In this article we are going to do a rundown of the Defenders Faction Supporting Characters and Plot twists and how they can support various strategies. We will also look at the faction as a whole and how well it works together.

Here is the list of Defenders cards. I'll go through each card and examine how what role they could play in a deck.

Defenders Faction

The Defenders Set: Defenders Faction

• Daredevil (MC Level 1)
• Daredevil (MC Level 2)
• Dr. Strange (MC Level 1)
• Dr. Strange (MC Level 2)
• Ghost Rider (MC Level 1)
• Ghost Rider (MC Level 2)
• Luke Cage (MC Level 1)
• Luke Cage (MC Level 2)

• Angel
• Hellcat
• Dagger
• Iron Fist
• Scarlet Witch
• Cloak
• Deathlok
• Moon Knight
• Nighthawk
• Punisher
• Vision
• Valkyrie
• War Machine
• Ghost Rider

• Hidden Weapons
• Spellbound
• Super Senses

• Sanctum Sanctorum

Angel

A 1 cost flier with an ability that isn't relevant often early game but could be useful in the late game. Lethal is a thing and something you should be worried about when including Angel in your deck, though it is on faction with the Super Senses plot twist which gives +0/+5 so that could help protect you from Lethal.

Often we will spend a defensive plot twist to keep a card on board, why not heal a multi-health character instead? Plot twists help keep a character on board which is great especially if it is a big flier protecting your back row such as Adam Warlock. Speaking of Adam Warlock, not all characters have multiple health.

The bonuses of healing are that it can be drawn and played in a future turn rather than needing it in hand. Also unless Angel is doing something useful, it will cost essentially 2 (Angel and a ) cards to do something that a well timed plot twist could do and maintain board presence.

Angel is an interesting card, though I'm not sure if there will ever be a time where Angel will be worth it unless there comes a card down the line that gains an extra benefit each time it is healed.

Hellcat

Hellcat is a bit of an odd card. If you look at it in terms of it being an aggressive plot twist that can often attack twice with your main character and under certain circumstances not be struck back eating up another attack from your opponent, it looks really good.

The problem with this card is that it is in the Defenders Faction. None of the MC's are overwhelmingly aggressive. The only semi aggressive Main Characters are Daredevil and Luke Cage. Luke Cage is typically built as a midrange start on turn 3 powerhouse and Daredevil well... is a sad Daredevil. Maybe we are just building defenders decks completely wrong? Not likely.

Dagger

A low cost tech card that has been used in some competitive play. As a thorn in the side of the old Thanos Combo Strategy and any Femme Fatale deck it has had quite a bit of usefulness. It also combats Chestburst, Fair and Balanced, Ripley #8 MC Level 2, and Viper among other cards but her play viability depends on how popular those cards are in competitive play.

She also combos well with Cloak who gives -1/-1 counters out both to you and your opponent. In testing people have generally found this combo to be too slow and impractical sadly. Maybe one day!

Iron Fist

This card is a nice removal card though it usually dies on an attack and uses up a so that is 2 cards to stun one card which isn't always worth it but it can end up winning you the game. I saw this in a few Storm MC Decks when this card first released though with mixed results.

The only time this card is used now is a one of in a Luke Cage deck as he can search for him and use him to great affect over and over again.

Scarlet Witch

Another tech card though with very limited usefulness. MC's often level pretty fast and if you don't get her out quick she is a dead card in your hand. You will have to run 4 of them in your deck if you are going to run her to provide any consistency at a chance of getting her out early. You then have to protect her which can be very hard to do in a world with Yondu and Spook. The only MC currently that she can prevent leveling again is Sister Grimm as she levels and de-levels over and over again.

Cloak

It can slowly wear down your opponents characters over time, as well as your own if you don't have Dagger out. The problem with a slow decay is that characters often aren't out there picking flowers for multiple turns in a row. And if they are, it is still a very slow decay. So killing a cosmo would happen on turn 6 if this is played on turn 3. It is likely that Cosmo's target isn't relevant or in play anymore unless it is on your MC.

He also combos with Dr. Strange MC if Dagger is not out in play as you can turn those -1/-1 counters into +1/+1 counters, that is if your characters have survived without being stunned over multiple turns which isn't likely. Cloak also can be shut off completely by your opponents Dagger.

Deathlok

A 3/3 ranged with 2 health for 3 isn't spectacular but it isn't terrible either. His ability can be a bit odd to use but he can prove to be good early and late game in the right deck. Most decks would rather use for stronger abilities but it is a very interesting card. I created a Ghost Rider deck that is just missing a good piece or two using both Deathlok and Brother Dillon to its advantage by discarding Ghost Rider SC to power up Ghost Rider. It still isn't competitive nor will it probably ever be but it is an interesting concept.

Moon Knight

A good outlet for powering up a character which Iron Man MC really appreciates. The downside of this card is that Moon Knight only has 1 health, but overall the card seems like it could be decent but doesn't really shine other than in an Iron Man deck.

Nighthawk

Nighthawk is a bit of an odd character as it could theoretically power out one of your bigger drops early and stay on the defensive. Ghost Rider SC is an amazing card and one of the best finishers in the game but if you power him out early you end up with hardly any -1/-1 counters.

After Defenders released I did play with Nighthawk to try to protect other characters but there are other cards that do it so much better. Also the is currently one of the strongest resource types and I don't think this ability is worth it unless you are in a rush deck trying to flood your opponent with characters to attack with... in which case a 3/3 flier for 4 isn't that agressive which makes him feel very odd.

Punisher

Lethal is a very strong ability and Punisher has great stats to compliment being Lehtal. This card has been used in competitive play since it was released and will likely be used for a while.

