but that -2 ability could come in really handy. I'm not saying he is great or cheap, but he's not totally useless.

I also think Scandal deserves a 4. She's cheap, deadly, and also has Suicide Squad. On most of her clicks she can do some pretty decent damage if the dice are on your side.

[supremepontiff]

wow, as far as your reviews, love em, as far as some of your rating this time.... WHA ?!?!

Floronic man is probably the best tie up peice in this set. most damage is a 2 or a 3 in this set, meaning he ties, clears and gets to regen. Plus his multismokecloud stops the best peice in this set (zoom) for two turns dead cold. Amanda Waller? She's really nigh unkillable if you play her right... more than 2 damage? mastermind it? less then two? let her take a hit. then kill the adjacent peice with the next mastermind and suicide squad back your two clicks.... i never had her die on me in 4 rounds... i don't think i had a peice that was over two smileys either...tho i did wish i pulled a riddler... he's severly underrated by everyone.... i almost lost to his 90 point ###.

-RmL

[JackAssterson]

I think Riddler is more useful than a 1.

Riddler's a 1?

Out of all the figures in the set, he's number 1?

NUM-BER ONE! NUM-BER ONE! NUM-BER ONE!

:a-fist:

[Jarimy123]

Woohoo!!!!! thanks as usual. good to see this up. Can't wait for the rest, always a great read, and helpful.

[lensnart]

In our first sealed event the only guy to pull a riddler cleared everyone. That -2 plus outwit is a killer, and being able to stealth/mastermind in a set with a lot of 2 damages and almost as much toughness, means he is going to be around for a while.

He won't hurt anyone by himself, but instead of needing to roll an 8 his teammates will need to roll a six against a figure that has been stripped of SS. He will lose his luster in regular play, but in sealed in this set he is worth at least three easy.

[saturnflight]

The Riddler is all-star. At least a 3, but pushing 4.

Ironically, my venue is always about a week behind, so this series will be fine for my Thursday Marquee.

[XocgX]

One (small) advantage to quake and Poison....if you get based by anyone with Toughness, Quake them away. Otherwise, let poison do its thing.

[Pepsirox08]

amanda waller and floronic man shouldn't even get a 1/5... and riddler is good, his sculpt is awesome! and i expect zoom, metron, and both batmans to get 6/5... thats right SIX/FIVE!!!

[The Werle]

I couldn't disagree more with your rating for The Wall, she's a great figure when factoring in the other cheap commons in this set. She can outwit and shoot 2/3 of the time, while tossing all damage to minions and healing any damage she does incur. She's also just a hellaciously cool character, tho I admit that doesn't factor into the reviews.

I think Floronic Man deserves a two, if only because there are so many stealth/bat ally figs in this set who could benefit from pushfriendly super smoke cloud.

[gatharion]

I'm going to have to echo most of the others.
Double Incap+Outwit+-2 Perplexing+Stealth+Mastermind make Riddler a huge pain in the neck who can be surprisingly hard to get rid of.

At the release event more than one person complained about the spanking they received at hi hands.

Really that Outwit and the -2 Perplexing can really hamper almost any figure.

[P0W3R_C0SM1C_79]

I like it!

[anonym0use]

Scandal Savage is good for her points. Both teams that I played against that had her on it were 5 man teams, which meant I was always getting out actioned by the other guy. Scandal was always the first one into the fight, and made me lose a round or three as I had to deal with this 10 AV B/C/F threat in my face. She's 3.5 if not 4 smileys.

Got to disagree completely on Grodd. In a set with high Defenses and middling AVs he's a 9 click long beast. He's also the only figure to get an 11 AV that's not a rare, super-rare, chase, or amazon.

check it:
8 AV - 3 figs
9 AV - 24 figs
10 AV - 18 figs
11 AV - 6 figs
12 AV - 1 fig

Of course, I may be biased because Grodd tore apart my Mystic's heavy team by using MC to give myself Mystics feedback. :p

[IceHot]

Amanda Waller and Floronic Man are really pretty good, particularly if used together.

Amanda Waller has Outwit and Stealth and a 10:a-fist: with Mastermind she is really pretty darn good considering one of the BFCs is Deep Shadows.

