Two Tix Forward: Point Man

Point Man

If I had to narrow it down to the single most important thing I do when it comes to working on Attacktix figures, that would have to be getting the points right. No matter how great a figure is, if it costs too much, it won't see much play. If a decent figure costs too little, it's declared "broken" and gets played to the exclusion of other like figures. Sometimes it's a fine line.

The first thing I usually do when working on a new set is work out the point costs for all of the figures. They certainly aren't set in stone right off the bat, but by roughing them out, I get an idea of what the power level of each figure should be when I'm done. I thought it might be worthwhile for you today to share some of the thinking that goes into this process, to talk about how I see the different point costs from a design point of view. On with the show...

10 Pointers - These are often easy to pick out...typically, especially in Star Wars and Transformers, these are the "army builders", the low rung Trooper types. Stromtroopers...probably always going to be 10 points unless they are a commander or some other Specialist type. It's a little more difficult in Marvel, but I've found that some of the more human figures can fit at 10 points (see Elektra), or, in the case of the Avengers Spider-Man, it's an opportunity to show relative power level versus the rest of the team. In any case, a 10 point figure should feel like they are in a supporting roll, and might need a more powerful figure anchoring their team.

20 Pointers - A step up from the 10 pointers, at 20 points a figure might have better stats, weapons, or defense, than a 10 point figure. On the curve, a 20 pointer should be solid, and should round out a team nicely. 20 Pointers often feel like tweeners...sharing a number of traits with both 10 and 30 pointers. They also tend to feel that way in design...figures that just don't feel right at 10 or 30 points...they usually find their home at 20. Probably the hardest point distinction to make.

30 Pointers - Bread and butter. A 30 pointer needs to be able to front a team and hold it's own with about anyone. Many figs can "work" at 30 points...we've seen 30 point versions of many main characters across the various universes. 30 points figures are by far the easiest to "find" in a set, yet, the hardest to keep in check in terms of relative power level.

40 Pointers - These are the big guns. At 40 points, you should be able to build your team around this figure. Typically reserved for premiere characters...see also Vader, Prime, and Hulk. This is also the stomping ground of figures with experimental attacks and powers, flight, and huge projectiles. Nearly the top of the food chain.

50 Pointers - What do you do with a 40 pointer that gets a powerful effect to boot? Bump them up to 50 of course. This is the absolute height of the standard figure point costs.

60 - 100 Pointers - The exclusive realm of the Megas, and fodder for a whole topic all it's own.

So that's it this time, just a basic look at how I see point costs IN GENERAL. Sometime in the future we'll talk about The Curve and how it has changed over time. Over and out. - B