Marvel Champions: The Card Game – Trickster Takeover Scenario Pack
Marvel Champions: The Card Game – Trickster Takeover Scenario Pack Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Expansion Symbol
The cards in this expansion are identified by the expansion symbol printed before each card's collector number.
New Rules
"Find"
When you are instructed to find a card, search each area where the card could be found (play area, set-aside area, player deck, discard pile, encounter deck, etc). Do not search the victory display, cards that have been removed from the game, or facedown encounter cards currently dealt to players. Do not search game areas unnecessarily if you know where the card you are looking for can be found.
Featured Keywords
Hinder X: When a card with hinder X enters play, place X additional threat on that card.
Incite X: When a card with incite X is revealed, place X threat on the main scheme.
Linked (Card Title): A card with linked cannot be included in the encounter deck or a player's deck. Instead, it is set aside at the start of the game if any encounter card or card in a player's deck includes the card that brings the linked card into play (indicated in the parentheses following the keyword). A linked card does not count toward the minimum or maximum deck size.
Note: This product comes with four ally cards linked to minions in the Trickster Magic modular set. Each linked ally card should be set aside during setup for any scenario using Trickster Magic as a modular set.
Patrol: While a minion with patrol is engaged with a player, that player cannot use cards they control to thwart the main scheme.
Permanent: A card with permanent cannot be defeated, leave play, or have any part of its text box blanked, except by card abilities in the same set (hero set, scenario set, or modular set).
Stalwart: A character with stalwart cannot be stunned or confused.
Steady: A character with steady can have one additional stunned status card and one additional confused status card. That character is not stunned unless they have two stunned status cards, and is not confused unless they have two confused status cards. After that character's activation is replaced by a status card effect, remove all status cards of that type from that character.
Victory X: When a card with victory X is defeated, place it in the victory display instead of its owner's discard pile.
Victory Display
The victory display is an out-of-play game area shared by all players. Cards in the victory display follow the standard rules for out-of-play cards.
Per-Group Icon
The per-group icon is used in the God of Lies scenario. During the scenario, each player joins a group of 1 to 4 players, and each group is assigned to a "pod" (see pages 10 and 13 for details). If the per-group icon is on a card in a group's game area, that icon multiplies the value it is next to by the number of groups in the respective pod. If the per-group icon is on a card that is not in a specific group's game area (such as the Worlds Collide main scheme), that icon multiplies the value it is next to by the total number of groups in the game.
Modular Set
The Trickster Takeover Scenario Pack comes with the Trickster Magic modular set which radically alters each scenario it is paired with. As players progress through a scenario that uses this set, they may encounter four special minions—Absorbing Man, Titania, Whirlwind, or Zzzax—whom the trickster gods have beguiled.
Although each special minion is nefarious in their own right, they do not support the villain of their own volition but rather due to a mind control spell cast upon them. When one of these minions is defeated, the hypnotic spell over them is broken. The player who defeated that minion puts the set-aside ally version of that minion into play under their control. The former minion is now an ally, ready to join the fight against the scoundrel who manipulated their mind.
Trickster Magic Cards
Traits are printed in the card header. Each minion is paired with a linked ally card.
+Absorbing Man (Minion) — Brute. Elite. Enthralled. Guard. Victory 1. ★ While Absorbing Man is engaged with you, he gets +X ATK, where X is the printed cost of the highest-cost card you control. When Defeated: The player who defeated this minion puts the set-aside Absorbing Man ally into play under their control.
+Titania (Minion) — Brute. Elite. Enthralled. Steady. Victory 1. ★ Titania's attacks gain overkill. When Defeated: The player who defeated this minion puts the set-aside Titania ally into play under their control.
+Whirlwind (Minion) — Elite. Enthralled. Quickstrike. Victory 1. ★ Forced Response: After Whirlwind attacks you, take 1 indirect damage for each side scheme in play. When Defeated: The player who defeated this minion puts the set-aside Whirlwind ally into play under their control.
+Zzzax (Minion) — Elite. Enthralled. Retaliate 1. Victory 1. When Revealed: Discard the top 4 cards of your deck. For each printed resource discarded this way, take 1 indirect damage. When Defeated: The player who defeated this minion puts the set-aside Zzzax ally into play under their control.
