Marvel Snap Ranked Meta Tier List: April 13, 2024 — Thunderbolts Week 2 & Post-Patch Update

Welcome to our Marvel Snap Meta Meta Tier List! Each week, we review the best decks in the ever-changing Marvel Snap ladder meta.

This report is dedicated to the Ranked mode and lists the current best decks heading into and once in the Infinite Rank. We also provide a Conquest report, available every weekend, that highlights the best archetypes for that mode. Looking to figure out the impact of the newly released card or the latest balance changes? This is the place to be!

If you are looking for more information about a deck in particular, check out our Archetypes pages, with detailed information about each of the household names in Marvel Snap.

Marvel Snap Meta Overview

There are three big stages to a developing meta: The synergistic stage, where everyone tries to figure out the strongest synergies to build a deck around; The reactive stage, where the community figures out the limits of the best decks from stage one and finds efficient ways to counter them; And the balanced stage, where the best decks from the previous stages fight each other to rule the meta until the next balance update.

With the recent patch predominantly targeting the disruptive decks (both Alioth and Zabu, a big ally to Shang-Chi and Enchantress, were nerfed), synergistic decks took a hot start in this new meta. We are clearly in the first of the three stages so far, even if a couple of disruptive decks already managed to rise.

Don’t get fooled, though; these decks have been drowning in a sea of proactive decks since the update. Hela looked like it was ready to take over Marvel Snap like it did back in February, but it was quickly met by three other high potential decks in Mister Negative, Phoenix Force, and Shuri Kitty, as well as the usual Destroy and Discard Dracula that are always part of the meta in one way or another. Then, even if you might think the second stage had already started, the proactive decks are still the dominant breed in Marvel Snap.

What about the third stage, then? Can we expect a balanced meta in the near future?

History suggests that the meta always finds a way to balance itself, and we have enough tools in Marvel Snap to counter any deck if we really try. However, the current mix isn’t a simple one to solve since each of the different decks demands different cards to derail its strategy.

This is part of the reason why Zemo Mill is basically the only disruptive archetype around: the game has changed. Now you want to gain information as early as possible against the proactive decks in order to quickly figure out how dangerous they can be. The earlier you get that crucial information, the more leverage you’ll gain for your Snaps. Indeed, once you know how dangerous your opponent is, you know exactly whether you should stay, Retreat, or Snap.

I’m not really a fan of this environment where very few matches go the distance. However, I can’t argue with the fact that it puts a big emphasis on the Snap and Retreat mechanic, which is the unique aspect Marvel Snap brought to the card game genre.

The archetypes are the same ones we have been discussing over the years, but the feeling is clearly different. Could this be the dawn of a faster, more aggressive way to play Marvel Snap?

Happy Tier List, everyone!

Marvel Snap Meta Tier List

Disclaimer and Tier Explanations

In order to be featured here, a deck needs to represent at least 1% of the current environment and have a positive cube average in the Ranked mode. Win Rate is also taken into consideration, and it can greatly impact the ranking of a deck, particularly when several archetypes (or different builds of the same deck) have a similar Cube Average but big Win Rate discrepancies. The Marvel Snap mechanics do, however, push players to maximize cubes gained rather than win every single game.

In order to create this chart, den is using data from our Marvel Snap Tracker, as well as other available data online and his own expertise and opinion of respected players. If a deck showed great performances with a very limited presence in the meta, you can find it in the Silent Performers section. That section highlights decks with an excellent Cube Average but too little of a sample size to be representative of their real strength.

Decks not good enough to be considered contenders but with a good representation will be ranked in Tier 3 in our chart. They won’t have their own dedicated write up here, but they may be transferred to the main Tier List section. See those builds as decks that are good to know about, as you should face them when playing Marvel Snap. However, unless the meta changes or a new variation of the build emerges, these decks are a notch below the dominant ones in Tiers 1 and 2.

Silent Performers

Pixie Junk

Created by den

, updated 18 days ago

1

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

2.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Junk didn’t have a bad week overall, but it would have ranked at the bottom of Tier 3 if it wasn’t for this peculiar list. Here, Pixie brings the unpredictability needed for a disruptive deck to compete right now. You won’t keep many opponents in the game if you just shut them down by Turn 4 and only Snap once you are guaranteed to win.

It is too early to know if this deck will become something in the future, but the direction is more on par with the way you would want to collect cubes in Marvel Snap.

