Marvel Snap Card Meta Report: New Contenders Emerge!

Welcome to my Marvel Snap Card Meta Report! In this series, I’ll analyze and highlight individual cards that have been top performers based on all the data collected on Marvel Snap Zone, and any notable or drastic shifts within the meta. This series intends to explore individual cards and their popularity within multiple decks and archetypes—to showcase the individual cards that are making the biggest impact in the metagame, independent of specific decklists.

This is an exciting week for Marvel Snap Zone readers! We’ll also be rolling out my weekly card metrics report spreadsheet that will run in parallel to this series each week. More on this below.

An important thing to note is that many cards in Marvel Snap are highly synergistic with other cards—meaning a high inclusion of meta share for an individual card will often lend to increasing the meta share of cards that synergize well with that particular card. In addition, as new cards are released into the game, the playerbase is eager to experiment and explore new potential decks to play them. Representation within the meta for new cards naturally surges when cards release, especially if community sentiment is positive and players are eager to invest their spotlight caches in hopes of opening the new card.

It takes a couple of weeks for a newly released card’s sticking power to surface, as well as any high-synergy cards to adjust within card rankings depending on the new card or strategy’s staying power in the meta. Over time, we’re able to determine if new releases are flashes in the pan, or truly something that can shift the metagame long term.

Introducing the Marvel Snap Zone Card Metrics Report Spreadsheet!

This is a new benefit being rolled out to all Marvel Snap Zone Premium Members – but the first report (launching in parallel with this article) is free for all readers so you can get a feel for the data and benefit of the weekly report.

Unlock the power of data with the Marvel Snap Zone Card Metrics Report! Our meticulously crafted spreadsheet is a secret weapon for serious players looking to improve their game, deckbuilders, and content creators.

Get a competitive edge with advanced metrics that reveal the top-performing cards, biggest movers, and strategic insights for the week. Designed and created by a high-ranking Infinite/Competitive Snapper, and professional business analyst.

I designed this data analysis spreadsheet to fuel the Marvel Snap content that I write for Marvel Snap Zone and collect data from the best Marvel Snap Tracker to build out this weekly report. As a deckbuilder and one of the top players in the game, data is essential to my decision-making when building new decks and considering changes to existing ones.

With this report in your arsenal, you’ll also be empowered to make data-driven decisions in your Marvel Snap Deckbuilding each and every week!

Learn more and read the full announcement here for more information, or get the first report for free right here and dive right in with the links below!

More features and quality-of-life updates are coming, to continue to make this a must-have weekly report for serious Marvel Snap players! All feedback are welcome in our Discord server or the comment section below.

Cards to Watch this Week

In this week’s column, we’ll examine eight cards making big waves in the meta and dive into an analytical & crunchy view on meta share representation, card ranking, and week-over-week shifts over time in the biggest movers.

Let’s jump into the cards to watch this week!

Omega Red

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

With the rise of the Ongoing Archetype and buffs to Spectrum (as well as the release of Ms. Marvel), a previously unfavored and fringe card has found some new life. I believe some of Omega Red’s surge is happening in lower collection-level matches where the card can be better paired with other ongoing cards like Iron Man, and Ms. Marvel for newer players who happened to purchase the season pass. Still, Omega Red shot up 55 ranks in the meta position (a 268.89% increase from last week) and enjoyed an impressive +14.80% surge to win rate, and +0.79 increase to average cube rate. The performance alone warrants further exploration of Omega Red in your deckbuilding!

With cards like Zabu, try pairing Omega Red with the likes of Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, and Onslaught, just be careful not to get blown out by Rogue or Enchantress! Cosmo can be a great defensive option when exploring this Ongoing strategy.

Sandman

Variants

Sandman

On Reveal: Players can only play 1 card next turn.

Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Sandman

Next up is Sandman. It’s clear that the recent balance update that increased his power by one has helped his overall performance. Sandman’s representation in the meta surged 72 ranks, increased by 192.2%, and enjoyed a 10% increase to win rate, bring his overall win rate up to a solid 57.2%. Sandman is a great card to punish greedy and ‘miracle’-style decks that try to stay flexible in turns one through five and play out their hand in turn six. 

