Skylanders Imaginators Research: Starcast, Dark Element Ninja (Unboxing, Intro, & Upgrades)

Starcast Attack Damage Numbers

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Skylanders Imaginators Research - Upgrade Pricing

Hammer Slam Bowser Upgrades & Attack Damage Numbers

Skylanders SuperChargers Research - Hammer Slam Bowser

So, my first full Upgrade Set on the Nintendo Wii U was of course, Bowser.  We took Hammer Slam Bowser down Koopa Commander and Dark Hammer Slam Bowser down the Molten Monstrosity Upgrade Path.  Since they are special, we went ahead and logged SuperCharged Attack Damage as well.

However, that is where the item of interest emerges!  Did you know that SuperCharged DARK Bowser (and DK) does slightly more damage than SuperCharged REGULAR Bowser, despite doing the same Attack Damage in non-SuperCharged form?

I will get the spreadsheet and final video up later tonight, but check the vids for reference...Interesting stuff!

Hammer Slam Bowser Base Upgrades:

Dark Hammer Slam Bowser Base Upgrades with SuperCharged Attack Damage:

Hammer Slam Bowser Koopa Commander Upgrade Path:

Dark Hammer Slam Bowser Molten Monstrosity Upgrade Path:
Video Releasing Soon

Attack Damage Spreadsheet

^Coming Soon

Skylanders Research: Elite Whirlwind Upgrade Paths & Attack Damage Numbers

Elite Whirlwind Base Upgrades

Elite Whirlwind Ultimate Rainbower Upgrade Path

Elite Whirlwind Tempest Dragon Upgrade Path

Elite Whirlwind Attack Damage Numbers

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Skylanders Research: Eon's Elite Gill Grunt Upgrade Paths and Attack Damage Numbers

Elite Gill Grunt Base Upgrades

Elite Gill Grunt Harpooner Upgrade Path

Elite Gill Grunt Water Weaver Upgrade Path

Elite Gill Grunt Attack Damage Numbers

Skylanders Research: Eon's Elite Eruptor Upgrade Paths and Attack Damage Numbers

Elite Eruptor Base Upgrades

Elite Eruptor Magmantor Upgrade Path

Elite Eruptor Volcanor Upgrade Path

Elite Eruptor Attack Damage Numbers

Skylanders Trap Team Research: Enigma Upgrade Paths and Attack Damage Numbers

Enigma Base Upgrades

Enigma Chief of Staff

Enigma Invisible Invader

Enigma Attack Damage Numbers

Skylanders Trap Team Research: Flip Wreck Upgrades and Attack Damage Numbers

Flip Wreck Base Upgrades

Flip Wreck Sword Specialist Upgrade Path

Flip Wreck Fish Commander Upgrade Path

Flip Wreck Attack Damage Numbers

Skylanders Trap Team Research: Fling Kong Upgrades and Attack Damage

Fling Kong Base Upgrades

Fling Kong Disc Jockey Upgrade Path

Fling Kong Carpet Captain Upgrade Path

Fling Kong Attack Damage Numbers

Skylanders Trap Team Wave 5 Introductions: Enigma, Fling Kong, and Flip Wreck

Skylanders Trap Team Introduction #58 Enigma

Skylanders Trap Team Introduction #59 Fling Kong

Skylanders Trap Team Introduction #60 Flip Wreck

Skylanders Research: Wallop Upgrades and Attack Damage Numbers

Wallop Base Upgrades

Wallop Tantrum Thrower Upgrade Path

Wallop Hammer Handler Upgrade Path

Wallop Attack Damage Numbers

Conclusion

I opted not to write out my usual detailed analysis for several reasons.  First off, I am super tired,  Second, I'm not sure who all takes the time to read them (now is a great time to comment if you do, or if you prefer the write-ups OVER the videos).  And lastly and most importantly, Wallop's upgrades are just really, really straight forward.

I will offer my personal opinion though....Tantrum Thrower is in my opinion the better path.  The damage numbers are better and the fact that they occur in such rapid succession makes it a no brainer.  Toss in (ha, literally toss in) the Soul Gem and how it upgrades the Hammer Toss that is addressed by Hammer Handler and all the stars align to take Tantrum Thrower.  It is simple, plays easy, and will be an asset to both veterans and rookie players.

The only real reason to take Hammer Handler is if you either A-love the Hammer Toss (or equally hate the base hammer attack), or B-prefer long range combat.  Obviously, this path is geared to keeping a long range, at least if you play the path to it's full potential.  However, what I have seen in Trap Team rarely lends you to a true "distance" battle.  You almost always have multiple enemies at varying distances.  The other weakness with this path is that Wallop is simply not quick enough to retreat from said enemies to re-establish the path's benefits.  It seems to always evolve into a scenario where Tantrum Thrower would be your best option.

Skylanders Research: Fist Bump Upgrades and Attack Damage Numbers

Fist Bump seems to fly under everyone’s radar, and after upgrading him I have no clue why there hasn’t been more chatter about him!  Great story, unique abilities, and an awesome upgrade tree!

