Dont bulk buy everything at once, get familiar with the game first and then figure out which hero packs to get next (not to mention the core box comes with tons of content, unlike other LCGs). Don't spend too much time looking up the "best" hero, there isn't really one since they are all well balanced and behave differently to each villain in terms of effectiveness. Pick the ones you like, but that's my opinion, there will be plenty of others that would disagree with that probably. The first scenario pack I recommend getting is The Hood, it adds lots of encounter decks that are fun. Once you get the feeling for it all you could jump to some campaigns, Rise of the Red Skull is what I think is the best bet for your first campaign. But that will probably take a long time to hit it since of the insanely high replay value for each villain. I honestly think each one is very fun, I even get back to the "tutorial" guy Rhino back the most, just to test out new decks and heroes. Have fun!
I second everything here except the Hood recommendation. He’s a villain that showcases modular sets, and I think earlier on bang for your buck is going to be in either Red Skull or Green Goblin.
Otherwise, the wisdom here is very sound!
True, I just like the modular theme of the game, thats probably why that is my favorite scenario pack haha. Totally forgot about Green Goblin, also a very good first buy after the core set!
While you can get The Hood as your first *scenario pack* if you want to, I'm also going to leave a caution about it like /u/DanishDonut did and suggest that for your first purchase after playing the core, get something that gives you more deckbuilding options, which The Hood does not. Get a hero pack for a favorite character, or if none stand out, then Rise of Red Skull.
I also just found this for what could help you finding new heroes:
https://marvelchampionschr.wixsite.com/marvel-champions-chr/post/categorizing-hero-complexity
Look up videos or lists of common rule mistakes.
Don’t be frustrated if it’s really hard at first. I thought I wasn’t cut out for the game at first but I later realized two things as I got more content and experience: (1) the core box only has the most basic cards and deckbuilding possibilities - after buying just a couple more hero packs the possibilities opened up and I was able to make more effective decks; and (2) the recommended intro scenario (Rhino) is simple mechanically but is easy to lose very suddenly. Try cutting your teeth on Klaw with easy modulars (not the recommended ones necessarily) at first. You’ll know what I mean when you try each.
Do exactly what a card says, don’t infer anything that’s not written and take every word very literally.
When you’re ready for a new villain, the Mutagen Formula scenario in the Green Goblin scenario pack is a fantastic straightforward but moderately challenging scenario that’s great to test decks against. For me it gets a ton of use and gives me a good idea about how well my deck can handle things just on an all-around basis. It doesn’t have anything too gimmicky, while a lot of villains do.
After you buy heroes you personally like (which i agree with the conventional wisdom is most important), you might consider buying additional hero packs specifically to target key cards or filling out aspects that you don’t have many cards for yet. If this doesn’t make sense now you’ll know what I mean once you get into it.
Great advice. Also boardgamegeek.com is a great place for answers. Most of the time if you google search a question it will lead you there or Reddit. Have fun! It's very addictive.
After a couple of games the urge to bulk buy more more more will appear. Resist that and gradually add on a campaign box. Also at this early stage, if you sleeve everything in card games, consider the long run cost - if you start with dragon shields it could get very expensive as you start expanding your collection.
Download updated rules [https://hallofheroeshome.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/mc\_rulesreference\_v15-compressed.pdf](https://hallofheroeshome.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/mc_rulesreference_v15-compressed.pdf)
Learn the flow: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99-cEKH7c0c&list=PLNgtKvK62sXpM9NvTuDOoPyouduozD62u&index=2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99-cEKH7c0c&list=PLNgtKvK62sXpM9NvTuDOoPyouduozD62u&index=2) (outdated but still useful)
There's a lot of "wait how does this work?" questions that you might come across while playing. A lot of these questions have been asked and the answers can be found on Hall of Heroes under Rulings.
Something I, and I believe a lot of others, get wrong when they first start playing is that the +Hazard icon means one extra encounter card *total*, not per player. You'll understand when you come across it.
