Marvel Snap Metagame Tier List July 26, 2022: Patch 3.0.1 Week 1

Introduction

Hi everyone, welcome to our weekly metagame snapshot, where I will analyze and classify the popular decks based on their current power level. After the patch on July 19th, one might expect the metagame to be shaken and new powerful decks emerge as the more popular ones were stripped of some of their key cards. Well… Not so much! However, the majority of our higher tiers are made of decks already listed in our previous articles.

DeathWave or Discard Combo for example, big powerhouses built around Pool 3 cards, picked up right where they left before the patch, benefiting from being almost untouched in the last balance changes. Those decks logically took first and second place on the podium, as they kept running close to the same 12 cards lists. Other archetypes are on the rise, like Bounce, or Move that are both benefiting from more players unlocking the key cards from Pool 3. This also leads to other archetypes being forgotten, such as the Patriot No Ability deck that felt mostly absent this week.

The big change this week comes from the aggressive decks that are built around Pool 1 and 2 cards, which likely need a bit more time to be refined after losing several of their key cards less than a week ago. The nerfs to Strong Guy or Okoye did hurt the aggressive decks a lot, and Ka-Zar has dropped down a tier once again. Their disappearance led to its counter archetype to also be quite unpopular this week, and focusing on our own synergies and gameplan was the way to go to rack up some Cubes.

Marvel Snap Meta Tier List – July 26, 2022

Tier 1

DeathWave takes the top spot after July 19th patch

DeathWave

Created by den

, updated 2 years ago

0

1x Collection Level 1-14

4x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

3x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.5

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

With Killmonger moving from Pool 3 to Pool 2, DeathWave has become a much more accessible deck. However, the signature card Death is still in Pool 3, and Wave unfortunately can’t be collected until August 2022 season (which is coming up relatively soon). Despite that, we have seen a bit of a surge of DeathWave players since the patch, which allowed us to get a better grasp on the deck compared to previous weeks.

The feedback was quite stellar, as most players agreed that currently the deck is a great performer. Outside of Jubilee, the deck isn’t playing any nerfed cards, which helps a lot compared to all the other powerhouses in the game. Wave is great against low-cost energy decks like Discard (denies Swarm value) or Sera (denies the combo turn). Killmonger still completely destroys Ka-Zar decks for those still playing it, and Death alongside the Destroy synergy develops enough points to secure two locations in the other matchups.

Overall, DeathWave felt like a well-rounded deck this week, benefiting a lot from the balance patch. We think it deserves a solo Tier 1 status thanks to an increase in both popularity and relative power level.

Tier 2

Discard Combo climbs to the top of Tier 2

Discard Combo

Created by den

, updated 2 years ago

0

5x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

4x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

2.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.4

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Another deck that did not suffer from the patch, Discard Combo isn’t atop our list because Wave is a bit of a problem for the deck. Also, Sandman becoming a Pool 2 card might be a nice tech card against it, limiting its combo ability.

Otherwise, Discard Combo just kept what it was doing before the patch when the rest of the metagame was forced to adapt their list. Among Tier 1 and Tier 2 decks, this deck is the only one that doesn’t see important changes from one week to another.

I have seen people experiment with Wong (replacing Moon Girl) in the build, and America Chavez has replacing the nerfed Okoye for draw consistency. Overall, the deck has found a very solid core around the Discard synergy and keeps getting better week after week.

Sera suffers a bit of a setback

Sera Miracle Buff

Created by den

, updated 2 years ago

0

1x Collection Level 1-14

4x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

5x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

1x Recruit Season

2.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Although the deck still is a prime contender for best in the game, Sera Miracle Buff suffered from the patch much more than our top 2 decks did. With Strong Guy and Okoye out of the picture for now, and with America Chavez and Ghost Rider being slightly weakened as well, the deck needed some rethinking.

The reason the deck is still keeping a high spot on our tier list is because Sera is still a great card and win condition. Her Ongoing ability allows the deck to be extremely flexible, as long as we draw our signature card.

This week, the build features Maximus, Mysterio and Scarlet Witch as the new cards in the build. The first two are included for power purposes (Mysterio‘s Illusions retain Nakia‘s buff and count towards buffing Bishop), and Scarlet Witch is mostly a counter card to the now popular Magik.

