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Update on Skylanders Trap Team for collectors.
Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure puts exquisite collectable toy figures to work in a videogame. Getting the best value from your collection is more than finding the cheapest price, or more recently finding them to buy at all, it's as much about choosing the toys that suit how you play the game.
Fig 1. Skylanders Figures on Amazon.
Each of the toy figures belongs to a particular grouping: Earth, Fire, Air, Life, Undead, Magic, Water and Tech. Owning all the characters in one of these groups gives you an extra bonus when you play. Also, the groupings define how the characters perform against each other in the versus mode and in the main campaign. Each group has special areas that only they can access.
Earth Characters:
Terrafin |
Prism Break |
Bash |
Legendary Bash |
Dino-rang
Fire Characters:
Ignitor |
Eruptor |
Flame Slinger |
Sunburn
Air Characters:
Sonic Boom |
Lighten Rod |
Whirlwind |
Warnado
Water Characters:
Gill Grunt |
Zap |
Slam Bam |
Wham Shell
Magic Characters:
Spyro |
Dark Spyro |
Legendary Spyro |
Voodood |
Double Trouble |
Wrecking Ball
Tech Characters:
Trigger Happy |
Legendary Trigger Happy |
Boomer |
Drobot |
Drill Sergeant
Life Characters:
Stealth Elf |
Stump Smash |
Zook |
Camo
Undead Characters:
Chop Chop |
Legendary Chop Chop |
Ghost Roaster |
Hex |
Cynder
Recent popularity has meant that it has been increasingly difficult to find the Skylanders figures that accompany the games on store shelves or on-line. Many shops are out of stock and online retailers only have stock at increased prices. Although new figures to the line up are being released in waves (first, second and third are available now with fourth and fifth still to come) stock of all figures is still being sent to stores, and Here's my suggestion for finding Skylanders figures to buy:
As with any action adventure videogame it is understanding how game works that actually makes it more fun. With Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure this is even more the case as it has a range of different toy characters you need to choose from. Identifying the toy characters that best suite your style of play (and your budget) is important to your experience of the game.
Fig 2. Skylanders Figures on Amazon.
Before I go through the different Skylanders character stats, attacks and upgrades you need to understand how this fits together. I'll assume you've read the Skylanders Review and watched the Studio Tour so you have a good idea of how the toys are used to access characters in the game:
Fig 3. Family Gamer TV Skylanders Episodes
When choosing which toys to collect you need to balance the benefits from owning all of one sat against the being able to pick and choose from the different sets and access more of the special areas. Also, if you are going to be fighting against friends you may want a range of different character groups to select from to match up against their toys. For instance, fighting Fire with Water is more effective than fighting it with Tech.
As well as these groupings. the toys each have a set of starting characteristics that defines how they perform initially and how you can power them up and upgrade them in the videogame.
Firstly, they have a primary and secondary attack that defines both the style, range and effectiveness against different enemies. The primary and secondary attacks can sometimes be used in combination to increase the power or reach of a weapons. For example Prism Break can fire his primary Beam attack into the crystals he summons with his secondary Shard Summon attack to reflect it in more directions and increase its range.
Secondly, each toy has a particular set of upgrades. Again these provide additional attacks that can increase the range and power of their starting weapons. These will either offer a new ability or power up an existing one.
Finally each toy has a set of characteristic stats that define how they perform. These are upgraded as you work through the different levels but still determine how powerful they can become.
The in-game stats detail Max Health (Hit points), Speed (Movement), Armour (How Hard to hit), Critical Hit (Chance of doing extra damage), Elemental Power (Increase effect of elemental zone), Heroics (Challenges completed), Hero Level (Website progress).
The cards/web game stats are slightly different. These detail Attack (the strength of their weapons), Agility (how high they can jump and how fast they can move), Defense (how much damage their armour and body will absorb from an enemy attack), Luck (how quickly they recover from stun attacks), and is used in other non-skill based aspects of the game.
With the Skylanders figures not being released all together there are some that we still need to track down. A second wave of figures provides the following three characters:
This still leaves a number of figures unreleased, and it looks like they will hit shelves in a third and fourth wave. With one of these in each Element it means that until they are more widely released it is very hard to get a full set -- which grants that all important extra stat boost.
With the Skylanders figures not being released all together there are some that we still need to track down. A second wave of figures provides the following three characters:
This still leaves a number of figures unreleased, and it looks like they will hit shelves in a third and fourth wave. With one of these in each Element it means that until they are more widely released it is very hard to get a full set -- which grants that all important extra stat boost.
The third wave of Skylander characters expands on both Single and Triple packs. The following figures have just appeared on Amazon and seem to be a good indication of which will be included in the third wave of figure releases. Although it has not been announced which of the remaining Skylanders will be included in the third wave, or indeed how many this wave will provide. It is likely that it will be another set of three, and be picked from the remaining unreleased characters:
The forth wave of Skylander figures are rumoured to be as follows:
The forth wave of Skylander figures are rumoured to be as follows:
The forth wave of Skylander figures are rumoured to be as follows:
Fig 5. Legendary Triple Pack with Chop Chop
Legendary figures offer a different painting variation and increase stats. As well as being different colours to the standard Skylanders figures, they look and perform differently in the game itself. Along with the second wave figures these are also hard to find and can generate high prices second hand. Bash, Spyro and Chop-chop Legendary figures can be purchased via the Toys R' Us Triple Pack. Legendary Trigger Happy is the hardest to find and it has been said that he is to be given out through a special Toys 'R Us coupon when you spend $100 or more at Toys-R-Us. Legendary Skylander figures are currently:
Fig 6. Silver Boomer
Silver figures are the most rare of all Skylanders toys. They are unlike the Legendary figures in that they have the same stats as their non-silver counterparts. They also look the same as standard figures when used in the game. The novelty, especially for collectors, is in their different physical appearance and packaging. Silver Skylanders are more sought after because of their rarity -- only being sent out randomly to retailers in limited numbers and found on shelves alongside standard Skylander figures. Because of this Silver Skylanders are the most expensive to buy second hand and have already generated five or six times their retail price.
Fig 7. Gold Chop Chop
Gold figures join the Silver figures as very rare collectible version of the Skylanders toys. However, unlike the Silver figures the Gold Skylanders start off at level 5 and with 2100 coins. Also, unlike the Legendary figures (that coincidentally have gold trim) they have exactly the same stats as their nonmetallic counterparts.
The novelty, especially for collectors, is in their different physical appearance and packaging. Gold Skylanders are more sought after because of their rarity and boosted stats -- only being sent out randomly to retailers in limited numbers and found on shelves alongside standard Skylander figures. Because of this Gold and Silver Skylanders are likely to be the most expensive second hand generating five or six times their retail price.
Some Skylanders packs include special adventure packs. These provide not only exclusive figures but also completely new adventures to take your Skylanders on:
These packs come with different items to put on your portal. The bigger items, pirate ships and the like, provide an entire new adventure for you to play through with your Skylander toys in the game. The smaller items provide you with extra health or more time in the game to help you on your way.
