Who would have thought that a Clix figure I got for free from another player would later prove to be one of my favorites? Yet that is exactly what happened in the case of the Veteran version of Shi; I didn’t know it when the fellow player gave her to me, but she’d become invaluable to my teams.

Veteran Shi, #060 out of Indy. Image credit: HCRealms.com

With Stealth, Blades, and Super Senses for most of her dial, Vet Shi caught my attention from the beginning. I already knew, though I was still a very new Clix player, that I liked the combo of Stealth/Blades, and I could appreciate the value of Super Senses added to that combo. Her 11 attack and 3 damage only sweetened the deal; I had seen how rare such high values were in pieces under 50 points.

However, in my excitement over her high attack and power combination, I completely neglected to notice that she was also given an 8 range. I played her as a solely close-combat piece for months, until one of my opponents in a casual game asked me “Why haven’t you shot my guy with Shi yet?” I told him she couldn’t, and he answered, surprised, “Why not? She’s got 8 range!”

Indeed she did. In an instant, Shi’s versatility was newly revealed to me, and I began playing her like the Swiss Army knife she is. Her Stealth was no longer just protection for close-combat attacks, but for staying at range as well. And the Blades combined with the 3 damage suddenly made sense; Blades was for close combat attacks, if you so chose, but the 3 damage was for penetrating through even Impervious and Invulnerability at range.

The team ability of Crusades, meaning that a successful attack roll of doubles deals knockback to its target as well, is actually just more icing on top of an already awesome cake. She’s a consistent figure, keeping most of her powers until next-to-last click, and even her low defense values serve a purpose: she’s easy to heal even for Rookie Paramedics. Pair this with two very strong generic keywords (Martial Artist and Warrior), and you have an amazing Indy figure for the low, low price of 47 points.

Esteeming this figure as high as I do, it’s no wonder that I have not one but two Vet Shis in my current collection. When you need a Clix piece to pinch-hit for either the close-combat or range team, Shi can do it–and it’s twice the fun when one is throwing her sword and the other is slashing with it!