People Are Sleeping On HeroClix

Perhaps the title of this article is somewhat of a hyperbole considering HeroClix is actually quite popular; however, it mostly stands true that this awesome game never comes up in discussion. You could be in the most hardcore board game community on the planet and you simply wont find people talking about HeroClix. Why is that?

For the uninitiated, HeroClix is a turn-based tabletop game predicated on collectible miniature figurines called HeroClix. Unlike most games, HeroClix is not bound by a single theme or genre. Instead it offers players the ability to mix and match intellectual property from a variety of fantasy worlds. Have you ever wanted to pit Batman against DoTA 2 character? What about Star Trek versus The Hobbit? The brand mostly pulls its inspiration from the world of Marvel & DC Comics but there are a couple of limited edition collaborations which you wouldn’t expect. It truly is amazing.

Obtaining these is exactly like opening a pack of cards from your favorite TCG. There are commons, rares, and chase rares. While these may be a little bit more expensive than a pack of cards, they are definitely worth the investment. Check out an opening here:

As you can see, the opening experience is a bit of a thrill. The YouTuber, Happy Little Heroclix, managed to pull a Super Rare Nightcrawler (#056) from the House of X set. This goes for a whopping $44.99! It is truly an appealing figurine.

That’s precisely the type of experience the buyer can have with HeroClix as there are just so many to collect and choose from. The types of rarity range from the base “Common” to the more exclusive “Chase” which of course has a higher value. Another Chase rare example would include Diamond Patch which sells for an impressive $89.99.

All the varying rarities can be broken down into:

Common (White)
Uncommon (Green)
Rare (Silver)
Super Rare (Gold)
Chase (Copper)

Some of my personal favorites, rarity aside, are the robust options of Venom that are found in a number of sets. There’s such an array that they include Critical Mass (set) Venom, Sinister Venom, Earth X Venom, Anti-Venom and even Venom Hulk.

Critical Mass Venom

What’s at the base of the figure? Each character has a “combat dial”, also known as the Clix system, which shares the figure’s combat attributes. The figure’s base has a symbol that not only marks it as part of a specific set, but it’s actual numerical position in that set. The numbers and colors, which you can see above, are the character’s combat values/powers.

The speed symbol shows how far you can move.

The fist/attack symbol is what you will add to a dice roll in combat.

The defense symbol shows how much they need to hit you during their attack roll.

The damage symbol shows how many “clicks” of damage a successful attack will do to the opponent

The range attack value is printed on the dial. A 0 value means they cannot do a ranged attack.

Turning the base of the dial will give the character new values and powers. The figurines also come with their own Character Cards which will specify what the above powers and abilities are.

In HeroClix there are Maps. This, of course, is where the combat occurs. The purple area of the map is the starting area in which you place your figurines at the start, obviously. The green areas are zones that are “Hindering” (bushes/debris). When there’s a ranged attack to a unit in the Hindering zone, the defending character adds 1 to their defense. The “Blocking Terrain” which has a brown outline and the player can not move or see through them. Marked by the red outline is “Elevated Terrain” which represents an area that has a higher or lower elevation. The transition area is marked by red arrows which bring you higher or lower. Lastly, “Water Terrain”, which is marked by a blue outline. If the unit enters water, the unit must stop and half their movement. Just like hindering terrain. However, water terrain is clear for line of sight and attacking. All of these in total can make for a unique and tactical experience.

With all the unique aspects to HeroClix, it’s difficult to grasp why it is slept on. Whether it’s being able to collect and chase my favorite characters, the wide variety of maps, the traits (like Flight) the characters bring to the game or the objects on the map. There’s just so much room for enjoyment and actual strategy! If you are interested in learning more about HeroClix and how to play, you can find some great “how to” videos below