vegie's C3V/SoV Power Rankings

[vegietarian18]

This is the vegie version of the C3V power rankings. A lot of credit goes to dok for maintaining the list that I used as a starting point; this is kind of a vegie fork of the dok power rankings.

In general I most skewed rankings downward. I think dok's rankings have had a bit of grade inflation as figures tend to placed pretty highly when they are released and aren't ever moved down after that hype fades. So I've sent a few things down. I'm pretty happy with the A+ to B+ section of competitively viable figures and how I've rated them, but it's maybe a bit different from their comparative rating in traditional power rankings as things have been fanned out so that B is the center instead of B+. I think there is a lot of experimentation left to do in the C3V meta, especially with figures B+ and below: very easily some A minus figures lurking in there. What I really want to do is continue the conversation on the VC meta.

A+
Marro Warriors (50)
Raelin the Kyrie Warrior (ROTV) (80)

Spoiler Alert!

I've cleaned out some of the chaff from the A+ rankings. In the VC meta, Q9 and Rats are just not quite as good as they used to be. That leaves us with these two figures, both of which are very common in successful high level VC armies.

A
10th Regiment of Foot (75*)
4th Massachusetts Line (70*)
Cathar Spearmen (75*)
Deathreavers (40*)
Fen Hydra (120+)
Fyorlag Spiders (40*)
Greenscale Warriors (60*)
Grimnak (120)
Isamu (10)
Knights of Weston (70*)
Krav Maga Agents (100)
Major Q9 (180)
Marcu Esenwein (20)
Nilfheim (185)
Quahon (190)
Rygarn (90)
Sir Gilbert (105)
Vulcanmech Incendiborgs (180)

Spoiler Alert!

The big boys. Major Q9 has fallen to this level with Heracles and Marutuk emerging as very viable counters when Q9's biggest strength in classic was that nothing really countered him. Filling it out is the classic Heroscape top tier range squads: Redcoats, Bluecoats, Stingers. Also appearing is the best melee bonding squads in the game of Knights, but Cathar oppress the Heavies out of this tier. Hydra and Krav make it in as the best unique utility pieces. The additions from the VC canon are Quahon and Incendiborgs. Quahon’s a little more risky than other dragons: if she’s rolling 1/4 she’s an easy win and if she’s rolling 3/4 she’s unbeatable. But being able to bond with Spiders and not being as limited by engagement as Nilfheim is a big benefit. Incendiborgs are very good, and are a rival to Q9 for the 180 point slot now. You can use Redunancy to play extremely safely, and the flamethrowers give them an extra gear in close range that Q9 is very jealous of. Rygarn now makes the cut on this list. Previously I said that he was very good but hard to see in top tier competitive armies, but I've now made some top tier competitive armies involving Rygarn.

A-
Airborne Elite (110)
Alastair Macdirk (110)
Axegrinders of the Burning Forge (70*)
B-11 Resistance Corps (110)
Blastatrons (60*)
Braxas (210)
Cyprien Esenwein (150)
Death Chasers of Thesk (55*)
Darrak Ambershard (60)
Eldgrim the Viking Champion (30)
Eltahale (140)
Gladiatrons (80*)
Heracles (200)
Heavy Gruts (70*)
Kaemon Awa (120)
Krug (120)
Kuthnak (70)
Laglor (110)
Major Q10 (150)
Marcus Decimus Gallus (100)
Marro Stingers (60*)
Me-Burq-Sa (50)
Mezzodemon Warmongers (65*)
Microcorp Troopers (80*)
Mogrimm Forgehammer (120)
Nerak the Glacian Swog Rider (50)
Phantom Knights (70*)
Roman Legionnaires (50*)

Spoiler Alert!

