Captain Marvel: Kree Protection Suit Mark IV

KREE MILITIA PROTECTION SUIT MARK IV

This is a refined version of my Kree Militia Protection Suit build. This version focuses on the same core that build does, but this one should charge Channel faster, and win more consistently. For the most consistency attempt to use every card in your hand and draw up to as much as possible at the end of player phase. Mulligan anything that does not do damage, or is not a card that will add to your DEF value. Med Team is a keeper, but paying for it can be an issue, also you have 3 and can deck out fairly quickly, so it’s not that bad to mulligan Med Team.

This build still focuses on staying in Marvel mode and using to heal and draw from your deck. You will mitigate threat and damage through a combination of staying in hero mode, using Rechannel and using DEF (to stay around 10 health). You will not be twiddling your thumbs exhausted you will be drawing cards to heal, playing Photonic Blast and Counter-Punch, and channelling with Energy Channel. Some turns you will be able to discard Cosmic Flight and use your attack. You can also double up on Counter-Punch if you have two in hand, or discard a copy of Cosmic Flight to defend and prevent a 3 damage hit, without having to exhaust, then immediately play Counter-Punch for 2 damage.

RECHANNEL USAGE:

you will be around 2-4 defense, using your upgrades, if all goes well. This ability is best used in combination with Med Team, and your defensive gear, Armored Vest, Helmet, and if possible Cosmic Flight too. 2 DEF minimum, with Med Team you will be healing 3 HP over three rounds, and saving 5 HP over that time with just 2 DEF.

WHEN TO FLIP:

• Never flip to Alter Ego if threat level is near half the threshold.
• Flip when you haven't drawn a damage card, specifically Photonic Blast, or haven't drawn and need a Energy Channel or an Energy Absorption.
• Flip When the villain is confused (you've played Spider-Woman).
• You should not need to flip to heal with this build. So long as damage dealt to you is not consistently half or more your total HP.

NON SIGNATURE CARDS:

Much of the heroes strongest cards are their signatures, and optimally those should be on the board. So, it makes most sense to cover the non signatures for this build first in terms of their value/functionality:

• Armored Vest: Get it into play as soon as you can. If you get a treachery that needs you to discard it, discard this over Captain Marvel's Helmet, or Cosmic Flight, Energy Channel, etc. You have 3, you should see another, if that’s not likely your other options are Cosmic Flight and Helmet. If you get two in hand you could use one to pay for the other, don’t let it clutter your hand if you already have one out.

• Med Team: This is the bread to the buttery goodness of Rechannel's energy healing. Play it when you have no damage cards, and ideally with a The Power of Protection card. You are now able to heal 3 hit points per round. Otherwise the on this should be used to heal and draw, or to drop on Energy Channel to build up to a 10-15+ combo.

• Avengers Mansion, Helicarrier: Any card can be played early, mid or late game, but some cards want to be played at one of these timing points over the other. The question is whether or not Mansion and Carrier have a preferred time to play. With damage cards it’s always early, or as soon as possible. Damage nets you immediate progress on your win condition. Whereas Mansion is about the long play if you play it early, or about seeing more of your deck and drawing more for an advantage or more options mid to late game. What you are giving up for that advantage is an entire hand, and turn in most cases. While yes, with Energy Absorption you can play it and possibly still have more of a turn, but that means at least 1 Channel may take a bit longer to power up. It also means you’re out a one-card-payment for Photonic Blast. Taking that, along with the fact that Marvel already has built in draw, to replace an unwanted/un-useful card rather than add a card to hand, I’d argue Mansion should only be played if you want/need more draw and have no use for other support cards/events. Helicarrier on the other hand is a bit more advantageous for Marvel. Playing a carrier with an Absorption is only 2 cards out of your hand, and makes damage cards like Photonic Blast cost only 2, Helmet and CF, 1, Vest free. These cards are Marvel’s essentials and with Helicarrier out they’re easier to play. She can still manage without it in play, but if you had a bad mulligan and have no damage or support options that will mitigate damage Helicarrier will definitely give Marvel an edge.

