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Second Dinner has issued an update that causes this strategy to no longer work.
Griffin:
We’ve become aware of a matchmaking issue that’s pairing players on a loss streak against a Bot too consistently. We’ve made a change to ensure players are appropriately encouraged to win their games if they want to earn bigtime Bubs.
We hope you’ll understand that we have to protect the competitive integrity of SNAP in which the most rewarding way to play is to always at least try to win every match, no matter the opponent.
Marvel Snap’s newest game mode “Deadpool’s Diner” has just launched. The mode offers players the ability to bet “Bubs” each match in order to unlock exciting rewards! One such rewards is a brand new card Cassandra Nova that can only be collected in this mode (for now, until it enters the Token Shop rotation as a Series 5 card in August). For many players, grinding out enough Bubs to collect this new card has been very difficult or anxiety inducing. Thanks to some clever players, a work around has been found to help players get the rewards they want!
What’s the Trick?
In order to ensure there are always players available to battle in this new mode, Bots have been added into the matchmaking. This also helps inject the amount of bubs needed to make this mode work. Bots are significantly easier to beat than a player, and they will often stay through the final turn. If you use specific decks, you can even trick the bot into snapping you and finishing the game. This can give you a massive x32 boost to your rewards! But how can you ensure you face a bot?
Deadpool’s Diner has a safety net for players that makes sure they have the chance to win an easier match. If you lose 9 games in a row, the 10th game will always be a bot match! Using this concept, some players notice that if you simply start a match and immediately retreat 9 times, your 10th game will always be vs a bot! If you always retreat on turn 1, and get maximum Bubs from your bot match, you can rapidly climb the progression ladder! Unfortunately, there are a few caveats to this system…
If you win a single match while you are on your losing streak, your pitty timer resets and you need a new streak of 9 losses to get the bot. Many players have tried this strategy and matched against another player attempting the same thing! This causes a sort of stand-off where whoever manages to retreat first gets to keep their losing streak. If you are trying to climb the progression system naturally and players keep retreating at the start of a match, they are trying to find their bot match.
If you want to give yourself an advantage against other retreating players, use an avatar that is generic or default. Also use a Card Back that is from the base collection. This could make your opponent think you are a bot, giving them pause about if they should retreat. If you really want to commit to the idea, change your name to one that sounds more like a bot. Typically they are simple names like “Nathan” or “Martha”. After 30 days, you can change your name again.
Another factor to keep on mind is that you have to remain on the same Menu for all matches. If you change menu levels (for example, going from Steak to Ice Cream), your lose streak resets and you lose your free bot match. This means you can’t spam 9 games on Cereal, then face a bot on Ice Cream for maximum rewards. This also means you need to ensure you have enough Bubs to retreat 9 times, and still have enough Bubs to play a 10th game in that same level. Running out of Bubs could mean you have to drop tables and reset your streak.
If you are having issues playing the mode, you can resort to this method to pump your progression meter. Since your progression can never decrease, you losing bubs from retreating won’t hurt your progress. If another player beats you to the retreat button, your victory will also be a small addition to your progression.
What Decks Should I Use Versus Bots?
With bots, you don’t have to have optimal meta decks to win. Instead, here is a list of archetypes bots underestimate:
These decks all have something in common. Their power comes from the final turn. For a bot to Snap you and stay in the game, they often need to be winning going into the final turn. Big swings in Power and combos are not expected by bots, so they stay in the game as long as they are winning 2 locations. If you are winning 2 locations going into turn 6, the bot is less likely to Snap you, and more likely to retreat.
Tips for Climbing without Bots
If you need help climbing, but don’t want to use the bot method, here’s a few tips for you!
- You don’t have to finish every game to the end. Sometimes retreating early when you have a poor outlook is the best call to make.
- If your opponent is playing Arishem and you aren’t, don’t push your luck. Since they could have 2 copies of any card in the game, cut your losses and retreat when you see them high rolling early game plays.
- Snap your advantages early! If on early turns you draw well, Snap quickly to lock your opponent into a game where you are likely to snowball ahead.
- If your opponent snaps you, make sure your turn isn’t ended and analyze the game. If your opponent is willing to ramp up the stakes quickly, they may have a strong hand that will be difficult to compete with.
- Play on a lower table before you lose all of your Bubs. Just because you have just enough Bubs to compete at the highest menu item you have, doesn’t mean you should compete. Play a menu item 1 below your highest so you have the option to play several matches if you lose.
The deck you use is less important than versus bots. You simply want to use the same kind of decks you use to climb the regular ranked mode. With that said, if you face a lot of Arishem, you may consider using a Darkhawk counter deck. This deck below is a good example:
Owi
Updates to Deadpool’s Diner
After hearing feedback from players, the developers have reduced the first menu entry cost to only be 8 Bubs. This makes early learning for the mode easier. It also allows you to lose a few games without running out of Bubs and needing to quit until refresh (or buy Bubs with Gold).
Currently, that is the only change made to the mode so far. The team does care about player feedback on the mode though to make future updates! If you have feedback to share about the mode, you can leave your thoughts on the official Discord channel! This mode is intended to return in a future season, so your feedback could be crucial to a better experience next time.
Conclusion
While the mode is controversial, getting a free new card isn’t. Using the bot trick has helped many players reach Cassandra Nova and retire from playing the mode. If you struggle to get 9 losses because of other players also retreating, you can try this method in a few days. The mode is open for another week, and players using this method are only doing so to avoid playing the mode more than they have to.
What do you think about Deadpool’s Diner? Did you use the bots to get Cassandra? How could the team improve the mode? Let us know in the comments!
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