These are all viable contenders against the top tier. Some second choice or supplemental bonding options for good squads: Alastair, Nerak, Braxas. Some second choice range support if you don’t want to commit as many turns keeping the Krav unengaged: Airborne, B-11. Kaemon and Q10. Some second choice bonding squads and their heroes: Romans, Axegrinders, Deathchasers. Some good counter squads: in Phantoms, Mezzos, Axegrinders again. Mezzos weren’t up here before but I moved them up here, but that’s not really a C3V thing, although you could argue Q9 becoming less viable makes them more viable. Greenscales have always been A-, but Fyorlag Spiders jump up here with Quahon being so good and so good with them. The C3V inclusions to this tier are B-11 Resistance, Microcorp, Heracles. B-11 are maybe the most consistent range support you can get. Airborne can fail to drop and Krav can whiff or get caught, but B-11 can just do their thing and if you lose one or two the others get stronger. Microcorp are just solid, a ranged special is great on a squad and they are maybe the ranged squad that benefits most from Raelin. Heracles is a great Q9 slayer, and his stats are solid enough that he can be a bruiser in matchups against non-large huge. Kuthnak is another new one on the scene that's difficult to rate, but he applies incredible board control when paired with Deathchasers. I copied dok's demotion of GladBlast and also demoted Stingers.

B+
Agent Skahen (120)
Arktos (95)
Arrow Gruts (40*)
Asterios (120)
Atlaga the Kyrie Warrior (90)
Augamo (155)
Azazel the Kyrie Warrior (140)
Azurite Warlord (145)
Black Wyrmling (30*)
Blade Gruts (40*)
Brave Arrow (50)
Brute Gruts (65)
Bol (10)
Buccaneers of Tortuga (70*)
Count Raymond (90)
Crixus (90)
Dreadgul Raiders (65*)
Finn the Viking Champion (80)
Fire Elemental (35*)
Goblin Cutters (50*)
Guilty McCreech (30)
Haduc (100)
Havech Eradicators (90*)
Heirloom (90)
Horned Skull Brutes (75*)
Kon-Tar-Na (150)
Kozil (130)
Kurrok the Elementalist (120)
Major J15 (95)
Marrden Nagrubs (30*)
Marro Dividers (50*)
Marutuk (195)
Minions of Utgar (110*)
Morgan’s Rifleman (65)
Morgoloth (140)
Ne-Gok-Sa (90)
Pel the Hill Giant (95)
Quorik Warwitch (110)
Red Wyrmling (30*)
Samuel Brown (60)
Sentinels of Jandar (110*)
Sgt. Drake Alexander (ROTV) (110)
Sgt. Drake Alexander (SOTM) (170)
Shieldsmiths of Granite Keep (80*)
Sonya Esenwein (45)
Swog Rider (25*)
Teeth of the Makwa (70*)
Theracus (40)
Thorgrim the Viking Champion (80)
Tor-Kul-Na (220)
Ulfrid Hornwrangler (100)
Van Nessing (105)
Venoc Warlord (120)
Warforged Soldiers (80*)
Zetacron (60)
Zelrig (185)

Spoiler Alert!

Past here things get a bit fuzzier. Builds based on figures in this tier can win a tournament on a good day if you pilot them well, but it’s a little harder to be sure about them. I’ll go away from paragraphs on everything in the tier and just talk about some C3V ones and some changes I made. There’s also just a glut of figures in the B range as this is where things are supposed to land so it's hard to talk about the figure range as a whole.