Skylanders Giants is not only a new adventure but introduces new Giant/Normal characters as well as extending levels of the old characters. The old figures are supported in the new game, complete with any leveling up and hats they have from the original game. However only the new Skylanders Giants versions of the figures will be able to take advantage of the additional levels.
Because of this it will be important to distinguish the Skylanders Giants figures from the originals. As well as different packaging the Giants figures will have an orange baseplate, rather than the green baseplate of the original figures.
Original Skylanders (green base): The figures from Skylanders: Spyro's Adventures can also be used in the new game, and will bring with them all their upgrades, levelling up and hats. It currently seems that they will not be able to be levelled up higher in the new game.
Figure Set | Base Colour |
How Many |
Use in Spyro's Adventure? |
Use in Giants? |
Increased Level in Giants? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Original Skylanders | Green | 32 | Yes | Yes | No |
Legendary Skylanders | Green | 4 | Yes | Yes | No |
Silver Skylanders | Green | 3 | Yes | Yes | No |
Gold Skylanders | Green | 3 | Yes | Yes | No |
8 Giant Skylanders (orange base): These Giants figures are about twice the size of the original Skylanders and light up when they are on the portal and are powered by the peripheral with no need for batteries in the toy itself. They offer different stats and abilities in the game. Throwing in game objects, bashing through walls and completing feats of strength also distinguish them from normal Skylanders.
4 New LightForce Skylanders (orange base): These new figures light up when they are on the portal and are powered by the peripheral with no need for batteries in the toy itself. These four are new characters for Skylanders Giants and can only be used in the new games.
4 New Skylanders (orange base): These new figures add one new character to each of the eight elements for the new Skylanders Giants game. They cannot be used in the original Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure game.
28 Reposed Re-released Skylanders (orange base): These figures not only offer a reposed version of the original Skylanders, but they can also take advantage of the higher levelling up in the new game. These figures will work in both Skylanders: Spyro's Adventures and Skylanders Giants.
4 Reposed Re-released LightForce Skylanders (orange base): These new figures light up when they are on the portal and are powered by the peripheral with no need for batteries in the toy itself. These four are light up versions of existing Skylanders from the first game and can be used in both the original and new games.
Figure Set | Base Colour |
How Many |
Use in Spyro's Adventure? |
Use in Giants? |
Increased Level in Giants? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Giant Skylanders | Orange | 8 | No | Yes | Yes |
New Skylanders (LightForce) | Orange | 4 | No | Yes | Yes |
New Skylanders | Orange | 4 | No | Yes | Yes |
Reposed Skylanders | Orange | 28 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Reposed Skylanders (LightForce) | Orange | 4 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
This results in a total of 12 new normal Skylanders and 8 new giant Skylanders figures for the new game. These cannot be used in the original game, only characters that existed in the original already can be used there. The 32 reposed and 4 re-released LightForce Skylanders (orange base) can be used with the first game, in addition to the 32 original (green base) figures.
Fig 3. Family Gamer TV Skylanders Giants Episodes
Each figure has a different set of statistics in the game that determine how fast, strong, resilient and magical they are. These starting stats are then upgraded as you progress:
Hlth Spd Arm Ht Mgc Total Stump Smash 340 43 30 20 25 458 Camo 300 50 34 30 25 439 Dino-rang 300 43 30 30 25 428 Legendary Chop Chop 300 50 30 20 25 425 Wham Shell 300 50 18 30 25 423 Legendary Spyro 280 50 18 50 25 423 Terrafin 310 35 18 30 25 418 Legendary Bash 310 35 24 20 25 414 Whirlwind 270 50 18 50 25 413 Ignitor 290 43 12 40 25 410 Warnado 310 35 30 10 25 410 Slam Bam 310 35 30 10 25 410 Chop Chop 300 50 24 10 25 409 Stealth Elf 270 50 12 50 25 407 Sonic Boom 280 50 18 30 25 403 Spyro 280 50 18 30 25 403 Drobot 290 43 24 20 25 402 Bash 310 35 12 20 25 402 Drill Sergeant 290 43 12 30 25 400 Prism Break 290 35 18 30 25 398 Eruptor 290 35 18 30 25 398 Dark Spyro 280 43 24 20 25 392 Voodood 290 35 12 30 25 392 Ghost Roaster 280 43 24 20 25 392 Zap 260 50 24 30 25 389 Flameslinger 250 50 24 40 25 389 Hex 270 43 18 30 25 386 Gill Grunt 270 35 6 50 25 386 Wrecking Ball 270 43 24 20 25 382 Zook 260 43 30 20 25 378 Double Trouble 250 35 18 50 25 378 Cynder 260 43 18 30 25 376 Boomer 230 35 18 50 25 358 Trigger Happy 200 50 30 50 25 355 Legendary Trigger Happy 200 50 30 50 25 355
Each figure comes with a Top Trumps style card that displays their image and a set of characteristics. These are different to the in-game stats and can be used to play a variety of card-trading and competitive games:
Str Def Agl Lck Total Legendary Spyro 75 55 90 60 280 Legendary Chop Chop 65 100 60 40 265 Spyro 60 50 90 60 260 Stealth Elf 60 30 100 70 260 Dino-Rang 45 80 40 85 250 Ignitor 100 65 40 50 255 Chop Chop 65 100 60 20 245 Legendary Bash 85 100 30 25 240 Flame Slinger 40 25 90 80 235 Boomer 70 50 40 75 235 Whirlwind 65 65 30 75 235 Wrecking Ball 35 90 50 60 235 Zap 30 70 65 65 230 Hex 70 70 40 50 230 Eruptor 80 85 25 35 225 Bash 85 90 30 20 225 Terrafin 70 80 25 50 225 Ghost Roaster 60 85 40 40 225 Sonic Boom 50 60 60 55 225 Trigger Happy 40 20 60 100 220 Gill Grunt 70 60 40 50 220 Drobot 40 75 60 45 220 Stump Smash 90 70 20 40 220 Prsim Break 75 90 10 45 220 Voodood 75 50 60 35 220
Character | UK Availability | US Availability | Hlth | Spd | Arm | Hit | Mgc | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Terrafin | Pirate Seas Pack | Pirate Seas Pack | Loose | 310 | 35 | 18 | 30 | 25 | 418 |
Prism Break | Triple Pack B | Single Pack | Triple Pack B | Single Pack | 290 | 35 | 18 | 30 | 25 | 398 |
Bash | Triple Pack C | Single Pack | Triple Pack C | Single Pack | Loose | 310 | 35 | 12 | 20 | 25 | 402 |
Legendary Bash | Legendary Triple Pack | Legendary Triple Pack | Loose | 310 | 35 | 24 | 20 | 25 | 414 |
Dino Rang | Single Pack | Triple Pack E | Single Pack | Triple Pack E | 300 | 43 | 30 | 30 | 25 | 428 |
Silver Dino Rang | Single Pack | Triple Pack E | Single Pack | Triple Pack E | 300 | 43 | 30 | 30 | 25 | 428 |
Terrafin is one of the more illusive Skylander characters, only being available in the Pirate Seas adventure pack. The pack not only provides the character but a fresh new adventure to go with him by placing the treasure chest on the portal. Because of this the first run of these packs quickly ran out, further increasing the desirability of the shark headed mole guy.