Tier 1

Hela

Hela

Created by den

, updated 17 days ago

3

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

5x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

3x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

4.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

7.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Hela has two big upsides in a new environment. First, the synergy barely cares who is on the other side of the battlefield. As long as you know how to navigate your deck (and can figure out if your opponent could develop more points than you), you are good to go. Second, Hela is a frightening opponent because it can Snap at multiple stages of a match. You might expect a Snap early on once they played Corvus Glaive and Hela stayed safe in hand, or closer to the end of the match right before Hela would be played. Compared to a lot of other decks, you can reasonably tell the potential of this one by Turn 4 or Turn 5. Hela has you constantly guessing and scared of staying in the match.

Alioth just got nerfed, so now the deck can run free. However, there is a lot of Spider-Ham and Cable running around who might snipe the Goddess of Death. Plus, several archetypes could easily run Cosmo if necessary.

Potential Additions

The Hela Tribunal deck also had a great showing over the past couple of days, so it seems you can pick whichever build you are most familiar with at this point.

Hela Tribunal

Created by den

, updated 18 days ago

2

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

3x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

1x Starter Card

4.7

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

6.2

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Phoenix Force

Phoenix Force

Created by den

, updated 18 days ago

5

3x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

3.2

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

There aren’t many decks in the game that can match Phoenix Force when it comes to developing a lot of points on every lane, which it can accomplish with either Multiple Man or a big Human Torch alongside The Living Tribunal. Nimrod is more of a safety net in the deck currently, but with very little disruption going around, Shuri into a 12 power Nimrod has a shot against quite a lot of decks. If the meta turns into a war of points even more than it currently is, I could imagine running Iron Fist, Iron Lad, or Beast in order to grow Human Torch even more.

Compared to Hela, Phoenix Force feels a little simpler to disrupt. Killmonger is a staple in Destroy, and it’s an easy inclusion in Silver Surfer if it’s needed (which limits how much you can leverage Human Torch). Plus, if you haven’t played your signature card or Shuri by Turn 4, a lot of opponents will Snap you because they’re fully aware you are very likely to just give them a cube due to a bad draw. Overall, Phoenix Force probably requires a bit more discipline, but it has a similar ceiling to the other high potential decks in the meta.

Potential Additions

The Living Tribunal could be Shang-Chi or Enchantress for some reactive ability.

Tier 2

Destroy

Destroy

Created by den

, updated 18 days ago

2

4x 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)

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

3.1

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.5

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

One of the few changes to come out of the previous patch (at least when it comes to cards seeing more play than they did already) was Lady Deathstrike looking like a solid inclusion in Destroy. The card helps against Dracula, Wong, and can even disrupt Phoenix Force’s synergy. It already did those in the past, but now it actually contributes to your points total. That’s a big plus for a Destroy deck that only wins in one way.

There is one big hurdle for Destroy right now, and it’s the major reason why the deck didn’t crack Tier 1: Mister Negative.

I just mentioned how Wong could be dealt with by Lady Deathstrike, but giving them a big Knull is too backbreaking in the match. Indeed, even if Mister Negative was not played, Knull on Turn 5 thanks to Ravonna Renslayer into Arnim Zola can often be too much for the Deadpool deck to handle.

Potential Additions

Arnim Zola or a disruptive card can be slotted in the deck. Lady Deathstrike is probably the card you would remove, but Deathlok has been cut in the past if you like the 5-Cost more.

Loki

Loki

Created by den

, updated 18 days ago

3

3x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

2.6

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.2

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

With Hela and Phoenix Force leading the charge, Mobius M. Mobius has not yet returned to Marvel Snap since the card does nothing against either deck. This situation has allowed Loki to be a contender once again. However, the rest of the climb to Tier 1 might be the steepest part since Loki has a bad match up against both decks I just discussed. The inclusion of Cosmo helps a ton, and Cable can steal a game here and there. Still, Loki requires a ton of knowledge in order to be played in this ocean of synergistic decks because not every opponent is a good target to steal from.

Potential Additions

Hope Summers is often included alongside Angela, Kitty Pryde, and Elsa Bloodstone, but the results indicate that you really want to play Cosmo right now.

Mister Negative

Mister Negative

Created by den

, updated 18 days ago

3

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

7x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

1x Recruit Season

1x Starter Card

4.1

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

1.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

As the ruler of new environments, Mister Negative arguably packs the biggest punch in the game when everything goes according to plan. This deck really wants the proactive meta to stay for as long as possible. The Cube Average is already decreasing if you compare the first and the second day after the patch, which shows the deck isn’t fooling many anymore.

The Win Rate is also very low compared to the other archetypes; Mister Negative is the only build below 50%, but the archetype never really worked like the others. Once it reminded every one else about its ability to develop a ton of power when left unchecked, Mister Negative is often only met with Retreats and counter cards, pushing it out of the meta once again.

We aren’t there yet, but the resiliency to a changing environment compared to Hela, Destroy, and Loki is clearly much worse.

