The Masters of Evil seek to control the world through any means! In addition to the VP rewards from bases, they've developed alternate methods of getting VPs, and they get stronger the more VPs they have. They are also good at destroying characters, to slow other players, and increase their strategic gain.
- - Smash Up: Marvel rulebook
The Masters of Evil are one of the 8 factions from the Smash Up: Marvel set.
They focus on gaining extra victory points by performing certain tasks, more or less easy to fulfill, and gain benefits depending on the amount of victory points you have.
Their complexity rating is: High.
Other factions from the same set: Avengers, Hydra, Kree, S.H.I.E.L.D., Sinister Six, Spider-Verse, Ultimates.
Cards
The Masters of Evil have the usual 10 characters and 10 actions. The total character base power (not counting any abilities) is the usual 30 or an average of 3 per character.
Among their actions, there are:
- 1 character modifier: Ball and Chain,
- 3 base modifiers: A Portent of Doom, Indestructible Form, World Domination,
- 6 standard actions (6 that affect one or more characters, in bold): Acceptable Losses (2x), Convergence, Gain the Upper Hand (2x), Sonic Shockwave,
- 1 action that directly increases a character's power: Ball and Chain.
Characters
1x Baron Zemo - power 5 - Ongoing: After this base scores, gain 1 VP and place this character on the bottom of its owner's deck. FAQ
2x Ulysses Klaw - power 4 - Draw a card for every 4 VP you have. FAQ
3x Black Mamba - power 3 - Ongoing: This character has +1 power for every 4 VP you have. FAQ
4x Absorbing Man - power 2 - Talent: Destroy this character and another Absorbing Man to gain 1 VP. FAQ
Actions
1x A Portent of Doom - Base modifier. Play on a base with no player’s characters. Special: When this base scores, if you have 1 or more power here gain 1 VP. FAQ
2x Acceptable Losses - Destroy one of your characters of power 4 or more to gain 1 VP. FAQ
1x Ball and Chain - Character modifier. Ongoing: This character has +2 power and cannot be destroyed by other players’ cards. FAQ
1x Convergence - Move one of your characters to another base. After it is moved, if you have four or more characters at that base, gain 1 VP. FAQ
2x Gain the Upper Hand - Destroy a character of power 3 or less. FAQ
1x Indestructible Form - Base modifier. Ongoing: Your characters here cannot be destroyed by other players’ cards. FAQ
1x Sonic Shockwave - Destroy another player’s character with less power than your total power at its base. After it is destroyed, if that character had 5 or more power, gain 1 VP. FAQ
1x World Domination - Base modifier. Talent: One of your characters here gains +2 power until the end of the turn. Ongoing: After this base scores, move this action to another base. FAQ
Bases
Clarifications
Here are the official clarifications as they appear in the Smash Up: Marvel rulebook:
A Portent of Doom: Once this card is in play, it does not stop other players from playing or moving their characters to its base.
Baron Zemo: Several other Smash Up sets have cards that take or give control of characters, which is why these cards say “its owner’s deck” instead of “your deck”, in case you control characters you don’t own.
Black Mamba, Ulysses Klaw: Round the VPs down, e.g. if you have 7VP you only get +1 power or draw one card.
World Domination: The effect remains in force until its expiration time, even if the card causing the effect is moved or destroyed.
Mechanics
The Masters of Evil have several cards that can grant you victory points if you are able to do their whole effects. Most involve either destroying your own characters for that, or some kind of tricky set-up. On top of that, their power-3 and power-4 characters have abilities that scale with your total number of victory points.
External Strategy Guides
FAQ
Questions on Baron Zemo
Q: My Baron Zemo's base scores on another player's turn, I suppose I can't use its VP gain ability because it's not my turn, right?
A: Wrong, it doesn't matter whose turn it is (nor which phase it is), after its base scores, Baron zemo's ability is triggered and you must resolve it.
