Confusing Card of the Week #73 – Batcave: Home Sweet Cave

Greetings Fellow Dice Fans!

 

For this week’s confusing card of the week article, we’re going to take a look at Batcave: Home Sweet Cave from the DC World’s Finest set.

Ruling – Ability

Batcave is a Continuous, Non-Basic Action. If a card ability would affect an Action Die and does not specify Basic Action Die, Batcave could be chosen for the effect. One such example is Constantine: Antihero.

Continuous is a keyword found on Action cards. When you use the action die, it is placed in the Field Zone and will remain in the Field Zone until the ability is activated or triggered. Activating or triggering the ability is not considered ‘using’ the die. Using the die is when you move it from your Reserve Pool into the Field Zone. It can remain in the Field Zone after your turn.

Batcave’s ability says that when one of of your character dice is KO’d, you can place it under your Batcave die instead. This is optional, which means if you forget to place a KO’d character die under Batcave and realize it later in the turn, you can’t back up to place it under Batcave. If a character ability would put the character die somewhere other than your Prep Area, you may still place that die under Batcave. When KO’d abilities on character dice would still happen but if there is a timing conflict, the active player’s abilities would happen first. If the active player controls both abilities, that player chooses the order in which they happen.

During your Main Step, you can move your Batcave die to your Used Pile and take all of your character dice that were under it and return them to the Field Zone. Those dice return to the Field Zone at level one, and they are not considered to be fielded for When Fielded effects. You can only activate Batcave on your turn. You can have multiple Batcave dice active and you can choose which die to place your KO’d character under. You can also activate as many Batcave dice as you have during your Main Step.

If a card ability would remove your Batcave die (sending it Out of Play, to the Used Pile, etc), then your character dice that were under Batcave would go to your Used Pile.

Miscellaneous Card Information

~ Batcave: Home Sweet Cave is a Shield Action.
~ It does not have an affiliation.
~ It has a max dice of four.
~ This card is a Common and is #37 of 142.

Examples

These examples are for information purposes only, to show what would happen in certain scenarios. I am not suggesting that these examples are the best outcomes for each scenario and each example only features relevant parts of the turn, not the entire turn.

Example One:
Characters KO’d during the Main Step and the Attack Step.

~ I have two Sidekick dice and one level two Zatanna: Actual Magician die in the Field Zone. I also have a Batcave active in the Field Zone and three Wild energy in my Reserve Pool. My opponent has two Sidekick dice in the Field Zone.
~ (Main Step) I spend one Wild energy as a Bolt (moving it Out of Play) and KO my Zatanna die to use Blue-Eyes White Dragon‘s Global. I choose to put Zatanna in the Prep Area and not under Batcave.
~ (Main Step) I spend one Wild as a Mask (moving it Out of Play) to purchase another Zatanna die, placing it in the Used Pile. Blue-Eyes Global allowed me to purchase the die for two less.
~ (Main Step) I pass priority to my opponent and they don’t use any Globals.
~ (Attack Step – Assign Attackers) I assign my two Sidekick dice to attack, moving them into the Attack Zone.
~ (Attack Step – Assign Blockers) My opponent assigns each of their Sidekick dice to block mine, moving them into the Attack Zone and placing each one in front of mine.
~ (Attack Step – Assign and Resolve Damage) Each Sidekick has one attack and one defense. All Sidekicks will deal one damage and KO each other. I choose to place both of my Sidekick dice under Batcave instead of the Prep Area.
~ (Clean Up Step) All character dice that were KO’d by damage from blocking or by being blocked are now sent to their respective Prep Area, unless otherwise stated. My two Sidekicks will go under my Batcave. All effects clear from active dice (unless otherwise stated). All dice that are Out of Play are moved to the Used Pile.

Example Two:
Activating Batcave.

~ I have a Batcave die in the Field Zone with three Sidekick dice and three Guy Gardner dice under it. It’s currently my Main Step.
~ (Main Step) I choose to activate Batcave. I move my Batcave die directly to the Used Pile, and then all the character dice that were under it are returned to the Field Zone at level one.
~ (Main Step) I now have three level one Guy Gardner dice and three Sidekick dice in my Field Zone.

Official Sources

You can find an official ruling here, on WizKids Official Rules Forum (WORF).

Turn Order Summary Reference

Unlimited Competitive Play Rating

I can’t think of a team that this would be good for in the current Unlimited meta. With Antihero being such a widely used piece in the meta, I can’t see this card being used much – if at all. The card isn’t bad but it’s not good to use something like Batcave when there is a counter for it being played on numerous teams.

Batcave: Home Sweet Cave gets a rating of zero out of five stars.

Prime Play Rating

From the matches I’ve played in the prime format, I could see someone being able to pull off some fun things with this card. I don’t see it making a top tier list, but I could see it squeaking into the rogue tier somewhere. We don’t have major threats like Antihero to worry about in prime, unless I missed them. If you find some, don’t be shy – leave your findings and ideas in the comments! But even in the slower prime format, I don’t know if this card has a place in the meta. I’m sure someone can find a creative way to build around this card and surprise us all.

Batcave: Home Sweet Cave gets a Prime rating of two out of five stars.

Casual Play Rating

I have played this card a bunch of times in a casual setting, and it’s actually really fun. A team with the Batcave and Guy Gardner is effective and fun to play. But the use of the card and die leaves many folks confused, especially when they don’t know what to do with characters when their Batcave gets removed by another effect. It left me stumped for a while too, until they posted the official ruling. A beginner may have trouble with this card until they have a better understanding of the game, but a more advanced player may find it useful. I have shown this card to newer players and explained how it works. They seemed to understand it well enough and some have even picked it up and played with it. They had additional questions, but with a little explanation, they were able to figure out some strategy and uses for it on their own. I can recommend this card for advanced casual players, and some beginners that have backgrounds in other games.

Batcave: Home Sweet Cave gets a casual play rating of three out of five stars.

Opinions on this card? Leave a comment!
Is there a card your confused on?
Is there a combo that seems too good to be true?
Leave me a comment here or message me on Facebook at Dice Dice Kitty and thanks for reading!

Special thanks to The Reserve Pool for the use of their site.

Roll on, Dice Masters!

Confusing Card of the Week #68 – Mr. Freeze: Heart of Ice

Greetings Fellow Dice Fans!

 

During the month of December, I’m featuring a different cold/ice/snow related card each week to celebrate the winter holidays. Today, we’re going to take a look at Mr. Freeze: Heart of Ice from the DC World’s Finest set.

I’m also adding a new Prime Rating to each of my Confusing Card of the Week articles. They will follow the same rating system as the Unlimited Competitive Rating, since Prime is also a competitive format. You can find a breakdown of how I choose my ratings on my sticky article, Helpful Sites and About this Blog.

Ruling – Ability

Mr. Freeze has a While Active ability. While Active abilities will work regardless of how many of that character’s dice are active in the Field Zone. Think of this ability like a light – it’s either on or it’s off.

Mr. Freeze says that while he’s active, you may choose any die that’s in your opponent’s Prep Area and they can’t roll that die this turn. You must choose the die before your opponent’s Clear and Draw Step. If you forget or choose to not use the ability, you can’t backup once your opponent has begun their Clear and Draw Step because his ability is optional and not mandatory. It may be helpful to declare that you are intending to use Mr. Freeze’s ability when you end your turn so that your opponent doesn’t accidentally begin their Clear and Draw Step before you have a chance to choose a die.

Mr. Freeze’s ability does not specifically state what type of die to choose. This means that you are able to choose any type of die – character, action, or Sidekick die. Once you make your choice, your opponent should move that die away from any other dice in their Prep Area so it doesn’t get mixed in accidentally. Mr. Freeze’s ability does not state that you must choose a different die each turn, which means you can choose the same die again or choose a different one.

Miscellaneous Card Information

Mr. Freeze: Heart of Ice is a Bolt Character and has the Villain affiliation. This card also has a Max Dice of four.

Examples

These examples are for information purposes only, to show what would happen in certain scenarios. I am not suggesting that these examples are the best outcomes for each scenario and each example only features relevant parts of the turn, not the entire turn.

Example One:
Using Mr. Freeze’s ability on a character die.

