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39: The Ship of Rieseus
213 Plays3 days ago
🧑🚀🍫 The Snap On This!! Cohosts once again gather to discuss the lesser evils of spaceballs, fruit-chocolate pairings, and Marvel Snap. 🍓🫐🥝🍌
For our esteemed listeners’ consideration:
- Weeks in Snack 🧀🍪😋
- 🧠 Prodigy
- Secret 🙊 Homework: make our missing OTA 🔧
- Thunderbolts movie 🎞️🧨 discussion
Follow us on Twitter/Bluesky:
Check out the other great shows in the Snap Judgments Network:
- Snap Decisions
- Snap Judgments
- The InfiNOT
Join us on Discord! 👾
- Join the server
- Head into the channel "welcome-rules-and-tickets"
- Find the "SJPN Podcast Fans" message, and press the button for Snap On This!!
Featured decks:
Credits:
- Cover art by Lauren
- Snap On This!! Theme by Ben
- YouTube thumbnail by Lauren’s kid, Reggi
Timestamps:
- 0:00:00 Intro / Our Week in Snap (Packs)
- 0:17:38 Prodigy
- 0:42:19 Snack on This
- 0:44:54 Secret Homework: Design an OTA
- 0:59:08 Next Week's Secret Homework
- 1:01:11 Housekeeping / Closing Remarks
- 1:02:24 Thunderbolts
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Co-hosts
00:00:01
Speaker
Hello and welcome to episode 39 of Snap on This, a Marvel Snap podcast. I'm your host, Lauren Whadevs, here today with my favorite co-hosts.
Segment Renaming Discussion
00:00:10
Speaker
First up, it's Rhi.
00:00:12
Speaker
I think I'm going to rename this question because we always say we can snap and it's often not about snap. So how was your week? And keep it snappy. But that's not like it's week and s snap. Okay. We can't change the name of this.
00:00:26
Speaker
I kind of take a little bit of joy in that like the misnomer of it. Like, like the week in and around snap, the, the, the week of snap and periphery. Yeah. The secret homework. That's not secretive at all.
00:00:40
Speaker
That's what I was going to say. When is secret homework ever secret? sorry Since when do we do what it says on the tin? We can't change the details on this way.
Thunderbolts Movie Discussion
00:00:50
Speaker
Specifically tell us how was your week in Snap and keep it snappy. Okay.
00:00:55
Speaker
Well, I was really excited talk about Thunderbolts, and Lauren won't let me. Because it's going to be spoilers. And it's only been out for two weeks, and we get that it's like, you know, you don't have to like skip ahead right at the beginning podcast. So we will save that, like responsible adults, for the end the show for a Thunderbolts discussion.
00:01:17
Speaker
I will, spoiler free now, um say that when I went to go see it, um They were doing new thing. um you seen this where they have like the screens that extend to the sides?
00:01:32
Speaker
I saw four that way. It's like wraparound. Yeah. And I was really just thinking I'm like, it was fine. and it was like. you know notice noticeable in one scene where you're like oh i'm getting information
Modern Movie Theaters
00:01:46
Speaker
and so side of the normal like you know a frame of reference like for the most part you just didn't really just kind of like phase out and it didn't feel extra cool or vr or anything i'm like oh they're just really trying anything to get like people into theaters growing stinky sprays at you or anything were they you come out for me a second there Oh, and they're they're not like throwing any stinky sprays or like moistures or or anything at you, are they? This is just like IMAX light that you're describing.
00:02:18
Speaker
Yeah, it's like they have extra light cameras and for something that they like they filmed some more and it's like it's extended. There's extra screens extended out along the side. It's like extremely wide screen. A little extra panoramic.
00:02:33
Speaker
And it just, it was just like, it's just not enough. I think they're like, just like trying different types. Like what's the next thing? Cause it's like not 3d is it right? Like I didn't go see this in 3d didn't make it happen.
00:02:46
Speaker
um like, so now they're just like, will this be the thing that gets people to leave the comfort of their home? I'm like, what was the last thing that changed how I saw movies was assigned seating that you could like get ahead of time.
Weekly Life Updates
00:03:00
Speaker
Plus the recliner chairs, you know, they give you way more space from the person next to you. and that me I won't say that was when when I did that the first time. I'm like, always this from now on. Never again.
00:03:13
Speaker
Never again. The luxury seating is worth it. Yeah. So, and it's like nothing since then has been it. Like, you know, isn't. So it's like theaters are really struggling against like...
00:03:26
Speaker
getting people to leave the comfort of the couch with other things and the lack of strangers and all that stuff. So, um, so we will have the rest of my weekend snap later and um Lauren's back in time. So I will pass it back to her.
00:03:44
Speaker
Yeah. Uh, dog demanded to be let in. Um, Ben, How was your weekend snap? And keep it snappy. Ah, my weekend snap. Endeavoring to keep it snappy, as I sometimes do, that's for sure.
00:03:59
Speaker
Well, I did play some snap. Didn't have time to play a whole ton of snap. It was a busy week for me with, you know, life stuff. um But what snap I did play...
00:04:10
Speaker
I believe when last we checked in, i had almost done the infinite climb. And, you know, I think I was at like 93 or something. And now I'm at 97. So really putting in, ah yeah, that that much time.
00:04:26
Speaker
um But it seems to be going well. and steady is good enough. Yeah. haven't been... ah like I think the win and cube rates have been good. I just haven't logged a bajillion games, that's all.
00:04:38
Speaker
But um what
Marvel Snap Meta and Strategies
00:04:40
Speaker
I've been playing is the same surfer deck I was doing with Surge and Esme Cuckoo, except here's the thing.
00:04:50
Speaker
i almost never make concessions to like what's going on in the meta and stuff. And this is extra weird because... I don't eagle eared or i don't know, bat eared listeners of the podcast. I don't know. People who listen closely may have noticed that I barely ever think about Thanos like at all.
00:05:10
Speaker
Never mentioned the Mad Titan when we're doing card previews. Nothing. I am aware of the guy and the stones and the deck. And, like, I must understand it because I seem to not lose to it, like, so much that I get frustrated or anything. So, like, I clearly, like, I do think about it somewhere in my brain, just, like, nowhere near the surface. I don't think about Thanos.
00:05:33
Speaker
But, yo, I have noticed. I have noticed. He's made the front page of my brain. There's a lot of Thanos going on, huh? Yeah. So much. I, um... I feel really bad for Esme Cuckoo because I didn't play a bunch with her and I've already rotated her out of the deck in favor of Killmonger and I cut, I believe it was Gwenpool for um Nova.
00:05:59
Speaker
So, yes, I made a concession to the meta around me, which I almost never do Almost never. But just this once, I did it. And, you know, it's good. Yeah. Yeah.
00:06:10
Speaker
i I see why people do it. I get the appeal. I just I prefer to be an immovable object most of the time. It's better to do the more polarized the meta is. And right now it's pretty polarized. There really is a lot of Thanos out there.
00:06:25
Speaker
I'm just like, I just can't, I can't not. And, uh, you know, it's fine. I'll, I just have to remember to come back to Esme later. Cause like she deserves, I need to tinker with her some more and try different things and stuff.
00:06:38
Speaker
It's not, it's not fair to give her up without, you know, giving her a fair shake. And I really like to give all the the tools, uh, You know, the old college try. um But, yo, snap adjacent stuff.
00:06:50
Speaker
I played some Magic the Gathering for the first time in a very, very long time. i i was traveling and stuff, and I was i was back in my my hometown, and I saw some old friends, and we played some Lord of the Rings Commander. i ah i was playing the Hobbits, and they've got Ents up in the mix.
00:07:12
Speaker
So, tree folk and... Halflings and such, and they make a lot of food. um I had access to a lot more life gain than the other Lord of the Rings commander decks.
00:07:23
Speaker
um So, you know, that's helpful for longevity in commander and stuff. I was surprised at how, you know, essentially i i I remember how most of the things work and all that. I still knew the rules better than my friends who have certainly played more recently than I did. But, you know...
00:07:43
Speaker
It's just a great time. I i i see the physical card games are fun. It's ah it's very cool. But yo, digital card games, here's all you need to know about the Bazaar. They've got the cornballer from Arrested Development now.
00:07:56
Speaker
The cornballer is in the Bazaar. I'm very excited. I've got to get to the end of ah this season's progression track so I can unlock the new Pygmalion expansion because I just want to be burning everybody with with hot hot grease.
00:08:09
Speaker
Oh my goodness. Do lawsuits exist in the bazaar? I haven't played it. It's called the rice baller in the bazaar, but it's very clearly the corn baller. It's like, there's no ambiguity. That's lovely.
00:08:22
Speaker
ah So they're they're back in my good books for, for the moment at least. Cause that, that shit, yeah that delights me. That that's the stuff I do like. Um, I also saw a Thunderbolts, and I will also have thoughts about it.
