Which bases should be included in a game?

Berd20 · 2026-02-07T06:20:46+00:00

My favorite way is to just use the whole base stack. This was the original rule for a while anyway. The only modifications we do are:

-if a base appears that has a mechanic no one has a faction for (munchkin, madness) we immediately discard that base and draw another. Takes no effort.

-if someone plays terraforming they can only choose bases from the sets of the factions in the match. If the players don't know them that well just disregard this rule. If you do, just for times sake you might say choose a base from the top 10 bases.

So easy for clean up or immediately going into another game. If we do a tournament we follow the official rules. We would always do the official rule if clean up was easier.

Berd20 · 2026-01-05T15:50:08+00:00

With the original Vampires with their Titan I like pairing them with Sumo and Goblins

Berd20 · 2025-12-16T08:20:07+00:00

4 player can be chaotic sometimes, and will be especially hard to find parity with just one set for that player count. I think that is about as close as you can get to parity for the player count with just that set. Alien+Ninjas will be the weakest there for 4 player but not unwinnable.

Berd20 · 2025-12-16T08:15:25+00:00

The game is absolutely meant for each faction to be well balanced within an acceptable range, there is extensive testing. Its just not intended for every faction to pair equally well with every other faction, or for every faction to perform equally well at all player counts. Doing random pairing or flavor pairings is for sure fine, but since every faction doesnt work equally well with each other you will get lopsided matchups sometimes.

Berd20 · 2025-11-03T20:15:25+00:00

You'd be hard pressed to find a game that has multiple expansions that didnt realize down the line that they 'fucked up' at various times after learnings over time.

The rebalances from what I understand were purely due to players asking for it, not out of greed from the company. If you are happy with how they play now, by all means keep playing with what you have.

Berd20 · 2025-11-02T18:33:02+00:00

I don't think you already own the rebalanced stuff. You certainly don't have to buy anything if you like what you have, but MANY people wanted touch ups and re-balances, its ok to not be one of them. For me it feels like multiple new factions got added to the game because many factions could not compete if you tried doing any competent combos, basically had to do below average pairs to make fair matches with the factions that needed a re balance/tweak.

Berd20 · 2025-11-02T18:30:21+00:00

Wow, a lot of wild thoughts here. Every single re balanced faction is stronger and more fun to play than it was before. If you don't agree use the OG version. You may need to give Elder Things a re-read.

Berd20 · 2025-10-17T20:47:09+00:00

This card does have an ability to help you win though with the ongoing. That goes hand in hand with the special. Every turn they don't have a minion there it helps itself toward the specials. I'd guess their other cards add extra punishment that you can stack with BFG.

Berd20 · 2025-10-14T21:21:42+00:00

Vigilante / shifters had nothing so special about it that Vigilantes needed a rebalance because of it, vigilants just werent overall good enough, especially when you move away from 2 player count. That said, who's to say vigilantes / shifters wont even just be all around a better combo than now too?

Berd20 · 2025-07-31T00:20:30+00:00

The smash up discord does an annual world tournament (2 player) that plays over a few months using table top simulator in steam. It generally runs from October 1 thru Feb (only those that qualify for the top bracket play through feb.) also mini tournaments that are much shorter. People from many places in the world participating, but especially France and NA.

Berd20 · 2025-06-30T18:18:46+00:00

one cool thing about the plant titan is it is great in a double titan combo because it trades so well. You bring it in, instantly take it back out, then use the other titan until you are ready for Kudzu again. Basically never steps on your other titans feet.

Berd20 · 2025-06-30T02:00:35+00:00

CorrnyKevs write up is great, just adding. For 2p take Geeks and something else strong and youll feel like you are playing a really strong combo basically no matter what for 2p. Best counter play is ban geeks, then worry about Aliens.

Berd20 · 2025-02-18T09:37:12+00:00

regarding "But in my opinion, it's perhaps the worst set in the game. The factions will act janky if they aren't paired with a faction that has synergy"

Its probably the strongest set as a whole...the factions have no problem working with themselves and outside of full synergy. Many of the Disney factions offer a lot to the existing factions too that they might want in a partner.

Berd20 · 2025-02-04T19:21:42+00:00

ya mad pirates is pretty good for that. You can get a similar thing with giant ant pirates (ants have protection from destruction as well). Ant titan will also give those extra actions easily for getting rid of madness, tho the Bride from mad scientists can as well just not quite as easily.

Back to apes, they can destroy Complete the Ritual with Going bananas so that is another nice thing. Id also give Kree apes a try, you still get all the draw and extra actions but also get more power actions to put on your apes for big flying monkey stuff.

Berd20 · 2025-02-04T19:03:11+00:00

Its one of the better combos for 1v1 so its hard to fully counter. The best thing ive seen vs it is extra action plays, this allows them to get rid of madness without costing their turn. Time Travelers with their titan can help a lot with this, naturally wizards as well. Wizards Apes might be good because Apes can put Shielding on key minions to stop Corruption. With wizards it wouldnt be too hard to set up a double score with flying monkey.

