I build both ways from time to time. My general first thought whenever I step into any new game is, "Which deck is the control deck?" However, when I heard Doom would be a main team in the first set, I was planning on playing him because he was Doom! Lucky me ;)

Nowadays, I often think of a team, and then try to think of a cool strategy that I haven't seen players around my store playing them as. I recently started playing Arsenal Abuse, because 2 or 3 players around my store play either Curved Titans (En-Kur was right on that one...) or Brave and the Bold, but no one was really going for the tricksy little Titanses, so I decided to take that route (with some fine suggestions from forums that I drafted, including Garth and TTG! x 3).

I start with a team or team-up...then I try and figure out what I want the deck to do.

That's for everything except one idea. One idea I had (along with everyone else at one time or another) was discard. For that I started with tthe idea and worked down to the team.

On a new game, I usually pick a faction that sounds intresting. Also I like Bad guys, or more specifically the Grey guys. LoA is a big and nasty organization, but there is a sense of honor. I would love it is a punsher faction came out... but not spidey.

Once a game is out for a while if I see a combo that sounds cool, and is not already mass used, I try and build arround that, and see if it can work. I've been tryying several skrull variants, Skrull and doom army are good combo.

I avoid that super powerful combos that are concidered broken, or abusive.

For me, it's a little of both. I mix up who I want to use and what I want a deck to do. I find it can lead to unorthodox ideas, which can prove useful.

I use every team there is and see what I can make of them and possible teamups, with Marvel Teamups last.

So far successful decks that use Marvel Teamup/World's Finest are all weenie decks with a strict theme (GK/F5 and Rigged Elections).

I like building decks based on characters' abilities.. or card effects.. i like locking people down so they can't do a thing.. so i've been working on F5 and now with sucker punch my dreams will become more of a reality! I also check to see what cards i actually own and don't have to pay 100,000 dollars on to build a deck then try it out.. i had all the FF cards i pretty much needed so that's why my FF burn deck is running like a champ
*edit* i'm thinking about teaming my arkham and F5 back up together with some fun stuff happening because of shimmer and charaxes and sucker punch muahaha

Usually I end up building around a single card or 2-card combo. I see the ability or combo, and then make a deck that can incorporate it. Also I'm a sucker for combo decks and OHK decks, so I like to try to build those (even though they don't really work much). Usually the deck doesn't work, so I add a secondary theme and then mulligan into either theme.

But there's just something so satisfying about attacking with Bart Allen for 43 BEL...

Not so much. As you put in cards to support it, you'll see more combos and you sort of build from there. After all, it's just a 1st draft. Once I have a draft, I can cut down the combos and make a coherent deck that still incorporates 1-2 main combos. Then you playtest it out and throw in some tricksy cards and usually find some tricks in the deck that you hadn't thought of when you put it together.

Or sometimes I just like to put together a weenie-rusher and go for the throat. It's not like playtesting or building decks online is expensive...I've probably built 40 virtual decks. How many real decks? Just 4, with common cards in each of them: Doom, GK, Sentinels, and Doom/GK teamup. All of them were put together after I found that the deck worked online.

i usually start with a deck idea, and try and figure out which teams can accomplish the goal(s) and proceed to build form there. Arkham however was the exception to that rule, i was handed arkham and loved the style and stuck with it ^^

I usually go for the guys i like in the comics. but i also try to make sure that they have a chance to win somehow (even if it is a small win)

i also love making decks out of crap rares. i'm currently working on an alicia masters / turbo ELBET deck, with a turn 4 ELBET bash. =) funny if it works, and it gets converted into f4 beats if it doesn't, so no risk. :sleep:

I can't build well until something interests me about an affiliation or card. Right now I am working on breaking a card who's potential can end the game in 1 shot by playing it.

"Take 45 end loss please."

I also like to take a team where I like the characters and go from there.
I liked BH until it became the big deck, then I gave it over to my friend to play. He's a beginner and I thought it would be easy for him to learn. I then moved on.
I try to make a deck of every set out there. You learn how to play it and then what to expect when facing it.
Often I play my son blind, having him draw a deck and whatever I get I get.
Keeps game fresh. I hate playing the same thing over and over.
I'm looking forward to the Sinister Syndicate guys, have some fun ideas to try out and Spidey should be fun too.