Here are the honorable mentions:

5. F4027 Valeria Richards (40 Points) – She’s a key support figure if you are going to run a Fantastic four team. Her attack special reads, “LET’S SEE, WHAT CAN I MAKE WITH THIS?: FREE: Choose a standard attack power. Valeria Richards can use that power this turn.” Which means she can pick a power like TK one turn and then the next turn choose Pulse wave. Add to that her double Perplex and she is a must have uncommon from this set.

4. F4039 Franklin Richards (65 points) – Franklin is kinda a mix between WXM038 Legion (Whom I used to really enjoy playing) and EW017 Green Lantern (The power battery is draining). Just like those guys he can gain any power, but there is a serious drawback. His Special attack power reads “EVERYTIME I USE MY POWERS, I GET CLOSER TO LOSING THEM: FREE: Choose 3 standard powers. Franklin Richards can use the chosen powers until your next turn. // At the end of your turn, if Franklin Richards activated this power or made an attack, roll a d6. Deal him unavoidable damage equal to half the result.” So you won’t be picking powers every turn, but if you pick and choose your turns carefully, you will get way more that 65 points worth of value from him. His stats and incredible 11 click dial length further increase his value. As does his ability to grant the Power Cosmic TA to all Fantastic Four figures within 4 squares. Smart Players are really going to be able to abuse this guy.

3. F4048 Karnak (40 points) – The Inhumans are back and this guy is going to try to put them into the competitive scene. Combined with a taxi like ABPI059 Lockjaw he can outwit the most stubborn of defenses. His special damage power reads,
“IN EVERYTHING, A WEAKNESS: Close Combat Expert, Outwit. When Karnak has no action tokens and uses Outwit, adjacent opposing characters can’t use Protected: Outwit or PROTECTED: Outwit until your next turn.” Combine him with the aforementioned lockjaw and ABPI030 Medusa to make a great one-two punch.

2. F4055E Agent Venom (50 or 75 points) – Whether you run this guy at 50 or 75 points really depends on the rest of your team. Both are good options. From the moment he was previewed players have been going nuts over his trait, “CALL IN HELP FROM… ME!: Once per turn, when another friendly character that shares a keyword with Agent Venom hits, after resolutions you may roll a d6. 3-6: Place Agent Venom adjacent to a hit opposing character.” Add to that the usual Symbiote tricks (Plasticity, Shape Change) and his ability to grant shape change to others at 75 points or his Perplex/BCF combo at 50 points. 

1. F4054 Wolverine (75 points) – A very offensive minded Wolverine that has Flurry and BCF on every click. He starts with a movement special that states, “BLOODTHIRSTY BARRAGE: Charge, Flurry, Sidestep. // When Wolverine KO’s an opposing character, after resolutions remove an action token from him.” He also makes a decent taxi with his sidestep and THE NEW FANTASTIC FOUR trait that grants him Passenger:1. On defense he starts with 18 toughness and a trait that will ensure he remains a threat all game as long as you still have fantastic four pieces on the board. It reads, “I DON’T STAY DOWN EASY: When Wolverine would be KO’d except by this Trait, instead put him on this card with 4 Healing tokens. At the beginning of your turn, remove a Healing token. When you remove the last one, place him on the map on click #6 within 4 squares of a friendly character with the Fantastic Four keyword. If you can’t, KO him. Protected: Pulse Wave.” It’s worth noting that click 6 for Wolverine has 12 attack to go along with his BCF and Flurry. So if you can get him to come back into play next to an opposing figure, that figure is in for a world of hurt.

Here’s the Top Ten:

 

10. F4053B Ghost Rider (40 points) – This is as mean of a 40 point dial as you will ever see. Alejandra has a starting click most other 40 point characters could only dream of. Hypersonic Speed, precision strike,  Invulnerability,  probability control, and Indomitable mesh well with her better than average stats. Her dial is short at 3 clicks, but her stop click and healing from steal energy will make the dial feel longer. The Mystics TA will mean that the very least the opponent will receive some vengeance for attacking her. Add to that her unusual Retaliation trait and you get a lot for very little point investment.

