Fantasy Flight Games

It's All About the Flavor

Published 21 May 2020 | Marvel Champions: The Card Game

It's All About the Flavor

Thematic Deckbuilding in Marvel Champions: The Card Game

Whether you’re a veteran Marvel Champions deckbuilder, or you just play the pre-built decks, there’s something to be said for a truly thematic deck. With the cards already released for Marvel Champions: The Card Game, you can build some wonderfully evocative decks, calling up your favorite moments from across the Marvel universe. Today, guest writer Blake Powell shares some of his thoughts on how you can make your games of Marvel Champions even more thematic!

Blake Powell on Moving Beyond Your Pre-Built Deck

This is my first time writing about Marvel Champions: The Card Game, and I am pumped! This game has been my savior during this time of isolation, as it provides one of the few ways I can disconnect from technology and play a tabletop game solo. As much as entertainment from a screen is great, having something hands-on that doesn’t use technology is a nice change of pace.

For this article I wanted to focus on an idea that should interest seasoned players as well as casual players who just like playing the pre-built decks in Hero Packs, quite possibly because deck building just isn’t your thing. With that in mind, I thought an interesting way to go about building decks is to think about them in a thematic way according to the hero—or even the lore behind a hero, which is especially fun for those who are fans of the Marvel universe.

One thing to note, I’ve made the assumption that your card pool contains all packs that have been released up to the Thor Hero Pack. If you are missing some of the cards that are mentioned, just see if you can find a substitute that has a similar concept, i.e. doing damage or thwarting!

Building a Theme

I actually wanted to kick things off with a villain scenario idea! Anyone who has played the game long enough knows that Rhino (Core Set, 94) is the true intro villain. That being said, I think the thematic flavor possibilities with Rhino are amazing! In The Green Goblin Scenario Pack, we were graced with a card pool to create a pseudo-Sinister Six encounter deck by adding in the Electro modular set (Power Drain), the Tombstone modular set (Running Interference), and the Scorpion modular set (A Mess of Things).

These plus the Standard modular set make for some fun thematic flavor, and that goes double if you choose Spider-Man as your hero. You could also add in Goblin Gimmicks if you want to make it wacky—I think that may dilute the encounter deck a little too much, but it’s still a fun possibility. I personally really enjoy playing around with the different modular decks and trying to create a great thematic/challenging encounter deck.

Another way to add some thematic flavor to your Marvel Champions experience is to use hero combinations that tie into one another in the Marvel universe. There are loads of possibilities here depending on the number of players, but even solo, you can play two-handed and utilize two heroes thematically this way. In fact, playing a two-handed solo game is always a great option when tackling certain villains, as sometimes it really helps to have the diversity of two aspects to truly thwart and defeat that particular villain. This also lets you test two deckbuilds at the same time and shows you how a deck plays in a multi-hero environment instead of just a solo scenario. You could even go one step further and use the lore of the Marvel universe to put together matchups between heroes and villains that have a history of facing off. For example, Iron Man vs. Ultron or Black Panther vs. Klaw.

Mixing Up Your Hero Deck

Now, if you are looking to build some decks with thematic flavor, there are a few ways that you can usually go about it. The first is through the actual Marvel universe, taking characters that interact with one another and putting them together. This mainly uses a hero with various allies that have interactions within the Marvel universe and builds a deck around the connection. Another primary way to assemble a thematic deck is by combining traits on the cards, which will bring more support cards into the mix with those allies. Lastly, and this can be a really fun one, is to look at the card art, and use as many cards as possible that have art depicting your hero or allies. This is a great way to pull out cards you may not always use, but since it has that flavor of your hero or allies, you’ll include it and try to make it work in your deck. You’d be surprised at how forcing yourself to include a card may open up potential new combos you hadn’t considered before!

Now getting into the specifics of a thematic deck. The easiest one to create at this point in the game is an Avengers themed deck. The Avenger trait is almost a universal theme with pretty much all of the heroes, so you can choose which hero you wish to try for this Leadership aspect deck. The only caveat for this build is that you must have the Captain America Hero Pack, as most of the Avengers-themed cards are within this expansion. Plus, Captain America (Captain America, 1A) makes a great hero for the Avengers theme, since he’s prominently considered “the first” Avenger.

Looking at this deck for the most part, it’s pretty consistent and uses any card that has something to do with the Avengers trait or can synergize with a deck built around allies, which is what the deck is all about. Consider this build more of reference point to start from, especially if you don’t like building decks, then swap in cards that you enjoy to play or have a thematic flavor you would enjoy.

For those of you who aren’t into deckbuilding as much and have been playing Marvel Champions right out of the box with the pre-constructed decks, this next section is for you. Although this deck does still have that flavor crossover through the card art, that isn’t the main goal of these builds. The idea is to expand what you might have already been playing and take it to another level. What I’ve done is to take some of those original pre-built decks and tweak the builds—mainly by adding extra copies of a card that’s already in the deck in exchange for thinning out the basic cards, which typically only have a single card included for these Core Set pre-built decks.