00:08:35
Speaker
And I think that might be it as far as snack snap snacking, weaking, brevity.
Snack Talk
00:08:43
Speaker
Was it achieved? Who can say? bad is my rating.
00:08:48
Speaker
If we change the name, let's change it to Weakened Snack.
00:08:53
Speaker
How was your Weakened Snack? Oh, I do have some thoughts about some snacks that I ate I do, too. Got some good stuff at Aldi.
00:09:03
Speaker
some Some cheese balls with avocado oil um made by a brand that I'd also seen at at Walgreens recently, but they had more options. I believe these were Toy Story branded. I don't know if there's a recent Toy Story installment out that these would have been like a tie in with.
00:09:19
Speaker
You shouldn't have vastly expired. No, umll I'll produce the bag when we go on break. well We'll see. that Maybe this is the first sponsored product. I don't know.
00:09:31
Speaker
Snack show and tell? Maybe the first one's free, but after this, gosh, dang it, if Aldi wants me, I mean, I have a lot of nice things to say about things I get at Aldi, but I'm not going to say them for free.
00:09:44
Speaker
don't know. but We went on an impromptu mall date this week and hit up this ah new store that had, you know, cute Asian things like makeup and stationery and treats.
00:09:57
Speaker
um Normally, I would say Japanese Oreos, but I think they were Chinese because I don't see any hiragana or katakana on the packaging. But there's... a
Live Performances: Thunderbolts and Wicked
00:10:08
Speaker
raspberry and blueberry and peach and grape are the flavors that I got.
00:10:13
Speaker
They were pretty good. Wait, what is the cookies made out of though? They're Oreos. Is the flavor chocolate? Yeah, chocolate. Are they like vanilla Oreo cookies? Nope, they were regular old Oreos.
00:10:24
Speaker
I feel like I opinionated about my fruits with chocolate. Which of those? I love fruit with chocolate. but I was just having chocolate covered bananas later earlier today. Not later today, that'd be weird. Um...
00:10:37
Speaker
Anyway, I saw Thunderbolts 2. i also, the next day, saw Wicked live. That's the first time I've ever done that. It was like the sixth for my fiancée. She loves Wicked. um That was very fun. That was a Christmas gift from her grandparents. I've also seen Wicked. I've not.
00:10:54
Speaker
I've read the i've read the book I loved it. um I was very familiar with the music, but not familiar with everything that happens between the music, um especially in Act 2, which hasn't been covered in public movie release yet.
00:11:12
Speaker
um So it was very fun. and then And then Mother's Day. Mother's Day was great. ah There's a lot more mothers than than fathers in Vine Jess's family, so this is a bigger celebration. Got together, had breakfasts, and...
00:11:26
Speaker
and arranged flowers and all kinds of fun things. Anyway, I don't want to be too much of a downer, but I was also very bored with Snap lately. And i like I haven't been deck building, and it's kind of a chicken or egg question for me. like Am I not deck building because I'm bored with Snap, or am I bored Snap because I'm not deck building?
00:11:44
Speaker
I honestly think it's both. um It's just like snowballing, and I need i need something to spark something. But like I don't know if it's the meta,
00:11:56
Speaker
Which Ben has already touched on, and I feel for any of you who are still climbing in this hellish meta that isn't going to change for two more weeks because they took a you know one OTA off because of their you know second dinner's a summer break.
00:12:09
Speaker
a Or their company get-together whatever. They do that twice a year, I think.
00:12:15
Speaker
Anyway. i It and Nothing has been inspiring me for clip hunting. And normally that's how I get through these times when I'm like, not really loving playing the game, but like, I still want to do something fun and and i have to get my, my missions
Boredom with Marvel Snap
00:12:31
Speaker
done anyway. Might as well try to grind towards some silly, amazing clip, but nothing has inspired me. And then I saw a silly, amazing clip and it was something that I wish I had thought of, but I don't think of all the good clips.
00:12:46
Speaker
Of course not. um This one was on Reddit and they played Macari and they made Macari huge, like 14 power. And then they put a Hulkbuster on Macari. So she was the last card played.
00:13:00
Speaker
And then on the last turn of the game, they dropped Frigga and Moon Girl and had a handful. Frigga was on Wong. And they had a handful of Makaris with 14 power and they all come down for free because it's Makari.
00:13:13
Speaker
I'm like, oh my gosh, genius. Who needs an extra turn or extra energy? Just drop all the giant Makaris at the end of the game. was beautiful. um happened to work on nexus which is even better but that's just i love that icing on the cake um so i might try my own version of that but anyway i'm just uh i like being positive about snap it's a game that i love but right now i'm just feeling kind of on it and uh i think that's normal and healthy to have cycles where you're hot and cold on the game um oh yeah i like it it's still fun just like
00:13:49
Speaker
Mostly I've just been playing the clog deck and I love the clog deck, but it's not my favorite deck and it's getting a little samey.
00:14:00
Speaker
Even if it is good into the meta. um will say Nightmare, I think, is in two months. That card I'm so excited for. it More excited than I've been for any card since Macari, not Macari, since Cersei, which is what, like last May or something like that? So like it's been year. You have to remind me what Nightmare does. Nightmare is a that changes all the text of the cards in your hand to a different card of the same cost.
00:14:25
Speaker
So, like, use him on Ebony Maw or Red Skull or something like that and get a different text on those cards. I think he looks so stinking fun. The card that dares to ask, what if Emperor Hulkling were good and practical?
00:14:41
Speaker
um Yes, very daring. Except I'm going to use him on Infinite instead. um So, yeah. That's my weekend snap. I'm just, you know, if you're feeling that way too...
00:14:55
Speaker
Yeah, look forward. There there will be um OTA and hopefully a ah ah significant one in in two weeks. I highly recommend keeping other games in rotation for moments like this.
00:15:07
Speaker
i don't know. sure It's true. That's just my feeling. i've been playing I've been playing a little bit of other stuff. How's the cookie thing? my gosh, it's... It's better than it has any right to be is how it is.
00:15:19
Speaker
Cookie Run Kingdom. Describe to me, like, what is the gameplay? I mean, it's mostly it's a it's a gotcha game. Like most of the battle is done automatically. You can manually control it, but you might as well do it automatically because the power of your team is what matters the most. wait Is it like Final Fantasy Tactics? Or not tactics. Sorry. Um...
00:15:39
Speaker
Like, my brain is dying. um Like, where you assign how they're going to do it. Like, the original Dragon Age, you know? so you they No, it's not that clever. i mean, you can choose you choose, like, three pieces of equipment and five cookies to go into battle, and they do their thing. And there are certainly synergies and stuff like that, but mostly, it's a gacha game. You're doing random pulls. If you get the same cookie again, you get stuff that lets you upgrade them.
00:16:05
Speaker
think the thing that has really surprised me about it, besides just... so yeah oh yeah oh really yes oh there are very very cool ones very cool designs um i think the thing that has surprised me the most because yeah i'm playing this because my 13 year old and her friends are super into it right now so like i like being able to talk to my kid about the things oh no for sure yeah um it's very high quality there's like virtually no ads unless you want there to be and even then they're like Minimal.
00:16:34
Speaker
um And there is the story is all fully voice acted like the main character is voiced by the same kid who does. ah He's probably an adult by now who does the voice of Finn in Adventure Time. So like quality voice acting.
00:16:46
Speaker
And the story has been surprisingly good um for, you know, Cookies in Peril. ah It's been very fun. Anyway, I have enjoyed that game a lot. um and and you know getting a kick might Here's an example of the kind of nerdy child mine is.
00:17:04
Speaker
She gets on FaceTime with her friends, and then they get Scribble.io, which is Pictionary, basically, and they do a custom word list of all the cookies. They let me play with them and that was fun.
00:17:16
Speaker
oh Oh, nice to be included. That's that's the cool mom. I don't know if that's obvious or not, but I'm i i'm not surprised at all. i feed My 13 year old likes me um yeah for now.
00:17:31
Speaker
I'm so I'm so glad to hear that. Keep it up. Thanks. it's It's very important to me. um OK, let's talk about.
Introducing New Card: Prodigy
00:17:41
Speaker
Prodigy, our new card.
00:17:43
Speaker
ah three four on reveal. If this is in the back row, copy the text of the card in front of it. Did you get it? What are your thoughts?
00:17:55
Speaker
three okay We're all collection complete right now. Yeah. yeah for For the moment. It just feels like you should keep up with it, right? Yeah. I just want to remember it. It's like when I paid off my student loans, it's like, hey remember how I paid off my student loans? Yeah. Yeah, I remember it. Now it's like, I'm collection complete now. Yeah. Yeah, I So, okay. um Yes, I it.
