I recently discovered the Rachel and Miles X-plain the X-men podcast and have been burning through episodes while revising my Godlike campaign proposal. The podcast has my brain churning though the gillions of hours I spent reading X-Men comics.
All of that makes me want to create my dream team of X-men. Much like my Avengers Teams, I am going Old School and will use the Blue and Gold Team models; I will not, however, limit my team choices just to the 90s. There is just something so perfect about two teams.
Gold Team: All-Purpose All Stars
Storm (Team Leader): 'Nuff said.
Shadowcat (Techie): Shadowcat is a genius, a ninja who can phase through walls. She is perfect on either team.
Nightcrawler (Transport): Kurt is a modern-day Errol Flynn: expert swordsman and acrobat who vanishes in the shadows, can teleport, and is a trained medic. While at first glace it would seem he would be on the Blue team, his ability to teleport will give the Gold Team a huge tactical advantage.
Sunspot (Energy Projector): Robert can bankroll both teams and has countless connections, and that is before we go into his powers and personal charm.
Colossus (Powerhouse): Piotr is an incredible powerhouse once he transforms to his organic metal form which makes him easily as strong as Thor. He is an incredible combatant from his years of training, and all of that destructive force is counterbalanced by his wanting of peace.
Rogue (Stunner): Rogue has the ability to stop most fights with a single touch, as she can absorb an enemies abilities and use the arsenal of powers she has permanently absorbed that make her a backup power house.
The White Queen (Psychic): Every X-Men team needs a psychic to use Cerebro to find new mutants, defend the team against mental attacks and instantly secure information. Oh, and Emma is incredibly wealthy, with amazing connections (some very questionable), and cares about teaching the next generation of mutants. She also has an invulnerable diamond form for combat.
Blue Team: Espionage and Recon
Cyclops (Team Leader): Slim is an incredible tactical leader, coupled with being an original X-Men. He is willing to do whatever it takes for his people. He is also an Alpha-level mutant that has battled an entire team of X-Men alone and won. Scott Summers is not a man to be underestimated.
Sage (Psychic): Sage is the perfect member as her mutant power of a Cyberpathy allows for data retrieval; she is also a trained spy, expert combatant, and has the power to unlock latent mutant abilities in others. That power would be used as a last resort but could change the course of any losing battle.
Prodigy (Techie): David is brilliant and has been depowered. Now he has full access to all the knowledges he copied for years. (The short list?Wolverine: combat skill, Shadowcat: computer prowess, Beast: knowledge of science and biology, Doctor Strange: magical knowledge, and Cyclops: strategic knowledge.)
Gambit (Stealth): Remy is a master thief, con man, skilled combatant and that is before his mutant powers are factored in.
M (All Around): Monet is...well...perfect...or so the comics say. Her physical powers nearly equal those of the She-hulk and toss in an array of mental powers. She is close to a one-woman team.
Warpath (Powerhouse): James's physical powers would let him stand toe to toe with Thor. He is an exceptionally trained tracker, has supersense, a touch of mysticism, and a pair of Vibranium daggers!
Triage (Bonus Member): Triage's ability to heal and possibly bring people back from the dead makes him essential to both teams. He would be key at HQ!
I hear you say: Why no Wolverine? He is the best at what he does.
I am not a huge fan of the "new" Wolverine. The real Wolverine was the guy constantly in struggle with his inner beast that put him at odds with the team. He killed people with little remorse and is best as a loner. There were amazing issues like when he single-handedly went through the Hellfire Club or resisted the Brood infestation to free the X-Men and Carol Danvers (pre-Binary). (No offense intended, Hugh. You are amazing and I can't wait to see your next project that is not Wolverine.)
Now if you pressed me and asked which of these teams I would choose in the ultimate X-Men showdown, I would say Blue. The X-Men on the Blue Team have the most versatility to overcome any obstacle. Go Blue! (I think this is a football chant? I'd have to ask my wife.)