Atlaga the Kyrie Warrior- I don’t like him, but you cannot deny that Bolt of Witherwood will win you 5-10% of games in very dumb fashion.
Augamo- pretty solid, but not A- solid.
Asterios- I’ve never used him, but he’s got an okay statline and is great against commons. I feel he’s a little vulnerable to 1v1 fights with heroes, but I won’t banish him to B just yet.
Azazel the Kyrie Warrior- I want to see it in action myself before he goes to A-, but the Whirlwind Assault suicide Azazel build with Thralls/Elementals/Shadows to spam Rejected by Death rolls is very intriguing.
Azurite Warlord- can take wounds very fast if he keeps using Furious Wrath. Very good with and against Raelin though.
Black Wyrmling- just a little outclassed by the rest of the A-s as I try to fan the rankings out. A little pricy and fragile for what it does.
Brute Gruts- no clue on these guys. They are kind of upgraded Tarn and Tarn are pretty good. Not sure exactly how the -1 defense after Berserker Frenzy plays out, but it’s really great that you have control over when you get your extra attacks unlike other Frenzy figures.
Bol- I don’t have a strong opinion on where filler goes in power rankings and he’s about right in between Otonashi and Isamu in power so I’ll rank him here.
Buccaneers of Tortuga (70*) Very high potential to nuke figures out of the game, but very very initiative dependent. They're good against a variety of things but not great against anything.
Count Raymond- Good, but the Cathars don’t always need him.
Dreadgul Raiders- Just a notch down from the A- and A bonding squads, but they could close the gap with some more experimentation around which bonding heroes are best.
Gothlok- Expensive, but prompts a different type of Deathchaser build that has a lot of potential
Haduc- I’m not sure he’s all he was made out to be at some points in time. He makes the Elves painfully initiative dependent, and you lose the points to purchase a more offensive wizard. But if he’s autoshielding in the perfect situation, it can feel like he’s the most broken figure in Heroscape.
Havech Eradicators- Fast and have a lot of damage, but pricy.
Kon-Tar-Na- Just as good as TKN but in a smaller package. You don’t always want a smaller package with Nagrubs though.
Kozil- A great second bonding option for Spiders and Quahon at high point totals.
Major J15- Pretty solid, but not A- solid.
Marutuk- Incredible assassin figure with pretty solid stats if she needs to be a bruiser instead. Heracles maybe outlcasses her, but Long Strides gives her more assassination potential.
Morgan’s Rifleman- Still a lot of exploration needs to be done on these guys, but initial results are promising so I'll shoot them up. They give the 4th Mass a viable cleanup piece, although they take up startzone spaces and don't really smooth your price points that much.
Morgoloth- Pretty solid, but not A- solid.
Quorik Warwitch- Great special and great against melee, but you better pack Phantom Knights or something with her since she just dies to range.
Red
Shieldsmiths of Granite Keep- Cheapest squad per figure with 5 defense in the game (don’t quote me on that if I forgot someone).
Teeth of the Makwa- Hunting Party is a lot of free movement, and 4 range is good. I don’t think their builds have been fully explored so I could see them going either up or down.
Theracus- I’m surprised that this little guy was B+ already, but I love him so keeping him there despite fanning out the rankings. He’s the best 40 point filler in the game, great with Raelin and has a ton of versatility.
Ulfrid Hornwrangler- He’s very solid, but his special can get him into some painful spots if he whiffs it too often.
Van Nessing- Jack of all trades, but definitely not a master of anything.
Zelrig (185) - outclassed by the A- as I fan out the rankings. And he’s hurt a lot by Quahon outclassing him as second best dragon, and by the lack of massed squads, and by the dragon slayers. I think Big Red’s time has come and gone unfortunately.

B
12th Caucuses Rifle (60*)
53rd North Carolina Sharpshooters (55*)
8th Infantry Pathfinder (35*)
Acolytes of Vorganund (50*)
Avernus (135)
Arkmer (50)
Armoc Vipers (65*)
Ashi-Dhulu (115)
Ashigaru Harquebus (60*)
Bahadur (120)
Banshees of Durgeth Swamp (70*)
Beakface Sneaks (30*)
Beorn Boltcutter (50)
Boreos (115)
Brontos (200)
Breach (145)
Brunak (110)
Calibrax the Kyrie Warrior (130)
Capt. John Varan (80)
Capuan Gladiators (70*)
Charos (210)
Concan the Kyrie Warrior (80)
Corvor the Tainted One (175)
Deathcommander Mark 3 (130)
Deltacron (90)
Ebon Armor (125)
Elaria the Pale (60)
Emirroon (80)
Emperor Andask (130)
Frost Giant of Morh (140+)
Gorillitroopers (105*)
Gothlok (130)
Hoplitron (35*)
Hrognak (Unmounted) (60)
Izumi Samurai (60)
James Murphy (75)
Jarek Guy (100)
Johnny "Shotgun" Sullivan (65)
Jorhdawn (100)
Kira Jax (30)
Knights of Blackgaard (120*)
Kursus (55)
Jotun (225)
Locksley (130)
M-43 Resistance Fighters (65*)
Maltis Tez (35)
Manauvi (110)
Marrden Hounds (90*)
Marro Drones (50*)
Marro Hive (160)
Master Lao Xin (130)
Master Win Chiu Woo (140)
Microcorp Agents (100*)
Migol Ironwill (110)
Mimring (150)
Mohican River Tribe (70*)
Moltenclaw (170)
Morsbane (100)
Myrddin (90)
Nakita Agents (120)
Nicholas Esenwein (140)
Nhah Scirh Cultists (80*)
Nottingham Brigand (35*)
Ogre Pulverizer (100+)
Omegacron (180)
Omnicron Repulsors (40*)
Omnicron Snipers (100*)
Ogre Warhulk (150+)
Otar (45)
Priscus (100)
Racheim (140)
Raelin the Kyrie Warrior (SOTM) (120)
Red Mantis Blade Dancers (80*)
Re-Tak-Shi (80)
Sacred Band (50*)
Seleena (35)
Sentinels of Grax (100)
Shaolin Monks (80*)
Shurrak (170)
Siege (120)
Siiv (40)
Sir Hawthorne (90)
Sir Orrick (50)
Skull Demon (65+)
Suskra (85)
Spartacus (200)
Syvarris (100)
Taelord the Kyrie Warrior (180)
Talingul (100)
Tandros Kreel (120)
Tarn Viking Warriors (50)
Tetraites (110)
The Varja (160)
Tombstone Gunslinger (25)
Tomoe Gozen (110)
Torin (120)
Tyrian the Kyrie Warrior (110)
Ulginesh (150)
Uzog (110)
Varkaanan Greyspears (110)
Varkaanan Darkclaws (120)
Varkaanan Quickblades (100)
Varkaanan Swiftfangs (80)
Venoc Vipers (40*)
Warriors of Ashra (50*)
White Wyrmling (30*)
Xualtiaca Fire Ants (55*)
Zettian Infantry (65*)
Zettian Deathwings (50*)
Zogross Hardscale (120)
Zombie Hulk (60+)
Zombies of Morindan (60*)

