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REVIEW: WizKids Games Marvel HeroClix Fear Itself Month 3 Prize Kit
Series Halfway Point Brings An Epic Thor And Skirn’s Hammer...
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The Fear Itself HeroClix tournament series is really heating up this summer, and August brings us to the halfway point and one step closer to the final confrontation between the Mighty and the Worthy. If you haven’t been playing in the tournaments thus far, you’ve missed out on two chances to get your hands on exclusive Fear Itself booster figures as well as prizes like Loki on Hel-Wolf and Hela, all right out of the 2011 Marvel Comics crossover event. Month 3 in August is going to be one of the craziest yet, with an incredible prize figure that everyone is going to want. Read on for the full details on the Skirn’s Hammer participation prize, Thor Limited Edition figure, and the new map capturing Fear Itself locations Yancy Street and South Africa!
As the months go by players’ hammer collections are growing by leaps and bounds, and August’s Month 3 kit ups the ante yet again. Asgardian weapons of tremendous power, the “Mighty” hammers transform those who pick them up into mystically-charged warriors serving the Serpent. One of those artifacts crash landed in South Africa, right where supervillains Titania and Absorbing Man were coordinating diamond mining efforts. While Creel was not able to retrieve the great weapon, Titania lifted and was transformed into the mighty Skirn: Breaker of Men! The Skirn’s Hammer 3D Object follows the trend of previous items with a small hammer that fits into a specially-shaped terrain on a map square-sized base.
An 8 point relic like the others, this hammer has a large geometric tan head with a flat end and a pointed end and a silver shaft ending in a barbed triangular point. Meanwhile, the base is a mound of yellowish sand with protruding rocks in it. It takes a roll of 5-6 for a character to pick up Skirn’s Hammer, and when it does so gets Charge, Improved Movement: Ignores Elevated Terrain and Characters, Toughness, and +2 to its attack! And just like with the others you can add Skirn’s weapon to the Book of the Skull resource dial to make it even more deadly.
The character chosen as the prize figure for Fear Itself Month 3 needs no introduction, though this is a very special version of the Asgardian god Thor. During the comic event the hero faced off against both the Worthy-powered Hulk and Thing at the same time, a match in which he was victorious but grievously wounded. Taken to Asgard, Thor was healed by his father Odin and told about the prophecy concerning him and the Serpent. It was up to Thor to stop the menace, but he would perish in the doing. To aid him in his final task Odin gave his son his armor (that he wore when binding his brother the first time), his helmet (to protect Thor from the Serpent’s screams), and the Odinsword whose true name is Ragnarok. Armed thusly Thor confronts the destroyer of worlds in the final moments of Fear Itself.
What can I say to describe this figure that’s better than just taking a gander at it? This new Thor is frankly one of the coolest figures I’ve seen in a while. Wearing his father’s heavy armor and with a big red cape billowing out behind him, Thor hurtles through the air on a clear flight effect with Mjolnir in one hand and Ragnarok in the other. The armor is very detailed with overlapping panels, segments, classic disc-like decorations, winged helmet, and much more. Each of the weapons too features an intricate sculpt from the pitted head and corded handle of Mjolnir to the massive blade and complex guard and handle of Ragnarok. The paint looks great on Thor too, with excellent contrast between the dark colors of his navy clothing and silver armor vs. the gold highlights, bright red cape, and pale blue sword blade.
As most players will know, the son of Odin has been clixed quite a few times in the past, with a recent appearance in the TabApp line and two figures in the Marvel HeroClix 10th Anniversary set. With a range of Thors in the past representing various points in his superhero career the figures have come in at a variety of point costs, and this new version is one of the most powerful yet (only surpassed by the godly Mighty Thor, duos with Hercules or Loki, and the one riding his Mighty Chariot). Armored Thor is 275 points and is worth every one with the Power Cosmic team ability, 6 range, and a Trait that increases his defense by +1 for every 100 points of an attacker’s point value! A nine click dial features solid stats and an array of powers that focus on brutal hand to hand combat like Charge, Flurry, and end dial Blades/Claws/Fangs and Exploit Weakness. Defensively, he’s protected by nothing less than Invulnerability, and that only after four clicks of un-outwittable Impervious. But let’s face it, you’re here for the special power. “The Odinsword, Whose True Name Is Ragnarok” gives you the epic ability to roll a d6 and add that number to Thor’s printed damage! Now, this is tempered somewhat by it requiring a double power action, though you can use it once per game as a regular power action. Thor teams up best with fellow Asgardians, Avengers, Deities, or Warriors in high point games, and I can’t wait to send him up against the Serpent to recreate the final Fear Itself battle.
On one side of the Month 3 Fear Itself map you’ll find a spot that’s very familiar to Fantastic Four readers, New York City’s Yancy Street! Home of the Thing and a place he references frequently, Yancy Street is usually just like any other... but not during Fear Itself. For that is where one of the Serpent’s hammers fell, and where Benjamin Grimm was transformed from the Thing into Angrir: Breaker of Souls. The map is an intersection of Yancy and Colfax with streets leading off all four edges (and which could be connected indefinitely with more copies!). At each corner of the map is an elevated terrain building that includes a handful of squares of hindering terrain. Meanwhile, near the center of the map is a ring of hindering terrain police cars along with some ambulances and the wreckage of a helicopter. At the very middle of the map is a four-square section of orange, the “Angrir’s Hammer Impact Zone.” Here either player can place the upcoming Angrir’s Hammer 3D object, and while it’s there characters within six squares of the zone can’t use Support or Regeneration!
The other side of the Month 3 map takes us all the way to South Africa, and more specifically a mining operation where Titania and Absorbing Man were “working” when the Serpent started his rise to power. One half of a deep crater, the short sides and numbered long side form the ground level (Level 4 on this map!) where you’ll find blocking terrain buildings and hindering terrain mining equipment. From there the levels drop steeply toward the center of the edge opposite the numbered side all the way down at Level 1. Along the way each layer of Earth has at least a couple of squares of hindering terrain in the form of debris, and most have some blocking terrain rubble as well. This map will definitely serve as a challenge to figures without flight, Leap/Climb, or other special movement, and like its flipside will work great with a second copy to join to make a full crater. At the very bottom of the pit are two squares of special orange terrain (four if you link up two maps) called “Skirn’s Hammer Impact Zone.” Either player can put a Skirn’s Hammer 3D object there, and while it is no figure within six squares of the zone can use Outwit!
There you have the Month 3 Fear Itself prize kit. When you attend any tournament in August you’ll get a Skirn’s Hammer 3D Object just for playing, and the top contenders and fellowship winner will walk away with the highly coveted Thor Limited Edition figure. Just like all the other months, this one is a Sealed event so you’ll also have another chance to fill in your Fear Itself figure collection with another exclusive tournament booster. This event continues to be hot and events are filling up, so make sure you find a venue near you and sign up. Check out the WizKids’ Store Locator and Fear Itself portal for more information.
Stay tuned to Figures.com for more exclusive HeroClix reviews coming soon!
Review and Photos by Scott Rubin
Review Samples Courtesy of WizKids Games
