I personally am not out of content yet from the core set but have been preparing ways in the back of my head for the eventuality of additional challenges.

Team Covenant used "Super Expert Mode" on one of their recent (maybe yesterday?) streams. In that mode they flip 2 encounter cards per player during the reveal encounter cards step of the villain phase. Nice and simple.

For lack of a better name my proposal for a "Nightmare Mode" includes all Expert Mode setup instructions: use of the 3 expert encounter cards, and villain levels 2 and 3. Additionally, you'll start the game against level 1 villain in addition to battling levels 2 and 3. Also, the players' nemesis encounter cards will start the game in the encounter deck. When you reveal "Shadows of the Past" you'll search the encounter deck and discard pile for the character's nemesis and their associated side scheme and put them into play. The surge would trigger if the player that drew Shadows of the Past already was engaged with the character and the side scheme was already in play. Again, simple with only altering one card.

Anyone else put any thoughts into alternative difficulty modes?

I'm not sure adding three villain stages will increase difficulty so much as just make the game go longer. I think adding either extra encounter cards and/or starting with acceleration token(s) might be a better way to increase difficulty without actually making the game take (a lot) longer.

Dealing more encounter cards will of course make the villain go through their deck faster and you'll also get faster acceleration tokens that way so you might not want to try adding both unless you're really looking for a tough game.

Having to deal with all 3 stages makes it more likely that the main scheme deck will complete before you can win.

2 hours ago, Khudzlin said:

Having to deal with all 3 stages makes it more likely that the main scheme deck will complete before you can win.

Only in that you’re likely to pick up an extra acceleration token during the game. I’m firmly in the camp that thinks starting at level 1 makes the game easier rather than harder, as you get to set up with the Villain in easy mode.

For example, Rhino stage 1 is a very relaxed pace to begin the game with. Rhino stage 2 forces you to deal with a side scheme immediately or get more encounter cards which can slow your set up considerably.

You can also put a scheme on his plot (normally it’s zero for rhino, but maybe if he begin with one by player that will be tougher). Also You can begin the game by playing rhino first. Not only the plot will grow before you play. But also you will have a encounter card already against you (yeah all player are in alter ego so it’s look no trouble. But what if that attach more rapidly cards to rhino ?).

How about starting with the effects of all the stages and all the health combined?

I think a slight variation on super expert mode, where the base number of encounter cards is equal to the stage of the villain, may strike a nice balance.

On 12/4/2019 at 3:08 AM, Palpster said:

I'm not sure adding three villain stages will increase difficulty so much as just make the game go longer.

imo, going through all three stages is actually easier than simply stage II and III because you're allowed to set up against the weaker side.

Klaw and Rhino for example both start in expert with +1 atk and an extra side scheme from the very beginning compared to normal

a better variant might be to give stages II and III the health of +1 (or even +2 or double) player count or something

Does someone try to take out two vilains at the same time ?

I haven't tried it yet, but what about playing as if you were one more player than you are for the per player effects? For example, you're running only 2 players, but you treat the per player effects as 3.

I suppose you could do something somewhere between standard and expert by using stages I and III, with or without the Expert cards.

I tend to prefer an easier, more casual game. The rules as they are written are ideal for tournament or competitive play, but for a more casual game, I use the following rules:

1) Villain hit points aren't adjusted per player unless there are 4 players. The reason being is that players need to defeat the villain twice per game (2 phases). In addition, in a one player game, only one phase of the villain needs to be defeated to win. This can be ignored of course if the player feels the villain was too easily defeated. If a single player wants a challenging game, use the Expert Mode difficulty and fight the phase 3 villain.

2) When the first phase villain is defeated, all threat is removed from all schemes in play. If the main scheme has starting threat when it is revealed, reset threat to that level. In addition, all damage from player heroes is healed since the villain hit points are set to the second phase.

Edit: I forgot to mention I also don't believe in consequential damage when an ally attacks or thwarts. The main purpose of allies is to boost the heroes' basic attack and thwart capabilities, and to defend heroes against enemy attacks. Keep in mind that like a hero who defends, an ally who defends won't be able to attack or thwart the following round since they are exhausted at the beginning of the new round.

I still havent beat Ultron (multiplayer) on Expert mode as is.

But I think the easiest way to ratchet up the difficulty level is to setup by discarding all the cards from the encounter deck except the side schemes, expert cards, and shadows of the past....this will cause the encounter deck to run out and start with a +1 Threat token on the main scheme early on. Once you shuffle all the cards will be back in the deck.

