Marvel Champions: Fear No Evil is the latest standalone campaign for this long-running classic. We've had varied sets recently that have really mixed up the gameplay; can Matt Murdock and the gang prevail against Fisk?
THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR
In this set, you are playing (out of the box) Daredevil (Justice precon) and Echo (Protection precon), as you battle against Kingpin's attempts to control the city. Daredevil is a pretty straightforward Justice precon, albeit with a "sense" sidedeck. His senses are pretty straightforward to use: the top one is always visible, and they are a range of cheap triggered debuffs. Whilst it's marginally more complex than, say, starter heroes, it's not particularly tricky. The addition of Temporary Upgrades (they stick around for for one turn) is welcome, and his provide massive card draw. He also has a support which gives him +3 REC and given you'll be playing Matt as much as DD - many of his cards are free for "Attorney" - this is really strong (and as a side note, good alt build for She-Hulk).
Echo is much more complicated but really enjoyable once you get the hang of her. She has the ability to tuck events under her - from any player - and replay them. Also, her cards are VERY reactive - generally you'll find yourself playing a lot of cards in the Villain phase. Once again, Protection precons are the most interesting bit of the design space. It's nice to see some older cards from the likes of Drax here; Protection deck done right. Also, Kingpin's her nemesis - of course - but is really fascinating as, effectively, you cannot defeat him.
CITY UNDER SIEGE
Again, we have a bit of innovation in the design, in that it is a non linear campaign, not unlike The Scarlet Keys for Arkham Horror LCG. Each round, Kingpin's plans advance on ALL of the campaign missions, and you have to decide which to deal with: do you deal with the less advanced ones, or stop the others spiralling out of control? It's a good idea, adding a bit of downtime planning that feels very on theme. Without spoiling anything, you are both punished and rewarded for how successfully you have dealt with these, both as the campaign progresses and at the finale. There are a couple of very clever handicap mechanics (again, no spoilers but...) which actually reduces the difficulty of the finale if you've been struggling - or ramps it up if you've walked it. This means that it's a hugely accessible campaign with genuine challenge for the veterans, albeit that a couple of the scenarios are pretty straightforward.
THOUGH I WALK THE THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH
Marvel Champions: Fear No Evil is a solid addition to the Champions line with a lot in its favour, and I love that it's non-linear. It's the perfect pick for newcomers because of its scalable difficulty, though veteran players will find a couple of the scenarios quite straightforward; equally, the challenge of two will REALLY push you, and could put off some - but will be SUPER satisfying if you like the game hard. It also has some deliberate in built replay, and I'm looking forward to tackling it with some of the other heroes in this wave (Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Elektra).
About the author:
Sam blogs @big_geekingout and as part of bigcomicpage.com with an emphasis on dad-gaming and IP content. Recovering competitive card gamer, infrequent skirmish wargamer, and average boardgamer. Decent Modeller with a fondness for terrain. Enthusiastic if not especially capable miniature Painter. Media and English Teacher, which is a cover for being a movie nerd. Reasonable cook. Occasional Parent.
