Explaining Distribution (to the best of my ability)

I’ve seen this question asked on HCRealms a lot, so I’m going to try, to the best of my ability, to explain the many variations of the HeroClix distribution model, and how to better understand how each is done. I’ll try not to venture too much into the why, since most of that would be conjecture on my part at best. I will also try to point out where there are exceptions to the overall rules I put forth, since in some cases I think those are just WizKids experiments with that the models will support (or perhaps even accidents on the parts of those packing the products).

The first product we’ll look at is the Standard Case of 5 Figure Boosters. This would be a case that has 20 Booster Packs split into 2 individual Wrapped Bricks of 10 Boosters. Traditionally, you can expect to pull about 3 Super Rares, 10 Rares, 15 Uncommons, and 22 Commons from 1 Brick. That number is of course thrown off by Chase figures. However, generally you can expect that if a chase figure is included in a Brick, it is USUALLY at the cost of a Rare figure. Usually you will pull a full CUR (Common, Uncommon, Rare) set if you buy an entire case. Obviously if you only buy a brick, the numbers are not in your favor to get a whole CUR set. That said, you will usually do quite well on the Commons and Uncommons. As for numbering, the CURSR figures are usually numbered sequentially as 001 through the number of figures in the set, which generally cap at 60 or less. Prior to The Brave and the Bold Chase figures were not numbered in sequence however since its release, they have been a continuation of the normal set numbering.

This formula is also altered in the significantly when the case is shifted to a Super Booster model. In this model 2 of the traditional 5 Figure Boosters are removed and replaced with a Super Booster that contains some type of Colossal character(s) (or a vehicle for the upcoming Batman set). You can usually expect to pull around 3 Super Rares, 8 Rares, 12 Uncommons, and 17 Commons, but again, if Chase figures are included, it is usually at the cost of a Rare figure. Surprisingly, you can still usually complete a CUR set if you buy a case in this model. The numbering on Colossals that have been released in Super Boosters as part of a set release have had their set  numbers proceeded by a G and been in sequence from 01 to 07 (or less). Colossals release outside of this structure as Con Exclusives or prizes have been numbered more arbitrarily.

Next we’ll look at Starters, but specifically those that have been tied to a set release. In most cases, starting from the Fantastic Four starter which is considered part of Secret Invasion, these starters contain 6 or 7 characters, a double-sided map, objects, a PAC, and a Rulebook. The figures are usually numbered starting with 101 and going through 107 (or less) and share the same set icon with the set they are attached to. With Lord of the Rings, the starter numbers started at 201 instead, and the set had 8 figures as well as a multitude of Horde tokens and extra maps. The models in these sets may or may not show up in the set, but the dials are always different if they do.

The big exception to this rule is the Avengers Movie Starter which shares more with the Fast Force model than it does with the Starter model. So what’s the difference with the Fast Force model? First, a Fast Force does not come with a PAC or Rulebook. Second, the set icon is a modified version of the original set icon having a 6 superimposed around the original icon, and restarting the numbering a 001-006. The models in this set are ALWAYS found in some form in the original set that the new figures are based on. However, again they have different dials to work with. These sets are generally designed to play very well within themselves straight out of the box. They usually have point totals in 25 point increments that allow for ease of team building, some with multiple start lines to allow for more flexibility within the set for team building.

On to the Counter Top Display (CTD) model, which actually comes in at least 3 flavors (that I can think of)? The first is the Primer set. The Primer sets have become the official “preview” set for a major release. These sets are usually numbered 201-210 and share the same set icon with the set that they’re promoting. These sets usually highlight models of 10 popular characters within the set, and give alternate dials for each. Although in the most recent Chaos War primer, we actually got 3 characters that were variations (to the point of almost being like LEs of old) on characters in the set. Ultron doesn’t show up in the regular Chaos War set although the model does show up as one of his Drones. Vision (Jonas of the Young Avengers) could be considered a different character from the more traditional vision that shows up in the regular set. And Masque is a clone of Madam Masque that joined and sacrificed herself to save the Avengers, so she is in essence a different character as well. These sets have 10 figures with a flat rarity, so if you buy a CTD (which come 2 to a case) you will usually pull 2 full sets and 4 extra duplicates that usually are of 4 different characters. These sets are also wrapped in mini-bricks of 6 characters where all 6 characters are usually different. In theory you could get a full set with 2 extra figures from the purchase of 2 mini-bricks, but more than likely you’ll end up with 9 of the 10 and 3 dups, which leads most players to split a display with a friend, so that they can trade to each receive their full set.