Box Stock

Fist Bump is one of those classic, “Eh, not that great” characters box stock.  While I appreciate the proficiency of the primary attack and found a nice tie in with the primary and secondary, most seem to see the numbers and be unimpressed.  The Panda Pound does 50-75 and the Fault Line Slam deals 32-48 when up close on impact, or 35-52 from a distance with a nice 44-66 uprising when a fault line is hit with Panda Pound.  However, it is important to note Fist Bump has a nice jump slam attack from the get-go with a 175-262 hit!  There is also a 1-2-3 Combo that deals 50-75, 50-75, 140-210 you have to factor in…Since a lot of people overlook the jump slams and combos, it is very important to make note of them.

Base Upgrades

Seismic Slide is the tertiary attack and it deals 72-108 on impact and actually generates a fault line…The fault line remains the same as the standard secondary attack and will deal 44-66.  Panquake is up next and while it keeps the Panda Pound at 50-75, it also makes mini fault cracks that come in handy later.  If you jump attack it, you now create instant fault lines to go with the powerful 175-262.  Hold the Line simply extends the reach of the fault lines, which is always nice.  Don’t Bump Fist Bump is almost like armor, but falls more in the self-defense field.  When you are hit by an enemy and have fault lines on the field you will see the faults are triggered and generate the 44-66 uprising damage.

Rowdy Richter Upgrade Path

This is a pretty solid path, particularly because of A Bolder Boulder (doesn’t that sound like a Rocky Roll Upgrade?).  Fault Lines in Glass Houses adds small stones that can shoot up from pounded fault lines…they are more visual than anything as they only deal 10-15 damage.  Quake’N’Bake is a two-fold increase of the standard fault line.  The usual 35-52 impact damage is now 49-73 and the 44-66 uprise damage is bumped to a very nice 62-93.  A Bolder Boulder wraps up the path and it interjects the possibility of having a spiked boulder.  You still have the small stones that deal 10-15 damage, but every 4-6 small stones you will see one of the spiked boulders…the spiked boulders do an incredible 100-150!  It is also worth noting that this looks really cool…The most functional way I saw to play this path was to fire off a few fault lines and then start Panquake.  In addition to getting the 62-93 from the risers and additional damage from the small stones and spiked boulders, if an enemies are left after the fault lines expire you can keep spamming Panquake and take advantage of the small fault cracks generating the stones and spiked boulders…You will miss out on the uprising damage, but that is easy to offset with a moderate ground pound coupled with the stone projectiles.

Bamboo Bonanza Upgrade Path

Man, what a path!  I had the pre-drawn conclusion that Rowdy Richter would be the hard hitting path and was simply holding hope that the bamboo explosions did more than 16 damage and the health regen was more than +5 at a time…Both fears were put to rest!  Healing Bamboo is up first and it spawns within fault lines you create…The bamboo deals a very respectable +15 Health!  The game stays you have to “slide into it” which would imply the tertiary attack, Seismic Slide must be used but that is no the case.  You can simply walk into it, or I found that often times the bamboo spawns so close to you, you just auto absorb the health increase!  Sliding into it is advantageous though as it will generate even more fault lines with bamboo!  So what if you are at full health, or need the damage output more than gaining a little back?  Well, Bamboo Harvest takes that into consideration.  If you have created a few fault lines and have bamboo all across the screen, you can do your jump slam attack and create bamboo explosions to the tune of 80-120 damage with each go around!  Lastly, “Jump For It!” makes the jump slam attack much quicker and generates 2 fault lines, which yes…have bamboo!!  Overall this is an awesome combination of offense and defense and a path I can’t help but prefer!

Soul Gem

Riding the Rails transforms Fist Bump into quite the juggernaut.  It is quite possible you could take out hordes of garden variety enemies like Chompies and some mid-tier enemies without actually doing anything aside from moving!  You might think that this Soul Gem would suit Rowdy Richter better, but I would gladly debate that.  While Rowdy Richter will get more results from the uprisings and stones and boulders launching, Bamboo Bonanza lets you cash in on +15 Health, or great access to ready made bamboo to detonate with an Air Panda Pound!  The Soul Gem plays beautifully into either path and truly does make Fist Bump a force to be reckoned with!

Attack Damage

Conclusion

Fist Bump upgrades very well down either path.  Personally, I would have to rate Bamboo Bonanza as the better option.  Rowdy Richter is great for those who want to spam the primary attack, or simply approach enemies with a base skill (Seismic Slide or firing off a few fault lines) and the revert back to the tandem compatibility of using Panda Pound.  The spiked boulders are lethal and you can make quite a dent on most enemies before they are up close for melee combat.  Bamboo Bonanza really isn’t that far behind Rowdy Richter’s damage output and offers health regeneration!  The versatility of Bamboo Harvest, which lets you blow up the bamboo if it will better function in that manner than in regenerative fashion really seals the deal.  Having the jump slam sped up and spawning fault lines with bamboo encourages you to utilize Fist Bump’s most powerful attack AND make use of his tertiary attack for quick recovery.  It is one of the better paths I have seen in Trap Team and I truly believe he is in the running for being the most versatile of all the core Skylanders in this game!