+Absorbing Man (Ally) — Defiant. Linked (Absorbing Man minion). Victory 0. Does not count against your ally limit. ★ Interrupt: When Absorbing Man attacks or thwarts, exhaust an upgrade or support you control. Absorbing Man gets +X to that power for this use, where X is that card's printed cost (to a maximum of +3).
+Titania (Ally) — Defiant. Linked (Titania minion). Victory 0. Does not count against your ally limit. ★ Titania's attacks gain overkill and piercing.
+Whirlwind (Ally) — Defiant. Linked (Whirlwind minion). Victory 0. Does not count against your ally limit. ★ Interrupt: When Whirlwind attacks, remove 1 threat from each scheme in play. For each threat removed this way, Whirlwind gets +1 ATK for that attack.
+Zzzax (Ally) — Defiant. Linked (Zzzax minion). Victory 0. Does not count against your ally limit. Response: After Zzzax enters play, search the top 5 cards of your deck for a card with a printed resource and add it to your hand. (Shuffle.)
Scenario #1 – Enchantress
New Rules
Forced Actions
Some attachments have a "Forced Action" triggered ability. A player may perform a forced action at any time during the player phase they could normally perform an action, but the player phase cannot end until all possible forced actions among all players have been performed. If a card with a Forced Action ability is discarded, or the cost cannot otherwise be paid (such as by the card becoming exhausted when the Forced Action ability's cost includes exhausting the card), then the action cannot be performed and the players are free to end the player phase as normal.
Enchantment Attachments
Enchantment attachments are double-sided attachments that are dealt to each player during setup. The front side of each Enchantment attachment is the same (Hypnotic Gaze), while the back side of each has a different title starting with "Trance," and a unique ability. Players cannot look at the "Trance" side of any Enchantment attachment until it flips through Hypnotic Gaze's ability.
During the game, a Hypnotic Gaze may flip to its "Trance" side. When the "Trance" side is revealed this way, trigger its "When Revealed" ability as normal.
Scenario #2 – God of Lies
New Rules
The God of Lies scenario can be played in one of two ways: with a single group of 1–4 players in Single Group Mode, or with any number of players split into groups of 1–4 players each in Epic Multiplayer Mode.
Although each mode functions similarly, there is one key difference:
- In Single Group Mode, one group fights Loki, God of Lies and his various Avatars of Loki versions.
- In Epic Multiplayer Mode, multiple groups fight one Loki, God of Lies together while facing off against their own Avatar of Loki versions in their group's game area.
Pages 10–18 include special rules pertaining to Single Group Mode and Epic Multiplayer Mode, while pages 19–21 include additional rules and clarifications for both versions of the scenario.
Single Group Mode
Setup
To play in Single Group Mode, follow standard setup instructions. During the "Resolve Scenario Setup" step, first resolve the "Setup" ability on the Worlds Collide (A) main scheme, then resolve the "Setup" ability on the Mischief and Mayhem (1A) main scheme.
Although the Loki, God of Lies villain and the Worlds Collide main scheme cannot be interacted with by players, both cards are important for the win/loss conditions of the scenario. As such, keep the Loki, God of Lies villain, his hit point dial, and the Worlds Collide main scheme in a separate game area where they are easily within reach. These cards are not considered in your game area and can only be affected by cards that refer to them by name.
By contrast, the Avatar of Loki villain, his hit point dial, and the Mischief and Mayhem main scheme should be front and center as these are the villain and main scheme that players can interact with as normal.
Group Pods
Some card abilities may reference "a group in your pod." In Single Group Mode, the only group in your pod is your own group of 1–4 players.
Epic Multiplayer Mode
To play in Epic Multiplayer Mode, designate one person to be the "event organizer" (see "Event Organizer" on page 14). Then, split the players into groups, with each group containing between 1 and 4 players (each group will need its own copy of the Trickster Takeover Scenario Pack). While it is possible to play with unevenly numbered groups of players, it is recommended that players be split between groups as evenly as possible.
