The main problem with Ulma is that you never want to use her hero ability. Yes potions are useful, but they're less valuable (except the power potion) than the other items you could get from the search deck.

My beef with Ulma is what Whitewing says (I find myself agreeing with Whitewing a lot lately ). If you play in a group and you have to decide between Ulma as your healer but another character has already selected the Treasure Hunter, why play Ulma?

You can search the deck for a potion, but you have to stop at the first potion you find, whether or not it's one you want. And her heroic feat can be potentially useful, enormously so... if all the party happens to have potions that they've already used and are close by...and as was stated, there are a lot "goldier" search items than potions, so you'd have to pass those up in favour of potions.

She wouldn't be at the top of my selection pile, but I don't think I'd refuse to play her, if we went for a more "flavour" type game like "class/hero match type" where you have to play the hero that matches the class you select.

So we are mostly agreed that Ulma is not a great, but still usable, pick. Whitewing, any one on 2ED only (so no conversion) that you would rate as significantly sub par?

Significantly sub par? There are a few. I would rate Grisben the Thirsty and significantly sub par, as well as Dezra the Vile. The rest are all playable and viable, although some are better than others.

Here's my pick for the best heros for each archetype (ignoring conversion kit, and not necessarily in order):

Warrior: Syn'Drael, and Trenloe the Strong

Scout: Lindel, Logan Lashley, Jain Fairwood

Mage: High Mage Quellen, Widow Tarha

Healer: Augur Grissom, Elder Mok

Of course classes matter too.

Gisben i can agree with, even with the errata to his hero ability his low movement and unimpressive ability and feat put him down the pecking order.

Ive always quite liked Dezra although i acknowledge that her abilities are at odds with her health and mage's in general.

But even so we are looking at maybe 3-5 heroes as being significantly sub par across the 2ED range which has what? 34 heroes to pick from?

Anyway, back on topic,

Eagletsi, what did you end up grabbing?

Gisben i can agree with, even with the errata to his hero ability his low movement and unimpressive ability and feat put him down the pecking order.

Ive always quite liked Dezra although i acknowledge that her abilities are at odds with her health and mage's in general.

But even so we are looking at maybe 3-5 heroes as being significantly sub par across the 2ED range which has what? 34 heroes to pick from?

Yeah there aren't that many that are awful. Dezra is bad because she lacks any synergy at all with anything mage. If you're playing like a mage should, you'll never use her abilities. If you use her abilities, you're gonna get squished horribly and not be a useful mage.

Anyway, back on topic,

Eagletsi, what did you end up grabbing?

I tried to get Manor or Wyrm, but both were sold out. No other big boxes left at my store. So I got two heroes and monster sets. Crown, and Forgotten