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.

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Available Now – March 6

Published 6 March 2020 | Arkham Horror: The Card Game

Available Now – March 6

New Star Wars: Destiny, Arkham Horror LCG, Marvel Champions, and More

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

Covert Missions

The galaxy can change in a single instant. The destruction of Alderaan announced to the galaxy that the dreaded Death Star was fully operational. In the same way, the Rebels' swift destruction of the Death Star brought a spark of hope to the galaxy and signaled a changing tide. These covert missions are undertaken by some of the most iconic character’s in the galaxy, and can change the balance of the Force.

Undertake top-secret plans with Covert Missions, a 160-card booster set for Star Wars™: Destiny!

Covert Missions expands on the themes of the Convergence block by continuing to place an emphasis on sub-types, downgrades, and plots ! In this set, look for a new keyword, iconic characters, and two new plots that provide an alternate victory condition.

Pick up your copy of Covert Missions (SWD19) at your local retailer today or online through our website here!

Thor

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

With the mythical hammer Mjolnir, Thor has the power to defeat even the strongest of foes with legendary strength and power. He enters the fight wielding all the power of Asgard, challenging stronger enemies and using powerful events to dispatch them without delay.

Like all Hero Packs, the Thor Hero Pack includes a fully-playable deck right out of the box that includes fifteen Hero cards, seventeen cards from the Aggression aspect, and eight neutral cards. This deck allows you to harness the power of Thor, who is rewarded for engaging and dispatching villainous minions from the field!

Pick up your copy of the Thor Hero Pack (MC06en) at your local retailer today or online through our website here!

Where the Gods Dwell

Come face to face with madness in Where the Gods Dwell, the fifth Mythos Pack in The Dream-Eaters cycle for Arkham Horror: The Card Game! After your seemingly endless journey across the Dreamlands, you have made your way to the land of Leng, an icy wasteland where you believe the peak of unknown Kadath resides. All the while, a presence taunts you, gnawing at your insides—a wordless voice you cannot hear, but feel within the confines of your mind. A presence that is waiting for you.

Where the Gods Dwell is Scenario 4–A of The Dream-Quest campaign. This scenario can be played on its own in Standalone Mode or combined with the other expansions in The Dream-Eaters cycle to form a larger four-part or eight-part campaign. After the events of Dark Side of the Moon, you have finally made your way to lost Kadath, where Nyarlathotep is waiting for a battle that will force you to face deceit, lies, and shifting reality. If you can somehow draw him out, expose him, you may stand a chance, but how do you fight an enemy you cannot understand?

Pick up your copy of Where the Gods Dwell (AHC43) at your local retailer today or online through our website here!

Rokugan at War

In the chaotic times ahead, with war on the tip of everyone’s tongue, the Great Clans of Rokugan will have to take stock of their resources. It’s time to raise armies, take to the court, and fight for your land. The Emerald Empire is at war, and nothing will ever be the same.

Jump into the fray with Rokugan at War, the first pack of the Dominion cycle for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game!

Rokugan at War features 60 new cards to augment your favorite decks (three copies each of eighteen different cards and one copy each of six different cards) and introduces new mechanics that place an emphasis on a player’s provinces, whether this means starting the game with a province faceup with the new Eminent keyword or overfilling a province with the powerful new Rally ability!

Pick up your copy of Rokugan at War (L5C29) at your local retailer today or online through our website here!

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The God of Thunder

Published 5 December 2019 | Marvel Champions: The Card Game

The God of Thunder

Announcing the Thor Hero Pack and Game Mat for Marvel Champions: The Card Game

“None may touch the mighty Thor so without paying the price!”
–Thor, Thor #337

Pre-order your own copy of the Thor Hero Pack at your local retailer or online through our website with free shipping in the continental U.S. today!

Stories of the Gods of Asgard have been passed down from generation to generation. Beings of extreme splendor and majesty, these Gods wield immense power. With a clash of Thunder, the citizens of Earth learned that these Gods are real, and one has taken up his hammer as a defender of Midgard!

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce the Thor Hero Pack for Marvel Champions: The Card Game!

This deck introduces the God of Thunder to Marvel Champions. With Mjolnir in hand, Thor is an aggressive hero who can dispatch minions with ease. Best of all, this pack includes a full deck ready for use right out of the gate, a nemesis set featuring the trickster God Loki, and several additional basic and aspect cards to increase your deckbuilding options!

Bring the Thunder

To challenge a God is a foolish endeavor for any mere mortal, even more so when that God is the mighty Thor (Thor, 1A). A skilled combatant who lives for the glory of battle, you draw two cards when he engages a minion, giving him more fuel to unleash powerful attacks. Better yet, with 14 hit points, Thor can take on all comers and come out unscathed.

