Marvel Snap Card Meta Report: The Meta is Wide Open!

Welcome to the first 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.

An important thing to note is that many cards 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.

In this week’s column, we’ll examine eight cards making big waves in the meta. Going forward, we’ll take a more analytical & crunchy view on meta share representation, card ranking, and week-over-week shifts over time in the biggest movers. For any data nerds out there like myself, this series will be powered through queries providing analytical views into Marvel Snap from database access to all the tables and data collected by the Marvel Snap Zone Tracker!

Marvel Snap’s latest OTA, which went live on 10/26 introduced massive disruption to the meta with a few key nerfs to Elsa Bloodstone and Loki. The meta was blown wide open, and players set out to experiment and try new decks, or see how old favorites measure up in this new dawn. Then, on 10/31, Second Dinner introduced even more massive changes to the game with a shocking full balance patch that reworked both Mobius M. Mobius and Wave, amongst other cards.

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

Nico Minoru

Variants

Nico Minoru

On Reveal: After you play your next card, cast a spell. (The spell changes each turn.)

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Nico Minoru

Since her release, Nico Minoru has made a huge impact in the meta and sits as the #4 top meta inclusion card at the time of writing, with a 51.1% win rate and 14.51% meta share representation. With a 0.07/0.08 average cube rate (cube rate/cube rate on play), Nico is winning games, even though her cube rate is the lowest out of any of the top 20 cards within the meta when evaluated in a vacuum.

As an extremely flexible one-drop, Nico brings flexibility and utility in a notoriously competitive slot. Nico’s utility is so strong that she is able to slot into a number of different decks and strategies that try to do very different things. One solid home for Nico Minoru has been Deadpool Destroy—Nico has significantly boosted the power of this destroy strategy and can provide some powerful card-draw. Most of Nico’s effects can be extremely relevant in a business-as-usual Destroy game.

Elsa Bloodstone

Variants

Elsa Bloodstone

Each card you play to fill your side of a location gains +2 Power.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Elsa Bloodstone

Despite a (much needed) nerf, Elsa Bloodstone still clocks in as the third most-played card in Marvel Snap over a seven day period. Her win rate is still 52.1% and her cube ratio comes in slightly higher than Nico at 0.09/0.08.

The story is that Elsa is still a very good card. Many decks that try to fill the board are still able to take advantage of her effect, and many crafty players have paired Nico’s ability to create copies of card to double up on Elsa Bloodstone for +4 power in each slot that fills a location. Elsa is still a mainstay in many decks that warrant her inclusion and I expect her to remain a strong option for players as the playerbase experiments with all the changes we’ve had to the meta. When there are big sweeping changes to the game like this, proactive strategies like the ones Elsa tends to enable do well compared to more reactive decks that need to be tailored to counter specific threats.

Magik

Variants

Magik

On Reveal: Replace this location with ‘Limbo’. Doesn’t work after turn 5.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Magik

Without Mobius M. Mobius policing the meta, combo-oriented decks that tend to want a turn seven like the Negative, InSheNaut, and Tribunal archetypes have been able to make a resurgence in the meta. Magik currently sits at rank 31 in meta usage at 7.58% inclusion. She currently has a negative win rate at 48.9%, but does have a 0.13/0.15 cube rate on average. With a little more time, Magik is one of my anticipated winners of the latest balance updates and a card to watch.

Since the latest balance patch, InSheNaut has been my go-to deck for climbing the ladder and is the list I’ve been preparing for my infinity conquest runs in hopes of securing some additional VFX avatars this season. Yes… That’s Kang the Conqueror in the list. Feel free to sub him out for Leech.

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-
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5+

Magik tends to enable decks that care about cost reduction or more time to assemble their combos, at the cost of some power earlier on in the game that can be easily made up with the right draws. In this new environment, with a lot less disruption from Mobius or Wave, combo decks have the environment they need to potentially flourish once again!

Cosmo

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

Cosmo is and always has been a strong card, especially when played with priority. Currently sitting at rank 14 with a 9.43% meta inclusion, Cosmo is a great tech card choice for many different decks—especially since it is a card that can be played both offensively or defensively in many different situations. Cosmo currently has a 51.6% win rate, and a 0.13/0.11 cube rate.

Cosmo is a strong tech option against the likes of Destory, Discard, on-reveal, Hela, and many other strategies that look to use on-reveal effects to empower their cards or set up big plays. By strategically countering an opponent’s plans, Cosmo has the ability to win games on the spots. Played defensively, Cosmo can help protect your other cards from threats like Shang-Chi, Rogue, Alioth, and more!