Spoiler Alert!

Figures down here are a step further down. If you pull out a tournament win with one of these it’s from exceptional play. I don’t have something to say on every one of these figures and don’t want to speak if I don’t know anything, so I’ll just have blurbs for the ones I want to.

12th Caucuses Rifle (60*)- Initial ranking. They're a two man squad. The third attack can come from the grenade, but the grenade is a huge 50/50 all or nothing which I think makes them very inconsistent. I think they have some potential, especially as a squad you can play with Rats, because they're only 2 hexes per squad.
Acolytes of Vorganund (50*)- The kill requirement for bonding or else lose an Acolyte is brutal.
Bahadur- Good stats, but the melee restriction on his spirit is a big handicap for making that part of him useful.
Banshees of Durgeth Swamp- Expensive, but Piercing Scream is brutal in certain matchups.
Boreos- 2 Range and Swirling Vortex is painful for melee.
Hrognak- I ordered a Me-Burq-Sa for Heavy Gruts, not a single noodle of spaghetti.
Jotun- Dreadguls help him a lot, can safely carry him into the battle and let the giant wreak havoc on his terms. But he’s still 225 points and no range to speak of.
Mimring- I will pull Mimring out of B- hell and up to a dignified B. 8 range bonding hero is good.
Nhah Scirh Cultists- An okay piece to counter Q9 or dragons, but just a lot weaker against melee bonding or ranged commons than they need to be to be competitive.
Omegacron- The crons still are not a scary army to go against even with their commander.
Racheim- 3 heads, but only 3 attack, and he has a short neck. Just not close to Hydra level.
Shaolin Monks- I don’t know much about the new monk faction to be completely honest. I think it has solid potential so I’ve left it at B, but probationary.
Talingul- The construct army is good, but very fragile by the nature of the big constructs. It’s nice that he has some range.
Tarn Viking Warriors- Good stats for 50 points.
Zettian Deathwings- upset city baby. Ranged flying, big special attack, and extra defense from ranged normals and specials? Pretty solid. Obviously two man squad with base two attack makes that package a little less good, but it’s got potential and I want to overreact.

