Winning Hand - A Marvel Champions Podcast

E80 - Iceman, with Scarlet Rhodey!

In this episode of the Winning Hand Podcast, we embark on a deep dive into Iceman. We explore his origins, gameplay mechanics, and the significance of his queer identity. The conversation also touches on recent gameplay experiences, character comparisons, and the broader themes of representation within the Marvel universe.
The discussion highlights the complexities of Iceman's character, the fun and frustration players experience, and the importance of thematic consistency in character design. We show off some deck lists, showcasing the diversity in gameplay styles for Iceman using three different aspects!
Boomguy's deck: https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/55944/tropical-slushie-episode-80-1.0
Scarlet Rhodey's decks:
1. https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/55934/let-s-fight-hydra-1.0
2. https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/55932/queer-team-up-1.0
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Winning Hand Podcast02:36 Deep Dive into Iceman05:26 Recent Gameplay Experiences08:07 Character Comparisons and Preferences10:59 The Evolution of Captain America13:53 Scarlet Roady's Gameplay Insights16:38 Organizing Cards and Community Preferences19:43 Deck Strategies and Gameplay Mechanics22:53 Exploring Iceman's Lore and Background33:02 The Evolution of Iceman's Character43:49 Queer Identity and Representation in Comics48:10 Card Mechanics and Gameplay Discussion52:12 The Art of Iceman: A Visual Exploration58:38 Understanding Iceman's Powers and Abilities01:05:41 Thematic Representation of Frostbite Mechanic01:13:20 Fun Factor: Iceman's Gameplay Experience01:23:43 Final Thoughts on Iceman's Effectiveness01:28:53 Balancing Character Frustrations and Enjoyment01:30:25 Final Thoughts on Iceman01:31:29 Thematic Importance in Character Selection01:33:41 Deck Building Strategies and Challenges01:39:30 ScarletRhodey's Themed Decks: Trick or Treat01:47:40 Let's Fight Hydra: A Justice Deck for Iceman
 

E79.5 - MC/DC Recap

Summary
In this episode of the Winning Hand podcast, hosts Boomguy and LazyTitan discuss their experiences at the recent MCDC convention, focusing on deck building strategies, gameplay experiences, and insights into the Marvel Champions card game. They explore the importance of originality in deck building, share tips for creating effective combos, and reflect on the multiplayer scenarios and PVP tournament held at the event. The conversation emphasizes the joy of playing the game and the value of experimenting with different strategies. They share insights on deck building, highlight memorable moments from the con, and emphasize the importance of community engagement in the Marvel Champions world.
Content Creator Recommendation: https://www.youtube.com/@Str0ngstyleVersus
Decks:
Bad Mothertucker - https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/55502/bad-mothertucker-1.0
Suicide Mission Leader - https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/55121/suicide-mission-leader-1.0
Say Hello to My Little Friend - https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/55571/say-hello-to-my-little-friend-1.0
The Eightfold Path - https://marvelcdb.com/deck/view/1059978
Wow! We solved minion collecting! YIPPEEEE! - https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/55733/wow-we-solved-minion-collecting-yippeeee-1.0
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Winning Hand Podcast00:19 Recap of MCDC Convention Experience02:36 Content Creator Spotlight: Strong Style Versus05:35 Listener Email: Deck Building Insights11:01 Deck Building Strategies and Perspectives17:00 The Importance of Consistency in Decks22:47 Iterating and Improving Decks28:16 Final Thoughts on Deck Building and Gameplay31:25 Deck Building Insights33:35 MCDC Event Overview34:54 Custom Campaign Scenarios38:22 Massive Multiplayer Loki Event42:40 PVP Tournament Experience52:20 Custom Content Day56:57 Custom Content and Community Engagement58:12 Exclusive Cards and Trading Experiences01:00:19 Event Venue and Atmosphere01:01:53 Con Highlights and Community Vibes01:03:47 Collaboration with Other Conventions01:04:53 Guest Appearances and Content Creators01:05:16 Future Plans and Excitement01:07:01 Deck Showcase: Deadpool Leadership01:14:06 Deck Showcase: War Machine Aggression01:19:36 Deck Showcase: Drax Aggression01:24:29 Deck Showcase: Tigra and Closing Thoughts

E79 - Drop Kick, feat. Josseroo!

