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: [email protected]

IG: @winninghandpodcast 

Discord: Boomguy / Leethus / LazyTitan421

Facebook: Winning Hand Podcast

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Winning Hand Podcast

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 Heroes

Welcome back to the People's Podcast!

Creator Spotlight: Marvel Chumpions Podcast

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 Podcast

"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: [email protected]

IG: @winninghandpodcast 

Discord: Boomguy / Leethus / LazyTitan421

Facebook: Winning Hand Podcast

"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 Champions

"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 50

"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 Podcast

"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 Podcast

"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: [email protected]

IG: @winninghandpodcast 

Discord: Boomguy / Leethus

Facebook: Winning Hand Podcast

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 Dynamics

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: [email protected]

IG: @winninghandpodcast 

Discord: Boomguy / Leethus

Facebook: Winning Hand Podcast