Setup
One group puts their Loki, God of Lies villain, his hit point dial, and their Worlds Collide main scheme in a neutral game area that is outside of any group's game area. Set the hit points for Loki, God of Lies to 20 hit points, with the per-group icon in his starting hit point value counting the total number of players in the game across all groups (see "Event Organizer" on page 14 for tips on tracking hit points). Remove all other groups' copies of Loki, God of Lies and Worlds Collide from the game.
Each group then sets up their game area (per the normal setup rules found in the Rules Reference), each containing four different villains with the Avatar of Loki trait, one hit point dial shared among all the Avatar of Loki villains in their game area, one copy of the Mischief and Mayhem main scheme, and one encounter deck. Each group then follows the instructions on Mischief and Mayhem (1A).
When choosing which difficulty to play for the God of Lies scenario, each group may select the difficulty that is right for them, and that difficulty may differ from the difficulty chosen by other groups within the game. For instance, one group may play in expert mode, while other groups play in standard mode.
Playing in Separate Game Areas
While playing God of Lies in Epic Multiplayer Mode, each player group is in its own game area. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, cards and components in one game area cannot affect another game area. Players cannot attack or defend enemies in other game areas, and they cannot target any game elements in other game areas.
Each group plays the game simultaneously with each other group. This means that some groups may progress through their rounds faster than others, and that's okay; there is no need to wait until all groups have reached the same point in the round before proceeding.
Note: Due to the nature of simultaneous play, it's possible to "game the system" with one group intentionally slowing the pace of their play to prevent a game loss. Although there is no penalty for this, in the spirit of the game, it is strongly encouraged that all players play at a pace that is both natural and comfortable for them. This pace is entirely up to each individual player to decide.
Group Pods
A group is a collection of 1 to 4 players who work as a team to fight the villain in their game area. A pod is a collection of groups who can help each other through specific card abilities to defeat Loki, God of Lies. During Epic Multiplayer Mode events, there are often multiple pods within the same game, each working together to take down Loki, God of Lies.
Before starting a game against the God of Lies scenario, the event organizer decides how large or small each pod is and informs the players which groups are in each pod. Larger pods allow for more interaction between groups but also require greater levels of coordination, potentially slowing gameplay and increasing game length. Smaller pods are the opposite, with faster gameplay and less coordination but also with fewer points of interaction across groups.
Ultimately, it is recommended that each pod not exceed 12 to 16 players, or roughly 3 to 4 groups. Additionally, while it is possible to play with pods that contain different numbers of groups, and groups with different numbers of players, it is recommended that players be divided as evenly as possible between groups, and groups as evenly as possible between pods, to ensure a consistent experience for all players.
Event Organizer
If playing with more than one group, it is advised that one person is designated as the event organizer. The event organizer tracks the damage on Loki, God of Lies, the threat on the Worlds Collide main scheme, and reminds groups of the remaining time limit (see "Time Limit" on page 16).
If you are organizing the God of Lies scenario in Epic Multiplayer Mode, here are some tips to help your event run as smoothly as possible.
- Use dials, a whiteboard, or paper and pencil to keep track of the hit point value of Loki, God of Lies and the amount of threat on the Worlds Collide main scheme.
- The hit points for Loki, God of Lies will only decrease when a group defeats an Avatar of Loki villain in their game area. When this occurs, the group must inform you immediately, at which point you should record the hit point value change in a manner for all players to see.
- Periodically inform the players how many remaining hit points Loki, God of Lies has and announce when it reaches certain milestones (such as half or one-quarter). The moment Loki, God of Lies is defeated, announce that the players have won! (See "Tracking Damage on Loki, God of Lies" on page 20.)
- The threat on Worlds Collide will only increase when a Mischief and Mayhem main scheme in a group's game area meets its target threat value, or when a player in a group is defeated. When this occurs, the group must inform you immediately, at which point you should record the threat value change in a manner for all players to see.
- Periodically inform the players how much threat is on Worlds Collide and announce when it reaches certain milestones (such as half or one-quarter). The moment Worlds Collide reaches its target threat value, announce that players are on the verge of losing the game! (See "Tracking Threat on Worlds Collide" on page 21.)
- If you are playing with 12 or fewer players, it is possible to run the event and also participate. Have one group track how many remaining hit points Loki, God of Lies has, another group track the amount of threat on Worlds Collide, and another group keep track of the time limit (see "Time Limit" on page 16). Communication is key!
