Just yesterday, Goonhammer was the first to reveal the seven at-the-time unseen Crisis Cards in the War of Kings Crisis Pack. However, at that time, the picture was incomplete. Players knew that not every Crisis Card in that pack would be added to the Challenger Document (some being reserved strictly for the narrative campaign), but they didn’t know which. Moreover, AMG kept details about what would happen to the existing crises close to the chest. Now, a day later, players finally have the full picture. It’s a bold, exciting new world for Marvel Crisis Protocol, so what Crisis Cards can be used in standard competitive events moving forward, when do the changes go into effect, and what are some key takeaways on how the new crisis set might affect the overall meta? Read on to find out.
Which MCP Crisis Cards Will Be Legal in Standard Play After the Upcoming Rotation?
First, it’s worth clarifying that the new list of legal Crises is for events using the Challenger Document only. It’s unknown whether the Timelines Document will be updated with new Crises. However, it’s a big deal given that almost all competitive events and most casual games between players use the Standard format and the rules of the Challenger Document. But, there’s nothing stopping anyone from playing any Crisis they want with friends.
Here is the full list of legal Crises after the upcoming rotation goes into effect:
Secures
- Cosmic Invasion! Black Order Descends on Earth
- Deadline to Destruction
- Deadly Meteors Mutate Civilians
- Guardians Save Shi’ar Empress in Style
- Infinity Formula Goes Missing!
- Intrusions Open Across City as Seals Collapse
- Mayor Fisk Vows to Find Missing Witnesses
- M’Kraan Crystal Gets Heroes Home
- Mutant Madman Turns City Into Lethal Amusement Park
- Riots Spark Over Extremis 3.0
- Super-Powered Scoundrels Form Sinister Syndicate!
- Wedding Party Targeted in Terrible Attack!
Extracts
- Alien Ship Crashes in Downtown!
- Deadly Legacy Virus Cured?
- Fear Grips World As “Worthy” Terrorize Cities
- Inhumans Deploy Advanced Weaponry
- Mutant Extremists Target U.S. Senators!
- Scientific Samples Found in Discovered Universe
- Skrulls Infiltrate World Leadership
- Spider-Infected Invade Manhattan
- Struggle for the Cube Continues
- Terrigen Canisters Fuel Doomsday Device
- The Montesi Formula Found
- Unexpected Guests Crash Royal Wedding
Quick Stats
The above list may seem overwhelming, particularly given that the new Crisis names likely have little meaning for most players. So, here are some quick stats and facts about the latest list of legal cards:
Of the 10 Crisis Cards in the War of Kings pack, only two failed to make it into the Challenger Document: Ship Security Breached in Royal Rescue (Extract) and Strike Team Secures Shield Relay (Secure). Moreover, six previously-legal Crises are being rotated out:
- Demons Downtown! Has Our Comeuppance Come Due?
- Gamma Wave Sweeps Across Midwest
- Research Station Attacked!
- Portals Overrun City With Spider-People!
- SWORD Establishes Base On Moons Blue Area
- Paranoia Pummels Populace!
With that, the game will have an even number of Secures and Extracts (12 each). The only Crisis shape to leave the game altogether is E (Demons, Gamma), and the only threat value to go away is 15 (Gamma, Researcher). Beyond cutting the 15 threat Crises, the new batch also skews quite strongly toward 17. Three of the 24 crises are at 16, ten are at 17, four are at 18, four are at 19, and three are at 20.
Perhaps also of note is that all but two Crises score one point per token (Mayor Fisk and Wedding Party Targeted in Terrible Attack! are two each). Lastly, there’s a clear preference for Extracts that are limited to one per character: only three of the 12 Extracts can be doubled up (Hammers, Legacy Virus, Cubes).
When Does the New MCP Crisis Rotation Go Into Effect?
While the “what” of MCP’s big Crisis shakeup has rightfully dominated conversations, the “when” has been less of a straightforward answer than one would imagine. Initially, AMG’s Will Shick explained in interviews with the Across the Bifrost and Fury’s Finest podcasts that Crisis Card rotation would happen at the end of March, after Adepticon – a giant convention in Milwaukee with MCP events put on by AMG itself.
