People would think that the Marvel Legends set was a waste of money. Because of all of the reprints, and because of the rare character-specific cards, it was not a good set. However, that concept is to the untrained eye. I have managed to build numerous decks using the cards from the Marvel Legends set. In fact, it is probably the highest amount of decks I've made from one set. There are so many options when deck-building, whether it be a control-based deck, a beatdown-style deck, or just one of those casual I-found-a-combo-and-I-want-to-exhibit-it decks. Marvel Legends has all of that, and also a new kind of deal. This is the deck-style that I will be investigating in this blog. I will be taking an in-depth look at all of the Legend-specific cards. Let's begin with the Brotherhood and the X-Men in part one of this blog.
BROTHERHOOD
Magneto
Magneto is the heart of the Brotherhood team. His ability to control all metals makes him devastating, and with no mercy, makes him a genuine villain. His legend format is built to stun, KO, and keep the field low.
Magneto, Mutant Terrorist
The one thing that I don't like about this card is his loyalty. However, he can be quite good in a four-or-less resources deck. With him on the field, Genosha nets you four cards, and he comes out quick, stunning a 1-drop just because he feels like it. And, with flight, range, and good stats for a 3-drop, make him worth it (as long as you know you can get his loyalty taken care of by turn 3).
Magneto, Mutant Supreme
This is easily my favorite Magneto. Any-initiative stuns are always good. And, if this Magneto is your lowest drop, and they have a 4-drop as their lowest drop also, you can just stun it. I've done this multiple times in my Metallic Mayhem deck. I do not suggest this Magneto in any New Brotherhood-type decks, though. He would be a vanilla 4-drop if you did.
Magneto, Master of Magnetism
A reprint of the Marvel Origins Magneto. This 7-drop has caused upsets against other decks, making it so that your characters cannot recover. This was a key drop in Curve Sentinels. His late turn is rather annoying, but if it is your initiative, you can get by without him stunning.
Sentinel Mark VII, Repurposed
Yes, a Magneto-specific character that is not named Magneto. I really like this guy because of his flight, range, above average stats, and his ability to stun up to 2 characters at a time, whether he stuns someone by attacking or while defending. Having Magneto on the field at this time is not that hard, either. You can stall with your 4-drop, or just wait till turn 7 and drop the bigger one.
Metallic Assault
Can you say devastating? This card gets rid of many of those annoying decks, such as Quickfate and Ahmed. This card does not target, so they have to choose, and with his other cards, you will leave them with not that many choices. Get rid of your annoying 1-drop to get rid of their 3-drop. This can also help with Xorn's Takeover.
Iron Extraction
I believe that the best Magneto for this card is the 4-drop, however any Magneto can use it. Brotherhood has quite a few attack pumps, so you may feel like stunning their 5-drop with your 3-drop Magneto, and using this card to keep them low on characters. Either way, this is a devastating card, especially if you need to team-attack a big guy.
Genosha
Another reprint, but still not bad. They have a new New Brotherhood type card that works on one turn, and one turn alone. Use this to fill your hand, swarm, and use all those attack pumps.
Juggernaut
It's the Juggernaut, b&#@h! Yes, the big guy is a legend, and a highly powerful one, too. He leaves no building unbroken and no foe unmashed. His legend format is built to keep resources low and just be plain huge.
Juggernaut, Champion of Cyttorak
A huge vanilla 3-drop with one of the highest stats you can give a 3-drop. His one drawback is that he cannot ready when he attacks, but that still provides one brickwall for your opponents to get by. If they really want to stun him, they will have to waste an attack pump, or team attack, causeing them to leave you breathing room.
Juggernaut, Walking Disaster
This Juggernaut seems to do what Juggernaut does best. If he causes breakthrough, you replace resources. That sums up Juggernaut in a heartbeat. 10 ATK is also very good, and this is also a good time to use A Human Juggernaut if you want to keep resources low.
Juggernaut, Weapon of Mass Destruction
One of the most feared legend cards made is this guy. A 7-drop with the Marvel Origins Apocalypse effect built in. What more could you ask for. You can play your 8-drop while you keep them down, destroying stall decks without doing anything. Higher-than-average stats also make him worth your while.
Unstoppable
The one thing I noticed about this card is that opponents are expecting it, so they set their characters accordingly. This is not good, however if you can pull it off, this card hurts. 2-for-1 stuns can really help you in later turns.
A Human Juggernaut
This is more for the low resources theme of the Brotherhood. Hey, if you are going to stay low, you might as well keep them low with you. Mix this with the 5-drop Juggernaut to replace all of their resources AND bring them down one, giving you a slight advantage.
Juggernaut's Helmet
How would you like an untargetable 11/6 3-drop Juggernaut. How about a Juggernaut that needs to cause havok on 2 more resources, but you don't have the attack pumps. Equip this to him. +5 ATK forever is extremely good. Also, it has the Cloak of Nabu effect added, which is the most-hated Fate Artifact because of it.