- If you are playing with more than 12 players, it is recommended that one person be the designated event organizer to keep track of both values and the time limit. In particularly large events with more than 48 players, it can be helpful to have more than one event organizer, each keeping track of different values.
Time Limit
When playing in Epic Multiplayer Mode, the players or the event organizer may impose a time limit for the game. The default time limit is 180 minutes. The players or the event organizer may impose a different time limit depending on the number of players.
The Mangog and Door Between Worlds
Two cards—The Mangog minion and the Door Between Worlds side scheme—in the Loki, God of Lies scenario have abilities that allow all players within a pod to interact with those cards.
When The Mangog or Door Between Worlds enters a group's play area, it is advised that the group inform all other groups within their pod as well as the event organizer. The event organizer may track the hit point value of The Mangog or the amount of threat on Door Between Worlds for all groups in that pod to see.
The Mangog (Minion) — Brute. Creature. Elite. Victory 1. Any player in your pod can attack The Mangog as if it were in their game area. When Defeated: Each group in your pod places 3 shatter counters on their Avatar of Loki and 1 synergy counter on one of their Synergy environments.
Door Between Worlds (Side Scheme) Victory 1. Any player in your pod can thwart Door Between Worlds as if it were in their game area.
Synergy Environments and Cross-Group Communication
Synergy environments are beneficial cards in each group's game area. During play, some encounter card abilities may allow players to choose a group within their pod, then put a number of synergy counters on one of that group's Synergy environments.
When choosing a group, coordination is key and cross-group communication is highly encouraged. Each environment offers a different, powerful effect, so knowing which group needs help can alter the course of the game!
Domineering Force (Environment) — Synergy. Permanent. Max 1 synergy counter here. Interrupt: When a friendly character attacks, remove 1 synergy counter from here → that attack deals 4 additional damage.
Mounting Resistance (Environment) — Synergy. Permanent. Max 1 synergy counter here. Interrupt: When a friendly character thwarts, remove 1 synergy counter from here → that thwart removes 4 additional threat.
Feigned Retreat (Environment) — Synergy. Permanent. Max 1 synergy counter here. Interrupt: When an identity would take any amount of damage, remove 1 synergy counter from here → prevent 4 of that damage.
Unified Front (Environment) — Synergy. Permanent. Max 1 synergy counter here. Resource: Remove 1 synergy counter from here → generate two resources. (The printed resource icons on this card are rendered as two identical icons in the source scan; they are transcribed here as "two resources".)
Rules for Both Modes
Loki, God of Lies and Worlds Collide
The villain Loki, God of Lies, and main scheme Worlds Collide are placed together in their own game area, separate from any players' game area. As such, these cards can only be affected by abilities and game effects in other game areas that refer to them by title. They cannot be affected by any ability that refers to "the villain" or "the main scheme," and Worlds Collide cannot have acceleration tokens placed on it.
Shatter Counters
Some card abilities may place shatter counters on an Avatar of Loki villain. These represent the psionic strain on Loki as the battle unfolds, with his crumbling plans forcing the God of Lies to expend an even greater amount of mental energy to maintain his illusion.
Shatter counters remain on an Avatar of Loki villain until that villain would be defeated and flips to its other side (see "Tracking Damage on Loki, God of Lies" on page 20). Additionally, if one Avatar of Loki villain swaps with another, any shatter counters on the previous villain transfer to the new villain (see "Swapping Avatars of Loki" on page 19).
Shattering the Illusion
When an Avatar of Loki villain would be defeated and flips to its Fading Figment side, players are instructed to "shatter the illusion" by following the steps found on the set-aside Shatter the Illusion rules card. Follow these steps in order, resolving each fully before proceeding to the next step in the sequence, and resolve all such steps before the second sentence of the Fading Figment's "When Revealed" ability.
Swapping Avatars of Loki
When a card effect instructs the players to "swap an Avatar of Loki villain with a random set-aside Avatar of Loki villain," they should replace the Avatar of Loki villain in play with one of the other set-aside versions of the Avatar of Loki villain. This does not cause any Avatar of Loki villain to leave play, enter play, or be revealed. Sustained damage (on the villain's hit point dial), attachments, status cards, counters, and tokens on the Avatar of Loki villain should be transferred to the new version of the Avatar of Loki villain that was swapped in. The Avatar of Loki villain that was swapped out should be set aside with the other remaining set-aside versions of the villain.