Definitely still a deck to keep an eye on, as it should continuously adapt through the course of this week. I feel this archetype can keep being relevant as long as Sera isn’t touched in a patch.

Ghost Rider Ramp takes over Control

Ghost Rider Ramp

Created by den

, updated 2 years ago

0

1x Collection Level 1-14

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

3x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

6x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

3.5

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.5

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

When the metagame changes, decks looking to counter popular strategies tend to do much worse. As such, the control archetype looked like it was absent in Marvel Snap’s ladder this week, being replaced by the Ramp archetype. While both decks share a common foundation, Ghost Rider Ramp focuses much less on what the opponent is doing, which tends to do much better right after a patch.

Seeing this deck so high on our tier list also shows the impact of the Ghost Rider nerf: Not so big. Indeed, the card still is routinely worth over 15 power, bringing back the like of The Infinaut or Doctor Doom. Its change to 4 Energy doesn’t change the powerful combo with Lady Sif to exist on the final turn.

Jubilee is another changed card in the patch, but also feels right at home in this deck. The amount of worthy pulls is so high that the loss of the America Chavez synergy isn’t as impactful in this deck as it can be to others, like Control for example.

As time passes and a clearer picture of the new metagame forms, I fully expect the Control archetype to be back eventually. For now though, being proactive seems to be the better route, and Ghost Rider still is a huge help in that regard.

Discard Swarm Aggro, the new aggro staple?

Discard Aggro

Created by den

, updated 2 years ago

0

1x Collection Level 1-14

4x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

4x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

1x Starter Card

2.7

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.9

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Although the nerf to Strong Guy felt like a huge blow to any aggressive archetype, the Discard synergy still is packed with explosive potential thanks to another 2-cost card: Swarm.

In this deck, the cheap 1-cost cards aren’t the core of the strategy like they were in the Ka-Zar deck. Instead, they are used to manage our hand and help our Discard ability be as effective as possible. If discarding Apocalypse can be tutored with Lady Sif, the real challenge is to maximize our chances of multiplying Swarm, as to create a super explosive turn 6 where we can flood several locations at once. If we wouldn’t draw our key card, discarding Apocalypse several times should at least guarantee we win a location on turn 6, which isn’t so bad.

Most of the time, the deck will use a diversion on one location with Sunspot or Angela early on proactively, and then commit to the other two in the late game with Apocalypse and the Swarms. Proactive plays and super explosive late game plays allows this deck to get ahead early, and then monitor the opponent’s action to commit its cards at the right places.

Bounce finally reaches Tier 2

Bounce

Created by den

, updated 2 years ago

0

6x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

4x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

1.7

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

1.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

After a few weeks in the tier below, Bounce feels like a much better deck after the patch. I was afraid Killmonger moving down to Pool 2 would prevent the archetype from being able to develop. For now, it looks like nerfs to the KaZoo deck has reduced its popularity, making Killmonger disappear from most lists except ones that can make use of the Destroy effect, such as DeathWave.

I don’t really know if Bounce will be able to keep its momentum going in the tier list in the coming weeks. However fun the deck might be, in a competitive sense the deck feels volatile compared to the other top decks. Every game we do not draw into Falcon or Beast, we are effectively playing quite a weak, aggressive deck. With just one of them, it can be too weak to beat a good hand from another top ranked deck.

Angela, Bishop, and The Collector can represent a ton of power in this deck, but they need to reach double-digits in order for us to be able to compete on multiple locations. This is something usually only achievable if we can bounce our cards once they are already on the board, ready to be buffed.

The deck is still quite good at developing a good board, with Angela and The Collector as turn 2 options and Bishop and Nakia as turn 3. Yet, those cards are already featured in other archetypes, and it’s really Beast and Falcon on Turn 4 and 5 that are allowing this deck to compete with the rest of our Tier 2 archetypes.

If more draw cards were printed in the near future though, I would fully expect Bounce to benefit a lot from it, and become a great deck.

Tier 3

Movement comes back to some degree of relevancy

Movement

Created by den

, updated 2 years ago

1

8x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

2.2

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.9

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Move is an archetype that is still very difficult to grasp in Marvel Snap. AS more players are collecting cards from Pool 3, and the deck being completely untouched from the recent patch, I have seen more players share their take on the archetype.