~ I have two Mr. Freeze dice active in the Field Zone. My opponent has an Ultraman die and a Kryptonite die in their Prep Area.
~ (Clear and Draw) Before my opponent draws, I choose my opponent’s Ultraman die for Mr. Freeze’s ability.
~ (Clear and Draw) My opponent draws four dice from their bag.
~ (Roll and Reroll) My opponent rolls the four dice they drew plus the Kryptonite from their Prep Area. My opponent is not able to roll the Ultraman die this turn because of Mr. Freeze’s ability.

Example Two:
Using Mr. Freeze’s ability on an action die.

~ I have two Mr. Freeze dice active in the Field Zone. My opponent has an Ultraman die and a Kryptonite die in their Prep Area.
~ (Clear and Draw) Before my opponent draws, I choose my opponent’s Kryptonite die for Mr. Freeze’s ability.
~ (Clear and Draw) My opponent draws four dice from their bag.
~ (Roll and Reroll) My opponent rolls the four dice they drew plus the Ultraman from their Prep Area. My opponent is not able to roll the Kryptonite die this turn because of Mr. Freeze’s ability.

Example Three:
Using Mr. Freeze’s ability on a Sidekick die.

~ I have two Mr. Freeze dice active in the Field Zone. My opponent has a Sidekick die in their Prep Area.
~ (Clear and Draw) Before my opponent draws, I choose my opponent’s Sidekick die for Mr. Freeze’s ability.
~ (Clear and Draw) My opponent draws four dice from their bag.
~ (Roll and Reroll) My opponent rolls the four dice they drew but they can’t roll the Sidekick die from their Prep Area this turn because of Mr. Freeze’s ability.

Official Sources

WizKids Official Rules Forum (WORF) does not have an official ruling for this specific card.

Turn Order Summary Reference

Unlimited Competitive Play Rating

This card could be useful in an unlimited format, but the main drawback is his purchase cost. Most unlimited meta cards have a much more lethal or useful ability and they cost less to purchase than Mr. Freeze. There are also too many ways to blank his text and render him useless. In an unlimited meta, a useless character that costs you five energy to purchase is a huge waste of resources. If someone can build a team that uses Mr. Freeze as a major control piece, that would be pretty cool. But again, some of the best control cards cost four or less and have a much more devastating effect. His ability is definitely useful and could even cause someone to lose if they can’t get their main lethal piece into play. But getting Mr. Freeze into your dice rotation and then putting him the Field while having to keep him safe from blanking effects is a lot of work. There are better control pieces, but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone found a way to use this card to their advantage.

Mr. Freeze: Heart of Ice gets a Unlimited rating of two out of five stars.

Prime Play Rating

I feel like Mr. Freeze has more potential in the Prime format, even without some of the good cost reducers. There are still cheaper control pieces, but he adds another control option that may be more useful since Rip Hunter’s Chalkboard is possibly going to be a key meta card because of its Global. I think a player could possibly benefit from a card like Mr. Freeze much more in a Prime format. And while his ability is really good, his attack stats aren’t terrible – meaning he could possibly lend that additional pressure or even a lethal blow. I could definitely see him making a rogue team, and I would hope that he’s not overlooked by control players. He’s expensive in a format with little to no cost reduction, but the payoff could be bigger than expected. We haven’t seen a Prime meta yet, so there isn’t a definitive way to know if he’s going to be worth the effort yet. I still think he’s worth a few looks and at least a test play though.

Mr. Freeze: Heart of Ice gets a Prime rating of three out of five stars.

Casual Play Rating

Mr. Freeze’s ability is pretty clearly written and not too complicated, but some of the tricks to it might be lost on beginners. For instance, being able to name an action or Sidekick die may not be something that a beginner or newer player would think is a possibility. But a quick explanation could open a whole world of possibilities for a new player, which makes this card great for a player that understands the basic turn order. His ability is definitely unusual and fun to use, which is appealing to most newer players as well. He also helps teach patience and a bit of strategy because it’s not always best to attack with him if your opponent has dice in the Prep Area. I could easily recommend this card for any player of any skill level.

Mr. Freeze: Heart of Ice gets a casual play rating of four out of five stars.

Opinions on this card? Leave a comment!
Is there a card your confused on?
Is there a combo that seems too good to be true?
Leave me a comment here or message me on Facebook at Dice Dice Kitty and thanks for reading!

Special thanks to The Reserve Pool for the use of their site.

Roll on, Dice Masters!

News! PDC Announcement – Draft Championship and Prime Championship Formats

Greetings Fellow Dice Masters!

 

Yesterday, the PDC (Pro Dice Circuit website and Facebook) announced that they will be adding a Draft Championship format and a new constructed format called Prime Championship. The new Prime format is a constructed format that uses a set rotation.

Quotes are excerpts from the PDC article and applications found here.

Draft Championship Format

The PDC Draft Championships will be familiar, as it is the standard Rainbow Draft that we all know and love! This is a popular format across the Dice Masters Community, and the feedback that we received from players and stores was that everyone wanted a friendly, yet competitive component to it. All BAC’s will be legal for this format, so come prepared with all of your cards, or just bring your trusted two that you always play with!

According to the application link in the article, there will be Draft Kits available for stores to purchase. Please speak with your FLGS before signing them up!

2017 Store Draft Championship Kits Include:
– 1 Custom 2017 Draft Store Championship Playmat
– 10 Double-Sided BAC Color Indicator Cards (2 each for the Top 4, 1 for TO and 1 for Fellowship)
– 10 Custom 6-sided Dice (Extras available at $1/per die)
– 1 Free Entry to a 2017 Draft State Championship

I think a Draft Championship is a really cool idea and I’m really pleased to see the PDC doing this. I hope that WizKids will also add a similar format. Drafting in Dice Masters is a lot of fun, and it’s an ever changing game. No two drafts are exactly alike even if you draft a similar team, you won’t come up against the same teams you did before. Drafting is probably one of my favorite Dice Masters formats.

Prime Championship Format

The second format that the PDC is adding is their version of a constructed rotation, called Prime. We’ve all been anxiously awaiting further word from WizKids on a rotation for official WizKids tournaments, but until then we get a taste of what a rotation could look like on a large scale. This new Prime format is not an official WizKids format. For those that plan to play in WKOs and PDC events, you’ll need to test two teams! We are planning to alternate formats at our FLGS to accommodate both formats.

The PDC Prime Championships will focus on constructed play with the newest released sets, similar to the “Modern” format that is found in other CCG’s. For the first year of this format, all sets from World’s Finest forward will be legal including all OP, Team Packs and starters that were released with or after World’s Finest (Alt-Arts and Alt-Art OP’s rotate out with their original card). As additional sets are released, they will become legal for Prime play. Sets will be rotated out annually so that the format stays fresh, engaging, and open to new and seasoned players alike.

I have seen several players speculate about the Alt-Art cards and their legality in a potential WizKids rotation. I think that WizKids is reprinting certain cards, like Focus Power in the Archers OP Kit, so that players can have access to those cards in a rotation format. However, I have no issue or complaint with the PDC for excluding those reprinted cards. If WizKids keeps the reprinted cards in their rotation format, that will give us a different rotation format with different options for play.

The application link for the Prime Store Championship shows what the Prime Kit will contain. It’s very similar to the Draft Kit, except for the playmat wording and the Championship entry. Remember to talk to your FLGS before signing them up!

2017 PDC Prime Store Championship Kits Include:
– 1 Custom 2017 Prime Store Championship Playmat
– 10 Double-Sided BAC Color Indicator Cards (2 each for the Top 4, 1 for TO and 1 for Fellowship)
– 10 Custom 6-sided Dice (Extras available at $1/per die)
– 1 Free Entry to a 2017 Prime State Championship

The dates for the events will vary depending on venue. The date ranges are:

Draft Championships
February 20, 2017 to March 19, 2017

Prime Championships
April 1, 2017 to May 7, 2017

So how does someone prepare and build for an event that’s so very different from an unlimited format?