In this episode of the Winning Hand Podcast, Boomguy and returning guest Josseroo discuss various aspects of Marvel Champions, including the MODOK League, their recent gameplay experiences, and an in-depth analysis of specific cards like Brains Over Brawn and the card of the day: Drop Kick. They explore the thematic elements of these cards, the evolution of status effects in the game, and how the mechanics have changed over time. The conversation provides insights into gameplay strategies and the impact of card design on player experience.
Boomguy's Deck: https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/55451/razzle-dazzle-episode-79-1.0
Josseroo's Deck: https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/55440/olivia-newton-john-s-favourite-deck-aka-muh-fist-o-1.0
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction02:39 Modoc League Overview05:30 Solo Champions League Update08:07 Recent Gameplay Experiences10:50 Card of the Day Discussion16:25 Dropkick Card Analysis29:09 Resource Distribution in Gameplay31:59 Thematic Consistency in Card Design34:54 Meta Evolution and Card Impact37:13 Status Effects and Their Role49:27 Evaluating Dropkick's Power01:00:12 Final Thoughts on Fun and Rating01:01:34 Deck Presentation and Player Styles01:08:45 Exploring Deck Strategies and Synergies01:15:34 Testing Decks and Gameplay Experiences01:22:40 Discussion on Player Side Schemes01:30:20 Closing Thoughts and Future Deck Ideas

E78.5 - Caleb Grace!

In this episode of the Marvel Champions podcast, host Boomguy and co-host LazyTitan interview Caleb Grace, the (now former) lead designer of Marvel Champions. They discuss Caleb's background in gaming, the upcoming Civil War expansion, and the introduction of player vs player mechanics. Caleb shares insights into the design process, community feedback, and his favorite heroes. The conversation also touches on Caleb's transition to the Star Wars deckbuilding game and the exciting new Mandalorian expansion. Throughout the episode, Caleb emphasizes the importance of fun and empowerment in gaming, encouraging listeners to keep an open mind about new gameplay experiences.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Marvel Champions Podcast02:49 Caleb Grace's Background and Gaming Preferences05:41 Transitioning from Marvel Champions to Star Wars Deck Building08:23 The Civil War Expansion Development Process11:04 Player vs. Player Mechanics and Influences13:55 Balancing Competitive Play in Civil War16:31 Customizable Scenarios and Player Engagement19:19 Thematic Elements of the Civil War Expansion22:16 Choosing Leaders and Their Unique Abilities25:29 Character Development and Unique Play Styles27:06 Product Reception and Future Prospects28:06 Pride in Game Design: Civil War vs. Mutant Genesis31:13 Evolution of Civil War: From Concept to Reality33:19 Encouraging Open-Mindedness in Players37:33 Underrated Aspects of Game Design40:18 Transitioning from LCGs to New Product Lines47:18 Designing Accessible Games for All Ages50:44 Expanding the Star Wars Deck Building Universe55:51 Innovations in Gameplay: Introducing New Modes59:02 Gratitude and Community in Game Design01:05:40 Outro
 

E78 - Multiple Man

Summary
In this episode of the Winning Hand podcast, hosts Boomguy and LazyTitan are joined by special guest WastelandSniper to discuss the Marvel Champions card game, focusing on the 4-cost ally, Multiple Man. The conversation covers various topics including listener engagement, recent gameplay experiences, and the lore behind Multiple Man. The hosts also share their unique deck strategies built around Multiple Man, showcasing the diversity in deck building even with the same character and aspects. 
Boomguy's Deck
WastelandSniper's deck
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Winning Hand Podcast01:26 Meet WastelandSniper: A New Guest's Journey06:45 Listener Email: Community Engagement and Deck Building08:30 Recent Plays: Exploring New Decks and Strategies15:47 Character Spotlight: The Lore of Multiple Man21:00 The Power of Duplication21:58 Multiple Man's Background and Associations23:19 Analyzing the Card: Multiple Man31:08 Thematic Elements of Multiple Man35:00 Evaluating the Card's Power and Utility39:35 The Power of Armor and Allies41:39 Evaluating Multiple Man's Effectiveness44:05 Fun Factor of Multiple Man46:47 Final Ratings and Thoughts on Multiple Man52:51 Deck Building Strategies with Multiple Man01:07:25 Outro

