Winning Hand - A Marvel Champions Podcast

E54 - "Welcome Aboard"

In this episode of the Winning Hand Podcast, Boomguy, LazyTitan, and Leethus celebrate the holiday season by sharing their wishes for Marvel Champions, discussing their recent gaming experiences, and spotlighting community creators. They discuss the card of the day, 'Welcome Aboard', analyzing its art and thematic relevance while reflecting on character interpretations within the game. The conversation emphasizes community engagement and the joy of gaming during the holidays. In this conversation, the pod goes into the thematic elements and character dynamics of the Guardians of the Galaxy, discussing their downtime alter egos and the overall vibe of the characters. They explore the differences between the Guardians and Avengers, particularly in terms of teamwork and character motivations. 
Here is the content creator we spotlighted: https://www.youtube.com/@MarvelChampionsHQ/featured
Here is The Brandt's Agents of SHIELD release event: https://ti.to/the-portal/agents-of-shield-release-weekend
The last giveaway of 2024 is still going through the end of December: https://forms.gle/gBQ9ZcKEbUpH7zQ37
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
Discord: Boomguy / Leethus / LazyTitan421
Chapters
00:00 Holiday Greetings and Wishes02:43 Marvel Champions Wishlist05:42 Creator Spotlight and Community Engagement08:38 Recent Gameplay Experiences11:51 Deck Building Insights and Strategies23:02 Excitement for Blue Thor Decks23:40 Christmas 2024 Giveaway Announcement25:04 Card of the Day Introduction25:32 Welcome Aboard Card Overview28:31 Art Analysis of Welcome Aboard37:29 Thematic Discussion on Guardians of the Galaxy40:32 Power and Utility of Welcome Aboard44:22 Understanding Guardian Leadership Mechanics47:39 Thematic Elements of Guardian Cards52:19 Debating Card Limitations and Mechanics55:06 Evaluating Card Fun and Utility01:01:39 Final Thoughts on Card Effectiveness01:09:29 Logo.mp3

E53 - Throg

In this episode of the Winning Hand podcast, hosts Leethus, Boomguy, and LazyTitan discuss the card of the day, Throg, a unique aggression ally from Marvel Champions. They delve into the mechanics, gameplay experiences, and thematic elements of Throg, highlighting his strengths and weaknesses. The conversation also includes a giveaway announcement, a creator spotlight, and a segment where Boomguy attempts to learn about Throg's comic background: "Boomguy Doesn't Read Comics". The hosts share their recent gameplay experiences and provide a thorough review of Throg, ultimately giving him high ratings for his versatility and fun factor in gameplay.
Link to the giveaway: https://forms.gle/8i1iasRgSgkFdhvS9
We are choosing two winners every Monday in December, so get entered to win the cards! (We will send them anywhere in the world.)
Link to the video on the cards we are giving away: https://youtu.be/_FHGytieRPw?si=zks_CrQyDuNJ2e8d
Creator Spotlight: https://www.youtube.com/@solomarvelchampion
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
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Winning Hand Podcast02:07 Community Engagement and YouTube Content06:09 Giveaway Announcement and Participation07:57 Creator Spotlight: Solo Marvel Champion10:23 Boom Guy Doesn't Read Comics: Throg18:10 Throg in the MCU18:43 Comic Canon and Character Status20:06 Recent Gameplay Experiences24:25 Reflections on the Latest Hero Wave29:01 Exploring the Newest Mutant Heroes33:20 Throg: The Frog Thor Card Review41:11 The Power of Throg43:35 The Value of Tough Cards48:11 Throg's Versatility in Decks53:26 Final Thoughts on Throg

E52.5 - Con of Heroes 2025 Announcement

In this special bonus episode, Boomguy and LazyTitan are joined by KennedyHawk and Hone to discuss the 2025 Con of Heroes, a gathering for fans of Marvel Champions. We discuss the evolution of the convention from its inception in 2022, highlighting themes, events, and community engagement. They share insights into past cons, the excitement surrounding the upcoming 2024 con, and the importance of community connections. The discussion emphasizes the cooperative nature of the game and the welcoming atmosphere of the con, encouraging listeners to attend and participate in the gaming community.
Dates: May 2-4, 2025
Location: Gamezenter (Roseville, MN)
Link to the con website: https://conofheroes.com/
Hotel info: 
DoubleTree Roseville - 2540 N Cleveland Cr., Roseville, MN 55113
Link to hotel block reservation rate is here. 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Con of Heroes06:08 Highlights from the 2023 Con24:21 Game Design Insights and Challenges30:40 Innovative Legacy Mod Set Discussion36:09 Con Attendance Growth and Community Engagement45:14 Community Connections and Final Thoughts53:07 Logo.mp3

E52 - Spycraft

Welcome back to the People's Podcast!
Creator Spotlight: Marvel Chumpions Podcast
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarvelChumpions
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3KARXuLDLFgXepYVIwWuHz
Link for the giveaway: https://forms.gle/8i1iasRgSgkFdhvS9
In this Thanksgiving episode of the Winning Hand Podcast, hosts LazyTitan, Boomguy, and Leethus discuss their gratitude for Marvel Champions, highlight community creators, and introduce a new YouTube series. They also delve into the card of the day, 'Spycraft', exploring its mechanics and thematic elements. In this conversation, the participants delve into the mechanics of other spy-themed cards in the game, particularly focusing on the preparation cards associated with characters like Black Widow. They discuss the strategic implications of these cards, their thematic relevance, and how they influence gameplay dynamics. The conversation highlights the balance between fun and strategy, emphasizing the importance of card effects and player choices in cooperative gaming. In this episode, the hosts engage in a lively discussion about the mechanics and effectiveness of various cards in the game, particularly focusing on the Black Widow character and her unique abilities. They explore the themes of game mechanics, the fun factor of gameplay, and the strategic implications of card choices. The conversation culminates in a rating segment where each host shares their thoughts on the card 'Spycraft', highlighting its strengths and weaknesses in gameplay.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Winning Hand Podcast01:05 Thanksgiving Episode and Community Engagement04:30 Spotlight on Marvel Champions Creators07:19 New Projects and YouTube Series10:02 Thankfulness in Marvel Champions16:14 Card of the Day: Spycraft24:19 Exploring Spy Mechanics in Gameplay27:42 The Power of Preparation Cards32:41 Thematic Elements of Spycraft36:49 Balancing Fun and Strategy in Card Play39:35 The Nature of Game Mechanics41:59 Debating Card Effectiveness45:00 Fun vs. Strategy in Gameplay48:57 Final Thoughts and Ratings

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 - New Card Reveal: 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