With Floronic Man as the MM fodder you got a nice pair....again with Zoom as the biggest threat I would agree a 17:d-normal: Floronic Man is very good for the points.

Consider that Amanda can MM to Floronic Man who intern can Regen or when KOed trigger the Suicide Squad.

The Riddler is good as well. Again you have Stealth and Deep Shadows very prevalent. A 10:a-fist: should always rate high in sealed and being able to share it with the plethora of Batman Enemies is a bonus. The possibility for double incap. Also one of the funest moves in the game is to fly him into range with the Penguin and then use Incap as a FREE ACTION after being TAXIED.

I love the Human Bomb and wish he had the old school Bomb Suit. All that said he is not very good. He has a low AV and a extremely limiting range of 4, which makes his SP all but useless. Unless you get more JSA or Wildcard figures that can use his 17 defense I wouldnt bother with him as anything other then filler.

To AZS:
Thanks for the review as always a great read and well done!!!

[WYVERN85]

as always, i love reading these things - thanks AZS for taking the time to do these up!

now i gotta dissagree with you on riddler ( i cant believe im saying that?), i also thought he was worthless, but he changed my mind last sat.

i went to a "marquee" sat and only 1 other person showed up. she pulled UC wonder woman - i pulled.... 2 boosters of figs with 2 damage:(
i debated going with scandal as she had blades, but figured she'd get clobbered before she ever got a swing off. i ended up with riddler, robin, and Zoom.

gotta say riddler was my mvp and the main reason i was able to defeat wonder woman. robib perplexing up himself and zooms damage, riddler outwitting her def powers and dropping her def by 2 was the only way i managed to drop WW for the win.

now by NO means is he a 4 or 5 star, but i think he's a little better than a 1 star.
not a super piece, but much like the yellow imp back in mage knight days, not a piece of #### either.

[Binnister]

Also one of the funest moves in the game is to fly him into range with the Penguin and then use Double Incap as a FREE ACTION after being TAXIED.
I hate to mess up a 'review' thread, but is this right? My understanding is that the 'Free Incap' is single target-only.

[hoojeebo]

These reviews are practically my favorite thing about new set releases! Thanks a ton, AZS!!!

Like most other posters though, I'ma have to call foul on giving Riddler a 1/5. That's just silly, fine sir! Sure, he's a bit expensive, but how could you under-rate such a mixed bag of useful powers?

And Floronic Man, while he IS kind of a rotten egg, did manage to stop up my Zoom enough times during the first sealed event that I decided to give him a second look. After some consideration, I'd say he's quite useful for the cost, although I too absolutely LOATHE 0-range barrier. I'd give 2/5. (In home games, we play the IL team ability like its Marvel counterpart, MoE.)

It seems like everybody's lovin' on Scandal Savage, but I found her easy to kill &, ultimately, of little concern to my team both times I played her. A 3/5 is just right for her.

[IceHot]

I hate to mess up a 'review' thread, but is this right? My understanding is that the 'Free Incap' is single target-only.

Yep you are correct, the FREE one after taxi is indeed only one target.

[Quebbster]

With the amount of mastermind in this set, Street Thug deserves a 4. Yeah, he might not do much on his own (like Moloid) but it's always nice to have cheap stealth that can round out a team.
For the record, a 3 is "Average - fill out a team with these" and a 4 is "Build a team around these". I'd say a 3 for the Thug is just right - his worth is dependent on what else you pull. If you don't get any Mastermind figures, those 20 points may be better used elsewhere.

[AZS]

For all the Riddler love going around, my low rating for him isn't because I think he's unplayable. I do think his powers are ok. It's the very high cost for a 6 click figure.
I looked at it this way; you need to use a third of your team so he can do his support stuff (outwit and -2 perplex). Meaning you have to have another figure on the team that can take advantage of that support and 'close the deal.'
For defense, he has Mastermind, so you need yet another figure on the team that will take his damage for him. Meaning you pretty much need to build your team around him, in sealed, to make him work for his powers. My take is that the benifits he has, and his cost, are totally not worth the work and trouble it'll take to make him play.
For 90 points, you really ought to have other figs in your pulls that will work in place of him.

