Build around card roles
Compare Attack, Skill, and Heroic cards, then balance easy-to-play cards that build Heroism with powerful Heroic options that spend it.
Attack cards Skill cards Heroic cards All 167 games
© 2K · Game artwork 01 02 Combat cards Combat cards Combat cards Combat cards Hunter abilities Hunter abilities Hunter abilities Card progression Card progression Abbey progression Relationship progression Hunter progression
Strategy · EQUIPMENT & PROGRESSION
Marvel's Midnight Suns
Combat choices in Marvel's Midnight Suns center on each hero's eight-card deck, the shared card-play budget, and Heroism. Attack, Skill, and Heroic cards fill different roles, while Quick cards can refund a play when they defeat an enemy. Between missions, the Forge, Yard, and friendship progression provide ways to expand and improve those choices. The entries below cover only options and systems specifically described in the supplied evidence.
12 guidesFiraxis GamesPC edition · Dec 1, 2022
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Improve cards and access
Use card copies and Essence for upgrades; research and friendship also unlock additional options.
Card upgrades Card mods Forge research unlocksKNOW YOUR OPTIONS
Equipment & progression guides
Choose a topic to see how it works, where it helps and what to consider.
Attack cards
Attack cards deal damage and are one of the two card types identified as generating Heroism. Some Attack cards have knockback, which can push enemies toward environmental hazards or allies for additional damage.
Understand this choiceSkill cards
Skill cards serve support roles, including healing characters, redrawing cards, and applying status effects to heroes or enemies. The supplied evidence also identifies Skill cards as a source of Heroism.
Understand this choiceHeroic cards
Heroic cards are powerful attacks associated with each hero's iconic abilities. Playing them consumes Heroism, which Attack and Skill cards generate.
Understand this choiceQuick cards
A Quick card refunds a Card Play when it defeats an enemy. This can let the squad continue using cards without spending another play, making the defeat condition central to the card's value.
Understand this choiceHunter Light abilities
Hunter's Light abilities focus on supporting the team and generating Heroism. They are one of three ability alignments described for the Hunter.
Understand this choiceHunter Dark abilities
Hunter's Dark abilities deal powerful damage at the cost of the Hunter's health or Heroism. They are a damage-focused option within the Hunter's three ability alignments.
Understand this choiceHunter Power skills
Hunter's Power skills provide a balance between offense and defense. They form the third described alignment alongside Light skills and Dark abilities.
Understand this choiceCard upgrades
Cards can be upgraded in the Yard. Upgrading a card requires at least two copies of that same card and consumes Essence.
Understand this choiceCard mods
Mods can be applied to each card to add additional perks. They provide another way to customize cards beyond the upgrades described for duplicates and Essence.
Understand this choiceForge research unlocks
At the Forge, analyzing artifacts raises research level. Research can enable Abbey upgrades, including new rooms and areas; the source also describes researching The Art of The Fang at research level 1 to unlock a Yard upgrade for Training Dummies.
Understand this choiceFriendship unlocks
High relationship levels with heroes unlock additional costumes, that hero's legendary skills, and challenge levels. Friendship is therefore a route to named skill content as well as cosmetic and challenge rewards.
Understand this choiceHunter collars and outfits
Hunter collars and outfits grant passive perks. They are equipment-like progression choices identified in the supplied evidence, though no individual perk effects are named.
Understand this choiceCommon mistakes to avoid
Quick attacks need a KO to refund a play
Quick cards refund a Card Play when they defeat an enemy; damage alone does not satisfy the stated condition.
Heroic cards depend on Heroism
Heroic attacks consume Heroism, while Attack and Skill cards generate it. Spending it on environmental attacks can leave less for Heroic cards.
References & guide scope
Base-game combat card choices and progression systems. No weapon equipment choices are supported by the provided evidence.
- The evidence supports card, research, friendship, and Abbey progression choices, but gives no named weapon equipment options.
- DLC characters and any edition-specific additions are outside this base-game reference.
Explanations prepared with GPT-6 Luna and checked against the linked references. These are source-reviewed guides. They do not establish independently tested optimal builds or exact upgrade budgets. How coverage works.