Armor

Variants

Armor

Ongoing: Cards here can’t be destroyed.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Armor

Armor is a powerful tech card and currently sits at #5 in the most used meta cards in Marvel Snap. Armor has a 12.93% meta inclusion rate, and a very impressive 53.8% win rate and 0.20/0.22 cube rate. Similar to Cosmo, A lot of Armor’s strength comes from the flexibility and capability to produce both offensive and defensive utility in a lot of different strategies. The three power for two cost can also not be overlooked as a quick way to anchor some points into a lane and begin to formulate a presence that must be answered by the opponent—especially with a follow-up play or when Armor is played to protect a powerful one-cost card on our side of the board.

With the majority of decks enjoying a card slot opening up thanks to the rework of Mobius M. Mobius, many strategies are looking for an ideal tech card to slot in that costs two resources. In the current meta, Armor and Luke Cage represent two of the best choices for the slot. Armor can protect high-power cards from destroy effects, as well as powerful one-drops like Misty Knight, Sunspot, and Nebula from Killmonger. Armor can also be played offensively to jam up an opposing Destroy deck’s strategy and try to significantly slow them down by enveloping Deadpool, Wolverine, or X-23 in an armory layer.

The Infinaut

Variants

The Infinaut

If you played a card last turn, you can’t play this.

Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

view card details Start a deck Decks with The Infinaut

I’m more than a little biased in that The Infinaut is my favorite card in the game and has been since the first day of the game’s release. But The Infinaut is certainly a card that warrants discussion this week!

Surprisingly, Infinaut fell from the number four most-played meta card last week all the way to #30 on the list at the time of writing. Even so, Infinaut’s win rate is 51.1% with a 0.22/1.17 cube rate. The Infinaut is part of a special suit of Snap cards with a drastic difference in overall win + cube rate and win + cube rate ON PLAY. When played, Infinaut’s win rate climbs to a staggering 66.1%. The tricky part is setting up a situation in which you are able to play Infinaut and meet his restrictive card text.

Part of the reason for Infinaut’s apparent fall was that Hela was one of the few decks in the format that could keep up with pre-nerf Elsa Bloodstone in putting points on the board through ‘unfair’ means (landing cards on the board without paying their energy cost. Since Elsa was nerfed and energy cost reduction strategies are a viable part of Snap again, there is less Hela going around, and subsequently less Infinaut in the current representation. But with Loki-based strategies potentially on the rise, Infinaut-based High Evolutionary decks like Inshenaut are looking like very strong options to play in the current meta. I expect Infinaut’s usage and meta representation to climb again heading into next week’s report.

Odin

Variants

Odin

On Reveal: Activate the On Reveal abilities of your other cards here.

Collection Level 1-14

view card details Start a deck Decks with Odin

Odin is another card that has a large degree in variance between win rate, and win rate on play. The same is true for his cube rate. Odin has always been a mainstay of Marvel Snap, but I think a lot of players are sleeping on just how powerful he can be in certain lists for providing utility, power, and game-winning combos. Odin currently sits at the #53 most-played meta card in Marvel Snap with 5.23% meta inclusion, a 53.1% win rate, and a 0.36/1.11 cube rate. On play, Odin’s win rate climbs to a staggering 62.9%.

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-
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5+

With more and more on-reveal effects being added to the game, Odin is always a card worth consideration in lists that have the space to fit his inclusion. Even triggering only a single on-reveal effect with his ability can be enough to win some games. I attribute his high cube rate to his ability to create some sneaky victories. When played in a shell with Wong, and other on-reveal effects, Odin’s arrival is telegraphed to most opponents from a mile away. But when Odin is played on only a single on-reveal card or used to copy a very powerful effect, he can catch some opponents off-guard and win some high-stakes 4-8 cube games.

Loki

Variants

Loki

On Reveal: Transform your hand into cards from your opponent’s starting deck and give them -1 Cost.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Loki

Finally, Loki is the last card I want to discuss this week. With this nerfs, Loki is currently sitting at the #71 most-played meta card with a 52.2% win rate, and a very low 0.04/0.07 cube rate. But don’t let his metrics fool you. I believe Loki is one of the highest skill-cap cards/archetypes in the game, and without Mobius M. Mobius policing his costs, will have the ability to make a resurgence in the meta when paired with Quinjet. Loki Collector lists should be primed to make a comeback in the meta’s representation and put up some truly impressive results in the highest ranks of competitive play.

Loki Collector

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

0

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

1.9

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.6

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

The fact is that in order to be a great Loki player, you have to be a great Snap player in general. There are tons of moving pieces within the archetype and you need to be able to string together many different kinds of strategies in not a lot of time. The more meta decks you understand and know how to pilot, the better you will be able to pilot a Loki deck. High Evolutionary decks or highly synergistic combo decks are likely the best option to combat Loki now, and time will tell if it will be enough or if Loki will return to his former dominance, even after the nerfs to his kit.

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—just in time for a new season to shake things up even further! 

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