At first, playing Thor was a real struggle. I lost almost half my games.
I kept switching decks, hoping to fix something, but nothing clicked. And I wasn't even facing the toughest villains...
Eventually, I gave up, telling myself that Thor wasn't suited for solo play and switched to other heroes.
But he was never forgotten.
After about 1,500 games of Marvel Champions, I designed a new deck and gave Thor another chance.
I crushed every enemy, never losing a single match.

This is the story of how I became

WORTHY

THE PAST

This was the typical game:
1. I tried to build up my engine (Asgard + God of Thunder) or at least play an ally.
2. The villain hit me hard in the face.
3. While I was healing in Alter Ego, a ton of threat piled up, possibly ending the game right away.
4. I played an ally to manage the threat. Then I had to use them to chump block, or go back to point 2.
5. I played Defender of the Nine Realms or some other summoning card, but the minion I pulled out only dug the hole deeper.

Even when I won, it felt like a razor-thin victory.
I was constantly hungry for resources. My small hand of cards felt useless.
I did not feel mighty, I did not feel worthy.
I wasn't.

MY MISTAKES

1. Sometimes, I forgot to draw 2 cards when engaging a minion.
Since this ability activates once per phase, so you can draw 2 if your encounter card is a minion and then another 2 when you use Defender of the Nine Realms.

2. I didn't have enough resource generators.
Sometimes I couldn't find them before it was too late, or the scenario pressured me so much that I couldn't even play them.

3. I was scared of minions.
When you play Defender of the Nine Realms you put a minion into play, so its When Revealed ability doesn't trigger.

SOLUTIONS

1. I take my time.
I've accepted that Thor needs some time to build up. My rush deck wasn't that bad, but I don't really like that playstyle.

2. I have a strong engine.
Asgard and God of Thunder are key cards for Thor, and the same goes for Avengers Mansion and Quincarrier (which can pay for Ready for a Fight, Grant Ward, or fuel Lightning Strike). Team Building Exercise also helps with all the Asgard and Avenger cards, including Avengers Mansion, Quincarrier, and Mjolnir.

3. I summon minions.
Come Get Me, Bub! is a great card for Thor. The tough and the heal are vital for his survival. Even if I can't defeat a minion right away, I know I can take the hit. And since I have a reliable engine, I can use Hammer Throw which is super thematic and fun, or wipe out several minions at once with Lightning Strike. Once, I took out nine of them in a single blast. It really made me feel mighty.

4. I'm Ready for a Fight.
Being able to safely go AE for some healing, or even getting a tough status card thanks to Hidden Base, makes a huge difference.

5. I have strong allies.
Gambit is amazing. I don't care if he only gets a single boost. Sometimes I even give him zero, just to remove a bad encounter card. Knowing what's coming can really turn the tide.
Grant Ward, Daredevil, and Professor X help with thwarting, Mockingbird gives tempo, and Nick Fury is simply too good.
But Thor's best friend is Patriot. He wants minions as much as you do, he can tank the strongest attacks, and he fits this deck perfectly.
Yellowjacket can be swapped for Brother Voodoo. I chose him for the energy icon.

WORTHY

For some of you, this is nothing new, but for me this deck was a breakthrough.
I defeated these villains on the first try (Standard 3 Expert 2): Cap America, Iron Man, Ronan, Nebula, Venom Goblin, and Loki.

I had a ton of fun, I finally appreciated this hero, and I felt worthy.

I'm sure you will too.