I really enjoy deck builders. In case you may not know what that means, its a type of game that players start with a number of basic cards (usually 10) and then uses those cards to aqcuire more powerful cards to build yourself a deck to use in the game. Players usually take turns using cards to perform actions and gain other cards that have better abilities.Unlike games like Magic, The game comes complete with all the cards you need to play. It is an entire strategy card game in a box. While many of these types do have expansions, they are not needed to enjoy the basic game.The DC Deckbuilding game contains all the cards you willl need to play. In DC, each player is a hero from the DC Universe whose goal is to defeat the most supervillians and get the highest score. It is semi cooperative, as each player is a hero, but only one hero wins the game. The base game comes with favorites such as Batman, Superman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and more.
To start, select a hero to play. each hero has a unique ability that gives you an idea what strategy you want to use in order to win, For example, Batman gains plus one for each equipment card he uses that turn, so focusing on gaining lots of equipment will boost this heros abilties to get more cards and defeat villians.Once heros are selected, players take a set of 10 basic cards, (7 punches and 3 vulnerabilities) punches give you 1 power which is the currency in the game to use for all actions, gaining cards and defeating villians.Vulnerabilities add nothing and obstruct the players hand. Weaknesses, do the same but have a negative effect at the end of the game.Next take 11 of the 12 supervillians and Ras-Al-Guhl. shuffle the 11 and deal out 8 in a face down pile. Place Ras on the top face up, as he is the first supervillan you need to defeat. Place the weakness and kick cards in individual piles and deal out 5 cards from the stack of cards to form the Line Up.
Line up cards consist of heroes, super powers, equipment, locations, or super power with defense. each card has a cost in power to gain. On a players turn, deal 5 cards from your draw pile, and play those 5 cards. On a turn, a player can use their power to gain cards, or defeat villians, or if they have enough, defeat the supervillian.A super power card is an ability that gives additional power or a unique ability. For example, Super Strength gives plus 5 power while super speed allows you to draw an extra card from your draw pile and add it to your hand.A super power with a defense, is a super power, but can be used as a defense of a villians attack. When a new villian is drawn and added to the line up or a supervillian is revealed, they make an attack. If players do not have a defense card, they must suffer the attack and it’s consequences.Equipment cards are very similar to super powers; they give power and may do antother action, like bring a hero back from the discard pile and use it again.Hero cards also give power and offer actions that align with their character. and finally, Locations provide an ongoing bonus until an action tells the player to discard it.Once a player has played their 5 cards, unless other wise stated, they take their hand and any new cards gained, and place them in their discard pile. They redraw 5 cards and prepare for their next turn. If the draw pile is empty, reshuffle the discards and create a new draw pile and draw back up to 5 cards.The game continues until all the supervillians have been defeated. When a player defeats a supervillian, they add it to their cards and can take advantage of the benefit that villian offers. Each non starter card has victory points (VP), except weaknesses which take away a victory point. Once all the super villians have been defeated, players count up the total VP from their cards. the player with the highest VP is the winner. While each card in the line up usually is worth 1-2 VP, the supervillians offer the most, so trying to defeat them is essential in winning.DC Deckbuilding is a simple game mechanic wise, meaning it is easy to teach a new player, but has lots of strategy that in it’s simplicity, it takes a lot of planning ahead to maximize a players turn. Getting cards that allow a player to trash cards, helps players reducue weaknesses and allow them to cycle thier more powerful cards faster. Thinning the deck of starter, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities, builds the deck with the stronger more useful cards. In addition focusing on cards types that work with your hero, really helps incerase power and help defeat the supervillians easier.I really enjoy it, I started playing when it was first introduced, and it is a great gateway game for comic book fans, is it falls into the theme extremelyt well. Each hero has an ability that corresponds to their character, as well as the line up cards and supervillians. The Joker for example in his appearance attack makes players choose a card from their hand and place it in another players discard pile, but if it costs 1 or more, that player gets a weakness.As mentioned earlier, the game is complete but Cryptozoic has several expansions out, adding more heroes, more line up cards with different abilities. Some of the expansions even change the game completely, such as the crisis on infinite earth series or the villlians set.As I said, with one currency for all actions. the gameplay is simple. play cards, gain cards, fight cards. Where this game shines is its adherence to the theme. It feels very DC and the characters, powers and equipment work in a way that fits it. The Bat Signal gives one power and allows a player to add a hero from their discard pile to their hand. There are so many examples of cards like this, that make it more than a deck builder with a DC skin. Its a deck builder that is DC comics.Cryptozoic, the maker of the game, has a very simple video overview of the game play and cards.https://youtu.be/1TAGTnHXMhU