Today we’re taking a break from the builds as we’ve gone over 4 different teams. Instead, I’m going to take a detailed look into the Civil War SLOP event that ends this month. We’ll dive into the top pieces for each rarity and just who in the set is really worth the time and points.

I couldn’t have been happier when Civil War was announced as the SLOP for 2016; I had just gotten back into Clix in July of 2015 after San Diego Comic-Con, and Civil War was the story that officially pushed me into reading comics, so it was a big deal for me. I had a tough time waiting for any type of news as the year ended and 2016 began. Finally in June, we finally got to attend our first event and it was super fun!

Civil War is a bit different from other SLOP’s and sets in general – all the pieces are either 60, 70, 80, or 90 points which creates a sort of synergy in the set and keeps power levels somewhat in check. Of course there are some really great pieces that can be worth quite a bit more on the battlefield, but for the most part the set is very balanced. We don’t crack that point threshold until we get into the LE’s, which aren’t used in the events, so there’s no fear of opening a 20 point medic or a facing a 160 point Sentry.

For this review, I’m going to cover each rarity and what pieces are actually worthwhile to pick up for normal constructed play. We aren’t focusing on the pieces within the event as anyone who has played in Civil War has already experienced who is good/bad. I’m also not going to review every piece; just those that I believe are good for constructed play.

Commons

005 Herclues -90 Points – Herc is a lot better piece than he may look. For 90 points, we get traited Super Strength, Charge, Plasticity, 11 attack, 4 damage, and Indomitable. The fact that his trait also lets him KO objects that are held by opponents when he moves next to them is incredibly strong. This lets you run up with Herc, grabbing a heavy item threatening for 6 damage, while locking down their main attacker and KO’ing that Ultra Heavy they’re prepping to use. It’s not just that he’s a great tie-up piece, it’s that he can actually take away a large portion of damage from the enemy team at the same time. Plus, it takes 8 damage to KO him without penetrating damage. Heroes For Hire keyword makes him a champ.

008 Wasp – 70 Points – Wow, what a great little piece Janet is. Ignoring characters for movement with flight ensures she can get wherever she needs and can always use her Ranged Combat Expert (which ensures she either hits, or hits for a lot). Her trait gives her Shape Change, making her a pain to deal with on her entire dial, plus 18 Super Senses and Tiny make her hard to hit if you DO get through the SC. Lastly, if she manages to roll a 6 on SC, she gets to be placed adjacent to any character within 6 squares. What a brutal tie-up piece. I think a lot of people will pass on her without realizing just how good she is.

010 Yellowjacket – 60 Points – There’s only one reason Yellowjacket is on the list, and that’s his insane Perplex. The fact that he can modify any stat including damage to all friendly characters within 4 squares and LoF is game-changing. Sure, you can bring a few perplexers to a team, but why not just use this guy and get mega-Perplex? The fact that he’s 60 points makes him a wonderful Disguise for Chameleon from Superior Foes of Spider-Man. Spy keyword makes him a valuable asset.

033 Namorita – 60 points – Remember how nasty Banshee was? I luckily never had to play against him, but I knew just how strong he was. This girl can get that job done for only 60 points! Traited Stealth and Shape Change if she’s next to a wall or blocking terrain ensure that she’ll make it to her target, and flight lets her carry a buddy while she sidesteps her way up. No Charge hurts, but dropping most defense powers for only 60 points is really really nasty. Atlantis keyword makes her even more appealing (you’ll see in a bit).

Uncommons

013 Spider-Man – 80 Points – Wait, didn’t we just get some great Spider-Man’s (Spider-Men?) in SFoSM? Yeah, we did, but I really want to highlight just how good this one is. Unlike a lot of the spiders in SFoSM, this guy ignores hindering which is nice. He also packs Charge and Flurry on top click with an 11 attack and 3 damage, making him a really nasty dude to face. His trait gives him Super-Senses and if he hits with a close attack, he can use Sidestep and automatically breaks away. With a 17 ES/D, that makes this Spider really tough to deal with since he’ll most likely hit with two chances and that 11 attack. Perplex mid-dial and picking up that Charge+Flurry power on his last two clicks makes him a threat the entire game.

014 Spider-Man – 80 Points – Yep, the Pro-Reg Spidey is great too, although not as useful as the previous one. The reason why I think this guy is worth a look is because of his threat on top-click. Running Shot/Flight for movement with Incap, 11 attack, 18 defense, 3 damage, and 4 range triple bolts. This guy is going to lock down your opponents entire force every other turn and that’s scary for 80 points. Like the other Spider-Man, he has a trait for defense, but his gives him Shape Change which in my book is much better as it’s harder to counter (Battle Fury is a lot harder to find and it forces melee). He gets some Outwit later in his dial, and he doesn’t keep the threat like the previous one does, but that top click is just gross.