Q: Can't I play Your Friendly Neighborhood Hero to place Baron Zemo on top of my deck instead of on the bottom and still gain 1 VP? Same question with Rescue Mission.
A: No. Firstly, Baron Zemo is a mandatory ability so you have to resolve it before you're able to play Your Friendly Neighborhood Hero or Rescue Missionfrom your hand. And secondly, in order to gain 1 VP, you have to fully resolve Baron Zemo's ability which includes both the VP and placing Baron Zemo on the bottom of your deck, so unless you find a way to prevent Baron Zemo from placing itself under your deck (which is possible outside the Marvel set), the moment you're able to play a Special from your hand, Baron Zemo is no longer in play to be targeted.
Q: On a base of breakpoint 19 or less, can't I use Cover the Exits to shuffle Baron Zemo into my deck instead of placing it on the bottom and still gain 1 VP?
A: No, in order to gain 1 VP, you have to fully resolve Baron Zemo's ability which includes both the VP and placing Baron Zemo on the bottom of your deck, so unless you find a way to prevent Baron Zemo from placing itself under your deck (which is possible outside the Marvel set), gaining the VP causes Baron Zemo to no longer be in play to be targeted by Cover the Exits.
With AEG's Smash Up sets
Q:
A:
Rule:
Questions on Ulysses Klaw
Q: I don't get its ability, how many cards do I draw for 5 VP? 3 VP?
A: From 0 to 3 VP, you draw no cards. From 4 to 7 VP, you draw one card. From 8 to 11 VP, you draw two. From 12 to 15 VP, you draw three. Etc.
Q: A base is 4 power away from scoring. I play Ulysses Klaw there, scoring it and awarding me some VPs. Can I then draw cards based on those additional VPs?
A: No, when the total power on a base reaches or exceeds the base's breakpoint, you don't score it on the spot. You continue with the turn and if it's the Score Bases phase (phase 3 of a turn), that's when you check if there are bases that score. At that point, and only at that point, you check if the total power on bases are enough to score them and resolve their scoring.
With AEG's Smash Up sets
Q:
A:
Rule:
Questions on Black Mamba
Q: I don't get its ability, how many power does it get for 5 VP? 3 VP?
A: From 0 to 3 VP, it gets no bonus. From 4 to 7 VP, it gets +1 power. From 8 to 11 VP, it gets +2 power. From 12 to 15 VP, it gets +3 power. Etc.
With AEG's Smash Up sets
Q:
A:
Rule:
Questions on Absorbing Man
Q: Does Absorbing Man work with an Absorbing Man in my hand and on the table? Or only on the table?
A: The two Absorbing Men you destroy must be in play.
Q: Does the second Absorbing Man have to be on its base or on any base?
A: Any other Absorbing Man on any base, not just its own base.
Q: If I use an Absorbing Man's talent and destroy two characters as a result, how many cards do I draw from Red Skull's Ongoing ability?
A: Two cards; one for each character destroyed.
Rule: When an ability is triggered, it's resolved once per trigger.
With AEG's Smash Up sets
Q: Can you destroy an Absorbing Man in stasis?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be affected by cards that do not explicitly state they work on cards in stasis.
Questions on A Portent of Doom
Q: My A Portent of Doom's base scores on another player's turn, I suppose I can't use its VP gain ability because it's not my turn, right?
A: Wrong, it doesn't matter whose turn it is (nor which phase it is), when its base scores, A Portent of Doom's ability is triggered and you must resolve it.
Q: An opponent plays this card on a base, so if I have at least 1 power there when it scores, I gain 1 VP, right?
A: No. Your opponent played the action, so they control it, and therefore the action only addresses them and the ability must be interpreted from their point of view. So its ability should be interpreted as "if they have 1 or more power here, they gain 1 VP."
Rule: A play-on-base action doesn't give an ability to the base that any player can use.
Rule: "You" on a minion, action or titan means the controller of the card.
With AEG's Smash Up sets
Q: It must be played on a base with "no players' characters". So only the absence of "character" cards is important and the presence of "minion" cards doesn't impact how this card is played, correct?