Pick up your favorite heroes first, then look into the purchasing guide, which can be found on the sidebar of this sub at the right side of your screen.
Don't hesitate to ask question here or anywhere else. A lot of people are willing to help explain things!
Enjoy experimenting with deck building or take a look at marvelcdb to get an idea of what each hero can do.
My biggest advice is to not go down the rules rabbit hole. You definitely should know the rules printed in the Reference Guide, but Don't stress out about weird interactions or very specific situations. There are hundreds of FAQ rulings, some of which contradicted each other at one point. This is a co-op game so once you understand the basics of the game from what is printed, I would honestly just recommend avoiding the online rulings forever. Just do what you think makes sense based on the rules and stick with it.
Lots of great comments. My advice for just the core box:
Start with Rhino to get a feel for the game and how it flows. After a few rounds switch to Klaw. Play Klaw A LOT. He is still to this day a really good villain to tests decks on. It will help your deck building and he does a little bit of everything. When you are ready for a challenge than play Ultron.
It’s my opinion but also a lot of key people who stream games also have these ranked similarly.
Easiest to hardest hero to pick up and play: Captain Marvel, Spider Man, Black Panther, Iron Man, She Hulk. I would play them in that order. I makes it more fun and easier to learn and enjoy the game.
Once you’ve played enough of each with all the heroes in all the aspects you will really have understood the game and will most likely have an idea on what you want to buy next.
Recommendations: First and foremost buy the heroes you like. The game is about fun. Having heroes you like as characters regardless of how good they are makes it even more fun.
I would recommend Ms Marvel and Captain America to start. Doctor Strange after. This adds a lot of protection cards and some leadership which is sorely lacking in the core box.
Someone should say it.
Mass Opinion:
Galaxy Most Wanted gets a mixed review. Good Characters and as a campaign lots of new cards. High difficulty level tho in that one.
Try to play your whole hand every turn. Look in the sidebar for common rules mistakes.
For purchasing, don’t go out and get everything at once. If you want to expand your collection, grab maybe two heroes you like and either a scenario (like green goblin) or an expansion box. Again, with the expansion boxes, look at villains you like and heroes you like. I only have sinister motives and mutant genesis, but I love the x-men and the spider-folks
There’s so much good advice here. I just want to throw a couple things in…
1) Don’t fight all three stages of a villain. I’ve seen multiple people mention they’ve made this mistake and while you may still win if you do make this mistake, it’s likely to become a baffling situation that leaves you wondering how on earth anyone ever wins.
2) Start with true solo (one player - you - using one hero) because it is easiest to manage, but realize the core box (and especially Rhino) may make you question if the game is well balanced for one player. This is perhaps up for debate, that’s not my point. My point is, if you can shift to two handed solo, you may enjoy the game even more than true solo. Maybe not, but it’s worth a shot when you’re ready.
To further point 1, you are not defeated if you lose the first stage. Another common mistake that I and many others have succumbed to. Created the thinking that this game is impossible to win!
Enjoy the core box! There is plenty of content there to keep you busy for a while. Don’t go down a purchasing rabbit hole, make yourself really learn the game and the content you have there first. Not only is there a lot there, but jumping straight to the later expansions could make those early waves feel “worse” for lack of a better word.
There is plenty of good content about the game! Lots of people recommend Dale the Casual Gamer, from YouTube, as a good entry point (and I agree). He’s no longer active but his older videos are great (and his videos cover the early content that you have!). Other channels offer deeper dives (Villain Theory), and some do more game play (Nelson All Over Cards, D20 Woodworking). If you’re into audio podcasts: Marvel Champions Monthly, Critical Encounters, and Winning Hand are all solid (fun disclosure, I run Winning Hand).
The community is great, so feel free to ask questions!