I was keen to add him to my Skylanders line up because of his sand shark attacks. By taking the Sandhog (rather than Brawler) upgrade path you unlock a series of attacks where Terrafin treats dry land like the ocean and burrows right up from underneath enemies to inflict impressive damage. Homing Frenzy is my favourite attack where mini-sharks home-in on enemies to do extra damage. I still don't quite get why Terrafin isn't a Water Skylander though.
Character stats wise, his powerful weapons are complemented by a starting total around the middle of the range and levels up quickly enough to keep pace with the best of the Skylanders figures. The figure itself is one of the more solid characters with plenty of variety of materials and a nice hefty feeling to him. Not as massive as Stomp Smash or Prism, but in that more rotund grouping.
Terrafin's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 310 | 620 |
Speed | 35 | 75 |
Armour | 18 | 51 |
Critical Hit | 30 | 80 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 418 | 926 |
Prism Break shouldn't be that rare as he is available in both Triple and Single pack. But a combination of his impressive attacks, enhanced armour upgrades and crystallised design has made him one of the more sought after Skylander characters.
For those looking to expand their cohort of Earth characters he is a good all rounder. He offers a similar combination of ranged and melee attacks to Dino-rang and so complements both Terrafin and Bash (or Legendary Bash) well. Like Bash he starts off with mid-table class="n" stats but soon levels up to improve his abilities.
Prism Break's attacks are particularly interesting as hit close combat Crystal Shard eruptions and Energy Beam work together -- shoot the beam into a Crystal Shard and it multiplies the attack. When upgrading Prism Break you are forced to focus on either the beam attacks (via Prismancer path) or crystal attacks (via Crystaleer path). A good way around this is to own two Prism Break Characters, upgrade each down a different path and then use them together in the same game. The result is a potent Earth character team.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a Legendary version of Prism Break in the future -- as this would also help to distinguish between characters in my double-team approach. Until then you can use different hats and nicknames to tell them apart. Again, this approach may have contributed to the increased scarcity, and price of the Prism Break figures. Although I still favour him simply because I like the way he looks.
Prism Break's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 290 | 580 |
Speed | 35 | 75 |
Armour | 18 | 51+40 |
Critical Hit | 30 | 80 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 398 | 926 |
Bash is one of the more common Skylanders figures, being available in Triple and Single packs. Because of this he has been priced less than some of the rarer Earth characters.
Although easily overlooked because of a lack of ranged weapons, Bash has an excellent range of defensive powers that can be paired with ballistic characters like Trigger Happy to form an effective team.
Basic attacks like Tennis Tail (that deflects incoming projectiles back at enemies, and Rock and Roll mean that he is a great defender right out of the gate. You then have the choice of upgrading his tail swipes (via Granite Dragon path) or his roll attack (via Pulver Dragon path). If being played on his own then the roll attacks are key and should be upgraded first. Alternatively, if paired with more agile missile attack characters the tail swipe and Stone Summoning offer perfect protection.
Also worth considering is Bash's Legendary version that offers some increased stats. The key stat difference here is that he starts with double armour (although with a lower cap) that helps more junior players get started. Apart from that, and the different appearance, Bash and Legendary Bash are quite similar -- although with more limited availability the Legendary character will cost quite a bit more.
We ended up with one of each version of Bash because two of our kids wanted to play as him. This not only helped tell them apart in real life, but in the game as well.
Bash's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 310 | 620 |
Speed | 35 | 75 |
Armour | 12 | 85 |
Critical Hit | 20 | 70 |
Elemental Power | 32 | 100 |
Total | 402 | 950 |
Legendary Bash is a rare Skylanders figure. Unlike the original Bash who was available in Triple and Single packs, Legendary Bash is only found in the Legendary Triple pack available from Toys R Us or second hand. Because of this you often have to pay substantially more for him than some of the more common Earth characters.
Although easily overlooked because of a lack of ranged weapons, Legendary Bash has an excellent range of defensive powers that can be paired with ballistic characters like Trigger Happy to form an effective team.
Basic attacks like Tennis Tail (that deflects incoming projectiles back at enemies, and Rock and Roll mean that he is a great defender right out of the gate. You then have the choice of upgrading his tail swipes (via Granite Dragon path) or his roll attack (via Pulver Dragon path). If being played on his own then the roll attacks are key and should be upgraded first. Alternatively, if paired with more agile missile attack characters the tail swipe and Stone Summoning offer perfect protection.
Also worth considering is Bash's original version. Although it has slightly reduced starting stats, it can actually be levelled up to overtake the Legendary version's armour. Apart from that, and the different appearance, Bash and Legendary Bash are very similar. Also as the original is more common it usually costs a lot less.
We ended up with one of each version of Bash because two of our kids wanted to play as him. This not only helped tell them apart in real life, but in the game as well.
Legendary Bash's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 310 | 620 |
Speed | 35 | 75 |
Armour | 24 | 57 |
Critical Hit | 20 | 70 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 414 | 922 |
Dino-rang is another character available in both Single and Triple packs. However he is considerably rarer than other Earth element characters because he wasn't released until the second wave of figures in December 2011.
Of the second wave figures he was also unique in completing an element set and offering a boost to their Magic stat. All this combines with his close range projectile attacks to make Dino-rang a much sought after character.
Dino-rang was the first of the second wave figures that I purchased, and it was because he could complete my Earth Skylander line up that attracted me to him most. He soon became a strong favourite in our family. The kids got on well with him as he is the fastest character in the group, and also has the highest armour.
Out the gate he also has an excellent medium range boomerang attack that can be cheaply upgraded (Basalt Boomerangs). Like the other Earth Skylanders, you have a choice whether you want to develop Dino-rang in a attacking (via the Grand Boomerang Master path) or defensive (via Earthen Avenger path) direction.
Dino-rang's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 300 | 600 |
Speed | 43 | 83 |
Armour | 30 | 103 |
Critical Hit | 30 | 80 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 428 | 966 |
As I've said, Dino-rang was a rare Skylander because of being part of the second wave of figure releases in December 2011. A little after this a number of silver versions of Dino-rang began turning up in stores. These sliver figures replaced a normal version in packs at random and meant that there was no way to order them new. The second hand value of the silver Skylanders, and Dino-rang in particular has risen steadily.
On seeing these silver characters my kids initially preferred the original painted version. However, they soon realised that there was a certain amount of kudos to be earned among their friends in the playground by pulling out this odd looking silver Skylander.
The silver Dino-rang, unlike the Legendary special editions, are identical to play with to the original version. In the game they look exactly like the original and their stats are the same.