00:18:17
Speaker
And I have been like, I know you've been falling out and I've been kind of in and out period and now I've been like coming back in. So like, I wasn't like super stoked for Prodigy specifically, but I was like, I'm like, I'm excited to get in there and do stuff.
00:18:33
Speaker
um play some Prodigy. So first thought, obviously, you know, when you look at Prodigy, I was like, okay, Spectrum ongoing. Because, like, you know, usually you, like, ongoing gets more powerful the more you more you copy stuff.
00:18:50
Speaker
And then, you know, he has a three-cost card. So Surfer. But, like, First, my problem with putting him like Spectrum Ongoing, which I did try a list for one game and then immediately got Enchantress, my big power lane. And like, it's like, no, no, we don't. It's just not the metaphor it.
00:19:15
Speaker
Because there's a lot of tech against ongoing right now. But the thing I like about Spectrum Ongoing is it lets me play a lot of counters, right? It lets me play Cosmo. It lets me play things that, like, usually you don't put a lot of in your deck because they're lower power. But, you know.
00:19:33
Speaker
It's ongoing. So you're going to like spectrum them. And Prodigy in this case, you don't need to copy a counter. So it goes in like a power building spectrum list. And it's just like, if you're not doing like living tribunal or shenanigans with Iron Man and stuff, it's like, it just feels like there's better ways to just build power.
00:19:54
Speaker
You know, with other cards. So like, that's where I was at with the spectrum. i And then here's my problem with Prodigy is Surfer. And this is already a surfer problem is that like, almost all the cards in Surfer are better cards when you play them late.
00:20:11
Speaker
So like, you want to hold them. So like the thing with a three cost is I want a three cost that I can play on three. I don't want something I'm holding. And Prodigy is normally going to be, right, one of those cards. It's like it's in the back row playing on a specific card.
00:20:26
Speaker
So it's like you're going to hold it. And it's like in Surfer, you're already holding. Surfer, you want to hold. Sage, if you can't, you know what i mean? It's just a whole list of cards that are going to be more powerful later. Or if you compare the Brood with a Forge or put it after a Galacta and turn five, you know? And I was like, no, I'm not getting into this with Prodigy. I've done it time and again of like, hold the little cards that I'm playing so I can have something to play early.
00:20:51
Speaker
um when I was looking at Prodigy to deck build, I immediately went, where can I play Prodigy on three? Ah! And I'm like, so then I'm going to be copying little cards and probably copying a one cost card. ah So i started scrolling down when my eyes fell upon Batrock the Leaper. And I was immediately like, yes, yes, that is the card I want to copy.
00:21:12
Speaker
want to copy that on turn three if possible turn later. And then I'm like, with Hydra Stomper, because it's like, Move kind of as a chessboard.
00:21:25
Speaker
It's not my style. But move, it's just like, we just moving, you know, chaotically everywhere. It doesn't matter we end up. Because like, and Hydra Stomper really enables this like, silk gameplay, you know, that's super fun. I just got the the fancy Rian Gonzalez and noodles, you know, inappropriately, but thus appropriately, inappropriately named noodles silk. And I wanted to play her more So, and you know what I've been copying with ah Prodigy a lot more? And you guys both know because I shared... I was sharing this around because I caught a clip. I've been copying Werewolf a lot.
00:22:07
Speaker
um And I made a fun clip because I also... This deck stuck as so has Agamotto. And Lauren was like, why? Why Agamotto? like i was I will tell it you.
00:22:19
Speaker
I will tell you. It's amazing. I've been having so much fun with this stack. Um, Okay, so the idea we have movers that don't need other cards to move them, that don't need other move cards to move them. So there's no, like, Vulture here Dagger or Human Torch. We have Batrock the Leaper. We have Werewolf.
00:22:40
Speaker
um We have Sam Wilson, Captain America, because once again, it's just really valuable to have that shield. You can move around. Oh, when you get Sam turn two, you get Batrock the Leaper.
00:22:50
Speaker
two you get bat rockck On turn one and Sam on turn two and you're just like, we're just that. That's just going to be following that shield around everywhere, right?
00:23:02
Speaker
And then so obviously because we're moving everywhere around, we have Kraven. I already said Silk was in this deck. I mean, Hydrastomper is just obvious. And Hydrastomper is one of the obvious copies for Prodigy in this.
00:23:16
Speaker
Because Hydro Stone is just going to be huge. Because, like, Werewolf. And then, okay, the rest of this deck does multiple things, but they're all Werewolf triggers.
00:23:31
Speaker
Right? Because you can get, ah you can get Werewolf to jump around. ah When you copy Prodigy with Werewolf, and I learned all kinds of new things about the game playing this deck. It's like, okay, it doesn't matter if there's not room for everybody at a location at the start, as long as all your silks, you know, sometimes you got multiple silks.
00:23:52
Speaker
like move out and in they'll follow in. Cause it's like, it it like rechecks, I don't know. Very specific. Depends on the order in which they were played onto the board. Okay, I was thinking that. I was like, is going?
00:24:06
Speaker
Yes, and that's the way it works, because when you copy Prodigy, then he'll check later. It's beautiful. So, um, Cannonball is here. Cannonball, now this is a slot I debated, because I do, after I play a Werewolf on turn three,
00:24:23
Speaker
um Sometimes you're just like, wish I had Stagron for this werewolf. And I have a Cannonball and I can't play that this turn. But Cannonball is also your Shang.
00:24:35
Speaker
You know? Like, that tech is so valuable. That definitely wins you the game sometimes when you're not just... like moving a card to somewhere, but you're just trying so many people are filling, especially with all the Thanos around now.
00:24:47
Speaker
So many people fill up their boards or mostly fill up their boards, um, which just, you know, cannonball that's cannonball stacks up, up, up. Um, and then sneaky, because one of the worries you got to worry about is there's a lot of Killmonger going around.
00:25:03
Speaker
you gotta, you gotta to worry about Batroc. Um, Right. And, um you know, and some other stuff that can like, you know, Enchantress for your Hydra Stomp or all that.
00:25:15
Speaker
um But if people haven't seen this crazy deck where you're trying to make a ah whole entourage, it's amazing where you have just like a whole pack of people just like, and you're like pinged.
00:25:25
Speaker
Oh, man. Kate Bishop is here. She used to be a goblin because I was thinking, don't fill the board space. And it does get tricky sometimes, but sometimes you want to finagle where things are going to move towards the end and you don't mind just kind of decking it out.
00:25:42
Speaker
And the arrows are such good werewolf triggers to just throw in and around, especially when you've copied it. The other use for ah the arrows is I haven't even talked about all the uses of Agamotto in this.
Move Deck Strategies with Prodigy
00:25:59
Speaker
One, Winds of Watum, another Batrock trigger, right? Just another way to keep moving. We want things to move um as much as possible. Another great use of that is with clogging people.
00:26:12
Speaker
least So many people are moving their boards. if you can I'll usually end up playing my Winds of Watum, depending on when I get it, um after Werewolf to trigger Werewolf. But usually then I'm like, they're going to put a third card there. And now I can knock one of their dinky like middle cards or left cards that they played early and fill in that slot.
00:26:31
Speaker
And it's definitely won me the game a few times where I've locked them out of a location with Winds of Watum with their own little card, you know, minus four on it. um And, you know, and Batrack follows it around. um The images, images are so good because um a lot of time, Red Guardian is super popular. It's the best tech card.
00:26:56
Speaker
And a lot of time people will Red Guardian your Sam early. They're Red Guardian your Shield. They're Red Guardian your Kraven. And Like a Red Guardian Kraven is just like worthless.
00:27:07
Speaker
You know what I mean? Yeah. And, ah but now it's just like, you just set up, you're like, okay, if I have images, if I get images, you know, you set up that lane so that later it's either everything's going to become a giant werewolf. I've done that a number of times. That's a lot of fun where everything's going to become a silk or everything's going to become a hydrostopper or a cannonball.
00:27:30
Speaker
That's a lot of fun when everything's a cannonball. Okay. So like, And so many people are playing Clog against Thanos. Oh, man. Hagemoto is the theme of this deck.
00:27:42
Speaker
I've renamed this deck multiple times, but it's all wizard jokes. um It's all wizard-based because it's just like, this deck is just me memeing wizardry at myself. Like, oh, you gave me a rock?
00:27:56
Speaker
Like, thank you. Don't you know I know transmutation? and would turn that rock. Yeah, it's just, this is this is me playing this deck all day long. but It's like, it's so good.
00:28:08
Speaker
It's like, yeah, that useless thing will just be a much better thing later. Yeah. And then lot of times you have Pryo if you've got Batroc out there, all that stuff, swinging around.
00:28:22
Speaker
You played Hydra Stomper on Curve. So Elioth. Because Elioth just shuts a lot of games down. And the best place for Elioth is when they don't expect it. And people do not know what the fuck I'm doing with this deck.
