Winning Hand - A Marvel Champions Podcast

E51 - "Come Get Me, Bub!"

"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

E50.5 - Interview with Caleb Grace

"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 Champions03:01 Caleb's Journey in Game Design05:55 Favorite Heroes and Player Counts09:06 Designing Encounters and Mod Sets12:04 Transitioning from Lord of the Rings to Marvel Champions15:05 Character Design Insights18:08 Thematic Elements in Game Design20:52 Favorite Characters and Their Mechanics25:48 Exploring Protection-Focused Heroes30:06 Community Feedback and Game Design34:46 The Challenge of Understanding Player Preferences38:40 The Evolution of the Release Model42:07 Reflecting on the Hulk's Design50:40 Five Years of Marvel Champions: A Reflection54:34 The Evolution of Game Design and Character Development57:27 Success in Game Development: Reflections and Future Plans01:00:01 The Challenges of Licensing and Character Inclusion01:01:01 Passion Projects: Designing Heroes and Community Feedback01:08:36 Magneto: The Capstone of the X-Men Wave01:12:30 Reflections on the Mutant Wave and Future Aspirations
 

E50 - Build Support

"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 5001:39 Keiko's Return and Life Updates04:15 Speculation on New Heroes11:07 Deep Dive into Silk18:07 Listener Reviews and Community Engagement21:48 Engaging with Listener Feedback23:41 Global Reach of the Podcast26:56 Introduction to Card of the Day27:26 Understanding Player Side Schemes30:44 Impact of Build Support Card34:34 Deep Dive into Build Support Mechanics40:55 Thematic Analysis of Build Support42:57 Evaluating the Power of Build Support44:41 Deck Building Dynamics47:49 The Role of Support Cards50:52 Basic Cards and Their Strength54:34 Fun Factor of Build Support01:01:28 Final Thoughts on Build Support

E49.2 - SPOILER: Kid Omega

"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 Podcast01:08 Unveiling Kid Omega: The New Card02:46 Speculating on Kid Omega's Backstory05:47 Analyzing the Art of Kid Omega11:40 Thematic Elements of Kid Omega13:32 Power and Synergy of Kid Omega14:58 Exploring Kid Omega's Abilities19:24 The Fun Factor of Kid Omega24:09 Final Thoughts and Ratings

E49.1 - SPOILER: Magnetic Bubble

"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 Podcast01:00 Exploring Magneto's Hero Card06:49 Unveiling the Magnetic Bubble Card09:57 Art and Theme of the Magnetic Bubble13:50 Discussion on Card Mechanics and Strategy14:51 Understanding Retaliate Mechanics19:43 Thematic Exploration of Magneto's Powers25:38 Evaluating the Power of Magnetic Bubble30:11 Final Thoughts and Ratings

E49 - Scare Tactic

"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

E48 - Nightcrawler

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 Dynamics07:32 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Announcement11:45 Campaign Mechanics and Thematic Elements18:28 Silhouette Speculation and Character Predictions28:41 Listener Reviews and Community Engagement31:16 Exploring Nightcrawler's Powers and Backstory34:51 Thematic Elements of Nightcrawler in Gameplay44:32 Assessing Nightcrawler's Power and Fun Factor01:02:19 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

E47 - Moon Girl

In this episode we go are over the moon to talk about Moon Girl, the basic ally card. Is the card good? Maybe. Is Moon Girl a fun character? Almost certainly. 
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

E46 - Take That!

This time, Boomguy welcomes Andyr to the show to discuss a newer card in the card pool. People say Boomguy doesn't like new cards, so Take That! Join us as we discuss Valkyrie, what it's like to be a celebrity, and Andyr's new realization that social media exists. 
Here is Andyr's deck for the episode: https://marvelcdb.com/deck/view/748440
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
Facebook: Winning Hand Podcast

E45.5 - Tony Fanchi Interview & Nightcrawler SPOILER

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