Welcome, Matt to our Marvel Champions 20 Questions Hotseat. Thank you for taking time out of your day to answer our questions.
Thanks for having me. It’s great to be here and answer some questions.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
1. Let’s kick this off with your history with Marvel. What was your history with Marvel, if any, before you discovered Marvel Champions?
I am a big time comic fan going back all the way to X-men Evolution, probably. I was mainly a DC guy for a while, until dipping my toe in Marvel a few years ago. I got fully on board with Al Ewing’s Avengers runs.
2. Moving into Marvel Champions, where and when did you learn about the game?
I heard about it as soon as it was announced online. I follow most of FFGs games and always look forward to new LCGs. I wasn’t expecting a new LCG last year, and definitely didn’t expect Marvel. It felt like a dream.
3. Before playing the game, what was your first impression?
It seemed very exciting. The hand resource mechanic was very innovative, but I most loved how they captured the duality of superhero identities. I also love the signature aspects of each character with the 15 cards. The inherent tension of recovering in Alter-ego vs the Villain scheming was spectacular.
4. When did you play the game your first time and how did it affect your first impression?
Right at release. I opened it up and started playing. I played with Black Panther, and I just loved how changing an aspect alters the gameplay so much. It got me fully on board for playing.
5. Clearly you love the game enough to do content for it, what was the final push that made you want to do content?
I was bored. But seriously, I was looking to make content for a while. I just never really had the time to really do it before, plus it helps coming on board when the game is launching. Arkham Horror was the first game I was there for the start of, but I wasn’t really in the community until later, and by then it was already under way. Here I got involved right away and when John was looking for people to podcast, I volunteered right away.
6. Speaking of content, what kind of content do you do for the game and where can people find it?
I am one of the co-hosts of the podcast Deck-celsior. We are on Facebook, Patreon, and have our own discord. The 5 of us record episodes biweekly, plus bonus episodes such as hot-takes when heroes are announced. We also record playthoughs on YouTube both as a group and individually.
7. Has doing content for the game taught you anything about the game or yourself that you may not have learned? If so what was it, If not why not?
It has taught me to be much more introspective. Not just that I like something. But why do I like it. What I don’t like about it, and why. You have to actually think about what you are saying and making it easier for others to understand instead of just echoing inside of your head.
8. Diving into the game itself, who is your favorite hero to play as, what aspect is your favorite and why?
Favorite hero is Black Panther without a doubt. I love how flexible he is, and yet he is also a puzzle to solve. Being able to play a bunch of Wakanda Forever cards in a single turn feels so empowering.
Favorite aspect is Leadership. Again very flexible. You can do so much with them, and Avengers Assemble is one of the most satisfying cards to play. It also has the best card in the game with Maria Hill.
9. How about the villain side, who is your favorite villain to play against, which encounter set is your favorite so far and why?
Favorite villain is Ultron. There is just such a pivot between the villain stages, and the various scheme stages. It really forces you to have defenses against the drones instead of just tanking Ultron. The moment you go flip Countdown to Extinction, it suddenly feels very much like a race where the only thing that matters is taking down Ultron.
My favorite Encounter Set is A Mess of Things. Those stuns really challenge you in a different way, and are probably some of the worst boost cards in the game. Scorpion himself is a powerhouse who makes it dangerous to be in hero mode.
10. How do you prefer to play and if it is not alone, what does your playgroup look like?
I often play with my co-hosts from Deck-celsior, although sometimes on my own or with my Arkham playgroup. I prefer playing in groups, as being on my own is a bit dull. Especially with the temptation to fudge things and win. Having someone else there keeps me honest.
11. Do you customize your gaming experience anyway that goes beyond the official rules for the game, if so how and why?
Not really. There is enough diversity of things to do that I haven’t felt a real need to go beyond the official rules. Heroic mode in particular really expanded things.
12. As is, how does Marvel Champions stack up to other games you play or have played?
It is one of my favorites. You get to see everything in your deck, and you have to be careful how you spend your cards, since they are also your resources. It is probably my favorite co-operative game.
13. Is there anything you would change with how the game currently is? If so how, If not why not?
Luke Cage, Daredevil and the rest wouldn’t have the Defenders traits. They aren’t the real defenders.
I would also have more scenarios. We are in a drought and there are really only 3 scenarios I like playing that are released: Klaw, Ultron, and Mutagen Formula.
14. What was the craziest game you’ve had so far or your favorite memory from playing the game to date?
Playing duo, we got pushed to the edge on Mutagen Fomula where we were 1 threat away from losing the game with a bunch of side schemes and minions. But we somehow managed to hold on and finish the game with no threat at all left. It required some of the tightest and most skill-intensive gameplay I have ever needed.
15. If FFG came to you and said they wanted to put you in charge of creating OP for this game, how would you do it and what would that look like?
Civil War. Heroes competing against each other since Hero fights are classic Marvel fare. Perhaps not directly punching each other, but competing against each other’s objectives and defending characters.
16. If you could bring any hero into the game, who would they be, what would they do and why?
Living Lightning. He would do all sorts of energy storage where he could turn Energy resources into counters on him and then use those counters for various effects. Storing charges like a battery.
17. If you could bring any villain into the game, who would they be, what would they do and why?
The First Firmament, the original incarnation of the universe in the beginning. The most powerful villain the marvel universe ever faced where you fight a big cosmic battle with entire multiverses at stake. You would be able to traverse different realities which alter rules of how you play, but he chains them up and restricts what you can do.
18. If you had to turn yourself into a card for the game, what kind of card (it can be a hero, upgrade, event, hero, villain, minion, etc) would you be, what would you do and why?
Villain. I love playing the bad guy and messing with players. Setting up one thing then surprising them with a sucker punch.
19. Time to head towards the conclusion but we need to touch on the MCU. What is your favorite MCU film and why?
Endgame. Such a strong heartfelt movie with dozens of callbacks. It is truly a film that could only exist in the MCU. Plus I am a sucker for good time travel.
20. Before we get out of here, what is something you would like to share with our readers that most of them may not know about yourself?
I love writing, art, and world-building. Creating whole universes from nothing. Of course I don’t usually share it with anyone. There is just something so pure and joyful about the act of creation. Of adding to the world in the fight against relentless entropy.
Thanks again Matt for answering our questions. We wish you the best in your content and would like to thank you for giving back to the community.
Glad to give back. I am only really here because of their support. None of this happens without our shared enthusiasm.
If people would like to find you or your content, where can they find it?
https://www.facebook.com/deckcelsiorpodcast/
https://www.patreon.com/join/deckcelsior
https://discord.gg/hh3S3zW
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC85gxQtFB4rByY7yvs738_g
Thank you readers for reading this article and stay tuned for our next entry into this series, coming Friday. Till then, we wish you nothing but the best and stay safe out there.
-JediGeekGirl
irebeldestiny.com 