First up is Captain Marvel (Core Set, 10A)! This deck has the Aggression aspect, and with these adjustments, you’re really turning the aggression up to eleven here! A big swap in this build is removing Hulk (Core Set, 50) in favor of Valkyrie (Thor, 12) Hulk may be fun as a character, but if you don’t have the right resource distribution, he can really burn you, so Hulk is out for this. Another notable exclusion is Relentless Assault (Core Set, 53). I was testing against the Rhino deck that I described above, and that encounter deck is quite light on minions, so Relentless Assault holds less value and was replaced by Melee (Ms. Marvel, 30). If you’re playing against a minion-centric encounter deck like Ultron or Green Goblin, swap Relentless Assault back in, as you will see a lot more value from that card in those situations.

There is also an upgrade here that is very specific to Captain Marvel, and that is Enhanced Reflexes (Ms. Marvel, 24). This provides a repeatable Energy resource, which is very beneficial for Captain Marvel. If you wanted to try out this Aggression aspect with another hero that utilizes a different specific resource, you can swap in one of the other Enhanced upgrades as a substitute. You would be surprised how well an aspect deck can swap into another hero with minimal changes, especially the Justice and Aggression aspects, which are both highlighted here.

Next up, we have Spider-Man (Core Set, 1A)! With the Justice aspect, this deck is very well rounded for solo play. In fact, that’s the great thing in general about the Justice aspect—it caters really well to solo play, especially if your hero has cards that can do a lot of direct damage to the villain, as the Justice aspect focuses on thwarting. This deck has quite a significant tweak from the Core Set pre-built deck, with a lot more combo potential and some amazing card art flavor! The Physical resource is a big part of some of the combos, so it’s the most printed resource in the deck. Tenacity (Core Set, 93) and Concussive Blow (Ms. Marvel, 31) use this resource, and both can be clutch in a game.

One really fun combo is using Invulnerability (Thor, 21) to give Spider-Man a Tough status card, then playing Great Responsibility (Core Set, 61) to prevent the threat from being placed on a scheme as well as the damage. Under Surveillance (Thor, 31) is also an auto-include for any Justice build! This card will always buy you some time and is a crucial card in my opinion. There is also one card that can be swapped into the deck based on the scenario you’re playing, and that is Followed (Captain America, 32). This is a situational card to me, similar to Relentless Assault in the Captain Marvel deck, so add this at your discretion, or just to experiment with how useful you find it!

Let the Building Begin

That pretty much wraps up this article. Hopefully, the thematic aspect is something you will look into and enjoy—even if you’re not a fan of deck building, this should give you some options to expand those original pre-built decks. One rule I find to be quite true with most card games, you’ll want to play a deck a few times to really get a feel for how it plays and to discover the potential card combos, so make sure you jam a few games to really get to know the deck. Until next time, EXCELSIOR!

Blake Powell, or blvdPAPERFIGHT, is an avid Marvel Champions player. He uses the game as a way to disconnect from technology, and usually is playing solo as a way to wind down and enjoy some great Marvel flavor in an LCG format. Look for more content from Blake on his YouTube channel and on social media @blvdPAPERFIGHT.

Discuss this article
in our forums!

Available Now – December 20

Published 20 December 2019 | Marvel Champions: The Card Game

Available Now – December 20

New Products for Marvel Champions: The Card Game Are Available Now

Take a look at the latest products from Fantasy Flight Games, now available at your local retailer!

The Green Goblin Scenario Pack

To many citizens of the Marvel Universe, Norman Osborn is an eccentric billionaire. A man who has put his demons behind him. The truth of the matter is Norman Osborn is always teetering on the brink of a relapse into the villainous Green Goblin. With advanced technology, superhuman strength, and regenerative healing, the Green Goblin is one of the Marvel Universe’s most frightening villains, and a longtime nemesis to Spider-Man.

But Norman Osborn rarely makes public appearances as the Goblin. As one of the richest men in the world, Osborn himself is virtually untouchable, making his human form just as effective as the sadistic goblin. Can any team of heroes truly stand up to the might of Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin?

Continue your adventures in the Marvel Universe with The Green Goblin Scenario Pack for Marvel Champions: The Card Game! This 78-card Scenario Pack introduces two new scenarios and four modular encounter sets showcasing the devious Norman Osborn and his sadistic alter-ego, the Green Goblin.

Pick up your copy of The Green Goblin Scenario Pack (MC02en) at your local retailer today!

