Cerebro 5 Detailed Deck Guide: Cerebro Competes With the Tier 1 Decks

Cerebro decks have been performing well (in general terms) for a long time.

Cerebro 2 and C3r3bro have appeared as Silent Performers in our Tier Lists on multiple occasions. This means that they have a good percentage of wins and cubes per game, but their total number of games registered in our Marvel Snap Tracker does not exceed 1% of the total number of games tracked.

Largely due to the (re-)re-balance of Doctor Doom and the release of Alioth, Cerebro 5 began to increase in popularity dramatically. Now it has finally managed to surpass the 1% popularity mark and firmly established itself as the most suitable version of the Cerebro archetypes for competitive play in Marvel Snap.

Decklist and Stats

Cerebro 5

Created by Bohe

, updated 7 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

7x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

1x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

2x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

1x Starter Card

3.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

The most popular version of Cerebro 5 already has 1,500 games recorded. That version has Enchantress, a respectable Win Rate of 53.01%, and an average of .27 cubes per game. This is the version without Enchantress.

Not bad at all for a high enough number of games. However, the version that cuts Wave to add Stegron, although less popular, registers a 60% WR and an average of .44 cubes per game, which could lead one to think that it is better.

After testing the deck on my own and making a slight adjustment, the simple act of adding Mobius M. Mobius catapulted my results to a Win Rate of 62.50% with .50 cubes per game (pictured above). Protecting the low-cost cards and being able to combo Mobius M. Mobius with Wave made a big difference.

Concept and Strategy

A big advantage of this iteration of Cerebro is the number of disruptive cards it has. In addition to Polaris, Spider-Man, and Alioth, adding Mobius M. Mobius to combine with Wave gives you one more tool to hinder the opponent’s plans.

Another great advantage of the deck is that it has incredibly good cards to play in an environment where Alioth is practically omnipresent. Doctor Doom, Cerebro, Silk, and Spider-Man can all have an impact on a lane other than the one they are played on, which means that you can play around enemy Alioths without too many complications.

It’s easy to get priority during the first few turns, which is relevant for your disruptive cards. You can play Wave into Alioth or Doctor Doom like many other powerful decks, or save it to play with Mobius M. Mobius on Turn 5. And if that wasn’t enough, playing with Cerebro gives you an alternative exit that allows you to finish with 28 points in a lane when necessary.

It’s worth mentioning how important it is that, unlike other Cerebro decks, your cards are good enough to keep any game afloat on their own – even if you don’t draw Cerebro (or decide not to play it).

Protective Core

Variants

Luke Cage

Ongoing: Your cards can’t have their Power reduced.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Luke Cage

Variants

Mobius M. Mobius

Ongoing: Your Costs can’t be increased. Your opponent’s Costs can’t be reduced.

Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Mobius M. Mobius

Luke Cage is usually a staple in Cerebro decks because it protects you from harmful locations and cards that can reduce power, thus keeping the possibility of playing Cerebro alive. In this case, you do not carry any cards that can change locations to “avoid” the power disparity since the deck is capable of playing with these locations on the field without major problems.

I mentioned Mobius M. Mobius in this section because I think it is important to understand that the deck plays a high number of 2-Cost cards. This means that it is vital to protect your Turn 4 and Turn 5 from enemy Waves, in addition to, of course, enabling your own combos with Wave.

Disruptive Core

Variants

Wave

On Reveal: All cards cost a maximum of 4 until the end of next turn.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Wave

Variants

Polaris

On Reveal: Move an enemy 1 or 2-Cost card to this location.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Polaris

Variants

Spider-Man

On Reveal: Move to another location and pull an enemy card from here to there.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Spider-Man

Variants

Alioth

On Reveal: Remove the text from all unrevealed enemy cards here.

Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Alioth

This is the great advantage of Cerebro 5. Unlike any other iteration of Cerebro, this version has many facets that allow you to interact with rivals. These cards gives you influence over the opponent’s board, which is undoubtedly very important in many games.

Wave allows you to stop decks that want to play multiple cards on the last turn in their tracks, in addition to being able to speed up Doctor Doom and Alioth when necessary. Polaris and Spider-Man are incredible at preventing the opponent from developing their plan at will. Especially the latter, which influences lanes other than those played.

Alioth is a key piece. It’s a great card, and playing it is almost always a good idea. It gives you a very strong last turn when you can use it to secure a win in the final moment of the game.

Move Core

Variants

Silk

After ANY card is played here, this moves to another location.

Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Silk

Variants

Miles Morales

If a card moved last turn, this costs 1.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Miles Morales

Polaris and Spider-Man could enter this core; however, the reality is that it is thanks to how easy it is to move Silk that you can reduce the cost of Miles Morales turn after turn.

Silk does not allow you to have an impact on all lanes at the same time. While controlling its movement may not be easy, mastering how you play with it becomes a tremendously powerful tool.

This combination with Miles Morales allows you to play a [1/7] if you have Cerebro on the field, which becomes very useful – especially after playing the Mobius M. Mobius + Wave combo.

Raw 5 Core

Variants

Medusa

On Reveal: If this is at the middle location, +3 Power.

Starter Card

view card details Start a deck Decks with Medusa

Variants

Lizard

Ongoing: -4 Power if your opponent has 4 cards here.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Lizard

Variants

Doctor Doom

On Reveal: Add a 5-Power DoomBot to each other location.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Doctor Doom

These cards give you raw power. Medusa and Lizard arrive early in the game and allow you to fight for priority. This is quite important in the long run to maximize the efficiency of your other cards like Polaris and Alioth.

As for Doctor Doom, I think it goes without saying how strong he is. It is practically a [6/15] that impacts all three lanes at the same time. This allows you to play efficiently against Alioth and also against decks that aim to attack more than one line at a time. At the same time, this makes it difficult for opponents who intend to close the game with a single card to have a difficult decision.

Cerebro

Variants

Cerebro

Ongoing: Your highest-Power cards have +2 Power.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Cerebro

Cerebro ties the list together in a way that opens up lines of play that would not be possible without it.

Having Cerebro on the field means that Doctor Doom will apply seven power in each lane. Alioth will have an easier time competing in tight locations. It gives power to Miles Morales and makes him an even greater play for the energy. Lizard, Medusa, and Silk feel amazingly strong as [2/7]s. Finally, Cerebro helps Polaris and Spider-Man face the cards that they move to the same location.

The wonder of this is that, unlike other Cerebro decks where the cards can feel weak due to the lack of power without Cerebro, this deck works perfectly as a midrange deck that is capable of facing any opponent.

Card Subtitutions

Variants

Stegron

On Reveal: Move an enemy card from here to another location.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Stegron

Variants

Enchantress

On Reveal: Remove the abilities from all Ongoing cards here.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Enchantress

A version of the deck that I’ll share later plays Stegron and Enchantress at the same time.

Adding these two cards to the deck instead of Mobius M. Mobius and Wave is interesting and results in a version with good stats.

They are two cards that add even more tools to interact with the opponent, which is always appreciated and gives you new ways to fight in the lanes.

Variants

Galactus

On Reveal: If you’re winning this location and this is your only card here, destroy all other locations.

Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Galactus

It may seem curious, but, yes, Galactus has found a new home here. The ability to enter with seven power thanks to Cerebro can give completely unexpected victories, and adding additional victory conditions is usually a good idea.

Variants

Negasonic Teenage Warhead

After an enemy card is played here, destroy it. (once per game)

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Negasonic Teenage Warhead

Variants

Titania

After ANY card is played here, this card switches sides.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Titania

Variants

Omega Red

Ongoing: If you’re winning here, +3 Power to other locations.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Omega Red

Variants

Loki

On Reveal: Transform your hand into cards from your opponent’s starting deck and give them -1 Cost.

Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Loki

These four cards are the least used in the archetype; however, any one of them provides new ideas that are interesting to explore.

The deck is capable of moving the opponent’s cards with ease. Hindering the opponent’s space with Titania can cause the opponent’s plan to always run into space problems.

Negasonic Teenage Warhead, for its part, is a card that I have always found underrated. Virtually transforming the location where you play it into Vormir is especially useful if you have priority, which is easy to obtain in the first three turns with this deck.

Omega Red opens up very interesting brewing opportunities where you could even consider Iron Man and/or Green Goblin and Hobgoblin.

I have been toying around with Loki, and I feel like he is more or less like Galactus for this archetype. Having an extra alternate win condition is always appreciated. There aren’t many tools increase your hand size, but, against certain archetypes, Loki can win many games single-handedly.

Other Ways to Build the Archetype

Cerebro 5

Created by Bohe

, updated 7 months ago

0

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

7x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

2x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

1x Starter Card

3.5

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.6

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

As I pointed out a few paragraphs above, adding two additional reactive cards in the form of Stegron and Enchantress makes this deck feel like one that can always respond to the opponent’s plays.

With a 60% Win Rate and .44 Average Cubes per game, it’s clear that this list is quite capable of competing.

Cerebro 5

Created by Bohe

, updated 7 months ago

0

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

7x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

1x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

1x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

1x Starter Card

3.2

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.2

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Another very functional idea is to add Zabu.