00:28:37
Speaker
They're not expecting Elias. And once I just... Once I was really mad because it's like, oh, should have known. That's where I would have played my surfer. Why didn't I?
00:28:48
Speaker
I put Elias in the wrong lane and it lost me in the game because I didn't hit their surfer. in it And in retrospect, it was obvious, but it was late night reach. She was never going to catch that. um Okay. So the only...
00:29:01
Speaker
card. I think I haven't mentioned as Nico is in here because she gets you extra cards. Who doesn't love an extra Batroc or Silk?
00:29:12
Speaker
It's so fun because it's like I had lost the joy of Silk. But now it's like you don't care what Silk is like. You're hoping she's hitting a Kraven. But it's just like you're just bouncing around because it's just always taking up Hydra Stomper.
00:29:26
Speaker
Maybe you're also going to copy with Prodigy. Joy of Silk. OK. I know you've been looking for that for a while. yeah And Nico also is just the same toolbox she's always been. you She can move a card for you.
00:29:40
Speaker
Once again, I didn't put any cards that move other cards specifically in this deck. So there's a lot of tricky little ways to make sure I'm doing that if I don't hit ah the right things. The grapple arrow is another example of that, you know.
00:29:55
Speaker
Um... I've had so much fun with this deck. It has been ah great joy to me. It is a crazy deck, yes. um And it definitely has a learning curve. I'm still learning all kinds of new things.
00:30:10
Speaker
um I can do with the combinations of these. Oh, didn't mention, like, Bolts Balthack. Like, another just great use for egg this in an Agamono deck is just, like, if you didn't draw your great play. With this, right, you want to orchestrate some werewolf shenanigans and everything. And Bolts of Balthack, which is the one that gives you plus three, plus four, sorry, plus four energy next turn. It's great just delay. Like, I just didn't get the cards I need.
00:30:40
Speaker
to play out, you know what I mean? Like, just let me see if next turn is the right. Because in this one, it's like, I'd rather save this card to be a werewolf trigger, but I knew it that turn.
00:30:52
Speaker
So, um, being a wizard, pretty good, to be honest. and Okay, well, I've like talked, I think, more in this single setting about my deck week.
00:31:05
Speaker
I knew you were very excited about this deck. I need to play it. Maybe it'll get me out of my snack. It's crazy. It looks so fun. The one clip you shared looked like a blast. um And maybe that clip had this answer, but I can't remember. If you play like images of Icon, or really any of the skills, they trigger Werewolf, right?
00:31:25
Speaker
They do, and it's someone to watch out for that you can load up a lane too big if you've imaged of icons there and your werewolf's gonna there. If it's the fourth card, it banishes itself, and then there's still room for werewolf.
00:31:38
Speaker
So hopefully you have a two cost in your hand, or one cost, like an arrow or something you can play after to pull... Yeah, yeah that's great. you're not... Or you're turning everything into a a silk, and the images will trigger silk. Oh, yeah, that'll be fine. your werewolf just handles that lane, and you know. Discatter. Or if you made an entire pack of werewolves, maybe only some of them can move to the next location. location It is so fun when you, like, move your shield and play some cards, and, like, a million cards.
00:32:11
Speaker
It's been a while since I've done a huge werewolf play, but like in a bounce deck or something like that, is so fun to to get werewolf proccing like six times in one turn. Small exaggeration. Oh, I forgot to even mention.
00:32:24
Speaker
ran against like Scream and I was like, Scream, my old nemesis. I've always hated playing against Scream and it's like, here i am with a deck that moves.
00:32:35
Speaker
And then I remembered something Ben had said a while back, which is like, shh. Why are you worried about Scream? She's only going to hit you once a turn. They're at a disadvantage against move decks because you're redundant.
00:32:48
Speaker
Right? And, like, sometimes that helps you if they move their cards, you know, and you've already been hit. So, like, yeah, I just chomped up that little screen deck. Like, nom, nom, nom. Like, you don't have, they don't have Killmonger in there for my Batroc.
00:33:03
Speaker
yeah Oh, no, more procs for my Batroc. On my Hydra Stomper and my Werewolf with my Laius, yeah. So, yeah, it was, ah you know, I faced, conquered What I thought was the fear of move attacks and was wrong all along. Isn't that funny? We could have been friends. I'm so glad.
00:33:21
Speaker
That's my experience with move. That's my experience with move also is that it's just like, it's a great matchup and to scream. Like it doesn't care. It's getting so much more payoff than scream is when you move something, which is funny because you you look at scream. you're like, this is a move counter card.
00:33:37
Speaker
I mean, like, it would be if you just, like, threw Scream into random non-Scream decks. Yeah, you'd be you'd be teching against move, I guess, but, like, that's not a thing. ah or at least it hasn't been.
00:33:49
Speaker
Before we move on because I've talked this stuff, but I want to say why you go, because I know I'm normally not into move decks, and part of that is all the thinkiness of preparing ahead and stuff.
00:34:01
Speaker
I'm too lazy. And what I like about this, it's so chaotic, right? It really, it's a move deck that you still, you're playing turn by turn with, like, the best of your hand, the way you look, the way I like to play board games and everything. It's just, like,
00:34:17
Speaker
And I'm not I mean, you do like every snap game you're thinking ahead. But it's like, you know, like once. Oh, man, I'll show this clip in Snap Discord or whatever. But there's this moment where I was thinking about what do I do? And I realized what I could do was make a bunch of silks. And I was like, well, that's what I'm going to do because it's fun immediately. No extra thought beyond that.
00:34:39
Speaker
ah And so it's just like, that's the joy. And I didn't know that Hydra Stomper would do this for me. Hydra Stomper and Batroc. And like, ah, I missed Werewolf.
00:34:51
Speaker
Kraven's all right. I thought I didn't like Kraven, but yeah. I I'm so excited for us to talk about our OTAs later. ah o um but anywho, my thoughts about prodigy are I acquired prodigy.
00:35:08
Speaker
I saw a couple of prodigies out in the wild. I didn't build a prodigy deck. I ran into a couple of prodigies. Neither one copied an ability. They both just showed up. They were Cyclops. Um,
00:35:21
Speaker
I hope that doesn't happen very often, but ah two out of two. So I can only extrapolate that Prodigy is never copying anything except when Reed uses him.
00:35:31
Speaker
But um the my main thought about Prodigy is that they... the base art prodigy, uh, involves prodigy writing on, uh, the, the, the, the pain of like, he's writing on a chalkboard and it's the, the, the, the surface of the card. Um, that's the chalkboard that he's writing on.
00:35:53
Speaker
And then the next day they, um, sold us a really exciting variant of prodigy where the gimmick of the variant is that he's actually, he's facing,
00:36:04
Speaker
ah what What you can infer is actually a chalkboard, and that's the front of the card, and he's writing he's writing math equations. It's very exciting. I'm glad they advertised it, ah you know, main page of the game, so that we can really diversify our ah our prodigy.
00:36:22
Speaker
You know, you don't want your prodigy looking just like everyone else's prodigy. So it's really good that they gave us two that are um functionally identical. Imagine taking this to an extreme where it's like they just released the same edward or Eduardo Mello art, but like with three or four different colorists.
00:36:39
Speaker
like Basically. Which one do you want? Well, mean, like there are so many of that one, like ah like Todd McFarlane, Lighter Man pose. Yeah, the Venom and Miles and Dark Hawk.
00:36:53
Speaker
Yeah, like it's not so different, but like I got to say both of these Prodigy ones where – He's got he's facing the chalkboard that is the front of the card. They both make more sense than the season pass docking from the Dark Avengers that I suspect may have been the product of generative AI that broke out of a cell that is also in front of him.
00:37:18
Speaker
ah Try to make sense of it if you can, because I can't. um But yeah, yeah. So that's my thought about Prodigy and the variants that I saw advertised at me.
00:37:31
Speaker
i did I did notice he's a lefty, which, you know, lefty rep always makes me happy. um Rhi, you're talking about your deck like you used to talk about Moon Knight, and that's delightful. Oh, yeah.
00:37:43
Speaker
I haven't had fun. I've been trying to play Khonshu decks. I haven't even talked about it. It just kind of like, you know, bring me the joy that would. It's not chaotic enough, yeah. Um, I got Prodigy still ah in a snap pack, still haven't hit anything better than a Dan hip variant as a bonus. And, and only the one, everything else has been boosters or tiny, tiny piles of credits, which is, you know, it's fine. and I'm still saving a thousand by getting it through a snap pack.
00:38:10
Speaker
Uh, this card is, is really fun. i have no idea if it's good. it seems like the kind of card that's going to take a while to measure for sure. Um, cause it only needs one or two really good synergies to,
00:38:23
Speaker
to, you know, take it over the line and and make it meta relevant. Um, I did find it really easy to hit a two easier than I thought it was going to be to line up and hit a two correctly. Um, I hit a lot of surges. I had a few screams, um, Cravens.