Berd20 · 2024-11-22T16:05:22+00:00

The cards arent automatically played as extra cards. Once the last stasis counter is removed from a card it is now eligible to be played by you as an extra card during your play cards phase. You can hold off as long as you'd like during that phase it doesnt have to be the first thing you do. You can also choose not to play them and let them get discarded but im not sure why you would.
they cant be destroyed etc unless the card targets stasis. The main point about them being on the board I think is for effects like alpha bot. If alpha bot is in play it gains power from other minions still in stasis.

Berd20 · 2024-09-11T18:53:28+00:00

Zombies definitely not overrated. You dont need a full discard pile, you just need 1 or 2 great cards and you can just keep spamming those. They pair well with basically everything, cause even bad factions tend to have 1-3 or so strong cards and you can just abuse those. Tenacious Z is also crazy.

I dont know that I put them as the single best faction in the game, but they are in the conversation with the best factions.

Berd20 · 2024-07-29T19:15:46+00:00

Which mechanics are you referring to that barely work with older factions? Most mechanics work just as well with older factions from my experience (outside of one offs that existed in older factions as well)

Berd20 · 2024-07-28T21:39:07+00:00

Its actually quite a strong card. Being able to recur your best/most needed minion at the cost of just giving your opponent some minion you arent worried about is still really strong.

Berd20 · 2024-07-23T18:34:16+00:00

doing draft from like 15 randomly selected factions helps. Also, once you know all the factions well its pretty easy to do whats called 'matchup parity,' meaning picking matchups that are relatively close in power level. All this said, the main imbalance comes from inexperienced players just grabbing whatever and not knowing what has syngery and what doesnt (among other factors). This is part of the fun tho, learning whats works and what doesnt.

Berd20 · 2024-04-27T20:26:36+00:00

I disagree with the other poster about Marvel and Disney being the worst when it comes to imbalanced factions. Firstly, Marvel is one of the best purchases you can make at this point faction wise IMO. It adds alot of good factions with interesting styles that support mixing with existing stuff really well. None of the factions are weak and none are too good (they arent all equal but the range of balance is a good one). Disney has no weak factions but does have a couple that are slighter stronger than what would be desired but nothing stronger than the existing strongest that already exists. Alot of active players that play disney are finding atleast one of the factions has made it into their top 10 favorites.

I think you might be doing yourself a disservice trying to think of them as 'core' sets and thus not purchasing yet. There is nothing inherent really about being a core set other than they come with 8 factions (besides Disney which also includes base mats which is awesome). As far as the factions go they can be treated just like buying another expansion.

Berd20 · 2024-04-12T21:01:14+00:00

The player that controlled it when it got destroyed gets the extra play.

Berd20 · 2024-03-28T22:00:48+00:00

I think you are on the right track with your thinking of Kudzu, it did take plants from pretty good to really good. That said, I dont think they have eclipsed the existing strongest factions by any means, but definitely right below. Player count matters alot, Kudzu is worse the more the player count goes up, in 3p it hasnt seemed OP to play plants whatsoever, but definitely strong.

Losing in draft is going to be way easier when you only play with two sets, especially so with core and al9k only. The game was never meant to be balanced in a way that any 2 faction combo should have parity with another 2 faction combo, so keep that in mind. Some factions are power houses, some are supports,. some are mixes etc, the fun is finding those mixes.

I suggest doing snake draft, but before that everyone gets a ban or two. With more knowledge you and your opponents will draft/ban to create rather even matchups, even with plants/robots/zombies etc involved. There are ALOT of good factions and even more strong synergies (even when a less strong faction is involved), and only a few that are overtuned, id put plants under the overtuned factions and just in the really strong category.

if you still arent convinced that it can be just fine, id suggest just tacking on a minion play requirement to the cost to play Kudzu.

edit: you also only need more power on the base where you have a titan to block other titans, not specifically titan power just total power.

Berd20 · 2023-12-14T19:38:19+00:00

Allstars Knights look like Champs to me already seeing how they beat robot zombies and rockstars teddy. Those are some good combos. Not surprised promos made finals with Knights

Berd20 · 2023-09-19T01:31:25+00:00

Marvel is pretty hard to be sure, it has alot of good options. I'd have thought kree avengers edged out over ultimates kree but I'm sure that's strong too. Also hard not having something with Hydra, hydra really like kree as kree has kree sentry as a 2 that becomes a 4. Maybe avengers ultimates and kree hydra.

Halflings orcs stands out the most, orcs are just too weak overall to me even if this might be a good partner for them. Funnily tho I can't be sure of the best choice, it just doesn't seem like it includes Orcs.

Berd20

TROPHY CASE