Vision

Vision is a very interesting card. Both of his abilities are good, though they both cost . Miss America is often used in a 5 cost slot as she doesn't cost a resource and is still a threat to be dealt with that can protect your team or push offensively with and still stick around for several turns if Lethal isn't an issue. Vision can be good on defense or attack if his abilities are used but with Shock to the System played so much, his first ability is often overlooked. On paper Vision looks good but he hasn't seen much if any competitive play due to other cards in the same part of the curve taking its possible slot such as Punisher or Miss America.

Valkyrie

I believe her ability is one of the strongest in the game. The ability to recruit characters from your KO pile is amazing. It usually ends up being a fair amount of Card Advantage, though with her stats and probably a low desire to toss her into combat, does give you a bit of a tempo hit if you are playing her.

Her combo potential is huge and she if often a central key in the decks she is in. She is often paired with Iceman and Wasp, recurring the two copies over and over to push a lock on your opponent. The problem of the decks she has been currently build with is that the combo takes quite a while to pull off in a timed event making her combo more of a fun interaction for kitchen table play rather than a competitive combo. She does have a huge potential that I believe will be tapped into in due time.

War Machine

War Machine to me always looked like a very fragile and odd character in VS2PCG. While the stats and ability is pretty nice, the character is frail and only has one health. It is also pretty hard to get and if you do, often you will want to spread it out and spend it on different things. Gamora MC Level 2 can end the game with for comparison, while with War Machine it only KO's a SC. While it isn't usually good to compare a SC ability and a MC ability, it can surely put things in perspective. Even for Thanos can add a wound to every stunned character or Meggan can gain a ton of counters in favorable conditions. I've always wanted to see him in action but I've never felt the urge to test him in my decks.

Ghost Rider

This character is simply amazing. Great stats and a great ability that can be abused by Valkyrie or Singularity. Just coming into play he often will be able to stun or pretty much render a character useless by putting multiple -1/-1 counters on them. This is something prevalent in wide array of competitive decks.

Hidden Weapons

This plot twist is defensive and offensive at the same time. When the card came out it often was compared to Stark Tech and people didn't understand that you could play this card defensively while Stark Tech. I actually wrote a small article explaining the card and its uses when it was spoiled originally(LINK). I have played this card in a few decks and I think it is severely underrated.

Spellbound

This card is often overlooked due to it being very situational. It can help in specific situations and be a great way to stop or get a final wound, but other than that I wouldn't use it. For normal circumstances, playing it at a poor time like when your opponents don't have any plot twists or when they can just use them next turn on you, really puts a bad taste in your mouth for this card. I can see potential here but it would likely be a dead card in many other situations.

Super Senses

One of the best defensive plot twists, but still overshadowed in many circumstances by Shock to the System. I honestly believe that Shock to the System should have been a -2/-0 instead. It is better and played more than quite a few team stamped plot twists and it is a generic plot twist. I don't think that is right for game balance, but it is what it is.

Looking At The Overall Picture

Now that we have looked at all of the Main Characters in previous articles and the Supporting Characters and Plot Twists with this article, how does the sum of all these parts stack up?

Defenders Ranged Curve

Defenders Faction: Ranged Curve

• Dagger
• Scarlet Witch
• Deathlok
• Punisher
• War Machine

A curve of ranged characters can make a team work very well together with team attacks. A curve of "2,2,3,5,6" seems alright just looking at the numbers but you also have to examine the playability of those cards. Scarlet Witch isn't very playable at the moment and I wouldn't be attacking with her that often even if she was playable. With the exception of Deathlok, all of the ranged characters only have one health. War Machine doesn't see much play as it is a funky card. The only one that really sees play is Punisher so the ranged curve for Defenders isn't spectacular.

There is the fact that you have access to the Hidden Weapons plot twist which is great to surprise people with, however you can't consistently rely on that for team attacks. Let's take a look at flying curve now and see if that is any better.

Defenders Flight Curve

Defenders Faction: Flight Curve

• Angel
• Nighthawk
• Vision
• Valkyrie
• War Machine

Defenders do a little better job at the flying curve though it still lacks a lot for playability. You have a curve of "1,4,5,6,6". Most of the characters on this curve aren't played that much with the exception of Valkyrie, and that usually isn't even in competitive play. Angel isn't efficient enough, War Machine is awkward and Vision is mediocre without activating one of his abilities. Vision and Valkyrie both have multiple health which could be something to build upon the multiple health fliers back to back on curve.

Defenders Multi-Health Curve

Defenders Faction: Multiple Health Curve

• Hellcat
• Deathlok
• Vision
• Valkyrie
• Ghost Rider

For the Multi-health character curve, we have "1,3,5,6,7". If played on curve and stunned every turn Hellcat and Deathlok won't be out at the same time as the other characters, though that is unlikely they will be drawn and played at the perfect time either. You have Vision into Valkyrie which is nice as Vision's second ability could help protect Vision and keep attacks off of Valkyrie. Ghost Rider the turn after Valkyrie often isn't the most ideal situation as you'd love to use her ability at that point, but getting out Ghost Rider on turn 7 in general is often back breaking for your opponents and is usually the higher priority.

Wrapping up

The Defenders is a faction that seems a bit all over the place. The power level on the faction overall is pretty lack luster and leaves a lot to be desired. After The Defenders expansion had released, not a lot changed as the power level was under what The Marvel Battles for most cards. A few cards shine still and are widely played, it is slim pickings.

Thank you for taking to go through this long and thorough mini review. It sets me up for the Legacy Set Wishlist article which will be the finale of looking into the Defenders faction.