Rookie Man-Bat doesn't fly because...

[Joe Kerr]

They wanted to prevent him from becoming the next Vulture? Let's say he cost 20 points. That's 5 more than rookie Vulture and equal to his exp version. He would be the cheapest flyer in DC and probably used by a lot of people just for that. What do you think? Could I be on the right track?

[CyberVenom]

Nope. I think it's more comic book based. I'm thinking it's a bigger form of the figures of Hulk or Wolfsbane, where they become stronger by clicking. More like Invisible Woman, where her Rookie is still Invisible Girl. Man-Bat has to become Man-Bat (he was a human first, like a werewolf), so his R is him turning into Man-Bat or the human (can't think of his name off the top of my head) that becomes Man-Bat.

[Plastic Man]

Man bat's alter ego is Krik Langstrom.

[CyberVenom]

Thanks. It was on the tip of my tounge, but I just couldn't get it out.

[KaiserSelroc]

If rookie Manbat isn't supposed to fly, why is he made with a flying pedistal? If I wasn't a regular follower of these message boards, I'd have never of known he's not supposed to be able to fly.

[Insaniac99]

for the same reason Rookie Rogue has a flight pedastal: a Tremendous #### Up

[Doomtoy]

Beats the heck out of me. He sure enough knew how to fly in his opening comics appearance.

Maybe he was still learning how?

[The Red Raider]

Ah ah ah!!
No, the good doctor could NOT fly in his first appearance!!!!

Here ya go...

Dr Kirk Langstrom was studying bats and developing a serum to develop Sonar like bats use... since this is of course a comic, and he's a classic tragic character, he tried the serum on himself first.

He instantly had the sonar, but it was deafening... he quickly started to transform, growing ears and fur and elongated feet and clawed hands... but no wings.

In his next appearance, he started to crack a bit from becoming a monster... at one point, he flung himself off a cliff, and before hitting ground, he finally sprouted his wings.

Later, he learned to conrol his transformation, through a serum-turned-pill that he could pop at will, and he helped Batman, and as Kirk langstrom became a private Investigator along with Jason Bard (Barbara Gordon's one time fiance)... later years, the serum built up in his bloodstream, and he again lost control, and started to lose his mind as well. He's recently taken control again.

This clix is cheated, I feel... Here's a better rundown.
Rookie: No flight, Leap Climb, batman villian
Experienced: Flight, Batman Ally, Charge
Veteran: Flight, batman Villian, charge for most of his dial

[Joe Kerr]

I don't like the learning to fly reason because then all rookie flyers should have to learn how to fly.

Superman didn't have total control of his powers at first did he?

If it's supposed to be the Dr. then he shouldn't have leap climb at all.

Even if "learning how to fly" is the reason Wizkids would give for him not being able to fly, I still say rookie Vulture's impact on games had something to do with it. Maybe not because these figures were probably made right after the game came out and before Vulture became what he was to almost every army.

[RavenProject]

The difference between Flight and Leap/Climb has to do with taxi service: R Man-Bat doesn't have the ability to carry passengers.

As far as mobility goes, L/C vs Flying is basically the same -- can move freely to any elevation. The bonus is the free breakaway, the downside is the chance of having Outwit applied.

But in general, that's where the difference comes.

As far as the bases... let's face it, when WizKids first prepared for HeroClix, they had no way of knowing how successful it was going to be.

In order to create a figure without a Soaring base, they would need to make a special process to cut the peg off of the Rookie figures and attach them separately to the bases. It seems like a small thing, but it's definitely an added expense that WK couldn't be certain they would carry. So, they took the less expensive route for Man-Bat, Dove and Rogue.

By the time we got Clobberin' Time, they knew they had a hit, which meant they could afford to put a little money into tricks like Invisible Woman. But take a closer look at her figure... it's on a platform base, not a peg, so it's still less effort to do her differently.

I'd guess that in the future, WizKids will keep this in mind when designing new sculpts.

-J

[sudro2]

Originally posted by Joe Kerr
I don't like the learning to fly reason because then all rookie flyers should have to learn how to fly.

Read more carefully. Man-Bat didn't learn to fly, he didn't have the ability to fly during his first appearance.

[KaiserSelroc]

"In order to create a figure without a Soaring base, they would need to make a special process to cut the peg off of the Rookie figures and attach them separately to the bases. It seems like a small thing, but it's definitely an added expense that WK couldn't be certain they would carry. So, they took the less expensive route for Man-Bat, Dove and Rogue."

Hindsight being 20/20, they should have given all versions of those characters the flying ability. If they wanted to, they could have created seperate Uniques, LE's or waited for future expansions to make those characters without flight. Either that or add a line in in the rulebook stating: "The following figures don't really have the flight ability... ...don't be fooled!"

[Earnan]

That line is in the rulebook... kinda...

Whether or not the figure is on a flight base does not indicate whether or not they are a flier. That is indicated by their Movement type, the icon by their speed value. Ground based figs have a foot, fliers have a wing.

WarlordEarnan

[Spiritual_Ex]

The figures might lamely have a flight, but they all have the proper insignia on their base. I understand the complaints, but at least they go that right.

As for man-bat "learning to fly"; rather than that how about we justify it by the fact that he didn't have wings to fly. Now you can't complain all rookie characters should have to learn to fly if Rogue, Manbat, and Dove have too (How totaly absurd, the characters in question couldn't fly at that point in their career, it has nothing to do with the quality of their flying abilities).

[skeevo666]

Rogue didn't "learn to fly" she abosrbed too much of Ms. Marvel's powers & abilities (not too mention her memory, leaving MM an amnesiac for a while) giving her the flying ability. She was frightened by this occurance and thought her best chance to learn to control her power was by going to an expert on mutants, Prof. X (which is reflected in her rookie being the Brotherhood & Exp'd/Vet being X-Men.) It is not a screw-up, but a game simulation of her history


Now Invisible Girl is definitely a learner. Man-Bat & Dove, being DC characters, are out of my Ken (although I DO recall Man-Bat sprouting his wings in a Batman collection I read when in the mid to late 70's)

[daredevil11]

Well it happened kind of fast didn't it, I mean sure it was a process but by the time he became a real problem he was flying right . . . I mean come on fellas . . . if you're ManBat you fly . . . if you can't fly your just ManRodent or maybe just Man. How long was his non-flying criminal career? Anyone know?

[sudro2]

OK, first off, bats are not rodents. It's a common misconception.

When Man-Bat first appeared, he was only partially transformed into a, well, a Man-Bat. He'd grown bat ears, feet and claws.

He did not have wings.

He was wearing a long trench coat that helped him survive a fall into a river, but his wings didn't develop til his next appearance.

So, his non-flying career only lasted one issue, really. Still, I like that the Rookie Man-Bat can't fly. It adds some variety to the game.

[daredevil11]

Uh the rodent thing was light hearted jest, no need to go Steve Irwin on me.

So basicly you're saying his non-flying career lasted one issue? That's about what I was thinking - a simple part of one story, one thin issue. That's sort of slim for a game piece isn't it? It is for me, but that's just my opinion. I know you and others have theirs.

[GroovyBoy]

Yeah, and Batman wore Kryptonite gloves for how long? Haven't horses like this been beaten on well past their death here?