Tracking Damage on Loki, God of Lies
There is only one way for players to deal damage to Loki, God of Lies: attempt to defeat an Avatar of Loki villain in their game area.
When an Avatar of Loki villain would be defeated, 5 shatter counters are placed on that Avatar of Loki villain, then it flips to its Fading Figment side and instructs players to "shatter the illusion" by following the steps found on the set-aside Shatter the Illusion rules card. The first of these steps removes each shatter counter from the Fading Figment in play, then deals damage to Loki, God of Lies equal to the number of shatter counters removed that way. When this occurs in a group's game area, it is the responsibility of the players in that group to immediately inform the event organizer of how much damage is dealt to Loki, God of Lies.
If the value on Loki, God of Lies's hit point dial reaches 10 remaining hit points (total players across all groups in all pods), the ability on Loki, God of Lies causes it to flip, at which point the event organizer must inform all players in all groups. Each group should pause gameplay activity in their game area, first finishing any actions or abilities that are currently resolving. Then, the "When Revealed" ability on Loki, God of Lies triggers, affecting all groups simultaneously. Once a group completes the resolution of the "When Revealed" ability in their game area, gameplay activity in that group's game area resumes.
Tracking Threat on Worlds Collide
There are two ways to place threat on the Worlds Collide main scheme: (1) the target threat of a Mischief and Mayhem main scheme in a group's game area is reached, triggering its first "Forced Interrupt" ability; and (2) an identity is defeated, triggering the second "Forced Interrupt" ability on the Mischief and Mayhem main scheme in its group's game area. Whenever either occurs in a group's game area, it is the responsibility of the players in that group to immediately inform the event organizer of how much threat is placed onto Worlds Collide.
The target threat on the Worlds Collide main scheme is 2 (total number of groups in all pods). If the amount of threat on the Worlds Collide main scheme reaches the target threat threshold, the event organizer must inform all players in all groups. Each group in the middle of a villain phase must finish any abilities currently resolving, then stop play immediately; each group in the middle of a player phase may finish that phase as normal.
If Loki, God of Lies is defeated before all player phases in all groups end, all players in all groups win the game! However, if Loki, God of Lies remains undefeated when all player phases in all groups end, all players in all groups lose the game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Enchantress Scenario
Q. When Enchantress advances and puts Future of Despair into play through her "When Revealed" ability, how much threat will Future of Despair have on it?
A. Along with putting Future of Despair into play, Enchantress's "When Revealed" ability also places additional threat onto that side scheme. In standard mode, this is 3 additional threat (for a total of 5 threat on Future of Despair), while in expert mode, this is 4 additional threat (for a total of 6 threat on Future of Despair).
Q. If a Temptation attachment is attached to my identity, do I have to use its "Forced Action" ability even if I cannot benefit from its effect?
A. Yes. Even if you cannot benefit from a Temptation attachment's effect every round, you still must trigger its "Forced Action" if it is attached to your identity. This means that in some rounds, the only outcome of the effect will be placing 1 charm counter on the Enchantment in your play area.
Q. If the Spell Blast treachery causes Enchantress to initiate an attack against me while my identity is in alter-ego form, what happens?
A. Although attacks against identities in alter-ego form are uncommon, they may still occur. If Spell Blast initiates an attack against you while your identity is in alter-ego form, resolve the steps of the attack as usual.
God of Lies Scenario
Q. When an Avatar of Loki villain flips to its Fading Figment side, who resolves the text?
A. The first player. If an encounter card requires a card ability to be resolved, a game function to be performed, or a choice to be made but does not specify which player should act, the first player does so.
Q. If the second bulleted effect on the Stories and Lies treachery causes an Avatar of Loki villain to initiate an attack against me while my identity is in alter-ego form, what happens?
A. Although attacks against identities in alter-ego form are uncommon, they may still occur. If Stories and Lies initiates an attack against you while your identity is in alter-ego form, resolve the steps of the attack as usual.