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5 Fixes for Spiral
(09/22/2013)
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Related: We Need To Talk About Spiral
Goto Comments

5 Fixes for SpiralSpiral is easily one of the most "broken" pieces introduced into the HeroClix World (see what I did there)? I'd actually argue that it is the most broken piece introduced, because she has the potential to end games in just a couple turns. There's always been a fear of "Alpha Strikes" in the past (aka massive damage on your first turn), but Spiral brings this tactic to the forefront.

Fortunately Spiral is on the Wizkids "watchlist" to get fixed in the future, but we're not really confident it will be handled correctly or very soon for that matter. first, let's take a look at the problems.

First, let's take a look at her horrible Trait:

DIMENSIONAL PORTAL: Give Spiral a double power action, remove all Gateway markers from the map and place 2 Gateway markers on the map. Place one in an adjacent square and the other may be placed in any square on the map. Friendly characters may treat squares with Gateway markers as adjacent to each other for movement purposes. 

Spiral is BrokenWow. right off bat you can see the issue. On the first turn you're pretty much screwed since your opponent can send her entire force to you immediately. There's a couple scenarios here:

1) You move your team together, or decided to do nothing and play defensive. Your opponent will setup a portal and send her entire Move and Attack team to you and deal massive damage.

2) You split your team up in multiple directions. Your opponent will setup a portal and send her entire Move and Attack team to you and deal massive damage to your key figures (or tentpole, thereby horribly crippling your team).

Even with first turn immunity you're screwed because the opponent will almost always have a way to hit you first. And to add insult to injury, your team can't use the opponent's portal! This is the type of game breaking power that ruins the fun for all HeroClix players.

But not all is lost. There's some very easy ways to fix Spiral while keeping her power comic book accurate.


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Your Comments:
You missed the most obvious solution:
Make the portal 2 ways for everyone. Yes you get nailed on the first round, but you send some back through and kill Spiral, problem solved.

Posted by: John white on 9/25/2013 2:30:53 PM
Don't Ban or change it, I get my a** kicked by it and its all good. Makes me develop a better team to try next time.

You need to develop a team in place to win.. people complain about how the ability aren't like the character in the comics, now you have one you want to ban it. I own the figure never used it and it has kicked my a** twice... I need to be more creative with my team building.

Posted by: Spudbog on 9/24/2013 9:49:34 PM
Spiral does seem to be an issue. Its not her, but the combinations of things she allows. The other day, that portal let FI:Kurth come through and attempt to hit my tentpole piece for 7 damage. I could see it coming and there was nowhere on the map I could go and avoid it. Only a missed dice roll by my opponent saved me. I'd like to see pieces modified instead of banned. The portal itself is very comic like. Maybe it needs a variable, a randomness (dice roll), or limitation (within range, within line of sight), open the portal as the last action for your turn, something.

Posted by: superfriend on 9/24/2013 7:26:33 AM
It's like the people who make the clixs don't understand how the game is played. 1) putting Malstorm and Quasar in the Cap set.. in draft play you can't beat them. 2) Nightcrawler.. was not even fair, and everyone hides behind him 3) Countless other pieces made that make no sense.. 300 pt Iron Man? say waht? I understand Superman at 300 points but we don't even have a 300 point Hulk yet. Or Thor. They are just cranking out pieces to keep you buying. Screwing the rules and the game.

Posted by: WTF on 9/24/2013 6:31:12 AM
I like the idea of a ban list. maybe if they had one they could do away with retiring sets. it sucks after you finally get a character to only lose them in modern play.as for Spiral well she is really comic accurate so I dunno about changing her and like its been said before in a 300 pt game its not gonna be that hard to stop her.

Posted by: Ajora on 9/24/2013 12:20:01 AM
First off I wanna say that for the majority of players that have a problem with spiral's power should consider that it allows the team shes with to be placed very close to their opposition as part of a alpha strike team. This is not a viable strategy since you team is now easily in range of your opponents and your opponent can shoot or charge into her team without any problems. There is nothing wrong with Spiral, Its up to the players on how to use their figures in a game.

Posted by: Batros940 on 9/23/2013 2:03:40 PM
I think she's pretty good the way she is, I like the TK ability the other one's seem to week for a 106 point character, and with the portal ability as a double power action that's pushing damage, she good for a 400 point or less battle, she really good for a 600 or more battle, she fine the way she is, she like one of those characters good for high point battle's bad for low point battle's

Posted by: Mr J on 9/23/2013 11:33:05 AM
its a double power action, and with two action tokens, pushing damege. So if you use the power it makes her weaker.

Posted by: The Amazing Jakester on 9/23/2013 10:01:16 AM
@neondragon: That would not solve the alpha-Strike problem, because typically you're going to do the alpha-Strike on the same turn that you open the portal -- especially in larger point games.

Posted by: The Le on 9/23/2013 9:34:47 AM
So open ur portal then you have another player TK/carry one or more of your team threw the portal.. Cough Mags... and then you can whoop on them big time next turn. Unless the person you are up against plays the roach defense. As in scatter all over the board.

Posted by: Bliss on 9/23/2013 9:19:45 AM
Of all of these, I like option 2 the most.

Posted by: superfriend on 9/23/2013 6:45:35 AM
i would simply allow both friendly or apposing characters to use the portal. this way it's not broken, both party's con use the portal it makes you think before you place it.

Posted by: neondragon on 9/23/2013 3:14:27 AM
I would make her 150pts. Make it once per game. Placement of portal is within 10 or 12. The combined pt total of characters that pass through portal per turn must be < or = to Spirals. Makes her still playable but not to abusive.

Posted by: ratdogsnakefish on 9/22/2013 2:32:47 PM
Pretty sensible to me.

Posted by: Crazypool on 9/22/2013 1:24:21 PM