A few weeks ago I happened across an article reviewing the “Lazy Stranger” team that Alex Avila used to win the Ohio state Championship. You can view the original article on hcrealms here.

Here is the team Alex used:

• FL063E Phantom Stranger (w/JLTWS102 Sloth)
• JLTW063 Sloth
• FI001 Thule Society Priest
• FI001 Thule Society Priest
• WOLR102 Power Battery (Red Lantern Corps)
• WOLR302 Red Lantern Ring
• WOLR202.02 Axe (Red)
• WOLR202.13 Stop Sign (Red)
• WOLR202.11 Bulldozer (Red)

Total=300 Points

After the article user SevenBlueSeven  commented, “An insulting team that is useless to most players. Two chase figures plus a Red Lantern Power Batter[y]? How much $$$ was wasted to make this team? Give us something interesting that a common player can build and play for a LOT less $.” User Tyrant318 stated, “this team isn’t even modern legal” (although it was at the time of States–you gotta love the Internet).

So, taking that feedback into account, my challenge today is to build a team that is built around the Mystics TA and Penetrating Poison like Alex’s Build, but it must use cheaper pieces and it must be Modern legal.

That brings us to my version of the team:

• WKD-027 Felix Faust
• FL020 Mirror Master (80 points)
• 3 * FL020 Mirror Master (30 Points)
• WOLR102 Power Battery (Red Lantern Corps)
• WOLR302 Red Lantern Ring
• WOLR202.02 Axe (Red)
• WOLR202.03 Mallet (Red)
• WOLR202.10 Boxing Glove (Red)
• WOLR202.11 Bulldozer (Red)
• WOLR202.13 Stop Sign (Red)
• AVASAVID-001 Black Widow
• AVASAVID-002 Hawkeye

Total=300 points

Cost: Admittedly, WKD-027 Felix Faust is still fairly expensive. At the time of this article you can get one delivered to your door for $24.00 including shipping. He’s come way down in price since he was nerfed by Wizkids and you might be able to find him at an auction for quite a bit less. If you need a lower dollar cost then you can remove Felix and a 30 point Mirror Master for FL054 Abra Kadabra. The Red Lantern battery is approximately $41.00, but I had to include it because you really can’t do Penetrating Poison damage without it. Four copies of Flash uncommon FL020 Mirror Master can probably be found via very easy trades. You can probably bring some tacos to your next local event and find eager takers in a “give me a Mirror Master for a taco” trade. [EDITOR’S NOTE: I’m in.]

Playing the Team: When playing this team we’ll be following Detroit Pistons Coach Stan Van Grundy’s most famous strategy: We’re going to “form an f-ing wall!” Specifically we will be keeping the four copies of FL020 Mirror Master in front of WKD-027 Felix Faust. Faust has Willpower and no real defensive ability, but he sees right through characters so being behind the rest of your army doesn’t slow him down at all.

The Mirror Masters make particularly strong generic pieces at 30 points a piece. Unlike the 21 point generic FI001 Thule Society Priests used on Alex Avila’s team, they are strong combatants and not just tie up pieces. On defense they have Shape Change, Super Senses, and Themed Team Prob (since this is a Themed Team). On offense they have 10 Attack, Precision Strike, 2 targets, 5 Range and 2 Damage. They also have the awesome combination of SideStep and Penetrating Poison. When you consider all four Mirror Masters have the Carry ability AND that they can be carried themselves, you can do a lot of side stepping before surrounding an opposing character for a ton of automatic Penetrating Poison damage at the start of a turn.

You should also remember that all of the Mirror Masters are Wild Cards that can use Felix Faust’s Mystics TA to give an opposing character 1 Damage every time they are hit. So even when you opponent KOs one to avoid taking more Poison Damage, he’ll still take damage back from Mystics. It reminds me of my Grasshopper Team (which, Tyrant318, is still Modern Age legal).

Felix Faust was recently nerfed by Wizkids and most of his abilities were limited to a range of 7. This could pose a problem, unless you have a very good distraction that would allow you to get Felix Faust near the opposing team untouched. I feel that 4 rage filled Mirror Masters just might garner the majority of your opponents attention.

Once Felix is close enough then the Wizkids nerf is rendered moot. He will be back to the figure who spoiled Nationals this year and your opponent will see why he was the subject of the fastest Watch List nerfing that we have ever had. With powers like GREEN BELL OF UTHOOL: (Give Felix Faust a free action. Until your next turn, opposing characters within 7 squares may only be given move actions. Felix Faust must roll his d20 on his next turn.) AND PROJECT THAUMATON: (Give Felix Faust a free action. Until your next turn, opposing characters within 7 squares may only be given free actions. Felix Faust must roll his d20 on his next turn.) – he should give you total board control. Opponents will just be standing there unable to do anything and taking Penetrating Poison from all of the Mirror Masters (or from Felix if he is close enough).

The last two components of this team are the two ID cards I included in the team list: AVASAVID-001 Black Widow, and AVASAVID-002 Hawkeye. I chose those cards because I knew that AAOU106 Hawkeye and AAOU013 Black Widow were both good Call-In figures in the 80 points or less category.

[AUTHOR’S NOTE: Are they the best ones to use? I honestly don’t know. There isn’t a list anywhere that has all of the available Call-In figures by point cost. Hmmm…] 

Felix Faust can call in either of these ID card figures because he is 80 points and so can all of your Mirror Masters because their Trait states, “Mirror Master is considered 80 points for all game effects except victory points.” So any member of you team can call in any ID Card character that is 80 points or below!

That’s all for now. I think my next Article will revolve around that list that I mentioned didn’t exist for ID card call in characters…