CARDS IN THIS BUILD

UPGRADES:

• Captain Marvel's Helmet: The cost is relatively high, however you do need to be, at a minimum, around 2 DEF to make it through to the end. If the Helmet is too expensive and you have other options, damage especially, or cards that are needed to keep you in the game when your health is too low, or threat is too high using this card as a resource is fine. You still have Armored Vest and Cosmic Flight for consistent 2 DEF, and a one time 5-8 defense/prevention. Generally you want Helmet in play with a Armored Vest. Cosmic Flight is a luxury. The benefit of the helmet and the vest aside from the consistent -2 to each attack, is low threat placement each round.

• Cosmic Flight: The utility of CF is actually kind of hidden, it lets you block without blocking/exhausting. Unlike blocking with your hero, CF's timing point (When you take damage) is after you reveal a boost card. Meaning if you are at full health and can stand to take around 3 damage, you can elect not to discard it. If you do plan on discarding it, or preventing 3 damage from the next attack, you will be taking a defend action without needing to exhaust. This opens up your next turn to do damage. If you do defend after drawing a boost, you still get the benefit of your DEF value along with the optional 3 damage prevention from discarding CF. That is 7 total damage you are capable of preventing, with just one copy of CF. In addition it combos with Counter-Punch. Meaning you can discard CF, then play CP all without exhausting. I haven't even gotten to the: this card gives you 3-4 defense part yet. This card also gives you +3 DEF when you have Captain Marvel's Helmet in play. With Armored vest you're at 4 DEF. So, When do you play it? You won't always play CF if you already have 3 DEF (Armored Vest, Helmet). You will play it if you are planning on making more than one move next turn, or for a future turn. It's basically a super Indomitable. As usual with any other card that has an bolt, this card is also part of your healing/drawing engine with Rechannel, and your damage engine with Energy Channel. Damage is priority, unless CF in play will save you from getting KO'd.

• Indomitable: Comboing this card with Counter-Punch is extremely powerful. However, other cards take precedence You will be defending every attack you can, and on those turns you don't get a Photonic Blast in hand, Indomitable will make sure you're ready to dish out some kind of damage, or if things get really bad, flip and heal with your REC.

• Energy Channel: If you are cycling, and drawing from your deck at a decent rate Energy Channel shouldn't take more than a round or so to fully charge. It's fine to put it down and not charge it if you are out of cards, but if you do and can get it to 5 , then you should. Every card with an should be spent on this if possible. If you have a card that can't be used at the moment, and without an , use Alpha Flight Station to cycle it and draw an card. This deck is 63% so you will likely get it, then spend it on Channel. Alternatively, when you use Rechannel to heal and draw, and you get a non- card Alpha Flight is there for you to cycle it out and likely draw a new card for you to spend on Energy Channel. Note that rarely, if at all, will you discard Photonic Blast to Alpha Flight, unless you need that one more to end the villain.

ALLIES:

• Black Widow: Black Widow's main value in this deck is to thwart, or help get rid of side schemes, then block. There are very few icons in this build, and in Marvel in general, so this doesn't lean toward controlling the encounter deck.

• Luke Cage: Luke is still mainly an icon. He's definitely useful if you can play him with The Power of Protection, and a couple of blocks, or to avoid overkill. Other than that Nick Fury is a bit more versatile.

• Nick Fury: One of the best most versatile allies in the core. He slices he dices, he thwarts, and thwarts, attacks and attacks some more, and just when you think he can't do anymore he blocks for you. No question that Nick is situational but when you're in that situation, he is the only answer. Generally, playing him for damage is the optimal play. Especially if you can attack with your hero as well. You will be laying down 8 damage, and have a blocker so you won't be exhausted next turn. Comboing Fury with discarding an Energy Channel means you've done 18 damage, that is huge.

