A lot of folks liked this series last year, and now that rotation has been announced for 2019, I think it’s time to make this article series a tradition. If you’re wondering what figures you can pick up that won’t cost a lot of money, this is your defacto guide!

The timing of these articles is a little strange; I like to get them out as close to the rotation announcement as possible, but there’s usually the first spring set right around the corner. Luckily, just like last year with Avengers: Infinity, my DC: Rebirth set review will do a good job of covering which figures I think are worth having, and the set will be featured in this article in 2020. As with last time, today is all about looking over budget figures that are solid investments for your gameplay in the coming 2019/2020 Modern Age.

Let me clarify what “budget-friendly” means in my book. Usually this means figures found in the Common, Uncommon, and Rare slots with some occasional Primes, and maybe a few Super Rares if I feel they’re cheap enough on the secondary market. Last year, I kept this around the $20 and under range, but looking back that means most Super Rares fit that category, so I’m going to drop that down to around the $10 mark as I think that’s truly a budget figure, especially when you typically don’t need a ton of them. As was the case last time, Chases will not be included. They’re too expensive and hard to track down.

Finally, this will work the same as last year, but flip-flopped. The first article (which you’re reading) will be featured on Two Clicks From KO, while the second article will be featured next week on Clix Fix. I like doing cross-promotion between our two sites. I’ll also highlight characters that were on the list last year that were dropped and why.

Try to keep in mind that these figures are purely from a gameplay perspective. If I don’t feature a figure that you feel is a strong contender for this article, feel free to post it in the comments section.

Elseworlds (DC)

Green Lantern 004 – With the Captain America chase rotating out, there’s going to be a large vacancy for characters that can perform actions after being carried. Hal might be a bit high in points for what he does now since we have so many good taxi’s, but that’s okay because he’ll take Overdrive’s place as an entire team taxi.

Al Jhor Dan 040 – Al feels a little expensive for what he has today, I still love this dial. 5 clicks is a bit scary but Al still possesses some of the most reliable and strong abilities and powers to pick from. If you can’t afford to use your prime slot on Red Leader or you want to run a Mystical team, he’s a great source of +2 Perplexing.

DROPPED

Kid Flash (Justice Rider) 012 – I thought he would be a lot better than he was. He’s a one trick pony that sadly costs too much for what he brings to the table.

Green Lantern 017 – I love the utility here, but his combat values have not faired well. When 60 points didn’t buy you that big of a dial, this was a fantastic figure. He’s still good, just not must-have.

Green Oracle 034 – Nothing wrong with this figure at all, but compared to the taxi’s we have today, I would rather have the common from Elseworlds as my mass-team taxi.

Elijah Snow 046 – There was promise with this dial, but at the end of the day Elijah is just too scary to field. At his higher point cost, he feels incredibly heavy; at his lower cost he feels like the biggest glass cannon but without the actual cannon. Again, still a good figure, but not a must-have.

The Mighty Thor (Marvel)

Loki 002 – He lost some of his utility once Autonomous was created, but Loki is still an amazing figure. He continues to make the list since he can trigger off of characters that require others to be KO’d like Hela, the uncommon Batman from Elseworlds, and others.

Red Leader 013b – If you are ever going to pay money for a Prime figure, make it this one. Red Leader is still one of the best support figures to ever be made.

Jane Foster 022 – Still the best straight Support figure we’ve had in a long time. What sets Jane over the top is her built-in safety, ability to break the rules of Support and adjacency, Indomitable, but most importantly two amazing named keywords.

NEW! Eric Masterson 023 – I’m ashamed that I missed him last year. It’s a bummer that Hawkeye will be rotating out which will leave Eric a bit lower on the must-have list, but he’s still an incredibly solid Enhancement figure for Avengers teams. Paying 15 points for Enhancement and Perplex, even if it’s a POWER to use, is incredibly good.

Throg 033 – I maintain that Animal is still one of the best generic keywords, even if it hasn’t been very popular as of late. Double Perplex figures are almost always a must-have, and his dial is actually quite good.

DROPPED

Rock Troll 010 – This isn’t all that earth-shattering of a dial as it was a year ago. Still very good, but by no means a must-have.

Hulk 106 – Simply put, Exospex made this guy surge in price. He’s no longer a budget figure.

Flora Colossus G008 – Like Hulk, they burst the budget bubble, and good luck if you can actually find one in-stock.

Undead (Generic)

Dr. Frankenstein 002 – Monster is quickly nipping at the heels of Cosmic as the best generic keyword in the game, and Dr. Frankenstein is the go-to support for that team. You can’t argue with Support on steroids along with Perplex for his points.

DROPPED

Jacob Marley 017 – Like most dropped figures, he’s certainly not bad. He’s just not a must-have anymore as he doesn’t serve a particular purpose for where the game is right now.

