Winning Hand - A Marvel Champions Podcast

"This is a fun card." - VillainTheory In this episode of Winning Hand, Boomguy and Villain Theory discuss their experiences with various Marvel Champions heroes, including Fantomex, Nightcrawler, and Iceman. They delve into the mechanics and design of these characters, sharing their thoughts on what works and what doesn't. The conversation also touches on the challenges of card design, particularly for characters like Rogue and Valkyrie, and the evolution of multi-villain scenarios in the game. The episode culminates in a detailed discussion of the new card 'Come Get Me, Bub,' highlighting its thematic elements and artwork. In this conversation, the hosts delve into the intricacies of card design in Marvel Champions. They discuss its thematic consistency, mechanics involving minions, and how it synergizes with various characters, particularly in the protection aspect. The conversation also touches on the challenges of using certain characters like Valkyrie and evaluates the overall fun factor and gameplay experience provided by the card. The hosts conclude with their final thoughts and ratings, expressing high praise for the card's design and utility in gameplay. Here is a link to VT's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@VillainTheory We are looking for feedback from the community that listens to this show, so please get in touch to let us know what you think of the podcast, and please take time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, it really makes a difference! Email: winninghandpodcast@gmail.com IG: @winninghandpodcast  Discord: Boomguy / Leethus / LazyTitan421 Facebook: Winning Hand Podcast

"Hulk is one of our top selling heroes." - Caleb Grace In this episode of the People's Podcast, Boomguy and Leethus sit down with Caleb Grace, the senior card game designer at Fantasy Flight Games, to discuss his journey in game design, his favorite heroes in Marvel Champions, and the intricacies of character design. Caleb shares insights into the development of the game, the importance of player experience, and how his background in education influenced his approach to game mechanics. The conversation also touches on the transition from designing for Lord of the Rings to Marvel Champions, highlighting the thematic elements that make each character unique. In this segment of the conversation, the speakers delve into various aspects of game design for Marvel Champions, focusing on the development of protection-focused heroes, the importance of community feedback, and the challenges of understanding player preferences. They reflect on the evolution of the game's release model, the design of iconic characters like Hulk, and the overall success of the game over its first five years. In this conversation, Caleb discusses the evolution of game design, particularly focusing on the Marvel tabletop game and the challenges faced in character development and licensing. He reflects on the success of the game over the past five years, the excitement surrounding new characters, and the importance of community feedback. The discussion also delves into the design process for Magneto as a capstone character in the X-Men wave, and Caleb shares insights on the future of the game and the potential for more characters to be introduced. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Caleb Grace and Marvel Champions 03:01 Caleb's Journey in Game Design 05:55 Favorite Heroes and Player Counts 09:06 Designing Encounters and Mod Sets 12:04 Transitioning from Lord of the Rings to Marvel Champions 15:05 Character Design Insights 18:08 Thematic Elements in Game Design 20:52 Favorite Characters and Their Mechanics 25:48 Exploring Protection-Focused Heroes 30:06 Community Feedback and Game Design 34:46 The Challenge of Understanding Player Preferences 38:40 The Evolution of the Release Model 42:07 Reflecting on the Hulk's Design 50:40 Five Years of Marvel Champions: A Reflection 54:34 The Evolution of Game Design and Character Development 57:27 Success in Game Development: Reflections and Future Plans 01:00:01 The Challenges of Licensing and Character Inclusion 01:01:01 Passion Projects: Designing Heroes and Community Feedback 01:08:36 Magneto: The Capstone of the X-Men Wave 01:12:30 Reflections on the Mutant Wave and Future Aspirations  

