Hear Me Out: Crossbones (Brock Rumlow)

Crossbones is a Character I see frequently knocked out of players' rosters when they start to expand past the Core Set.

Hear me out, though.

At a glance, I understand why he doesn't thrill people.  A short movement, subpar defense (except on Physical, which is on par with Thor!), slightly above average Stamina, and at 3 Threat, he's not overly costly, nor is he in the bargain bin.  It's understandable why, when players get their first few packs, they look at him as expendable.  However, there are some great reasons to keep him around!

First, don't let that movement skill fool you.  Yes, he's slower than most characters his size, but Aggressive means that your opponent's will need to think twice about hitting him, as it's a free move for him.  This is compounded when you look at Characters like Black Panther, can push people after every attack, and that their extra effect is rendered moot by your extra move.

Inured to Pain is also a great Superpower.  Unlike Invincible Iron Man or Glaive of Immortality, I2P can actually knock 1 damage down to nothing!  This is a great deal, and makes his slightly above average Stamina stretch even further.

Combine the two above, and you can almost always ignore half of the effects of Shuri, who is someone frequently making people's rosters today.  Her push is negated by Aggressive, and if you are OK with her push, you can negate her damage.

So, yeah his Physical defense is great, but his Energy and Mystic isn't.  Sure, but most attacks in the game are physical, and a superior Physical defense also helps him make dodge rolls easier.  Mystical attacks are also still kind of a rarity in the game so far, so while energy defense is a weak point, good deployment and smart plays can minimize that flaw.

We haven't even discussed his attacks, or even Haymaker!

Strike is what most have: a simple attack that lets you gain power for the damage you deal.  5 dice is, again, pretty average, but we have two more factors that should come into play.

Overpower is another 5 dice physical attack, but the two energy it costs gains you a small teleport AND a throw on a Wild.  Consider that the throw is done before damage is dealt, but the teleport is after, so even if your opponent is ignoring Crossbones, Overpower let him potentially throw another Size 2 model Short, and THEN teleport within range 1 of where they end up!  All of this adds up to Crossbones getting into places his statline doesn't imply.  You could quite easily surprise unwary opponents who think Crossbones isn't really all that mobile.

Then, Haymaker.  How does Crossbones go up against the might of Thor or really bring the hurt to someone like Captain Marvel?  Haymaker.  At a costly 4 power, he gains 3 dice on the next attack he makes.  While expensive, it means Crossbones can really dish out some pain!

Finally, it should be noted that he is a member of Cabal, and that extra power for damaging opponents helps him fuel I2P, or save up for a Haymaker.

Hopefully this gives you some pause when it comes time to choose your roster, and poor Brock won't lay on a shelf or in your case forever.