016 Radioactive Man – 70 Points – Do you like Poison? Do you like free damage? Then this is your guy. What a powerhouse Chen is. Keywords like Thunderbolts, Masters of Evil, and Scientist make this guy valuable on so many theme teams, and he’s got that wonderful Justice, Like Lightning trait we talked about. Of course, what makes Chen so powerful is his insane poison that lets you choose how you want to deal damage, potentially melting everyone within 2 squares, no LoF needed! To top it all off, his defense values are strong the entire dial, and he gets harder to kill thanks to that invul at the bottom. Also, that sculpt!

018 Bullseye – 70 Points – I’ll be honest; the only reason Bullseye is on this list is because of that top click, mainly his 12 attack with precision strike. His two damage is very lackluster, and he has a short dial to be able to make use of his marked tokens, but if he’s left alive, Bullseye is going to be a disgusting little sniper. The improved targeting that lets him shoot anyone, anytime (unless they’re behind a wall or on elevation) is the only thing that really tips the scales in his favor. The true definition of a glass cannon. Thunderbolts Keyword and Justice, Like Lightning trait push him into “need” category.

037 Speedfreek – 70 Points – You WILL see this guy in competitive play, I guarantee it. Hypersonic with ignoring elevation gives him a large sphere of influence. Sure, he’s only 4 clicks long, but his attack power is what makes him so powerful. The fact that he can pull whoever he hits and drop them 2 squares from where he ends his movement (no LoF needed!) is going to resurrect the old Killbox teams. His high defense and great defense powers make him tough to one-shot, so he’s going to be an annoyance for a good portion of the game. Welcome, Bencrawler 2.0.

038 Plunderer – 70 Points – Like Namorita, this guy can shut down defense powers, but like Banshee, he’s a ranged attacker. Plus, Running Shot makes him a bit more reliable at getting the job done than Namorita does. If you have the 10 extra points to spend, he’s worth it. I do like that he gets Pen/Psy at the end of his dial with Willpower, ensuring that he’ll deal damage his entire dial. It’s a toss-up of who we might see in competitive play. Scientist keyword is great, and Pirate is awesome.

Rares

024 Songbird – 70 Points – The reason Songbird is on this list (aside from really liking the character) is her Thunderbolts allegiance. She’s a pretty over-costed support piece, but bringing Sidestep, TK, and Flight to a T-bolts team is really necessary in a lot of builds. Her Leadership is kind of useless at 70 points for theme, but having Force Blast, Incap, and TK on one power is really great. Plus, Barrier is a nice code-red power to have with a high-offense team in case things get ugly, or you face Balls of Fury.

025 Punisher – 80 Points – This will be my preferred Punisher for a looooooong time. His dial is so perfect for the character and is a must-have for mid-range attackers. The Ammo tokens lets Frank have an almost guaranteed hit and/or make multiple attacks (with no DDM!) in a single turn. His 11 attack is great, and Willpower makes a lot of sense on a normal guy with an unrelenting mission. Spider-Man Family TA just adds gravy to an already killer piece. When he drives his awesome Van, he can make absurd use of the Rocket Launcher. Hyper-aggressive.

026 Taskmaster – 80 points – Arguably the best piece in the entire set. Taskmaster has the fantastic ability to swap to any click on his dial, making him a true Jack-of-all-trades piece on your force. For 80 measly points, you get a piece that can do whatever you need. Snipe with Pen/Psy? He can do that. Charge with Exploit? He can do that. Leap/Climb to Outwit someone? Yep, he can do that too. The fact that he’s just so versatile makes him probably the most likely piece we’ll see in ROC’s and major tournaments. Not to mention that he’s a wildcard. Just remember that he has that great trait where he can raise a combat value; a lot of people forget about that, including me. Seriously, if you’re going to get just one piece, make sure it’s this one.

028 Mach-IV – 90 Points – What a great Ranged piece this guy is. Sure, he’s 90 points and doesn’t ignore pushing damage, but the amount of damage he can put out while making it incredibly dangerous to try and lock him down makes him very valuable. His top-dial Leadership actually makes a difference with his point value, and Pen/Psy will make sure his damage sticks. 10 attack is a little low for 90 points, but I really feel his usefulness outweighs his one negative aspect. Oh, and he’s a Thunderbolt, complete with Justice, Like Lightning.

039 Cobalt Man – 80 Points – Yeah, he’s a slow Pulse Waver with no Running Shot, but he does have 18 defense with Invincible. It’s pretty neat that he has the potential to deal 2 damage to multiple characters rather than 1, but that’s not why he’s good. His trait is the reason why I think he’s worth while to have. You can keep him on your force as your Pulse Waver, but if you need to change him out, you can bring the LE Iron Man at 80 points and get a 3 stop click ranged piece instead. Or you can have the NFAoS Iron Man on his lower dial for a great support piece. I like that he’s flexible, which is a good thing. Sure, he isn’t a shifting focus piece, but I think he’s worth it.