"We have people in Singapore that listen." - Boomguy We are celebrating our 50th episode, and welcoming back one of the founding fathers of the podcast, Kaeko! He joins us to talk about the king of Player Side Schemes, Build Support. "I'm excited to be back!" - Kaeko In this milestone episode 50 of the Winning Hand podcast, Boomguy, Lazy Titan, Leethus, and returning guest Kaeko discuss the evolution of the podcast, Kaeko's life updates since leaving, and the latest speculations surrounding new Marvel Champions heroes, particularly focusing on Silk. The episode also highlights listener engagement through reviews and suggestions for improving the podcast experience. In this episode, the hosts engage with listener feedback, reflecting on the global reach of their podcast and the diverse audience they have attracted. They introduce the card of the day, 'Build Support,' and delve into the mechanics of player side schemes, discussing their impact on gameplay. The conversation highlights the thematic elements of the card and evaluates its power within the game, emphasizing its significance in various deck strategies. In this episode, the hosts delve into the dynamics of deck building in Marvel Champions, focusing on the impact of support cards and the strength of basic cards. They discuss the fun factor of the Build Support card, its thematic relevance, and how it influences gameplay decisions. The conversation culminates in final thoughts and ratings on the Build Support card, highlighting its utility and appeal to different player styles. Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Episode 50 01:39 Keiko's Return and Life Updates 04:15 Speculation on New Heroes 11:07 Deep Dive into Silk 18:07 Listener Reviews and Community Engagement 21:48 Engaging with Listener Feedback 23:41 Global Reach of the Podcast 26:56 Introduction to Card of the Day 27:26 Understanding Player Side Schemes 30:44 Impact of Build Support Card 34:34 Deep Dive into Build Support Mechanics 40:55 Thematic Analysis of Build Support 42:57 Evaluating the Power of Build Support 44:41 Deck Building Dynamics 47:49 The Role of Support Cards 50:52 Basic Cards and Their Strength 54:34 Fun Factor of Build Support 01:01:28 Final Thoughts on Build Support

"This is a good card and wins." - LazyTitan In this episode of the People's Podcast, the hosts discuss the new Marvel Champions card, Kid Omega, provided by Fantasy Flight Games. They explore the card's abilities, speculate on the character's backstory, analyze the artwork, and discuss the thematic elements and power of the card. The conversation is filled with humor and insights into the Marvel universe, making it an engaging listen for fans of the game and comics alike. In this conversation, the hosts delve into the card Kid Omega from Marvel Champions, discussing its abilities, potential strategies, and overall impact on gameplay. They explore the card's strengths, weaknesses, and how it fits into leadership decks, particularly within the X-Men trait. The discussion also touches on the fun factor of playing with Kid Omega and concludes with the hosts sharing their final thoughts and ratings on the card. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the People's Podcast 01:08 Unveiling Kid Omega: The New Card 02:46 Speculating on Kid Omega's Backstory 05:47 Analyzing the Art of Kid Omega 11:40 Thematic Elements of Kid Omega 13:32 Power and Synergy of Kid Omega 14:58 Exploring Kid Omega's Abilities 19:24 The Fun Factor of Kid Omega 24:09 Final Thoughts and Ratings

"This is the People's Podcast." - Boomguy In this episode of the People's Podcast, the hosts delve into the intricacies of Magneto's hero card and the newly revealed Magnetic Bubble card. They discuss the mechanics, thematic elements, and artistic representation of the cards, while also engaging in light-hearted banter about the character's history and powers. The conversation highlights the strategic implications of the cards in gameplay and the excitement surrounding their release. In this episode, the hosts delve into the mechanics and thematic elements of Magneto's powers in a card game context. They discuss the implications of the retaliate mechanic, the thematic representation of Magneto's abilities, and evaluate the power and fun factor of the Magnetic Bubble card. The conversation highlights the strategic depth of gameplay and the potential for unique deck builds centered around Magneto's unique character and signature cards. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the People's Podcast 01:00 Exploring Magneto's Hero Card 06:49 Unveiling the Magnetic Bubble Card 09:57 Art and Theme of the Magnetic Bubble 13:50 Discussion on Card Mechanics and Strategy 14:51 Understanding Retaliate Mechanics 19:43 Thematic Exploration of Magneto's Powers 25:38 Evaluating the Power of Magnetic Bubble 30:11 Final Thoughts and Ratings

