Welcome to the second part of my post-rotation series! While a lot of solid figures and staples for competitive play are money pieces like Chases and Primes, there are still a ton of budget-friendly figures that are 100% must-haves.

If you’re diving into this article with a little confusion about where Part 1 is, have no fear! I wrote that portion on my personal blog, over at Clix Fix, and you can find it right here! Now then…

Rotation is getting closer and closer which always meant a shift in direction for the game and teams that see competitive play. While we haven’t seen Avengers: Infinity release yet, I figure my set review will cover what pieces are necessary to pick up there, so now is a good time to do this article series. Today is all about looking over budget figures that are solid investments for your gameplay in the coming 2018/2019 Modern Age, and we’ll be focusing on sets from What If… through X-Men: Xavier’s School. If you’re looking for earlier sets, check out Part 1 of this series on Clix Fix.

Before I get into the figures, I want to define what I mean by ‘budget-friendly’. Obviously anything that’s rare or lower (excluding some Primes) is budget-friendly as nothing in that category should be tough to get for over $10. Regarding Super Rares, there are some like Wolverine from X-Men: Xavier’s School that are just too high for my liking. I’ll try and keep these out, but if I feel something is doable around the $20 range and it’s a very solid figure, I’ll include it. Chases are right out. Even low-value Chases are too expensive for my tastes in a budget article.

Okay, so let’s take a look at what Modern is like right now and see which figures are worth picking up for your collection.

What If…

Iron Man 002 – Kicking things off this week is another terribly efficient common dial. Like Cable from Deadpool and X-Force, this Iron Man is very good for his points and usually punches above his weight class, especially for a common.

Molly Hayes 011 – Shallow dial, but there’s so much hurt here for the cost. Always generating 4 Knockback and consistently being able to change her values on attacks, AND Invincible for two clicks makes her a great value.

Captain America 036 – This dial is so gross in terms of damage output. He’s certainly not meta, but he’s a fantastic value for people looking to bring some pain on a budget. I hate playing against him.

Elseworlds

Green Lantern 004 – Any figure that breaks the ‘no action after carry’ rule is automatically competitive. Add the ability to carry 8 people to the mix up to 8 squares through all terrain and you get a must-have.

Kid Flash (Justice Rider) 012 – The other Justice Riders are pretty neat, but Kid Flash is by far the best. Practically stopping a character from making ranged attacks every other turn for 60 points just isn’t fair.

Green Lantern 017 – There’s a lot of power thrown into this figure with the drawback of only being able to make 8 attacks during the game. I guarantee you that you’ll never need all 8 of those attacks. It’s a drawback that really didn’t come to fruition, meaning you get a fantastic dial for 60 points.

Green Oracle 034 – She doesn’t break a game rule like the common Green Lantern, but she has a full dial of Perplex/Outwit and she’s 5 points cheaper. Less gimmicky and more reliable for what she does.

Al Jhor Dan 040 – Tons of potential with this figure, and when paired up with a big attacker, he just makes them better in every way, while still presenting himself as a possible threat. In a vacuum where Jakeem never existed, Al would have been a much bigger deal.

Elijah Snow 046 – Elijah never lived up to his meta hype, but I can tell you from experience that he’s still a very solid figure. At his lower value, you get Running Shot, Pulse Wave, Barrier, and Leadership, and at a moment’s notice you can drastically impact your opponent’s next turn. Still a stunning value in my eyes.

The Mighty Thor

Loki 002 – There’s a huge amount of utility with this figure, and the fact that he brings +3 to your map roll and Theme Team Probability Control for just 75 points is very good. Add in his synergy with KO effects and you have a really brutal figure that’s terribly efficient.

Rock Troll 010 – I honestly don’t understand why this generic is only 25 points. These guys ooze value, and they absolutely pull their weight.

Red Leader 013b – Potentially the best Perplex/Outwit figure we’ve ever seen. Every game I’ve seen Red Leader on has always heavily favored the person playing him. Sure, he’s a Prime, but he’s pretty cheap to pick up. Highly recommend you track one down.