If I don’t already have an idea of what I want my team to be centered around, I usually start with a win condition, typically using a character ability. I then try to add utility characters to help move the team along to my win condition, and lastly I choose my Basic Action Cards. I usually choose my Basic Actions Cards last because there are several that are practically staples. Most of those Basic Actions are from sets prior to World’s Finest, so for this new Prime format, the first thing I want to do is familiarize myself with which Basic Actions are available. None of the BACs in the currently allowed OP Kits are legal in Prime. Here is a list of the BACs that are currently legal in Prime (which will change between now and April):

World’s Finest BACs

• Brave Sacrifice
• Call to Action
• Dark Avenger
• End of Days
• Kryptonite Threat
• Man of Steel
• To the Rescue!
• Too Big To Fly
• Trusted Friend
• Vigilante Justice

 

Civil War BACs

• Brother Fights Brother
• Civil War
• Driven Underground
• Escape Incarceration
• Field Promotion
• Internal Dispute
• Long Live the Resistance!
• Suffering and Satisfaction
• Superhero Registration Act
• The Front Line

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Set One) BACs

• Cowabunga!
• Enraged
• Give Me a Break!
• Heroes in a Half-Shell
• Lethal Blow
• Pizza!
• Reckless Abandon
• Special Delivery
• Tactical Cover
• Turtle Van

 

After I’ve familiarized myself with the current list of Prime-Legal BACs, I’ll move into the Character and Non-Basic Action Cards. From there, it’s just like building a regular team. The only difference will be which cards are available. As you’re building, remember that there are key staple cards that will not be available like PXG, Red Dragon, and Blue-Eyes. The Prime format eliminates the use of any Yu-Gi-Oh! or Dungeons and Dragons cards. This is probably the hardest adjustment to make. I’ve already run into that issue where I instinctively want to reach for a D&D card or YGO card and then remember that I can’t use those cards. Building a team without the usual staple cards will be a challenge for all of us veteran-competitive players. I can’t wait to start working on a Prime team for April!

There are still sets and starters that will be added into the Prime format. I would definitely suggest players begin familiarizing themselves with all the current Prime-Legal cards and maybe even practice team building before April.

Players should keep in mind that this is not an official WizKids announcement. For local play, TOs should continue to do what works for their scene. Talk to the players about the PDC’s Prime format and gauge their level of interest. Try not to alienate players that may not be able to afford to purchase newer starters for BACs. If someone wants to play in local Prime events but doesn’t have the appropriate BACs, they should ask their fellow players and see if someone would be kind enough to loan them some for the event. With the way WizKids has planned starter releases, most players will be able to keep up with the starters now. I think that was a great move on the part of WizKids, and it’s helping them set up for their own rotation.

I’m really excited to see how this new format changes up the competitive scene because while many of us are prepping for WKOs, we’ll also be prepping for Prime events. This will definitely open up more topics of conversation at WKOs and even local events. Our locals are already buzzing about this and we will be scheduling a mix of Prime and Unlimited events beginning in January 2017.

What do you and your locals think of the new PDC Championship formats?
What do you think the cutoff for a WizKids rotation should be?
Should WizKids rotate reprints with the originals?

Roll on, Dice Masters!

Tournament Report! December 10, 2016 – Limited 10 Pack Sealed Event

Greetings Fellow Dice Fans!

 

We played a limited event this past Saturday and this type of format is becoming a local favorite. Each player pays a $10.00 entry fee and they are allowed to choose ten boosters from any set that the store has in stock. Players can mix and match if they choose, but the best strategy is usually to choose ten from the same set. We had Battle for Faerûn, World’s Finest, Green Arrow and The Flash, and Deadpool in stock.

My Team

You can find my team here, on DM Retrobox.

I chose all ten packs from Deadpool. When I opened my packs, the cards I saw that stood out were several Deadpool affiliated characters, and one Lady Bullseye. I was definitely hoping for at least two of her dice, but I only pulled one, so I had to figure out something else. I volunteered to run the store that night so that the owner could spend some time with his family at a Christmas party. When you’re working and trying to build a team, you don’t always get the same amount of time as others to build. I threw a bunch of dudes together and hoped for the best! I picked all the Deadpool folks – without reading them, Free Chimichangas because it gives a defense boost and Deadly, Multiple Man because he has Swarm and I had two dice for him, and Lady Bullseye because – why not? Knowing my time was extremely limited on building, I grabbed Hulk Out and Resurrection for my two Basic Actions. I knew I couldn’t go wrong with a little ramp and Hulk Out to go with Lady Bullseye isn’t a bad idea.

Round One

My round one opponent had decided to build from the D&D stock. I loved having both Resurrection Globals to use, and that definitely helped me. I was not excited to see that Magic Helmet on my opponent’s team. It was a great counter piece to my Dogpool. I realized I had made a mistake when building my team by adding Outlaw. I only had one die for her, which made her a totally useless character. I could always use her for fodder, but her ability was bunk for me. I also made a huge mistake during this match. I was so focused on buying all of my Deadpool characters (except for Outlaw), that I neglected to buy any of my Hulk Out dice. This gave my opponent an opportunity to use his Big Entrance die and the three energy he rolled to buy all three of my Hulk Out dice at once. I didn’t think I was going to be able to pull off a victory in this match when he started fielding big characters, like his Minotaur, but some well placed blockers and well timed attacks left him practically defenseless. My characters were beefy on defense and heavy on attack stats, helping me find a path to victory. It was a glorious game of agonizing over when to attack and how to block. These are the games that make you feel good, regardless of who won and who lost.

Record after Round One: 1-0-0

Round Two

I found myself sitting across the table from Mr. DDK in round two. I always have the hardest time defeating him in any game, constructed or otherwise. I was fortunate though, that he missed my Resurrection Global for a turn or two because he didn’t notice it, which I feel slowed him down a little. He hit me pretty hard with a level three Angel Dust, but I blocked most of his other attackers. Letting Angel Dust through was a good choice because she went to the Used Pile and she had to cycle back through his bag. I only needed my Kidpool this game, because my opponent brought that glorious Anger Issues Global. Add a Hulk Out or two into that mix and it was game over for Mr. DDK. I considered myself very lucky that some of his dice didn’t roll for him and most of mine rolled on the side I needed or a side that I could use. He did some major damage though, so it wasn’t a cake walk. I did feel like I could lose the game on any turn if he rolled what he needed. That’s the nature of the game though. It was still a fun match with some back and forth and attacking/blocking strategy.

Record after Round Two: 2-0-0

Round Three

I apologize for the picture. I totally forgot to snap a picture before we packed up, but he was kind enough to unpack his stuff before he left so that I could at least get a pick of his cards. It was totally my fault that I didn’t get the picture I wanted and I have to thank my opponent again for doing this for me.

This game was incredible. I was fielding characters left and right, and he was constantly attacking me with his Purple Worm. It was pretty intense for several turns, because one misplaced blocker could have put either of us in jeopardy. I took a chance on one of my last turns and attacked when he had several characters. I knew he couldn’t clear my field completely so I’d have some blockers left if he rolled his characters back up. My two Deadly Deadpool dice were very useful this entire match, and even more on this particular attack. I was left with several character dice after the combat was done and my opponent was rolling all of those characters I KO’d on his turn. I was hoping only one or two would roll. He rolled his dice and none were characters. He rerolled the character dice, and luck was on my side – they all came up energy! I will not turn down a victory, but I do not like winning when my opponent has no options and can’t defend themselves – even if it’s because of a bad roll. But aside from how the game ended, the rest of the game was tons of fun. I’m very happy my opponent came to play and he ended up in third place for the event.

Record after Round Three: 3-0-0
Final Standing: 1st

Final Thoughts

We only used ten packs for our first sealed event a while back, and part of me thought that ten packs wasn’t enough. After playing this format a second time with only ten packs, I think ten is probably going to be the magic number. Some players will end up pulling great cards that have wonderful synergy together, and some won’t pull anything that works together at all. It’s not what you pull, but how you use it – with a bit of luck. I definitely had some luck on my side for this event. My team did not have anything that actually worked together for a super cool effect. Lady Deadpool and Kidpool were about all I had, and Lady Deadpool’s ability only made her cheaper to buy – nothing else after you had her. Kidpool worked with any of my Deadpool characters. You don’t have to have a team that functions like a constructed team in an event like this. Everyone is working with what they’ve pulled so everyone is kinda on the same page. Even pulling a Super Rare doesn’t guarantee you win – I had one rare (Dogpool) and I didn’t use his ability a single time. The rest of my team was common and uncommon, and I just threw everything together without really reading most of the cards. In my opinion, the Deadpool set is really good for limited events like sealed and drafts. Everyone is so used to drafting with sets that have cards with crazy good Globals or they play way too much constructed, that they don’t see how much fun this set is. I’m so glad I picked Deadpool to use in the sealed and I would totally do it again.

What are some changes you’d make without changing the spirit of the team?
Have a build you like better?
Leave me a comment here or on Facebook at Dice Dice Kitty and thanks for reading!