As a collectible figure I can see the attraction for those who want to have each and every version. But as a toy I think the original is a much better option. The silver veneer covers up all the different materials and attention to detail. In fact seeing the Skylander without any paint like this made me appreciate just how well they are usually painted -- particularly around the eyes.
Silver Dino-rang's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 300 | 600 |
Speed | 43 | 83 |
Armour | 30 | 103 |
Critical Hit | 30 | 80 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 428 | 966 |
Character | UK Availability | US Availability | Hlth | Spd | Arm | Hit | Mgc | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ignitor | Starter Pack | Starter Pack | Loose | 290 | 43 | 12 | 40 | 25 | 410 |
Eruptor | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Loose | 290 | 35 | 18 | 30 | 25 | 398 |
Silver Eruptor | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Silver Pack | 290 | 35 | 18 | 30 | 25 | 398 |
Flame Slinger | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Single Pack | Triple Pack | 250 | 50 | 24 | 40 | 25 | 389 |
Sunburn | Fourth Wave | Fourth Wave | 280 | 43 | 24 | 30 | 25 | 402 |
Ignitor joins Dark Spyro, Spyro, Gill Grunt and Trigger Happy as a starter pack figure that you cannot currently buy in a single pack (the exception to the rule here is Stealth Elf). This combines with the fact that Ignitor is only found in the 3DS pack to make him one of the harder Skylanders to acquire.
The figure itself is one of the most classically Dungeons and Dragons looking Skylander in the collection. He holds a flaming sword and is clad in impressive armour. It is this, along with some of the most imaginative and visually impressive attacks that has made Ignitor more expensive than his Starter pack colleagues.
This desirability has led to some retailers splitting the 3DS packs and selling Ignitor separately. Even so this can still price him out of the pocket money range which is a shame for such a great figure.
Ignitor starts off with two basic flame attacks, one via his sword and one via his flame throwing mouth. Although these offer a good starting point, Ignitor doesn't really come into his own until you hit the later upgrades. Here you have a choice, either develop his defensive flame abilities (via Soul of the Flame path) or opt for the offensive blade skills (via the Blademaster path).
I had intended to work through the various sword abilities, but was beaten to the punch by my son who preferred the less attacking flame form skills. This proved to be a good idea though and Ignitor soon became a favourite with the younger players in our house who could use his fiery form to avoid enemy damage while the more skilled players cleaned up.
Ignitor's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 290 | 580 |
Speed | 43 | 83 |
Armour | 12 | 85 |
Critical Hit | 40 | 90 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 410 | 938 |
Eruptor is one of the first wave of figures. Being available in both single and triple packs has meant he can be found for less than other Skylanders. Perhaps because of this, Eruptor was selected as one of the figures to be made available in silver form. There are found at random in normal packs and function identically to the non-silver version in the game.
Eruptor is an attacking character with an area effect pool of lava that damages all enemies in the vicinity. This easy attack combines with Eruptor's robust physical form to make him one of the best characters for young players. Eruptor will put up with more mistreatment than the other characters without loosing limbs or wings. Hex, for instance, has just lost an arm in our household.
While the Eruption attack makes him easy to use by youngster, his Lava Lob grenade attack is effective when used by more experienced players. Upgrading this (via the Magmantor path) enables you to increase the range and damage of his flung lumps of lava. This also enables you to upgrade his Magma ball attack (via Mega Magma Balls soul gem ability) where you can roll a hot ball of lava towards enemies.
My son got particularly proficient at this and would stand at the top of slopes rolling a stream of Magma Balls down towards unsuspecting enemies. If any enemies made it past his flaming balls he would finish them off with a Magma Eruption -- kind of like Donkey Kong in reverse.
One down side to Eruptor is that he maxes out a little lower than other figures. He also starts a little lower than some of the other elements. Because of this he seems to get played with a little less in our house now we have upgraded more of the other characters.
Eruptor's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 290 | 580 |
Speed | 35 | 75 |
Armour | 18 | 51 |
Critical Hit | 30 | 80 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 398 | 886 |
Silver figures are the most rare of all Skylanders toys. They are unlike the Legendary figures in that they have the same stats as their non-silver counterparts. They also look the same as standard figures when used in the game. The novelty, especially for collectors, is in their different physical appearance and packaging.
Silver Skylanders are more sought after because of their rarity -- only being sent out randomly to retailers in limited numbers and found on shelves alongside standard Skylander figures. Because of this Silver Skylanders are the most expensive to buy second hand and have already generated five or six times their retail price.
Eruptor's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 290 | 580 |
Speed | 35 | 75 |
Armour | 18 | 51 |
Critical Hit | 30 | 80 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 398 | 886 |
Flameslinger is a character made rare by popularity rather than limited availability. Despite being available in the first wave of characters in both single and triple packs Flameslinger soon became one of the more sought after Skylander figures.
Looking like Stealth Elf, Flame Slinger is another classic Dungeons and Dragon style character. As opposed to Stealth Elf's close range brawling, Flameslinger offers a ranged alternative. Archers have always been the best characters in fantasy games (for me at least) so perhaps it's no surprise that he has become so hard to find.
Flameslinger is an out and out a marksman. Rather than the usual choice between developing a Skylanders' defensive or offensive skills, here both Marksman and Pyromancer upgrade paths focus on his ranged attack. The former improves the damage of each arrow while the latter improves their range and area of effect. Make it all the way to the Soul Gem upgrade, Super Volley Shot, and you have an one of the best ranged attacks in the game.
One downside to Flameslinger is his greatly reduced starting health. You really have to ensure you kill off enemies before they reach you when playing with this character, as once in close combat he can really struggle.
My son and daughter quickly adopted Stealth Elf and Flame Slinger as a natural partnership -- them both being elves and all. Interestingly though, it was my son who most wanted to play as the female elf, while my daughter really liked Flame Slinger.
Flameslinger's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 250 | 500 |
Speed | 50 | 90 |
Armour | 24 | 57 |
Critical Hit | 40 | 90 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 389 | 837 |
Sunburn is expected to be released in the fourth wave of Skylanders.
Sunburn's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 280 | 560 |
Speed | 43 | 83 |
Armour | 24 | 57 |
Critical Hit | 30 | 80 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 402 | 880 |
Character | UK Availability | US Availability | Hlth | Spd | Arm | Hit | Mgc | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sonic Boom | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Loose | 280 | 50 | 18 | 30 | 25 | 403 |
Lightning Rod | 290 | 43 | 18 | 30 | 25 | 406 | ||
Whirlwind | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Loose | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Loose | 270 | 50 | 18 | 50 | 25 | 413 |
Warnado | 310 | 35 | 30 | 10 | 25 | 410 |
Sonic Boom is one of the original Skylanders characters and available in both Triple and Single packs. She joins Stealth Elf, Hex and Whirlwind in the growing cohort of female characters. My son was initially unsure of her gender until his older sister helpfully pointed out that only girls lay eggs -- good thinking I thought.
