How the card system works in Marvel’s Midnight Suns

Marvel’s Midnight Suns blends the tried-and-tested formula seen in turn-based tactical games with a robust card system, all wrapped up in glorious superhero action. Naturally, you’ll want to know how to make the most out of your abilities. Here’s our Marvel’s Midnight Suns card system guide to help explain combat mechanics, Heroism, and more.

Note: For more information, check out our Marvel’s Midnight Suns guides and features hub.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns card system and combat guide

The types of cards

To understand how the card system works in Marvel’s Midnight Suns, we’ll first need to look at the different types of cards in a hero’s deck. Each deck needs to have eight cards in total, and at least one of each type:

• Attack cards (crossed swords symbol) – These deal damage to enemies and add Heroism points.
• Skill cards (shield with diamond symbol) – These provide utility and support effects, while also adding Heroism points.
• Heroic cards (orange orb symbol) – These are special abilities for offense, defense, and utility/support. To use these cards, you need the required Heroism point cost.

Screenshot by PC Invasion

The combat system

Now, once you enter combat in Marvel’s Midnight Suns, that’s when you’ll be able to try the card system in full, along with the relevant actions. Up to six cards are drawn randomly depending on the decks of all characters in your active squad.

• Card Plays – This represents the number of cards (i.e., Attack, Skill, and Heroic) that can be used in a single turn. It’s possible to refresh this, which we’ll discuss in a while.
• Redraw – You can replace a card you don’t want with something else that’s drawn randomly from your deck.
  • “Draw Card” perk – Take note of abilities that have a “Draw Card” perk, usually triggered when you defeat an enemy. These allow you to have more options for the fight without needing to Redraw each time.
• Move – Select a character to move to a valid location in the area.
  • Momentum – As long as you move first without using any ability, the character can be repositioned indefinitely. Use this to your advantage when doing setups and chained hits.
• Items – Eventually, you’ll be able to craft consumable items. These are lost upon use, but they don’t deplete the number of remaining Card Plays.
• Next Turn – Cards are added back to your hand on your next turn (up to a maximum of six). The abilities you’ve already activated do have a chance of showing up again. The only exceptions are those with the “Exhaust” perk, as these can only be used once per battle (unless you find another effect that nullifies that).

Screenshot by PC Invasion

Heroism: Heroic cards and actions

As you continue using Attack and Skill cards, you’ll gain more Heroism points (seen in the lower-right corner of the screen). These allow you to use special moves:

• Heroic cards – As mentioned earlier, these can be of an offensive, defensive, or pure support/utility nature. Some are akin to super moves that devastate entire groups of enemies.
• Environmental actions – You can use the environment to deal damage to foes without spending your Card Plays. These include throwing crates, blowing up canisters, and vaulting over obstacles followed by an aerial hit.
• Mission-specific actions – Certain missions in the game have a key objective, such as rescuing civilians or taunting a boss.

Screenshot by PC Invasion

Refreshing and managing the Card Plays value

The most important factor to consider regarding the combat and card system in Marvel’s Midnight Suns is how you’ll manage your Card Plays. By default, you’ll only have three at the start of your turn, and these points will quickly run out if you choose the wrong actions. Still, there are a couple of nifty ways to refresh this function:

• Quick – Cards with the “Quick” effect refresh one point when you KO an enemy. You’ll essentially get a free action by doing this.
• Marked – Cards with the “Marked” effect let you select target/s that will refresh the value when they’re defeated. This can occur even if the ability you used doesn’t have the “Quick” perk.
• Free – Cards with the “Free” effect don’t use up a Card Play.

Note: If you have abilities with the “Quick” and “Knockback” perks, you can use these to smack grunt/fodder enemies (i.e., those that die in one hit). You can either push a grunt toward another opponent or obstacle, or push someone else into them. Since they’re KO’d in a single blow, you’ll get an easy Card Plays refresh.

Screenshot by PC Invasion

Card upgrades

Moreover, the card system in Marvel’s Midnight Suns allows you to upgrade your abilities. You’ll need the following:

• A duplicate of that card/ability.
• The required Attack/Skill/Heroic Essence to pay for the cost. You can earn more of these as you explore and progress, or by dismantling the cards you don’t need.

In any case, we’ll discuss how to acquire more cards in the next part of our guide series.

Screenshot by PC Invasion

Marvel’s Midnight Suns is available via Steam.