Marvel Snap OTA Balance Update Analysis and Decks to Play: HALLELUJAH!

Every two weeks, Marvel Snap undergoes an “Over the Air” (OTA) update, which does not require a full patch. Cards are able to be rebalanced with their stats (Power and Energy) only via a hotfix, whereas major ability reworks are reserved for patches. This article is our in-depth analysis of the changes, how it might impact the current meta, and some potential decks you can play from the get go!

OTA Balance Update Overview

WE DID IT! The OTA nobody dared to think would happen is true, and it has even more than many asked for! Indeed, not only was Elsa Bloodstone hit, but also Loki, Angela, and Sauron will suffer from the nerf hammer. With these four, we have basically already covered the top five archetypes of the past month. However, the good folks at Second Dinner have decided to give us even more, as Hellcow, Uatu the Watcher, Spectrum, and The Collector all received a power buff.

Oh my… This image is beautiful!

We really have a lot to discuss, so I won’t drag the intro too long. Here are the major headlines we need to discuss today:

• Do we stop playing Elsa Bloodstone and Loki after the changes?
• Is Shuri Sauron once again getting away with just a slap on the wrist?
• How many archetypes will be gone due to the Elsa Bloodstone and Angela nerfs?
• Can the Ongoing synergy make a comeback with the buffed Spectrum?
• Is Discard Dracula destined to come back with Hellcow now an eight power card?
• How many decks look playable after this OTA? (Spoiler: a ton)

Is Loki Collector Still a Good Deck?

With three nerfs to absorb (and two extra power on The Collector as compensation), Loki Collector is the deck with the most to prove after this OTA. Indeed, the points ceiling for the deck has drastically reduced, as three of the cards responsible for developing points have been nerfed.

Angela, in particular, should be the most difficult card to leverage in the deck now. It would represent a [2/5] except when we get Kitty Pryde rolling, and, even then, we probably also need The Collector or Elsa Bloodstone to really make it worth it. Speaking of Kitty Pryde, the card might be the one with the most to lose following Loki‘s nerf. Indeed, with more expensive cards in a deck, there is less flexibility to play Kitty Pryde often during the match.

I could see three directions for Loki after this OTA. The deck could shift to a much more synergistic approach that is based around The Collector first and foremost. I can easily picture Elsa Bloodstone remaining in the deck then, as the card should routinely be a [2/8] considering the deck’s ability to fill lanes. However, with fewer points available to work with, Loki would probably need a bit of help from disruptive cards in order to win games other than just drawing perfectly.

Early on, and considering Destroy was not part of this OTA, I could see Armor being a very valuable card alongside Cosmo.

Loki Collector

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

0

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)

2.1

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

The other approach I could imagine for the deck is to basically stay the same. Indeed, Loki Collector was arguably the best deck in the game heading into the OTA, and a perfect draw will still bully most other archetypes in Marvel Snap. Even with three nerfs, maybe the deck remains strong enough to be a contender in the next metagame. I doubt it, and I honestly hope that won’t be the case, but it’s a possibility I cannot ignore:

Loki

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

3

3x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

2.2

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.5

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Last, Loki could also go away for some time. I mean, the nerfs are going to hit the deck pretty hard, which obviously makes it feel much worse compared to what it was up until now. Often times, even if a deck is still playable, the comparison with its old self can hurt its stock a ton in a lot of players’ minds. Unconsciously, we don’t look at the deck for what it is now and only see what it lost with the balance changes, and then we feel awful about it as a result.

I do think Loki is strong enough to remain part of the Marvel Snap landscape, and it’s actually a pretty cool design when balanced. I really hope the first option prevails.

Is Shuri the Best Deck in the Game Now?

Shuri Sauron

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

3

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

6x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

3.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

5.2

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Once again, Shuri Sauron is suffering a one power nerf to one of its signature cards. And, once again, many people feel like it will barely impact the deck, as Sauron was never played because of its power in the first place. As such, if we also consider the fact that Shuri Sauron is great after some balance changes thanks to its play style being simple to understand, then, in the complete opposite direction to what I said about Loki, there is a real chance we test Shuri Sauron and feel like it is pretty much the same deck.

Lately, we have been seeing Shang-Chi return, and we know several synergies that are able to create more points than Shuri does on average. Hela Tribunal, Deadpool Destroy, Phoenix Force… There are plenty of ways to beat Shuri in a pure points contest. However, these archetypes aren’t exactly flexible, meaning they can crumble to a timely counter card, something that Shuri is just as weak to (or can play itself on occasion).

I think we should find a solution to Shuri rather quickly if it comes down to it. Either way, this “nerf” feels awfully familiar.

Can Move, Sera, Bounce, and Thor Miracle Survive the Nerfs?

Angela and Elsa Bloodstone pushed a lot of decks to be great, probably too many if we’re honest. That also means that many decks might go back on the shelf with both cards nerfed, as they were responsible for a large chunk of what these archetypes could do points wise.

In order to figure out which decks have a shot at keeping some viability, we need to take a look at their flexibility first and foremost. Unfortunately, neither Bounce nor Thor Miracle really shine in that department; both decks are really just looking to develop as many points as possible. Sure, they could include a couple of disruptive cards to help in certain match ups, but that would just put them on the same level as other decks at best. Their core strategy would be impacted too deeply by the changes to keep them in the conversation for points.

This leads us to Sera and Move, two archetypes that have much more flexibility to their plan since they aren’t solely relying on sheer amount of points to win a match.