Captain America Hero Pack

When Steve Rogers was deemed too frail to enlist during World War II, he took part in a secret government program to transform him into the world’s first Super-Soldier. With the help of a revolutionary serum, Rogers emerged from the experiment as the embodiment of physical perfection. Now in peak condition, Rogers served as a special operative and a bastion of freedom in World War II, until an accident near the end of the war submerged him in ice for decades. Discovered by the Avengers in the modern era, Captain America continues to fight for the American Dream—a man out of time, but never out of courage.

Join the fight for freedom with the Captain America Hero Pack for Marvel Champions: The Card Game!

With his iconic shield made of pure vibranium, Captain America can lead the charge against even the most fearsome of foes, inspiring those around him with legendary valor.

Like all Hero Packs, the Captain America Hero Pack includes a fully-playable deck right out of the box that includes fifteen Hero cards, seventeen cards from the Leadership aspect, and eight neutral cards. This deck brings Captain America to the forefront of the action with his trusty shield, as he buffs the heroes around him while calling on new Avengers to join the fight!

Pick up your copy of the Captain America Hero Pack (MC04en) at your local retailer today!

Ms. Marvel Hero Pack

Already struggling with who she was, and who she wanted to be, teenager Kamala Khan just wanted a simple life. But when Kamala was trapped in a Terrigen Mist enveloping New Jersey, her life got a lot more complex! After emerging from the mist, Kamala discovered she was able to morph her body into nearly anything! Inspired by her idol Carol Danvers, Kamala took on the name Ms. Marvel and New Jersey gained its very own teenage crime fighter!

Take the fight to the villain with the Ms. Marvel Hero Pack for Marvel Champions: The Card Game!

Ms. Marvel is one of the most flexible heroes in the game, able to fit into whatever role is needed while learning to be a hero and protecting her friends from harm!

Pick up your copy of the Ms. Marvel Hero Pack (MC05en) at your local retailer today!

Discuss this article
in our forums!

FFG Live in December

Published 27 November 2019 | Star Wars: X-Wing Second Edition

FFG Live in December

Check Out What FFG Live Has in Store for December

With the holidays fast approaching, FFG Live is speeding towards the conclusion of its second season, but there’s still plenty of action coming your way!

Enter Rokugan with a stream on December 3rd focusing on the Clan War Premium Expansion for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game. Developer Tyler Parrott will show off new cards coming your way when the expansion releases in the first quarter of 2020!

On December 5th, Marvel Champions: The Card Game designers Michael Boggs and Caleb Grace play a game featuring all-upcoming releases! Tune in to get a sneak peak of the Captain America Hero Pack, the Ms. Marvel Hero Pack, The Green Goblin Scenario Pack, and the very first look at the Thor Hero Pack!

On December 10th, John Shaffer returns to the FFG Live stage for more advanced painting tips for Star Wars™: Legion! This is the third stream in a series giving you tips on how to paint your favorite Star Wars: Legion figures! For the first streams, click here and here!

Our ongoing RPG series Flights of Fantasy will close out its first campaign in the Genesys Roleplaying System on December 12th. Join Game Master Sam Stewart and players Max, Evan, and Alexis as they navigate the world of Android using the Shadow of the Beanstalk sourcebook!

Be sure to tune in on December 17th to get an early look at upcoming releases for Star Wars™: X-Wing! Developers Max and Brooks will be on hand to show-off and answer questions about the iconic tactical miniatures game!

From there, FFG Live will be embarking on our season break until January 9th with one exception. Join us at 10 a.m. on New Year’s Eve for a blast from the past as Head of Studio Andrew Navaro and Senior Manager of Digital Development Andrew Fischer play Android: The Board Game! Originally released in 2008, this game kickstarted the Android universe with flawed investigators trying to solve a murder-mystery. The festivities start at 10 a.m., don’t miss it!

Join us on our YouTube and Twitch channels for FFG Live every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:00 PM Central Time. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a new video or livestream—we hope to see you there!

Discuss this article
in our forums!

The Green Goblin

Published 8 August 2019 | Marvel Champions: The Card Game

The Green Goblin

Announcing a New Scenario Pack for Marvel Champions: The Card Game

“Because of what he’s done to me—and to my son–Spider-Man, the cursed Peter Parker must die!”
–The Green Goblin, The Amazing Spider-Man #121

Pre-order your own copy of The Green Goblin Scenario Pack at your local retailer or online through our website—with free shipping in the continental United States—today!

But Norman Osborn rarely makes public appearances as the Goblin. As one of the richest men in the world, Osborn himself is virtually untouchable, making his alter-ego just as effective as the sadistic goblin. Can any team of heroes truly stand up to the might of Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin?

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce The Green Goblin Scenario Pack for Marvel Champions: The Card Game!

This 78-Card pack introduces two new scenarios to Marvel Champions showcasing the devious Norman Osborn and his sadistic alter-ego, the Green Goblin. Also included are four modular encounter sets that can be mixed in with these scenarios to customize your experience! Are you ready to take your games of Marvel Champions to the next level and take on Norman Osborn?