[anonym0use]

For all the Riddler love going around, my low rating for him isn't because I think he's unplayable. I do think his powers are ok. It's the very high cost for a 6 click figure.
I looked at it this way; you need to use a third of your team so he can do his support stuff (outwit and -2 perplex). Meaning you have to have another figure on the team that can take advantage of that support and 'close the deal.'
For defense, he has Mastermind, so you need yet another figure on the team that will take his damage for him. Meaning you pretty much need to build your team around him, in sealed, to make him work for his powers. My take is that the benifits he has, and his cost, are totally not worth the work and trouble it'll take to make him play.
For 90 points, you really ought to have other figs in your pulls that will work in place of him.

I pretty much agree.

I'm really looking forward to the 60 point LE though.

[The Werle]

I pretty much agree.

I'm really looking forward to the 60 point LE though.

No question, Edward Nigma is the bomb.

[lancelot]

Of course, I may be biased because Grodd tore apart my Mystic's heavy team by using MC to give myself Mystics feedback. :p
You know you can turn off your Mystics TA when your own figure is attacking your own Mystic?

I hate to mess up a 'review' thread, but is this right? My understanding is that the 'Free Incap' is single target-only.
It is.

Now, my own nitpick would be with Grodd. I've run him, seen him run...he's just simply a beast.

Indomitable w/ MC means he's having your own team implode every 2 of 3 turns. Superstrength means he can just clobber those who come too close, Outwitting the defensive and hurling the HO/LO at the enroaching opposition. 4 clicks of 18DV in a set amok of 8-9 means he's going to be real tough to hit, especially when sitting in Hindering.

Grodd is a beast, hands down, a 4 for me.

[flatmatt]

Nice reviews! A lot of :ermm::ermm::ermm:s in these, but I'll look forward to seeing how the rest of the set holds up.

I played White Martian on Saturday and it did a pretty amazing job, but that may have been more due to Metron than the White Martian itself. :)

[artangelJMW]

great reviews as always. I would have to agree that the riddler should be a little higher and floronic man is ignored during a lot of games and allowed to make chaos where he sees fit. I like that the reviews are based on sealed. It then comes down to raw stats and points and not how they can be abused in teams.

Thanks

[anonym0use]

HUnh. I didn't put it in either of my posts, and rather than edit it in, I'll say it here so it gets some notice:

Thanks for the time you spent reviewing these figures.

Even if I don't agree with it 100% it's still a good review. When we do disagree, I like to see where, and what about, and reexamine my thinking, so that's a good thing.

It is kind of shameful for me to sit here picking apart some of your reviews without also giving you some kudos for putting this all together, and in a really short amount of time no less. Thanks again!

[Silver Lantern]

As far as Riddler, yes he's expensive at nearly a 1/3 of a 300 point team, but this set is not big on deep dials or spectacular stats on figures. He can effectively shut down the offense of any figure with damage 2 or less with his perplex alone. If they have a spiffy power like Nightshade's SP or B/C/F, just outwit that as well. 10 attack is very good for this environment (and remember he can lower an opponent's defense by 2 if need be).

I agree he's a bit expensive for what he does, but he still brings a lot to the table in this sealed environment. The Stealth/MM combo means he's very hard to get off that first click vs. a good player. he can potentially Tie down 2 figs with Incap, Perplex a third one's damage to 0, and outwit fourth one's move & attack power. I know that's a stretch but he has the potential to beat some serious plastic butt in a sealed environment.

One thing I hate is that ranged is almost soft capped at 6 with very few figs having 8+ which gives those figures a decisive advantage.

[Ghost_Rider]

For the record, a 3 is "Average - fill out a team with these" and a 4 is "Build a team around these". I'd say a 3 for the Thug is just right - his worth is dependent on what else you pull. If you don't get any Mastermind figures, those 20 points may be better used elsewhere.


That's true I guess. I just think with the amount of Smoke Cloud and Mastermind in the set, a mobile source of blocking terrain could come in really handy.

I do agree the Riddler is pricey, but with Azs' own guidelines, he still deserves a 3. It's already coming out that he's been underestimated and is doing well in sealed, so no arguments will convince me that he still deserves that 1.

