it's about time for my biennial Infinity Quest handicapping exercise...best read when you have a bout of insomnia.

 

SDPT = Starting Damage Per Turn

MDPT = Maximum Damage Per Turn

ASA = Average starting attack

ASD = Average starting defense

CF = Cheeseball factor (out of 5)

 

MA Avengers

SDPT=11; MDPT=16; ASA=8.7; ASD=14.7; CF=3

 

Pros: Can dish out damage and soak it up.  The beauty of creating a new team is you get to cherry pick your figures.  The choice of Hulk was interesting since it could be hard to get and keep him on his sweet spot, but Spidey and Wolverine are proven staples of good teams.

 

Cons: All melee (Spidey is most effective in close) means the team will be living on the edge.  Low defenses will allow counter attacks to hit, even with low attack values.  Also, a lot of the damage output relies on objects so destroy the dumpsters (or when the dumpsters in the store dry up) and the numbers go down.  The biggest issue is mobility, with the low movement this team will slowly makes it way through the dungeon.  Even if it gets a gem, the question is can they get it out in time? 

Upgrade path: Hulk is interesting, but Spidey and Wolverine have some of the best upgrade paths available.  The future is bright.

 

Odds: 3-1

 

JLA

SDPT=8; MDPT=8; ASA=10; ASD=17; CF=5

 

Pros: WK has been kissing Batman and Superman's ass for several releases so you can't go wrong with these choices.  Superman's starting click: 12 (Charge), 10 (SS), 18 (Invulnerability), 4...for 100 points??  What were they smoking?

 

Cons:  No matter who plays these figures, people learn really quickly to hate them.  Maybe it's the lame Batman/Superman comic.  Maybe because the cheeseball factor makes them a huge target.  Either way, I see many future alliances formed against them.  Plus, has a DC team ever won the league?

 

Upgrade path: Bats and Supes have many options, but it'll be hard to move off of those sweet stats...I'm sure they will figure something out.  It's hard to tell who will fill out the team, but the JLA has many options to choose from.

 

Odds: 2-1

 

Marvel Knights

SDPT=9; MDPT=9; ASA=9; ASD=15; CF=1

 

Pros:  This is a tricky team.  Exploit weakness, Poison and Psychic Blast should come in handy...in certain situations.  Villains that may give other teams trouble should fall quickly and "in your face" teams will be wary to take this team on directly.  Extra points for the Cloak and Dagger duo.

Cons: This is a tricky team.  It relies on a lot of powers that may or may not be useful.  Also, there are two Wildcards and a third member with no team ability at all...that needs to be fixed.  The stats are average, so luck will be the key...try putting the dice in the microwave.

 

Upgrade path: Once again, average.  The path is pretty fixed...picking the fourth character wisely will be important.

 

Odds: 10-1

 

X-Men

SDPT=6; MDPT=9; ASA=8.3; ASD=14.7; CF=2

 

Pros:  They are the X-Men, so they have the cool factor going for them.  There are also many figures to choose from to fill out the roster...with this crew the new member better be a good one.

 

Cons: They are the X-Men, so they are hated and feared by humanity.  Obstacles will be placed before them at every turn, yet the dream lives on.

 

Upgrade path:  There are options and the figures get marginally better.  They will have to make due with what is available...the world depends on it!

 

Odds: 50-1

 

JLI

SDPT=9; MDPT=9; ASA=8.25; ASD=15.75; CF=(-1)

 

Pros: Umm...the Fire sculpt is really sweet.  There's a figure that has an 18 defense with Super Senses, Perplex AND Probability Control.  Umm...the Fire sculpt is really sweet!

 

Cons: Wow, all the points are in stats...and the stats aren't that great.

 

Upgrade Path:  To be honest, I'm not sure who some of these characters are.  But there are four of them.

 

Odds: 25-1

 

(Don't let him fool you, the mastermind behind this team is just challenging himself...otherwise he gets bored.  Be afraid.)

 

Teen Titans

SDPT=12; MDPT=15; ASA=8; ASD=15.7; CF=1

 

Pros: One of the highest damage dealers in the league this team is a wild card.  The shiny new team ability should go a long way to help the low combat stats.  Two words: spontaneous and unpredictable.

 

Cons:  Those stats are a little low and the question remains, can this team take a punch?  The dials are shallow with no damage reducers so it should be interesting.  Plus, it's DC.

 

Upgrade path: The path is a little average.  The stat upgrades are steady but not outstanding. 

 

Odds: 10-1

 

Fantastic Four

SDPT=10; MDPT=10; ASA=8.7; ASD=15.3; CF=3

 

Pros: Heavy Hitter + Range Monster + Support = winning combination.  She-Hulk sets them up and the Human Torch knocks them down.  Few villains or teams can shrug off that kind of one-two punch.  We will see how the improved team ability helps this team.

 

Cons:  There are mobility issues, at least until Black Panther gets Leap/Climb.  Also, Black Panther may be depressed because his new bride left him to fight along side her old team...it should be interesting to see what happens when they meet up.

 

Upgrade path:  The future looks bright for this team.  With Invisible Woman waiting in the wings, it can only get better.

 

Odds: 3-1

 

Excalibur

SDPT=7; MDPT=11; ASA=9; ASD=15.5; CF=3

 

Pros:  Two heavy hitters is usually a good strategy.  With only two characters, this allows the team to manage their environment without sacrificing  team effectiveness.  We'll see how they manage the first few rounds.  Even with the new rules, Probability Control is a good thing and coupled with Charge should minimize the cost of using it.  Well played.

 

Cons: There is a lot of points invested in colorful dials.  One or two good hits could cripple this team and since they are based on close combat there is a good chance of that happening.

 

Upgrade path:  These figures will get better and there are many new characters to choose from.  Paying the initial cost will be the biggest problem.

 

Odds: 12-1

 

Invaders

SDPT=8; MDPT=8; ASA=9.5; ASD=16.5; CF=2

 

Pros: Cap has a solid dial all the way down.  Also, this team has 25 points to add to their next upgrade.  Cap knows how to win, so leadership will be important.

 

Cons: A two figure team is tough to play.  Especially when one of the figures can't decide if he's range or close combat based.  Did we mention that this team left 25 points on the table?

 

Upgrades:  Cap doesn't have much room for growth.  This team was made for the Sidekick feat, but the key will be the characters that fill in the roster.  Time will tell.

 

Odds: 20-1

 

Place your bets.  At any rate, it should be an interesting season.