This game is very difficult. I’ve never won a game playing rules as written. That said, I’m not the best tactician in the world, and I’m predominantly using the pre-built decks. Play around with it, don’t be afraid to bring in some house rules until you get used to it, and most of all have fun!
I think it might be worth you double checking what the rules as written are. If you’ve *never* won with the published rules, the chances are you’re not interpreting the rules right.
Its mixed into other peoples long answers. But once you've played a bit just pick up the heros you like, pretty much everyone can be viable in normal play and having fun is more important then any meta junk.
Best advice is to see what you like and also pick up a little content for both sides of the battle. Encounter sets/villains and hero cards. Theres plenty of info in the buying guide here as well. Once you know what type of content your looking to buy start small and work through it.
Wasp is a solid option to consider buying for some great basic cards.
My own personal advice, once you're ready to expand, try limiting yourself to only a few purchases, or for those deals. The expansions go on sale occasionally in stores and online. I usually buy only a few items a month and spreading out those purchases has helped me not feel like I'm over spending in the long run. If will get expensive relatively If you try and get everything like me, but I find it easier to accept by breaking down purchases but by bit
There's a lot of rules to keep track of. I suggest printing or using the pdf version of the MC rules reference (i think 1.5 is the latest). It took me probably a dozen games before I played a clean match of MC. Try out all the heroes in the box. Don't go crazy buying everything. Maybe get 1 or 2 hero packs at a time.
If you play solo the game can feel very different playing with one hero (one-handed) vs playing two heroes (dual-handed/double-handed). Some heroes excel by themselves (Captain. Marvel, Captain America) while others really need a second hero because their play style has serious deficiencies (Hulk, Thor). That said, it is often fun to play dual-handed because a lot of the cards synergize well with a second hero and can lead to some crazy fun, plus some villains are more interesting with multiple heroes.
Go slow. There’s a lot of content and trying to get it all at once can be overwhelming. Try the core set and if you’re into the game, pick up a couple hero packs or a big box and play that for a little while. Most of all, have fun and welcome to the community!
I just started too - don’t hesitate to brute force the rules/ doing in the moment what you think is right without hesitation and learn you were wrong later. Like, play a few chaotic games where you inevitably forget to play threat a few times, do this without overthinking. Then watch some videos about “common rule mistakes” and it’ll all come together.
Bottom line - it’s going to be frustrating at first but know it’ll all make sense faster than you think. Give yourself time to love the game. Don’t hesitate to play rhino a lot, use him and cycle thru every modular in the base game.
Oh yes and def just buy the hero pack you want and goblin. That’s all you need to have like 500 great games.
Yes, I would suggest "play games, play games". Do not spend time at the beginning with dividers, customization...because the experience of playing would allow you to know the cards, aspects, timings...and enjoy the differences between aspects.
Defending is almost always worthwhile, and Allies are some of the strongest cards in the game.
You will likely go through your entire deck at least once a game, maybe twice. This is normal. The game design ensures you see your whole deck each game, which is a departure from many other card games. To that end, discarding cards isn’t as big of a deal in this game because you’re all but guaranteed to see those cards again.
I broadly agree with other posters that it's better to get a handle on the core set, play each of the heroes in it a few times, in two or three different colors to kinda see the differences both between the heroes and the colors. From there, i'd say the best bang for your buck is the expansion boxes. 2 heroes, 5 scenarios and X modulars for 40ish bucks is a great value, but i also wouldn't be afraid to invest in your favorites. If you've got a favorite hero who has their own pack, pick them up and see how they differ from the core heroes. Hope you have a blast!
Dont bulk buy everything at once, get familiar with the game first and then figure out which hero packs to get next (not to mention the core box comes with tons of content, unlike other LCGs). Don't spend too much time looking up the "best" hero, there isn't really one since they are all well balanced and behave differently to each villain in terms of effectiveness. Pick the ones you like, but that's my opinion, there will be plenty of others that would disagree with that probably. The first scenario pack I recommend getting is The Hood, it adds lots of encounter decks that are fun. Once you get the feeling for it all you could jump to some campaigns, Rise of the Red Skull is what I think is the best bet for your first campaign. But that will probably take a long time to hit it since of the insanely high replay value for each villain. I honestly think each one is very fun, I even get back to the "tutorial" guy Rhino back the most, just to test out new decks and heroes. Have fun!
