Orbweaver

Cute but deadly

SP//dr remains most unique hero in marvel champions. Its name includes a forward slash (no, not a backslash). The identity is two separate cards which have a support or upgrade on its other side. No one knows how to spell or pronounce it and just say Peni. Lots of reasons. This is the deck I typically play when I play SP//dr. Let's take a look.

Web-Warriors

SP//dr doesn't have to run Web-Warriors, but when you have the option: why wouldn't you? They are so strong, but also specifically very strong for Peni.

• Ghost-Spider: yes, I would like more All Systems Go! pleasethankyouverymuch.
• Spider-Man: the ready is very welcomed for Peni so you can get more uses out of your Interface upgrades, especially on big All Systems Go! turns. He has a stiff resource requirement, but thankfully Peni has no trouble paying for it with her Interfaces, but he's also super easy to play out yet again with Across the Spider-Verse.
• Spider-Man: such a great anchor to your big Across the Spider-Verse turn where you get to clear like 5-6 threat to help stabilise into the next turn with a full board of web-slingin warriors. Even on his own, he's still very cost-efficient. Always happy to see him.
• Spider-Man: ready an Interface and draw a card? Otto is great. Unfortunately, he only triggers when played from hand. He doesn't really play as well with others after all, but thankfully you can easily Chance Encounter him out if need be.
• Across the Spider-Verse: seriously don't overlook the ability to exhaust the ally you just brought into play and pay 2 to get another one. With all of Peni's Interfaces, you can easily get up to 3 allies into play in a single turn and still take some other game actions. As always, remember that your first exhaust is free with:
• Web of Life and Destiny: remember how drawing cards is great for Peni? This draws you a ton of cards. A ton. Even though you can play it for 0, don't be afraid to grab this with Build Support.

Weaving a Thread

Peni Parker has a hand size of 4 while her SP//dr Suit has a hand size of just 3. Thankfully, Peni herself and her other Interface upgrades can generate resources. Due to these two factors, having resources in hand is often not very helpful. You could, on some turns, use Psychic Link or Web-Fluid Compressor for an extra 2 THW or ATK, but only if SP//dr is actually making one of those actions. Host Spider is a bit more flexible, readying your suit for a variety of options: thwarting, attacking, or even drawing cards on its Alter-Ego side, but during your turn, you will almost always have Peni and Speed-Metal Alloy available to pay for cards and usually a couple more resources. Cards in hand are just simply much better than alternatives like cost-reducers, double resources, and resource-generators. Although I used to use the doubles with Peni for faster ASG! setup, I don't anymore. So well, now I just have lots of card draw cos who doesn't love drawin cards?

• There's quite a few already mentioned in the previous section, like Gwen and Otto, but there's a couple more allies as well:

• Ironheart: an absolute staple at this point and provides a lot of immediate benefits. What's so special about this card is that you get all of Ironheart's effects on the turn you play her: draw a card, attack or thwart for 1, then block an attack. For a 2-drop, that's just great value, and usually translates into using Peni and Speed-Metal Alloy to see a new card, get some damage on or some threat off the board, and a free block.

• Nick Fury: I don't typically use Fury that much any more. I still think he's good, but he's quite a bit removed from the absolute staple he was when the game launched. That said, in a deck with other 4-cost cards that draw cards, drawing 3 right away is just so strong, especially since you can often play him without any other cards from hand.

• Assess the Situation seems a bit innocuous at first. I think many people misevaluate how to play it. For me, it's always a resource, but if you can't use it as a resource, you draw an extra card. For many decks, this doesn't always translate well to actually playing more cards (for example, if you end your next turn with an extra card in your hand, you didn't actually benefit much), but with Peni's variable resource generation, you can also be assured that you'll get the most value out of this. Use it as the last resource you possibly spend, even after Interfaces, and just prioritise using those Interfaces for stat value if you don't need to spend them.

• Clear the Area: thwarts and draws cards. Doesn't always work, and isn't always necessary, so there's just 2 copies. It's a great card though. When playing multiplayer, definitely consider dropping them for more Skilled Investigator.

• One Way or Another: draws 3 cards. It's great. That side scheme? Yeah, it's probably gonna draw you cards too. In multiplayer, grab an acceleration side scheme and just ignore it. Use the momentum to push you to a win before that threat ever becomes an issue.

• Specialized Training is a bit of an odd one. It doesn't say anything about drawing cards, but those upgrades do. Surveillance Specialist seems like a no-brainer, but don't overlook Combat Specialist or even Front Line Specialist. Although you're Justice and will be doing a lot of thwarting, you'll be doing a lot of everything.