On 12/12/2019 at 9:36 PM, Slobosoy1 said:

Does someone try to take out two vilains at the same time ?

I've played Double Villain a couple of times, although not for difficulty, but for variety (it is slightly harder though). Custom homebrew rules loosely based on the Wrecking Crew.

21 hours ago, DatonKallandor said:

I've played Double Villain a couple of times, although not for difficulty, but for variety (it is slightly harder though). Custom homebrew rules loosely based on the Wrecking Crew.

I think atone point I will play the wrecking crew with their scheme + rhino without any scheme.

I’ve worked on some challenge modes to be mixed in with standard or expert villains.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10RCs-Vf3jU0GyHG-z7JN_U0ZqNYXaiDc

You can just put an environment card into play to begin the game. You can use challenge 1 with any of the current villains. And I’m making a challenge card for each other scenario (just mutagen formula still to figure out). They do as much as they can to provide a challenge while still mainly focusing on the cards in a villains deck. Rhino example attached.

its made to give the players interesting choices... is it worth it to get rid of that side scheme? Can we handle a charge?

3 hours ago, KennedyHawk2 said:

I’ve worked on some challenge modes to be mixed in with standard or expert villains.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10RCs-Vf3jU0GyHG-z7JN_U0ZqNYXaiDc

You can just put an environment card into play to begin the game. You can use challenge 1 with any of the current villains. And I’m making a challenge card for each other scenario (just mutagen formula still to figure out). They do as much as they can to provide a challenge while still mainly focusing on the cards in a villains deck. Rhino example attached.

its made to give the players interesting choices... is it worth it to get rid of that side scheme? Can we handle a charge?

These look great!

Any plans to put these in a PDF document formatted to print multiple cards on a page with card backs? I like to have Staples print off stuff like this so it comes out looking really nice, and not having to do individual pages for each card makes it cheaper to do

I will do that when I get back from my current business trip ::)

It would be interesting to put together an encounter deck list for the other villains to let them fit into the Prison Break scenario. You'd need to create a new 'Side-scheme' for them, and then decide which 15 cards would suit their 'unsupported' deck best.

On 2/5/2020 at 6:15 PM, KennedyHawk2 said:

I will do that when I get back from my current business trip ::)

I did notice a couple of typos on the Joining the Crew card.

There should be a comma after defeated, and "villains discard pile" should be "villain's discard pile" in the Forced Interrupt section. Also, under the Forced Reaction section, there should be a comma after "phase".

Not trying to nit-pick, just saw them and thought I'd mention it.

4 minutes ago, maniakmedic said:

I did notice a couple of typos on the Joining the Crew card.

There should be a comma after defeated, and "villains discard pile" should be "villain's discard pile" in the Forced Interrupt section. Also, under the Forced Reaction section, there should be a comma after "phase".

Not trying to nit-pick, just saw them and thought I'd mention it.

Thanks! Always point these out I add them to my notebook to update in my best revision

On 1/30/2020 at 6:03 PM, jeremyj621 said:

I tend to prefer an easier, more casual game. The rules as they are written are ideal for tournament or competitive play, but for a more casual game, I use the following rules:

1) Villain hit points aren't adjusted per player unless there are 4 players. The reason being is that players need to defeat the villain twice per game (2 phases). In addition, in a one player game, only one phase of the villain needs to be defeated to win. This can be ignored of course if the player feels the villain was too easily defeated. If a single player wants a challenging game, use the Expert Mode difficulty and fight the phase 3 villain.

2) When the first phase villain is defeated, all threat is removed from all schemes in play. If the main scheme has starting threat when it is revealed, reset threat to that level. In addition, all damage from player heroes is healed since the villain hit points are set to the second phase.

Edit: I forgot to mention I also don't believe in consequential damage when an ally attacks or thwarts. The main purpose of allies is to boost the heroes' basic attack and thwart capabilities, and to defend heroes against enemy attacks. Keep in mind that like a hero who defends, an ally who defends won't be able to attack or thwart the following round since they are exhausted at the beginning of the new round.

Sounds like you're playing a very different game but you do you boo

9 hours ago, jonboyjon1990 said:

Sounds like you're playing a very different game but you do you boo

"I'm Too Young to Die" mode.

1 hour ago, sverigesson said:

"I'm Too Young to Die" mode.

iddqd

1 hour ago, sverigesson said:

"I'm Too Young to Die" mode.

What confuses me the most is jeremmyj621 seems to think the rules are written with tournament/competitive play in mind.....despite the game being casual solo/co-op.