Skylanders Trap Team Research: Gusto Upgrades and Attack Damage Numbers

I have never really heard much chatter about Gusto, aside from people saying they don’t like him…I have used him a lot in my blind playthrough and actually really like him.  Then again, I tend to be both a boomerang and weather fan, so maybe that has something to do with it.

Box Stock

Gusto’s primary attack, Traptanium Boomerang, is straight forward and simple.  It deals 80-120 2-3x.  If you tap the primary attack button while it is out, the boomerang will return quicker.  Inhaler is his secondary attack.  It allows you to inhale enemies (16-24 damage) and then spit them out.  Your impact exhale does one instance of 64-96 and if you hold it down, you can deal 16-24 multiple times over about 8 seconds, which is also how long you can hold inhale.  They combine for a good tandem in my opinion and each one has pretty good range.

Base Upgrades

 The Breath of Life seems more like a Soul Gem to me.  It allows you to inhale enemies AND gain HP.  However, it is the amount of HP you gain that strikes me as “soul gem” territory.  I expected 3-8 to the range, and was shocked to see +20!  That means 5 enemies can regen 100 Health!  Nothing to argue about with this being our first base upgrade!  Twistin’ in the Wind is Gusto’s tertiary attack.  You can press, or hold the button and do 2 or 3 counts of 33-49 respectively.  This is a cool move just because of how fun it looks.  Electro-Rang is up next and it really delivers.  This is a progressive, charged attack.  You have three tiers of damage based on the hold time: 1 Second=104-156, 2 Seconds=136-204, and 3 Seconds=200-300!  That is a lot of damage!  Plus, if you have to stop short of a full 3 seconds, you’ll still deal damage greater than the original 80-120.  Lots of Lungpower is hard to document as I saw no change in the inhale damage, exhale damage, or duration of inhale and exhale.  That said, I assume you can simply hold more enemies, which might come in handy when you spit them out.

Air Ace

Gusto’s Air Ace Upgrade Path addresses the Traptanium Boomerang.  Boom-erang is a three-fold enhancement!  The regular boomerang throw goes from 80-120 to 100-150.  The Electro-Rang also sees increases across all three tiers: 1 Second=130-195, 2 Seconds=170-255, 3 Seconds=250-375.  Lastly, and not advertised or mentioned is the fact that our tertiary attack, Twistin’ In the Wind, will now deal 66-99!  This is a really big deal because the 33-49 doesn’t even change on Dizzy Destroyer, a path dedicated to the tertiary attack!  Next up we have Rang Me Like a Hurricane.  Anytime the boomerang hits an enemy, it will spawn a mini hurricane that lasts about 8 seconds and does 15-22 damage.  Boomerang Buddies finishes the path off and allows you to have up to 3 orbiting Boomerangs that act as a shield.  They deal 10-15 damage and run for 25 seconds each if they take no damage.  If you have  3 active and trigger a 4^th, the previous three will shoot out in all directions.  Sadly, there is no “boom” factor, but they will still do the same 10-15 as when they orbit you.

Dizzy Destroyer

This path focuses entirely on the tertiary attack Twistin’ In the Wind.  Spin Like the Wind takes the short life cycle of Twistin ‘ in the Wind and ups it to 8 seconds.  Furthermore, when you hit enemies, you now spawn mini hurricanes.  Just like in Air Ace they seem to last about 8 seconds and deal 15-22 damage.  They move very quickly, but also erratically.  Shocking Twist lets you shock enemies.  Shockingly (pun not intended) this seems to not register any additional damage, but looks to slow enemies down a little bit.  Oddly enough, the base attack is still doing 33-49 like when we first got it.  Lightning Ball is really the highlight of this path.  You now instantaneously turn into the Lightning Ball and have a run time of 11 seconds.  In this state you can move very fast!  You do the same 33-49 damage, but the lightning ball will trigger electrocution and hurricanes as you roll thru enemies.

Soul Gem

Boomerang’s 4 Breakfast seemed like it would favor Air Ace, but that was not the case.  Both paths do the same damage with this Soul Gem.  In order to execute it you need to throw the boomerang and then inhale it.  You will know this happens when you don’t see your boomerang and Gusto’s belly is swollen.  Upon exhale, the boomerang registers a hit of 160-240 and then lets you hold exhale for a familiar 8 seconds, but at a greater damage rate of 64-96!

Gusto Attack Damage (Click to Enlarge)