Thor: Rangarok

Odin 011 – No changes from last year. Asgardian teams are a great option for a budget player, and Odin is a lynch pin support figure for that team.

Harley Quinn and the Gotham Girls (DC)

Kirk DePaul, Manhunter 003b – I don’t think Kirk is as good as he was a year ago, but he still has fantastic potential for low his cost is. The new pieces of equipment from Earth X and Batman: The Animated Series can push Kirk to new levels making him a viable secondary threat.

NEW! Big Tony 004 – Underworld has become a big team ability in the Modern Age, so getting a source of top-dial Perplex with Sidestep for just 15 points gives us as close a figure to the old Con Artist makes him a must-have.

Mercenary 012 – We’re losing Thug this year which really bums me out, but I think Mercenary is a better figure anyway. While she doesn’t ignore keywords like Thug did, this is a stupid dial for 15 points. Easily shuts out the Rock Troll as the generic of choice.

NEW! GCPD Officer 013 – Secret Wars: Battleworld saw a huge influx of the Police keyword, and these guys give you the ability to place friendly cops next to him while granting the PD team ability and Enhancement. If PD teams are your thing, these are amazing.

Poison Ivy 018 – Still an outstanding Mind Control figure. Two roll-outs, double targets, and total lockdown afterwards with a starting 11 attack keeps her in the game.

Robin 030 – As I said last year, this dial is just stupid for 40 points. It doesn’t feel as insanely undercosted today as it did before, but these stats and abilities are superb for 40 points.

Jeanette 039 – While the Sinister Six made much better use of a trait needing six people to work, Jeanette sticks around because of, you guessed it, her Monster keyword. That team doesn’t have a lot of TK or Pulse Wave, and Jeanette brings both, along with some great protections for herself.

Kite Man 044 – Now that Overdrive is finally retiring, Kite Man is going to be your main taxi. If you don’t own one or two by now, you’ll want to pick some up before rotation happens.

NEW! Prometheus 045 – Now hear me out on this one; Prometheus is a budget-man’s pick-a-power figure. He has good stats, Perplex, breaks Stealth, and can pick two different powers rather than one every turn. With the new equipment available, Prometheus is a great option if you’re looking for a new figure to build around.

NEW! Nightshade 057 – If you can find her, BUY HER. I guarantee you with Overdrive and Shifting Focus Dr. Strange rotating out and Nightshade’s Mystical keyword, she’s going to become a huge staple to Mystical teams. Nightshade is unique in that she can teleport multi-base figures and she brings both Probability Control and Barrier to your team. She’s a stupid figure for only 50 points.

NEW! Corrupt GCPD Cop 006 – Figures that don’t die have always, always been staples in the game. Like Eric Masterson, I’m ashamed I didn’t list this figure last year. The Corrupt Cop has been seeing some tournament play lately, so if that isn’t a sign I don’t know what is.

DROPPED

Wonder Woman 016/Red Tornado 032/Dr. Mid-Nite 048/Sand 060 – We’re losing almost all our JSA figures with Joker’s Wild, so these four aren’t as necessary for Modern play as they were before. I’m sad to see them go.

Star-Trek Away Team: The Original Series (Generic)

Starfleet Security Officer 003 – Same reasons as last year; they take a KO for a friendly figure of 100 points or more which can be huge in casual or local games. Enhancement and Empower are icing on the cake.

Lt. Kyle 006 – You still can’t beat Sidestep + TK for 25 points, even if TK isn’t as big of a power as it used to be.

DROPPED

Tribbles 012 – Still amazing, but they aren’t budget anymore. You absolutely need multiples, and these suckers are going for around $5 EACH. They’re amazing in the right setting, but not a good candidate for a budget.

Lt. Uhura 029 – 40 points for Perplex, even with how good hers is, just isn’t worth it anymore. She feels heavy and overcosted now.

Trelane 044 – Simply put, this guy skyrocketed in price. Absolutely does not fit the budget category anymore.

X-Men: Xavier’s School (Marvel)

X-Trainee 005/X-Student 006 – Still very good generics for X-Men teams. If you aren’t in possession of the tournament-worthy members that cost a lot of cash, these are fantastic point options that get you a host of great powers.

Moira MacTaggart 007a – By far the must-have X-Men figure no matter what you own. Moira’s value is still unparalleled on an X-Men team. If you play X-Men, you need her.

Hellion 013 – As I said with Lt. Kyle, TK isn’t as big of a power as it used to be, but Hellion has the unique ability to use it 4 times in a row in a single turn. That’s a nice trick to have in your arsenal. Bonus Leadership!

Leech 024 – Still one of the best Outwit pieces in the game. Leech can change a game in a single turn even if he does get KO’d afterwards.

