Spider-Man - Beginner's Guide: Core Set Only

A while ago I proposed a "Core Set Only" deck for Black Panther (https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/21259/beginner-s-guide-core-set-only-1.0) and, recently, Captain Marvel (https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/23032/captain-marvel-beginner-s-guide-core-set-only-1.0).

The thought of making Core Set lists was born when I realized that there are quite a lot of newcomers to the game, some players asking for advice on Reddit for instance, and thought I could share a tip or two since I've been playing the game since its release.

Here's a "Core Set" list for Spider Man and a few tips (some of which are just repeated from my previous lists) for new players.

ABOUT THIS DECK

Unlike Black Panther or Captain Marvel, this deck is aimed at MULTIPLAYER games, ideally a 2 player game so you can block hits for your teammate and yourself. Spider Man's low thwart value would make it hard to survive a solo game without losing to threath, and while I could just throw in every thwart card there is to make up for it (thwarting with For Justice!, Surveillance Team), I took the opportunity to create this instead, offering another experience and a way to play Spidey according to his strenghts.

Of course, deckbuilding with just the Core Set offers limited options too, but if you follow the general idea behind this list, you should find it adds a completely different way to play.

SPIDER MAN

Spidey is amazing! He's got ways to cancel treacheries (Enhanced Spider-Sense, negate damage (Backflip), the iconic Swinging Web Kick, double-stuns (Webbed Up) and Aunt May for incredible recovery.

In other words, he messes up the villain's game. Let's see how the deck leans into that.

PLAYING THIS DECK

When playing this deck, let your partner do the thwarting. Your role is to defend for the team and keep the other player healthy, healing people, cancelling encounter cards, slowing down the villain with Webbed Up, etc. Once in a while you will land a solid blow with Swinging Web Kick or Counter-Punch your assaillant, but defending is your main game.

Put on your Armored Vest and Indomitable into play: when the villain attacks this turn, you're ready to block TWICE with 4 DEF. You may even Counter-Punch the villain for good measure. On certain turns, you will defend for your teammate first, then escape damage on the attack aimed at you with Backflip.

Sometimes Webbed Up will prevent both attacks, or Mockingbird's stun / Nick Fury's block will do part of the job. Luke Cage can block once with his tough card, then attack 4 times and take a final hit... Or you can heal him with Med Team over and over again for a recurrent 2 damage (added to Black Cat's 1 DMG because she takes no consequential damage).

Got damaged? Med Team to full health (you can also heal your partner or allies). Got severely beaten up? Let Aunt May heal you (once as you go in Alter Ego, once before going back to Hero!).

Nasty treachery revealed? Use Black Widow's ability, Enhanced Spider-Sense or even Get Behind Me! to negate it. Don't forget the card draw when the villain attacks you with that last one.

I suggest pairing Spidey with Captain Marvel (see link on top), who can thwart with For Justice!, Crisis Interdiction, her basic thwart with Heroic Intuition, her allies, and dish out serious damage with Energy Channel. Black Panther isn't as good a choice, he needs to get hit to use Vibranium Suit to the fullest and your defending him kinda breaks that.

EXPANDING THE DECK

If you happen to like the deck concept of a "team defender" and want to take it to the next level, you'll need more than the Core set. Here are a few suggestions:

• What to take out? I'd first take out the 2nd Armored Vest, Get Behind Me! and then, depending on your objectives or options, Med Team and Counter-Punch.

• The Doctor Strange hero pack might be your top choice here: it packs Desperate Defense, which will let you ready if you defend and take no damage, plus Unflappable, which will let you draw a card for the same reasons. Also, Iron Fist is in there, a costly ally but capable of doing 2 stuns.

• The Quicksilver hero pack also has some goodies, such as Nerves of Steel (which you will use to pay for defensive events), Never Back Down to add more stuns, or Multiple Man, which comes in 3 copies on the board (3 blocks!).

• Ms. Marvel's pack has Preemptive Strike, which you can use to negate the villain's boost icons (and that will make you the new target of the attack because you defended, another way of protecting your teammate). Her pack also has Energy Barrier and Tackle for even more stuns.

• Hulk's pack and Vision's have Electrostatic Armor and Flow Like Water, respectively, a way to deal some damage back to the villain when you block or play a defense event.

FINAL WORDS

If you got here, well... thanks for reading it all! Welcome to Marvel Champions!

If the deck / write-up did help you, let me know! I thought about proposing decks for other Core box heroes too, when I get time.

Have fun!