Conclusion

I am not quite sure why more people don’t seem to talk about Gusto, but I suppose that is the fate of a few characters each game.  Dizzy Destroyer is unique and a lot of fun.  You can obliterate groups of weaker enemies and seriously weaken heavier hitting foes.  Once your times is up, you just head back into it.  There is no reason to NOT be in Lightning Ball if you select this path.  The only exception would be if you are critically low on health and need to regen some HP via Inhale.  This is the path for you if you like speed, simplicity, and/or don’t see yourself using the boomerang or inhale much.  Air Ace is the path to take if you are a boomerang fan, or enjoy the spectacle that is inhaling and spitting out your opponents.  I personally prefer Air Ace and not just because I like the boomerang.  Air Ace offers nice damage, a defensive ability, and actually increases the tertiary attack’s damage numbers!  It is mind boggling that Dizzy Destroyer maintains the same 33-49 the entire path for the one attack it is focused on!  I think Lightning Ball is great, but wouldn’t you like it better if you were doing 60-90 damage?  I also find it somewhat odd that the electrocution doesn’t do damage over time to enemies.  I see a lot of potential for Dizzy Destroyer and feel like it was cut short on that front.  I will continue to maintain that you can wreck a lot of enemies with Lightning Ball, but for something the encourages you to use 1 attack exclusively, I would have expected something more in terms of a damage count exceeding the debut numbers in our base upgrades.  That said, I would overall recommend Air Ace, but if you love the look of Lightning Ball, or just don’t like the primary/secondary (or feel that they are good as is), then you will not be disappointed with Dizzy Destroyer.  I can’t stress enough I like the path, but I find it very odd that the 33-49 perpetuated thru all the upgrades and electrocution was so lackluster.  As nit-picky as that sounds, I played around with both Gusto’s after the upgrades and took Dizzy Destroyer up a few levels just rolling thru enemies, lol.  I’d l just prefer to do so at a higher damage number.

Skylanders Trap Team: Bat Spin Upgrades and Attack Damage Numbers

Bat Spin has a nice combination of box stock attacks.  Bat Attack works two fold in that you shoot out a bat that does 39-58 on impact and then deals an additional 8-12 damage with subsequent bites.  The life span is roughly 8 seconds at this point in time.  The only weakness here is that a maximum number of “additional hits” are hard to come by since the bats are somewhat relaxed and won’t always seek out the enemy with great effort.  Bat Swarm summons bats and sends them in a swirl that quickly shrinks down.  If you stand at a point blank range, the bats will do 60-90 on impact for roughly 6 hits.

Base Attacks

Bat Spin boasts some very balanced base upgrades.  Healing Bite offers up the classic Undead Element way of gaining health.  If Bat Spin shoots out a bat with Bat Attack they do 39-58 as mentioned above.  At this point in time, they can not grant you health.  However, once they have “bit” an enemy (see the 8-12 additional damage) they grant you +3 Health.  As best I can tell, each subsequent bite delivers an additional +3.  It is very unlikely to get more than +6 from a single bat at this point in time given how lax they are around enemies.  Nonetheless, you can’t  argue with what is essentially a semi-automatic health regeneration!  Next up is Brawny Bats.  This upgrade is multifaceted.  First off, the life cycle of a bat from Bat Attack doubles from 8 to 16 seconds.  The 39-58 impact remains the same, but now the 8-12 after the hit bite clocks in at 16-24, which again is double the previous output.  Another key aspect here is that Bat Swarm bumps up from 60-90 to 78-117.  In this form you can see your +3 move on to +12s and even +15 if you get lucky.  I do believe this remains proportional to the number of times the bat has attacked and dealt damage..Case in point, grab a bat right after the first bite and you’ll get +3.  Go Batty! Is up next and it is a very unique upgrade, and quite formidable!  This is Bat Spin’s tertiary attack and it transforms her ghoulish self into a large, flying bat.  She can stay in this form indefinitely.  If you execute a primary attack in Go Batty, she will bite.  This deals a devastating 150-225!  A hit of the secondary attack button while in Go Batty and you deliver 56-84 3x via Screech.  Lastly, A Colony of Bats seems to let you have 8 or so bats active at once…obviously, this is advantageous in any situation.

Pet Purveyor

This path strikes me as more of a “hands off” approach.  If you are of the mindset that you’d rather sit back and only contest enemies when you must, or like to play very defensively, this path is for you.  I found it extremely hard to document, and thus fully appreciate.  The vague descriptions and lack of first hand scenarios matching them do not do much to bolster this path.  Essentially you add 3 special bats which are always active.  Mr. Dizzy stuns and confuses enemies.  I never really saw this happen in my limited attempts, but that also means it would be just as hard to appreciate over a longer interval.  I have faith it works, but I didn’t see any glaring instances where I found myself cheering for Mr. Dizzy.  Mr. Blocky is said to protect you by deflecting projectiles.  I saw the armor icon a few times, but nothing to get excited about.  Mr. Bitey was actually quantitative.  If you see a 75-112 on screen you can trace down Mr. Bitey and watch him rip off further instances of the numbers.  I think, despite how hard it is to tell what the path is really doing, and how well it is working, that you would have a pretty solid character with this path.  I’m also fairly certain there are certain locations this path would show much better than it did in the video.  However, I do haveideas to make this path significantly better.  I am fine with the bats being present as it is unique and reflective of the level of upgrades your Bat Spin has.  However, let’s make Mr. Dizzy generate +x Critical Hit.  Mr. Blocky would, of course, grant +40 Armor.  Mr. Bitey could maintain his 75-112, but what if that also applied (in the same, or a lesser degree) to your Bat Attack bats?  Maybe making the 39-58 a 45-67 and then additional damage coming by way of 32-48 bites and intervals of +4 Health.  That sounds really good to me…quantitative and functional!