00:38:38
Speaker
I tried a bunch of different stuff. I just like some of it was stuff I whipped together and some of it was, i went to untapped and looked for something that had high win rate, but low play rate. May I ask a quick question?
00:38:51
Speaker
OK, you say that like this this works he works well with twos, so you you play like a one and a two and then Prodigy, or or wait, or Wait, i'm I'm just trying to say... It doesn't work, right? like No, yeah. so That's the thing where I've been like, oh, I was like a surprise. I think you have to play him on four mostly.
00:39:12
Speaker
um when i'm hitting him When I'm playing with him with Surge, if Surge either hits Prodigy or a one, then I can do Prodigy on three and have two Surges going at the same time. Which is decent.
00:39:23
Speaker
um I don't know if it's good enough, but it's it's decent. My other related question was, like if Prodigy is a card that like really rewards like sticking on curve and stuff, like is Prodigy a Wiccan friend, a speed friend? like is Is that a thing? Are these veins of synergy, or is that nothing?
00:39:45
Speaker
I don't know. these These were just the thoughts that popped into my head. I'm not sure they're worth chasing down. they They were just raised. That's an interesting thought because a lot of the Wiccan friends are not like the on curve cards. They're not necessarily cards you want to hit again, right? I mean, speed is okay to hit again. Yeah, I suppose. But it's ah it's a speed plus one. That's all Prodigy is, right?
00:40:08
Speaker
Yeah. One very cool thing that I saw, and and please note I'm saying cool or fun, but not not good. I think it's too many moving pieces to be good.
00:40:19
Speaker
I saw somebody hit a Strange Supreme with Prodigy, and they were playing Squirrel Girl and Shauna, so there was lots of fine eating available to a double Strange Supreme.
00:40:30
Speaker
And then on the very last turn of the game, they separated Strange Supreme from Prodigy using regular old Doctor Strange. I thought that was very cool. um like so Still would have lost to me if I had Shang or Shadow King.
00:40:44
Speaker
Of course, I don't usually run those cards, but if I did... um
00:40:51
Speaker
I've had fun with this card more than I expected. Maybe enough for me to do some cooking with it. Maybe I need to play Rhi's deck to like really get the chaotic, fun energy going. I've been Shadow King'd in my deck, and I haven't lost to it yet.
00:41:07
Speaker
good like i i think it's just like i was trying to think why and i think it's just like because it just i can move that power to another lane it's just like i haven't played him myself either right he seems really weak honestly is that what you're thinking ben he just can't be everywhere at once and like it sounds like your deck is making you know big stats on lots of lanes you know Like, maybe they'll get your Kraven or whatever, but, like, yeah I don't think they're going to get your Werewolf and whatever else. your
00:41:38
Speaker
And Hydro Stomper's ongoing. Yeah, that that that one's unshadowkingable. We'll say something I'm interested in doing with Prodigy, but haven't figured out what something flashy would be yet, is playing him in the front row and then hitting him with Grandmaster.
OTA Changes and Card Reworks
00:41:56
Speaker
that is cute. For sure. Oh, it is cute. Yeah. I got to figure out what is he hitting that that makes that worth it. And there are good things, but I'm just not sure what.
00:42:09
Speaker
You know, if you go double Iron Man in one lane, like you're winning that lane. But what what's happening in the other two lanes? So um anyway, those my thoughts. Prodigy. Next are side quests.
00:42:22
Speaker
And first, an impromptu side quest. Snack, show and tell. Let's let's see what you got. So I mentioned earlier some some cheese puffs from all these. These are the curiously named Toy Story branded. they They're curiously named and Toy Story branded. That's not part of their name, but they are lesser evil.
00:42:46
Speaker
Spaceballs. Real organic cheddar. And they are not Spaceballs branded. these are not that There's nothing to do with the Mel Brooks film Spaceballs. Completely unrelated. You'll see there's Buzz Lightyear.
00:43:00
Speaker
Popular character voiced by Tim Allen, as I recall. um On the bag. Um... but pretty yummy. I guess there's some avocado oil involved in their production.
00:43:14
Speaker
um but What is the Toy Story connection? No fucking clue. But I believe these are the vegan snack option that I'm presenting. These are original Benton's cookies.
00:43:32
Speaker
um They're like Oreos, but they're not Oreos. like how they're a knockoff called Originals. That's such a baller move! Also, they claim to have vanilla filling.
00:43:46
Speaker
Vanilla filling? They don't. I've tasted it. shot Not a hint of vanilla. But they do taste different than Oreos and not in a bad way. That's a good no, because off-brand Oreos are usually not usually not a thing for me.
00:43:59
Speaker
Not a fan. yeah Again, for those who missed it, we got Buzz. Lesser Evil is such a good name for a brand.
00:44:11
Speaker
Okay, I have on-brand Oreos to show off. Dual flavors, peach and grape, blueberry and raspberry. They're very colorful.
00:44:22
Speaker
The cream is not very thick. you know I'm not sure if you're familiar with Asian treats, but they tend to be pretty subtle ah in the sweets category, which is something that I appreciate and like as much of a sweet tooth as I am.
00:44:34
Speaker
Fun to shake it up every now and then.
00:44:37
Speaker
okay I brought a show and tell too, but it's not snacks. We could just be show and tell. unless it's Unless it's Thunderbolts. We'll save it for guitars.
00:44:48
Speaker
Let me prove it. Okay. So warm us up for Thunderbolts. It's not going to be that far from now anyway. Okay. The weekly secret homework. I assigned it. It was to design an OTA with the limitations of you get to change three cards and only one of them can be a text change or at least like a significant rework.
00:45:05
Speaker
um As the assigner, I go first. Ha ha ha. um Maybe you will find it irresponsible that I am not addressing the meta, but I trust Michael Majors and the rest of their team to handle that. So I'm not going to touch Thanos or anything like that.
00:45:21
Speaker
I just want to make some more cards. Well, i want to make two cards. Okay. Only one card is more fun than the other two. I am dunking on some cards.
00:45:31
Speaker
Supergiant. 2-3. Very different. But I just, I want this card to be more playable. And I think that if a big cost change would open up some more clever, fun things to do with her.
00:45:44
Speaker
Also, making her ah Also, she needs to be a lot more playable on 5, I think. um And I know you're like, oh, but end of the game, turn 6, that's the same thing, isn't it? Not always. Sometimes it's different.
00:45:54
Speaker
Yeah. yeah ah four is really like probably her best spot because then like you know exactly who's gonna have prio going in into turn six that sort of thing but um i don't know like uh i have in the past played say shong beneath a super giant and then he doesn't reveal until after sunspot hits the plus 10 power that's a very niche scenario but i live for those um My next change, I wanted to hit the bullseye deck.
00:46:27
Speaker
I went with Morbius. hu Two, three plus one. Oh, not him. Here's the thing. Two, three plus one doesn't become weaker than regular Morbius until four discards.
00:46:41
Speaker
Um.
00:46:44
Speaker
And not a lot of. I just think doesn't bullseye proc Morbius more than any other discard deck? Why should Morbius be punished for bullseye? That's exactly what I was thinking. like Bullseye is the problem.
00:46:59
Speaker
And why are there four? I know. had the thought, but also I just think Morbius is an extremely strong card. It's true. Morbius? This makes him more resistant to... The discard linear. When you're playing against discard, you know what you're up against. It's very readable.
00:47:19
Speaker
umm I'm going to be proposing some wild things, so I don't want to come in too hot on this one. um i'll I'll just say that I'm sad for my friend, Dr. Michael Morbius, one of the one of our one of our best Greek Marvel Snap cards, as as we learned many months ago. Right up there with Electronachios.
00:47:42
Speaker
um
00:47:45
Speaker
Look, they have a Morbius on the board. They have a ah two bullseyes. They already have a handful of swarms. On the last turn, they play Modok and two bullseyes.
00:47:56
Speaker
This deck hits Morbius more than anything else does. um I just think... don't know. what you could You could hurt bullseye for sure, but I think this would do more to hurt the bullseye deck than hitting bullseye would.
00:48:11
Speaker
Finally, this would be a big one, but I think it's something wild that they should try just to see what happens. Jane Foster, 510. On on reveal, draw all zero-cost cards from your deck.
00:48:28
Speaker
You may be thinking, hey, that's the same card. No, not cards that cost zero. Zero-cost cards. She no longer synergizes with Mr. Negative. She synergizes with Pixie in a different way.
00:48:41
Speaker
Pulls the zeros out, so, you know, still card draw, but not pulling the... ah The big card that you turned into a zero. And her synergy with stuff like Lockjaw and Thor is untouched.
00:48:54
Speaker
Yeah, completely intact for all the innocent things that nobody uses her for anymore. hu But I like don't like this trend in Marvel's Snap cards of strong women being behold to.