This works well if you keep the idea of ​​playing with Stegron and Enchantress, as they are 4-Costs (Omega Red could also be tested here).

Not playing Alioth is a difficult decision, but it pays off in this case by increasing the stats to a 65.73% Win Rate and .74 Average Cubes per game (in almost 200 games!)

Galactus C5

Created by Bohe

, updated 7 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

7x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

1x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

2x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

1x Starter Card

3.7

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

It’s not easy to think about playing Cerebro 5 without Silk. However, removing her from the equation is to avoid giving the opponent a chance of messing up the Galactus plan by playing on Silk‘s lane.

Having Wave, Mobius M. Mobius, and Alioth gives you a strong core to accompany Galactus.

Snapping and Retreating

Early Game

This deck can take priority very quickly, which makes it easier to Snap aggressively when you have enough information.

With priority, it is correct to Snap if Polaris or Spider-Man can disrupt the opponent’s plan enough to give you an advantage – especially if you have a strong way to close the game like Alioth, Doctor Doom, or Cerebro.

There is another early-game position that allows you to Snap. Playing Wave on Turn 3 followed by Doctor Doom or Alioth is a pretty strong move. You may consider Snapping if this play puts you in a very advantageous position and you are aware that the opponent will not be able to respond adequately. This is maximized if, on Turn 2, you played Mobius M. Mobius.

Late Game

In the late game, two moments seem key to me. Playing Mobius M. Mobius + Wave on Turn 5 can leave the opponent without many possibilities on Turn 6, so Snapping will often be correct if your position is not adverse and you can play two cards on Turn 6 (while the opponent is limited to one). The second situation will be Snapping if playing Cerebro on Turn 5 would distribute more than eight power between the lanes, and you can accompany this play with another five power card.

Alioth and Doctor Doom are incredible tools for Snapping in the final moments. However, they are quite predictable. This is why I would prefer to choose to play a little more aggressively and Snap before Turn 6.

Staying in the game and/or responding to an opponent’s Snap is possible if one of the previous scenarios has occurred and you have not yet Snapped, or you draw the card that enables the options mentioned in this section (without it being too late).

Good Locations

• Altar of Death, Death's Domain, Flooded, Kyln, Luke's Bar, Morag, Sanctum Sanctorum, The Vault: You are highly favored in games were these restrictive locations appear. This is thanks to how easy is for your deck to put power in inaccessible lanes.
• Asgard, Hala: You are very good at playing on locations that reward fighting there during the early game.
• Cloning Vats: Having cards that are good per se lets you have many good options for playing on this location.
• K'un-Lun: Good for Silk and Spider-Man, but messes with Cerebro.
• Kamar-Taj: Amazing for Doctor Doom.
• Onslaught's Citadel: Cerebro wins many games by itself if this location appears.
• The Big House: It is very easy to win this location thanks to how many low-cost, high-power cards you have.
• TVA: Not many decks can compete against you in the early game.

Bad Locations

• Crimson Cosmos: This location blocks nine cards of your deck (ten if you count Miles Morales).
• Fisk Tower: Bad for Silk and Spider-Man.
• Jotunheim, Necrosha, Negative Zone, Sewer System: Bad for your Cerebro plan, but Luke Cage help you here.
• Knowhere: You have five cards with crucial On Reveal effects.
• Mojoworld, The Raft, The Sacred Timeline, White Hot Room: You are not the best deck for winning these kinds of locations.
• The Space Throne: It’s also hard to win a lane with just one card.

Versus Iron Patriot

Iron Patriot

Created by den

, updated 7 months ago

0

3x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

5x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

2x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

1x Recruit Season

1x Starter Card

3.7

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.1

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Certainly, the Forge > Brood > Absorbing Man curve is still a problem. However, you have a great advantage against this deck. Certain locations like Negative Zone strongly harm this archetype, and, although it might be just as annoying for you to play Luke Cage, it gives you a huge advantage.

This may sound like something only relevant in Conquest, but it is not. The idea of ​​giving this example is that you should identify that, if you are in a situation where Luke Cage could give you an advantage in the game, it is extremely likely that Iron Patriot is going to have a problem. Then it is time to Snap aggressively.

Another important situation is to recognize that even though they also play Alioth and Doctor Doom, it does not mean that they can always take advantage of those cards when you play Wave. The decisive factor in this case is having Mobius M. Mobius on the field, which will allow you to take advantage of Wave while they can not.