It's this egg laying that is most unusual about Sonic Boom. Unlike the attacks of other Skylanders, Sonic Boom's Egg Toss creates up to three miniature versions of herself that then attack the enemy. Although this attack starts off quite weak, upgrading it via the Medea Griffin path makes it very effective. This is the topped off by the Soul Gem upgrade that grants the baby Sonic Booms with their own Roar attack.
Sonic Boom's other attacks are for close combat and revolve around her ability to Roar and deafen enemies. This can be upgraded via the Siren Griffin route to grant her improved range and damage. Like other close range characters this can be good for new/younger players as there is only minimal targeting involved.
The toy figure itself makes the most of Sonic Boom's dragon characteristics with claws, wings and a bright yellow beak. My kids have made up a whole series of games for Sonic and the other flighted Skylanders that involves them racing round a hazardous course in and around our living room.
This ability to fly in the game (once purchased via the Let There Be Flight) upgrade, grants Sonic Boom access to areas of the map that are restricted by water access. However, the ability to fly doesn't mean that you can avoid performing the jumps/puzzles encountered on most levels. Even flighted Skylanders have to jump across gaps -- something my kids found rather disappointing at first.
Sonic Boom's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 280 | 560 |
Speed | 50 | 90 |
Armour | 18 | 51 |
Critical Hit | 30 | 80 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 403 | 881 |
Lightning Rod is expected to be released in a fourth wave of Skylander figures.
Lightning Rod's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 290 | 580 |
Speed | 43 | 83 |
Armour | 18 | 51 |
Critical Hit | 30 | 80 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 406 | 894 |
Whirlwind was one of the original set of Skylanders released but was only available at selected retailers and in Single pack form. This led to the figure being much sought after, and contributed towards the decision to release Whirlwind again in the third wave of figures in a Triple pack with Double Trouble and (other exclusive figure) Drill Sergeant.
Like other air characters Whirlwind has the ability to fly and is a winged dragon-style toy. My kids have started their own collection of these winged characters -- Cynder, Whirlwind, Spyro, Drobot, Sonic Boom and Zap -- more for the imaginary games they like to play with them than their abilities in the game itself.
Whirlwind's attacks come from her combination of dragon and unicorn ancestry. She can attack with either a projected rainbow (paradoxically named Rainbow of Doom) or a close combat storm attack (Tempest Cloud). Although these are less visually impressive and less novel that Sonic Boom's abilities, Whirlwind upgrades soon distinguish her from the pack.
You have the choice to develop either rainbow attacks (via the Ultimate Rainbower path) or storm summoning (via the Tempest Dragon path). A good tip for making the most of Whirlwind is to save your money for the Rainbow of Healing ability. This enables you (once her Soul Gem is found in the Creepy Citadel) to heal the other Skylanders who are fighting with her.
I often play as Whirlwind with my youngest son. This way I can act like a guardian healing him when he gets into trouble. The ironic thing about this is that my older children have taken to doing the same in reverse -- they play as Whirlwind and heal me when my gaming skills aren't up to theirs.
Like all the air characters Whirlwind is fast -- and gets even faster once Dragon Flight is unlocked. Her main weakness is in a lack of armour, which can make it tricky to land some of her close combat attacks without sustaining damage herself.
Whirlwind's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 270 | 540 |
Speed | 50 | 90 |
Armour | 18 | 51 |
Critical Hit | 50 | 100 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 413 | 881 |
Warnado is expected to be released in a fifth wave of Skylander figures.
Warnado's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 310 | 620 |
Speed | 35 | 75 |
Armour | 30 | 103 |
Critical Hit | 10 | 60 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 410 | 958 |
Character | UK Availability | US Availability | Hlth | Spd | Arm | Hit | Mgc | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gill Grunt | Started Pack (WIi, PS3 and 360) | Loose | Started Pack (Wii, PS3 and 360) | 270 | 35 | 6 | 50 | 25 | 386 |
Zap | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Single | Triple Pack | 260 | 50 | 24 | 30 | 25 | 389 |
Slam Bam | Empire Ice Adventure Pack | Loose | Empire Ice Adventure Pack | 310 | 35 | 30 | 10 | 25 | 410 |
Wham Shell | Unreleased | Unreleased | 300 | 50 | 18 | 30 | 25 | 423 |
Gill Grunt's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 270 | 540 |
Speed | 35 | 75 |
Armour | 6 | 39 |
Critical Hit | 50 | 100 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 386 | 854 |
Zap is a more common Water Skylander, although not as common as Gill Grunt who most people will have in their Starter Pack. Being available in both Single and Triple packs makes Zap relatively easy to find.
He is one of the Dragon Skylanders and as recently revealed by Activision offers a bonus to players who have collected the set of Dragons. This has seen a slight bump in his popularity although prices have stayed more realistic than Slam Bam.
Zap's starting weapons are where his real strength is, they work together so well. Firstly he whizzes around on a trail of slime (a bit slug like for a dragon, but we'll forgive him that) that if the enemies touch they get stuck. This then leave them vulnerable to his Lightening Breath ranged electricity attack.
If you are a beginner player and playing Skylanders: Spyro's Adventures on your own Zap is one of the best characters to start with. My daughter's favoured upgrade path was to focus on his Lightening Breath (Tesla Dragon). This enabled her to keep the enemies at arms reach and avoid taking too much damage. She also say that his lightening "looks cool".
Perhaps to balance his great stats and abilities Zap's Soul Gem ability (found in the Leviathan Lagoon) is a little lacklustre compared to some other Skylanders. Basically it gives you a health boost when you on water -- handy but not all that exciting.
Zap's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 260 | 520 |
Speed | 50 | 90 |
Armour | 24 | 57 |
Critical Hit | 30 | 80 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 389 | 847 |
Slam Bam is, of course, one of the more sought after Skylanders. Not only was he not released until the third wave of figures but he is also only available in the Empire of Ice adventure pack. Beyond these availability concerns he is also a great character to play with -- although not without some shortcomings.
Like many of the more powerful, and higher stat-scoring Skylanders, Slam Bam is a little hard to use at first. His combination of Yeti Fist attack and Ice Prison lead to a lot of close range combat. My kids found this a bit much to deal with, usually preferring the ranged attack of other Water characters like Gill Grunt. He is also quite slow to begin with, compared to Zap or Wham Shell.
However, there are some key upgrades that make a big difference. First of these should be the Yeti Ice Shoe Slide which lets him slide across the ground (and water) and solves his speed problem. Next you should focus on his ice prisons via the Glacier Hit upgrade path. This turns them into a ranged weapon that not only restrain the enemies but also explode causing further damage.
If Slam Bam is still isn't fast enough his Soul Gem ability (found in the Empire of Ice world unlocked by his related adventure pack) provides a final boost of speed with the Yeti-Cooling Factor upgrade.
The figure itself is one of the better looking in my opinion. I like the decision that has been taken to have him made from translucent blue plastic (like the limited edition Gel Blue Bash Skylanders). He is also a solid figure, with easily as much bulk as Stump Smash of Ignitor -- in fact the three of them form part of my son's Skylanders wrestling team.
