Should It Stay or Should It Go - Legendary: A Marvel Deck Builder

During the month of June, I discovered something new (old). A user on BGG had created a modified solo system for Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building game. First off, let me just say, I really like this game. It is one of my top 10 games. I enjoy non-generic deck builders (i.e. not Dominion) and this has been the best I've played.

Legendary is fantastic, because each game is like the outline of a comic storyline. BAD GUY plots to  DO SOMETHING by manipulating MINOR VILLAINS. RANDOM HEROES team up to stop the villainy and rescue innocent bystanders. Seriously, that's how you setup the game. Pick a major villain, pick some henchmen and a plot (each plot has variable things that can occur and different ways you can lose the scenario). Pick a set of heroes (random or by conscious choice) and mash them up to be recruited. And of course it is a deck builder, so you can buy (recruit) heroes to your cause and heroes either have influence which lets you recruit other heroes, or attack values (sometimes both) and of course special abilities which can combo off other heroes. All the players are working co-operatively to beat the villain (but of course, the player that scores the most during the game wins). And the plots? Not random stories made up by 2nd rate authors. Oh no - the plots are straight out of classic marvel stories from the days of yore. Yeah, this game throws you right in the mix of your own comic story.

Despite that, prior to my discovery of this solo system, my last play had been over 15 months prior. That's just not right for a game I like so much. As with most deck builders, this one is a money sink. There are 11 expansion sets (more if you count the Legendary Villains version and expansions). I only own four and my game box is cram-packed with hero and bad guy choices (not to mention plot choices). 

And that's why we are here. Should this heavy box of cards continue claiming space on my shelf?

Heck yeah it should! Solo-campaign play only made me want more! In fact, the first campaign I played was restricted to only the base set cards! Despite that, it was gloriously fun (read about it here, here, and here). The next campaign expands into the next set of expansion cards, and I think after that, I should be enough to figure out my own campaign using the same basic structure. 

I'm trying really hard not to go down the rabbit hole and gather the other expansions. Not yet anyway.    As with most deckbuilders, some of the fun of the game is figuring out what card stacks combo in cool ways with others. I'll let you read (re-read) my other posts on Legendary to see the kind of synergies I found (or didn't). I still have plenty to explore. Again, for me part of the joy isn't just finding cool combos, but the story that gets told in my head. The skirmishes. The frustration in not being able to save that bystander as Green Goblin flies off with a hostage. Legendary give you a great game wrapped in a great package.

It should stay! (but do I need more...)

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