A: Wrong, the base must not have any "character" or "minion" cards. "Character" and "minion" are two synonymous terms.
Rule: The word “character” is an exact synonym for “minion” in the other sets.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it says "Base modifier", which means that it is not a standard action.
Rule: Definition of "standard".
Questions on Acceptable Losses
Q: Does Acceptable Losses work with a character in my hand and on the table? Or only on the table?
A: The character you destroy must be in play.
With AEG's Smash Up sets
Q: This destroys "one of my characters". So it only works with "character" cards and not at all with "minion" cards, correct?
A: Wrong, it works with both "character" and "minion" cards. "Character" and "minion" are two synonymous terms.
Rule: The word “character” is an exact synonym for “minion” in the other sets.
Q: It tells me to destroy "one of my characters". Can I choose a minion I own that I don't control? I don't control it but I "own" it, so it's "my" minion, right?
A: No. "Your characters" are minions you control, whether or not you own them. A minion you own but don't control isn't yours.
Q: Can you destroy a minion in stasis?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be affected by cards that do not explicitly state they work on cards in stasis.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - If Diva copies it, Diva is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that you won't be able to gain an additional 1 VP for the destroyed Diva, because the rest of the ability should be resolved as written and it shows no dependency on the number of destroyed minions.
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion (it can be itself), that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that you won't be able to gain an additional 1 VP for the destroyed minion, because the rest of the ability should be resolved as written and it shows no dependency on the number of destroyed minions.
- If We are Family copies it, the minion it is on is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that you won't be able to gain an additional 1 VP for the destroyed minion, because the rest of the ability should be resolved as written and it shows no dependency on the number of destroyed minions.
- With Funky Town, you can only copy it if you're the one who played the action, but if Funky Town does copy it, the minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that you won't be able to gain an additional 1 VP for the destroyed minion, because the rest of the ability should be resolved as written and it shows no dependency on the number of destroyed minions.
Questions on Ball and Chain
Q:
A:
Rule:
With AEG's Smash Up sets
Q: It's a "character" modifier. So it can only be attached to a "character" card and not at all to a "minion" card, correct?
A: Wrong, it can be played on a "character" or "minion" card. "Character" and "minion" are two synonymous terms.
Rule: The word “character” is an exact synonym for “minion” in the other sets.
Q: Can you play it on a minion in stasis?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be affected by cards that do not explicitly state they work on cards in stasis.
Q: If a card refers to an action "that can be played on a minion" (e.g. Señor Muchoslam vs the Monsters, Tattoo Artist, Baboom), this one doesn't say "play on a minion" so it cannot be targeted, correct?
A: Wrong, "Character modifier" and "Play on a minion" are two synonymous phrases.
Q: An opponent plays Bear Hug (or Unfathomable Goals, Griefer), forcing me to destroy one of my minions. Can I choose one of my minions with Ball and Chain on it? If so, does Ball and Chain protect it?
A: First of all, you can indeed choose any of your minions, but you must choose one if you have any in play. Secondly, since the cause of the affect is "another player's card", then yes, Ball and Chain protects your minion from destruction.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - If you're asking about when Ball and Chain is played, it doesn't interact with them at all, because it says "Play on one of your minions", which means that it is not a standard action.
- If you're asking about when you copy a destruction effect onto an opponent's minion with Ball and Chain protecting it, then the minion isn't affected. Note that Ball and Chain only protects against other player's cards, so if Ball and Chain's controller plays a standard action that destroys a minion, you can copy it with Dancing King and have it affect one of that player's minion, bypassing Ball and Chain's protection because the minion is considered as being affected by its own controller's action.
- If you're asking about when an opponent's minion with Ball and Chain protecting it is directly destroyed by your standard action and you want to copy that, then it's not possible because the minion isn't destroyed by your action and because no minion was affected, you can't copy the effect.