Slam Bam's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 310 | 620 |
Speed | 35 | 75 |
Armour | 30 | 103 |
Critical Hit | 10 | 60 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 410 | 958 |
Wham Shell's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 300 | 600 |
Speed | 50 | 90 |
Armour | 18 | 91 |
Critical Hit | 30 | 80 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 423 | 961 |
Character | UK Availability | US Availability | Hlth | Spd | Arm | Hit | Mgc | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Legendary Spyro | Legendary Triple Pack (Toys R Us) | Legendary Triple Pack | Loose | 280 | 50 | 18 | 50 | 25 | 423 |
Spyro | Starter Pack (Wii, PS3, 360) | Starter Pack (Wii, PS3, 360) | Loose | 280 | 50 | 18 | 30 | 25 | 403 |
Voodood | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Single Pack | Triple Pack | 290 | 35 | 12 | 30 | 25 | 392 |
Dark Spyro | Starter Pack (3DS) | Starter Pack (3DS) | Loose | 280 | 43 | 24 | 30 | 25 | 392 |
Wrecking Ball | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Loose | 270 | 43 | 24 | 20 | 25 | 382 |
Double Trouble | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Single Pack | Triple Pack | 250 | 35 | 18 | 50 | 25 | 378 |
Spyro is a curious character in the Skylanders world. He was after all the figure who this whole game was originally pinned upon. His name is in the first game's title. But beyond this his importance fades a little. In fact, Skylanders is increasingly being talked about as a new franchise rather than a reboot of Spyro's old intellectual property. He doesn't feature in the title of the second game and is ousted from a central position on boxes old and new by the ever popular Stealth Elf.
Spyro is one of the more common figures, because he is packed in with the console versions of the game. Those that have only purchased the 3DS version and are looking to complete their collection may struggle to find him second hand. Perhaps a better option is to go for Spyro's Legendary variant, although this can also be hard to find due to its rarity (originally a Toys R Us exclusive.
Spyro is one of the dragon characters and can therefore fly. He provides a good balance between close and range attacks (Charge, Earth Pound and Flameballs). Where he excells is in his speed, particularly if this is combined with upgraded charge and flight abilities. Novice players can take advantage of Spyro's invulnerability when charging by upgrading via the Blitz Spyro path. More experienced players may prefer to increase the damage of his ranged attacks via the Sheep Burner path.
Spyro's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 280 | 560 |
Speed | 50 | 98 |
Armour | 18 | 48 |
Critical Hit | 30 | 80 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 403 | 886 |
Dark Spyro is a special edition version of the normal Spyro character. He has the same pose as the normal Spyro but is coloured differently. Like the Legendary characters these colours also appear when used in the game, and he has different stats to both the normal and Legendary version.
Interestingly, Dark Spyro is slower than both Legendary and normal character, but what he loses in speed he makes up for with a boost in armour. This makes it a good place for younger players to start, as enemies take considerably longer to make an impact on his health.
Dark Spyro (like the other variants) is one of the dragon characters and can therefore fly. He provides a good balance between close and range attacks (Charge, Earth Pound and Flameballs). Where he excells is in his speed, particularly if this is combined with upgraded charge and flight abilities. Novice players can take advantage of Spyro's invulnerability when charging by upgrading via the Blitz Spyro path. More experienced players may prefer to increase the damage of his ranged attacks via the Sheep Burner path.
Dark Spyro's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 280 | 560 |
Speed | 43 | 91 |
Armour | 24 | 54 |
Critical Hit | 20 | 70 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 392 | 875 |
Legendary Spyro is a special edition version of the normal Spyro character. He has the same pose as the normal Spyro but is coloured differently. Like Dark Spyro his colours also appear when used in the game, and he has different stats to both the normal and Dark version.
Legendary Spyro is the rarest of the three variants because of its increased stats, not only the starting point but the level caps are also higher. This combines with the fact that is was only available via a limited edition Toys R Us triple pack to make it one of the most valuable Skylanders characters to date.
Legendary Spyro (like the other variants) is one of the dragon characters and can therefore fly. He provides a good balance between close and range attacks (Charge, Earth Pound and Flameballs). Where he excels is in his speed, particularly if this is combined with upgraded charge and flight abilities. Novice players can take advantage of Spyro's invulnerability when charging by upgrading via the Blitz Spyro path. More experienced players may prefer to increase the damage of his ranged attacks via the Sheep Burner path.
Legendary Spyro's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 280 | 560 |
Speed | 50 | 98 |
Armour | 18 | 48 |
Critical Hit | 50 | 100 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 423 | 906 |
Voodood was one of the first wave of Skylanders and was available in both single and triple pack form. This meant that he was initially easy to find. However because he has not been included in subsequent release waves of the figures he is becoming increasingly hard to find.
He is essentially a close combat character, but unlike other Skylanders his melee attack can be used a a distance. His Zipline attack hooks onto enemies that are far away and pulls Voodood towards them. This can be particularly useful when fighting enemies with ranged weapons. His Axe Reaver close ranged attack can then be used to finish off enemies once pulled into range with the Zipline.
Voodood has the highest health of any of the Magic Skylanders, but is more vulnerable to damage because of his low armour value. This, and the more exacting requirements of close combat make him a character usually favoured by more experienced players.
Younger players can tailor Voodood by selecting the Elementalist upgrade path which focuses on his magic attacks that offer more area effect and increased ranged attacks. Those looking to maximise the amount of damage that Voodood can inflict will prefer to upgrade via his Marauder path that increases the power of the Zipline and Axe attacks. These are rounded off by his Soul Gem (found in the Arkeyan Armory) that adds a defensive ability to the Zipline so that it deflects enemy shots.
Although my kids steered clear of Voodood to begin with once I had upgraded his magic attacks he became a commonly used character in our house. I think this may be because of the "cool looking" magic as much as his core abilities.
Voodood's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 290 | 580 |
Speed | 35 | 83 |
Armour | 12 | 42 |
Critical Hit | 30 | 80 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 392 | 885 |
Although Double Trouble wasn't released until the third wave of characters in Jan 2012, when he did arrive he was available in both single and double pack. This made him more common than other third wave characters like Cynder. Even so with the increasing popularity of the game, these figures can still go for more than their RRP.
Double Trouble was a hit with our family from the off. Like Sonic Boom, he is able to produce miniature replicas of himself that then go and fight the enemies. Unlike Sonic Boom, Double Trouble's offspring are mindless zombies that charge straight at the enemy until they die.
This proved to be hysterical for our kids who have spent hours sending Double Trouble's Doppelgangers to their doom. Beyond this novelty they also seemed to enjoy his ability to cast spells and summon magical rain. Although his stats are the lowest of the Magic Skylanders, these attacks and some meaty upgrades more than make up for his shortcomings.
My kids have totally ignored the Channeler upgrade path that improves Double Trouble's Eldritch Beam and Magic bomb attacks. They opted for the Conjuror path that gives his magic doubles more power and makes them explore on contact with their enemies -- again the cause of much laughter.