[Kaitouace]

I know it's already been discussed but I definitely have to chime in and give props to Riddler who is a LOT more annoying to deal with than I expected him to be. All you need is one decent generic to Mastermind to (and that's not too hard in this set in Sealed) and he becomes a HUGE pain. Even his Free Incap can ruin your day if you're not too careful. Sure the odds of it going off aren't too great but when it does it REALLY screws up your tempo. Especially since it's easy to forget in the heat of battle that just because he has a token doesn't mean he can't do it.

[TheLord]

Great! I was scared the days of primer where gone!

Thanks!

[St-Dumas]

I really wish I could have gone to my Arkham marquee.

Great reveiws. I'll be back tomorrow.

[Feen039]

Good review. A couple of things, though:

With the amount of mastermind in this set, Street Thug deserves a 4. Yeah, he might not do much on his own (like Moloid) but it's always nice to have cheap stealth that can round out a team.

I think Riddler is more useful than a 1. You are underestimating his power to do -2 on opposing character stats, and he has stealth and outwit. Now if he didn't have either of those, I'd agree with you, but that -2 ability could come in really handy. I'm not saying he is great or cheap, but he's not totally useless.

I also think Scandal deserves a 4. She's cheap, deadly, and also has Suicide Squad. On most of her clicks she can do some pretty decent damage if the dice are on your side.


I agree with you the outwit and the ability to lower values by 2 is really helpful. If he is thrown in a good team he's very helpful.
I ran him in a team yesterday with Prof. Zoom and Lashina.

[Mr. Pilkington]

I had middling pulls last Sunday and ended up fielding Batman, Anarky and Grodd (using Deep Shadows as well). Grodd was a mixed bag for me. My first round I faced Cosmic King, Captain Gordon, Riddler and Two-Face. Grodd wasn't in a good way facing an all stealth all the time team (and for the record, my opponent played Deep Shadows as well, so all the Stealth was going to happen). I moved Grodd up to close combat and he got picked apart by Riddler and CK. The large stretches of his dial with zero Defensive powers were annoying. I lost Grodd but pulled out the win as my steathers performed better than his stealthers in close combat. Riddler was a pain right up until he took three damage. Then he didn't matter much.

Round two I faced Metron, GC Detective, Question and Man-Bat Assassin. That was frustrating. I had the Detective on his last click running away and Metron was down to his SS clicks but I couldn't seal the deal. Metron was a bit hindered by all of my stealth but I didn't get the luck I needed to hit him (again, I hate Perplex lasting... Perplexing up one's defense is getting very old).

Last round I faced a Lightning Lord, two Scandals, Penguin and a Street Thug. Things worked out best against that team. I charged Bats in on Penguin then had Grodd MC LL to RS and finish him off (and yes, using MC on Grodd did surprise my opponent). Grodd did a lot of the heavy lifting in that game, but all thre figures dealt damage.

Overall I liked Grodd and agree with his 3 rating. Batman was of course very useful for his points, as expected. And Anarky will have to wait until he is review.

[saturnflight]

He can effectively shut down the offense of any figure with damage 2 or less with his perplex alone... He can potentially Tie down 2 figs with Incap, Perplex a third one's damage to 0, and outwit fourth one's move & attack power.

Riddler's -2 Perplex cannot affect damage values.

[DemonRS]

I'd like to say that toothpaste and Orange juice.. or in this case.. poison and quake can go together pretty well.

If you base your opponent the first time and he is stuck thanks to plasticity so he attacks Plasmus and misses, then you get to use standard poision to deal damage (hopefully, hello armor piercing!). If you get hit and he lands on his special power, then on your turn he auto deals 1 damage, which you MAY want to wait for and not move plasmus, if you think your opponent will clear next round (IE another free click of damage).

Then you wait (or decide to attack) and you've managed to have a few people around you thanks to your first move. Then you can use quake (after having dealt that first click of damage) to hit them again (hopefully) and push them away so they can't close combat attack again immediately, which could help him out in some occasions.

It's not the best combo, but at least it allows you to deal some poison damage while setting up for quake..

