Infinite Decks of the Week – Guardians’ Greatest Hits Week 2: A New Card and OTA Balance Updates Have Successfully Impacted the Metagame!

Each week, the Infinite Decks of the Week are a little different from any other piece I write for Marvel Snap Zone. Whether it is guides, the Tier List, new cards, or balance changes, there is always the need for me to state an opinion, analyze some data, and create decks to illustrate. When it comes to this particular content, however, it’s really only searching for the decks that makes me feel like I’m “working”. I spend the rest of the time amazed at what people managed to cook and be successful with.

When it comes to being amazed, this week did not disappoint. Needless to say, I had to feature an Iron Lad deck if I could find one (and, to absolutely no one’s surprise, I easily found one). When it comes to the other decks this week, I did not expect to find so much spice. Both Venom and Orka have punched in their ticket to the Infinite rank!

Variants

Iron Lad

On Reveal: Copy the text of your deck’s top card.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Iron Lad

Variants

Venom

On Reveal: Destroy your other cards here. Add their Power to this card.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Venom

Variants

Orka

Ongoing: +5 Power if this is your only card here.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Orka

The first OTA balance patch was extremely impactful. The Sandman nerf and Enchantress buff changed the complexity of the Marvel Snap metagame. The last two weeks felt a notch below in terms of potential impact, though, as none of the cards involved managed to reach a level of popularity worthy of being mentioned in any large sample analysis of the environment. Well, it turns out I might have been wrong. We will explore some of their consequences in this article, and maybe witness the start of some of those cards making a comeback in the Marvel Snap metagame.

This Week’s OTA Balance Updates Came in Clutch!

Infinite Symbiotes

Created by den

, updated 11 months ago

4

4x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

5x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

2.9

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

In the article analyzing the last OTA balance patch, I was afraid that if Venom couldn’t carry the load then the patch might have very little impact. Well, thanks to TheJollyRoger and Sinclair, Venom might have pushed a deck to relevancy.

Here is how TheJollyRoger described the deck when sharing it on Twitter:

We use the destroy kit to get power early, the 3 cost cards to plug a lane, and Sera reduces the cost on T6 for either Nimrod + destroy or 3 3 costs including Silver Surfer for that extra boost! Venom can eat your buffed cards too to open space for Nimrod if you don’t draw será so Venom + Surfer is a solid T6 play! We can also ping pong Nimrod or clear the board with Killmonger.

Yet, as Sinclair is the one reaching Infinite using the deck (and giving it their own twist), they will get all the glory for it!

Jokes aside, I love the creativity to come up with this mix of Destroy and Silver Surfer. In a new metagame, with several excellent decks currently dominating this early season, this very different approach is a great way to surprise your opponent and steal a few cubes in the process. I mean, who expects to see Silver Surfer come down on Turn 6 after the majority of the match revolved around the Destroy synergy?

Iron Lad Makes the Rich Richer!

Good Stature Infinite

Created by den

, updated 11 months ago

2

3x 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)

3.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Another event impacting Marvel Snap this week was Iron Lad joining the game. Alongside Jeff the Baby Land Shark, the card has established itself as one of the premium cards in the game, especially in one of the current best decks in Marvel Snap: Good Cards Stature.

In the last OTA, Rockslide was nerfed to reduce the power of the Darkhawk package. It’s one of the best in the current metagame, and it relies on Zabu and the Rock synergy. However, if the synergy around Darkhawk lost a power, the addition of Iron Lad seems to largely make up for it. And since the 4-cost synergy is already very strong (and Patriot being a deck on the rise), Enchantress was also kept in most lists this week.

Currently, Iron Lad mostly made it in some of the highest profile decks in the game such as DoomWave, Good Cards Stature, and Patriot. In the first two, the inclusion of Zabu is enough to consider any new 4-cost card, and there are naturally great abilities to copy already. In Patriot, the card seems like it can’t really miss when you play it as there are only good targets available.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see many more of these posts in the near future – at least until High Evolutionary, another highly anticipated card, joins Marvel Snap.

ORKA!!!

ORKAAAAAA

Created by den

, updated 11 months ago

1

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

6x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

1x Starter Card

3.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.2

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

I could write a lot about how the OTAs are some of the best things to happen to Marvel Snap and how much I love having these weekly changes. But I don’t think any of those writings would be as impactful as this deck. Would this deck even exist without the mini patches we have every Thursday?

I’ll be honest, I have a lot of questions about this one. Why no Quinjet? Why include Wave and She-Hulk when the deck is not built around being in the lead by Turn 4? But you know what, it doesn’t matter. This is a deck that someone used to reach the game’s highest rank, and it features Orka AND Orka is functional. Quinee Equinox, if I had a trophy for the most impressive deck featured in this series, I would be asking where I needed to send it. So let’s just drop the deck building questions and simply appreciate how rewarding can creativity be.

Did you think you would see this conversation in Marvel Snap this month? No, I didn’t think so.

This deck’s concept is amazing.

Here’s a little bonus: someone else got Infinite using Orka this week. What a crazy timeline! Kang would be proud.

Old Archetypes Still Get the Job Done!

Control Dino

Created by den

, updated 11 months ago

0

5x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

1x Starter Card

3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.2

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Our three entries for today were focused around the latest event occurring in Marvel Snap. If, however, you are not interested in trying to make Venom or Orka work, or you didn’t get your hands on Iron Lad, there are plenty of evergreen archetypes that reached Infinite this week, so let’s take a look!

Closing Words

The Infinite Decks of the Week series can feel a little dull at times. In the end, the purpose of this weekly article is to congratulate those who reached Marvel Snap’s highest rank and share the deck they did it with. Obviously, in the Internet era, a lot of people are going to use similar decks, which can quickly lead to seeing the same decks over and over.

Since the OTA balance updates have started, though, I have seen much more diversity while doing research, as well as many more creative decks. This might be slightly influenced by finding two Orka builds and a Venom build for this week, but I really want to thank the community for making this series so fun to write for so long. Deck building is my favorite part of every card game I have ever played. As such, being able to have a series dedicated to it feels incredible, in addition to finding awesome ideas to test for the next few days.

Here’s to the next crazy idea you might come up with, and to my pleasure to write about them. To make sure I’m not missing any creative decks, you can find me in Marvel Snap Zone community Discord, or on my Twitter page.

Good Game Everyone.