Marvel Champions Top 10, Issue #1: Signature Allies

Written by CaptainAmeriDave

Introduction

The signature ally in Marvel Champions is often a key component of the 15 card hero-kit. Every hero has one (with the exception of Hulk), but some are more essential than others. For this list, I’ll be considering the allies released up to Ant-Man, because that’s what I’ve had the chance to actually play. Also, this list is for fun, so have fun with it! Now, let’s take a look at the Signature Allies released so far and see who is the best of the best. 

#10

Like Hellcat in She-Hulk’s kit, Red Dagger can also be brought back to your hand. There aren’t any glaring problems with Red Dagger. He’s got good stats, a decent price, and a good ability that does extra damage when it brings him back. The main issue with him is this, you pay three to get him out, you pay two to get him back, you pay three to get him out, etc. The back and forth 3, 2 costs isn’t the worst deal for what you’re getting, but it does drive down the value. It plays to Ms. Marvel’s style that you can keep getting him back. But if you want to get the most out of him, he requires a constant upkeep, and Ms. Marvel should, ideally, be spending her resources primarily on events to get the most out of her hero ability.

#9

Black Panther’s sister has a great cost, and good hit points. Her attack and thwart stats are not good. But her ability is fantastic. Shuri can fish out any upgrade from your deck. Any upgrade, not just a Black Panther upgrade like her brother’s foresight ability. This means she can pull from your aspect and basic cards, and she’s only going to get better as new upgrades are added to the game; she’ll be able to give you more and more options. She earns her spot on the list for being essential to Black Panther’s game plan, but her stats don’t do enough to push her higher. 

#8

The next two are pretty much interchangeable, but here’s how I placed them. Spider-Woman has good thwart/attack, but poor hit points with 2/2/2. She gives you a confuse, which can give you a free turn in alter-ego form. And confuse is generally better than a stun. Like Shuri though, her best use is in her ability. 

#7

Spider-Woman’s confuse could technically block more threat than Agent 13 can remove, but Agent 13 gives you an immediate burst of thwart and allows you to have different targets. That can be really valuable. She has one more hit point and one less attack, so she’s better used for thwarting only, but she can take 4 threat off the turn she comes out. This allows Captain America to focus on attacking which can really turn the tide in your favor.  

#6

The only downside to Wasp is that she’s not the higher allies on this list. She’s extremely versatile. She costs the same as Agent 13, and gives you the option of a bonus thwart OR attack, while also having a higher attack value. She’s always good in a pinch. 

#5

You may think this is low, but hear me out. If you are playing Captain Marvel with no aids (healing, extra hit points), you’re going to get three cards worth of value back out of your deck. With extra hit points, she might be the best signature ally in the game, but that forces you into playing certain cards, which add their own cost as well. So, based on that, she just falls short of the next ally on the list. 

#4

What makes Winter Soldier so good? Two things, stats and cost. A 4 cost 2/2/4 is ok, but the less you pay the better. And you should be able to easily pay 2 or less for this ally. If he can thwart 6 for you and make a block for 0-cost. That’s some of the best value in the game, period.

#3

The top three spots belong to the most unique allies in the game. She’s a cheap ally with low stats. Her draw ability can be really helpful if you build for it, but if you don’t have a lot of mental energy in your deck, it probably won’t do much for you. The best part of Black Cat is undoubtedly her attack stat. She’s the only ally in the game, thus far, that has no consequential damage on one of her stats. That means, she can potentially sit on the board for the rest of your game, constantly attacking for you and not suffering any consequences. She only has one attack, but look at it this way, it’s kind of like boosting Spider-Man’s attack to 3, AND allowing him to spread that damage around (clearing toughs, and pinging small minions, etc.). She is, however, especially susceptible to certain scenarios that try to clear your allies from the board. 

#2

The top three spots in the game also share the trait of being able to stay viable for a long time. This inherently increases their value, but also makes it hard to quantify. Mockingbird, like Black Cat, will provide you with more value the longer she’s in your arsenal. With a decent board state built up, you can potentially play her, thwart/attack, and then block every turn. Absorbing a whole attack is like getting a tough status every turn. It’s expensive, but also invaluable. It should also be noted that Mockingbird is the best defense for the glass cannon that is her hero, Hawkeye. There’s only two things that keep Mockingbird from the top of this list. One is that you have to keep paying for her to keep her out as a blocking option and two is that when Crossfire comes out, he’s gonna lock her up. Well, there can be only one and that is…

#1

Arguably, the best hero in the game carries the best signature ally. Wong’s stats are ok, but as you’ve learned by now, an ally’s ability and how it plays with the hero are often more important. Wong is made not just to help Doctor Strange, but to help make him great. He provides extra healing in hero or alter-ego form, and he helps you cycle your Invocation deck, which normally Dr. Strange would have to flip for. He is invaluable to keeping Strange in hero form and to serving up his best spells at the right time. Get him out and he can likely hang out with you for the rest of the game. What makes a better signature ally than that?

Conclusion

Well, what did you think? How did your favorite allies stack up? Sad that Hulk’s didn’t make the list? Let me know what you thought in the comments below.

If you enjoyed this article, please consider joining our Discord channel, to discuss this article and more.