But should he need to recover or prepare for the coming battles, he can always become Odinson (Thor, 1B) to call forth the legendary hammer Mjolnir (Thor, 9) and recover some valuable hit points. With Mjolnir in hand, Thor gains the Aerial trait and can easily defeat any minions foolish enough to challenge him.

Or perhaps Thor can challenge them. Defender of the Nine Realms (Thor, 3) sees Thor searching for a worthy foe while removing threat from a scheme along the way. If this minion is the first one you’ve engaged with this round, you’ll also get to use Thor’s ability, putting Thor in the perfect position to smash his enemies to pieces.

For example, a well timed Defender of the Nine Realms can provide a Hammer Throw (Thor, 5), a massive attack utilizing Mjolnir. While 8 damage may seem like too much to deal with a small minion engaged with him, the Overkill ability ensures the attack is never wasted.

With a thirst for battle, Thor and his allies are perfect for the Aggression aspect. With the strength of a God, Hercules (Thor, 11) shares Thor’s love of a fight, and the more minions you are facing, the easier it is to have Hercules share in the revelry.

If you need even more assistance, Valkyrie (Thor, 12), the shieldmaiden of Asgard, can immediately defeat most minions when she enters play. If that still doesn’t do the job, Valkyrie’s two attack can cut enemies down to size in no time!

These allies and more fill out the rest of the pre-constructed Thor deck included in the pack. With the strength of a God and the power of Thunder, Thor can tear through your enemies and go toe-to-toe with the most iconic villains in the Marvel Universe!

Sibling Rivalry

Even Gods have their flaws. For all of Thor’s bravado and strength, his arrogance can still get the better of him. It was this pride that pushed Thor to incur Odin's Anger (Thor, 26) and prove his worth to wield Mjolnir. This can happen at the worst times in Marvel Champions: The Card Game and force Thor to face his inner demons or lose Mjolnir in the heat of battle.

But this isn’t Thor’s only ghost of the past. Despite his best efforts, Thor can never really be rid of his brother, the trickster God Loki (Thor, 28). Should you be unfortunate enough to encounter Loki during your games of Marvel Champions, you can never be sure you’ve actually defeated him or if you’ve simply enabled him to continue his schemes until you reveal a card from the encounter deck.

Despite his immense strength, the God of Thunder has his own demons to confront, can he overpower them and become the hero the Marvel Universe needs?

As with the other Hero Packs, the Thor Hero Pack also introduces three copies of one new card for each of the other three aspects to increase your deckbuilding options. Teamwork (Thor, 32) lets you use your allies attack and thwart powers without damaging them, instead adding their power to your own heroes! Through Teamwork, you can keep your allies around longer while taking the fight to the villain!

The Tools of a God

Embody the God of Thunder himself with the Thor Game Mat for Marvel Champions: The Card Game!

This 24x12 slip-resistant game mat gives you plenty of space for your hero’s deck, identity card, upgrades, supports, and more while showing off beautiful art of Thor storming into action! Show your dedication to becoming a hero with the Thor Game Mat at your side!

Discover the Future

Unlike other Living Card Games, Marvel Champions will not be produced in fixed, six-pack cycles of packs, although it will continue to deliver monthly content. This content will differ from month to month between new hero packs, new scenario packs, and new story boxes. So what’s coming next for Marvel Champions?

You can expect the release of the Thor Hero Pack currently planned for March to be followed by three hero packs. This will all lead up to the first campaign expansion for Marvel Champions: The Card Game, which will feature both new heroes and new scenarios for players to tackle.

A brief look at the future of Marvel Champions. As always, the above dates are estimates.

For those keeping track, that puts our tentative release schedule for the Thor pack and beyond as follows:

Thor Hero Pack: March
Hero Pack: April
Hero Pack: May
Hero Pack: June
Story Box: July

Please keep in mind that these dates are our best estimate of release, and can be subject to change. As these products are announced and released, Fantasy Flight Games will continually update you on what you can expect next, so keep an eye on our website!

Call the Thunder

When the God of Thunder enters the fray, even the most iconic Marvel Villains take notice. For the glory of battle, Thor can defeat armies of minions with the might Mjolnir at his side. Will you harness the power of the God of Thunder when the Thor Hero Pack releases in the first quarter of 2020?

For a closer look at the Thor Hero Pack, be sure to checkout our YouTube page to see the God of Thunder team up with Captain America and Ms. Marvel to take on the Green Goblin!

Call down the Thunder with the Thor Hero Pack (MC06en), available now for pre-order from your local retailer or our website with free shipping within the continental United States!

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