- If you're asking about when an opponent's minion with Ball and Chain protecting it is directly affected by that player's standard action and you want to copy that, then you can indeed copy it the same way.
Rule: "Can't" trumps "can".
Rule: Definition of "standard".
Questions on Convergence
Q: Can I still move my character if it doesn't end on a base with three other of my characters? Alternatively, if I have the right set-up to gather four of my characters on a base, do I have to do it if I can or can I choose to move any of my characters to any base without aiming to gain the 1 VP?
A: Of course, you can move your character however you want. The ability has two parts; first you move one of your characters, and second if the character is moved to a base where you end up with four or more characters, you gain 1 VP. The only important part is moving your character, while the other is just a bonus if you use the move in a certain way, but you are indeed under no obligation to aim for the 1 VP if it's not to your advantage.
With AEG's Smash Up sets
Q: It moves "one of my characters" and I gain 1 VP if I have "four or more characters" there. So it only works with "character" cards and not at all with "minion" cards, correct?
A: Wrong, it works with both "character" and "minion" cards. "Character" and "minion" are two synonymous terms.
Rule: The word “character” is an exact synonym for “minion” in the other sets.
Q: It tells me to move "one of my characters". Can I move a minion I own that I don't control? I don't control it but I "own" it, so it's "my" minion, right?
A: No. "Your characters" are minions you control, whether or not you own them. A minion you own but don't control isn't yours.
Q: Can you move a minion from stasis to a base?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be affected by cards that do not explicitly state they work on cards in stasis.
Q: I have one minion and a Flock on one base and two minions on another base. Can I move the first minion along with the Flock to the second base and gain 1 VP?
A: Yes, the reason is the part of Convergence that says "After it is moved" is actually resolved exactly like any "After X, do Y"-type abilities. So after moving one of your characters, you resolve all card that were triggered by Convergence (any cards that say "After X, do Y", with X something that happened because of your use of the card); in your case, there are two cards, Flock and the second part of Convergence. Both are mandatory abilities, so you, as the current player, decide the order of their resolution.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - If Diva copies it, Diva is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base as the minion that was directly affected. Note that you don't gain an additional 1 VP because that part doesn't depend on the number of affected minions.
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion (it can be itself), that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base as the minion that was directly affected. Note that you don't gain an additional 1 VP because that part doesn't depend on the number of affected minions. Also, note that while the action is limited to a minion controlled by the action player, Dancing King can copy it onto any minion.
- If We are Family copies it, the minion it is on is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base as the minion that was directly affected. Note that you don't gain an additional 1 VP because that part doesn't depend on the number of affected minions. Also, note that while the action is limited to a minion controlled by the action player, We are Family can copy it even if the minion it is on isn't one controlled by the action player.
- With Funky Town, you can only copy it if you're the one who played the action and if it moves one of your minions away from Funky Town, but if Funky Town does copy it, the minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base as the minion that was directly affected. Note that you don't gain an additional 1 VP because that part doesn't depend on the number of affected minions.
Questions on Gain the Upper Hand
Q: The character I want to destroy has a printed power of 3 but has +1 or more power from another card (e.g. Cover the Exits, Righteous Fury). Can I do it?
A: No, the character's power is actually more than 3, so you cannot even target it with Gain the Upper Hand's ability.
Q: A character is protected from being destroyed. (e.g. Indestructible Form, Spider-Man 2099) But this card allows me to destroy them, so surely I can do it, right?
A: No, the cards that say you can't do something beat the cards that say you can do it.
Rule: "Can't" trumps "can".
With AEG's Smash Up sets
Q: It destroys "a character". So it only works on "character" cards and not at all on "minion" cards, correct?
A: Wrong, it works on both "character" and "minion" cards. "Character" and "minion" are two synonymous terms.
Rule: The word “character” is an exact synonym for “minion” in the other sets.
Q: Can you destroy a minion in stasis?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be affected by cards that do not explicitly state they work on cards in stasis.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - If Diva copies it (and it can copy it even if its power is more than 3), Diva is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed.