9. F4047A Silver Surfer (150 points) – I’ve seen him played on competitive teams at 75 points, but I think he has what it takes to to be played as a full 150 point Primary attacker. I know I’ve said that 150 points is a lot to pay for a single character in a 300 point build (like when I talked about CAAV074 Ultron), but I think the Surfer has everything he needs to be successful at that point cost. He has the Power Cosmic TA, Hypersonic Speed on every click, lots of damage reducers, and a 9 click long dial. His damage values are a little low for a 150 point character, but that’s where Dawn Greenwood helps. She is a free bystander the Surfer gets at the start of the game that has both enhancement and perplex. Even better, if she is killed by an opposing attack, the Surfer gets +1 to all his stats for the rest of the game. She just needs to watch out for poison and pulse wave.

8. F4049 The Thing (50 points) -So the first thing everyone sees with they see this dial is BUZZ AND CHUCK. I say ignore them, and then take another look and you’ll see the the most unique support figure in the game. He has sidestep, a special traited perplex, empower, and 19 defend. The 19 defend in particular is very rare and beneficial to any team that runs him.  But, he also has something that no 50 point support figure has ever had… four clicks of Invincible. Being the toughest support figure ever can be especially helpful in games where opposing figures are dealing penetrating damage via traits (like widows recruit). Unlike most support figures he’s not bad in in battle so make sure to push Buzz or Chuck to KO as soon as possible so the Thing can attack.

7. F4053A Ghost Rider (50 points) – I predict that this version of Ghost Rider will see even more play than the prime version because of her special starting defense. It reads, “THE GUARDIAN PHANTASMA: Defend, Energy Shield/Deflection, Toughness, Willpower. // Adjacent friendly characters of equal or lower points or that share a keyword with Ghost Rider can use Energy Shield/Deflection.” So for any team that matches her keywords, she is worth consideration due to the extra protection she provides. Imagine giving that bonus to Onslaught or a bunch of Wendigos. Add to that her special version of a stop click and you can she why I think she will be on a variety of teams. 

6. F4034 Invisible Woman (60 points) – Every Susan Richards in the set shares the same trait for subbing in sideline characters, but this version of Sue is the only one with the the Shield and Avengers Keywords. That trait says, “FORM THE NEW FANTASTIC FOUR: At the beginning of the game, you may replace up to 4 friendly characters with the same number of characters from your sideline on their starting clicks. All replacement and replaced characters must have the Fantastic Four keyword and different names. The total points of the replacement characters can’t exceed the total points of the replaced characters.” Although if you are facing characters that use stealth or that can’t see through stealth, you are probably going to want to leave her in play. Just like the Ghost rider that shares ESD, Sue shares something with her teammates as well. Her Trait reads “YEAH, MY POWER SET IS REALLY GOOD FOR ESPIONAGE: Stealth, [Improved Targeting: Hindering]. Adjacent friendly characters that share a keyword (with her) can use Stealth and [Improved Targeting: Hindering].” That could be a huge boon against the right opponent.

5. F4021 Dr. Doom (45 points) – Here’s the Doctor Doom that we’ve been missing for the past few years. I’ve been excited to build around this guy ever since he was previewed. His Doombot making trait is the best reason to play him. It reads, “MY ROBOTS OFTEN CONFUSE MY FOES: Leadership, Mastermind. When Dr. Doom uses Leadership and succeeds, instead of the normal effect, you may generate a [F4] 005 Doombot.” That’s a 33% chance of getting a free F4005 Doombot at the start of each turn. That’s pretty good, but you can take that up to absurd levels by assigning him the the Reign of Terror map bonus. It reads, “(+5 points, or 0 points if every character on your starting force has the Latveria keyword). LOCATION: At the beginning of the game, choose a friendly character. Once per turn, when that character rolls for Leadership you may reroll the result. If that character is named Dr. Doom, they increase their roll for Leadership by +1. CONSOLATION: Once per game, when a friendly character would roll for Leadership, they automatically succeed.” That 33% chance to generate a Doombot then jumps to a 75% with the map bonus. For even more fun throw in fellow scientist TREKRF014 Ensign Crusher.  Beyond making Doombots, this Doom supports them with Enhancement and starts with a nice Running Shot/Energy Explosion Combo.

