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Pojo's HeroClix "Click of the Day"

 

Mandarin - Xplosion
Reviewed Aug. 20, 2003

Rank Veteran
Point Value 141
Collector's Number 075
Rarity 5

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.  3 ... average.  
5 is the highest rating

Click here to see all our 
Click of the Day Reviews 


WMNOE

Today let's look at the Marvel Universe's resident pimp, Mandarin. I mean, really, who wears that much jewelry?

And why does he wear that much jewelry? Well, because each of the rings, which are alien artifacts, does a different thing. One shoots ice, another fire, one has mental powers, you get the picture. He picked up
the rings in a crashed alien spaceship, and being ostracized from Chinese society, Mandarin's twisted mind turned to revenge. At one point he led the Ninja Clan the Hand, and he has been a constant thorn in Iron Man's side. In the silly cartoon version of Iron Man he had his hands cut off and replaced with lizard hands...but I don't think that actually happened in the comics.

At 141 points, Mandarin isn't going to fit on all that many teams. Not in the veteran version anyway. You do get Mind Control, Incapacitate, Energy Shield, Barier, Willpower, Outwit and RCE, plus he's a flyer
with 8 clicks of health and one range 12 attack. As nasty a package as they come with starting stats of 8 Speed, 11 Attack, 17 Defense, and 3 Damage. Add to that that he's Iron Man's arch enemy and you got one bad mama-jama. On a 300 point team, he's the lynchpin, and can carry the game pretty much by himself. On 200 point team, he needs too much support to be worthwhile.

I've definitely noticed an increase in the prices of rares from expansion sets lately, especially with X-Plosion and Cosmic Justice. Manadarin has sold for as high as $11.50 lately, though that appears to be extreme. Most of the current auctions are running in the $2-5 range, which is about what you should pay. He's a tough pull from a booster too. This is a hefty figure, with more plastic than most. It's just too bad the extra plastic didn't lead to a better sculpt.  Very boring.

My Ratings:

Playability 3.5 of 5
Collectability 3.5 of 5
Ed Po Mandarin has a nice variety of powers. He has a speed of 8 and he can fly so
he can serve as a taxi. He also has 4 clix of mind control, he's possibly
one of the best mind control figures in this game with an attack of 11. He
has incapacitate all the way down the dial except for his last click. His
defense his high, it starts at 17 and has 3 clix of energy sheild/deflection
increasing his defense to 19! After he loses mind control he can set up
barriers for 2 clix. He then gains Willpower, which I don't think will help
him unless he's retreating while taxing a figure to a nearby medic. His
damage starts at 3 with 3 clix of outwit and one more click of outwit at the
end of his dial. He gains RCE later on, but has a low attack to go with it.
If he hits a shot he can do 4 clix of damage, which I doubt with his 8
attack. Mind Control, Outwit, and Mandarin's high attack make him a good
figure, but for a high price of 141.

He's a rare, level 5 rarity. All auctions (sets, rooks, exps, vet versions)
for Mandarin are low not going any higher than $5.00, except for a couple of
buy it nows

His sculpt is basically him with his hands out. It's actually kinda cool
because of his costume. They show it hang down from his arms and the design
on its pretty cool.

Ratings:
Playability: 4/5
Collectability: 2.5/5
Sculpt: 3.75/5
Ironman
1110
Mandarin:

This guy is brutal. Mind Control, Incapacitate, ES/D on a 17 defense and Outwit. All these great powers, with a little RCE and the stats to back them up. NEVER underestimate the Mandarin. I guess the most powerful super hero in the universe (ironman, of course =D) HAS to have a tough Arch Enemy, and he has just that in the Mandarin.

200- Games: 2/5
300+ Games: 3.5/5
Sealed Box: 4.5/5
The Bottom Line: 3.25/5
jetsetneo Yo! Today we are reviewin' Mandarin, a clix who's supposedly causing quite a
stir with the 'new' Mandarin 'cannon' strategy

Stats Link (Vet):
http://www.wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/marvel/figuregallery.asp?unitid=3310

The Review: By now this guy should be almost as infamous as Firelord or
Nightcrawler. He's has a strategy on the Wizkids Site on how to make a
version of the 'M.Cannon' He boasts a ton of abilites and all of them (cept
maybe speed) are 'up there'. He's one of a few figures with a whooping 12
range!

His speed is okay at 8 with Mind Control, in other words, at 12 range he
Ownz your figures. He has 11 Attack to Tie up with Incapacitate of use with
Mind Control, or just damage with 3 +outwit or 4 w/ Ranged Combat Expert. He
can have up to 19 Defense with E/S/D, Barrier up to stall for a bit, or
Willpower himself away from everyone else. Hmm, Did I mention he flies too?
Must have slipped my mind, oh well that makes him all the more dangerous.

Mini-Strat: You've heard me mention the 'M.Cannon' or have read about it at
the Wizkids site. But for those of you who don't understand its basically
this: Mandarin (Vet mostly), a certain amount of Probability Controlers,
Perplexers, Shield or Hydra Medics (for their team ability and Support) and
anything else that pumps up Manadarin in anyway.He then sits back and Mind
controls, Pesters with Ranged Combat Attacks or Incapacitates. Virtually
destroying your team while his 'back-up' keeps him more than safe.

The Verdict: (vet) With his 'new' Strat that is tailor fitted to him, He's
perfect otherwise, a solid piece and then some.
100: N/A
200: 3/5 (Norm.) 3.5/5 (M. Cannon) Depends on how many flunkies you can
squeeze in for him
300: 4/5 (Norm.) 5/5 ( M.Cannon) with 150+ pts to use to send in Perplexers
and the like, He just may have it made
300+: 5/5 (Norm.) 5+/5 (M.Cannon) you might even squeeze in an extra
Mandrin!
Sealed/Draft: 3.5/5 Just another Solid Piece (he does take up a big portion
of the team)
Sculpt: 4/5 Nicely detailed figure all-around
 
Spyders
Webbing
I play the rookie, and he rocks, so one word of advice: ALWAYS have a taxi
for this guy. He may have a 12 range, but that doesn't mean diddly squat if his
target is behind a building. Here's the verdict
200:2/5
300:2/5
400+:4/5
 
djkunai Mandarin? Um. Okae...

Mind Control, Incapacitate, Energy Shield and Outwit.

Get him in close, but not too close (10, just out of reach of almost all ranged attacks), and let him control one of your opponents characters. Use a turtling character to smack the life out of any medic they're next to, and then Outwit someone's Invulnerability and give them another beatdown. Good, but not great.

100- 0
200- 2
300- 3
400+ 4
 

 

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