Best Hope Summers Decks to Try on Day 1 and Strategy Guide: The Next Broken Card?

Extra Energy is among the strongest synergies you can explore in Marvel Snap. With Zabu, Sera, and (more recently) Corvus Glaive, there are plenty of examples in the current meta that show how powerful a deck can be when you grant it a little extra energy to work with.

Naturally, I’m going to look at the new Season Pass card with scrutiny, as it seems poised to join the group of cards that have already ruled many metas.

Variants

Hope Summers

After you play a card here, you get +1 Energy next turn.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Hope Summers

Playing cards on a location isn’t a particularly difficult condition. We have abused Elsa Bloodstone and Angela successfully in the past, so the community knows how to maximize the potential of Hope Summers (if it’s worth it). If you read the first paragraph of this article, I’m sure you guessed I have a lot of reasons to believe the new card is worth it. Indeed, just the possibility of playing two 6-Cost cards in a row has been enough to make Electro Ramp a decent archetype at some point.

I can let you in on a little secret: I’m sure Hope Summers is stronger than Electro. The question is, by how much?

I believe there is quite a gap.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Before I dive into what is possible with the extra energy, let’s take a look at the various possibilities for gaining energy with Hope Summers:

Variants

Kitty Pryde

When this returns to your hand, +1 Power. Returns at the start of each turn.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Kitty Pryde

Every turn, you pay one energy for Kitty Pryde, and Hope Summers gives you that one energy back. You can repeat the same pattern every turn if you wish.

Variants

Falcon

On Reveal: Return your 1-Cost cards to your hand.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Falcon

Variants

Beast

On Reveal: Return your other cards here to your hand. They cost 1 less next turn.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Beast

Play cheap card behind Hope Summers, get some extra energy for doing so, and then get them back later on for flexibility (or even more energy).

Variants

Killmonger

On Reveal: Destroy ALL 1-Cost cards.

Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Killmonger

Similar to Falcon and Beast, you could destroy your cards instead of getting them back into your hand to clear more space to abuse Hope Summers.

Variants

Nightcrawler

You can move this once.

Collection Level 1-14

view card details Start a deck Decks with Nightcrawler

Variants

Jeff the Baby Land Shark

You can move this once. Nothing can stop you from moving or playing this to any location.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Jeff the Baby Land Shark

Variants

Vision

You can move this each turn.

Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Vision

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

Iron Fist

On Reveal: After you play your next card, move it one location to the left.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Iron Fist

Variants

Ghost-Spider

On Reveal: The last card you played moves here.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Ghost-Spider

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

Move used to abuse Elsa Bloodstone and Angela before their respective nerfs, so it’s no surprise to see the synergy be a consideration alongside Hope Summers.

Variants

Green Goblin

On Reveal: Switch sides.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Green Goblin

Variants

Hobgoblin

On Reveal: Switch sides.

Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Hobgoblin

Both Goblins are a great way to trigger Hope Summers while not using up your space. Plus, you can play the 3-Cost into the 5-Cost with the bonus energy.

Yes, there are a lot of ways to benefit from Hope Summers. But let’s not just look at the bright side; I want to explore the ways you can limit how much energy it can give your opponent. I won’t cite them again, but the Goblins are included among these cards.

Variants

Doctor Octopus

On Reveal: Pull 4 cards from your opponent’s hand to their side of this location.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Doctor Octopus

Variants

Professor X

Ongoing: Lock down this location. (Cards can’t be added, removed, etc.)

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Professor X

Variants

Storm

On Reveal: Flood this location. Next turn is the last turn cards can be played here.

Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Storm

Let’s start with cards that are able to block the location where Hope Summers is, all of which represent a way to block the the new card’s synergies. Doctor Octopus is the most promising of the three in my opinion. Storm could be a gamble because you will often have to play it on Turn 3, and Professor X could be difficult to leverage since you know the opponent wants to play on that location.

Variants

Debrii

On Reveal: Add a Rock to each other location, for both players.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Debrii

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

These won’t block the location entirely, but they will surely annoy your opponent and potentially limit their ability to abuse Hope Summers. In particular, Spider-Man with priority could move Hope Summers away and wreck the opponent’s entire plan for their turn.

Variants

Cosmo

Ongoing: On Reveal abilities won’t happen here.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Cosmo

Variants

Goose

Ongoing: Nobody can play cards that cost 4, 5, or 6 here.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Goose

Variants

Echo

After your opponent plays an Ongoing card here, remove its abilities.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Echo

Considering your opponent is telling you where they are likely to play in the near future, you could try to limit their ability to do so with these cards.