4. F4058R Super Skrull (50 points) – Super Skrull is making people take notice with his trait. It reads, “THE POWERS OF THE FANTASTIC FOUR: At the beginning of your turn, choose two. Super Skrull has the listed effects until your next turn. INVISIBLE WOMAN: Sidestep, Stealth, Barrier as FREE but only to generate one marker. THE THING: Charge, Impervious, Close Combat Expert. MR. FANTASTIC: Plasticity, Super Senses, Giant Reach: 4. HUMAN TORCH: Running Shot, Energy Explosion, range of 6.” Most of the time that means you will be picking Mr. Fantastic and the Thing to become a nearly unhittable brawler. Especially when combined with his starting Shape Change and Skrull TA. Combine 5 of him with a F4040 Skrull General and you’ll have your own 280 point secret invasion ready to go.

3. F4013B Black Leopard (50 points) – Black Leopard has a game breaking trait the likes of which we haven’t seen since NFAOS059B Nighthawk . It reads, “TO FIGHT FOR EQUALITY IN RUDYARDA: The maximum attack, defense, and damage values of opposing characters within 6 squares and line of fire are each equal to Black Leopard’s printed value of that type.” Beyond that he’s got a long six click dial and (thankfully) lowish stats to go along with his starting Perplex and Leadership. He’s the first character your opponent will want to KO, which means your whole game plan should revolve around protecting him.

2. F4063 Valeria Von Doom (30 points) – She features leadership, Perplex, and very good defenses for her point cost. But it’s her trait that is making her see meta play (including on the winning ROC National team). It reads, “HUNTING ANOMALIES FROM OTHER WORLDS: FREE: Roll a d6 and place Valeria Von Doom up to that many squares away. // When an opposing character is placed within 4 squares and line of fire, after resolutions deal them 1 penetrating damage.” The first part of the trait combines well with her sidestep to let her move up to 8 squares as a free action. But it’s the second part of her trait that has everyone excited. It obviously affects opposing pieces like retaliators that are placed close to her. But it also affects things like the Telekinesis power and Knockback.  So equipping her with something like the WKMP19-S103 Spin (Mandarin Ring) lets her place any character in within a range of three into an adjacent square and do a penetrating damage to that character after actions resolve. That’s really good for a 30 point investment.

1. F4061R God Emperor Doom (100 points) – This is a character we’ve been begging for since the Battleworld set came out. At 100 points he’s got a short 4 click long dial and Battle Fury on two of his 4 clicks, but I love this guy. He features IMPROVED TARGETING: Hindering to go along with his running shot and superb 9 range. He also has a starting 12 attack and Probability Control because missing attacks is for mortals. He defense is nothing special with a 17 defense value and invulnerability, but when he does get hit he has 2 STOP clicks to protect him from being KOed. He should be able to rely on Doombots for defense or heal with steal energy and the new improved Minions of Doom TA if he does get hurt. He’s the leader of Battleworld and gets this unique trait, “GOD OF BATTLEWORLD: When establishing themed teams, God Emperor Doom gains all Battleworld keywords. // Leadership, Perplex, Colossal Stamina. When God Emperor Doom uses Perplex to target another character with a Battleworld keyword, you may instead modify a combat value except damage by +2 or -2.” His last trait makes him one of the best figures in the game to deal with equipment. It reads, “HMMM… AND DO YOU HAVE AN INFINITY GAUNTLET NOW?: FREE: Choose an opposing character within range and line of fire. That character can’t use the EFFECT of Equipment until your next turn.” It is especially important in the post ID card era.

 

That’s it for this set review. Leave a comment below to let me know what you thought of my picks.