Roll on, Dice Masters!

Confusing Card of the Week #49 – The Penguin, Bully

Greetings Fellow Dice Fans!

 

I have another request today. We’re going to take a look at The Penguin, Bully from the DC World’s Finest Set.

Ruling – Ability

The Penguin has a While Active ability which will work as long as the character has at least one die in the Field Zone. These types of abilities typically do not trigger or activate per dice. Others have compared While Active abilities to the workings of a light switch – the switch is either on or it’s off.

The Penguin’s ability says that while he’s active, anytime a non-Villain affiliated character die is fielded, he will deal one damage to that die. Since this is a While Active ability, it only triggers once for each character die that is fielded, regardless of how many Penguin dice are in the Field Zone.

Example:

~ I have three Penguin dice in my Field Zone.
~ My opponent fields a Sidekick die.
~ Penguin’s ability checks the Sidekick die for the Villain affiliation.
~ The Sidekick die is dealt one damage, which would KO the Sidekick die.
~ My opponent then fields a Captain America, Natural Leader die.
~ Penguin’s ability checks the Captain America die for the Villain affiliation.
~ He is not a Villain, so he is dealt one damage but is not KO’d.
~ My opponent fields another Sidekick die.
~ Penguin’s ability checks the Sidekick die for the Villain affiliation.
~ The Sidekick die is dealt one damage, but is not KO’d.

The reason the second Sidekick die is not KO’d is because Captain America’s While Active ability is a static ability. His ability does not need a trigger and is applied to all eligible dice immediately, giving Sidekicks a +1A and +1D. The Penguin’s While Active ability is a triggered ability and needs to check the game state before it triggers. So the second Sidekick enters the Field Zone and the buff from Captain America is applied, then Penguin sees the non-Villain die enter and deals it one damage.

The Penguin’s ability applies to your characters as well. If you field a non-Villain affiliated character die while the Penguin is active, he will deal one damage to that character die. You can use this to your advantage with certain cards like Hulk, Green Goliath or other characters that have similar abilities.

If you and your opponent each have a Penguin die active (both players using The Penguin, Bully), each time a non-Villain affiliated character die is fielded, that character die will take one damage from each player’s Penguin.

Example:

~ My opponent and I each have one Penguin die in the Field Zone.
~ I field a Captain America die.
~ My Penguin’s ability checks the Captain America die for the Villain affiliation.
~ My Captain America die takes one damage from my Penguin’s ability.
~ My opponent’s Penguin’s ability checks the Sidekick die for the Villain affiliation.
~ My Captain America die takes one damage from my opponent’s Penguin’s ability.

*** EDIT ***
Adding additional ruling information – What counts as ‘Fielding’?

What counts as ‘Fielding’?

When a character is put into the Field Zone from the Reserve Pool, it’s called fielding. A character can be fielded by card effects as well, like White Tiger, Mystical Amulet‘s Global. It allows you to field a Sidekick from your Used Pile. Some cards will put a character in the Field Zone, but it won’t count as fielding unless the card says Field (character). Polymorph is a card that allows you to swap characters, but they do not count as being fielded for game game effects such as Penguin’s.

Official Sources

There aren’t any official rulings for this specific card.
You can find a ruling on a similar ability here.
I also did a CCW on Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes which has similar wording.

Page 21 of the World’s Finest and Civil War Rulebooks, under the section Active and Fielded, you can find more details about character abilities similar to Blue Beetle’s and The Penguin’s.

Competitive Play Rating

I may have several disagree with me on this rating, but I could totally see a few different teams finding a use for this card. Penguin’s purchase cost is definitely within the acceptable range for competitive play and fielding costs aren’t bad. He’s got a decent amount of defense if you needed a blocker against Overcrush. I like this card and I felt he deserved better than just two stars. I gave him a three because I could see several creative players finding a way to squeak him into the rogue status (hint-hint, Travis). The only major issue I see with this card is that it could backfire on you if your opponent is using Poly Hulk or something similar.

– Clarifying my Poly Hulk thought: I sometimes think things that don’t translate because you all can’t read my mind. I could see someone using Polymorph initially on Hulk, then either attacking with him or using the Parallax Lottery with him and using your Penguin against you. Sorry for the confusion folks. Polymorph does not grant you Penguin’s ability! –

The Penguin, Bully gets a competitive play rating of three out of five stars.

Casual Play Rating

The Penguin is a fantastic card for a casual Villain team. He’s also great as a teaching tool for new players because his ability targets your non-Villain characters as well. He’s got a great purchase cost and fielding costs for casual play. His ability is very easy to understand and explain. I can easily recommend this card for casual players of all skill levels. The most complicated thing about this card for casual play is trying to decide how to build your team around him, so he would be a great teaching tool for team building as well!

The Penguin, Bully gets a casual play rating of four out of five stars.

Opinions on this card? Leave a comment!
Is there a card your confused on?
Is there a combo that seems too good to be true?
Leave me a comment here or message me on Facebook at Dice Dice Kitty and thanks for reading!

Special thanks to The Reserve Pool and DiceMastersDB for the use of their sites.

Roll on, Dice Masters!

Top List! DDK’s Top 10 Fist Characters

Greetings Fellow Dice Masters!

 

I’m back again with the next Top List installment, Top 10 Fist Characters! Travis and Aaron have been kind enough to contribute their lists as well.

The cards I chose are cards that are either very important to the major competitive meta, cards that make for extremely fun combos, or cards that help to shape the game.

Each card has a link to their TRP Wiki page. If you’d like a closer look at the card, follow the link. A huge thanks to TRP for their Wiki. It’s an extremely valuable tool for many players and folks like myself. I also use DiceMastersDB too. A huge thanks to those folks as well!

Honorable Mentions

I’ve decided to kick this list off with my honorable mentions before doing the countdown to my number one – top Fist Character.

These cards either have great Globals or very useful abilities and maybe are not used as much as they should be. Here are my honorable mentions:

~ Bruce Wayne, International Playboy
~ Gamora, Raised by Thanos
~ Obelisk the Tormentor, Intimidator
~ She-Hulk, Sensational
~ Venom, Angelo Fortunato
~ White Tiger, Mystical Amulet

DDK’s Top 10 Fist Characters

Number 10

Iron Fist, The Immortal
Rainbow Draft Weekend, Organized Play Card

When you pair this card with the Global on Human Paladin, sdkfj, he’s amazing! He’s really hard to get though, and that’s the main reason he’s only in the tenth spot on my list. If he were more easily accessible to all players or more reasonably priced, he would have probably been in my top five. Accessibility is something that I take into consideration on my lists and this card is definitely not easy to get. Iron Fist has seen major meta play and I expect him to still see some play – barring any rotations or bans.

Number 9

Hulk, Green Goliath
Avengers vs X-Men, Uncommon

This is the original Field wiper. He used to be paired with Human Torch, Johnny Storm and they were an amazing combo. They still see some play, but most of the time, Magic Missile is used instead. Hulk’s purchase cost is expensive, but you’d expect no less! Hulk should have a high purchase cost and an amazing ability – which he does. Hulk is one of the key components on Poly-Hulk control teams, so he’s still meta, even though he’s not tier one.

Number 8

Doomcaliber Knight, Fiendish Fighter
Yu-Gi-Oh!, Uncommon

This card’s Global is awesome! As long as you have a Fist energy to pay for his Global, your characters can’t be targeted by your opponent. This prevents them from using the Distraction Global on your big attackers. The only downside is that your opponent can use this Global against you, so you have to be careful how you build your team when you plan to use him. That’s the main reason he’s only at number eight. If your opponent being able to use this Global wasn’t a big deal, he’d be higher up.

Number 7

Falcon, Recon
Uncanny X-Men, Uncommon

Falcon is a key component for any Flying Sidekick team. You can almost use any Ally characters you want or other characters that help you obtain Sidekicks but you need Falcon. He makes all your Sidekicks unblockable and that’s the way you get in and KO your opponent. He’s not expensive to purchase and he’s easy to field as well, so he’s a huge threat with Sidekicks. But he’s a team specific card, so that’s why he’s not higher on my list.

