It’s time for another team build! Today, we’re going to look into a more Heroic keyword that was heavily featured in the newest set; Spider-Man Family. I’m really digging this one.



Last week, we looked at the Thunderbolts and what kind of team you can piece together in the modern format. I wanted to highlight the heroes this week, and since Superior Foes of Spider Man is still the hot item, let’s keep that train rolling. Spider-Man has always been one of my favorite Marvel characters, and Spider-Verse was a really great read.

If you do a quick search of the “Spider-Man Family” keyword (which we’re using for today’s theme team), you’ll see that most everything that is available to the majority of us all comes from the SFoSM set, with a few in Civil War and a single in Avengers Assemble. Looking over these guys, there are two big issues with them; almost completely melee, and depend heavily on dodging. Of course, having a team of mostly melee is okay when you have some Telekinesis or a Flyer, or taxi, but we really don’t get those, so we need to figure out a way to get our spiders to the threat without being destroyed in the process.

Luckily, Wizkids gave us a wonderful new trait that comes on quite a few of these guys to help us get into position and bring your melee powerhouses into the fun.

CALL IN HELP FROM THE SPIDER-VERSE!: Once per turn for all characters with this trait, when Silk hits an opposing character, after actions resolve you may roll a d6 that can’t be rerolled. 3-6: Place another friendly character with the Spider-Man Family keyword adjacent to this character.

Wow. What a present for a melee-based keyword. Now, it’s important to note that this effect can only happen once per turn. Even if you try and call in help and you roll a 1 or 2, you can’t try and call in help again. With a 66% success rate, this is a really good trait and we’ll definitely be using this in our build.

Since we’re building theme teams, it’s important to look at any viable ATA’s for the team as well. We only have one option; the Spider-Man Family ATA . This ATA has two different point costs; 3 points if the piece has the Spider-Man Team Ability printed on their base, and 10 points if they don’t. The effect is insanely good; being able to grant your whole team stealth via the Batman team ability, ignoring hindering terrain via Superman Ally/Avengers Initiative, or flat out taking Mystics really helps to keep your spiders alive. However, those points are big. Where you’re really going to feel them is on your support pieces, essentially adding another 10 points to give them an ability that might not even work. I’m only going to be using this ATA if I really don’t have the points open for anything else that would be as or more useful.

Once again, we’re going to be building two teams; 300 points and 400 points, both with no resources/possession/etc.

300 Points Spider-Man Family, Figures & ATA’s only, Modern

SFoSM Silk 020 + Spider-Man Family ATA @ 3 points

SFoSM Frog Man 048 + Spider-Man Family ATA @ 10 points

SFoSM Spider-Man 049 + Spider-Man Family ATA @ 3 points

SFoSM Spider-Punk 062 + Spider-Man Family ATA @ 3 points

Two of our pieces, Silk and Spider-Punk, have that wonderful Call In Help trait, while the other two pieces on our team don’t. Silk is my favorite of the lower-rarity tier spiders that has this ability because she has running shot with a 5 range, and probability control, which lets her actually have a pretty decent chance at calling in one of your bigger pieces. Spider-Punk is a really great piece granting Flurry and Precision Strike, with two separate ways to roll out of damage, and his late dial Pulse Wave can be devastating. The Super Rare Spider-Man is on the team as your kind of solve everything piece. He’s got Hypersonic, can perplex himself or friendlies, and can smash for 6 damage in one turn. In my opinion, there’s no better piece to call in (Superior Spider-Man can deal more damage, but is 25 points more). Not to mention that his dial is insane on every single click.

Now, I know exactly what you’re thinking. What’s the deal with Frog Man? I’m not trying to have a theme going where every week I put in a questionable piece and explain him, but I think Frog Man is a piece that, unlike Thug, people will absolutely brush passed. For 35 measly points, Frog-Man moves wherever he wants when he wants, up to 14 squares, and bumps your buddies two squares when he hits them. So with a team with zero TK, this can inch you that sometimes game-changing 2 squares that you need for your charge or running shot. How about as an offensive piece? Let’s say you have all your regular spiders actioned up, or they really don’t need to be placed. Frog Man can knock people off ledges or into walls and get free damage. Pesky shape-changer always making his rolls? Bump him. Super Senses got you down? Bump him. This guy is really a lot better than he seems for such a low point cost. Also, I did manage to go with the ATA to give the team some more survivability.

You may also notice no special objects. Nope, we want 2 Ultra Heavies on the team for that SR Spider-Man and his Super Strength.

400 Points Spider-Man, Figures & ATA’s only, Modern

SFoSM Mary Jane 019

SFoSM Silk 020

SFoSM Spider-Man 049

SFoSM Superior Spider-Man 060

SFoSM Old Man Spider 063

No ATA this time around, but we’re using two of the same figures on the build. As I mentioned, I really dig Silk, so she’s not going anywhere. Same with SR Spidey; too good for the points. Where we differ in this build is swapping Spider-Punk for a much nastier attacker, and replacing Frog Man with a dedicated support and a different chase.

Mary Jane isn’t the best support piece in the game; she’s a 25 point perplex, which is a lot to pay when we got Betty Brant in the common slot for 10 points less that can push into 14 defend and support, but keeping a theme team is taxing, and she theoretically can boost our SR Spidey’s attack by +1. Two perplexes in 400 points is never a bad thing. Old Man Spider is a chase that I was really unhappy with when he was previewed, but once I started building Spider-Man Family teams, I realized just how insane his movement power is:

RECRUITER OF THE SPIDER-VERSE: Old Man Spider can use Phasing/Teleport, Sidestep, Stealth and the Carry ability. He can carry up to 4 friendly characters if all carried characters have the Spider-Man Family keyword.

That’s crazy-good for 75 points. Being able to move your entire team 12 squares ignoring everything on the board is just candy, and his stealth can make him a total bear to deal with. He isn’t a slouch on attack either with that 11 starting value and the much needed Call In Help trait.

Lastly, we’re using Superior Spider-Man, my absolute favorite piece from the set. This guy is truly the definition of pain. Traited Flurry and Prob when using it, plus he lowers the defense value of anyone he hits, which can stack to a -2 in one turn? Super Strength for an opening hit of 9 damage? This guy is your rock. He’s your Superman killer. Let the SR Spidey take the hits while he carefully manipulates the board and swings in for maximum damage. 125 points may be steep, but he’s so worth it.

Again, no special objects as we have two pieces with Super Strength, so we want all the items to deal more damage we can muster.

As I mentioned last week, we have a beautiful candidate for possession if you really want to go that route; Superior Spider-Man comes equipped with Super Sense and Shape Change, so adding someone like Eclipsp will grant him Impervious for three different ways to roll out of damage. 150 points is half a typical build, but I’ve run this once and I couldn’t believe how impossible it was to turn off his damage potential.

Join me next time as we discuss a truly villainous group; the Sinister Syndicate!