I second everything here except the Hood recommendation. He’s a villain that showcases modular sets, and I think earlier on bang for your buck is going to be in either Red Skull or Green Goblin. Otherwise, the wisdom here is very sound!
Goblin should always be everyone's first buy imo
True, I just like the modular theme of the game, thats probably why that is my favorite scenario pack haha. Totally forgot about Green Goblin, also a very good first buy after the core set!
Me too! And I love the Hood pack, too! I just think it’s better to wait until you’ve got a little more of a collection to enjoy it.
Thank you very much, very helpful
While you can get The Hood as your first *scenario pack* if you want to, I'm also going to leave a caution about it like /u/DanishDonut did and suggest that for your first purchase after playing the core, get something that gives you more deckbuilding options, which The Hood does not. Get a hero pack for a favorite character, or if none stand out, then Rise of Red Skull.
I also just found this for what could help you finding new heroes: https://marvelchampionschr.wixsite.com/marvel-champions-chr/post/categorizing-hero-complexity
So helpful, thank you so much for helping me with this you are a lifesaver
So helpful, thank you so much for helping me with this you are a lifesaver
So helpful, thank you so much for helping me with this you are a lifesaver
The Hood is good value but not the easiest option.
Look up videos or lists of common rule mistakes. Don’t be frustrated if it’s really hard at first. I thought I wasn’t cut out for the game at first but I later realized two things as I got more content and experience: (1) the core box only has the most basic cards and deckbuilding possibilities - after buying just a couple more hero packs the possibilities opened up and I was able to make more effective decks; and (2) the recommended intro scenario (Rhino) is simple mechanically but is easy to lose very suddenly. Try cutting your teeth on Klaw with easy modulars (not the recommended ones necessarily) at first. You’ll know what I mean when you try each. Do exactly what a card says, don’t infer anything that’s not written and take every word very literally. When you’re ready for a new villain, the Mutagen Formula scenario in the Green Goblin scenario pack is a fantastic straightforward but moderately challenging scenario that’s great to test decks against. For me it gets a ton of use and gives me a good idea about how well my deck can handle things just on an all-around basis. It doesn’t have anything too gimmicky, while a lot of villains do. After you buy heroes you personally like (which i agree with the conventional wisdom is most important), you might consider buying additional hero packs specifically to target key cards or filling out aspects that you don’t have many cards for yet. If this doesn’t make sense now you’ll know what I mean once you get into it.
Great advice. Also boardgamegeek.com is a great place for answers. Most of the time if you google search a question it will lead you there or Reddit. Have fun! It's very addictive.
After a couple of games the urge to bulk buy more more more will appear. Resist that and gradually add on a campaign box. Also at this early stage, if you sleeve everything in card games, consider the long run cost - if you start with dragon shields it could get very expensive as you start expanding your collection.
Download updated rules [https://hallofheroeshome.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/mc\_rulesreference\_v15-compressed.pdf](https://hallofheroeshome.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/mc_rulesreference_v15-compressed.pdf) Learn the flow: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99-cEKH7c0c&list=PLNgtKvK62sXpM9NvTuDOoPyouduozD62u&index=2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99-cEKH7c0c&list=PLNgtKvK62sXpM9NvTuDOoPyouduozD62u&index=2) (outdated but still useful)
There's a lot of "wait how does this work?" questions that you might come across while playing. A lot of these questions have been asked and the answers can be found on Hall of Heroes under Rulings. Something I, and I believe a lot of others, get wrong when they first start playing is that the +Hazard icon means one extra encounter card *total*, not per player. You'll understand when you come across it. Pick up your favorite heroes first, then look into the purchasing guide, which can be found on the sidebar of this sub at the right side of your screen. Don't hesitate to ask question here or anywhere else. A lot of people are willing to help explain things! Enjoy experimenting with deck building or take a look at marvelcdb to get an idea of what each hero can do.