• Spider-Woman: When I see Jessica Drew in my hand I think thwart, block, and confuse. If you are bringing the damage and aren't worried about overkill, or needing a defender you won't need to play her. But if you want to draw more cards and hopefully grab some useful damage cards because you have no useful damage or support options playing Drew is your solution. Make sure she can take the threat level down to a fraction of its threshold, if it's anywhere near halfway after thwarting, Drew won't be able to help. Flipping to alter ego for more cards is even more beneficial, if you have Alpha Flight Station in play, so playing Drew to set up a flip to Alter Ego is even more beneficial in that case.

SUPPORT

• Alpha Flight Station: This helps to cycle your deck faster, assuring that you see those damage and support cards again much sooner. It is part of your draw engine, along with Rechannel. A cool trick is having it in play and using a to Rechannel and draw a card, if it is an bolt you get to drop it on Energy Channel, if not just exhaust Alpha Flight to try for another bolt. Most people, so far, seem to think it's more powerful on Danvers' side. This isn’t necessarily untrue, AF definitely lets you see more cards, however that doesn't mean using it as Marvel is a waste. When using AF with marvel you are cycling and drawing to look for another card, to play on Energy Channel, or to look for a copy of Energy Absorption. More than 50% of this build is . This means at the beginning of your turn, after the villain phase, you will be able to spend a on Rechannel and get a card back that will likely be a a charge for Channel, but if that goes wrong Alpha Flight is there to give you another shot at it. Essentially it makes Energy Channel charge up faster as Marvel. While with Danvers you’re generally better off using Alpha Flight to search for charge but you wont be able to discard it if you began the player phase as Marvel and flip to Danvers. Essentially Alpha Flight is optimal for seeing more of your deck, and having more options, if you can flip to Marvel and take advantage of those options. Otherwise you will have to wait until after the villain phase, which comes with its risks. .

EVENT

• Counter-Punch: I’ve gone back and forth deciding whether or not CP is great or good. It’s definitely useful since you will be defending often, but sometimes you may have a blocker, or need a blocker and get these cards. It’s not niche, but it does become more valuable in combination with cards like Indomitable, and CF. It also works great when you have two in hand and are able to defend, or play a card that makes you take a defend action. You can actually play both after a defense and deal 4 damage with Marvel at 0 cost! If you discard Cosmic Flight you are taking a defend action, and thus can play two copies of Counter Punch right after. Meaning you will have dealt 4 damage without exhausting to defend, and can possibly deal 2 more damage for 6 total damage.

• Crisis Interdiction: This card is pretty tricky. Without Aerial it is best used with an ally or two that can THW also. If you do have Aerial, however, it is excellent for making a dent in the main scheme and halving side schemes with 4 threat. It is one of the only cards, of Marvel’s signatures, that is fine to discard, use to pay for damage, and use to Rechannel, unless you are knee deep in a side scheme and can set up the Aerial interaction.

• Emergency: Energy Channel fuel, Rechannel fuel. Also not bad to use when a villain schemes to keep it down to one less threat, if you don't need to heal or drop a bolt on Energy Channel.

• Haymaker: Extra damage options when you are exhausted from defending, additional bolt to charge Channel, Rechannel, or use to pay for the higher damage Photonic Blast.

• Photonic Blast: Energy Channel and Photonic Blast are your One-Two Punch. When this card is in your hand, you play it, and you play it with a bolt. Best way to play it is with Energy Absorption. If not make sure to spend one of the expendable bolts, like Luke Cage, Haymaker, Emergency and two other cards. Also, do not be afraid to spend a Photonic Blast on a 3 health enemy, especially if they have the Guard keyword.

RESOURCES

• Energy: this can help you get to 5 on Channel quicker.

• Energy Absorption: Use it primarily to pay for Photonic Blast and save a card/get a card. Otherwise it charges Channel very quickly.

• The Power of Protection: The best target for this card is Med Team. Next is Black Widow, for the THW potential. Otherwise it’s wild so that means it’s to Rechannel, to trigger Photonic Blasts draw, or for Energy Channel.