Lady Deathstrike Decks to Try on Day 1 and Strategy Guide: Destroy & Control

Lady Deathstrike is the first Series 5 card for the August 2023 season Big In Japan. It is a 5-Cost, 3-Power card that reads On Reveal: Destroy each card here with less Power than this. Today, we will take a deeper look at the new Series 5 card and, of course, the best decks to try it out in.

Variants

Lady Deathstrike

On Reveal: Destroy each card here with 3 or less Power.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Lady Deathstrike

Strengths and Weaknesses

Lady Deathstrike could completely change how we have to play Marvel Snap, or it could compete for the title of biggest flop of the year. She only destroys the cards under her power in the lane.

The effect is unique and can be used in multiple ways. You can target cards on your opponent’s side like Dracula and Iron Man, or you can destroy cards on your side like Bucky Barnes and the Muramasa Shard. But the real question is: is it worth it?

Variants

Dracula

At the end of the game, discard a card from your hand to gain its Power.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Dracula

Variants

Iron Man

Ongoing: Your total Power is doubled here.

Starter Card

view card details Start a deck Decks with Iron Man

Most players immediately consider all the circumstances where the card benefits them by destroying the opponent’s side of the board. The ceiling here is huge; Lady Deathstrike could potentially take all the important cards off the lane (both Dracula and Iron Man die to this effect).

You can even buff this card and then destroy even more of the board. This ceiling is going to entice a lot of players. It’s important to remember, though, that Marvel Snap is a game based on winning two lanes, and investing five energy into an effect has to help you complete this task. The biggest concern is the energy cost alone could hold Lady Deathstrike back.

Variants

Armor

Ongoing: Cards here can’t be destroyed.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Armor

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

Beyond her energy cost, there are plenty of limitations to work around. It will only destroy cards below the power threshold, so you either need to target the correct lane or buff the card. The energy cost limits you to only playing the card on or after Turn 5. She is also hard-countered by two very good cards, Cosmo and Armor.

So, if we come down from the ceiling of board destroying combinations and buffs, what is the floor? And, more importantly, is that good enough? The floor is we destroy cards on one lane while setting up a win in another lane. Fortunately, looking through this option might make us much more hopeful.

Variants

Wolverine

When this is discarded or destroyed, regenerate it with +2 Power at a random location.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Wolverine

Variants

Bucky Barnes

When this is destroyed, replace it with the Winter Soldier.

Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Bucky Barnes

We need eight destruction effects to make Death free for the final turn. At a base power of three, Lady Deathstrike can destroy:

• Bucky Barnes
• Nova
• Wolverine
• The Muramasa Shard
• Deadpool

As well as any card that is under three power that may benefit you early in the game but not later. Here are some to consider:

• The Hood
• Iceman
• Echo
• Forge
• Rocks

The list continues, and this is without having to jump through hoops to create game finishing combinations with Shuri and other similar cards. Lady Deathstrike can, on curve, represent a full lane swing while also setting up for final turn explosions.

Variants

Sentry

You can’t play this at the right location. On Reveal: Add a -10 Power Void to the right location.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Sentry

Variants

Hazmat

On Reveal: Afflict all other cards with -1 Power.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Hazmat

Another way we can use her without having to rely on combinations is to limit the board and use her as a sort of finisher. Professor X, for example, can limit the game, and she could act as a final checkmate on another lane. We could also try to fill the board with Rocks and debuffs with Hazmat before using Lady Deathstrike to clear the other lane we are targeting.

When we consider that the next card being released is X-23, another card that adds to these synergies, this card may be the surprise card of the month.

Variants

Mister Negative

On Reveal: Swap the Power and Cost of all cards in your deck.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Mister Negative

Last but not least, if we could flip the power and cost we can maybe put her in a consistent deck that also has high roll potential. Mister Negative makes her a [3/5], which could potentially be played the same turn as Arnim Zola and/or Knull.

The Verdict

The card initially looked underwhelming, but today we demonstrated the potential this card might have. The floor is higher than it initially seemed. The two main weaknesses (the cost and the base power) do keep the end score down, but there is definitely room for this card to make a big impact. It appears to be a card that may just end up being an option rather than a powerhouse. Those willing to explore the options and push the card though may be able to exploit this ability to surprise opponents.

Potential Score:

Destroy

Lady Destroy

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 9 months ago

0

4x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

3.1

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

This Destroy deck just looks to run Lady Deathstrike as a way to remove several cards on Turn 5. We try to push the ceiling slightly by including Forge, which can also synergizes with Daken and Deadpool.