E77 - Toe to Toe

Summary
In this episode of the Winning Hand Podcast, Boomguy and LazyTitan welcome first-time guest Luke from the One Two Punch Board series. They discuss the upcoming MCDC convention, share insights on deck building, and explore their favorite heroes and scenarios in Marvel Champions. The conversation also includes recommendations for content creators, listener emails about new cards, and a detailed discussion on the card of the day, Toe to Toe, including its artwork and the artists behind it. In this episode, the hosts engage in a detailed discussion about the art and design of various cards in the Marvel Champions game, exploring themes of creativity, controversy, and gameplay mechanics. They critique specific artworks, delve into the thematic elements of card design, and evaluate the power and effectiveness of different cards. The conversation also highlights the fun factor in gameplay and concludes with final thoughts and ratings for the discussed cards. Additionally, the hosts share their innovative deck strategies, showcasing how different heroes can interact with the game mechanics.
Boomguy's deck: https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/54592/soviet-savant-episode-77-1.0
Luke's deck: https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/54587/punching-their-pressure-points-1.0
Luke's recently played deck: https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/50245/parental-disguise-1.0
Find Curation Crew here: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3576956/curation-crew-batman-hush-first-impressions
Greg Land allegations: 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Winning Hand Podcast03:31 Guest Introduction and Community Engagement04:19 Luke's Background and Content Creation11:05 Favorite Heroes and Play Styles21:36 Listener Email Discussion on New Characters29:56 Exploring New Characters and Cards32:45 Recent Gameplay Experiences34:34 Deck Building and Strategy37:13 Card of the Day: Toe to Toe48:57 Art and Theme Analysis55:54 Power and Effectiveness of Cards59:25 Minion Management Strategies01:02:22 Card Synergies and Gameplay Mechanics01:05:37 Final Thoughts on Card Effectiveness01:13:01 Deck Building Insights and Strategies01:33:47 Outro

More Multiplayer Decks - All Hands on Decks #16

https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/51929/anything-you-can-do-1.0
https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/52369/does-anyone-need-a-triple-resources-card-this-turn-1.0
https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/51761/the-dj-crew-3.0
https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/48846/sp-dr-pool-goes-vroom-vroom-lightsaber-sounds-1.0
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Marvel Decks01:08 Exploring the Rogue Deck: Anything You Can Do06:53 Aggression Deck: The Deja Crew13:19 Captain Marvel Leadership Deck: Triple Resource Shenanigans17:44 SPDR Pool: Vroom Vroom and Plot Convenience

E76 - Squirrel Girl

Comments, questions, and feedback: winninghandpodcast@gmail.com
In this episode, the hosts are joined by community member Volt, and they delve into the character design, thematic elements, and gameplay mechanics of Squirrel Girl, exploring her costume, powers, and overall impact in the game. They discuss the fun factor of playing with Squirrel Girl and share their final thoughts on her effectiveness in various deck strategies, ultimately rating her performance and discussing deck-building ideas.
Volt's deck: https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/53706/bike-of-the-aero-rior-1.0
Boomguy's deck: https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/54206/sidekickin-it-episode-76-1.0
 
Boomguy's other deck: https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/53729/wakandan-economics-1.0
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests02:10 Guest Introduction and Favorite Heroes05:08 Favorite Scenarios and Player Counts06:48 Deck Building Strategies and Recent Plays20:29 Lore and Background of Squirrel Girl23:13 The Powers of Squirrel Girl27:16 Squirrel Girl's Backstory and Age28:24 Squirrel Girl in the Game and MCU29:59 Card of the Day: Squirrel Girl31:31 Art and Design of Squirrel Girl35:44 Thematic Elements of Squirrel Girl38:39 Power Dynamics of Squirrel Girl44:35 The Power of Allies in Deck Building47:42 Fun Factor: How Allies Impact Gameplay50:38 Final Thoughts and Ratings on Squirrel Girl55:52 Deck Strategies: Building Around Squirrel Girl01:09:13 outro