Variants

Mojo

Ongoing: If both sides here are full, +6 Power.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Mojo

Variants

Nebula

Each turn your opponent doesn’t play a card here, +2 Power. (except the turn you play this)

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Nebula

Variants

Punisher

Ongoing: +1 Power for each enemy card here.

Starter Card

view card details Start a deck Decks with Punisher

Some cards are stronger if you know where the opponent wants to stack their cards. Mojo and Punisher simply go in front of Hope Summers, while Nebula can be played on another lane in order to force the opponent to choose which ability they want to interact with.

Overall, there is a lot to discuss around Hope Summers, which is usually the sign of a powerful card. I have good faith in Doctor Octopus‘s ability to bring some nice disruption against it, but the upsides easily surpass the downsides.

The Verdict

Gaining two energy with a [3/4] would have good enough, which is the bare minimum for Hope Summers when you play a card behind it on Turn 4 and Turn 5. Most of the time, I expect the card to give you at least three energy because you want to fill the lane behind it. In the right deck, I wouldn’t be surprise to see the new card average five energy per game when played on Turn 3.

Potential Score:

Disclaimer: I believe Hope Summers has the potential to be a very strong card in a variety of decks. I’m sure I won’t be able to showcase all the possibilities around the card here, and various players will surely think of very different ways to abuse Hope Summers.

I could have tried to breakdown a few decks and explain how Hope Summers makes sense in them, but I’m convinced the card makes sense in a wide variety of decks. As such, here are a ton of decks with Hope Summers included (kind of similar to what I did for Iron Lad last year). Each deck is able to benefit from the extra energy, or it has the ability to create ton of it, and none of them have reason to pass on doing so.

For example, a lot of decks with On Reveal abilities would gladly take two extra energy going into Turn 6 because it would open playing a cheap On Reveal plus Odin. A deck like Toxic Sera could see its potential vastly increased in that scenario.

Plus, I’m pretty sure the card just becomes the answer to “What 3-Cost do I want in this deck?” whenever your deck is based on finding strong abilities. Loki, Good Cards, and other such decks would definitely fit the bill in that regard.

We might also see a new package emerge; realistically, Sunspot, She-Hulk, and The Infinaut are already seeing play. Now, passing six energy on Turn 5 will become pretty simple to accomplish.

Darkhawk Bounce

Summer Bounce

Created by den

, updated 2 months ago

1

1x Collection Level 1-14

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

4x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

2.7

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Kitty Pryde Bounce

Old School Bounce

Created by den

, updated 2 months ago

1

1x Collection Level 1-14

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

2x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

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

2.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

1.7

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Galactus Junk

Galactus Junk

Created by den

, updated 2 months ago

0

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

6x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

3.5

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.5

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Thanos Lockjaw

Thanos Lockjaw

Created by den

, updated 2 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

8x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

4.4

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

6.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

InSheNaut

InSheNaut

Created by den

, updated 2 months ago

0

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

3x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

1x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

3x Starter Card

3.4

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

5.5

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Move

Summer Move

Created by den

, updated 2 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 1-14

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

4x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

2.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.4

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Sera Control

Toxic Sera

Created by den

, updated 2 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 1-14

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

6x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

3.6

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.9

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Sera Miracle

Sera Miracle

Created by den

, updated 2 months ago

0

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

6x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

2x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

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

2.4

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.1

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Corvus Ramp

Corvus Ramp

Created by den

, updated 2 months ago

0

3x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

3.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

6.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Silver Surfer

Summer Surfer

Created by den

, updated 2 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

7x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

3.1

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Closing Thoughts

I’ve discussed the card with other players, and, similar to Corvus Glaive, the opinions about Hope Summers were more split than I imagined. As far as I’m concerned, I can’t root against extra energy in Marvel Snap. There are just too many examples of when energy cheating warped the meta. However, I can hear the argument that just two energy is not enough, and Hope Summers isn’t good if you draw it late in the match.

I’m curious to know what everyone thinks about the card and whether I’m alone in predicting the card to be the next reason people will tweet about Marvel Snap. Feel free to drop your opinions in the comment section.

If you also have some ideas for the card, come share it with us on the Marvel Snap Zone community Discord, or reach out through my Twitter page to share your creation with the community.

Good Game Everyone.