In ramp-style decks that have ways to play Sandman by turn four, the benefit is amplified. I’m a big fan of Sandman Ramp and think it is still a solid contender in the current meta. Notably, it’s an archetype I’ve played less of this season, but one that is simple to pilot and traditionally easy to climb with.

Sandman Ramp

Created by Emperion

, updated 6 months ago

0

On RevealInfiniteCompetitiveMetaPool 5

1x Collection Level 1-14

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

4

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

She-Hulk

Variants

She-Hulk

Costs 1 less for each unspent Energy last turn.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with She-Hulk

She-Hulk has been putting up impressive numbers thanks to an environment without Mobius M. Mobius. With Mobius’s update in yesterday’s OTA that returned his original effect but nerfed his cost, it will be interesting to see if She-Hulk is able to continue on as a powerful card, specifically in the InSheNaut archetype. With a one-power buff to She-Hulk’s power, she is targetable by the updated Shang-Chi, but also provides a lot of extra power in match ups where opponents are not running Shang-Chi in their list. I believe both cards are extremely playable, but I do expect a general decline of She-Hulk as Mobius is used as a tech option in certain strategies. InSheNaut should still be a powerful (and playable) deck, but I expect it to fall out from tier one in our weekly meta report.

In a day of playing the OTA update, the new Mobius M. Mobius feels a lot more fair than his initial release version. He keeps decks that rely on energy cheating in check, but doesn’t feel as oppressive or compelling to include as an addition to each and every deck and archetype. 

Inshenaut (Conquest)

Created by Emperion

, updated 6 months ago

0

ComboInfiniteMidrangePool 5

4x None

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

3x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

3.5

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

5.5

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Mister Fantastic

Variants

Mister Fantastic

Ongoing: Adjacent locations have +2 Power.

Collection Level 1-14

view card details Start a deck Decks with Mister Fantastic

Mister Fantastic is a clear winner of the new season of Marvel Snap! Mr. Fantastic surged 64 meta positions upward, enjoyed a 11.10% increase to win rate, and positive changes to cube rates across the board. His meta representation is up 108.9% from last week!

Along with Ms. Marvel, Doctor Doom, and Klaw, Mister Fantastic provides a way to spread total power across multiple locations with a single card. I’ve found Mister Fantastic and Ms. Marvel to be fantastic additions to the Lockdown control archetype, and I’ve adapted my Guardians Lockdown list to accommodate the changes.

The decks is more powerful than ever at staying open and spreading a lot of points across the board. Mister Fantastic, Klaw, and Ms. Marvel all start to feel a lot like variations and spin offs of Doctor Doom in this list and strategy while supporting cards rein in your opponents and orchestrate the locations they are allowed or otherwise compelled to play to.

The guide that I wrote for Guardians Lockdown is still extremely relevant, and this archetype feels like one of the early powerhouses of the new season! If you’re a fan of the control archetype, give any one of the great lockdown decks a shot.

A note on my list: It’s a pain to play Daredevil right now with his bug. Players cannot click into the cards played by opponents and the VFX effect makes it difficult to always see and decipher what card was played by your opponent. Consider running Medusa in this slot instead for the meantime. Professor X still works perfectly fine in this list without Daredevil thanks to all the ways to cheat power into a locked location. Here’s to hoping this is fixed soon!

Emperion’s Lockdown

Created by Emperion

, updated 6 months ago

0

On RevealInfiniteCompetitivePool 5

2x Collection Level 1-14

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

1x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

1x Recruit Season

3.7

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Negasonic Teenage Warhead

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

Another recently reworked card, Negasonic Teenage Warhead went from one of the bottom-of-the-barrel cards, to a compelling niche and utility pick in many different strategies. Her new effect is quite powerful, and she is a card we should continue to watch.  She moved up 25 meta positions, enjoyed a 74.1% increase to meta share representation and an overall win rate change of 9%, bringing her up to 55.5% win rate. Interestingly, her average cubes per game went up by 0.66, but cubes on play decreased by -0.25. I’d expect her cube rate to increase as more players learn how to play with her new effect and leverage it in powerful and synergistic strategies.

