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ADVANCE LOOK: WizKids Marvel HeroClix The Uncanny X-Men Booster Brick
Unboxing Boosters Plus Exclusive Dial Reveals...
While the end of 2015 and beginning of 2016 were dominated by DC in the HeroClix releases from WizKids Games, the pendulum has now brought us back to the house that Stan Lee built. In just two weeks players and collectors everywhere will be enjoying a plethora of mutants with the brand new Marvel HeroClix The Uncanny X-Men expansion! It’s been a while since we had a set focused on the X-Men, and this one is going all out with a huge variety of heroes and villains from across the eras. Specific areas include the classic Inferno storyline and the modern All-New All-Different characters, and the set’s official sub-themes offer even more from the Marauders to Freedom Force including lots of characters (or incarnations) who have never before appeared in the game. In addition, this set introduces a new element into HeroClix: ClixFX Bases that give cool visual markers to ongoing game effects! The official release of the Uncanny X-Men set is May 4th, though players have the option to get their hands on figures early in exclusive pre-release events happening in stores starting this week (if you’re interested in participating in one of those log into the newly revamped WizKids Info Network at HeroClix.com and find an event near you).
So there’s a look at the Uncanny X-Men boosters, which will get any X-Men fan excited right off the bat. The front panels come from one of the most iconic comic book issues of all time, Giant-Size X-Men #1 from 1975. The cover of that book, recreated here across every two boosters, by Dave Cockrum and Gil Kane features the then new X-Men team of Colossus, Nightcrawler, Thunderbird, Storm, and Wolverine along with veteran leader Cyclops. The sides of the boosters promote the set’s sub-themes with Mystique, Super Sabre, and Stonewall of Freedom Force, ClixFX Bases including Nightcrawler’s purple smoke cloud, Sabretooth, Vertigo, and Scalphunter of the Marauders, and some All-New X-Men featuring Cyclops, Jean Grey, and X-23. The back panel of each booster is an advertisement for the Civil War (comic) Storyline Organized Play tournament series coming to local venues this summer. As usual I did the boring stuff like opening boosters and aligning the figures off-screen so we could right into the contents, and that’s exactly what you’ll see in this next video. Stick around after watching, though, to get a full breakdown of what was in this brick and a complete photo gallery of all the figures!
As bricks go this one seems to be pretty darn good. I pulled at least one of each of the sixteen commons (not counting the Prime), twelve out of the seventeen uncommons, seven rares, three super rares, and a CHASE!!! That’s right, we got our look at the badass Sabretooth and Wild Child figure that grabbed everyone’s attention when it was first displayed by WizKids. Back to the brick, it was interesting that I only pulled one of each generic that I got (Morlock, Genoshan Magistrate, and Brood), although the Marauders could be considered “generics” since Sinister cloned them so many times. Speaking of, this brick had no fewer than ten Marauders: Arclight, Blockbuster, Harpoon, Lady Mastermind, Prism, Riptide, Scrambler, Vanisher, Vertigo, and Malice. Notably, this new Vanisher finally completes the X-Force: Volume 3 (2008-2010) team we’ve been waiting for since the first figures came out in Web of Spider-Man. Freedom Force was a bit harder to find here with only Stonewall and Crimson Commando, though we know from previews and box art that there at least two others in the set. Then, of course, there were a bunch of X-Men figures from different eras and even six All-New X-Men, plus classic villains in various incarnations like Magneto, Brood, Juggernaut, and Omega Red. Check out the photo gallery for lots of group shots of these and more.
The Uncanny X-Men set, besides bringing players a ton of cool figures, is notable for debuting a range of new developments in the game of HeroClix. The most obvious are the ClixFX Bases, interesting-looking 3D representations of ongoing effects for your battlefield. In my brick there were two figures who came with these new items; the rare Storm drops a Cyclone marker on a hit enemy to hold it in place and potentially do damage, and the super rare Iceman completely locks down an enemy character he moved through with an Ice Wall marker after using his “Frozen Solid” trait. WizKids is also simplifying and streamlining the wording of powers and effects in the game, so you’ll see things like “Unique Modifier” and “close attack” replacing previously longer and bulkier wordings. The last I’ll mention here is a reimagining of the old Rookie/Experienced/Veteran system with multiple versions of characters at low and high point values. In this brick alone we see 50 point versions of Wolverine, Storm, and Cyclops along with higher point versions (in different era costumes) that will give you new options for team building.
As you can see in the photos, the figures in this set look great. There’s so much presence and character in all of these unique mutants with their energy effects, unnatural body types, heightened agility or strength, and more. From the very first couple figures (the silver-skinned Colossus in mid-smash, Nightcrawler dancing around his enemies, and Storm about to take off with her cape billowing behind her) you can see the variety and quality of the sculpts and paint jobs, and those are consistently good throughout the rarity levels. Some of the things I really liked about the figures in this brick include Wolverine’s classic claws-at-the-ready stance, the anime-like Genoshan Magistrate armor, great musculature on beefy dudes like Blockbuster and Juggernaut, Riptide’s intricately textured tornado, Vanisher disappearing into thin air, the horrific space monstrosity that is the Brood, the excellent paint job on rare “modern” Cyclops, and the 80s wackiness of Malice’s costume and hair. I’ll note just a couple more specific things like the perfect removable helmet feature on Juggernaut, what’s probably the best optic blast effect ever done on the uncommon All-New X-Men Cyclops, and of course that ridiculously cool super rare Iceman.