His Soul Gem (found in the Lair of Kaos) is perhaps his Achilles heal as it only grants the ability to fly over water. In comparison to other character's Soul Gem ability this is a little tame.
Double Trouble's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 250 | 500 |
Speed | 35 | 83 |
Armour | 18 | 48 |
Critical Hit | 50 | 100 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 378 | 831 |
Wrecking Ball was released in the second wave of Skylanders figures in both triple and single pack. Recent re-stocking has meant that he is becoming more common.
A combination of his ability to attack enemies by sticking out his tongue and his compact physical design has made him quite a favourite for my kids. He often stars in the games they make up for the characters when not playing the videogame itself and is used to knock over other Skylanders (as his name suggests).
In the game proper he starts with his Tongue Whip and Forcefield Ball attack, each of which keep him relatively safe from enemy attacks. Players can then choose to upgrade his tongue attack (via the Total Tongue path) or his Forcefield Ball attach (via the Ultimate Spinner path).
Although both of these suit a younger player my kids didn't realize they would miss out on the tongue upgrade by choosing the Ultimate Spinner path. Are buying a few of these they took the unprecedented move of resetting their character via the menu and starting again -- this time opting for the Total Tongue path.
His most favourite ability for our household wasn't discovered until we purchased his Soul Gem upgrade (found in Quick Silver Vault) that enables him to swallow enemies, Kirby style. The kids think this is fantastic and often spend hours on the early levels simply eating all the smaller enemy characters.
Wrecking Ball's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 270 | 540 |
Speed | 43 | 91 |
Armour | 24 | 54 |
Critical Hit | 20 | 70 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 382 | 855 |
Character | UK Availability | US Availability | Hlth | Spd | Arm | Hit | Mgc | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trigger Happy | Starter Pack | Starter Pack | Loose | 200 | 50 | 30 | 50 | 25 | 355 |
Legendary Trigger Happy | Single Pack | Legendary Triple Pack | Single Pack | Legendary Triple Pack | 200 | 50 | 42 | 50 | 25 | 367 |
Boomer | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Loose | 230 | 35 | 18 | 50 | 25 | 358 |
Drobot | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Loose | 290 | 43 | 24 | 20 | 25 | 403 |
Drill Sergeant | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Single Pack | Triple Pack | Loose | 290 | 43 | 12 | 30 | 25 | 400 |
Trigger Happy's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 200 | 400 |
Speed | 50 | 98 |
Armour | 30 | 60 |
Critical Hit | 50 | 100 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 355 | 758 |
Legendary Trigger Happy's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 200 | 400 |
Speed | 50 | 98 |
Armour | 42 | 72 |
Critical Hit | 50 | 100 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 367 | 770 |
Boomer's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 230 | 460 |
Speed | 35 | 83 |
Armour | 18 | 48 |
Critical Hit | 50 | 100 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 358 | 791 |
Drobot's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 290 | 580 |
Speed | 43 | 91 |
Armour | 24 | 54 |
Critical Hit | 20 | 70 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 403 | 895 |
Drill Sergeant's character stats are as follows:
Starting | Maximum | |
---|---|---|
Health | 290 | 580 |
Speed | 43 | 91 |
Armour | 12 | 82 |
Critical Hit | 30 | 80 |
Elemental Power | 25 | 100 |
Total | 400 | 933 |
Availability: Buy in 3DS Starter Pack and Single Pack.
US Availability: Buy in 3DS Starter Pack and Single Pack or Triple Pack or Loose.
As a small child, Stealth Elf awoke one morning inside the hollow of an old tree with no memory of how she got there. She was taken in by an unusually stealthy, ninja-like forest creature in the deep forest. Under his tutelage, she has spent the majority of her life training in the art of stealth fighting. After completing her training, she became a Skylander and set out into the world to uncover the mystery behind her origins. Primary Strength: Blade Slash Secondary Strength: Stealth Upgrades include: Dragonfang Daggers Arboreal Acrobatics Elf Jitsu Character Stats: Max Health: 270 (+30 per level up) Speed: 50 Armour: 12 Critical Hit: 50 Elemental Power: 25 Card Stats: Strength: 60 Agility: 100 Defense: 30 Luck: 70
UK Availability: Buy as part of Triple Pack and Single Pack.
US Availability: Buy as part of Triple Pack and Single Pack or Loose.
Stump Smash was once a magical tree that spent most of his time sleeping peacefully in the forests of Skylands. Then one day he awoke to discover his entire forest had been chopped down and logged by trolls - himself included. His long branches were gone, leaving him with only powerful mallets for hands, which he used to smash the troll tree-cutting machines. Although still grumpy about what happened to him, Stump Smash has vowed to protect Skylands against those who would do it harm... especially trolls. Primary Strength: Wood Hammer Secondary Strength: Acorn Spit Upgrades include: Petrified Pummel Thorn Bark Stump Crusher Combos Double Stump Character Stats: Max Health: 340 (+38/level) Speed: 43 Armour: 30 Critical Hit: 20 Elemental Power: 32 Card Stats: Strength: 90 Agility: 20 Defense: 70 Luck: 40
UK Availability: Coming soon as part of Single Pack.
US Availability: Coming soon as part of Single Pack.
Zook hails from a strange and unusual species called Bambazookers, who once lived their entire lives standing in place... until Zook discovered they could walk simply by stepping out of the mud. After that, he became a wandering hero, seeking peace, tranquility and interesting things to blow up with his hand-carved bamboo tube. He uses his multi-purpose bamboo tube for pretty much everything, including a telescope and a didgeridoo... and of course, a bazooka, which fires special explosive thorns grown in a secret bramble patch known only to his people. Campfire songs were even written about him, although Zook would have preferred some nice haiku poetry if given a choice. Now, Zook spends him time as a Skylander, figuring he can be an even bigger hero and have even more songs written about him. Character Stats: Health: 260 Speed: 43 Armor: 30 Critical Hit: 20 Elemental Power: 25 Card Stats: Strength: 70 Agility: 85 Defense: 20 Luck: 70
UK Availability: Coming soon as part of Single Pack.
US Availability: Coming soon as part of Single Pack.
Zook hails from a strange and unusual species called Bambazookers, who once lived their entire lives standing in place… until Zook discovered they could walk simply by stepping out of the mud. After that, he became a wandering hero, using his hand-carved bamboo tube as a bazooka that fires special explosive thorns. Campfire songs were even written about him. Now, Zook spends him time as a Skylander, figuring he can be an even bigger hero… and have even more songs written about him. Upgrades include: Bazooka Attack Foliage Barrier Mortar Attack Full Splinter Jacket Exploding Shrapne Character Stats: Health: 300 Speed: 50 Armor: 34 Critical Hit: 30 Elemental Power: 25 Card Stats: Strength: 70 Agility: 45 Defense: 70 Luck: 70
UK Availability: Buy as part of Single Pack.
US Availability: Buy as part of Single Pack.