Number 6

Spider-Man, Webslinger
Avengers vs X-Men (Starter), Common

This card’s ability is so good! You only need a Fist energy, and since it’s not a Global, your opponent can’t use it (even though they’d need a Spider-Man). He can fit on practically any team and benefit any team with his ability. He has decent stats as well, but he doesn’t need good stats for his ability. I used this character so much that I got tired of using him, so I don’t have him on many teams now. But he’s a great card and I would love to see him make a comeback!

Number 5

Colossus, Piotr Rasputin
Avengers vs X-Men, Rare

This is the key card on my Ghandi team. I love this card so much and this team is so much fun, even though it’s slower. But it’s a card that kills your opponent without attacking them and that’s what makes this card unique. There are cards that can easily spin dice, which help this card out. His stats are hard for your opponent to deal with, which is good for you if you’re using him!

Number 4

Stirge, Epic Beast
Battle for Faerûn, Super Rare

I have a Swarm team that uses this card to great affect. The only reason he’s not higher on my list is because he costs three to purchase. I know, that’s not expensive, but when you’re trying to Swarm, you want the cheapest purchase cost. I still use max dice for Stirge and I usually end up buying all four of them in a game. He can’t be blocked if he attacks alone, and I use Anger Issues to pump his attack up. I love using this card with my Kobolds!

Number 3

Kobold, Greater Humanoid
Battle for Faerûn, Uncommon

Speaking of Kobolds, here he is! Why is he higher than Stirge? Because he only cost one energy to purchase and he has Swarm. You only need one of him in the Field, and the rest can roll energy for your Anger Issues or to help you buy your Stirge dice. Lots of folks think I want to attack with multiple Kobolds and they don’t see the Stirge coming until it’s too late. He stats are not the best, but he’s a Kobold… you shouldn’t expect much in the way of stats. He’s the perfect Swarm character though!

Number 2

Guy Gardner, Blinding Rage
War of Light (Starter), Common

There is no surprise that Guy Gardner is this high on my list. He’s from the War of Light starter, and that helps new players when they’re building their first team. Guy Gardner is one of the iconic meta cards, and he did help shape the meta at one point in time with the Guy Rush teams. He’s not necessarily tier one right now, bu he’s still someone viable if you can race the Bard teams. He’s down, but not out!

Number 1

Black Widow, Tsarina
Avengers vs X-Men, Super Rare

Some may be surprised by my number one pick, and some may not. The reason that I chose her is for her ability and because she’s got a special place in my heart. She was the second Super Rare that we pulled back in AvX days, and I used her a lot. I can’t say that I used her effectively though – we have a love/hate relationship. I love to hate her dice. Her dice never roll character faces for me… I always get a double fist side. Tsarina is a really good card and I really like to use her, when she rolls for me!

Breakdown of rarity on my list:

OP Card = 1
Super Rare = 2
Rare = 1
Uncommon = 4
Common/Starter = 2

Travis and Aaron’s Top Ten Lists

I only added links in their lists for cards not mentioned above.

Travis is my husband and can play almost any team you put in his hands. He’s very knowledgeable and creative when it comes to competitive teams. His list is based off of cards he actually plays, wants to play, or cards he really likes. He didn’t pick cards just because they’re in the major competitive meta.

Travis’s List:

10. Colossus, Phoenix Force
9.  Colossus, Piotr Rasputin
8.  Falcon, Recon
7.  Guy Gardner, Blinding Rage
6.  Hulk, Green Goliath
5.  Minsc and Boo, “Go for the Eyes, Boo!”
4.  She-Hulk, Sensational
3.  Venom, Angelo Fortunato
2.  Captain America, The First Avenger
1.  Squirrel Girl, Kick Butts, Eat Nuts

Aaron is the son of our FLGS’s owner. He’s got the skill to be competitive, but prefers to play different teams with quirky mechanics, or teams that aren’t what you’d expect. He’s practically grown up in the store and played just about every collectible game out there.

Aaron’s List:

10. Ant-Man, The Insect World
9.  Wolverine, Canucklehead
8.  Injection Fairy Lily, Forced Injection
7.  Kobold, Greater Humanoid
6.  Stirge, Epic Beast
5.  Guy Gardner, Blinding Rage
4.  Black Widow, Tsarina
3.  Hulk, Green Goliath
2.  Doomcaliber Knight, Fiendish Knight
1.  Clay Golem, Lesser Construct

Thanks for checking out our lists!

Is my list close to yours?
What are some cards on your Top List?
Leave me a comment here or message me on Facebook at Dice Dice Kitty and thanks for reading!

Special thanks to The Reserve Pool and DiceMastersDB for the use of their sites.

Roll on, Dice Masters!

Top List! DDK’s Top 10 Bolt Characters

Greetings Fellow Dice Masters!

 

Here is my next installment of my Top List articles, Top 10 Bolt Characters! And once again, Travis and Aaron have contributed their lists, so a huge thanks to them for their help!

The cards I chose are cards that are either very important to the major competitive meta, cards that make for extremely fun combos, or cards that help to shape the game.

Each card has a link to their TRP Wiki page. If you’d like a closer look at the card, follow the link. A huge thanks to TRP for their Wiki. It’s an extremely valuable tool for many players and folks like myself.

Honorable Mentions

I’ve decided to kick this list off with my honorable mentions before doing the countdown to my number one – top Bolt Character.

These cards either have great Globals or very useful abilities and maybe are not used as much as they should be. Here are my honorable mentions:

~ Captain Marvel, Kree-Powered
~ Cheetah, Cursed Archaeologist
~ Cyclops, If Looks Could Kill
~ Fatality, Bounty Hunter
~ Wasp, Founding Avenger

DDK’s Top 10 Bolt Characters

Number 10

Human Torch, Johnny Storm
Avengers vs X-Men, Uncommon

I really like Johnny Storm’s ability and it was one of the earliest ‘burn’ abilities. His ability is great because it damages your opponent and a character. You can easily target one of your own characters with a brutal ability, like Hulk, Green Goliath, and wreck your opponent’s field. That combo is still being used to this day. That’s one of the reasons Johnny Storm squeaked into my list at number ten. He’s very effective with a combo character, but he can be used alone as well.

Number 9

Kryptonite, Green Death
World’s Finest, Common

I love this Non-Basic Action Card and I know it’s not technically a character, but it uses a character slot on your team. It blanks a character during your turn, so it helps you get around Oracle while leaving other potentially useful characters untouched. There are times that I don’t want to Prismatic Spray my opponent’s entire side, because I may want to use one of their Globals during my Attack Step. I will always choose Kryptonite over Spray.

Number 8

Red Dragon, Lesser Dragon
Battle for Faerûn, Common

Red Dragon has a decent ability if you want to purchase him, but he’s really just on my list because of his Global. The reason he’s not higher is because he needs to be on a team that is going to use Action Dice as their important/main purchases. I would use him over Blue-Eyes, I would if Actions were my main thing. He does a little damage to your opponent and then reduced the Action Die’s cost. You can’t get much better than that for Actions!

Number 7

Foot Ninja, Ninja Syndicate
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Box, Common

Foot Ninja is going to become a key card for Flying Sidekicks, or Sidekick heavy teams. He’s too good to pass up! He can plug into other teams fairly easily, but he won’t work as well as he would on a Sidekick specific team. This is one of my favorite cards from my favorite set, but because he works primarily best on a specific team, he only makes number seven on my list.

Number 6

Lantern Ring, Limited Only By Imagination
War of Light, Rare

And I know this isn’t a character, but it does use a character slot. I can’t put this higher on my list than number six, even though it’s a meta card and it’s really good. I’ve put it on teams as a miscellaneous card and found that I didn’t want to buy it because it clogged my bag on teams that didn’t need it. It can theoretically work on any team, but I wouldn’t recommend it for any team that has more than two energy types as main attackers. I find myself using my energy and not holding it for the Attack Step.

Number 5

Miri Riam, Beacon In the Dark
War of Light, Common

Miri is a great character to help you field one cost characters really fast. She works for Swarm Kobolds or Morphing Jars, and if you’re using a Guy Gardner team – she gets more Guys out for you. She’s a key component for Rush teams.

Number 4

Nova, The Human Rocket
Avengers vs X-Men, Rare

I’m sure most folks thought that Nova would be number one, but he’s not! Surprise! He’s my number four because he does have a higher purchasing cost and higher fielding cost on level three. But his ability is what ‘rockets’ him to number four instead of just an honorable mention. You don’t need to attack with him to use his ability. You can attack with any character and then use a Global like the one on Magic Missile, and do damage to Nova to damage your opponent. Then your Nova is still in the Field for your opponent’s turn. He’s got great stats and a very unique ability.