Super Rares

029 Goliath – 90 Points- I think Goliath is the most iffy choice on this list. However, I think he’s a lot better than people may give him credit for. His values are all very strong with an 18 invincible top click complete with Super Strength, Charge, and Empower. What’s really great about Goliath is that because he’s a giant, he can carry someone with him while he charges, set them down between him and the target, and boost their damage next turn with Empower. Every click has great offense ranging from Close Combat Expert mid-dial to his killer attack/damage at the end (12/4!). Finally, his trait begs you to rush him in; when he’s KO’d he heals all friendly pieces and gives them sidestep. If you have him, try him out. I really think he’s better than he seems. Also, Scientist keyword.

032 Venom – 90 Points – The other side of the ‘arguably the best piece in the set’, Mac here is a true monster in close combat. He’s got the Thunderbolts Keyword, along with Justice, Like Lightning, but his true strength comes from his other trait, which grants him Leap/Climb, Sidestep, and Steal Energy. That’s a lot of stuff you can’t get rid of and that he can use the entire game. No move and attack slows him down a bit, but he does have Indom, so his threat sticks. Flurry on half of his dial ensures that Venom will stick around for a long time and dish a lot more damage than any sub-100 point piece on the map. His attack values are really strong, and Shape Change gives him a chance to roll out of all damage, which turns into Super Senses mid-dial. There’s a reason this guy was $50 when the first month finished up.

Monthly LE’s

101 Captain America & 102 Iron Man – 80 Points Each – Low movement, identical combat values, and fairly short dials. Why these guys? Simple. Three stop clicks. Getting a single stop click is a good investment for 80 points, but these guys bring 3 to the party. While Iron Man can only Running Shot for 3 squares, he does have 6 range. Likewise, while Cap can only Charge for 3 squares, he ignores characters. Both have some great features, and they both have an 11 attack and Indom, so they’ll pull their weight. With some TK, these pieces will be devastating.

105 Night Nurse – 20 Points – Did you want a healer on your team? Night Nurse is the go-to. She sets the bar for all medics moving forward. 11 attack with 16 defend means she only needs a 5 to hit, pretty much guaranteeing some health back. Stealth keeps her out of danger and willpower on her last two clicks while keeping a 10 attack is icing on the cake. If you really need a good healer on your team, you have to get her. Also, Marvel Knights keyword is a great plus.

Grand Prize LE’s

110 Ragnarok – 120 Points – What a piece for a low cost. Robo-Thor here goes through two phases; a close-combat machine into a ranged-oriented assassin. With only 2 clicks of sub-10 attack, and never dropping under 3 damage, Clor here is going to be nasty on every click. With Impervious and Shape Change, he has two separate ways to avoid damage, just like the amazing NFAoS Thor. What’s even better is since he has the Robot Keyword, Jocasta is a great addition to him, giving him Running Shot on first click and an 11 attack. Now you can engage either close or ranged for 145 points. Oh, and he’s Indom. I think he’ll be the most competitive of the Grand Prizes.

111 Namor – 110 points – I’ve always liked token generators, and this guy does not disappoint. Able to pump out 9 attack Charge pieces with Close Combat Expert is great, but makes it even better is that he pumps all Atlanteans attack values by +1. That means his tokens actually have 10 attack, and a piece like Namorita now has 11 attack. He’s tough to hit early on with 18 Invul, and once he goes into melee mode, he gets downright dumb. 9 Charge, 11 Super Strength, 17 Toughness, and 4 Empower is just gross on a mid-dial piece. Being able to hit for 7 after pumping out an army isn’t fair in the slightest, and he keeps that 11 attack for two clicks. Plus, he gets to Empower all the Atlanteans he brought to the party. The last laugh is the Regen on his final click, which can heal him back to token mode, or easily into melee monster. Again, Indom on a high-level piece makes him truly monstrous.

113 Captain Ironmerica – 175 Points – Okay, clearly we’re on another level and this guy doesn’t belong in this set, and I might get some flak on this one because of his point value. HOWEVER, look at this guy. Traited Invul. Can always make ranged attacks to whoever he wants. Never dropping under 10 attack. Running Shot AND Charge. Combat Reflexes AND ES/D. This guy is the definition of One-Man-Army. So he’s got a 19 defense with invul that you can’t get rid of (sure, you can Outwit the defense power), so unless you’re bringing Pulse Wave or penetrating damage, it’s gonna be a long day. But what really makes this guy amazing is his damage power from his third click onward, which lets him use both Close Combat Expert and Ranged Combat Expert in the same turn. I can’t like this piece enough. 300 point games might be a little tough for him when Krang can be used for 5 points less, but this guy is nuts. Soldier keyword is the cherry on top, and that sculpt is flat out gorgeous.

So there you have it. The pieces I believe are going to be the most worthwhile to pick up from the Civil War event. Some of these are really great while others are situational, but still make a difference. I would have loved to include pieces like the Sentry LE, but I think he’s a bit too situational.

Feel free to comment on what you think makes sense or what pieces you feel should be added and why. If you have any suggestions for further reviews, throw those in too.

I’m not sure what next week will hold; more builds, more reviews, or maybe something else. Let the suspense build!