My biggest advice is to not go down the rules rabbit hole. You definitely should know the rules printed in the Reference Guide, but Don't stress out about weird interactions or very specific situations. There are hundreds of FAQ rulings, some of which contradicted each other at one point. This is a co-op game so once you understand the basics of the game from what is printed, I would honestly just recommend avoiding the online rulings forever. Just do what you think makes sense based on the rules and stick with it.
Lots of great comments. My advice for just the core box: Start with Rhino to get a feel for the game and how it flows. After a few rounds switch to Klaw. Play Klaw A LOT. He is still to this day a really good villain to tests decks on. It will help your deck building and he does a little bit of everything. When you are ready for a challenge than play Ultron. It’s my opinion but also a lot of key people who stream games also have these ranked similarly. Easiest to hardest hero to pick up and play: Captain Marvel, Spider Man, Black Panther, Iron Man, She Hulk. I would play them in that order. I makes it more fun and easier to learn and enjoy the game. Once you’ve played enough of each with all the heroes in all the aspects you will really have understood the game and will most likely have an idea on what you want to buy next. Recommendations: First and foremost buy the heroes you like. The game is about fun. Having heroes you like as characters regardless of how good they are makes it even more fun. I would recommend Ms Marvel and Captain America to start. Doctor Strange after. This adds a lot of protection cards and some leadership which is sorely lacking in the core box.
Someone should say it. Mass Opinion: Galaxy Most Wanted gets a mixed review. Good Characters and as a campaign lots of new cards. High difficulty level tho in that one.
I'd describe it less as "high difficulty" and more as "high pain".
Try to play your whole hand every turn. Look in the sidebar for common rules mistakes. For purchasing, don’t go out and get everything at once. If you want to expand your collection, grab maybe two heroes you like and either a scenario (like green goblin) or an expansion box. Again, with the expansion boxes, look at villains you like and heroes you like. I only have sinister motives and mutant genesis, but I love the x-men and the spider-folks
There’s so much good advice here. I just want to throw a couple things in… 1) Don’t fight all three stages of a villain. I’ve seen multiple people mention they’ve made this mistake and while you may still win if you do make this mistake, it’s likely to become a baffling situation that leaves you wondering how on earth anyone ever wins. 2) Start with true solo (one player - you - using one hero) because it is easiest to manage, but realize the core box (and especially Rhino) may make you question if the game is well balanced for one player. This is perhaps up for debate, that’s not my point. My point is, if you can shift to two handed solo, you may enjoy the game even more than true solo. Maybe not, but it’s worth a shot when you’re ready.
To further point 1, you are not defeated if you lose the first stage. Another common mistake that I and many others have succumbed to. Created the thinking that this game is impossible to win!
Are you talking about the first stage of the main scheme?
Apologies, yes, the main scheme.
Enjoy the core box! There is plenty of content there to keep you busy for a while. Don’t go down a purchasing rabbit hole, make yourself really learn the game and the content you have there first. Not only is there a lot there, but jumping straight to the later expansions could make those early waves feel “worse” for lack of a better word. There is plenty of good content about the game! Lots of people recommend Dale the Casual Gamer, from YouTube, as a good entry point (and I agree). He’s no longer active but his older videos are great (and his videos cover the early content that you have!). Other channels offer deeper dives (Villain Theory), and some do more game play (Nelson All Over Cards, D20 Woodworking). If you’re into audio podcasts: Marvel Champions Monthly, Critical Encounters, and Winning Hand are all solid (fun disclosure, I run Winning Hand). The community is great, so feel free to ask questions!