The second type of CTD are the Micro-Set releases like Street Fighter, Lord of the Rings, or The Dark Knight Rises that have between 20 and 30 characters with Rarities. Again these CTDs have 24 single-figure boosters wrapped in 4 mini-bricks of 6 boosters a piece (Street Fighter being the exception). In the mini-bricks you will usually pull 1 Rare (or Chase), 2 Uncommons, and 3 Commons (in Lord of the Rings 1 of every 4 mini-bricks lacked the Rare/Chase and instead had an additional Uncommon). With these sets I believe that you’re only “guaranteed” a CUR set if you buy both CTDs in a single case, and even then, I’ve never tried the theory myself. That said, you usually do quite well on buying 1 CTD, as you usually don’t pull many duplicates from a single display. I think I generally average around 3 dups when I buy one, although I’ve heard that The Dark Knight Rises was harsher. Like the Traditional Sets, these releases are usually numbered 001 to 030 (or less).

The third type of CTD are the Team Booster sets. Like the Super Booster sets for the Traditional releases, these sets have an additional larger booster packed in the brick. Unlike the Super Booster sets, this booster does not replace what would normally be pulled in a brick. In this configuration you still receive 6 single-figure boosters in addition to a Team Booster, which contains 3 figures of a given team packed together and ready to play. You’ll still usually pull 1 Rare (or Chase), 2 Uncommons, 3 Commons, and 3 Super Rares (at least that’s the tab color that they picked) which represent your team figures. So far we’ve only gotten the Avengers Movie set in this format, but personally I did quite well with my display, only missing 2 characters (1 Uncommon [Hulk] and 1 Rare [Iron Man]) from the CUR part of the set. Of course I also got lucky and pulled the two team packs I missed with the only other 2 I purchased. With these sets the numbering for the Team Pack figures were a continuation of the regular set.

The last distribution type to cover is the Gravity Feed. These seem to be the most headache inducing of the distribution models, and part of that seems to be because WizKids hasn’t seemed to nail down a formula on these. Every time we think we have it figured out, WizKids does something different with it. This product is USUALLY a box that randomly shows up at Mass Market outlets like Target with no really set release date, and no good information on when or if they’ll actually be there. The displays can either be a 24 count or a 30 count box, and will usually be figures numbered 201 to 210. Like with the Primer CTD, if it’s a 24 count box, and if there are not chase figures, you can expect to get 2 sets of 10, and an additional 4 figures that usually don’t match each other, if you find a virgin box. That said, finding a virgin box is becoming increasingly difficult. Originally these figures showed up in single-figure boxes that some unscrupulous players would peak in and generally destroy if allowed. Then the Avengers Movie Set hit, with the Chase Loki, in those easy to peak boxes, and in a display of 30 figures, which would net you 2 sets, a Loki, and 9 extras if you could even find a virgin box anywhere. Now they’ve at least shifted these figures to foil packs so they’re harder to peak into, and more obvious if a player has. It doesn’t seem to have stopped the problem, but it’s at least a good show of effort on WizKids part. For these reasons, the Mass Market sets are the hardest 10 (or 11) figures to collect. And the real shame of it is that I really don’t think these products are opening the market to any new players (as WizKids would suggest they’re supposed to do). Instead they just frustrate the regular players that would gladly buy these items if they were more readily available.

Sorry to get off on such a tangent there. Anyway, I believe that covers most if not all of the distribution models on could run into with purchasable products. If you’ve read this article and still have questions (or notices something I missed) please feel free to include them in the comments.