• Avengers Mansion: oh, how the mighty have fallen. Whereas Nick Fury still gets played quite a bit, Avengers Mansion is removed from all of the most dedicated multiplayer decks it seems. However, as I said, drawing cards is great. It may seems like a tough ask, but even if your opening hand, you can draw with the inactive SP//dr Suit, use Peni's pilot side resource, draw with Avengers Mansion, and still have 3 cards in hand after you play it. That's what you'll have most turns, so it's quite likely you'll still have a very playable hand, and you'll just have more and more options as the game progresses. Drawing it turn 2 or 3, you'll likely have no issues playing it either.

• Chance Encounter is like drawing a card. It's a card from hand that gets you any ally. There are a lot of allies to choose from, but I really love leaving it out until late game when you can clear a side scheme and go grab VEN#m and fully charge her up with 4 counters (5 if you're playing against Stryfe!).

• Skilled Investigator: needs no explanation. If you draw exactly one card with it, it's still great, but you usually draw way more than that. It's an absolute bomb.

• Symbiote Suit: it's so hard making a SP//dr deck without this card. With all the readies available, you get so much value out of those increased stats. That card draw from the bigger hand size is very welcome indeed, and the extra survivability is great. Definitely worth the extra encounter card. Like Avengers Mansion, it's not so difficult to play either.

• Aunt May & Uncle Ben: great card draw. Also great for putting your Web-Warrior allies into the bin for a fun Across the Spider-Verse turn, just don't trash that one too!

• Ejection Protocol may not seem like a card draw, but it lets you flip to Alter-Ego, and remember that you can always draw 2 cards (if your Suit is ready). Remember that this doesn't counter as your once-per-turn flip, so if you time things just right with All Systems Go!, you can have an absolutely stellar turn and a tough to help push you through to the next round. Just keep in mind that you won't be able to heal, since Peni will be exhausted.

• SP//dr Command: so versatile. If you have extra Interface you can't use, you get a card. An extra card in hand, you can reuse an interface. The last option usually isn't the best, but if you have extra readies with Spider-Man or Limitless Stamina, you can get extra uses out of your Psychic Link or Web-Fluid Compressor. Check to make sure you're not better off just readying Host Spider though. Once you have boosted stats from Heroic Intuition, Symbiote Suit, or Specialized Training, that's generally the best option. And finally, it can help you to match resources like the aforementioned Spider-Man or some annoying villain attachments.

Weaving a Web

There are so many options to play this deck, but typically I try to get Interfaces out in this order:

• Speed-Metal Alloy: it's 1-cost, so it's easy to play and isn't going to be used for the stats right away, so it's the perfect option to helping set up your rig.
• Psychic Link / Web-Fluid Compressor: Psychic Link probably has a slight edge here due to Skilled Investigator and the player side schemes, but they are both just generally good and will likely still be helping you to set up your board when they come into play.
• Host Spider is inarguably the best Interface but the last to get out due to the high cost. That said, it is always the option you choose when Superpower Training is cleared. If you know this is out or likely to come down soon, don't be afraid to pitch Host Spider.

All Systems Go! is the best card by far in your entire deck. Don't be afraid to hold onto these from one round to another if you can't make the best of it the turn you draw it. And don't be afraid to choose the second option even before all of your Interfaces are down if you can use what you have to set up your rig faster. If you have at least 3, that's still resource positive. If it helps to pay for Nick Fury, Avengers Mansion, or Symbiote Suit, definitely go for it.

Late game, you get at least 1 extra action at +2 with Host Spider and the matching Interface. If you have Spider-Man or Limitless Stamina, you can usually pay for them as well. Don't forget about Heroic Intuition, Symbiote Suit, or your Specialist upgrade's boost to your stats, as all of these readies can benefit you even without ASG! or Host Spider.

One final note about Rapid Deployment and Web-Trap. You only have to spend 1 Sync Ratio resource to get the bonus, and Rapid Deployment can choose the same scheme twice or two different schemes. These provide you with some valuable status and some great burst thwart or damage potential while you're still setting up and waiting for the beefed up suit readying multiple times in a single turn or a late-game 5/5/3 VEN#m.

Access

The main problem with this deck is that you generally don't do much early game then take absolutely monster turns late game. Bring some snacks for your friends if you're playing multiplayer and let everyone know about the absolute glory that is SP//dr.