00:49:09
Speaker
like evil male codes like and she I don't really see her that much honestly because don't see a lot of Thor beta raid though I don't see a lot of hammer she's pretty much only a negative right now yeah right and like she better than that she's a Thor it's true As much as I love negative, I know some people out there hate it.
00:49:29
Speaker
love negative. I do hate it. I would be happy to see nerfed. Nerfed negative. Yay. But ever since like ever since it got Ravonna and maybe Gorlake, it is a very reliable deck now. It doesn't need to hit its combo to beat you.
00:49:42
Speaker
Yeah, I guess it's not it's not as fine as it used to be. i i I still think of it as being, oh, it's just negative. It's fine. But like yeah, it has gotten a little too reliable, hasn't it? it's It can be really tough to beat if you don't have Mobius.
00:49:56
Speaker
and and not very many decks can afford mobius yeah right not very many decks can afford it
00:50:04
Speaker
I have been stomping on them lately with with super scroll but that's just you know i yeah okay next up ah re's assigning the homework so Ben what's your OTA alright my OTA am I allowed to talk about things I almost put in it And that's that's stretching the extra credit. but All right. Well, these are the spicy things. Okay. There's there's some spicy things.
00:50:31
Speaker
I thought about making Brood a 3-1 that did a Squirrel Girl Dr. Doom spread. It would be too good, and it would kind of like eat Dr. Doom's whole thing, I think.
00:50:45
Speaker
It would be way too easy to hand buff it and stuff. But I just thought, like wouldn't wouldn't that be fun to temporarily change the just like the whole character of surfer decks? It would fundamentally like make them different.
00:50:58
Speaker
But I decided, yeah, it would be ugly and not the game more interesting. Do you think it would be a buff or surfer? ah yeah Yeah, I think so. their're Their brood lane goes so tall, so making it go wide instead is...
00:51:14
Speaker
It does. Yeah. I mean, like it's so there are nice things about going super tall and nice things about going super wide. And other another thing that I think would have made the game less interesting and also would have been surfer related. I thought about taking Scarlet Spider to three, four, but I think that would have made the game.
00:51:32
Speaker
Yeah, the game and the card, more boring. That would be a very good card. Yeah. um And I also thought about taking Spider-Man back to 3-5 and back to being able to move unrevealed cards.
00:51:45
Speaker
that was or Or I thought about moving Miles to 4-7 and giving him that ability. um So those those are those are the honorable mentions, but here are the three real boring changes that I picked. Yeah.
00:51:57
Speaker
Angela to two zero ability gives plus two, please. Just ah like, led this is how it, come on. We all know she's going back there. I know it's, it's, it's really fun to like half the time she's a two, three, that does plus one and half the time she's a two zero that does plus two. Oh, that's really cool. How about we just keep it the good way?
00:52:15
Speaker
Um, Another thought I had was Silk to 2-6. I do mention it a lot, but like Ben, how are we going to justify making moves so good with a 2-6 Silk?
00:52:27
Speaker
Sorry, folks. Batrock remains 1-2. Ability gives plus 1.
00:52:33
Speaker
redistributing the the juice there i know like i hit i hit my my my favorite thing my my move i i know i i weakened it overall but i just think that's the right thing and i think uh don't know move is for the true fans not all these all these joney come lately's get out of here bat rock you're you're ruining the neighborhood i was so on the fence about whether or not you'd go for the obvious silk two six I know. I was like, does this I'm pleasantly surprised.
00:53:01
Speaker
I'm just saying, like, Batroc is, like, driving down property values as a move fan. All these these people are, like, littering and stuff. They don't know how to, like, keep things nice. he I don't mind that either because Batroc's one cost is a vulnerability. And Silk's is much safer.
00:53:20
Speaker
two cast And I just like, of all the things that like, I don't know, like Hydra Stomper is getting plenty big. Why do we need Batroc to get ginormous? It's like, it's just, it's too much all at once. i don't know.
00:53:32
Speaker
i just like, I don't want him in my, like he's, he's, he's like a bad kid on the playground. You know what I mean? ah He's, he's just get out of my move. My move world, Batroc.
00:53:43
Speaker
I don't know. Like I'm tolerant of other move cards that I never play. Like Madam Web, I'm not, I'm not coming for you. But Batroc, you're just trouble. I don't think you're good for anyone. this this one When Rhi was talking about her deck, I was like, you know how fun Batroc would be if he could just move m every time.
00:54:00
Speaker
Not once a turn, but every time. um It would be a broken card, but it would be really fun. Mm-hmm. I couldn't do that. Like, if if I did that with this plus one version, it would still be broken. because It would still be too good, absolutely. yeah So, like, I can't give him that as compensation for taking him down to plus one. So this is just a smaller Batroc. And guess what? He would still get pretty darn big.
00:54:26
Speaker
it's It's fine. It's fine. A 1-5 is still, like, pretty cool. Okay. Rhi? Oh, okay. So mine is... Okay, mine is brought to you by... am still... I've not gotten infinite yet because of limited playtime. And also, I've been... You've seen what I've been brewing. I've been brewing that on ladder.
Secret Homework and Personal Stories
00:54:48
Speaker
So, like, you know, we climb in slower than we might have ever. It's still climbing. It's still, you know, and more than we lose. But sometimes we lose an 8-cuber that we were sure we were going to get. Okay.
00:54:59
Speaker
So, um... I played a bot the other day, I don't know why this made me hopeful, but this bot played Mantis. And I'm like, who are they pulling Mantis stats for some reason?
00:55:12
Speaker
Is something happening with Mantis? And I know but we already did Mantis reworks very early on in podcast history, but... I feel like I am of a sufficiently different cellular makeup to be a different, better-y who has come up with a better Mantis rework.
00:55:35
Speaker
What was your previous Mantis rework? Could you remind us? It was like stealing a card, I think. I think it stole like the lowest cost card. Oh, but this is ancient history. We don't even worry about it. It didn't matter.
00:55:49
Speaker
this is my hopeful that maybe I'll finally get to play my Rollerblades Mantis or one of my other Mantis variants. um And my failure, she stands still as a testament of failure of a card that I could not build a deck for that I did not want to cut her first from.
00:56:06
Speaker
So like we tried, we've tried multiple times. Okay. So new mantis is still a ah one cost, a one, two with the ability ongoing set the power of the highest cost cards, parentheses us at this location to zero.
00:56:30
Speaker
That's fun. that's Yeah! yeah There are some cards that would play nice with that, yeah. Right? you can take something down, but there's a lot of ways to get... You know, she dies to Killmonger, she's an ongoing card. I see.
00:56:45
Speaker
you put early, could just not set... um a card there. know what I mean? And it's your own cards too, if your card is the highest cost card. going to play Gore there. Oh, that's really interesting. Right?
00:56:59
Speaker
So maybe you want to play, maybe you are playing her in your own card with like Red Skull or something. You know what I mean Like, no. was thinking of an old design I was making. There's some interesting tension though, because like if she's currently suppressing your opponent's five cost, you're like, do I want to play a six?
00:57:20
Speaker
Yeah. See, so, like, I don't know. I just want anything that's different from Mantis. Sorry, I had been thinking about having it set text of the highest cost cards to nothing, and then changed it. Which would have made her go with Red Skull and that kind of stuff.
00:57:38
Speaker
Okay. Okay, and then that was mostly it because I just wanted to play Mantis. And then i also gave Silk a 2-6. Because I've been playing her a lot now and I would like her to be six po I was really worried that none of us would put our money where our math has been.
00:57:59
Speaker
And then my last one is controversial. Everyone will hate it I don't care. But it's, I'm also nerfing Thanos stack. And, um, all of the Infinity Stones say cannot be destroyed on them.
00:58:15
Speaker
Ooh. think it's gonna be eaten by Strange. I think that's fine. Um, I don't, yeah, they can still be mis strange. I don't like that. This is more for a lore reason. don't like that. It's like, it's an affinity stone. It's like super powerful. you combine it, it's like you'll be the God of all universes ever.
00:58:35
Speaker
And then it's like, but you know, it does, it does like just die to like a little knife thrown by my buddy Killmonger. You know what I mean? And it's just like, ah, it's it's an infinity stone, you know?
00:58:48
Speaker
i actually love that. Like, you know, force them to clog themselves with no answer besides something like Strange Supreme. Yeah. And then you can just nerf their power down if they, you know, like, if they're still, it's still too good.
00:59:04
Speaker
I like that as a Thanos drawback. Yeah. Okay, so our new homework is, and this is inspired by a, I ran into a scenario recently that I'm not going to say in case I need to save it for secret homework because think something else.
00:59:24
Speaker
And it I don't know if you're familiar with the poem by Philip Larkin called This Be the Verse. It's one that goes, they fuck you up, your mom and dad, they don't mean to, but they do.