[Silver Lantern]

Riddler's -2 Perplex cannot affect damage values.

Feen039 cheats again!!!

The sad part is I too was running Riddler and didn't even notice. Reading comprehension ftw.

I mean whose gonna memorize 30 different versions and variations on powers? One of the knocks on Special Powers I suppose. But good to know I won't make that mistake again. :laugh:

[commandercool]

Riddler should be at least 4 stars, if not 5. His Incap ability is really hard to play against is sealed, and if he outwits an opponent's defense power AND drops their defense by 2 he can pretty much gaurantee that your next attack against that character will hit. Plus, their are plenty of great small-point characters for him to mastermind onto.

[invisibo]

riddler is a high 3, at the very least. the ability to perplex something by -2 AND outwit defensive powers is huge (as long as you can get line of sight. with the plethora of stealth, that's why I only see him as a 3. In a restricted or unrestricted, I could see him being a 4 due to his amazing support abilities and the full dial of mastermind that allows him to stay alive for quite some time).

[Prof. Aragorn]

Riddler and Floronic Man shouldn't be one stars.

Riddler has "free action incapacitate", that means he can incap for free, then punch somebody or do something (or use outwit/perplex instead of incapping). While he's 90 points and fragile for it, he at least has some usefulness going for him. Plus he's sure to help Renee and Crispus get to 300 points for a Gotham City Theme team.

The only DC Team ability that got changed was Teen Titans (so it is exactly the X-Men team ability). You can still go nuts with Batman Enemy and JSA.

As far as Floronic Man goes, I'd argue 2 stars for consistency/regeneration (good mastermind fodder) and the damage people in hindering terrain power. Extra smoke clouds is just icing on the cake.

Everything else I agree with, though.

[Jarimy123]

Riddler is definitely not a 4 or 5. For all the reasons AZS wrote down are why he isn't. For the -2 perplex, regular perplex if you want since it has been clarified he can use it normally or as the -2, outwit, and the free incap he should get a 3 in my book. If you pull the right pieces to use with him he is great, if not he is trash. It's hit or miss. Paired up with Batman for 64 points he is awesome because Batman can carry him and can do a lot of damage with his own perplex and riddlers. If you pull no fliers he is a 2 star maybe.

[AndarPul]

Jack Assterson must be welling up from all the Riddler love in this thread. And who doesn't like all that free action goodness...

[Grumpygoat]

I'd argue with you on the White Martian, but for sealed events? Yeah, you're right.

Personally, I think they're well made. I have a feeling that the "contradictions" in powers are used by Seth to bring down their cost.

Overall, excellent analysis.

I don't think they're the best, but I am planning on playing them with a whole mess of Camouflage during one of the upcoming events. I'm pondering on how else to improve them on their own.

[wintremute]

http://www.hcrealms.com/temp/hcatoz-head.jpg
Arkham Asylum
Primer Review – Part 1:
Commons
White Martian (#001) to Batman (#016)

Part 1: Commons | Part 2: Uncommons | Part 3: Rares | Part 4: Super Rares | Part 5: Cards
.
Click ‘Read More…’ below for the full review.

I couldn't click 'Read More', I had to click 'Full Story'. That accursed Richards has meddled with my intranet!

[Mr. Pilkington]

I still plan to try a team of Stardust, a couple of SI Spider-men and a couple of White Martians. It'll totally be my Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars team. :grin:

[PISCEAN]

I agree with the entire review except for Plasmus as I think he's better than credited. Coupled with Takedown, Camouflage and Alias he is very annoying.Though your not gonna be able to use any of these in sealed.

As far as Floronic Man and Riddler: They may be entitled to a slightly better score when played WITHIN the set but outside of Arkham they're not too good. Like the majority of the commons they are pretty dissapointing :disappointed:

I'm already looking with great hope to the HoT and the Brave and the Bold set.

[Mr. Cranberry]

With all the figures toting Smoke Cloud Floronic Man will be fairly useful.

I can use Robin's SC and then Incap for free, then use his Perplex to get FM to 3 Dam and he then deals four to the target?

That's great.

