Place Your Bets: DC75 ATA

[RavenProject]

Looking at the spoiled list for DC75, I started checking for sub-themes which will provide Alternate Team Abilities for our Print-n-Play enjoyment.

So far only one feels like a complete shoo-in: All-Star Squadron, with eight identified and Alan Scott a very likely ninth. Many of the All-Stars in this set lack a TA, so this seems like a strong possibility.

Less certain, but strongly represented: Justice League of America, with five identified and near-certain inclusion for Hal Jordan and Barry Allen. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Justice League ATA that arcs "Justice League of America," "JLA" and "Justice League." The JLA TA has been nigh-worthless for a long time now, so DC's premier team could use a pick-me-up.

Atlantis pretty much writes itself, making Submerged a TA like League of Assassins made Camouflage a TA. Aquaman, Mera and Ocean Master all represent the undersea kingdom here, so there's never going to be a better time. (It would also create the novelty of the first cross-universe ATA!)

After that it's a tough call. Secret Six and Teen Titans are represented well, but I'm going to go with Shadowpact. That's the one which most strongly suggests a direction: Using the ATA as a "silver bullet" against the proliferation of Mystical teams out there.

I don't expect a White Lantern ATA is coming. I think that this will be the one and only time we see a large number of WLC at once, and that their "team ability" is represented through "LIVE!" and all the proc-to-heal abilities.

Thoughts?

-J

[Deathblossom]

I think that there is enough Secret Six in this set to finally give them their own ATA, but it would have to be pretty good to make me want to replace the Suicide Squad ability that most of them already have.

[RavenProject]

I think that there is enough Secret Six in this set to finally give them their own ATA, but it would have to be pretty good to make me want to replace the Suicide Squad ability that most of them already have.
ATAs no longer replace a TA. They add the new ability alongside the existing one. (Example: Man-Bat Assassin has the Batman Enemy TA. He is assigned the League of Assassins ATA. He can use both.)

-J

[Grumpygoat]

Secret Six and Shadowpact are both strong possibilities. All-Star Squadron, too. I'm dubious of others, but I'd really like to see a JLA Alternate Team Ability. Preferably something that either combines the three keywords at 0 cost or that otherwise makes up for the less-than-spectacular regular JLA team ability in some way...

I figure next to a 0% chance of Atlantis getting an alternate team ability, being that it's a generic keyword.

[Arsenalroy2k]

All right, I wanted to see exactly what all the options were, so I went through all the keywords of the figures we've seen spoiled thus far. Then I weeded out the generic keywords, location keywords, keywords that already have an ATA and keywords that are just identical to TA's. Here's the leftover keywords and how many figures have them (so far):

White Lantern Corps - 11
All-Star Squadron - 9
Secret Six - 4
Shadowpact - 3
Young Justice - 3
Violet Lantern Corps - 3
Blue Lantern Corps - 2
Red Lantern Corps - 2
Sinestro Corps - 2
Global Guardians - 2
Trinity - 2
Black Lantern Corps - 1
Doom Patrol - 1
Indigo Tribe - 1
Injustice Gang - 1
L.E.G.I.O.N - 1
Orange Lantern Corps - 1
Seven Soldiers - 1

Now if we just go with the top four, then we're looking at White Lantern Corps, All-Star Squadron, Secret Six and Shadowpact.

But personally, my gut is going with All-Star Squadron, Secret Six, Shadowpact and in a dark horse, Young Justice.

[Grumpygoat]

Secret Six - 3
Shadowpact - 2


Black Alice is keyworded for both.

Four Secret Six - Black Alice, Bane, Ragdoll, Deadshot.
Three Shadowpact - Nightmaster, Detective Chimp, Black Alice.

[Terman8er]

...but I'd really like to see a JLA Alternate Team Ability. Preferably something that either combines the three keywords at 0 cost or that otherwise makes up for the less-than-spectacular regular JLA team ability in some way...


At least this we agree on. :)

[CarlosMucha]

SUper Friends!!! :knockedou

[Tim Drake]

I figure next to a 0% chance of Atlantis getting an alternate team ability, being that it's a generic keyword.

Atlantis isn't a generic keyword, though. It's the only non-generic keyword that crosses universes.

[Grumpygoat]

Atlantis isn't a generic keyword, though. It's the only non-generic keyword that crosses universes.

Well I'll be damned. I still doubt we'll see an Atlantis team ability, though. It's not exactly a strong concept/theme or anything like that.

[Arsenalroy2k]

Atlantis isn't a generic keyword, though. It's the only non-generic keyword that crosses universes.

It's not a generic keyword, I'd agree. It's a keyword based around a location, like Gotham City, Metropolis, Star City, Central City, Coast City, Keystone City, Opal City and Fawcett City. But I don't see Atlantis getting an ATA any more than those other cities.

[Tim Drake]

It's not a generic keyword, I'd agree. It's a keyword based around a location, like Gotham City, Metropolis, Star City, Central City, Coast City, Keystone City, Opal City and Fawcett City. But I don't see Atlantis getting an ATA any more than those other cities.

Agreed. I was just pointing out that it's not generic, and if Grumpgoat's been playing it that way 'til now, he's been robbing himself of theme bonuses. ;)

Still looking forward to playing Aquaman and Namor together myself. I haven't yet had a chance to even use my Brightest Day Aquaman at all, yet. :)

[Grumpygoat]

Agreed. I was just pointing out that it's not generic, and if Grumpgoat's been playing it that way 'til now, he's been robbing himself of theme bonuses. ;)


I just assumed it was generic because of the cross-universe nature of the keyword. Thus far, I've not played an Atlantis team. Avengers, yes. JLA, yes. Never Atlantis, though. I'm not enough of an Aquaman or Namor fan to really go with a team like that.