"There is nothing scarier than putting Christmas decorations up before Halloween." - Leethus In this episode, the hosts discuss the transition to video format for their podcast, the replayability of Marvel Champions as ranked on Board Game Geek, and engage with fan emails about potential expansions, particularly focusing on the Maximum Carnage storyline. They explore the characters involved in this storyline and share their thoughts on the game's mechanics and replayability. The hosts engage with fan mail, discuss Halloween themes, and explore custom content within the Marvel Champions community. The conversation shifts to spooky scenarios and thematic encounter sets, culminating in a detailed discussion about the card of the day, Scare Tactic, from the Venom Hero Pack. In this conversation, the participants delve into the art and thematic elements of the card 'Scare Tactic' from Marvel Champions, exploring how the art influences their understanding of the card's mechanics and thematic implications. The discussion transitions into a critical analysis of the card's effectiveness in gameplay, particularly in relation to its timing of release and the evolving strategies within the game.  Here is the link to the article on BGG: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3371361/top-500-games-on-bgg-sorted-by-replayability Here is the MC custom discord information about the Halloween special content: https://discord.com/channels/641317998442971146/1286157532850688053 Here is VillainTheory's Halloween special from 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuvSRUSh144 We are looking for feedback from the community that listens to this show, so please get in touch to let us know what you think of the podcast, and please take time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, it really makes a difference! Email: winninghandpodcast@gmail.com IG: @winninghandpodcast  Discord: Boomguy / Leethus Facebook: Winning Hand Podcast

In this episode, the hosts discuss the recent announcement of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. campaign for Marvel Champions, exploring the implications of the new characters and mechanics introduced. They delve into the silhouettes of potential new heroes, engaging in speculation about their identities and roles within the game. The conversation also highlights listener reviews, emphasizing community engagement and the hosts' excitement for the game. In this episode, the hosts delve into the character of Nightcrawler from the X-Men universe, discussing his powers, backstory, and thematic elements in gameplay. They explore how Nightcrawler's unique abilities, such as teleportation and his blue appearance, translate into the mechanics of the Marvel Champions card game. The conversation also touches on the fun factor and overall power of Nightcrawler as a playable character, culminating in a rating discussion where the hosts express their enjoyment and thoughts on his design and gameplay. In case you somehow haven't read the preview article for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2024/9/26/agents-of-shield/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Dynamics 07:32 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Announcement 11:45 Campaign Mechanics and Thematic Elements 18:28 Silhouette Speculation and Character Predictions 28:41 Listener Reviews and Community Engagement 31:16 Exploring Nightcrawler's Powers and Backstory 34:51 Thematic Elements of Nightcrawler in Gameplay 44:32 Assessing Nightcrawler's Power and Fun Factor 01:02:19 Final Thoughts and Ratings on Nightcrawler We are looking for feedback from the community that listens to this show, so please get in touch to let us know what you think of the podcast, and please take time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, it really makes a difference! Email: winninghandpodcast@gmail.com IG: @winninghandpodcast  Discord: Boomguy / Leethus Facebook: Winning Hand Podcast

Dive into the vibrant world of Moon Girl, the clever ally card with a fascinating backstory. The hosts speculate on future Marvel Champions characters and share their gameplay adventures. They explore team-up mechanics, contrasting simple strategies with complex tactics. A lively discussion unveils the genius of Lunella Lafayette and her bond with Devil Dinosaur. Artistic critiques reveal how visuals can impact gameplay. Finally, strategic insights highlight Moon Girl's resource management, all while drawing comparisons to Nick Fury's abilities.

This episode features Andyr, a strategic card player and social media aficionado. He shares his insights on Valkyrie, a new card in the Marvel Champions universe, and the exciting dynamics it introduces. The conversation takes a turn as Andyr reflects on his surprising journey through social media, noting the challenges of being a card game celebrity. They also delve into the mechanics of zero-cost strategies and the intricate decisions behind card placements for maximizing effectiveness in game play.

In this special bonus episode, we welcome Tony Fanchi, one of the principal designers of Marvel Champions LCG, to the show! Big thanks to Tony for taking the time to speak with us.  We also have a spoiler card for the upcoming Nightcrawler hero pack, so stay tuned to the end of the podcast (41:00) to listen to us discuss the new card.  You can see all of Nightcrawler's spoiled cards (including Kurt's Chapel) here: https://hallofheroeslcg.com/nightcrawler-kurt-wagner/ We are looking for feedback from the community that listens to this show, so please get in touch to let us know what you think of the podcast, and please take time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, or whatever podcast platform you listen to us on. It really makes a difference! Email: winninghandpodcast@gmail.com IG: @winninghandpodcast  Discord: Boomguy / Leethus / LazyTitan421 Facebook: Winning Hand Podcast