00:59:38
Speaker
They fill you with the faults they had and add some extra just for you. Okay, I am sorry. That was something had, I thought, I wasn't sure if we all heard that and... Was I really caught wherever I heard that stuck with me? Anyway, so it's just kind of the idea. It's like, you know, you're always like, you always get fucked up by what raises you.
00:59:55
Speaker
And I was thinking about that with video games, because we usually talk about like the nostalgic things that we love or the ways like, you know, it got us through a hard time maybe or something, all this stuff.
01:00:07
Speaker
But sometimes the games that we really liked when we were kids, like fucked us up in some kind of way. I definitely have seen the ways it has given people some weird fetishes on the internet.
01:00:17
Speaker
So like, you know, so I mean, not that I'm saying you should, you need to share that. But I'm just saying there's some way that some video game you like um has, um you know, in some way made you either a little bit worse or a little bit different.
01:00:40
Speaker
And that's the story I want to hear. That's so much subtler than what video game fucked you up. but
01:00:49
Speaker
Made you a little bit worse or a little bit different. It's broad, right? Or taught you the wrong information or you know what I mean? yeah Give me give a story. ah Allow some stretch to get there.
01:01:03
Speaker
Do you know how many waterfalls I've looked behind in real life and never seen a cave? That's what I'm saying.
01:01:11
Speaker
Hey, if you liked what you heard, i you know, like comment, subscribe review. If you want to comment, you can do that on YouTube or Spotify. Um, we're on YouTube and all the, all the podcasting places, you know, wherever you want to listen to us or watch us.
01:01:28
Speaker
If you want to see our show and tell instead of just ASMR that shit, YouTube. Um, Yeah, we're part of the s Snap Judgments Network. ah We are on their Discord in this little corner called the Speakeasy. And if you want to come hang out there...
01:01:42
Speaker
It's a little tricky, but I exaggerate how hard it is. If you want to get there, there are instructions to do show in the show notes or video description. um And we're we're glad to be part of the Snap Judgments Network, where you can listen to other great shows like Snap Decisions from Joe, who does episodes every Monday with guests and Tuesdays, his normal show and ad hoc ones ah for OTA and announcements, stuff like that.
01:02:04
Speaker
He's got a casual slant. He's got a lot of comic knowledge, ah history as a radio DJ. It's a fun show. We've all been on it. ah multiple times. Anyway, if you want to find out ah what video game fucked us up, tune in next week.
01:02:21
Speaker
Same snap time, same snap channel.
In-depth Thunderbolts Movie Review
01:02:27
Speaker
Now we're going talk about Thunderbolts. PR. But you have to take credit for it. This is Rhi's Thunderbolts segment. We are talking about Thunderbolts.
01:02:36
Speaker
this this is the This is the time. This was the plan. and The plan was to do it after. okay Do you want to do your your show and tell before or after Thunderbolts? I don't know. It's so hot now. No energy for my Thunderbolts.
01:02:52
Speaker
This is going to be everyone's favorite part. Do we have to do a special emergency recording after you cool down? Yeah, we totally can do that.
01:03:05
Speaker
Yeah, I'm sorry. I forgot we were quitting for a second. Totally like last May and Train of Sex we ended. Oh, I didn't mean to throw you off. Yeah, it was always going to be the guitar section. The after show was going to be where we put all the spoilies.
01:03:20
Speaker
um Oh my gosh. Snap on this after dark. It's going to get... This is where the secret homework is to share your fetish.
01:03:33
Speaker
Okay. Do you want to come back and talk about Thunderbolts later? Yeah, sorry, I'm just like, I'm trying to pull it. It's like, ah it's like, i was like, it's like my, mom I don't have any monologuing energy.
01:03:47
Speaker
Okay, after a quick cooldown break, we're back to talk about Thunderbolts, asterisk, with spoilers. Yes? Okay, yes.
01:04:01
Speaker
Spoiler warning. have been warned. Yeah, big foghorn. For people who have seen. Yeah, I was thinking, I'm like, we need Ben to come up with a ditty. The people have demanded. We've done South Trumpet. Spoilers tag. for Because we're always talking about Marvel movies. That's true we do We do spoil some things sometimes. It is possible that we need a stinger to...
01:04:25
Speaker
You know, indicate that forbidden knowledge is about to come at you. You've entered the spoiler zone. Like Margaret Thatcher. Exactly. Okay.
01:04:37
Speaker
For me, there were two big things I really wanted to talk about with Thunderbolts that I loved. um And one is like, okay, so like this movie had tropes, you know, and relied on some frames that we've seen before, but did some of them with, like, so much more compassion or with a twist that was interesting.
01:05:02
Speaker
Like, this movie, I feel like for for this style of movie, this kind of more action or, you know, genre kind of movie, it really treated mental illness with, like, way more kindness than has usually happened.
01:05:19
Speaker
Because it employs the trope of like, okay, like, you know, we're sitting close to the end. And it's like, we sure hope that, um you know, this this girl on the basis of her previous kindness to this mentally ill boy i can fool him for long enough to trust her so that we can like...
01:05:42
Speaker
you know, ah storm him in a crystal or blow him up or whatever we need to do with him. Cause he's a monster. Now we have some sympathy for him on the basis of like previous scenes, uh, you know, that showed how he'd been mistreated, but unfortunately now he's a danger. So he's probably just, you know, he's a monster and we got to get rid of him. And And I feel like that's this that kind of pseudo like not real sympathy for think mentalness. It's like, yeah, it's really unfortunate that they're this way. And, no you know, we must dispose of them as a danger to us all.
01:06:18
Speaker
And this this. um you know This movie had that trope with Yelena and Bob. you know as like you know she meets him. Of course, at the end, it's a friendship, but genuine you know and it's For the woman, it's gross on that side, too. where It's kind of gross that she's like...
01:06:38
Speaker
usually kind of having to semi-fane kind of something, which is already, like, feels bad to, like, but, like, everyone's going to die if she doesn't, like, convince this guy to, like, whatever um in these movies.
01:06:54
Speaker
And this was so – but their their connection and and friendship was so genuine. And they didn't put the responsibility – usually these movies are kind of, like – um You know that kind of like, well, it's really on the individual. It's on this person and their choices. And even if they had disadvantages or whatever.
01:07:15
Speaker
And this one kept pointing out the irresponsibility of the institutions to give superpowers. right to someone who is mentally ill. So, and it had a lot of compassion, for Bob, you know, and at the end, right when, when, um, he's there and he's wrestling with like Dark Link um, you know, and, Dark Link, okay. The void. I know.
01:07:46
Speaker
Uh, a You know, looks at him and says it's like he says something along the lines of like, you'll always be alone, just me and you forever and ever. And it's just like there's so many that was said in a way.
01:07:58
Speaker
It's like you're not just identifying with Yelena, you're identifying with Bob, right? Like there's some of us that like felt that in our souls. And when Yelena comes, when she decides to do this,
01:08:09
Speaker
it's like to really help him. Like she really cares about him. There's no like feigning this. There's this recognition that they're all, you know, they've all done bad things. Right. She's done so many wrong things. And it's like, it's just, you know, I think she says it in such, i love Florence Pugh. I'm saying your name right.
01:08:33
Speaker
You know, it's such a relatable thing. It's done so many bad things. um It's also worth mentioning that she feels like really bad, like just just like script wise, like she really ah gives that horrible advice about stuffing it down. And I, you know, like in that earlier scene, like you like you knew that was like going to come back later and like she had to make that right because that was not the correct advice to give that individual advice.
01:09:06
Speaker
It's not the right advice for herself either. even if but yeah like Obviously, but like, I think she like felt like a personal ah responsibility for maybe how things were unfolding.
01:09:17
Speaker
I mean, i don't know. The second thing really liked about Thunderbolts was the twist on, like, we've had these end moments before that are about, like, people, like, kind of just, yeah, just coming together and embracing and recognizing, like, like you know.
01:09:37
Speaker
um That all they have is each other kind of thing. and But what I love about this is normally it's like the family coming in together, whether it's like the found family or, you know, real family. And aside from like, you know, Red Guardian and Elaine in this situation, they're not really there yet at all.
01:09:57
Speaker
What it just is, is a recognition of people who don't have that, who are alone, who have no found family and recognizing that, like, making yourself a little bit vulnerable.
01:10:09
Speaker
Right. And like reaching out and just opening yourself up, like putting yourself out there and caring about someone else. Like, that's how you get there, you know, because like ultimately, like,
01:10:22
Speaker
a lot of our media, it's like, if, if, if, if there's one thing we've decided is the meaning of life, it's in our connections, right? It's in connections to other people in various ways. And, um I loved, I loved that twist that it wasn't like, cause you know, it's kind of an old, it's like, yes, the people that you're close to and you care about are what's important. And this was like, what if you don't have What if it's You're just alone. It's just you avoid it. And how do you find that? And on a on a lesser than, like, life or death scale,
01:10:56
Speaker
um you know, it's like it's hard as an adult, like, when you move for work or something, to make new friends, you know, that you didn't know from college or high school. So it's just like...