Chop Chop was once an elite warrior belonging to the ancient race of Arkeyan beings. Like many of the Arkeyans, he was created from a hybrid of elements - in his case, undead magic and technology. Chop Chop is a relentless, highly-skilled solider who wields a sword and shield made of an indestructible metal. With the Arkeyans having vanished long ago, Chop Chop wandered Skylands for centuries looking for his creators. Eventually, he was found by Eon and recruited as a Skylander. Primary Strength: Sword Slash Secondary Strength: Arkeyan Shield Upgrades include: Spiked Shield Bash Arkeyan Vorpal Blade Vampiric Aura Character Stats: Health: 300 (+34) Speed: 50 Armor: 24 Critical Hit: 10 Elemental Power: 25 Card Stats: Strength: 65 Agility: 60 Defense: 100 Luck: 20
UK Availability: Buy as part of Legendary Pack.
US Availability: Buy as part of Legendary Pack.
Legendary figures offer a different painting variation and increase stats. As well as being different colours to the standard Skylanders figures, they look and perform differently in the game itself. Along with the second wave figures these are also hard to find and can generate high prices second hand. Chop Chop was once an elite warrior belonging to the ancient race of Arkeyan beings. Like many of the Arkeyans, he was created from a hybrid of elements - in his case, undead magic and technology. Chop Chop is a relentless, highly-skilled solider who wields a sword and shield made of an indestructible metal. With the Arkeyans having vanished long ago, Chop Chop wandered Skylands for centuries looking for his creators. Eventually, he was found by Eon and recruited as a Skylander. Primary Strength: Sword Slash Secondary Strength: Arkeyan Shield Upgrades include: Spiked Shield Bash Arkeyan Vorpal Blade Vampiric Aura Character Stats: Health: 300 Speed: 50 Armor: 30 Critical Hit: 20 Elemental Power: 25 Card Stats: Strength 65 Defense 100 Agility 60 Luck 40.
UK Availability:Buy as part of Single Pack.
US Availability: Buy in the Darklight Crypt Pack or Loose.
There was a time when Ghost Roaster was neither a ghost nor a roaster. Instead he was a chef living in a village high in the mountains. One day, while clipping wool from a sheep to use in a recipe, he accidentally fell into the Valley of the Undead and transformed into a ghost eating ghoul! After eating an entire spectral village, its Ethereal Ruler chained Ghost Roaster to a spiked ball as punishment - its rattle heard as he wanders the night, warning nearby spirits. When Master Eon eventually heard of his predicament, he figured even a ghost eater could be useful. So he made Ghost Roaster a Skylander... after he promised to eat only evil ghosts. Primary Attack: Chain Whip Secondary Attack: Skull Charge Upgrades include: Chain Whip Skull Charge Ectoplasm Mode Haunt Nightmare Touch Character Stats: Health: 280 (+31/level) Speed: 43 Armor: 24 Critical Hit: 20 Elemental Power: 25 Card Stats: Strength: 60 Agility: 40 Defense: 85 Luck: 40
UK Availability: Buy as part of Single Pack.
US Availability: Buy as part of Single Pack or Triple Pack or Loose.
Long ago, Hex was a gifted and powerful sorceress who travelled deep into the underworld to confront the Undead Dragon King named Malefor, who made several attempts to capture her to learn her secrets. Though she successfully battled the dragon, Hex returned from the underworld changed - having unwillingly joined the ranks of the Undead. Many are wary of her since her transformation, suspecting she has used her powerful magic for evil purposes. But Eon trusts her, and views her as a most valuable Skylander ally. 1st Attack: Conjure Phantom Orb 2nd Attack: Rain of Skulls 3rd Attack: Wall of Bones Hints Hex needs to use her ranged attacks and then quickly evade enemies. Make sure to get the Wall of Bones upgrade as quickly as possible. This is a great defensive move that comes in extremely handy. When in combat, first create a Wall of Bones and then conjure Phantom Orbs and Rain of Skulls from behind it. The Wall of Bones will protect you while you defeat your enemies. Rain of Skulls is one of the best attacks in the game for defeating enemies that are above you. The other cool thing about Rain of Skulls is that you don't have to aim the attack. The Skulls will auto-target your enemies after you launch them. Having a character with a great lob attack is an important part of any collection. Master Caster is a great upgrade. Being able to cast Skull Rain and Wall of Bones faster is really helpful in Battle Mode. Hex’s Heroic Challenge, The Three Teleporters, gives you +3 to armour when you beat it. Upgrades include: Wall of Bones - Create a Wall of bones. Storm of Skulls - Conjure up to 4 Skulls with your Skull Rain attack. Bone Fortress - The Wall of Bones is larger and takes more damage to destroy. Twice the Orbage - Shoot 2 Phantom Orbs at once. Shade Master (upgrade path) - Further develop your Phantom Orb attack: Long Distance Orbs - Increases the range of your Phantom Orbs. Caustic Phantom Orbs - Phantom Orbs do increased damage. Unstable class="n" Phantom Orbs - Phantom Orbs explode, damaging enemies. Bone Crafter (upgrade path) - Further develop your Skull Rain and Wall of Bones abilities: Compound Fracture - Wall of Bones damages any enemy it touches. Master Caster - Quicker to cast Skull Rain / Wall of Bones. Troll Skulls - Skull Rain does increased damage. Skull Shield (Soul Gem) - Skull Rain knocks away enemies and attacks. Requires the Soul Gem found in Cadaverous Crypt Character Stats: Max Health: 270 Speed: 43 Armour: 18 Critical Hit: 30 Elemental Power: 25 Card Stats: Strength: 70 Agility: 70 Defense: 40 Luck: 50
UK Availability: Coming soon as part of Single Pack.
US Availability: Coming soon as part of Single Pack.
While just an egg, Cynder was stolen by the henchmen of an evil dragon named Malefor and raised to do his bidding. For years, she spread fear throughout the land until she was defeated by Spyro the Dragon and freed from the grip of Malefor. But dark powers still flow through her, and despite her desire to make amends for her past, most Skylanders try to keep a safe distance… just in case. Primary Attack: Spectral Lightning Secondary Attack: Shadow Dash Upgrades include: Spectral Lightning Shadow Dash Cynder Flight Black Lightning Shadow Reach Character Stats: Health: 260 Speed: 43 Armor: 18 Critical Hit: 30 Elemental Power: 25 Card Stats: Strength: 55 Agility: 85 Defense: 75 Luck: 45
Steph Flemming writes the Collecting Gamer column.
"There are as many way to collect games as there are to play them. I want to bring together old, new, classic, rare, sealed game collectors together in one place, and make sense of it for us everyday people."
Here are the games I've been playing recently:
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Family Video Game Age Ratings | Home | About | Radio shows | Columnists | Competitions | Contact RSS | Email | Twitter | Facebook With so many different perspectives it can be hard to know where to start - a little like walking into a crowded pub. Sorry about that. But so far we've not found a way to streamline our review output - there's basically too much of it. So, rather than dilute things for newcomers we have decided to live with the hubbub while helping new readers find the columnists they will enjoy. |
Our columnists each focus on a particular perspective and fall into one of the following types of gamers:
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