However, shortly after the full list of legal Crises was revealed, AMG’s social media team – and later AMG’s Will Shick – explained that after further consideration, the rotation will happen on March 14th, the same day that the War of Kings pack hits store shelves. Moreover, this means they’ll be the legal set for Adepticon’s World Championship and other events. Given the general excitement around these updates, putting them into effect sooner than later seems smart.
Hot Takes & Key Takeaways
The Death of Es and 15
Some will lament their departure, and others can’t stop celebrating their demise. But no matter which end of the spectrum you fall on, the E shape and 15-point threat value have both officially gone the way of the dodo. Of course, this isn’t the first time AMG has cut out the lowest threat value; during the last Crisis update, 14 went away. While these low-threat games can be fun, MCP has continually struggled with tall attrition lists dominating them. Will raising the floor to 16 be different than 15? Time will tell, but there’s no doubt that even one more point to play with opens up more options and opportunities for squad building and counter-play against the scariest things in the game.
The complete removal of Es (Gamma and Demons) is likely an even bigger deal, though. As mentioned in AMG’s explanation of the new legal Crises, both warped gameplay too far to one end of the spectrum. While plenty of Crises will still encourage a brawl, they’re not going to be quite as extreme as these two were. This should open up some roster slots for many teams that previously had to dedicate splashes to mid-line fights and can now explore other tech pieces.
However, just because there aren’t any 15s or Es in the 2025 War of Kings rotation, nothing is stopping them from coming back. It’s perfectly possible that one or both of these Crisis elements will return on a small or broad scale in 2026.
Movement is King, But Running Away Won’t Cut It
While sitting in the middle of the table and chucking buckets of dice on an E map was problematic for some, the opposite end of the spectrum was just as big of an issue. Previously, it was very possible (and often preferable) to gain the lead and then, when the time was right, run Extract carriers to the edges of the mat to score out.
However, several new crises give bonuses for Extract carriers being close to Secures – whether it’s bonus points, rerolls, or power. So, with the death of Es, movement and positioning are more critical than ever, but AMG wants that to happen without completely de-incentivising combat. There will still be crisis combinations in which characters are more likely to plant their feet or can still run away, but they’ll surely be fewer and farther between.
Predicting the Most Polarizing Crises
AMG did a great job removing the most divisive crises with this rotation – notably Demons, Gamma, Researcher, Spider-Portals, and Paranoia. However, no matter how good the suite of Crises is, there will always be a few that are the most played and the most polarizing. Only time will tell where the meta lands in this regard, but a few stand out as likely staples and possible points of contention.
At first glance, Deadline to Destruction seems like a Crisis with the potential to cause some headaches. It gives players the ability to interact with a Secure to force an Extract-holding enemy to either drop an Objective Token or take damage, and that damage can add up quickly. The Secures are also close enough together that teams can pretty reasonably plant their feet for a round and do some killing without their opponent running too far away if they want to score.
Also, though Es are no more, a few Cs and other similar shapes still stick models on the midline. Crises like Mayor Fisk, Intrusions, Wedding Party Targeted In Terrible Attack, and Deadly Meteors may be new de-facto picks for those lists looking to do damage first and ask questions later and will demand a plan from teams that prefer to run around and score out quickly.
Lastly, the threat value spread in general will demand consideration. With almost half of all legal crises being 17, teams who prefer other threat values must have a 17 to fall back on. This is especially true with three different F-shaped Extracts being 17. If your opponent brings them all, a player will have to either pick their extracts or be ready to be forced to play 17 if they have priority.
It’s an exciting time for Marvel Crisis Protocol players. Between some long-awaited nerfs to some problematic models and a massive crisis shake-up, the competitive scene is going to feel like the Wild West for a while. Plans will eventually homogenize as they always do, but it’s an excellent time for anyone willing to enjoy a period of pure chaos and exploration.
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