Bat Betterment

This path upgrade the previously untouched bat form attacks that came with Go Batty!.  Bat-tle Cry takes the Screech from 56-84 all the way up to 84-126!  Furthermore, if you screech at bats from bat attack they know deal 32-48 when they bit enemies.  Ultimate Bat Squad, as best I can tell lets 8 bats fly with you…If you get in good space, this actually looks really cool.  Plus, if you are about to enter a hot bed of enemies, you can simply bring in a full arsenal of bats, screech at them, and then fly into battle!  Chiropteran Call keeps the bat form bite at 150-225, but shoots out 3 bats at once!  This is a big deal because these are the same bats you get from Bat Attack.  So essentially you do 150-225 from the bite and then immediately have 39-58 3x for the bats AND after that they are free to fly around biting enemies to deal 16-24, or 32-48 if you screech at them.  That damage adds up very quickly!  The biggest advantage though is that you can now stay in bat mode and get bats…previously we had to switch back to regular form and fire them off via Bat Attack.

Soul Gem

Great Balls of Bats!  Looks like the greatest upgrade of all time in the training grounds.  It deals 156-234 damage.  However, if you hold it (charges roughly 2-3 seconds) you can keep it active and deal 156-234 endlessly at extremely fast intervals.  Sadly, this only works at the training grounds…in a gameplay situation, Bat Spin can hold it, but the ball shoots of quickly.  It does pass through enemies so it can sometimes dish out a few counts of 156-234, but more often than not it will only do so one time.  That said, I fully recommend you try it out at the training grounds!

Bat Spin Attack Damage Numbers

Conclusion

Bat Spin is a very solid character.  I think you can do well with either path, but I find it difficult to fully appreciate the Pet Purveyor path, especially when I can see and document exactly what Bat Betterment offers.  Clearly, these paths are both unique, but are spectrums apart in terms of style.  If you hate her bat form via Go Batty!, you will want to stay away from it.  In my opinion, Bat Betterment is more  of a “get in there and fight” type of a path while Pet Purveyor rewards you more for standing back and letting the bats do more of the grunt work.  You could easily argue that Go Batty!, is strong enough on its’ own merits to warrant taking Pet Purveyor.   You could also argue that the gains from Bat Betterment outweigh Pet Purveyor’s vague nature.  I think most will select the path based on their play style.  Despite not seeing much from Pet Purveyor, I still think it has potential, but for me personally I would pick Bat Betterment and I fully recommend it.

Skylanders Trap Team: Spotlight Upgrade Paths and Attack Damage Numbers

Spotlight has two solid base attacks.  Eye Beams clocks in at 60-90, but can be shot perpetually.  She also has freedom of movement while you spam the attack, but it is of course a bit slower than usual.  Halo Rings deal 50-75 on Impact and collision with enemies if used as a shield.  You can also reflect Eye Beams off of them, but the damage stays the same at 60-90.

Base Upgrades

Bright Eyes moves Eye Beams from 60-90 all the way up to 85-127, a very significant jump in my opinion.  Heavenly Aura is her tertiary attack and it creates an effective spectacle.  While shooting one out is cool to look at it, it lasts roughly 8 seconds and deals 45-67 10x if it is shot spot on an enemy.  The Halo Effect offers no damage increase, but when an enemy is hit with a halo and survives the attack they will wind up sporting it and moving a lot slower.  Hello Halo finishes off the base upgrades allowing you to have 4 Halos active at once, which comes in handy with both paths.

Visionary

This is a great path that is focused primarily on Spotlight’s Eye Beams attack.  Aura Charge couples the tertiary and primary and produces lethal attack damage numbers to the tune of 180-270 when the Heavenly Aura is shot with Eye Beams.  Light it Up knocks the base attack up even higher on the damage scale moving it from 85-127 all the way up to 120-180!  Bling is perhaps the least productive on the path, but it allows you to throw 2 Halos at once, thus quickly taking advantage of Hello Halo.  The cool part of this is that the damage moves from 50-75 to 60-90, nowhere near our other upgrades, but still significant enough to note.

The Ringer

This is also a good path.  I would consider it a bit defensive as the combined effect of Heavy Halo and Ring Shot allow you to take it easy and really orchestrate your offensive.  Heavy Halo is a significant upgrade to Halo Rings effectively doubling the damage output from 50-75 to 100-150!  You have to remember that in addition to doing damage on impact, enemies who pursue you and run into the Halos will take the same damage!  Ring Shot lets the Halos shoot their own lasers.  I was banking on this being good and not some cheesy 5-8, or 10-15; I was not disappointed.  While I expected a solid laser like Eye Beams, the Halos essentially fire off singular pulses as they rotate.  The best part isn’t the 360 degree attack pattern, but rather the fact they do 127-190 damage!  Uplifting Experience wraps the path up and allows you to capture bad guys via The Halo Effect and then get them in a Heavenly Aura for a skycapade.  The enemies are moved upward until they hit the peak and take 60-90 damage!  It isn’t as effective overall as the other upgrades on this path, but it definitely looks the coolest!

Soul Gem

Spotlight’s Soul Gem is dare I say, super effective!  When you have a Heavenly Aura going you simply shoot your Eye Beams into it (just like Aura Charge on the Visionary Path) and if you go for a fully cycle you will generate 4 Light Dragons that dash into enemies dealing 200-300 damage!