Number 3

Green Goblin, “Gobby”
Avengers vs X-Men, Super Rare

Gobby was a meta shaping character at one point and that’s the main reason he’s number three on my list. He works great with cards that have abilities or Globals that help you get Sidekicks out, like Ring, Lesser Gear or White Tiger, Mystical Amulet. When you pair Gobby with Parallax‘s Global, he can be brutal. But playing the lottery is always a risk.

Number 2

Dwarf Wizard, Paragon Zhentarim
Faerûn Under Siege, Rare

This card is really good and is hard to get around at times. He works well on any team and even better on a Bolt Ring Team. He’s a favorite card of mine and he doesn’t need much explanation on why he’s number two on my list.

Number 1

Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Monstrous Dragon
Yu-Gi-Oh!, Rare

And what should be no surprise to anyone at all – Blue-Eyes tops my list! This card changed the meta is such a huge way that he’s played on about 80% of teams. He’s got such a great Global that is very dynamic for many teams. There are lots of characters that have KO abilities and his Global helps you move those along. Solomon Grundy, Buried on a Sunday is one such character. There isn’t much that needs to be said about how good this card is, and he even has a decent ability, not just an amazing Global!

Breakdown of rarity on my list:

Super Rare = 1
Rare = 4
Uncommon = 1
Common/Starter = 4

Travis and Aaron’s Top Ten Lists

I only added links in their lists for cards not mentioned above.

Travis is my husband and can play almost any team you put in his hands. He’s very knowledgeable and creative when it comes to competitive teams. His list is based off of cards he actually plays, wants to play, or cards he really likes. He didn’t pick cards just because they’re in the major competitive meta.

Travis’s List:

10. Green Goblin, “Gobby”
9.  Green Goblin, Goblin Lord
8.  Red Dragon, Epic Dragon
7.  Starfire, Koriand’r
6.  Cyclops, If Looks Could Kill
5.  Dwarf Wizard, Paragon Zhentarim
4.  Human Torch, Johnny Storm
3.  Miri Riam, Beacon In the Dark
2.  Foot Ninja, Ninja Syndicate
1.  Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Monstrous Dragon

Aaron is the son of our FLGS’s owner. He’s got the skill to be competitive, but prefers to play different teams with quirky mechanics, or teams that aren’t what you’d expect. He’s practically grown up in the store and played just about every collectible game out there.

Aaron’s List:

10. Cyclops, If Looks Could Kill
9.  Foot Ninja, Shredder’s Army
8.  Cockatrice, Minion Monstrosity
7.  Human Torch, Johnny Storm
6.  Kryptonite, Green Death
5.  Miri Riam, Beacon In the Dark
4.  Dwarf Wizard, Paragon Zhentarim
3.  Green Goblin, “Gobby”
2.  Lantern Ring, Limited Only By Imagination
1.  Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Monstrous Dragon

Thanks for checking out our lists!

Is my list close to yours?
What are some cards on your Top List?
Leave me a comment here or message me on Facebook at Dice Dice Kitty and thanks for reading!

Roll on, Dice Masters!

Top List! DDK’s Top 10 Shield Characters

Greetings Fellow Dice Masters!

 

I’m back this week with an article similar to TRP’s recent Podcast with my Top 10 Shield Character List. Travis and Aaron have also contributed again this week with their lists.

The cards I chose are cards that are either very important to the major competitive meta, cards that make for extremely fun combos, or cards that help to shape the game.

Each card has a link to their TRP Wiki page. If you’d like a closer look at the card, follow the link. A huge thanks to TRP for their Wiki. It’s an extremely valuable tool for many players and folks like myself.

Honorable Mentions

I’ve decided to kick this list off with my honorable mentions before doing the countdown to my number one – top Shield Character. These cards either have great Globals or very useful abilities and maybe are not used as much as they should be. Here are my honorable mentions:

~ Lord of D., Dragon Protector
~ April, Channel 6 Reporter
~ Angel, Inspiring
~ Songbird, Sonic Constructs

DDK’s Top 10 Shield Characters

Number 10

Constantine, Antihero
Justice League, Common

The reason Antihero squeaked into my list at number ten is because of how popular a few Continuous Action Dice are, like Lantern Ring, Limited Only By Imagination. His purchase cost is not expensive and if you can’t use his ability, he makes for an inexpensive chump blocker. If Continuous Action Dice weren’t as prevalent in the meta, this card would not have made it onto my list. He was used against me several times at the WKO2 I played in, but luckily I was able roll my Lantern Ring on an Action Side almost every time.

Number 9

Groot, We Are Groot
Age of Ultron, Super Rare

I love how versatile this card is. You don’t have to run a single affiliation to get his defense bonus, and if that’s what you’re lacking on your team, check this guy out! He is kinda pricey, but there are plenty of cost reducers and his benefits definitely outweigh the con of his purchase cost. His level one side is very weak, but his other sides have great stats. He only needs to be active to give your characters the defense bonus.

Number 8

Giant Spider, Greater Beast
Faerûn Under Siege, Uncommon

This character has a Global that elevates him to my number eight spot. His ability is great and his purchase cost is fantastic, but it really is the Global that makes this card that much better. He helps you get around a nuisance character because you can force that character to block, then attack with only one character that has the power to take it out. There are plenty of attack pumping Globals to help increase your attackers damage as well.

Number 7

Ring, Lesser Gear
Faerûn Under Siege, Common

This card is a big part of several teams and this card’s Global is the reason it’s made it to number seven on my list. If not for this Global, this card would not have even made it to my honorable mentions. Using this Global to bring a Sidekick die into your Reserve Pool on any side you want is extremely good! This could make or break a turn for some teams, and luckily, it doesn’t have to be paid with an energy from a Sidekick die.

Number 6

Alfred Pennyworth, Mi-5
World’s Finest, Uncommon

Alfred is a key component to most Bat-Bomb teams, but he’s useful to other teams as well. His overall usefulness is why he made it all the way to my number six spot. He makes for a great blocker as well, because he could just come right back without you having to reroll him. He’s a great card for beginners too and that’s one thing I take into consideration. He makes for a fantastic draft pick if you’re lucky enough to grab one.

Number 5

Constantine, Hellblazer
Justice League, Super Rare

There is not much need for explanation on this card or why he’s at number five on my list. He’s cheap to buy, he’s easy to field, and his ability is amazing. He’s a very popular card and used by many players, but he’s not one that is why he’s not a little higher on my list.

Number 4

Nick Fury, Patch
Avengers vs X-Men, Rare

I love Avengers teams and Patch is a character that every Avengers team should consider adding. He allows your unblocked Avengers to deal their attack damage to your opponent twice. With Patch active, if you’re able to get an unblocked Avenger with an attack of ten through to your opponent, that’s 20 damage. Even an attack of four can be very painful because Patch makes it eight damage instead. Patch is almost a must have for Avengers and they can be devastating if the team is built well.

Number 3

Jinzo, Trap Destroyer
Yu-Gi-Oh!, Rare

Jinzo is such a pain to players that use lots of Globals or use a particular Global a lot. He slowly kills your opponent while you’re setting up for the finishing blow. The only reason he’s not higher on my list is because of his purchase cost. You can reduce his cost with one of the cost reducers, but you need him active as early as possible. He’s usually the biggest target in the Field Zone for cards like Dwarf Wizard, Prismatic Spray, and Kryptonite. He’s still a really good character and he’s used a lot.

Number 2

The Joker, Clown Prince of Crime
Justice League, Uncommon

I love control cards – as most of you know. Clown Prince is probably one of my favorite control cards, aside from Oracle. He keeps your opponent from fielding that nuisance character as long as Joker is active. I haven’t used him as much as I should because there are other local players that used him and I don’t like using the same cards as other locals. He hasn’t seen much activity in our local scene lately so I may have to build a new control team with him. I like to pair him with Oracle and Cerebro, Supercomputer and a heavy hitter for win condition.

Number 1

Half-Elf Bard, Master Lords’ Alliance
Faerûn Under Siege (Starter), Common

I’m not sure this comes as a surprise to anyone, but Bard is my number one pick. He’s not number one because I like him or play him, he’s number one because he’s shaped the current meta. He’s got such an amazing ability, and it’s too good. I personally feel that this card is one that needs an errata or a ban, because there aren’t many answers that work well enough to stop or slow this card. Bard comes from the Faerûn Under Siege starter, which is so great for newer players.

