jeffhiatt · 1
Interface Complete: An Experimental SP//dr Aggression Deck
One of my favorite things about Marvel Champions is finally getting around to heroes that have been sitting in my collection for a while. SP//dr was one of those heroes. I bought the pack when it was released, put it in the box, and somehow never got around to building or playing her. Four years later, I finally decided it was time.
I should also mention that this is one of my first real attempts at building a deck from the ground up. I haven't been deckbuilding for very long. For the most part, I've just been playing decks that other people created, making the occasional small adjustment, and learning the game that way. This is one of the first times I've really tried to take an existing idea, update it with a larger card pool, and shape it into something of my own.
I started by looking through MarvelCDB for inspiration and found an Aggression deck from 2022 that really caught my attention. The basic idea was to build up SP//dr's suit, lean into her powerful basic attacks, and let her hero kit carry most of the game.
That seemed like a great starting point, but with four years of new cards available, I wanted to see whether I could modernize the concept and add a small Web-Warrior package without losing what made the original deck work.
This deck is the result.
I also want to be clear that this is still an experimental build. I'm still learning SP//dr, still learning deck construction, and still moving cards in and out of the list. Some choices already feel solid, while others are very much still being tested.
The Main Idea
I'm not trying to play this like a typical Aggression deck.
Instead of rushing damage from the opening turn, the goal is to build an engine. SP//dr has a lot of pieces she wants to get onto the table, and every Interface, support, or upgrade makes the following turns stronger.
My current thinking is that the deck should spend the early game assembling the suit, use the middle of the game to stabilize and control the board, and then let SP//dr take over in the late game with repeated basic attacks.
I also wanted to use a Web-Warrior package where it made sense. The idea isn't to turn this into a full ally swarm deck. The Web-Warriors are mainly here to support SP//dr through cards such as Web of Life and Destiny, Across the Spider-Verse, and Rapid Deployment.
Whether that package ends up being worth all of its slots is one of the things I'm still trying to determine.
What I'm Looking for in the Mulligan
Right now, my opening-hand plan is almost entirely focused on setup.
If I see Host Spider, I am keeping it.
After that, I am looking for any of SP//dr's Interface upgrades. The sooner those cards enter play, the sooner the deck starts functioning the way it is supposed to.
I am also interested in seeing permanent setup cards such as Team-Building Exercise, Warrior Skill, or Hand Cannon, provided I can afford to play them without delaying the more important parts of the suit.
Most of the situational cards are cards I am willing to throw back. That includes things like Moment of Triumph, Into the Fray, Lie in Wait, Rapid Deployment, and Across the Spider-Verse unless I already have an opening hand that supports them.
My current approach is to value long-term setup over early damage. I would rather use the first turn to make every future turn better than deal a few points of damage that do not really change the game.
Early Game
The early game is mostly about patience.
My first priority is getting the Interfaces into play. After that, I want economy and permanent upgrades. I am not too worried about attacking the villain right away unless the opportunity is especially efficient.
The allies are mainly there to help buy time. I am perfectly comfortable using one to block if that allows SP//dr to stay in hero form and spend another turn building her board.
The biggest danger during this stage is allowing threat to get too far out of control while setting up. I do not want to panic and abandon the game plan, but I also cannot completely ignore the main scheme. The challenge is finding the balance between building the suit and doing just enough to keep the scenario stable.
Mid Game
Once several Interfaces are in play, the deck should begin to change gears.
This is when I expect the minion package to become much more important. Cards such as Looking for Trouble, Lie in Wait, Into the Fray, Hand Cannon, and Follow Through are meant to turn minions into opportunities.
Instead of simply being enemies that need to be removed, minions can become a way to clear threat, generate overkill damage, and keep pressure on the villain.
This is also when I expect the Web-Warrior cards to start producing value. Web of Life and Destiny should hopefully replace allies as they leave play, while Across the Spider-Verse and Rapid Deployment should help keep useful allies moving through the table.
I am still watching this part of the deck closely. Four Web-Warrior allies may be enough to justify the package, but I need more games before I know whether it is happening consistently.
End Game
The late game is where I think SP//dr should really take over.
Once the suit is assembled and the permanent upgrades are in place, the deck should stop feeling like it is still preparing and start feeling like a machine that has come fully online.
The main source of damage should be SP//dr's basic attack. Between her Interfaces, ready effects, Warrior Skill, and Hand Cannon, she should be able to make several strong attacks in the same turn.
At that point, the allies become more supportive. They can help finish off a minion or add some damage, but their most important job may be blocking so SP//dr can stay in hero form and continue attacking.
The idea is that the deck eventually reaches a point where the villain simply cannot keep up with the amount of damage and value being generated every round.
Cards I Am Still Evaluating
There are a few cards that are still very much on trial.
Rapid Deployment looks like it should be useful, but I need to see how often it has the right target at the right time.
Lie in Wait fits the minion-control concept, but it may eventually turn out that another economy card or more flexible option would be better.
Web-Trap can be very strong, although it may be more valuable in some scenarios than others.
I am also watching Web of Life and Destiny closely. When it draws several cards during a game, it feels great. When it sits on the table and only triggers once, I have to question whether the entire package is worth the deck space.
Those are the kinds of questions I am hoping to answer as I continue playing.
Still Learning
This deck is partly an experiment with SP//dr, but it is also an experiment with deckbuilding in general.
I have played Marvel Champions for a while, but most of my experience has been piloting decks rather than constructing them. I am still learning how to judge whether a card is genuinely helping the deck, whether a package is too large, and when a clever interaction is actually worth the space it takes up.
That is one of the reasons I wanted to post this now rather than wait until I thought it was perfect. I am interested in seeing how the deck develops through actual play and through feedback from people who have more experience with SP//dr or deckbuilding than I do.
Since this is my first time really digging into SP//dr and one of my first serious deckbuilding projects, I would genuinely appreciate comments and suggestions.
There may be interactions I have missed, cards I have undervalued, or parts of the strategy that do not work as well in practice as they do in my head.
Please feel free to leave a comment with any ideas, criticisms, or experiences you have had with SP//dr. I am still fiddling with the deck, and I would love to see where it can go with some input from the Marvel Champions community.