Spotlight Attack Damage (Click to Enlarge)

Conclusion

Once again, Spotlight has two solid upgrade paths…this really does come down to what you as an individual player prefers.  IF funds allow it, I would suggest you sport 2 Spotlights in your collection.  The Ringer really shines in the inherit defensive capabilities it offers.  If you set up 4 Halos and move to the middle of them, or behind a wall of Halos you will have 100-150 from each Halo exploding on enemies IF an enemy can get to you while the Halos deal 127-190 from their lasers.  The downside here is two fold…First, Spotlight can hit a Halo with Eye Beams and instead of decking your desired enemy cropping, you might wind up locked on to the Halo.  It is a minor inconvenience, but must be noted.  Lastly, while the damage the Halos deal with their lasers is great (and even higher than Eye Beams full upgraded down Visionary) they do shoot at random…If they homed in on enemies we’d be bragging about that, so this has to be cited as well.  Regardless of these two issues, The Ringer delivers and offers a totally unique move with Uplifting Experience.

Visionary would be the path I would consider best for my play style and that is primarily due to the fact I have more control with Aura Charge and Light It Up than I do with Ring Shot.  I really like the aesthetics of Aura Charge and coupled with Light it Up you’ve got rapid fire 300 damage over no time at all!  However, that same sequence (shooting the Heavenly Aura) also triggers the Soul Gem.  So, when you take Visionary and throw down  a Heavenly Aura and beging shooting it, you will deal 180-120-200 (500!) in no time flat…then of course, you consider that you can make that happen 2-4 times in most cases (provided enemies are left) and the damage is astronomical!

You really can’t go wrong with either path, but for my play style I think Visionary narrowly edges out The Ringer.

Bushwhack & Legendary Bushwhack Upgrade Paths & Attack Damage Numbers

Bushwhack Introduction

Bushwhack was a Trap Master I wasn’t sure what to expect…He looked great, but the presence of the Axe made me wonder if he would be a slow and heavy hitter, or if he’d have some sort of a Stink Bomb like quality to him.  With the unknown in sights, things slowly revealed themselves and the stars aligned to make Bushwhack a must own in my book.

Bushwhack’s Primary Attack, “Traptanium Axe” is classic and straight forward.  He has a big axe, swings it, and deals nice damage.  The presence of a box-stock combo is a nice throw in imo.  “Mystic Acorn” may not seem that great to many folks, but to me it is the perfect compliment to the axe attack.  It doesn’t deal much damage, but it stuns enemies AND has great range.  The axe swing is honestly fairly quick, but this combo of moves sets up for a very formidable 1-2 punch.  Looking past that to the often overlooked and new for Trap Team “Jump Attack” you can find my personal favorite move of Bushwhack’s!  You can jump and throw the mystic acorns, or swing the axe.  If you swing the axe he does a powerful ground pound with it.  I find myself using this more frequently than his standard attack!

Bushwhack Base Upgrdes

“Headbash” gets things off to a rocking start with Bushwhack’s Tertiary Attack in place.  I’m not a huge fan of this move, but it is effective.  “Nut Grenade” is up next and I am a huge fan of this one.  Cosmetically the Mystic Acorns now glow an acid/nuclear green and do sizably more damage!  “In A Nut Shell” is something I was ridiculously excited about…it promised “new armor” and “reduced damage.”  I assumed this would be taking Bushwhack’s Armor Stat from 18 to 24, maybe even 18 to 30 (I didn’t expect the SSA Glory Days of +40).  I was left in a flurry of disappointment as there is no measurable increase in Armor.  I know this will work “in game” but I’ve found these types of upgrade (Armor and Critical Hit) are quite disappointing if you sit down and try to evaluate it in game…The tangible +6 or +12 is much more predictable and of greater value.  The good news is that we end on a positive note with “Thorn Trail.”  This upgrade has the axe swing’s leave a quick trail of thorns that do nice residual damage…This will work great against large groups of enemies!

Bushwhack Axe Avenger Upgrade Path

If you are fan of the Traptanium Axe attacks, this is the path for you.  It turns Bushwhack into a super formidable Trap Master.  “An Axe to Grind” just comes in and ups damage from 70-105 to 98-147…that alone is a very significant jump!  “Combo Attacks” offer both “Spin and Slash which deals 186-279 and “Head First” which drops an astounding 245-367 with a follow up of 147-220!  “Go Nuts” finishes the path off by allowing you to hold down “Attack 2” after “Spin and Slash” to spam Nut Grenades!  Overall, this is a straight forward path with great increases and 2 more unique attacks.

