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Player Resource: Card Types


This resource is a collection and definition of card types in Marvel Champions, information was collected from the RRG, and inserts of releases. Any Additional card types added to the game will be updated In this resource.


The game’s card types are: ally, attachment, environment, event, identity (hero and alter-ego), main scheme, minion, obligation, resource, side scheme, support, treachery, upgrade, and villain.


• If an ability causes a card to change its card type, it loses all other card types it might possess and functions as would any card of the new card type.


Ally- Ally is a player card type that represents a player’s friends, supporters, or companions.


• If an ally enters play, it remains in play until a card ability or game effect causes it to leave play. If an ally’s remaining hit points are reduced to zero, it is defeated and discarded from play.


• During a player’s turn, they may use any number of allies they control to attack or thwart. An ally must exhaust to pay the cost of being used in this way.


• After an attack or thwart attempt using an ally resolves, there is often consequential damage that must be dealt to the ally, as indicated beneath the ally’s ATK or THW field. This damage must be dealt directly to the ally.


• If a player is attacked, any player may exhaust an ally they control to defend against the attack. If an ally defends against an attack, all damage from the attack is dealt to the ally.


Attachment- Attachment is an encounter card type.


When an attachment enters play, it attaches to another card or game element.


• If an attachment attaches to the villain, it may modify the villain’s ATK and/or SCH values, as indicated by the values in the associated fields on the attachment card.


Campaign — campaign cards are player cards created specifically for use with a campaign.


These cards cannot be included in any players deck unless they are playing a campaign and directed to add them by the campaign instructions.


Environment— Environment is an encounter card type that creates an overarching rule or set of rules for the scenario.


An environment card enters play next to the villain, and is active so long as it remains in play.


• If an environment enters play, it remains in play until a card ability or game effect causes it to leave play.


Event— Event is a player card type that is generally played for an instantaneous effect.


Each time a player plays an event card, its costs are paid, its effects resolve (or are canceled), and the card is placed in its owner’s discard pile after those effects resolve (or are canceled).


• If the effects of an event are canceled, the card is still considered to have been played, and its costs remain paid. Only the effects are canceled.


• Playing an event card from hand is always optional for a player, unless the event uses the word “must” in its play instructions.


• An event card cannot be played unless the resolution of its effect (ignoring costs) could change the game.


Identity — Identity is a player card type that represents which character a player is playing in the game.


A player’s identity card is a double-sided card that represents their hero on one side and their alter-ego on the other. The side that is face up indicates the form (hero or alter-ego) that player is currently in.


• Each player begins the game in alter-ego form.


• If a card refers to a hero or alter-ego by title, it refers only to the identity with that title, and not to the other side of the card.


Main Scheme - Main scheme is an encounter card type. The main scheme represents the villain’s primary objective.


If the amount of threat on a main scheme is equal to or greater than its target threat value, the scheme deck advances. Remove the scheme from the game, and advance to the next stage of the main scheme deck.


If the villain completes the final stage of the main scheme deck, the villain wins the game.


• During step one of the villain phase, place the amount of threat indicated in the main scheme’s acceleration field (bottom-right corner) on that scheme. This value is modified by all active acceleration tokens and icons.


• When the main scheme deck advances, excess threat from the previous stage does not carry over to the new stage.


• When the main scheme deck advances, acceleration tokens on it carry over to the new stage.


Minion- Minion is an encounter card type. Minions represent supporters of the villain and/or enemies of the heroes.


If a minion enters play, it engages the player who is revealing the card from the encounter deck or resolving the ability that put the minion into play, unless an ability specifies otherwise.


• If a minion enters play, it remains in play until a card ability or game effect causes it to leave play.


• If a minion has zero or fewer remaining hit points, it is defeated and discarded.


• Minions engaged with a player activate (one minion at a time) during step two of the villain phase, after the villain activates. If the engaged player is in hero form, these minions attack. If the engaged player is in alter-ego form, these minions scheme.


Obligation — Obligation is an encounter card type that represents a commitment or obstacle that an identities alter-ego might have to face or overcome.


Each identity is associated with one (or more) obligation cards. If an identity is being played, all of that identity’s associated obligation cards are shuffled into the encounter deck during setup.


If an obligation card is revealed from the encounter deck, it is given to the player who controls its associated identity. That player must decide how to resolve the obligation.


• If the identity associated with a revealed obligation card has been eliminated, ignore the card’s ability, remove it from the game, and reveal an additional encounter card.


• If a revealed obligation card does not have an associated identity, the player who revealed the card chooses how to resolve the obligation.


Resource — Resource cards are a player card type. Their primary function is to be discarded from a player’s hand to generate resources.

These cards generally provide more (or more efficient) resources than other card types when they are discarded from a player’s hand to generate resources.


• Some resource cards have card text that is active while using the card to generate resources.


Side Scheme — Side scheme is an encounter card type that represents additional obstacles and distractions the heroes are confronted with.


If a side scheme is revealed, it enters play and is placed next to the main scheme deck.


• Each side scheme enters play with an amount of threat on it equal to the card’s starting threat value (indicated at the bottom of the card).


• A side scheme remains in play until there is no threat on it (which causes it to be defeated and discarded), or until a card ability removes it from play. (Threat can be removed from side schemes by using the thwart power of heroes and allies, or by using card abilities.)


The following icons indicate different effects that a side scheme might have on the game:


If a side scheme has the crisis icon, that side scheme must be discarded before threat can be removed from the main scheme.


For each acceleration icon in play, one additional threat is placed on the main scheme during step 1 of the villain phase.


For each side scheme with the hazard icon, an additional encounter card is dealt during step three of the villain phase. Additional cards are dealt in player order (first additional card to the first player, the second to the second player, etc.).


Support — Support is a player card type that represent locations, backline supporters or friends, and other behind-the-scenes elements a hero or alter-ego might have at their disposal.


• Support cards enter play in the back row of a player’s play area.


• A support card is active while it is in play, and it remains in play until a card ability causes it to leave play.


Treachery — Treachery is an encounter card type that represent tactics, tricks, disasters, and other immediate occurrences that confront players during a scenario.


• If a treachery card is revealed from the encounter deck, the player revealing the card must resolve its effects.


• After resolving the effects of a treachery card (or the effects are canceled), place the card in the encounter discard pile.


Upgrade —Upgrade is a player card type that represents powers, attacks, equipment, and other assets that are (in most cases) at an identity’s immediate disposal.


• An upgrade is active so long as it is in play, and it remains in play until a card ability causes it to leave play


• Most upgrade cards enter play near a player’s identity card, and modify the player’s hero or alter-ego (or both).


• Some upgrades enter play and “attach to” another card. These upgrades modify the card they are attached to, not the hero or alter-ego of the player who played the upgrade.


Villain — Villain is an encounter card type that represents the primary enemy the players are attempting to defeat in a scenario.

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