Potential Additions

Magik and White Tiger are often included in the On Reveal based build. Otherwise, you can also explore this Negative Tribunal variant:

Negative Tribunal

Created by den

, updated 18 days ago

2

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

5x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

1x Recruit Season

1x Starter Card

4.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Tier 3

Discard Dracula

Discard Dracula

Created by den

, updated 18 days ago

1

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

3x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

3.2

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.1

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

It’s been a while since the Apocalypse deck was ranked so far behind Hela, but the meta is just not kind to the deck right now. Lady Deathstrike is the worst news you can think of for Dracula, and the proactive environment means you will go up against a lot of decks that are able to match your development. Then, even if you have the more reliable deck compared to Hela, Mister Negative, or Phoenix Force, there is little you can do when they draw the good stuff.

Thanos

Thanos

Created by den

, updated 18 days ago

1

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

8x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

4.6

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

6.9

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Still reeling from the big nerf it suffered two weeks ago, the Mad Titan is now a good-but-not-too-good kind of deck. On the back of Mockingbird and Skaar, Thanos can develop a lot of points rather flexibly, but a lot of decks in the current meta can do that right now. Those who enjoyed the deck’s game play can still use it in the Ranked mode, but I doubt the part of the community that played Thanos for its power are still considering it as an option.

Zemo Mill

Zemo Mill

Created by den

, updated 17 days ago

2

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

5x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

1x Season Pass

3.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.9

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

If you faced this deck a couple of times already, you probably think it is much stronger than a Tier 3 archetype. Actually, I agree. I believe Zemo Mill could be a solid Tier 2 deck once it’s refined and used alongside a solid knowledge of the game.

However, disruptive archetypes have a huge downside in this meta because they never get to finish a game.

Either your disruption works and your opponent leaves, or they Snap you because you couldn’t disrupt them and you leave. In some rare cases, neither player will Snap and the game will go the distance for two cubes, but usually someone will Retreat for a minimal loss. No matter how you look at it, you are almost always playing for two cubes with a heavily disruptive build, and that’s just not how Marvel Snap was designed.

Toxic Surfer

Toxic Surfer

Created by den

, updated 18 days ago

1

1x Collection Level 1-14

9x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

1x Recruit Season

3.5

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

With less of Thanos, Toxic Surfer naturally lost some momentum, especially as Hela and Destroy don’t really care about the Hazmat part of the deck. The potential is high enough after replicating Silver Surfer‘s ability that you can go against these archetype and emerge victorious, but it just makes you another proactive deck among the many that are already in the meta.

It might be time to consider a different build for Silver Surfer that is maybe solely focused on points, or at least packing different disruptive tools that are more suited to this new environment.

Move

Move

Created by den

, updated 17 days ago

3

1x Collection Level 1-14

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

2.9

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Flexibility is a big upside for a deck as long as the opponent can’t beat you on every lane… which is kind of what is happening right now. Indeed, with Hela throwing cards at random, Destroy holding its biggest cards in hand until the last moment, and Phoenix Force also possessing the ability to Move, flexibility isn’t the upside it used to be.

Move remains a solid archetype to explore if you enjoy the game play. However, the big comeback following the Angela buff seems to be over already.

Shuri Kitty

Shuri Kitty

Created by den

, updated 18 days ago

1

1x Collection Level 1-14

3x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.1

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

It feels weird to say Shuri isn’t enough to win a points shootout in the current meta, but that’s the reality of Marvel Snap right now. Don’t get me wrong, you will often win with a 16 power Vision or an even bigger Kitty Pryde followed by Taskmaster, but you won’t win many cubes because the opponent will usually Retreat before the match is over. On the other hand, if they stay, it likely means they can beat your points or counter your development.

This is the limitation of showing what you are capable of on Turn 5. Your opponent can always get out of the match for two cubes, and they can punish you for four. In that scenario, even a respectable 55% Win Rate won’t amount to a great Cube Average.

Closing Words

Overall, the meta looks fairly standard for an early look after a patch, even if you might consider it a little more extreme than usual. Indeed, not only do the disruptive decks need to figure out a way to go against a large variety of opponents, they also can’t be too obvious about it or they will lower their Cube Average for being too effective.

It is clear that the proactive decks have the upper hand right now. Still, let’s give it a bit of time before we decide whether it is due to Alioth and Zabu being nerfed and giving too much of an edge to explosive synergies, or simply because the game isn’t the same anymore and reactive decks always take longer to adapt.

If you’d like to discuss this report, find me on the Marvel Snap Zone community Discord, or follow my Twitter page where I share decks and biased opinions about the game.

Good Game Everyone.