Marvel Champions Buyer’s Guide

An Extensive Guide to Building Your Marvel Champions Collection

Marvel Champions, a popular card game, has gained significant traction over the past few years. With numerous content releases, it can be overwhelming for newcomers to decide where to begin. Questions like “Which content should I start with?” and “Do I need all the expansions?” are common. This buyer’s guide aims to provide answers to these queries and equip you with a comprehensive understanding of the game’s content. Additionally, we’ll provide a recommended buying order. So, let’s dive in!

Understanding the 4 Types of Content

Marvel Champions offers four main types of content for players to engage with: the Core Box, Hero Packs, Scenario Packs, and Campaign Boxes. Each category serves a unique purpose and adds depth to your gameplay experience. Let’s explore them in detail.

The Core Box: Your Starting Point

It goes without saying that your Marvel Champions collection should begin with the Core Box. This comprehensive set includes everything you need to start playing the game. With five well-known heroes, such as She-Hulk, Spider-Man, Captain Marvel, Iron Man, and Black Panther, and three progressively challenging villains (Rhino, Klaw, and Ultron), the Core Box ensures a smooth learning curve. Moreover, the box includes essential components like tokens, health dials, rule books, reference guides, and modular encounter cards. Even if you decide to limit your collection to the Core Box, you’ll have a fantastic gaming experience. However, Marvel Champions has much more to offer, so let’s explore further.

Hero Packs: Diverse Marvel Characters at Your Fingertips

Hero Packs are ideal for players who wish to include their favorite Marvel characters in their games. Each pack features a hero with a pre-made deck, ready to be played straight out of the box. Additionally, these packs provide a small set of aspect cards, perfect for players who enjoy deck-building. Currently, there are 28 Hero Packs available, including popular heroes like Captain America, Doctor Strange, Hulk, Ms. Marvel, Venom, and Scarlet Witch. These packs are an affordable way to enhance your Marvel Champions experience.

Campaign Boxes: Expanding the Marvel Universe

Campaign Boxes are reminiscent of traditional board game expansions, packed with exciting content. Each Campaign Box offers two heroes, five villains, an engaging campaign to play through, new aspect cards, and modular card sets. Marvel Champions currently offers five Campaign Boxes, each with its unique flavor:

• The Rise Of Redskull: This beginner-friendly box features heroes like Hawkeye and Spider-Woman, accompanied by notorious villains such as Crossbones, Absorbing Man, Taskmaster, Arnim Zola, and Red Skull. It provides a well-balanced and progressive challenge from the Core Box.

• Galaxy’s Most Wanted: Geared towards experienced players seeking a challenge, this box introduces the Guardians of the Galaxy. It contains heroes Rocket and Groot and presents formidable villains like Drang, Collector, Nebula, and Ronan the Accuser.

• The Mad Titan’s Shadow: This box showcases iconic Marvel villains, including Loki, Hela, Ebony Maw, Corvus Glaive, and the infamous Thanos. Heroes Spectrum and Adam Warlock join the fight. The scenarios in this box offer a more complex gameplay experience, suitable for both beginners and advanced players.

• Sinister Motives: Spider-Man (Miles Morales) and Ghost Spider take center stage in this box, while villains like Sandman, Venom, Mysterio, and The Sinister Six add thrilling encounters. With its nine modular encounter sets, the Sinister Motives box offers a challenge for players seeking the game’s ultimate difficulty.

• Mutant Genesis: Dedicated to X-Men fans, this box features heroes Shadowcat and Colossus, along with notorious villains Sabertooth, Master Mold, The Brotherhood of Mutants, and Magneto. The scenarios within this box strike the perfect balance between complexity and accessibility.

Scenario Packs: Expanding Villainous Encounters

Scenario Packs are a fantastic addition to your Marvel Champions collection, offering extra villains for your heroes to challenge. Most packs also include modular encounter cards that can be used with other scenarios. Marvel Champions currently offers five Scenario Packs:

• Green Goblin: This pack presents two entertaining scenarios, “Mutagen Formula” and “Risky Business.” Additionally, it includes four modular sets that can be seamlessly integrated into any game. The fights against Green Goblin feature interactive mechanics, ensuring an engaging experience for players.

• Wrecking Crew: While this pack contains only one encounter, it offers a unique challenge of fighting four villains simultaneously. Though it lacks encounter cards, it’s a must-have for completionists and players seeking an extra challenge.

• The Once and Future Kang: Designed with multiplayer in mind, this scenario pack requires players to split up and confront Kang in different parts of the multiverse, leading to an epic final showdown. It also includes three modular encounter sets to enhance gameplay variety.

• The Hood: The Hood pack stands out with its offering of nine modular encounter sets. “Standard II” and “Expert II” are particularly noteworthy, providing an unparalleled level of challenge for players. The scenario within the pack can be easily tailored, given the variety of encounter sets.

• MojoMania: The latest addition to the Scenario Pack collection, MojoMania, presents three unique scenarios that can be played standalone or as part of a mini-campaign. It also includes six modular sets, striking the perfect balance between challenge and enjoyment. MojoMania is a must-have for scenario pack enthusiasts.

Recommended Buying Order

Now that you have a comprehensive understanding of the available content, let’s discuss the recommended buying order:

1. The Core Box: This is the essential starting point, as the game cannot be played without it.

2. Your Favorite Heroes: Given the longevity of the Core Box, replaying it with your favorite heroes is a fantastic option. Personally, I recommend Captain America, Ant-Man, and Thor.

3. Campaign Boxes: The Rise Of Red Skull is an ideal starting point, offering a beginner-friendly campaign and valuable cards to enhance the Core Set. Additionally, consider adding the Sinister Motives or The Mad Titan’s Shadow campaign boxes for thrilling encounters.

4. Expand Your Hero Roster: As you progress, owning more heroes will provide a wider range of cards for deck-building. Heroes like Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, and Venom are strong choices.

5. Scenario Packs: If you desire increased overall difficulty, target The Hood pack. Alternatively, if you’re eager to confront an exciting new villain, the Green Goblin pack is an excellent choice.

6. Personal Preferences: Beyond the recommended buying order, follow your personal taste. While owning everything is enjoyable, it’s not essential. As a content person with 15 years of experience, I value campaign boxes over hero or scenario packs.

Conclusion

Congratulations on exploring the vast content available for Marvel Champions! This guide aims to assist you in building a well-rounded collection while ensuring an enjoyable gaming experience. Marvel Champions is not merely a card game but a lifestyle experience. We wish you the best of luck in facing the multitude of villains within the Marvel Universe. Have fun and embark on epic adventures!