[Steelmage2000]

Well, it seems as someone pointed out in the Heroclix broadcast that the ATA are usually ones that have a preview characters. So using that and knowing that ATAs are not general this is my list:

Secret Six
All-Star Squadron
Seven Soldiers
Doom Patrol

[Sharkbite]

All Star Squad
Doom Patrol
Secret Six
Sinestro Corps

I realize that Sinestro and Mongul are the only Sinestro Corp members this set, but with a strong presense in AA, and both potential leaders appearing in the same set, I think if they're ever going to give the Yellow Lanterns some love, this will be the time to do it.

[Tim Drake]

I'm going to guess All-Star Squadron, Secret Six, Shadowpact and Sinestro Corps.

White Lanterns really don't need a TA, honestly. And though I like the suggestion of Seven Soldiers, it seems very unlikely, given both that we're only getting Crimson Avenger in this set, and that there are two (or three) distinct types of a Seven Soldiers team. It's doubtful that an ATA for the Grant Morrison Seven Soldiers would also make sense for the Golden and Silver Age teams...

And I'm not really sure about Sinestro Corps, but I picked it because those Corps ATAs need to start happening soon. I bet they're either going to do them all at once, or we'll be getting two a set until we have the six non-Green ATAs.

[Steelmage2000]

I'm going to guess All-Star Squadron, Secret Six, Shadowpact and Sinestro Corps.

White Lanterns really don't need a TA, honestly. And though I like the suggestion of Seven Soldiers, it seems very unlikely, given both that we're only getting Crimson Avenger in this set, and that there are two (or three) distinct types of a Seven Soldiers team. It's doubtful that an ATA for the Grant Morrison Seven Soldiers would also make sense for the Golden and Silver Age teams...

And I'm not really sure about Sinestro Corps, but I picked it because those Corps ATAs need to start happening soon. I bet they're either going to do them all at once, or we'll be getting two a set until we have the six non-Green ATAs.

Though it would not surprise me that they would make a White Lanterns TA just so you will need to get all those lanterns to sell more cases.
Just look at some people saying they were not interested in the White Lanterns at all until they saw BD Live Dead Man (who is a White Lantern capable to summoning other White Lanterns to his side). With WL Superman's HSS and BD Dead Man's summon the white there is a deadly combination there.

[PlotDeviceLad]

All-Star Squadron
Secret Six
White Lantern Corps
Shadowpact

[deadshot042]

All-Star Squadron
Secret Six
Shadowpact
Sinestro Corps.

The first three seem to be the obvious inclusions, but we've needed a Sinestro Corps. for awhile and why not include it with both Mongul and Sinestro.

[Puuka]

The different Lantern Corps?

[WhoaDirty]

I'm going to guess All-Star Squadron, Secret Six, Shadowpact and Sinestro Corps.

Would be my guesses too. <internet high five>

[C-Dog]

Here are my guesses at the 4:

1) Secret Six --> Almost a shoe-in. I think it should be something along the lines of the X-Force ATA, since this is one of DC's group of assassins.
2) Atlantis --> I definitely think this will be one, and I think it's going to give figs with this keyword Stealth when in water.
3) All-Star Squadron --> Not sure what this one should get, but I'm pretty sure it's one of the four

The last one is a toss-up, but I am going with.....

4) Sinestro Corps --> I think Zamarons are too new/unknown, and Shadowpact is fine with the mystics on the team (Ragman, Alice, Nightmaster). How will it work? Maybe like a reverse GLC ATA -- each figure hit by a character with this TA gets -1 on its Defense (like the Dark Avengers, but with no cap).

C

[happyoptimistic88]

Looking at the spoiled list for DC75, I started checking for sub-themes which will provide Alternate Team Abilities for our Print-n-Play enjoyment.

So far only one feels like a complete shoo-in: All-Star Squadron, with eight identified and Alan Scott a very likely ninth. Many of the All-Stars in this set lack a TA, so this seems like a strong possibility.

Less certain, but strongly represented: Justice League of America, with five identified and near-certain inclusion for Hal Jordan and Barry Allen. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Justice League ATA that arcs "Justice League of America," "JLA" and "Justice League." The JLA TA has been nigh-worthless for a long time now, so DC's premier team could use a pick-me-up.

Atlantis pretty much writes itself, making Submerged a TA like League of Assassins made Camouflage a TA. Aquaman, Mera and Ocean Master all represent the undersea kingdom here, so there's never going to be a better time. (It would also create the novelty of the first cross-universe ATA!)

After that it's a tough call. Secret Six and Teen Titans are represented well, but I'm going to go with Shadowpact. That's the one which most strongly suggests a direction: Using the ATA as a "silver bullet" against the proliferation of Mystical teams out there.

I don't expect a White Lantern ATA is coming. I think that this will be the one and only time we see a large number of WLC at once, and that their "team ability" is represented through "LIVE!" and all the proc-to-heal abilities.

Thoughts?

-J

Good choices Raven, I think those are very possible. Also I think there will be ATA's for the Lanterns of any color as well. Especially for green, yellow, and blue.

[spike1138]

I'm guessing All-Star Squadron, Shadowpact, Secret Six, and Sinestro Corps.

[theemaxx52ad]

Trinity seems like a good guess to me...