[m0rpheus]

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw only a one on the Floronic Man as a team with not one but TWO(!) Floronic Men won the sealed on the weekend. He played them mainly because the sculpt is cool and the name made him laugh.

[Sgt Grimes]

Great review. I'll be think about it while i'm open packs for a sealed on thursday.

[Doc D]

I love these reviews and glad you had time to do them. Thanks man, and keep them coming!

[DeGei]

Just wanted to say, Grodd can be a killer in sealed.
Week one I played
-Gorilla Grodd
-Plasmus
-The Question
-Street Thug
and walked away 3-0 with an Event Dial on top of it.

[Owlman]

Glad to see the primer, I love this part of new sets!

I feel like Riddler got the short end of the stick here (he's at least two stars in my book). For outwit, perplex (regular/-2), and potential free incap, he's not abysmal, just overpriced.

[Doctor Diesel]

Thanks for a nice writeup! A good read as always, although I think you severely underestimate Riddler in the hands of a finesse player. His combined outwit and -2 perplex makes him a superb defense breaker, giving otherwise harmless pieces an opportunity to bring the pain.

Just you wait until your big gun gets cloobered by his <50 pt underlings in your next sealed. Then you'll be crawling back to him, begging for forgiveness, and he'll be all like 'Gimme a hug, big boy' and everything's going to be all right.

[batjester]

I think you hit the nail on the head all around. Only one thing you missed, Kid Devil will make a good healing battery for your wildcards.

[Maniac_nmt]

Have to disagree with Plasmus and Riddler.

Riddler is worth at least 3 smilies. -2 perplex vs some of the 19s and 20 defenses floating around in this set, coupled with outwit and stealth? That definitely worth considering.

Also, Plasmus is much more then just a tie up piece. With some outwit (and there is a lot of it this set), he's BRUTAL. He can't front the team, but he can make life miserable. Outwit a defensive power, and then poison the fig. Again, a great way to deal with some of the high defenses in this set. Plus his 10 attack is nice vs alot of the 9s you see. 10/17 with 3 damage plus shape change poison and plasticity is great in sealed.

[coyotejack]

Great write-up as always, sir!

Common's I got to use last weekend:

White Martian - Used him in two games and he was a great workhorse. First time I used him to cart Scandal around to tag team whomever they came across to great effect. Second time he just annoyed figures on his own. Both times he surprised the opponent with HSS when he took a few shots. I'd give him at least another half a smiley...maybe a whole one. :)

Scandal Savage - Another figure I'd bump up to 4 smileys, possibly. Only got to use her in one tourney, but she worked well with WM.

Batman Beyond - Definitely 4 smileys all the way. Great, great figure that caused a lot of problems for my opponents and even got the finishing blow on Sinestro Corps Bats. :)

[beakersloco]

I also think that Floronic Man is pretty useful to use with the Batman TA in theory. Use his special power to create hindering for your batman ta figures or figures with stealth.

Batman(beyond) is pretty good but the outwitting of named powers only sucks as my opponent this past weekend needed to outwit Zooms special power (hss flurry) but could not because batmans outwit does not work on special powers.

[theflashisanascarfan]

Fun reviews, but I think you were a little hard on The Riddler. Stealth and -2 Perplex and Outwit at the same time, plus a healthy 10 AV, plus Mastermind is pretty good. Having all that with the option to instead attack with the 10 AV and then maybe Incapacitate them as a free action, from Stealth, with Mastermind? All good options. Maybe 3 smileys.

[jak7890]

Hey, thanks for all of the time and effort that you put into these primers!

As for the low grades on Riddler and Floronic Man... Well, everyone's pretty much added their two cents for Riddler but let me argue for FM. Yes, his barrier is set at 0, but a well placed FM should equal a well placed barrier. Also, if played right, Smoke Cloud equals damage perplex for the li'l green guy.

I also think that Two-Face is being under rated, but I'd like to play him first before I fully flesh that arguement.

[Toughest 1 there is]

Love the reviews, but I have to dissagree with the low scores for Floronic Man and the Riddler. Floronic Man is at least a two star and Riddler is at least a three. You must not have played them because they deserve more than you are giving.

