Given that DC 75th Anniversary gives us new versions of the Green Lantern Corp, while there are still versions of them in Modern Age, I thought it would be worthwhile comparing the available options for the characters.
So, let's start with the greatest Green Lantern of them all:-
Sinestro
Crisis gave us Sinestro at Super-rare. DC75th gave us Sinestro at Super-rare. This means that within their respective sets they were both as easy to get hold of.
A consideration now if you wish to obtain these figures is that while one is in boosters currently available in stores, the other hasn't been in print since 2008. This can potentially make him harder to get. Especially as he is a popular character who will be starring in a film later this year (with Ryan Renolds playing his sidekick :p)
Both figures are ranked as Veteran. The Crisis version seens to represent Sinestro as leader of the Sinestro Corps, while the DC75th version has power names that focus specifically on the war with Mongul over leadership of the Sinestro Corps.
This gives neither an edge in themery as they aren't that far apart in time. It's probably a sympton of how much has happened involving the Lanterns in the 2 years between the sets. It's hard once you have declared one version to be Veteran, as subsequent figures either have to represent earlier versions of the character or also be Veteran.
This only denotes two important things about the pair. You can run multiples of either figure, and you can't run them in Rookie-only tournaments.
Both figures have the following Keywords; Ruler and Sinestro Corps. The Crisis version is slightly better by having the Green Lantern Corps keyword. This gives him a wider selection of figures he can theme with. Flavour-wise, it also allows you to pretend he is a much earlier version of Sinestro running him with Hal Jordan in Modern Age. That's quite and edge for that version, especially with the next consideration.
Crisis Sinestro is 146 points. DC75th Sinestro is 224.
Combined with the extra keyword, this makes the Crisis version easier to fit into teams and have them be thematic, especially at lower point versions. Meanwhile the DC75th version is closer to being a one man army in 300 points. However, costing 78 points more should make him more powerful. Not sure how much of a differance that will make, as the Crisis version can bring mor friends to the fight.
Both figures are Fliers with otherwise standard combat symbols and one lightning bolt. Both have an edge over the other though.
Crisis Sinestro has 10 range to his counterpart's 8. Meaning in a static ranged fight, he can strike with less risk of retaliation.
However, DC75th Sinestro has a trait;
The Antagonist Sinestro can use Perplex, but only to modify a defense value by -2.
This effectively gives him a plus 2 attack that he can grant to other models. This is more flexible than it sounds. If he needs to hit, he probably will. If another figure needs to hit (for Incapacitate or Mind Control) or while he is resting, then the opposing figure is in trouble. If a friendly figure needs Support used on them, he gives the medic an easier time. This is pretty strong, especially when you start looking at his stats.
It also makes you less likely to need Probability Control, a consideration when building teams with him and allows you to save theme re-rolls of defense.
Starting click wise, DC7th Sinestro is a beast. Move 12 Phasing/Teleport, Attack 12 Penetrating/Psychic Blast (The Golden Light Of Terror, remember this can be effectively 14!!), Defense 18 Toughness (Yellow Aura) and Damage 4 Leadership (The Sinestro Corps Is Still Mine).
Leadership on a figure of his cost isn't entirely useful, but is there for flavour and Golden Age Feat Cards. The lack of move and attack and the low soak can be problematic if you aren't careful with positioning. If he gets the first strike though, he will devastate the target. 14 attack and 4 damage isn't something most figures can shrug off.
Crisis Sinestro is no slouch either. Move 10 Phasing/Teleport and Running Shot (In Blackest Day), Attack 10 Energy Explosion, Penetrating/Psychic Blast and Telekinesis (In Brightest Night), Defense 18 Toughness and Damage 3 Perplex.
He brings a lot of flexabilty for his points, being able to move others, strike hard or damage grouped swarms. He can also increase his attack or damage if needed or defense if he is mis-positioned. This doesn't entirely negate his low soak though. However, he does have the option of move and ranged attack. This makes him more likely than his counterpart to get in the first hit, and from quite a distance as well.