Absorbing Man acts as a flexible card which can reactivate Destroy effects and Daken, or, if the stars align, reactivate Lady Deathstrike on Turn 6 in another lane while following it up with Death or Deadpool.

The cross synergies are everywhere, but keep in mind this is a deck that relies heavily on the Destroy effects, so it could run into hard counters.

Destroy

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 9 months ago

0

5x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

3x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

3.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.5

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

I’ve included a simpler version of the Destroy deck with Lady Deathstrike. This could end up being the better way to consistently play the card because we are just looking to play the card on Turn 5. We want to destroy three or more cards with the effect to lower the cost of Death as much as possible, and the entire deck is built around that game plan with this card.

Mister Negative

Lady Negative

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 9 months ago

1

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

6x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

3x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

1x Recruit Season

1x Starter Card

4.1

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

1.9

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

When we start looking to abuse the card, the first synergy that makes sense is Mister Negative. We can combine this with some other good Mister Negative targets like Knull and Arnim Zola to end up with a deck that has the potential to create a 10+ power Lady Deathstrike while that could be played next to Knull on the same turn.

The high rolls are big here, but the deck relies heavily on draws. You really want to pull her inverted along with Arnim Zola or Knull. The back up plan remains Iron Man.

Black Panther Strike

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 9 months ago

1

7x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

3x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

1x Recruit Season

1x Starter Card

4.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.1

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Black Panther versions may be able to include the card with more flexibility, so this second version looks to hit the classic Black Panther combination as your back up plan instead. This combination is already very effective, so having another high roll with Lady Deathstrike may be enough to make it consistent enough to rejoin the metagame.

Electro Deathstrike

Electro Strike

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 9 months ago

1

1x Collection Level 1-14

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

6x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

4.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.6

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

This deck is based on playing Electro into Lady Deathstrike, which allows her ability to be reactivated later in the game. We include the rest of a strong Sandman deck to have a plan for when she isn’t the correct play to lock out opponents.

As we have ways to destroy cards (potentially even on two lanes before Turn 6), we are including Knull as the final 6-drop, but this may be incorrect. It depends on how consistently we can hit Arnim Zola or Lady Deathstrike. Lady Deathstrike on Turn 4 followed by Knull on Turn 5 allows for Arnim Zola to spread the power or reactivate the card on Turn 6.

Hazmat

Lady Deathstrike

Created by den

, updated 9 months ago

4

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

8x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

This deck from den looks to use Lady Deathstrike as another way to clear the cards that are bad for our deck like The Void and The Hood while potentially clearing the cards you reduced on your opponent’s side at the same time.

This could lead to huge point swings on the final turns that the opponent won’t expect, and it gives the deck a surprise factor that it sometimes lacks. More often than not, the outcome for either side while playing Hazmat or Junk decks can be predicted early and your Snaps might miss because of that. Lady Deathstrike might help here by creating more uncertain games.

Absorbing Man and Shuri

Lady Wombo

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 9 months ago

0

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

6x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

3x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

1x Recruit Season

3.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.4

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

These two cards have been featured in some of the decks above, but here they are the stars of the show in an all-in build focused on the new card. The goal here is to buff Lady Deathstrike as much as possible, then Arnim Zola her to the other lanes and do it all again. Wong helps you accomplish this, especially with Forge, but Magik is the real enabler.

Magik on Turn 3 allows for Lady Deathstrike on Turn 5 into Forge and Hulkbuster on Turn 6 before the crescendo of Arnim Zola on Turn 7. Echo can be played on Wong‘s lane or on another lane to block Armor so you can make this happen more often.

Thanos Destroy

Lady Death….Strike

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 9 months ago

1

3x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

3x Series 4 Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 4)

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

4.2

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

This deck looks to use Lady Deathstrike as a way to both control a lane and enable Death and Knull. Thanos can help us play the card as early Turn 4 in some games, which would destroy one lane and set up power on others.

Professor X can also limit the game on Turn 4 or 5 and allow Lady Deathstrike to be played on another lane as a potential Control tool. Killmonger and Carnage help us get Death cheaper so we can play it alongside a Control tool.

The key here is to remember to prioritize destroying Stones to put power into Knull and Death.

Closing Thoughts

Lady Deathstrike takes you on a roller coaster. First, you imagine the game ending combinations. Then you realize these can be easily countered, but when you come back down you realize it could just be a way to enable Death and Knull on Turn 6. The final option may be the home it ends up being most effective in, and the card does a lot for this game plan on paper. It may just end up being a strong tech card against cards like Iron Man and Dracula.

Good Luck, Have Fun, and Stay Safe!

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