Welcome back to SGP. Today we continue our series about roster archetypes. This time we look at what specific crisis cards are typical for each affiliation and leader. Importantly this isn’t a definite list and only shows what is mostly used. Keep experimenting and find what works for your roster.
Secure Crisis
Gamma Wave Sweeps Across Midwest (E, 15)
One of the typical crisis cards for type 4 and 3 rosters, meaning rosters whose main focus lies on dealing damage. For example: Black Order (both leaders), Magneto Brotherhood, Red Skull 3 Cabal, SHIELD, MODOK and Shadowland Daredevil Criminal Syndicate.
S.W.O.R.D. Establishes Base on Moon‘s Blue Area (G, 15)
A low threat Pay to Flip and not used by very many teams. This crisis is less about archetype and more about specific strengths on it. Malekith Cabal and Asgard often use the crisis.
Cosmic Invasion! Black Order Descends on Earth (D, 16)
A D map with the potential to push you away in the power phase but grants 2 power for it. Also not a secure very commonly seen. Good for fast teams like Web Warriors, Wakanda and less often seen Malekith Cabal.
Mayor Fisk Vows To Find Missing Witnesses (H, 16)
High scoring center brawl. Aside from the typical type 3 and 4 rosters Kingpin Criminals are also very good on it as scoring two points from each secure can be a big swing when you steal the points from your opponent per the leadership.
Deadly Meteors Mutate Civilians (I, 17)
A Pay to Flip that is more brawly than the other ones. Often used by Asgard and X-Force. If your team is good at fighting and has above average Energy defense you should always consider it.
Infinity Formula Goes Missing! (B, 17)
The “classic” B map. If your team is fast and/or good at split fighting you can not go wrong with it really. Careful if you use a power building leadership as the crisis can help your opponent keep up with you.
Riots Spark Over Extremis 3.0 (D, 17)
Great for fast type 1 and 2 teams like Web Warriors and Doc Ock Spider-Foes.
Mutant Madman Turns City Into Lethal Amusement Park (B, 18)
Another Pay to Flip. Fantastic for Doc Ock Spider-Foes, good for Asgard and X-Men.
Portals Overrun City With Spider-People! (D, 18)
It’s horrible. You should feel bad for even considering it. Good for Web Warriors though (also a Pay to Flip)
Demons Downtown! Has Our Comeuppance Come Due? (E, 19)
A crisis punishing you for playing the game. Often used by type 3 and 4 rosters but you have to be careful there as the incinerate on your models can help your opponent catch up with your attrition.
Intrusions Open Across City As Seals Collapse (C, 19)
Less often used middle of the table brawl secure. Good for basically the same rosters as Demons but less good for long-ranged attackers.
Super-Powered Scoundrels Form Sinister Syndicate (F, 20)
The most VPs on the board for any secure and granting cover when you are close to them. So a favourite of type 1 and 2 teams. But beware that the points are a lot closer together than those of a D shape so it might be easier to be attacked than you think.
Extract Crisis
Research Station Attacked! (E, 15)
An extract that is basically more of a secure. Hated by type 1 and 2 teams outside of Kingpin Criminals and beloved by type 4 and some 3 teams.
Paranoia Pummels Populace! (K, 16)
Fast scoring but center line and can damage you. An interesting choice and one not taken by a lot of teams. Asgard likes it and some X-Men builds too.
Alien Ship Crashes In Downtown! (C, 17)
A slow scoring extract on the center line, that may punish you for not spending power. Often used by type 3 and 4.
Spider-Infected Invade Manhattan (F, 17)
Discard it. It is truly horrible. Once again good for Web Warriors though.
Struggle For The Cube Continues (F, 17)
Another 5 VPs but heavy tax for holding them. Rather bad for Web Warriors and better for type 2 and 3 rosters. Good for Asgard, Hydra and Wakanda for example.
Fear Grips World As “Worthy“ Terrorize Cities (D, 18)
By far the most played extract. Makes everyone better. Not loved by Web Warriors but basically fine for every affiliation.
The Montesi Formula Found (E, 18)
Great for Winter Guard. Decent for type 3 and 4 teams when their mystic defense is decent.
Deadly Legacy Virus Cured? (C, 19)
Slow scoring with the rare potential for a giant VP swing. Used by type 3 and 4 teams as well as by Kingpin Criminals as they can pass the Cures around per the leadership.