Risky Business

Hello, heroes.

As you know, Norman Osborn is a ruthless businessman and the head of the multinational corporation, Oscorp. We also have intel that he’s fueling a large crime operation.

Unfortunately, Osborn has set his sights on purchasing a failing branch of Stark Industries. Not only would this bring a surge to Oscorp stock, but we’re certain he plans to use the Stark tech to enhance his criminal enterprise.

While directly taking down Osborn is out of the question, we think that you can provoke Osborn by targeting his criminal enterprise, forcing his alter-ego, the Green Goblin, to come out to play.

The first scenario featured in The Green Goblin Scenario Pack is "Risky Business," a confrontation that sees the heroes try and defeat the Green Goblin by indirectly assaulting his alter-ego, Norman Osborn (The Green Goblin, 1A), until he is forced to take action as the Goblin (The Green Goblin, 1B)!

When the scenario starts, you won’t be directly attacking Osborn, after all, he’s one of the wealthiest men in world. Instead, you’ll be focusing on bringing down his Criminal Enterprise (The Green Goblin, 6A). Any time a hero would attack Norman Osborn, instead, they target his criminal empire, getting under Osborn’s skin and getting one step closer to drawing out his Green Goblin persona, who the heroes can attack directly.

Of course, this means Norman Osborn is free to scheme while the heroes are distracted by his criminal syndicate. Should Norman Osborn maneuver into a Hostile Takeover (The Green Goblin, 4B), he makes the heroes job that much harder, and if he gets his hand on new Stark tech via a Corporate Acquisition (The Green Goblin, 5B), the heroes lose the game!

But through teamwork, wit, skill, and a little bit of luck, you can drain the infamy counters off of Criminal Empire and bring the Goblin out to play. When Norman Osborn is flipped to his Green Goblin side, he immediately deals damage to every hero in sight, who must now contend with his State of Madness (Green Goblin, 6B). The heroes will only have a limited time to hit the Goblin before his State of Madness ends and Norman Osborn returns, so make sure that every shot counts!

Norman Osborn’s encounter deck also plays to his terrifying duality. For example, when the Green Goblin reveals his Mad Genius (The Green Goblin, 13) he will either attack a hero if he is in his Goblin form, or strikes at their resources by discarding cards from their deck if he is in a more presentable state. Both of these attacks put the hero in danger, and the Goblin's bag of tricks runs deep no matter which form he takes.

But this is just one of the two scenarios included in The Green Goblin Scenario Pack. Do you have what it takes to bring down Norman Osborn’s Criminal Empire in "Risky Business"? And what will you do when the Goblin army attacks in "Mutagen Formula"?

Goblin Gimmicks

The Green Goblin Scenario Pack also contains four modular encounter sets that allow you to customize both scenarios contained in the pack. The choice of which sets to include is up to you (both setup cards provide a recommended set, but any of the four can be used) or selected at random. If you want an easier challenge, you don’t have to include any modular encounter sets, if you want a greater challenge, you can include multiple modular encounter sets.

The "Goblin Gimmicks" encounter set allows Osborn (or other villains) to bring his bag of tricks to his fight against the heroes of the Marvel Universe. The Goblin Glider (The Green Goblin, 33), for example, is a floating glider that can travel up to blistering speeds of 90 MPH and gives its wielder unparalled maneuverability. In Marvel Champions, the glider its wielder's attack power, but a quick-thinking hero can sabotage the glider on their turn!

When fighting the Goblin, you always have to be on the look out for Pumpkin Bombs (Green Goblin, 34 ), grenades that can deal serious damage to any do-gooder caught in their blast. The Jack-O-Lantern shaped bombs are deadly, and come in several varieties. However, like the glider, a hero with some strength behind their punches can disarm the pumpkin bombs before they have a chance to do any damage!

The Goblin is more than just cutting-edge technology, his Regenerative Healing (Green Goblin, 36) makes him a true terror to behold. You have limited opportunity to actually deal damage to the Green Goblin in "Risky Business," and being able to simply heal that damage may make the Green Goblin seem like an insurmountable enemy. But a hero never gives up, and with the power of a Marvel Champion, you can stop the Green Goblin in his tracks!

Sadistic Choice

Whether he’s building a criminal empire as a ruthless businessman or leading a goblin army, as a sadistic madman, The Green Goblin is one of the most dangerous villains in the Marvel Universe. Will you have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with this dastardly foe? Find out when The Green Goblin Scenario Pack releases in the fourth quarter of 2019!

Bring down a criminal empire with The Green Goblin Scenario Pack (MC02en) for Marvel Champions: The Card Game, available now for pre-order from your local retailer or our website with free shipping in the continental United States!

Discuss this article
in our forums!