Breakdown of rarity on my list:

Super Rare = 2
Rare = 2
Uncommon = 3
Common/Starter = 3

Travis and Aaron’s Top Ten Lists

I only added links in their lists for cards not mentioned above.

Travis is my husband and can play almost any team you put in his hands. He’s very knowledgeable and creative when it comes to competitive teams. His list is based off of cards he actually plays, wants to play, or cards he really likes. He didn’t pick cards just because they’re in the major competitive meta.

Travis’s List:

10. Half-Elf Bard, Master Lords’ Alliance
9.  Nick Fury, Patch
8.  Sangan, Zealous Supporter
7.  The Joker, Clown Prince of Crime
6.  Wonder Girl, Cassie Sandsmark
5.  Jinzo, Trap Destroyer
4.  Human Paladin, Lesser Emerald Enclave
3.  Captain America, Natural Leader
2.  Constantine, Hellblazer
1.  Constantine, Antihero

Aaron is the son of our FLGS’s owner. He’s got the skill to be competitive, but prefers to play different teams with quirky mechanics, or teams that aren’t what you’d expect. He’s practically grown up in the store and played just about every collectible game out there.

Aaron’s List:

10. Songbird, Sonic Constructs
9.  Angel, Inspiring
8.  Lord of D., Dragon Protector
7.  Aquaman, Orin
6.  Giant Spider, Greater Beast
5.  Jinzo, Trap Destroyer
4.  Millennium Puzzle, The Eternal Dungeon
3.  Constantine, Antihero
2.  Alfred Pennyworth, MI-5
1.  Half-Elf Bard, Master Lords’ Alliance

Thanks for checking out our lists!

Is my list close to yours?
What are some cards on your Top List?
Leave me a comment here or message me on Facebook at Dice Dice Kitty and thanks for reading!

Roll on, Dice Masters!

Top List! DDK’s Top 10 Mask Characters

Greetings Fellow Dice Masters!

 

I’ve been wanting to do ‘Top List’ articles for a while, but I haven’t felt inspired to do any. This week, The Reserve Pool’s podcast episode is a Top 10 Mask Character list (based off of the episode description). I haven’t listened to it, because I don’t want any subconscious influences on my list. Being that I admire TRP so much, it would be hard to make my own list without thinking of theirs. I also wanted to add the lists of two other players, just to see how other folks ranked cards. You can find them toward the end of the article.

I started the process by writing down all the Mask Characters that I liked and ended up with a list of twenty characters. I looked over the list and tried to find the best way to break it down. I ended up with my top ten cards, and five honorable mentions. The cards I chose are cards that are either very important to the major competitive meta, cards that make for extremely fun combos, or cards that help to shape the game.

Each card has a link to their TRP Wiki page. If you’d like a closer look at the card, follow the link. A huge thanks to TRP for their Wiki. It’s an extremely valuable tool for many players and folks like myself.

Honorable Mentions

I’ve decided to kick this list off with my honorable mentions before doing the countdown to my number one – top Mask Character.

These cards either have great Globals or very useful abilities and maybe are not used as much as they should be. Here are my honorable mentions:

~ Lyssa Drak, Future Sight
~ Parallax, Source of Terror
~ Raven, Azarath Metrion Zinthos!
~ Scarecrow, Legion of Doom
~ Storm, Wind Rider

And because I haven’t listened to the Podcast, I was unsure if they included Non-Basic Actions in their lists. I felt that two deserve to be mentioned:

~ Cerebro, Supercomputer
~ Ring of Magnetism, Action Attraction

DDK’s Top 10 Mask Characters

Number 10

Black Cat, Party Hardy
The Amazing Spider-Man, Super Rare

Black Cat squeaked into my tenth place spot, just beating out Storm. I know that Storm does damage, but Black Cat can potentially clear an entire wall from the Field Zone. Black Cat does not target characters either, like Storm does, she targets the opponent. This is also an interesting mechanic that you don’t see much – targeting an opponent for effect as opposed to targeting for damage. That’s why she made the cut and Storm only made it to honorable mentions. Black Cat has decent stats on level one and two for the fielding cost, while her level three fielding cost is mediocre. She can pack a punch on an opponent that doesn’t have any blockers and if you’re using Blue-Eyes White Dragon, she can be practically devastating.

Number 9

Loki, Gem-Keeper
Avengers vs X-Men, Rare

Loki has been a favorite of mine since the early days of AvX. He’s one of the earliest versions of direct control and he’s got a super beefy defense. Back in AvX days, he was very difficult to buy, like all characters with a cost of five of more, but now we have shenanigans to help with that. Characters that have high defense stats are usually difficult to get around through damaging him. If you’re facing off against a Loki, you almost need a Kryptonite or Prismatic Spray to get around him. He’s not a character you want to see across the table from you. I love using this card even though I haven’t used him in a while. I like playing aggressive control teams, but I’m usually lacking in the defense department, and he brings that defensive side too.

Number 8

Dick Grayson, Brand New Bat
World’s Finest, Rare

I love my Bat-Bomb team so much, but it’s about to go under construction. It’s so much fun to play, but it can sometimes crash and burn. I’ve written a CCW about this card before, because there are so many facets to the mechanics of his ability. He can literally KO your opponent with one attack, by himself – if you build a team around him. He takes my number eight spot because of how unique and unusual his ability is, but also because of how powerful he can be when paired with the right cards. He also has a Global that works well with many other cards in the World’s Finest set.

Number 7

Venom, Symbiotic Organism
Civil War, Uncommon

This Venom is totally going on my Sidekick/Ally team with Foot Ninja and Falcon. This card is brutal! Not only do you have a little control on this card, but you have that ‘burn’ or direct damage on it too. This card is right perfect for my play style and I’m personally shocked that I haven’t built a team with him yet. I will most definitely remedy that soon! I know his purchase cost is five and folks cringe at that, but his stats and fielding costs are great! You don’t normally see control paired with direct damage on the same card like this, and since Allies count as Sidekicks when in the Field Zone, they will trigger his ability. I can’t wait to put this team together.

Number 6

Two-Face, Double Deal
World’s Finest, Uncommon

This card… oh my goodness! Block him if you want to, but he’s hitting you too! I currently use this card on my Villain team and I also featured him in a CCW. But just imagine this guy having Overcrush and pumping his attack up. His fielding costs and stats seem good, especially for his ability. Using a Global, like the one on Polymorph, can help you level him up for maximum damage. There are so many things you can do with this card, and he’s not limited to a team of only Villains, but he works well with other Villains.

Number 5

Beholder, Lesser Aberration
Fearûn Under Siege, Common

Who doesn’t like free stuff? This character’s ability is so good. When you field him, you get two different Globals for free. This helps you get around that pesky Jinzo and Oracle too – free is free. The only thing is, you have to use two different cards. You can’t use your Professor X two times, but you could use yours and your opponent’s because they’re two ‘different’ cards. He’s great fodder for Blue-Eyes too because of his fielding costs. Not only does he have some of the best fielding costs, but his he has stats that are amazing too!

Number 4

Morphing Jar, Canopic Jar
Yu-Gi-Oh!, Common

This card took my fourth place spot because it was a minor game changing card when it released. This was the first card with a purchase cost of one. It’s also a Mask character… so when Yu-Gi-Oh! released and we pulled our first Morphing Jar, we were stunned. We couldn’t believe there was a one cost Mask Character. We realized just how fast the game was going to speed up at that point – mainly because you could buy them quickly and use them for PXG. This card doesn’t need text, primarily because of it’s purchase cost. It’s okay if you don’t roll energy with this die because the stats are pretty good and the fielding costs are great!

Number 3

Oracle, Master Investigator
World’s Finest (Starter), Common

#OracleHypeIsReal
I’ve loved this character since the first time I actually used her. I love control stuff, like I mentioned earlier and Oracle is very much a control card. She taxes your opponent an energy when they try to use a Global, which doesn’t seem like much, but it makes you change the way you play. Instead of spending an energy for a Polymorph Global, you gotta save it so you can PXG. She’s very difficult to play around if you’re not prepared! She a four cost character that also provides a decent defense, but you don’t have to worry about her getting KO’d. Why is that, you ask? Her fielding costs on all sides are zero – that’s right – 0, 0, 0. What more could you want?