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion (it can be itself and it can copy it even if the power of the minion that gets the copy is more than 3), that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed.
- If We are Family copies it (and it can copy it even if the power of the minion it is on is more than 3), the minion it is on is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed.
- With Funky Town, you can only copy it if you're the one who played the action and if it destroys one of your minions, but if Funky Town does copy it (and it can copy it even if the power of the minion that gets the copy is more than 3), the minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed.
Questions on Indestructible Form
Q: An opponent plays this card on a base, so if I have a character there, it also cannot be destroyed by my opponents' cards, right?
A: No. Your opponent played the action, so they control it, and therefore the action only addresses them and the ability must be interpreted from their point of view. So "your characters" means "their characters" and "other players" means "their opponents".
Rule: A play-on-base action doesn't give an ability to the base that any player can use.
Rule: "You" on a minion, action or titan means the controller of the card.
Rule: "Other players" on a minion, action or titan means everyone except the controller of the card.
With AEG's Smash Up sets
Q: It protects "my characters". So it only works on "character" cards and not at all on "minion" cards, correct?
A: Wrong, it works on both "character" and "minion" cards. "Character" and "minion" are two synonymous terms.
Rule: The word “character” is an exact synonym for “minion” in the other sets.
Q: If a card refers to an action "that can be played on a base" (e.g. Mechanic, Flank Attack), this one doesn't say "play on a base" so it cannot be targeted, correct?
A: Wrong, "Base modifier" and "Play on a base" are two synonymous phrases.
Q: It protects "my characters". Does it also protect minions I own that I don't control? I don't control them but I "own" them, so they are "my" minions, right?
A: No. "Your characters" are minions you control, whether or not you own them. A minion you own but don't control isn't yours.
Q: An opponent plays Bear Hug (or Unfathomable Goals, Griefer), forcing me to destroy one of my minions. Can I choose one of my minions on the same base as Indestructible Form? If so, does Indestructible Form protect it?
A: First of all, you can indeed choose any of your minions, but you must choose one if you have any in play. Secondly, since the cause of the affect is "another player's card", then yes, Indestructible Form protects your minion from destruction.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - If you're asking about when Indestructible Form is played, it doesn't interact with them at all, because it says "Play on a base", which means that it is not a standard action.
- If you're asking about when you copy a destruction effect onto an opponent's minion with Indestructible Form protecting it, then the minion isn't affected. Note that Indestructible Form only protects against other player's cards, so if Indestructible Form's controller plays a standard action that destroys a minion, you can copy it with Dancing King and have it affect one of that player's minion, bypassing Indestructible Form's protection because the minion is considered as being affected by its own controller's action.
- If you're asking about when an opponent's minion with Indestructible Form protecting it is directly destroyed by your standard action and you want to copy that, then it's not possible because the minion isn't destroyed by your action and because no minion was affected, you can't copy the effect.
- If you're asking about when an opponent's minion with Indestructible Form protecting it is directly affected by that player's standard action and you want to copy that, then you can indeed copy it the same way.
Rule: "Can't" trumps "can".
Rule: Definition of "standard".
Questions on Sonic Shockwave
Q: Can I still destroy another players' character if it doesn't have a power of 5 or more? Alternatively, if I have the right set-up to destroy another player's character of power 5 or more, do I have to do it if I can or can I choose to destroy any character without aiming to gain the 1 VP?
A: Of course, you can destroy any character of another player as long as your total power on its base is more than that character's power. The ability has two parts; first you destroy another player's character with the restriction that you must have more total power there than the power of the character, and second if the destroyed character's power was 5 or more, you gain 1 VP. The only important part is destroying another player's character if you can, while the other is just a bonus if you use the destroyed character had a certain power, but you are indeed under no obligation to aim for the 1 VP if it's not to your advantage.
Q: What's my total power at a base?