01:11:09
Speaker
It's just like a struggle a lot of people face. And I feel like this addressed all of these people broken in all these ways, recognizing that they have to take that first step towards caring and being kind to each other to you know, to make it lighter. um And she said, and she just, I like, I like, like, teared up. It was just, I thought it was, ah like it was just, it was, it was tropes. It was a story were comfortable with, but, like, at the same time, it was, it was so different. And Yelena,
01:11:40
Speaker
like was so strong right it's like she wasn't afraid this wasn't her feigning ah you know through her fear to and reach bob so they could like take him down it was her like she's not afraid of death all these people have been you know and she starts by jumping off what the second tallest building in the world you don't know like she walks in because she recognizes like all she wants to do is help him and she realized that's You know, the same way she helped herself.
01:12:09
Speaker
um So, yeah, for beautiful twists and tropes that I felt were compassionate, which is just something I think we're all longing for right now.
01:12:23
Speaker
um So, yeah, that's those were um my big takeaways from Thunderbolts. I'd love to hear, you guys thought about it. i I loved it. I felt like... Okay, I'm not a trailer girly, so I don't know what the but the trailers... Or more specifically, I'm somebody who avoids trailers for movies I already know I'm going to see.
01:12:45
Speaker
um Not that I'm like obsessive about spoilers or anything like that, but I just like ah i don't need the trailer to sell me. i already know i'm going to watch it. um So I don't know how much they like gave away, hey, this movie is going to deal with some heavy stuff. This movie's primary theme is loneliness.
01:13:01
Speaker
Like... To me, it seems like that maybe was like disguised in like the Marvel blockbuster. was this like heavier movie. And of course there were plenty, there was lots of good action and lots of great jokes. I laughed out loud several times, but also I was sobbing by the time, you know, Yelena went up and and gave him a hug and told him he wasn't alone.
01:13:20
Speaker
And I looked over and Jess was sobbing too. um And I don't know how common that experience is going to be, but certainly for anybody who has felt that lonely, which I think is probably most people. Yeah.
01:13:33
Speaker
and or dealt with mental illness. Like, that's all we really want is to not be alone, to be understood, to be with somebody who will listen or any variety of that. And I just thought it was so beautiful. It might be my favorite Marvel movie ever because...
01:13:50
Speaker
because of the depth that it reached. Whereas like, yeah if I did like my ranking of the MCU, it's like ah's TV series are all my top ones. And then it go down to movies. The TV series have time to develop characters.
01:14:03
Speaker
And that's something that I care about a lot more than good action. um And I still delivered fine on that. so like I feel like it's the kind of corny thing I normally wouldn't be laughing at, but I was totally cracking up when Red Guardian was like driving the road.
01:14:20
Speaker
Oh, no. It's fucking hilarious in that role. was laughing out loud at the theater, and I'm like, this is so corny, but it's just like so well done. Yeah, the execution was just excellent.
01:14:35
Speaker
and ah I don't know if if my mentioning of this has already made it in or not, but my favorite part was when John Walker announces...
01:14:48
Speaker
I think Bob's dark side got superpowers. And that shit is hilarious. He's just the simplest man ever to be simple. ah Oh my gosh.
01:15:01
Speaker
ah Yeah. i did Played to perfection by Wyatt Russell. ah Not like a likable dude by any means. I mean, I don't know. Wyatt Russell is probably a nice guy, but John Walker, ah kind of ah kind of a piece of shit.
01:15:14
Speaker
But a delightful character. You can like the character without liking them as a person. Yep. Very fun character. um theyre They're all, you know, I wish Ghost got a little more to do.
01:15:27
Speaker
that She felt kind of the least developed. mean, Taskmaster? Oh, well, I mean, of people who lived more than 30 seconds, what was that? That was disappointing. Yeah. was like In a movie full of good choices, I don't think that was one of them.
01:15:46
Speaker
Taskmaster? No, okay, because before this, I was literally saying before the movie, I was like, okay, they changed Taskmaster a lot from the comics, mostly from someone who was a character to someone who had no character as being their whole kind of deal.
01:16:04
Speaker
And I'm like, okay, well, I'm excited for this movie to, you know, maybe like do something with this MCU. Yeah, it's like now we'll get the chance to know this character.
01:16:16
Speaker
shit like, oh, nope, that's it. Psych! No such luck.
01:16:23
Speaker
Yeah. and do How do we... it Is the asterisk that they're the new Avengers? Is that what the asterisk is? Yeah, and honestly, i feel a little bit bad about being so complicit in this asterisk gimmick.
01:16:35
Speaker
I don't know, folks. I don't know. i liked the movie a lot, but i'm not I'm not sure it merited the asterisk. And they tricked me into talking about it a lot, which I don't appreciate.
01:16:48
Speaker
It's I found it surprising and I don't know how it ties into the comics. Maybe the Thunderbolts do become the new Avengers in the comics. But Mike, this team does not on par with the Avengers at all. Besides century, who is intentionally suppressing his powers. um Yeah, they don't they don't seem Avenger to me.
01:17:08
Speaker
um i don I'm excited to see these characters ah more and to see them developed further and their relationships developed for.
Fantastic Four and MCU Speculations
01:17:18
Speaker
Oh, yeah.
01:17:19
Speaker
Also, i i saw this trailer for the Fantastic Four and the they had a little post-credits pop-up thing. You know, I don't know why. I just have a hunch that movie it might turn out all right.
01:17:33
Speaker
i don't i I haven't enjoyed any of the Fantastic Four movies I've seen before, but I'm just like, maybe this one will be all right. The cast is, you know... Very good. retro They're doing the retro futurism thing. Like, I just like, i don't know why I just sort of have a hunch. They might like, it might be a winner. I don't know.
01:17:52
Speaker
I'm not like a fantastic four kid, so I don't know. Okay, one, you're right, yes. Like, the aesthetic is already selling it. Like, on the basis of the whole aesthetic of the movie, it looks and good.
01:18:05
Speaker
We're assuming everything we saw in the trailer is in, like, the first 30 minutes and their their universe gets, like, destroyed or whatever, right? Yeah, almost definitely. Okay. Oh, wait, no.
01:18:16
Speaker
Maybe? um I was going to say, though, okay, this is a strong promises of aesthetic, and it reminded me of how how much we got totally fucked over with that with Wonder Woman 84.
01:18:31
Speaker
They were promising all these, like, bright, cool... Wait, saying this movie is also going to squander Pedro Pascal? Hopefully not, because Marvel doesn't tend to go as terrible as DC when it messes things up.
01:18:48
Speaker
But like, oh, that was so disappointing. It was like the advertising was so like, yes, I'm in. And it's like they didn't deliver on that in the movie like at all.
01:18:59
Speaker
I found it to be very forgettable. i I know I've seen it at least once and the details have just dripped out of my ears. but Same, but also that's normal for me. <unk> um Not so normal for me.
01:19:14
Speaker
I don't think it's the first 30 minutes. I think it's the end of the movie. Their universe does get destroyed and that's how they end up in the MCU. But I think the majority of the Fantastic Four movie is going to be in their universe, building these four characters.
01:19:27
Speaker
Yeah, I believe that. It makes sense.
01:19:31
Speaker
could be yeah it's an interesting way to get them into the mca don't remember who posited that theory i think i think i think i i i'm just i i read it on discord from probably one of our friends and i thought you know that sounds about right to me based based on what i finally saw in the trailer i don't know just don't know like does galactus get to be the climax if the universe is destroyed in the first 30 minutes
01:19:56
Speaker
um I assume they like end up fleeing or, ah you know, in one way or another, they end up as like refugees of ah of a destroyed world like here in the world.
Humor and Favorite Podcast Moments
01:20:11
Speaker
mainline marvel universe and uh i don't know i i i presume they'd be like you know warning of of this cosmic threat not being heralds of galactus like you know the heralds of galactus but like being like oh fuck y'all watch out for galacti they're trouble well they'll devour your world you
01:20:33
Speaker
Cautionary Tale, Fantastic Four. What if, like, you can't have a herd of galacti, though, because they're like betta fish. You've got to keep them in separate, and they'll fight if they're together.
01:20:47
Speaker
Somewhere the collector has little tanks full of galacti counting against the glass. Different colors! Okay. Okay, before we wrap it up, I need to make sure to deliver something I meant to say earlier. re If your cellular structure is being sufficiently reworked, are you the re of Theseus or the ship of Rhesius?
01:21:14
Speaker
That is probably the best re-pun you've ever had on the podcast. I live for that.