Mercury 025 – I still love this figure! She has so much annoyance built in for only 35 points, and her stats are honestly not bad. Full dial Plasticity with Precision Strike followed by Blades + Exploit is killer.

Darwin 035 – Darwin is finally seeing some play on can’t die teams, and he’s still the #1 answer to pick-a-power figures. Everyone should own one.

Professor X 037a – Everything I said last year holds true; this figure oozes control and support. Always a horror to play against and gives the feeling of immense power when you’re fieldling him.

Magneto, Realist 050 – A destructive captain to a ranged team. Magneto still holds one of the most brutal Title Character dials. Highly recommend him if you can find him.

Cyclops FF002 – I continue to love how efficient this dial is for a budget sniper. Great options and a fantastic option against the rich man’s Super Rare or Chase.

DROPPED

Storm 034 – You really don’t need two Headmasters at 50 points that play the support role, and Professor X is just better than Storm.

Prodigy 047 – So much potential from this dial, but Darwin is a better anti-pick-a-power figure and Leech is a better Outwit figure. This leaves Prodigy in a weird middle ground.

Gateway 054 – Ending your turn is the crucial aspect that takes Gateway out of the running. He’s a fantastic taxi for X-Men teams (or any team for that matter), but both X-Men and non-theme teams can do better (via the Blackbird or even Elseworlds Common Green Lantern).

Avengers: Infinity (Marvel)

Pip The Troll 008 – Pip is going to be Kite Man’s competitor in the taxi game, and Pip has a chance at becoming the best. Stealth keeps him safe and his Space Gem getting handed off makes him a super secure taxi since you won’t lose his abilities. Cosmic sets him over the top.

Rocket 009 – This is a fantastic melee dial for a budget team. If you don’t run him on a Guardians team, he has a 12 attack (!) and 18 Defense with Leadership and Blades. If he hits mid-dial, he has some scary damage potential. Every click on this dial is good.

Gamora 020 – BIG damage on this figure. She might be easy to hit but adding Probability Control that passes on to another figure for only 65 points with these teeth is fantastic.

Star-Lord 021 – Like Rocket, this is a killer dial on a non-Guardians team. His Element Gun gives him so many options and the two put together gives you a pair of incredible fighters that can engage in range or melee.

Venom, Space Knight 023 – This is a fantastic dial, and often times one that I’ll give to new players to make them feel unstoppable. Great values and powers, the Alien Symbiote trait, Wild Card, and Indom make this a fantastic option.

Drax 029 – This dial is so freakin’ mean and it’s glorious. Since Drax has pseudo Close Combat Expert, he can combine his number boosting with Super Strength to throw some stupid damage levels around; we’re talking 11 attack and 6 damage for 100 points. Just like Gamora, he the gifts he passes when he’s KO’d makes him a lot more valuable.

Mantis 030 – Yet another Guardian that’s amazing on non-Guardians teams. Mantis can sport some amazing values and is a huge threat on every single click.

Nova 032 – Perhaps the bet tentpole in the budget category in the game today. Richard finally gets a respectable dial. This thing is pain incarnate and I highly recommend picking one up.

Quasar 037 – I love this figure so much. The ability to use Barrier and shut someone out after hitting them for 4 penetrating damage from 13 squares out is massive.

Golden Skull 040 – I started out not liking this figure at all, but that’s changed a lot. You get two awesome autonomous robots along with Perplex, Leadership, and +1 attack to adjacent figures. This is a Super Rare that snuck by for sure.

Starshine 041a – If you like Hypersonic figures, Starshine is a fantastic option. She has some great stats and is surprisingly tough to break through. Not an all-star by any means, but very good.

Giant-Girl G001 – From tournament play to casual games, Giant-Girl is perhaps the best Avenger ever printed and has a fantastic track record with the game. Just the fact that you can fit her in on any increment of 10 points makes her a super useful figure that you’ll get a lot of mileage out of.

Dune Buggy G005 – This figure rocks. You can either give someone on your team a 5-square Charge that keeps them on top-dial for 7 clicks, or you can use it as terrain that’s incredibly annoying to play against. Another figure with big value.

Wasp, Heart of the Avengers G011 – Another extremely good Avengers figure. Wasp offers some fantastic options for your team and brings some wonderful title abilities with her.

That wraps up part 1 of this giant-sized article series. Tune in next week over on Clix Fix for part 2 – I’ll be sure to share that on our Facebook page so you can find it easily.

From what I’ve covered so far, what are your thoughts on these picks? Do you like the new $10 price point maximum? Let me know in the comments section.

See you guys next week as I cover TMNT4 Unplugged, Batman: The Animated Series, Secret Wars: Battleworld, Earth X, and Captain Marvel. Until then remember, the real fun begins when you’re Two Clicks From KO!