A: It's the sum of all the power you have on a base. Typically, it's the sum of the power of all your characters on that base, but if you play this faction with factions from other sets, you may see some actions, bases and even titans (spoilers!) that also count toward your total power on bases.
Q: It doesn't make sense. Do I not compare my total power to that player's total power?
A: No, you compare your total power to the power of the character you want to destroy.
With AEG's Smash Up sets
Q: It destroys "a character". So it only works on "character" cards and not at all on "minion" cards, correct?
A: Wrong, it works on both "character" and "minion" cards. "Character" and "minion" are two synonymous terms.
Rule: The word “character” is an exact synonym for “minion” in the other sets.
Q: Can you destroy a minion in stasis?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be affected by cards that do not explicitly state they work on cards in stasis.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - If Diva copies it (even if Diva's power is equal to or more than your total power there), Diva is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that you don't gain an additional 1 VP because that part doesn't depend on the number of affected minions.
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion (even if the minion's power is equal to or more than your total power there and it can be itself), that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that you don't gain an additional 1 VP because that part doesn't depend on the number of affected minions. Also, note that while the action is limited to a minion controlled by another player than the action player, Dancing King can copy it onto any minion.
- If We are Family copies it, the minion it is on (even if the minion's power is equal to or more than your total power there) is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that you don't gain an additional 1 VP because that part doesn't depend on the number of affected minions. Also, note that while the action is limited to a minion controlled by another player than the action player, We are Family can copy it no matter who controls the minion.
- It is impossible for Funky Town to copy that action's effect because you can only directly affect an opponent's minion, which won't trigger Funky Town.
Questions on World Domination
Q: My World Domination's base scores on another player's turn, I suppose I can't use its after-scoring ability because it's not my turn, right?
A: Wrong, it doesn't matter whose turn it is (nor which phase it is), after its base scores, World Domination's ability is triggered and you must resolve it.
Q: An opponent plays this card on a base, so on my turn, I can now use its talent, right? And after this base scores, I can also decide where it moves, right?
A: No. Your opponent played the action, so they control it, and therefore only they can use its Talent and the action only addresses them. So the Ongoing ability must be interpreted from their point of view. So its ability should be interpreted as "After this base scores, they move this action to another base."
Rule: A play-on-base action doesn't give an ability to the base that any player can use.
Rule: A card's talent can only be used by that card's controller.
Rule: "You" on a minion, action or titan means the controller of the card.
Q: So this action will remain in play for the rest of the game? How do I get rid of it?
A: Just destroy it (e.g. with Hulk Smash, Superior Firepower) and it will leave play. An interesting interaction is also with Move the Goods, since World Domination must move before optional after-scoring cards can be used/played so you can use Move the Goods to move World Domination back onto the scoring base and because World Domination has already been resolved for that base scoring, it cannot be moved again with its ability.
Rule: Specific words are not synonymous no matter how similar they seem.
Rule: When an ability is triggered, it's resolved once per trigger.
With AEG's Smash Up sets
Q: It boosts "one of my characters". So it only works on "character" cards and not at all on "minion" cards, correct?
A: Wrong, it works on both "character" and "minion" cards. "Character" and "minion" are two synonymous terms.
Rule: The word “character” is an exact synonym for “minion” in the other sets.
Q: If a card refers to an action "that can be played on a base" (e.g. Mechanic, Flank Attack), this one doesn't say "play on a base" so it cannot be targeted, correct?
A: Wrong, "Base modifier" and "Play on a base" are two synonymous phrases.
Q: It gives +2 power to "one of my characters". Can I choose a minion I own that I don't control? I don't control it but I "own" it, so it's "my" minion, right?
A: No. "Your characters" are minions you control, whether or not you own them. A minion you own but don't control isn't yours.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it says "Base modifier", which means that it is not a standard action.
Rule: Definition of "standard".
Trivia
- The font used for the Masters of Evil cards is Frankie.
In other languages
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 邪惡大師 |
| French | Masters of Evil |
| ||||