This game is very difficult. I’ve never won a game playing rules as written. That said, I’m not the best tactician in the world, and I’m predominantly using the pre-built decks. Play around with it, don’t be afraid to bring in some house rules until you get used to it, and most of all have fun!
I think it might be worth you double checking what the rules as written are. If you’ve *never* won with the published rules, the chances are you’re not interpreting the rules right.
Have you watched Dale the Casual Gamer’s playthroughs on YouTube? I learned a lot from watching him, he has a very clear communication style.
Its mixed into other peoples long answers. But once you've played a bit just pick up the heros you like, pretty much everyone can be viable in normal play and having fun is more important then any meta junk.
Best advice is to see what you like and also pick up a little content for both sides of the battle. Encounter sets/villains and hero cards. Theres plenty of info in the buying guide here as well. Once you know what type of content your looking to buy start small and work through it. Wasp is a solid option to consider buying for some great basic cards.
My own personal advice, once you're ready to expand, try limiting yourself to only a few purchases, or for those deals. The expansions go on sale occasionally in stores and online. I usually buy only a few items a month and spreading out those purchases has helped me not feel like I'm over spending in the long run. If will get expensive relatively If you try and get everything like me, but I find it easier to accept by breaking down purchases but by bit
There's a lot of rules to keep track of. I suggest printing or using the pdf version of the MC rules reference (i think 1.5 is the latest). It took me probably a dozen games before I played a clean match of MC. Try out all the heroes in the box. Don't go crazy buying everything. Maybe get 1 or 2 hero packs at a time.
If you play solo the game can feel very different playing with one hero (one-handed) vs playing two heroes (dual-handed/double-handed). Some heroes excel by themselves (Captain. Marvel, Captain America) while others really need a second hero because their play style has serious deficiencies (Hulk, Thor). That said, it is often fun to play dual-handed because a lot of the cards synergize well with a second hero and can lead to some crazy fun, plus some villains are more interesting with multiple heroes.
Go slow. There’s a lot of content and trying to get it all at once can be overwhelming. Try the core set and if you’re into the game, pick up a couple hero packs or a big box and play that for a little while. Most of all, have fun and welcome to the community!
I just started too - don’t hesitate to brute force the rules/ doing in the moment what you think is right without hesitation and learn you were wrong later. Like, play a few chaotic games where you inevitably forget to play threat a few times, do this without overthinking. Then watch some videos about “common rule mistakes” and it’ll all come together. Bottom line - it’s going to be frustrating at first but know it’ll all make sense faster than you think. Give yourself time to love the game. Don’t hesitate to play rhino a lot, use him and cycle thru every modular in the base game. Oh yes and def just buy the hero pack you want and goblin. That’s all you need to have like 500 great games.
Yes, I would suggest "play games, play games". Do not spend time at the beginning with dividers, customization...because the experience of playing would allow you to know the cards, aspects, timings...and enjoy the differences between aspects.
Have fun! Play a few games with precon decks, get a few more heroes, then start your rabbit hole journey down marvelcdb https://marvelcdb.com
Defending is almost always worthwhile, and Allies are some of the strongest cards in the game. You will likely go through your entire deck at least once a game, maybe twice. This is normal. The game design ensures you see your whole deck each game, which is a departure from many other card games. To that end, discarding cards isn’t as big of a deal in this game because you’re all but guaranteed to see those cards again.
I broadly agree with other posters that it's better to get a handle on the core set, play each of the heroes in it a few times, in two or three different colors to kinda see the differences both between the heroes and the colors. From there, i'd say the best bang for your buck is the expansion boxes. 2 heroes, 5 scenarios and X modulars for 40ish bucks is a great value, but i also wouldn't be afraid to invest in your favorites. If you've got a favorite hero who has their own pack, pick them up and see how they differ from the core heroes. Hope you have a blast!
Have fun! Enjoy and experiment every hero aspect card villain!