Marvel Snap Balance OTA Analysis and Decks to Play: The Disruption Era!

The last balance patch left me with a lot of expectations for this OTA Balance Updates. I was eager to know how Second Dinner would make the most of the space they created with the nerfs to Zabu and Alioth.

With that in mind, I am pretty happy with this OTA. Stature, Jean Grey, and Jane Foster Mighty Thor are all a great way to give certain packages of cards a better competitive chance. Obviously, I’d love to see the developers push it even further, but they have to keep some changes for future updates as well.

Red Hulk is the big talking point in this patch, although I could see U.S. Agent becoming somewhat of a sleeper now that it’s a [2/7] with only one target on the opponent’s side of the location.

Sure, seeing the card buffed in the same patch as the most played 6-Cost being nerfed is a bit anticlimactic. However, this change now gives a clear counter to the Living Tribunal deck’s main synergy; losing 12 power on the lane changes the 64 point total from stacking The Living Tribunal, Onslaught, and Iron Man to only 16.

Overall, I think this patch is adapted to the current meta, or at least the one we had early after the last balance patch. Since then, disruptive decks like Mill and Junk, as well as the tech cards included in Move or Loki decks, have slowly taken over Marvel Snap. With this OTA, it seems like these will only get stronger, so it is hard to see how anyone who dislikes a disruption-based environment will get their fun. In that mix, only the nerf to Red Hulk (an important card for low scoring strategies to have a high power play on Turn 6) feels like a hit to these strategies. However, with Cannonball and Lady Deathstrike gaining momentum and White Widow releasing, it is hard to root against disruptive decks going into this OTA.

Move and Loki Look Bonkers

Loki

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

0

3x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

2.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.7

Power

0-
1
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5+

Disruptive decks have no reason to slow down following this OTA, so it might be time to consider some decks with a favorable match up into them. Loki and Move are currently leading the flexible decks, and they have a lot of upsides against Junk in particular since you can either copy their Annihilus or fill a lane until you move your cards on Turn 6. With the points-focused decks losing momentum (and likely less of Red Hulk to contest a lane on its own), there is no reason for the flexible archetypes to not make a comeback.

Plus, if U.S. Agent or Jean Grey were to make a push after this OTA, both cards have very little against either Loki or Move. Indeed, you have Kitty Pryde for Jean Grey, and neither deck plays many expensive cards for U.S. Agent.

Overall, this OTA seems to be a net positive for these two heading into the final stretch of the season. The only concern could be Red Hulk not being available for Move anymore, but there are plenty of other options to consider, such as Magneto, Doctor Doom, or simply a counter card.

Move

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

1

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

3.2

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.7

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Junk and Mill Continue to Improve

Oftentimes, being the obvious winner in a balance patch isn’t as ideal as you might think. Indeed, if it is obvious which decks are gaining the most from the OTA, you can prepare and look to counter those decks specifically. That is why I started with Loki and Move before discussing Junk and Mill.

So why are these two stronger while they aren’t getting any specific buffs in this OTA? Because the update pushes us toward even more synergies inside each deck. Indeed, Red Hulk was the ultimate standalone card lately, and it is getting nerfed. As a result, several decks will either be weaker on Turn 6 or have to find a different way to create points. On the other hand, Stature and Jane Foster Mighty Thor are getting buffed, and those two cards help some rather slow play styles that want to set up an explosive Turn 6. Unfortunately, Junk and Mill are two of the best archetypes for disrupting a synergy. They make them unable to assemble the necessary cards or have enough space on the board to play them as intended.

The best home for Stature might actually be in one of these two decks; both have used Black Bolt and Stature in the past for some late game flexibility. Otherwise, thinking you’ll be able to play solitaire and develop your synergies as intended might be much more difficult than you envisioned.

Here are a few ways to build around the two archetypes:

Mass Disrupt

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

0

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

1x Season Pass

2.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.9

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Bounce Junk

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

0

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

5x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

2.6

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.1

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Junk

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

0

7x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

3.1

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Pixie Junk

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

0

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

6x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

2.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.4

Power

0-
1
2
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5+

A Few Exotic Builds Suddenly Look Hot??

The best thing about a balance patch is all the decks it makes you want to test with the recently improved cards. I doubt a new archetype will rise after this one since as there isn’t a big enough buff to suddenly consider one of those cards as a foundation to a deck. However, they were all seeing a bit of play as support tools, and the extra power can only help them in that regard.

For example, Jean Grey isn’t so bad in a Junk deck. It can support Nebula, or prevent the opponent from playing on the right lane so you can send them The Void more reliably. Stature was used in the Mill shell alongside Black Bolt to bring even more disruption, too.

Some of those won’t be fit for the meta, and others might just show up in a cool but underperforming build. Still, even if the biggest headline in this OTA is Red Hulk‘s nerf allowing Magneto and other 6-Costs to exist once again, let’s take a look at those buffs!

Hammer Miracle

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

1

1x Collection Level 1-14

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

4x 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+

3.6

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Jean Machine

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

1

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

3x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

6x Series 5 Ultra Rare – Collection Level 486+ (Pool 5)

3.6

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

5.6

Power

0-
1
2
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5+

Kazoo

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

2

1x Collection Level 1-14

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

2x Recruit Season

3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.9

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Jean Junk

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

1

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

1x Starter Card

2.9

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.6

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Guardians Bounce

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

1

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

1x Starter Card

2.2

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

1.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Good Cards Stature

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

1

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

5x 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

Cost

0-
1
2
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5+

3.3

Power

0-
1
2
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4
5+

Mass Disrupt Stature

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

0

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

5x 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 Season Pass

3.1

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.7

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Mantis Bounce

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

0

3x 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

2.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

1.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Doesn’t it feel great to be able to build decks and look forward to testing new ideas when we get a balance update? I didn’t hate the last patch for the cards it changed, but for the lack of this particular feeling because it was mostly nerfs. I’m glad Second Dinner is back to nerfing a bit while helping weaker synergies a lot.

Also, I know U.S. Agent isn’t part of those decks, but I would consider it a tech card that you can slot into your deck if you deem the ability necessary. There isn’t too much of a reason to build specifically around the card.

Closing Words

To close out this analysis, I’d like to say that this meta isn’t as simple to read as it might seem. Indeed, the way it is structured around three different strategies (points, disruption, and flexibility) and how they create a “Rock, Paper, Scissors” situation pushes us to constantly change sides to stay ahead of the popular ones.

Lately, the disruptive decks progressed a lot because the points/synergy based archetypes were the most popular. But, if the disruptive decks become the norm, flexible archetypes can come back and make Junk and Mill look much weaker. If you keep going down that road, you’ll begin to realize that points decks are bound to come back because they are the natural answer to flexible decks.

Also, I wouldn’t rule out decks like Destroy and Phoenix Force. They can function against disruptive decks thanks to being set early in the match, and they’re still solid if flexible decks make a comeback.

Phoenix Tribunal

Created by den

, updated 17 days ago

4

4x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

3x 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

3.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.7

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Destroy

Created by den

, updated 10 days ago

1

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+

3.4

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

As usual, find me on the Marvel Snap Zone community Discord to discuss this piece, or you can follow my Twitter page where I share decks and biased opinions about the game.

Good Game Everyone.