Legendary Bushwhack Armor Awesomeness Upgrade Path

This path had me really excited…After getting “In a Nut Shell” in the base upgrades and seeing it had no measurable impact on Armor, I greatly tempered my expectations…I am glad I did.  “Bush’s Shack” kicks things off and it is, in my opinion, the best thing about the path.  By holding “Attack 1” you execute the standard attack and then see Buswhack kneel to the ground with a slam that ushers in a teepee of Life Element goodness (thanks Arbo!).  Roughly every 4 seconds you gain +25 Health!  I can only imagine that this will be even more useful in a Life Element Zone!  You are susceptible to damage, but it seems to be cut roughly in half while in this state.  That means that unless you are in Nightmare Mode, or Hard vs formidable minions, you should have health regen outweigh damage taken.  “Primal Warrior” is up next and it came up flat.  You get “new armor” but it once again fails to add the statistical rating and during my research I found it to be insignificant in terms of it’s functionality.  The saving grace is that the move also includes an upgrade to Headbash damage that takes the attack from 75-112 to 100-150.  “Spring Forward” finishes things off and offers a quick dash and Super Headbash.   The dash can deal 40-60, but the Headbash stayed at 100-150.  In my opinion, the best thing here is the increased speed in the short dash to potentially evade danger.

The Soul Gem “Timber” is a really nice addition to either path!  This reminds me of Villager’s attacks in Super Smash Bros.  You jump and hold down “Attack 1” and Bushwhack plants a tree, and cuts it down.  IF you are thinking, “Oh great, I have to wait for the tree, then go back to it and spend a few hits to cut it down” you are wrong!  I also figured it would be a cumbersome Soul Gem and was pleasantly wrong!  The tree grows instantly (provided you didn’t just do the attack and there are limbs on the ground) and Bushwhack automatically fells the tree.  It is a big tree and subsequently covers a nice area upon impact.  The most important thing though is that it deals 440-660 damage!!

Bushwhack Attack Damage Numbers

(Click to Enlarge)

Conclusion

Bushwhack is a great addition to any collection and will provide a formidable ally when taken down the Axe Avenger Path!  This is an old school, straight forward approach that simply  delivers measurable damage and assets at each turn.  It is my preferred path and what I would recommend to everyone, including rookie players.  Armor Awesomeness is not a bad path, but it really fails in comparison to the epicness that is Axe Avenger.  If this was the traditional +40 Armor from SSA, I’d say Bushwhack is a shoe-in for “get the Legendary figure and take both paths,” but since it fails to really deliver on the Armor front, you are left with the dash, increased headbash damage, and admittedly cool Bush’s Shack.  If you like the headbash, or prefer dash attacks, this is well worth taking.  Bush’s Shack might seem enticing, but keep in mind…in toughbattles, or nightmare mode you won’t be able to just retreat into it and fully regen with enemies on screen.   You can, however, defeat them and then take a few seconds to fully regen if that type of play interests you.  For me personally, Axe Avenger is just too proficient to pass up.  That said, I’m glad I have Legendary to be able to enjoy Armor Awesomeness along the way!

Skylanders Trap Team: Blades Upgrade Paths and Attack Damage Numbers

SkylanderClub Link: 

Blades was one of my most anticipated new Skylanders.  He has great aesthetics and unique moves that are almost a new interpretation on a cross between Warnado and Flashwing.  I will say this though, and I think 99% of fans will agree with me…There is one big disappointment with Blades.  What is it you ask?  Simple, he doesn’t fly!  When I looked forward to Blades (an Air Element Dragon) the last thing on my mind was that he wouldn’t fly.  I just assumed he would and wondered what kind of cool attacks would get tied in with that.  His attacks are good, I just still have trouble getting past the fact he doesn’t fly.  My solution would be to tie flight in with the Cyclone Swirl…Press “ATK 3” to fly, then tap “ATK 1” for a flying wing slice and “ATK 2” for the Cyclone Swirl (both executed while flying).  I mean, think how cool it would be to be in flight and spawn the Cyclone Swirl?  Anyway, it is what it is, and despite the lack of flight, Blades is still a pretty cool character.

Blades Base Upgrades

His Base Upgrades begin with Cyclone Swirl that gives instant access to his tertiary attack.  Next up, we address his Primary Attack (Wing Slice) and get “Sharpened Wings” that bump up the damage  “Shard Harder” (who named that one, lol?), provides a logical quantitative and distance based upgrade to the Blade Shards.  “Wind at Your Back” upgrades the Tertiary Attack by having it follow you and dealing extra damage.  I am not sure about this one…I almost think I would prefer the cyclone to remain stationary allowing me to use it as a defensive stalemate while I can reposition for a better attack angle, to prolong my life, or to simply retreat.  It is nice that if follows you, but there are times I see it being more advantageous to my playstyle if it was in fact stationary.  In all honesty, I’d ditch this upgrade and let this be the “Dragon Flight” where Blades can fly with increased Speed and Armor.  However, since that isn’t the case, I would prefer a Speed, or Armor Boost opposed to being followed.  Actually, thinking about it further, I would vastly prefer the Cyclone to seek out the nearest enemies as opposed to follow me!  Some will disagree, but I truly believe my play style would benefit from either A-Stationary Cyclones, or B-An enemy seeking Cyclone.