Jane Foster 022 – Another ‘best in the game’, but this time for healing. Jane is second to none in the healing department, and has a very good dial to boot. She also has the wonderful trait that can transform her into another attacker on your force, just adding to her value.

Throg 033 – Animal has always been a strong keyword, so Throg is a must-have. A fantastic dial with a discount of 5 points on the 5 for 50 formula, and the ability to double Perplex is fantastic. Plus, you get the only equipment in Modern that shrinks characters to Tiny size.

Hulk 106 – Yes, he’s a $10 Fast Forces figure, but good god is this dial stupid. At 50 points, you get possibly the best attack and damage with the longest reach of any figure in Modern. This guy is the very definition of alpha strike.

Flora Colossus G008 – The only retaliator my lists because frankly, he’s the only one that’s sub $20 that’s worth getting. While he started off as a joke on the realms, the competitive scene (and PJ Bolin’s undying love) have shown that the Flora have a dedicated place in the Meta. Get them while they’re cheap.

Undead

Dr. Frankenstein 002 – If you play Monster teams often, this guy trumps Jane Foster as your support. If not, he’s a pass.

Jacob Marley 017 – He hasn’t seen much play, but I still think Jacob is a potentially deadly package for 35 points. Even if you aren’t planning on playing in a WKO or ROC, he’s terribly efficient and difficult to deal with.

Thor: Ragnarok

Odin 011 – Asgardian teams are pretty cost-effective for people not looking to drop a lot of dough, so Odin is a very valuable piece for that individual. He simply makes every Asgardian team better.

Harley Quinn and the Gotham Girls

Kirk DePaul, Manhunter – If efficiency is the game you like to play, Kirk breaks the scales with ludicrous attack and damage potential for just 65 points. Does he take the place of Red Leader as your Prime for the same value? He shouldn’t, but Kirk does have a place. A solid figure all around.

Mercenary 012 – A surprising amount of offensive capabilities and protection for a 15 point package.

Wonder Woman 016 – I can’t help but keep adding JSA to the list because of how cheap they are to both play and collect. Wonder Woman does a staggering job of giving a JSA team the ability to actually separate and not succumb to the deadly Energy Explosion, easily making her worth the 40 points.

Poison Ivy 018 – The amount of time and energy your opponent has to put into Ivy all while she’s Mind Controlling and tokening down her targets is a very good value for 50 points. The Bombshell trait will be tough flying solo, but she has a great dial.

Robin 030 – Again, I don’t understand how this dial is as cheap as it is. Like Kirk DePaul and the Rock Troll, this dial is all about efficiency, and it’s superb. He pulls his weight 100% of the time.

Red Tornado 032 – The big issue with the JSA is that they can only take about 2 hits before they’re KO’d. Red Tornado gives you a way to heal literally your entire team, and give them passive healing for sharing her 18 defense.

Jeanette 039 – Mystical, TK, the amazing Only Six Of Us? Trait, taking only 1 damage for two clicks, and pushing into Running Shot + Pulse Wave all make Jeanette an incredible value for 50 points.

Kite Man 044 – Taxi’s should always be considered meta. Kite Man is no exception. Sure, he can’t cart around allies quite like Overdrive, but he’s over 50% cheaper, meaning you can run multiples and not worry about your only taxi being KO’d.

Dr. Mid-Nite 048 – He’s a bit costly for a JSA member, but giving your entire team Stealth is a hell of a benefit. Perplex and a free Exploit Weakness attacker just add to his overall value.

King Shark 054 – He’s bordering hard on the budget line, but the Shark is probably my favorite figure in Modern. He’s over-the-top with his brutality and on the right map, he can be nearly impossible to beat.

Sand 060 – I will always recommend figures that can reposition your opponent’s figures, and Sand brings that ability to the JSA, along with some really high damage potential. The fact that Probability Control is on the second half of his dial is just gravy.

Star Trek Away Team: The Original Series

Starfleet Security Officer 003 – Ah yes, the ol’ Red Shirt. These guys do exactly what they did in the original show; they die, but for good reason. Keep them around a figure of 100 points or less, and you buy them a get-out-of-death-free card once per game. Plus, they have Enhancement and Empower.