Number 2

Elf Thief, Lesser Harper
Faerûn Under Siege, Common

This is probably one of the most devastating cards that can be easily manipulated. You only need Parallax’s Global and some lucky rolls and your opponent will not have any energy left in their Reserve Pool. As long as you have an energy in your Reserve Pool, you can field the Elf Thief for free – yay free stuff! You could use the energy you steal to use Parallax’s Global and then reroll that Elf Thief again. While Parallax is used to help this card become such a force of nature, this card can stand on it’s own. That’s why it’s so high on my list and why Parallax only made an honorable mention. This card makes for perfect Blue-Eyes fodder too. You do not want to see this card across from you, because it’s hard to play around – more so than Oracle. You really need a backup plan in place on your team, just in case you come across this card, which is likely since it’s a common.

Number 1

Professor X, Recruiting Young Mutants
Uncanny X-Men, Common

And here it is – my number one pick on Mask characters! I know that many folks like the rare version, Professor X, Trainer, over the common, but I prefer the common. I could see myself using the common to more advantage than just being able to give a static buff to my Sidekicks – that is, if I had to purchase him. But that’s not why either of them would have made this top spot. The reason I picked Professor X as my top Mask character is because of his Global. PXG literally changed the game, and it has shaped the game since the release of Uncanny X-Men in October of 2014. We really only had Beast, Mutate #666 and Gambit, Ace in the Hole for ramp and churn, so when we saw this Global, we all knew this card would be a complete game changer. This card is a staple on almost every team and if you can build a team that can function on a high level of play without PXG, then you have something special! We saw that it can be done with the rise of the Bard Blitz team. I hate to think of what the game would be like without this Global, but at least it won’t be as bad as it was in AvX days.

Breakdown of rarity on my list:

Super Rare = 1
Rare = 2
Uncommon = 2
Common/Starter = 5

Travis and Aaron’s Top Ten Lists

I only added links in their lists for cards not mentioned above.

Travis is my husband and can play almost any team you put in his hands. He’s very knowledgeable and creative when it comes to competitive teams. I hope that he’ll write guest articles for for blog someday! Also – his list is based off of cards he actually plays, wants to play, or cards he really likes. He didn’t pick cards just because they’re in the major competitive meta.

Travis’s List:

10. Morphing Jar, Canopic Jar
9.  The Penguin, Bully
8.  Two-Face, Double Deal
7.  Wasp, Fashionista
6.  Loki, Gem-Keeper
5.  Batman, Cowardly and Superstitious Lot
4.  Dick Grayson, Brand New Bat
3.  Scarecrow, Legion of Doom
2.  Oracle, Master Investigator
1.  Professor X, Trainer

Aaron is the son of our FLGS’s owner. He’s got the skill to be competitive, but prefers to play different teams with quirky mechanics, or teams that aren’t what you’d expect. He’s practically grown up in the store and played just about every collectible game out there.

Aaron’s List:

10. Lyssa Drak, Future Sight
9.  Storm, Wind Rider
8.  Black Cat, Party Hardy
7.  Beholder, Lesser Aberration
6.  Elf Thief, Lesser Harper
5.  Ronin, Between Employers
4.  Scarecrow, Legion of Doom
3.  Oracle, Master Investigator
2.  Professor X, Recruiting Young Mutants
1.  Morphing Jar, Canopic Jar

Thanks for checking out our lists!

Is my list close to yours?
What are some cards on your Top List?
Leave me a comment here or message me on Facebook at Dice Dice Kitty and thanks for reading!

Roll on, Dice Masters!

Card Comparison! Superwoman from World’s Finest

Greetings Fellow Dice Fans!

 

Here is the next installment of my Card Comparison articles! Today, I’m featuring all three versions of Superwoman from the World’s Finest set.

When deciding which version of a character you want to use, there are several things you look at:

~ Purchase Cost
~ Energy Type
~ Ability
~ Global
~ Total Fielding Cost (TFC)
~ Attack and Defense
~ Affiliation (or other icons)

The first thing I noticed about all of her versions was that they all cost five energy. The next thing I noticed was that each version had the same Global and all the abilities had something to do with three Bolt Energy. When it comes down to it, the only major difference is the ability.

Superwoman’s Stats

Superwoman’s die has a TFC of six which is expensive, even for casual play. But Superwoman makes up for that a little bit with her beefy attack stats. You can field her on a lower level and then use something like the Global on Polymorph to spin her up, if you really need her on level three.

Superwoman’s Global

I did a Confusing Card of the Week article covering Superwoman, specifically because of her Global, and you can find it here. Her Global does not work the same way as Iceman, Too Cool for Words. Iceman spins the Sidekick dice to a Bolt Energy, while Superwoman allows you to spend your energy as the type it shows or you can choose to convert it to a Bolt. I like to imagine that using her Global puts a filter over your Reserve Pool and as you spend an energy and it passes through the filter and into the Transit Zone, you can choose to activate that filter and change the energy to a Bolt or spend it as its current face.

Superwoman’s Cards

A quick note – none of the abilities on her cards require that she be active for them to work.

Superwoman, Lois Lane (Common)

That high purchase cost can be bypassed by using this version of Superwoman. Lois Lane allows you to purchase a die for three Bolt Energy instead of five energy. When you pair this version with the Global, this card makes for a great early game card. I’ve used this version on several occasions on casual teams and she’s a great character for casual play. She’s easy to buy on your first turn and she gives you a really beefy attacking character if you manage to roll her on level two or three. She’s really good in a draft setting as well because of how easy she is to purchase.

This version is probably not the best for any of the major meta teams, even the Bolt Ring teams. I tried to use her, but she was really expensive to field in comparison to other characters that I tried.

Superwoman, Amazonian (Uncommon)

Amazonian has a super cool ability! She has the potential of surprising your opponent when they weren’t expecting it. When you spend at least three Bolt Energy to purchase one of her dice, you can roll it and add it to your Reserve Pool. I like the idea of buying one of her dice and rolling a character, just so I can potentially launch an attack my opponent wasn’t planning on. Being able to surprise your opponent with a level three Superwoman when they aren’t prepared for it could be devastating!

Amazonian, like Lois Lane is not a competitive card, but is great for casual play. She works well with cards like Giant Spider, Greater Beast or Spider-Man, Webslinger because they help Superwoman get around potential blockers. I like to use cards with Globals like the one on Anger Issues for that little bit of extra damage.

Superwoman, Reign of Terror  (Rare)

I really like that Reign of Terror doesn’t require that your opponent have a Batman Family or Villain affiliated character in the Field Zone for ability to work. You still need to purchase her using at least three Bolt Energy, but she will go to your Prep Area so you have her to roll on your next turn! She has the added bonus of doing three damage to all Batman Family or Villain dice in the Field Zone – including yours.

Reign of Terror would be fun to use in a draft, since World’s Finest is loaded with Batman Family and Villain characters. I wouldn’t base a draft strategy around her though, because she’s a rare and you can’t guarantee you’ll draft her. But if I opened her, I would totally try to build around her.

Final Thoughts

I really like all three versions of Superwoman and while they all have a lot of similarities, the different abilities sets them apart from each other and plays to the different play styles of folks. I appreciate that they all have the same Global, making each of their abilities much easier to utilize. I don’t have a favorite because I can find a place for all of them, but I think if I was forced to use only one of her versions, I would try to build around Amazonian with Spider-Man and Anger Issues. I love the whole ‘sneak attack’ feeling and that seems like so much fun!

Test Team

I decided to build a casual team using one of the featured cards. You can find the build on Dice Masters DB, here. I will be playing this team for our Saturday tournament, so be watching for my report!

* There was an error on Dice Masters DB at the time I published this article. It would not let me view my team. I hope that the team is accurate. I will try to redo the team or find a way to fix the link. *

Here are links to all the cards I’m using on the team:

Characters:
Superwoman, Amazonian
Professor X, Recruiting Young Mutants
Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Monstrous Dragon
Red Dragon, Lesser DragonKobold, Greater Humanoid
Goblin, Lesser Humanoid
Kryptonite, Green Death
Spider-Man, Webslinger

Basic Actions:
Anger Issues
Polymorph

What do you think of the different versions of Superwoman?
Is there a card you would like to see an article about?
Leave me a comment here or message me on Facebook at Dice Dice Kitty and thanks for reading!

Roll on, Dice Masters!