We tried “artifacts”; the game became a treasure hunt and gave us Lackeys with Probability Control and Invulnerable Mad Hatters. We tried “scenarios”; the game became too complicated and the basic “slugfest” mechanism of the game was lost. We tried “house rules”; the game suddenly had too many options, and was out of whack because the value of pieces was altered but not their cost.  We had to find an easier way to "fix" things in the game to our liking and make it more like a comic book...without ruining it!.

And, so, we came up with Battlecards.  The “Battlecards” allow us to target our solutions to specific pieces (For example, Flash’s HSS should allow him to phase through walls, blowing up the wall in the process; Jesse Quick’s should not. This is probably what contributes most to the “comic book feel”: using the cards to increase character accuracy.).

Like “artifacts” they are all beneficial bonuses to your game, not a restriction or a penalty.  But you don't have to run to get them or worry about what a Thug will do if he finds a Green Lantern ring!

They incorporate a different “scenario” for each game and for each player (“If Two-Face manages to convince Supergirl to leave her team and join mine….I will destroy you ALL!”) without ever changing the ultimate goal of the game (“CRUSH! KILL! DESTROY!”).

They allow us to make big “house rule” changes, because, hey, it’s just for this particular game (letting “Leadership” inspire figures with Willpower or increase their Attack and Defense values is much more fun and realistic than that extra move you only get half the time and don’t generally use anyway).

Very importantly, they add the element of surprise to the game (which it doesn’t have a lot of it otherwise). I will eventually forget whether I won last night’s game, but I will NEVER forget the look on my opponent’s face when Killer Croc tried to hit Black Canary with a garbage can that turned out to be…Plastic Man! (Thanks to Battlecard #54 “Master of Disguise”…)