Additionally, while they have a powerful starting curve, seeing them miss Forge on Turn 2 or Turn 3 is a situation where you should consider getting ahead. Without a perfect curve, they can quickly fall behind. If Forge, Mister Sinister, and/or Brood are not adding pressure during the first three turns, you can go all out by playing cards with five power first, thus ensuring priority (and you should Snap). This position is tremendously relevant, so if they decide to stay in the game, your Alioth will be the one that prevails over theirs.

Versus Move

Move

Created by den

, updated 7 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 1-14

3x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

1x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

3x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

2.5

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.4

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Move is back and contending strongly as one of the best decks in the game. This is because it can take advantage of Elsa Bloodstone, a card that is currently defining the metagame.

The curious thing is that the most successful versions have already stopped playing Alioth, which becomes a great advantage for you on the last turn.

The most relevant thing is that your deck is very good against this deck (and any other that plays Elsa Bloodstone). This is because you gain priority quickly, which allows you to move the opponent’s cards thanks to Polaris and Spider-Man. That makes it very difficult for them to follow their lines of play where they intend to fill a lane and then move their cards.

Furthermore, by not playing high-cost cards, playing Wave on Turn 3 and Doctor Doom on Turn 4 can put you in a very favorable position (Snapping before this play is almost always a good idea).

Another relevant factor is adding Mobius M. Mobius to the equation. The combo with Wave will force them to play a single card while it will open up the possibility for you to get ahead in the game.

They also have no way of interacting with Cerebro, so don’t be afraid that something is going to disable the Ongoing effect.

You must identify where they will anchor themselves with Angela and/or Kraven. That’s where you’re going to need at least three cards (preferably with five power).

Turn by Turn Breakdown

Turn 1

Press “Next Turn.”

Turn 2

You have many options here. Silk is often the best card for this turn. This will allow you to play Miles Morales for one energy for the rest of the game.

Depending on the situation, Lizard or Medusa are the 2nd best plays since they help you take priority early on in the game. Mobius M. Mobius is a good choice if you are aiming for Wave on Turn 3 and Doctor Doom/Alioth on Turn 4.

Turn 3

Normally, I would prefer interacting with your opponent here with Polaris or Spider-Man. However, Wave could give you a big advantage against certain decks.

Playing Cerebro here is unusual. However, it is not a bad idea in scenarios where you want to pressure hard and you know your opponent doesn’t have a way of interacting with it.

Turns 4 and 5

These turns are extremely flexible. You don’t have a 4- or 5-Cost card (Miles Morales is going to cost one most of the time), so you are often going to play some combination of your 2- and 3-Cost cards.

The best way to do this is to be efficient with your energy. This means that you want to play two 2-Cost cards on Turn 4, followed by one 2-Cost and one 3-Cost card on Turn 5.

Speaking of Turn 5, playing Mobius M. Mobius + Wave at the same time could open the door to winning many games.

Turn 6

The ideal scenario here is to close the game with Alioth or Doctor Doom. Nevertheless, if you played either of these cards earlier thanks to Wave, many other scenarios appear.

In the same way, even if the aforementioned Wave helped you accelerate Alioth or Doctor Doom (or if you are thinking about saving them for this turn), you may prefer to play any combination of your 2- and 3-Cost cards. Many of these combinations could do the trick. Spider-Man + Cerebro is a great example of this.

Closing Words

I played many Cerebro iterations, and C5 feels like the best version of these decks. Even if C3r3bro has many tech tools like Shadow King, Valkyrie, and Shang-Chi, C5 has one big advantage over many other variants: it doesn’t need to follow the Cerebro plan to win.

C3r3bro can do the same thanks to tech cards, but it doesn’t have tools for accessing complicated locations like Sanctum Sanctorum besides Jeff the Baby Land Shark. And that could feel very bad.

Cerebro 5 is a deck that can compete in almost any situation and against any opponent, and this is what makes this deck the first Cerebro deck to be considered Tier 1 in a long, long time.

I hope this guide has been able to help shed some light on the archetype and allow you to achieve your goals by playing this deck.

Let me know your thoughts on the Marvel Snap Community Discord, my Twitter, and my Stream. I also love to read your comments at the bottom of each article! Even though I sometimes cannot answer all of them, I’m always happy to read them and take your opinions into account for my future work.

Don’t forget that the Premium subscription to Marvel Snap Zone gives you access to exclusive features on the web as well as additional services. Also, I have started providing personal coaching services for Marvel Snap. If you want to contact me, you can look for me on Discord as bohettv, on my Twitter, or via email at [email protected]

Thanks for reading, and as I always say, don’t forget to smile; I assure you that it makes a difference.