Now while we can’t spoil all of the dials for these figures we wouldn’t show you an unboxing without revealing at least some of them! First up, let’s take a look at a pair of frosty gentlemen starting with the rare Iceman. The All-New X-Man brought forward from the past comes in at an even 100 points with a cool trait he shares with some of his teammates called “Time Locked” that make him immune to most uses of Probability Control. His second trait, “Frozen In Place,” gives him permanent access to Barrier and a free action version that only places up to two markers. All of his Barrier markers require break away rolls for figures moving away from them! On the base you’ll see a 6 range with one target and the X-Men team ability for healing options. Bobby’s dial is split into two halves with the first three clicks all about setting up shots while protecting his friends with Running Shot, Ranged Combat Expert, and a special power giving him and adjacent allies Toughness! Iceman’s dial then shifts to Plasticity, Poison, and Toughness making him a great tie-up piece in the late game. This old/new Iceman has only the All-New X-Men and Past keywords.
For an Iceman who’s all-grown up we move to the super rares and one of the most impressive sculpts we’ve seen in recent years, even rivalling fan-favorite Namor in the Nick Fury set. 051 Iceman is a transformed being of translucent ice surrounded by a beautiful twisting ice slide. The figure costs 100 points and comes with both X-Men and Defenders team abilities, Flight, a 7 range with two targets, Improved Movement ignoring characters, and a trait that lets him target a character he moved through (but did not attack) and possibly lock it down with his Ice Wall ClixFX Base! On top of solid stats Bobby has tremendous mobility with four clicks of Running Shot and two final ones of Sidestep, and mid-dial he makes his damage stick with a run of Precision Strike. Defensively Iceman has two clicks each of Invulnerability, Toughness, and finally a special power letting him use Barrier and Regeneration. Lastly, but very noteworthy, is a damage track special power on clicks 1-4 that applies an action token to characters Iceman hits! This Bobby even has interesting team building options with the Champions, Defenders, X-Factor, and X-Men keywords.
Most of the original X-Men get multiple figures in this set, and alongside Iceman in the super rares is the modern-day Beast, Hank McCoy. I’m not even sure which number mutation this form represents for Hank, but it features thick blue fur, claws and fangs, and a more simian appearance than his previous feline one. This figure captures the character’s mutant athleticism as the X-Men vaults into battle, balancing on one hand. It’s hard to photograph, but the figure is absolutely covered with great sculpting like the fur texture and his determined face. Okay, on to the dial! Beast can be played at 100 or 60 points (starting on click #4) and has Improved Movement ignoring elevated and hindering terrain plus a trait that lets him use Probability Control when his allies include two different versions of the same All-New or regular X-Man. Hank gets around with alternating Charge and Sidestep for most of his dial before ending with that enemy-frustrating Plasticity. He also starts off with a scary click of Blades/Claws/Fangs then two of Super Strength, and two of Quake in succession. Beast’s first four clicks feature a special power that will absolutely drive opposing players crazy; it gives the X-Man Combat Reflexes, Super Senses, and Toughness. When that drops away Hank gets one click of Super Senses and then rides out the rest of his dial with Combat Reflexes (super helpful paired with Plasticity). Beast’s damage track shifts from a special power letting him choose between regular Outwit and Outwitting a power on every enemy within 4 squares to standard Outwit and then end-dial Close Combat Expert. Expect to see this blue menace on plenty of teams built on his array of keywords: Avengers, Defenders, S.W.O.R.D., Scientist, X-Factor, and X-Men.
Our final preview features another super rare and a figure doing double-duty in this set: Malice. A possessing entity working with the Marauders, the creature famously took over the body of beloved X-Man Lorna Dane (Polaris), and that’s what this figure represents with her purple, white, and blue costume, wild green hair, and aggressive stance. Malice is an easily affordable 75 points with a 6 range and a trait that says when she would be KO’d you may equip her to another friendly character giving it Perplex and Shape Change! That pair of powers is available to the Marauder in a special power package on her opening and final clicks, bracketing a short run of Ranged Combat Expert. She also has starting Charge and Impervious that switches to Sidestep and Toughness after two clicks. A solid bruiser who’s hard to hit (and hurt) and who buffs an ally after she’s gone, Malice works best with characters who share her Marauders, Savage Land, and X-Men (she’s still Lorna too!) keywords.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this look at a brick of the Marvel HeroClix The Uncanny X-Men! The set has an official release date of May 4th, but exclusive pre-release events begin this Wednesday, April 20th. If you want to get in on the action but don’t know where to play just go to HeroClix.com, click on the Event System link, and find a participating venue near you. As always, good luck with your pulls!
Visit HeroClix.com for even more info as well as downloads of rules and maps, and stay tuned to Figures.com as we continue our reviews of new HeroClix!
Review and photos by Scott Rubin
Review samples courtesy of WizKids Games
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Re: ADVANCE LOOK: WizKids Marvel HeroClix The Uncanny X-Men Booster Brick
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Re: ADVANCE LOOK: WizKids Marvel HeroClix The Uncanny X-Men Booster Brick
The WizKids Marvel HeroClix The Uncanny X-Men Booster Brick is an exhilarating addition to any gaming collection. Packed with iconic X-Men characters, this booster brick offers players the chance to build their dream team and engage in thrilling battles. With its high-quality figures and strategic gameplay, enthusiasts can immerse themselves in the Marvel universe like never before. For fans seeking an edge in their HeroClix matches, visit https://borderfreehealth.com/ for exclusive tips and tricks.