DC75th Sinestro picks up Running Shot (I Don't Have Time To Waste On You) mid-dial before switching back to Phasing/Teleport. His move stays pretty high to, slowly dropping through 11 and 10 to reach 9 on the final click.
He has 4 clicks of Penetrating/Psychic Blast with the final one being a 10 (or 12 if you want!) after a bare click he gains Blades/Claws/Fangs (Spiked Mace) though on the second click of that he finally drops to 9 (11!). Finally, his last 2 clicks go back to Penetrating/Psychic Blast.
After his click of Toughness he gains Impervious (Fear Barrier) which is well worth pushing onto, as he only loses a point of attack during the transition. 3 clicks of this are followed by 2 clicks of Invulnerability before ending on Toughness. His defense is mostly 17, except for the last click of Impervious and his final click, which are both 16.
After his first 2 clicks, he drops the Leadership and from the 4th he has Outwit (Do You Think Me A Fool, Mongul?). His last four introduce a special power;
Paralyzing Fear Sinestro can use Willpower. Whenever an opposing character takes damage from Sinestro's attack, you may give that character an action token after actions resolve.
This is acompanied by a 3 and three 2s. Not high values but they combine with Blades and Psychic Blast. Giving him this means he wont push to death and allows him to deal out action tokens to those he is fighting, minimizing retaliation.
Finally, he can benefit from the Yellow Lantern special object on 6 of his 9 clicks, making it worth the extra 5 points if you can keep near it.
Crisis Sinestro drops to Phasing/Teleport after 2 clicks before ending on 3 click of Charge. The values aren't bad, mostly being 8 before a final click of 6.
Mid-dial he switched to the attack power Pulse Wave (Beware Your Fears Made Into Light) before backing up his Charge clicks with Poison (Burn Like My Power). That makes for quite the combination in late game close combat. His values slowly drop before an upsurge on the last two clicks, where it goes back to 9.
Two clicks of Toughness give way to a combination special power of Energy Shield/Deflection, Toughness and Willpower, letting him act more often and be harder to shoot while he is staying at range. However his defense steadily drops going all the way down to 14 :( His close combat clicks are back to Toughness but with a 15 and two 14s he better hope to not fight anyone too strong.
On his second damage click, Sinestro switches to Outwit, then back to Perplex before dropping to 2 damage and 3 clicks of;
Sinestro's Might! Sinestro can use Energy Explosion and Ranged Combat Expert. When Sinestro uses Energy Explosion, damage dealt is penetrating damage.
This gives him great ranged capability and allows him to damage Mastermind swarms greatly. His last 2 close combat clicks swing back to damage 3 and have Exploit Weakness. This means he is quite a threat on those last two clicks, despite the 14 defense.
Finally, he can benefit from the Yellow Lantern special object on 5 of his 7 clicks, making it worth the extra 5 points if you can keep near it.
This also means that DC75th Sinestro has two extra clicks of life over his counterpart. That and the greater defense values gives him more survivabilty, which you would hope for the extra 78 points.
In summary, I'd rather run DC75th Sinestro unless skimping on points or looking at a Green Lantern Corps theme team. While simply being an attacker rather than having the the flexability of the Crisis version, he is such a great attacker. So in the abstract, he wins hands-down.
However, there is a caevet to this. In a 300 point team, he is pretty much the team, and I do not like fielding tentpoles. It's a rule I pretty much only break for Thanos, reserving such figures for larger games. Therefore I suspect I am more likely to get use out of the Crisis version, especially when trying to squeeze in as many Sinestro Corps memebers as possible. The difference in points allows me to field Lyssa Drak and still find another figure for the team.
Still, DC75th Sinestro is such a beast, and has a fantastic sculpt..... Might have to try and use him at some point anyway :)
Next time I'll compare another Antagonist, the third Green Lantern of Sector 2814.
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