Particularly, she feels like a great addition to the Silver Surfer archetype which is always looking for powerful three-cost cards to enable its disruptive strategy that messes with the opponent’s gameplan while proactively putting a lot of points on the board. Silver Surfer is definitely a deck to watch—and Negasonic Teenage Warhead should be considered for spotlight caches or a token purchase since she is a series four card.

Infinite Surfer Disruption

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

2

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

9x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

2.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.2

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Onslaught

Variants

Onslaught

Ongoing: Double your other Ongoing effects here.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Onslaught

Ongoing cards have a lot going for them right now, and Onslaught is the capstone to enable the strategy as a whole when featured as the centerpiece of a deck’s composition. Onslaught is one of those cards that is played frequently by newer players with lower collection levels then falls off toward higher collection level games within the meta. 

There’s enough going for Onslaught right now that I think that formula could change drastically. Onslaught enjoyed a 87.6% increase to meta representation, climbed 57 card slots in popularity, and enjoyed a 7.5% increase to win rate. He posted positive cube rate changes week-over-week and looks like a great choice when paired with either Ms. Marvel or other Ongoing-based strategies!

Stillcrs Marvelous Darkhawk

Created by Stillcrs

, updated 6 months ago

0

TheorycraftComboPool 4

1x Collection Level 1-14

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

1x Starter Card

3.4

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

1.4

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Orka

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

After a long period of silence, Orka is a very compelling addition to ramp-based strategies now. There is risk in putting up 16 total power in a single card to a location, but the potential reward often offsets it with plenty of upside threshold to spare.

Orka climbed 41 card slots in popularity and his meta share representation increased by 84.62% compared to last week. His win rate is up another 8.5%, and cube rates across the board are also up. For the week, Orka sits at a 60.5% win rate and has been posting some impressive results. Orka’s performance shows that even with the presence of Shang-Chi, that he can be a powerhouse at putting up insane amounts of power and mounting the pressure on your opponent.

With more players potentially being wary of including Shang-Chi in their lists after yesterday’s nerf, Orka may have an environment to continue to flourish in the Ramp Archetype. Paired with Ms. Marvel, Orka is a staggering 21 power from a single card at a location, beating out even my beloved The Infinaut!

Deck 15

Created by Adavalos

, updated 6 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

3.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.4

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Super-Skrull

Variants

Super-Skrull

Ongoing: Has the Ongoing effects of all enemy cards.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Super-Skrull

Finally, I’m thrilled that Super-Skrull is another card to continue to watch! Last season, I wrote an entire article on Super-Skrull for the new season and how it was a vastly under-represented card within the meta. This week, that’s changed and Super-Skrull is enjoying some time in the sun.

Super-Skrull climbed 58 meta card slots, a 76.73% increase from the previous week. His win rate went from a sub-50% to 57.6%, a 10.10% flat increase. With positive cube rate changes as well, it’s clear that Super-Skrull is benefiting from all the ongoing cards played in the meta.

Black Knight Control

Created by Emperion

, updated 5 months ago

0

4x 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)

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

3.7

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

5.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Zabu Good Cards

Created by Emperion

, updated 6 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 1-14

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

3.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.4

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Conclusion

That’s it for this week! Stay tuned for next week’s report as I look at how cards have shifted as the community evaluates which decks will land on top in the new meta.

The cards I covered in this article are only a single piece of the puzzle—there are many more stories that the data tells. Be sure to check out our new Marvel Snap Zone Premium benefit and my weekly Marvel Snap Zone Card Metrics Report Spreadsheet (this week’s is free!). I’m confident it will be an excellent resource for you in your own deck building, and to help you improve as a player by better understanding the meta and data behind all the cards.

Have any questions about the cards featured in this meta card report? Drop a comment below or follow me on Twitter!