Lt. Kyle 006 – Once Mercury is phased out, Kyle will be the cheapest source of TK in Modern (well, tied), and he has Sidestep to help inch a little closer.

Tribbles 012 – They may not look like much, but there’s some tech in the Tribbles. From boosting numbers on Animal and Secret Six teams, to increasing the number of ID cards you can have for just 5 points each, Tribbles are a pure tech piece.

Lt. Uhura 029 – From copying opposing team abilities to incredible Perplex, Uhura is a heck of a 40 point investment for support.

Trelane 044 – Another piece that dances the line of budget, Trelane will be a much bigger deal once Mr. Mxyzptlk rotates out. While he isn’t quite as good as the Imp, he’s 20 less points, has a STOP click, and has an actual Keyword (and a decent one at that).

X-Men: Xavier’s School

X-Trainee 005/X-Student 006 – It’s up to you which dial you prefer, but both of these generics are very good. You can get an awful lot of value from these on an X-Men team.

Moira MacTaggart 007a – In my opinion, the Headmaster trait is up there with the best trait’s we’ve ever seen. Moira has so much value that it’s insane that she’s only 25 points. If you play X-Men, you need her. Period.

Hellion 013 – TK has always been one of the best powers, and being able to use it 4 times in a single turn (or less if you’d like) is pretty absurd.

Leech 024 – It’s true, Leech hasn’t been as big in competitive as everyone predicted, but he’s still very very good. With a Student ID available, he’s a potentially game-winning call-in at the right time. That doesn’t mean he’s relegated to sidelines; Leech is damn good as a main force piece, too.

Mercury 025 – I truly believe that Mercury is one of the best budget pieces in the game right now. Every click on her dial is incredible and she’s a horrible nuisance to deal with. Just 35 points? How is that possible?

Storm 034 – Storm brings the utility of Moira but pushes into a very capable secondary attacker. TK starting out with 3 passengers for X-Men means she can do a lot for your team early, and then ‘switch on’ for some surprise damage.

Darwin 035 – If any of the anti-Pick-a-Power figures lived up to their hype, it’s Darwin. If you play against Jakeem’s, Uni-Mind’s, ADW SR Iron Man’s, or any other PAP figures, Darwin is your ticket. Even if you don’t, it’s a great idea to get him now before rotation.

Professor X 037a – Every single time I’ve played Xavier, it’s been a quick and devastating match for my opponent, and it’s easy to see why. Xavier brings some of the best board control we’ve ever seen, along with the Headmaster trait, Outwit, and possibly Incapacitate depending on points.

Prodigy 047 – Like Leech, he hasn’t lived up to his hype, but Prodigy is an amazing presence even without playing against Pick-a-Power. He’s the best to play of the three in terms of not being useless if you don’t see a Jakeem or Uni-Mind on the other side of the board. And if you do, man does he reward you.

Magneto, Realist 050 – Thankfully he’s dropped in price! This guy is nuts. His dial is savage, his title abilities boost your team to great heights, and man that sculpt is just gorgeous.

Gateway 054 – It takes a very good player to utilize Gateway well, but there’s incredible potential here.

Cyclops FF002 – He’ll never be competitive, but this is a dynamite figure. You’re getting very good value for your money here as he pulls weight like a Super Rare. This is more writer’s choice, but I recommend him.

That wraps up my two-part article series, the first to span across both Clix Fix and Two Clicks From KO! I think this is a pretty substantial list and while I don’t think folks need to purchase every single figure I’ve included within both articles, there’s something for everyone and it gives a good indication of what the good budget pieces are in the upcoming rotation. Are some of these personal choices? Sure! Are they all competitive or Meta? Good god, no, but that wasn’t my intention.

Now that the entire list is finished, do you think I included figures that shouldn’t be here, or did I forget someone in the budget category that you think should be here? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

It will be interesting to see what Infinity provides; there’s already some candidates for must-have pieces, but distribution and true rarities will have a big impact on how expensive those pieces actually are and whether they’re truly budget friendly or not. Only time will tell.

See you guys next week over at Clix Fix. Remember, the real fun begins when you’re Two Clicks From KO!