The recent inclusion of America Chavez also makes a lot of sense as a way to thin the deck. We also see the return of Forge instead of Okoye, with makes sense as the goal is to precisely buff Human Torch or Multiple Man anyway.
On paper, the deck has a lot of upsides, and is able to create amongst the biggest score in the game when we can get Human Torch going.

Yet, the deck still has counters it can’t really ignore. Professor X locking down the middle lane, Elektra or Killmonger removing Human Torch, or simply not finding our key cards fast enough.

Similarly to the Bounce archetype, Move is looking better with the patch, and more players also helped refine the deck even more than it was in the past. What the archetype is missing now is the consistency that other top decks can have even when they are facing a potential counter deck.

Mister Negative fights for consistency

Mister Negative

Created by den

, updated 2 years ago

5

1x Collection Level 1-14

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

6x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

1x Recruit Season

1x Starter Card

4.2

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

1.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Already featured last week, Mister Negative is definitely a fan favorite this week in Marvel Snap. As players are still exchanging ideas on the very best lists, Arnim Zola has looked to be a popular enough inclusion to be part of our featured build.

Once again, this is a deck that could see major improvements if more draw potential was added to Marvel Snap. In the current set of things, Mister Negative is either a great deck or an awful one, the difference being whether you find your signature card in time or not.

The biggest upside to the deck right now is how surprising it can be for the opponent, something that can pay huge dividends in Marvel Snap. If you enjoy taking advantage of the strategic Snap or baiting your opponent into doing so against you, this might be the perfect deck for you to play.

Destroyer’s popularity benefits from the Nexus Event?

Destroyer

Created by den

, updated 2 years ago

0

4x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

4x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

1x Recruit Season

3.1

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

The new deck featured this week is build around Destroyer, one of the biggest 6 cost in the game at 16 points. This specific build is largely inspired by KanyeBest, who had Killmonger instead of Hazmat, but I felt the card fits the overall concept of the deck very well. You can check out his build and read his writeup on the deck here.

Overall, the deck is looking to disrupt the opponent while setting up for a turn 6 Destroyer that would win over its location. Thanks to cards like Colossus, Bucky Barnes, Nova or Armor, we can largely limit the damage Destroyer deals to our side of the board.

Furthermore, this deck is built with the intent of being as annoying as possible to the opposing side of the locations anyway. With Green Goblin, Hobgoblin and Hazmat, we are in a position to reduce the power the opponent possess on targeted locations. This is a key part of the deck’s gameplay, as we need to win the second location this way most of the time.

A good final set up for us would be to have Warpath, Armor (or the more expensive Professor X), as well as other utility cards on the same location. On turn 6, Destroyer cleans the third location to activate Warpath, which allows us to push where Warpath is while Destroyer wins the location we play him on as well.
If Destroyer was able to activate Bucky Barnes or Nova in the process for extra power, then all the better for us.

In this scenario, both Goblins can be played freely as Destroyer does not affect the opposing side of locations, and Hazmat shouldn’t be so bad for us considering we will routinely have fewer cards than our opponent in play.

For now, this archetype feels like a work in progress. Especially in games where the deck can’t find Destroyer for example, it can quickly feel like a retreat. In return, you have the surprise factor and it may get you some unexpected 8 Cubes wins!

Closing Words

The first snapshot after a balance patch is always something challenging to produce. The metagame feels like it is still adapting, with several archetypes on the verge of a breakthrough, while others feel popular simply because they were left untouched by the nerfs. I think the big point of emphasis currently is the Pool 3 cards. As time passes, it feels clear that almost every competitive deck will eventually be built around or using several Pool 3 cards.

KaZoo was quite an oppressive deck when it comes to its popularity, and I understand the reasons being nerfing several of its core components. Yet, if it wasn’t for facing bots regularly, I have a hard time picturing a player on a budget being able to compete for a leaderboard spot. The changes to Killmonger and Sandman to get them in Pool 2 have been great in that regard. I hope more changes like this one are made in the future, so players can have access to more decks faster in their journey.

If you’d like to discuss the current metagame or have questions about a specific deck, feel free to leave a comment in the section below. To get in touch with me for any question, you can find me on Twitter or on our brand new Discord server!

Good Game Everyone.