Geeking Out – 7 Wonders Edifice and Mid-Month Marvels for Feb 2023

Posted on February 22, 2023 in Geeking Out

Following our February Feature (and, let’s not forget, giveaway) this mid-month we’re taking a detailed look at the newest expansion for 7 Wonders: Edifice.

But, never fear, true believers, we’re still doing our regular slot on the month’s Marvel Crisis Protocol previews and releases (might include the ones I forgot to talk about before…)

7 WONDERS EDIFICE

The latest expansion for 7 Wonders, which releases this week, brings to the table EXACTLY what I’ve always been looking for: co-op. Well, semi co-op, at least.

A bit of context: my middle offspring (12) enjoys gaming but doesn’t cope well with competitive play (doesn’t seem to stop him blowing folk up in Fortnite, but still), so co-op games are always attractive to us if we want to get him to join in.

7 Wonders Edifice treads a fine line by introducing shared goals, complete with wonderful Edifice tokens for each age, which you can build together as you would a Wonder (though if playing with 7 Wonders: Armada, incidentally, you can only build one or the other per age) If you don’t join in, and the building doesn’t get constructed, you also incur a penalty. In each age, a random Edifice is placed project side up on the table, with a marker for each player. Once the last marker is flipped, each player gains the reward, or suffer the penalty if you haven’t joined in – which can even include going into debt! The expansion also includes two new wonders: Ur specifically interacts with Edifices whilst Carthage is generic.

I really like this expansion as it introduces a bit of forcible co-operation (or FOMO, depending on your perspective). Whilst many folk consider Armada an essential addition to the base game, I’m a bit more neutral as it adds time and faff (though, granted, weight also); Edifice, however, fits in seamlessly with the base game and/or any other expansion (you can read my thoughts on all of these HERE) and its semi-co-op vibe adds a sense of political intrigue and ancient geopolitics that I rather love.

MARVEL CRISIS PROTOCOL

BETA-RAY BILL & ULIK

(RRP: £44.99)

I was digging through my MCP bits (looking for Deadpool’s spare leg, thanks for asking) and I realised something startling: just how much the quality of MCP minis has improved. I mean, the sculpts were always good, but between gapping and millions of TINY TINY parts – it was the various bits of Starlord’s head I happened upon – there were frustrations, to say the least.

The quality of the product now, however, is unmatched. Beta-Ray Bill is a brilliant, dynamic model, and I’m so pleased his head is not in 5000 pieces – you can check out my thoughts on him in-game HERE.

Ulik, meanwhile, is 5 cost and he hits like a sack of bricks, or should I say rocks, with a whopping native strength 6 attack. Typically you’d expect characters on this scale to be slow but his crushing leap lets him move S+R2 into that for 3 power. Like other entities from the Asgardian mythos, he’s generating an extra power per turn, and his Str 9 attack, although 5 power, activates the target most of time (if they’re not down already). This is a great ability, and means that – like Beta-Ray Bill – you’re going to be taking the fight to your opponent’s biggest hitters – let’s face it, str 9 is going to be a bit redundant against smaller foes. I’m not entirely sold on him at 5, though: I still lean towards Juggernaut, even though that extra power generation is mighty tempting.

EMMA FROST & PSYLOCKE

(RRP: £34.99)

Two of my favourite mutants in the one pack? Curse you Atomic Mass! These are both – or should I say all 3 – fantastic sculpts. I love that you get a separate regular and diamond form for Emma, but the Psylocke pose is great too, really nailing her blade.

I am very excited to see Emma as White Queen on the table, leading the new Hellfire Club faction, though at 4 cost she’s still a totally viable choice in any mutant list; just her basic power builder is a Psychic 5str R4 attack that moves the target S on wilds and crits.

Outside of Convocation match-ups, that’s pretty scary – but her 2 cost reactive Shield Mind ability means she and the rest of her team are fairly safe from the mystics too. Plus, in Diamond form (an easy switch for 1 power) she’s immune to all such attacks and turns into a total combat monster, complete with Shatter – a 6 power, 7str area effect blast that can turn enemy results blank.

I think I’m in love… and then there’s Psyclocke too!

Psylocke is a vicious, versatile killing machine, pure and simple. With two power builders and masses of rerolls (both from Martial Artist and Telekinetic Combat Enhancement), Stealth AND lots of ways to get extra S moves, she’s nimble and utterly lethal – and that’s before we talk about her R3 Str7 stunning attack. Really feels like the character, and she’s pretty much an auto-include even at 4 points for X-Men lists at that point. I’m less sure she’ll see play out of faction at that price, but I’m certainly looking forward to having her on my side of the table.

So, for that all important bonus entry, just let us know in the comments section below what you’ve got on your hobby/gaming table right now!

And remember to check back on the first Monday of March for the results of our 7 Wonders Giveaway!

The Writer of this piece was: Sam Graven
Article Archive: Geeking Out
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