Mutant Extremists Target U.S. Senators! (L, 19)
Very unique extract. Most commonly used by Mystique Brotherhood and Professor X X-Men are also great on it. Your team needs to have a lot of non movement action abilities to excel at playing it
Skrulls Infiltrate World Leadership (J, 20)
Good for type 2 rosters with good physical defense. Can punish you heavily if you’re unlucky. Typical for Hellfire Club and Doc Ock Spider-Foes.
Now what does this mean for each available leader in the game (remember this isn’t set in stone by any means and specific lists may vary heavily from these suggestions):
- Amazing Spider-Man Web Warriors: Likes D and B secures; dislikes E and C secures. Likes 4 extracts; dislikes Researcher
- Baron Helmut Zemo Hydra: No specific preferences
- Baron Strucker Hydra: Likes B and D secures in wide objective builds; no specific dislikes
- Black Bolt Inhumans: Likes E and H secures; Can play D and F extracts well enough.
- Black Panther Wakanda: Can play every crisis combination well if the team is adjusted to them.
- Blade Midnight Sons: Prefers E and H secures; dislikes D secures
- Cable X-Force: Likes B and I secures, can also play E secures well; dislikes D secures
- Captain America (Steve Rogers) Avengers: No specific preferences
- Captain America (Sam Wilson) Avengers: loves Superpowered Scoundrels and B and D secures; dislikes Researche
- Captain America, First Avenger Avengers: no specific preferences
- Convocation: very dependent on the specific build. Likes either E secures or D and B secures.
- Corvus Glaive Black Order: Likes E secures; Dislikes D secures
- Crimson Dynamo Winter Guard: Likes E secures; dislikes 4+ extracts
- Cyclops X-Men: Likes E, H, I secures; really dislikes D secures as those basically disable his leadership
- Daredevil Defenders: Like E, H secures; no too heavy dislikes
- Doc Ock, Sinister Scientist Spider-Foes: likes B and D secures and Pay to Flips; dislikes E secures
- Doctor Strange Defenders: likes E secures; dislikes most everything else.
- Dormammu Dark Dimension: as slow scoring as possible
- Emma Frost Hellfire Club: the usual build likes B and D secures and plays Cubes better than any other faction
- Green Goblin Spider-Foes: Hell if I know… The team just functions better under Ock. Goblin likes B secures maybe?
- Hulkbuster Avengers: no specific preferences
- Invincible Iron Man SHIELD: likes E and H secures; dislikes D secures
- Killmonger, Usurper Wakanda: probably likes E secures
- King T‘Challa Wakanda: definitely likes E secures
- Kingpin Criminal Syndicate: loves Gamma and Researcher despite playing a type 1 game plan. Also likes B and F secures; absolutely hates Pay to Flips
- Klaw Criminal Syndicate: likes E securs; hates everything else
- M.O.D.O.K. Scientist Supreme Criminal Syndicate: no specific preferences
- Magneto Brotherhood of Mutants: likes E and H secures; absolutely hates D secures
- Malekith The Accursed Cabal: Likes D and B secures; dislikes E secures
- Mystique Brotherhood of Mutants: Excels on Senators; likes 4+ extracts; OK on pay to flips.
- M‘Baku Wakanda: no specific preferences
- Nick Fury SHIELD: likes E secures; hates Sinister Syndicate
- Professor X X-Men: No specific preferences. Pretty good on Senators
- Red Skull Cabal: No specific preferences
- Red Skull, Master of Hydra Hydra: no specific preferences
- Red Skull, Master of the World Cabal: likes B secures
- Sentinel Prime MK4 Sentinels: likes E, I and H secures; absolutely hates D secures
- Shadowland Daredevil Criminal Syndicate: no specific preferences
- She-Hulk A-Force: likes E secures and/or 4+ extracts
- Sin Cabal: basically non functioning leadership
- Spider-Man (Miles Morales) Web Warriors: likes Spider-Portals and Spider-Infected. Likes D secures and 4+ extracts
- Star-Lord Guardians of the Galaxy: Likes E secures. Is fine at everything.
- Storm X-Men: like Pay to Flip secures. Fine at everything
- Thanos, The Mad Titan Black Order: Likes E and H secures; hates 4+ extracts and B/ D secures
- Thor, Prince of Asgard Asgard: like Pay to Flips. Can be good at E and H secures; hate D secures
- Weapon X: no strong preferences
Thank you for reading!
Cheers from Germany 🍻