B-
20th Maine Volunteers (60*)
Achillean Gladiatrix (40*)
Air Elemental (30*)
Akumaken (110)
Ana Karithon (100)
Anubian Wolves (75*)
Arashara Goshiri (200)
Arthur of Sherwood (70)
Ashigaru Yari (40*)
Aubrien Archers (70*)
Bloodburst Thrall (30*)
Blue Wyrmling (35*)
Brimstone (150)
Chardris (90)
Chen Tang (90)
Command Courier (35*)
Crypt Guardian (60+)
Death Knights of Valkrill (60*)
Deathstalkers (100*)
Deathwalker 8000 (130)
Deathwalker 9000 (140)
Drow Chainfighter (25*)
Durgeth Ravagers (65*)
Evar Scarcarver (110)
Executioner 616 (115)
Gorillinators (90*)
Granite Guardians (100*)
Grigor & Rogirg (170)
Iron Golem (100+)
Iskra Esenwein (50)
Josie Whistlestop (70)
Kantono Daishi (120)
Kato Katsuro (200)
Kelda the Kyrie Warrior (80)
Kha (75)
Kozuke Samurai (100)
Kumiko (80)
Kyntela Gwyn (20)
Lilja (115)
Martial La Hire (70)
Mind Flayer Mastermind (100+)
Mok (220)
Motley Max (130)
Ninjas of the Northern Wind (110)
Ornak (100)
Othkurik the Black Dragon (140)
Otonashi (10)
Patrick Ferguson (40)
Prince al'Kahora (80)
Protectors of Ullar (110*)
Quasatch Hunters (100*)
Rendar Fy (85)
Rhogar Dragonspine (110)
Shiori (60)
Sir Denrick (100)
Skeletons of Annellintia (105*)
Sonlen (160)
Specters of Aldorn (60*)
Su-Bak-Na (160)
Tagawa Samurai (120)
Tagawa Samurai Archers (65*)
Tomb Skeleton Archers (30*)
Urk (65)
Valguard (110)
Varkaanan Blade Dancers (80*)
Viceron the Blood Knight (130)
Water Elemental (30*)
Warden 816 (90)
Werewolf Lord (140+)
Wolves of Badru (80*)
Wo-Sa-Ga (135)
Wyvern (100+)
Yi Feng (60)
Zaeus (130)
Zettian Guards (70)
Zhen Yuan (70)

Spoiler Alert!

Down here we’re getting into the figures that you probably shouldn’t take to a tournament at all unless there’s a “bring the bad” sort of restriction.

Arashara Goshiri- Costs too much, for a 50/50 shot at a sandshift at least. In certain games she can be brutal but she costs you so many squads of Romans or Greeks.
Arthur of Sherwood- Fragile and a little expensive, and Passing Blow is risky in terms of where it makes him go.
Mok- just way overpriced. Like Jotun before he had bonding.
Skeletons of Annellintia- Like Dividers except a 4 man squad! And they cost twice as much and don’t come back in a good spot and don’t survive when they divide.

C+
Agent Carr (100)
Bramcephys (230)
Brandis Skyhunter (90)
Cal the Smuggler (60)
Cormin the Dark (75)
Deathstrike Thrall (30*)
Deepwyrm Drow (70*)
Dumutef Guard (25*)
Earth Elemental (30*)
Eilan Sidhe (40*)
Dzu-Teh (75*)
Estivara (80)
Feral Troll (90+)
Garrett Burns (70)
Greater Ice Elemental (130+)
Gurei-Oni (100)
Hrognak (205)
Ice Troll Berserker (85+)
Macdirk Warriors (80*)
Marro Drudge (50*)
Marro Gnids (50*)
Master of the Hunt (140+)
Mika Connour (110)
Red Ants of Aunstrom (40*)
Retiarius (90)
Sharwin Wildborn (110)
Sir Dupuis (150)
Sujoah (185)
Tomb Skeletons (40*)
Tornak (100)
Tul-Bak-Ra (130)

Spoiler Alert!

Getting into the truly bad figures.

Eilan Sidhe- Useless on nontree boards.
Hrogank (Mounted)- Just really expensive and not at all what the Arrow Gruts want.
Ice Troll Berserker- I have no clue how this guy was a B, he is bad.

C
Cxurg'gyath (140)
Darkprowl Thrall (30*)
Elite Onyx Vipers (100)
Erevan Sunshadow (80)
Kee-Mo-Shi (130)
Khosumet the Darklord (75)
Moriko (110)
Parmenio (90)
Preyblood Thrall (30*)
Rechets of Bogdan (50)
Runa (120)
Saylind the Kyrie Warrior (80)
Sudema (140)

C-
Acolarh (110)
Dünd (110)
Einar Imperium (140*)
Empress Kiova (90)
Roman Archers (55*)
Sahuagin Raider (25*)
Shades of Bleakwoode (100*)
Templar Cavalry (120*)

D
Deadeye Dan (60)
Grok Riders (130*)
Major X17 (100)
Obsidian Guards (100*)
Pelloth (100)

F
Hatamoto Taro (130)
Deathwalker 7000 (100)