Sera is a tricky one, as the points provided by Angela and Elsa were helping the deck secure a lane early on. Afterward, the counter cards (namely, Shang-Chi and Shadow King) only had to turn around one location for the win. With less of that early proactive game plan available, the tech cards might have too much work on their hands for the deck to win regularly. Now, Sera might have to find a new way to create points in the first four turns, in addition to figuring out which counter cards are best for the upcoming metagame. With that in mind, I expect Sera Control to be gone for the time being, at least until the environment settles and the deck has a shot at countering specific opponents.

Last on the list, we have the current strongest deck of the bunch: Move.

Similar to Loki, I believe Move has many more tools to resist the changes compared to the other decks. First, it was stronger overall than the other decks in this section before the OTA. Then, Angela and Elsa Bloodstone were not core to its game plan, just premium support for its synergies. As such, I wouldn’t be too scared about Move, at least for now. Sure, the points ceiling will take a hit from the changes, and the deck might need to adapt a little if highly synergistic decks rise and a flexible spread of points isn’t enough to reliably rack up cubes.

Until then, this is what I would start with after the OTA:

Move

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 1-14

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

1x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

3.3

Cost

0-
1
2
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5+

4.5

Power

0-
1
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5+

Finally, Thanos Zoo Will Shine!

A buff to Spectrum has been long awaited in the community, as the Ongoing synergy has never really used the card past the Ongoing Destroyer deck in early Pool 3. Still, there is a deck that tends to be a fan favorite and never really gets the spotlight: Thanos Zoo.

Centered around the Ongoing synergy in a Thanos shell, this deck is a mix of disruptive cards with Armor, Cosmo, and other such annoying abilities and a flexible spread of points, provided by Blue Marvel, Klaw, and Spectrum. Overall, the deck never really made it in Marvel Snap because its potential was always a little too low. As such, if the disruptive cards were not massively contributing to the win, it was often difficult to win based on points alone. One of the biggest problems in that regard was Spectrum, which was contributing to the other lanes but typically didn’t help her own lane enough with just five power.

With both Spectrum buffed and a ton of other decks losing a significant chunk of their points potential, Thanos Zoo might finally have a great environment to exist in where it can compete on points and also leverage its disruptive cards to derail the opponent. For example, if you expect Shuri to be popular, you can simply slot Valkyrie in the deck. Jean Grey can help for Hela Tribunal, or any Wong deck, alongside Cosmo. Super-Skrull helps against most Ongoing based decks, as well as stealing Knull‘s ability from Destroy.

There are plenty of Ongoing cards to use in Marvel Snap, so feel free to experiment around different lists to find the one you are most comfortable with:

Thanos Ongoing

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

1

1x Collection Level 1-14

3x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

2x Recruit Season

3.6

Cost

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5+

4.2

Power

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5+

A Flurry of Decks Look Competitive!

As the Bloodstone season progressed, we have seen more and more archetypes lose their sense of relevancy. Indeed, compared to Elsa Bloodstone and the many archetypes pushed by the card, there were not that many decks that looked appealing from a competitive standpoint.

Let’s assume for a second that that piece of Marvel Snap history is behind us and take a look at all the archetypes that deserve to be tested after the OTA. No long explanations here, just a plethora of decks you can get inspired by:

High Evolutionary

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

0

2x 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)

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

3x Starter Card

2.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.7

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Discard Dracula

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

0

5x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

2.9

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Hela Lockjaw

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

0

3x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

5x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

1x Starter Card

4.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

6.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Deadpool Destroy

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

0

5x 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)

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

2.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.1

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Phoenix Nimrod

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

0

5x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

2.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.8

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Hela Tribunal

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x 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 Starter Card

4.9

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

7.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Cerebro 3

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

0

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

6x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

2x Starter Card

2.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

1.9

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Zabu Good Cards

Created by den

, updated 6 months ago

0

2x 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)

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

3.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.5

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Closing Words – Alioth is Waiting in the Shadows

I am absolutely thrilled about this OTA. Still, I can’t help to also analyze what could get in the way of these changes having a profound impact on the Marvel Snap metagame: Alioth and Mobius M. Mobius.

Yep, some might have forgotten about them, but these two made quite an impression when they released during the Loki For All Time season. First, Alioth pushed a ton of priority based decks to be dominant, up to the point where only Loki was a counter strong enough to face the High Evolutionary, Move, and Iron Patriot archetypes back then.

Mobius M. Mobius didn’t push specific archetypes when it joined Marvel Snap, instead, the card locked out several of them from feeling relevant (such as Wave, Mister Negative, and the recently released Ravonna Renslayer). Mobius M. Mobius saw play in a lot of decks and immediately became a staple 2-Cost in the game, which heavily impacted the metagame in the process.

Now, I’m not saying the metagame will go back to what it was at the end of September with these changes. Alioth has been nerfed since then, and the globally lowered point ceiling allows for tech cards like Rogue and Enchantress to be played in more decks to limit the damage Mobius M. Mobius can do. Nevertheless, there will always be more impactful cards than others in Marvel Snap; some cards will shape the metagame and push certain strategies better than others.

Hopefully, this massive OTA will bring a sense of diversity back into the game and this last theory of mine does not become reality. I am very hopeful this balance patch is big enough to create meaningful changes, and I salute the developers for proving all the naysayers wrong about never nerfing a Season Pass card during its featured month.

Have a spicy take on this OTA? Want to share your excitement about some of these changes? Feel free to let us know in the comment section. You can also 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.