X-MEN
Wolverine
Wolverine, the high-powered enraged beatstick of the X-Men era. With his claws and his fury, he can cut through all enemies and not worry about himself too much because of his regenration. His legend format is built to do high damage to opponents, while keeping himself recovered on the field.
Wolverine, Logan
This reprint from Marvel Origins comes back to us in his same high-stat form. A 6/6 3-drop again with no drawback other than a built in loyalty where you only have to reveal from the hand. This is a great drop to set aside for your 7-drop's effect.
Wolverine, Covert Predator
Although this Wolverine is not team-stamped to the X-Men, he is the only hidden-hate card in this set, and can go well with the Marvel Knights' ability to move your opponents to the hidden area. He has a slightly higher ATK than most 4-drops, so he can do the job well.
Wolverine, Bub
He can easily take on most 6-drops by himself, which a lot of gamers look for. You can have him hurt their 6-drop while having your 6-drop go into their 5-drop with no worries. Although I don't see this one being played too much due to the fact that the 7-drop is close-by, I can see him in almost all beatdown versions of X-Men.
Wolverine, Bloodlust
The game-ender is here. Why bother going against their 8 or 9-drop with a team attack when he can do it for you. Along with Healing Factor to gain you back your 7 and put him back on the field to do his effect again, there is no reason why he shouldn't see play a lot in any X-Men build.
Adamantium Claws
A turn-long +4 ATK for Wolverine. This makes beatdown look incredibly easy. Along with the many other beatdown cards for the X-Men, you should have no problems destroying a 6-drop with your 3-drop. Or, just use this as a game-finisher.
Berserker Rage
Wolverine already has high stats. Using them twice would be even better, right? For example, stun their 3-drop with your 3-drop, then hit their 2-drop with the same Wolverine to do high damage and clear the field, making yours look monstrous compared to theirs. A top-notch plot twist for Wolverine, and possibly the best.
Healing Factor
Every Wolverine deck must have 4 of these. This is too good for an uncommon. Why have a stunned Wolverine on the field when you can recover it for free AND gain endurance?
Jean Grey
The telepath to top all other telepaths, Jean Grey is not a force to be reckoned with. Do not tempt her, lest you be punished with a mental blast. Tempt her further, and she will unleash her fullest power on you, PHOENIX! Jean Grey's legend format is built to clear your unneeded cards for new ones, as well as blocking your opponents from doing their effects.
Jean Grey, Teen Telepath
A simple-statted 2-drop that nets you a card when she enters play. The one use of her is to set up for the 5-drop and so that your other drops are OK when in combat, using Telepathic Suppression.
Jean Grey, Phoenix Rising
This is the Jean Grey that you build her legend deck around. The highest amount of counters that I have seen her get thus far is 9 on turn 5, making her an 18/18. Very devastating. And remember, you don't always have to play her on turn 5. You can hold her until 7 if you want, while putting more Jean Greys in your KO pile.
Jean Grey, Phoenix Force
The queen of X-Stall from Marvel Origins makes her return. She is best put in...well...a stall deck. Make the field blank on turn 8 so that you can recruit Onslaught. Why not.
Telepathic Suppression
At first glance, I didn't like this card too much. I believed it would've been better if it said 'characters in combat with target character cannot be the target of effects your opponent controls'. Instead, they have a chance to respond to it. However, you CAN 'cause your opponents to think about what you MAY have, making them waste some attack pumps while you really have nothing to stop them.
Cleansing Flame
This is the 6-drop Jean Grey from the X-Men set's effect. However, all that has to happen is a Jean Grey has to enter play. Get rid of those played or unwanted resources and refill your playing area with new goodies.
Splintering Consciousness
Draw two cards for having Jean Grey. 'Nuff said.
Cable
Cable is looked at to be one of the most powerful X-Men today. With a gun in his hand, noone can stand a chance against his devastating effects. His legend format is built to get around uniqueness and to burn.
Cable, Nathan Summers
I like this Cable. In swarm, he is most effective, but also in curve if played right. Abuse this guy with Bodyslide to burn opponents for double the characters you have.
Cable, Askani'Son
Another Cable to abuse Bodyslide with. Use his ability to lower the playing field on your opponent's side, or, if you are defending, to lower the playing field on your opponent's side. Either way, they get scared.
Domino, Neena Thurman
I like her. She can recover herself AND Cable. Keep your field high and she can be mighty annoying, especially when most cards in a standard deck have about 2/3 of their cards with an odd cost.
Bodyslide
This is by far one of the best legend cards in the set. I enjoy mixing Cable with another legend, that way I can have mutiple legends at one time, AND so that I can have multiple copies of those legends on the field at the same time. Or, you can use this as a defensive measure to prevent the stunning of one of your characters.
Well, there ya have it. I will be inspecting the Fantastic Four, Marvel Knights, and Doom in future blogs. Have fun, and enjoy playing the VS System.