Wind Wielder (Cyclone Swirl Upgrades)

via Legendary Blades

Wind Wilder didn’t really appeal to me as much as Shard Shooter.  However, since Blades has a Legendary version, it falls into place to pursue!  “Follow Like the Wind” is somewhat forgettable in that you basically just have the Cyclone follow closer…Turns are still an issue, but it tails you much better for those that prefer this type of Cyclone.  The more practical thing here is that it also spins the shards faster…This basically means where things use to be a leisurely “Hit….Hit…Hit…” they now “Hit-Hit-Hit!”  There are pros and cons to this, but for most players this is a definitive advantage.  The path ends with “Shielding Swirl” that makes the Cyclone’s diameter greater AND can deflect enemy projectiles.  I can’t showcase that at the Academy, but it will no doubt “sometimes” be quite the asset!  Nestled in the midst of these 2 upgrades is “Crushing Cyclones” (I honestly pictured twin, fist shaped Cyclones (think Lightning Rod eqsue)).  What this does is really amplify the damage from your other attacks!  The one catch is that you must have that said enemy INSIDE the cyclone.  On the edge, or outside and you deal standard damage.  This really makes the path worth pursuing, even for those not impressed by a closer following, larger Cyclone that sometimes deflects projectiles!

Shard Shooter (Blade Shard Upgrades)

via Blades

I will be honest, if I had only 1 Blades, this is the path I would take.  The Cyclone is cool, but with a character like Blade I just prefer the straight forward approach.  “Slice Shards” gives the primary “Wing Slice” a chance to shoot a Blade Shard.  This is nice bonus damage, but really picks up later.  “Cutting Edge” has Shards do increased damage.  “Shard Shrapnel” is one of those seems lame, looks lame upgrades that is usually only appreciated once a player has seen it in the heat of battle.  It is a small bit of damage, but runs roughly 4x and that of course makes it significant.  My only complaint with this path is that I would really have liked for “Slice Shards” to stay its course, but also slightly up the damage from the primary attack Wing Slice.

Blades Attack Damage Numbers

(Click to Enlarge)

Conclusion

Overall, I still struggle to accept that Blades can’t fly, but the fact that is unique and has great aesthetic appeal helps to soften the blow.  He takes tried and true attacks from other characters, but makes them fully his own.  For those who prefer a simple “go in and hit” tactic, you will want to take Shard Shooter.  The residual damage with the Shrapnel is quite nice and will be much appreciated.  Players liking a more complex, or defensive approach will like Wind Wielder.  Obviously, you can make this more simple and take Wind Wielder for the Cyclone, or Shard Shooter for the Shards.  Crushing Cyclones may deal the most impressive damage, but keep in mind you have to stay put for those tough, close quarters enemies.  The plus side is that you can possibly deflect ranged attacks while dealing with the attacking minions.  Shard Shooter lets you more freely roam as you don’t have to rely so much on the Cyclones.  I like my freedom, I’ll give the “edge” to Shard Shooter for now!  Blades is someone, much like Warnado (who I am still waiting to receive a proper S2 figure) who could really become a beast with a good Wow Pow Attack!

Skylanders Trap Team: Blastermind Unboxing, Introduction, and Upgrades

What: Blastermind, Magic Element, Trap Master
Where Did You Get It: Special Delivery
What Does It Cost: $14.99 plus tax
What is Included: Blastermind, Stat Card, and Sticker Sheet

Blastermind

Magic Element, Trap Master

Card Stats
Power: 170/250
Armor: 60/250
Agility: 160/250
Luck: 150/250
Totals: 540/1000

Game Stats:
Health: 240
Armor: 30
Speed: 70
Critical Hit: 50
Elemental Power: 25
Totals: 415

Introduction #42: Blastermind

Blastermind Upgrades

-Coming Soon

Eon's Elite Stealth Elf: Unboxing, Introduction, and Upgrades

What: Eon's Elite Stealth Elf
Where Did You Get It: GameStop
What Did It Cost: $24.99
What Is Included: Elite Stealth Elf, Case, Stat Card, and Sticker Sheet
What Was Stock Like: 4-6 ish (Totally Unexpected)

Unboxing Elite Stealth Elf

Slogan: "Silent But Deadly!"

Card Stats
Power: 300/500
Armor: 300/500
Agility: 500/500
Luck: 100/500

Game Stats
Health: 810
Armor: 36
Speed: 70
Critical Hit: 150
Elemental Power: 25
Total: 1,091

Introduction #37: Elite Stealth Elf

Elite Stealth Elf Upgrades

Pook Blade Saint Upgrade Path

Attack Damage Numbers

(Click to Enlarge)

Eon's Elite Terrafin Unboxing, Intro, and Upgrades

What: Eon's Elite Terrafin
Where Did You Get It: GameStop
What Did It Cost: $24.99
What Is Included: Elite Terrafin, Case, Stat Card, and Sticker Sheet
What Was Stock Like: 4-8 ish (Totally Unexpected)

Unboxing Elite Terrafin

Slogan: "It's Feeding Time!"

Card Stats
Power: 400/500
Armor: 500/500
Agility: 100/500
Luck: 100/500
Total: 1,100/2,000

Game Stats
Health: 930
Armor: 54
Speed: 50
Critical Hit: 90
Elemental Power: 25
Total: 1,149

Introduction #36: Elite Terrafin

Elite Terrafin Upgrades

Brawler Upgrade Path 

Sandhog Upgrade Path

Attack Damage Numbers
(Click to Enlarge)