[Victorious0]

I think I agree with AZS about the Riddler. Sure, he has a lot of potential, but in a 300 point sealed game everything just has to fall into the right place for Riddler to work well. You have to get him, a character you wouldn't mind using for mastermind damage, and find some characters that can do some real damage to fill out the remaining points (when you're using around half of your points on the support at that point). I'm not saying that the Riddler isn't good. He's got a lot of potential, but the likelihood of all of these things falling into place for him so he's playable just isn't that great.
(However, I did get a pretty good sealed pull last Sunday that warranted the use of the Riddler.)

[MaximuM_MayheM]

Great review, but I have to disagree with Riddler. His outwit and -2 perplex can be very annoying. I remember using that power on Psycho Pirate, and it can be VERY effective. Bring down a high defense, lower damage value, it can be VERY good. Now is he worth 90 points? In a 300 point game, I would run him if I didn't have anything better to run. In a higher point game, sure. I would give him at least 3 smiles.

[Amora's_best_friend]

Amanda Waller is pretty much a 5 star figure. You have to see her with lots of Multiplex to believe.


She actually loves being hit, then masterminding a squad member to death to get healed.

And indomitable means that she's not resting at all.

[Victorious0]

Amanda Waller is pretty much a 5 star figure. You have to see her with lots of Multiplex to believe.


She actually loves being hit, then masterminding a squad member to death to get healed.

And indomitable means that she's not resting at all.

Well, she may be good in constructed when you can build a team with lots of Multiplex, but these reviews are about sealed where the max of Multiplex you will get is two (and that's really pushing it). She won't really find much use in sealed. I agree that she would be pretty good in constructed though!

[loganspeedo]

I must disagree about the Riddler and Amanda Waller. Are they five star wonders? No, but they are at least three star ones, maybe even four.

Riddler - Outwit and Perplex your defense down by two. Makes that nasty 18 defense a hitable 16. Stealth and Mastermind help keep him on that starting click, especially if you pull Deep Shadows. The free Incap rarely comes into play when I use him, but it's another nice feature if you have some other outwit and perplex.

Amanda Waller - You hit her, she gets harder to hit and usually maintains her Outwit. plus, she has a good attack numbers throughout. And despite her 75pt price tag, which may seem high for what she does, makes her into a hard to hit target while your other pieces can continue to attack your opponent.

I almost won my first event with those two, The Question, Multiplex, and Ghost Fox Killer. I would've won if I had more time.

[richpizor]

Plasmus has some limitations, certainly, but there's not a whole lot of damage reduction in this set, which gives him an edge in sealed play. I actually pulled 2 and played them in conjunction and found it a very effective combo - managed to take out a Zoom because he foolishly followed me into a 2x2 room, where i was able to seal him in and avoid taking enough damage to quickly poison him to death. The only team I had a problem with that day was a tentpole based around Metron.

[Mr. Pilkington]

Plasmus has some limitations, certainly, but there's not a whole lot of damage reduction in this set, which gives him an edge in sealed play.

Having fielded Plasmus in sealed play I personally feel that he *needs* TK to really be effective. I spent most of the time chasing down figures only to have them run again or else outwit everything of value on him. I did get very lucky on Shape Change rolls that tournament (rolling sixes each time it worked to boot) but that was happenstance (and a rarity for me).

[DarkKnight2008]

My favorite commons from this set are The Question, Gotham City Detective, and Gorilla Grodd.

Gorilla Grodd is nasty once you get him rolling. I played him at my sealed tournament and he worked out great. I probably used his Mind Control about 4 or 5 times during the tournament.

Whenever I decided to use The Question in a sealed tournament, everybody else (at first) was like why use a crappy figure like this, but then they all decided to change their minds after the tournament.

[Ghost_Rider]

Whenever I decided to use The Question in a sealed tournament, everybody else (at first) was like why use a crappy figure like this, but then they all decided to change their minds after the tournament.

They must be rookies, because The Question is the best figure in the whole set without question (pun intended).:laugh:

[DarkKnight2008]

They must be rookies, because The Question is the best figure in the whole set without question (pun intended).:laugh:

A couple of them were actually veterans of the game.