Silver Surfer Patriot Deck Guide – The X Factor

In Marvel Snap, deckbuilding is one of the core experiences. As you gather cards in different orders and cannot reliably open entire sets on day one, it encourages you to be creative and look for your own ways to fit cards together to win games. Through doing this, you can start to identify the core packages and overlaps and create decks unique to you which surprise your opponents. As you have only 12 cards, you see the majority of cards in your deck in any given game, so there is a value too having a few strong plans which can consistently overlap to create powerful boards. One such combination is Patriot and Silver Surfer.

Silver Patriot

Created by SafetyBlade

, updated 1 year ago

13

Pool 3GuideCompetitive

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

9x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

2x Starter Card

3.1

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.1

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Overview

The goal of the deck is to play cards early in the game which can later be buffed out of range, either via Patriot, Mystique and Onslaught combos, Silver Surfer combos or some combination of both. The overlap is the 3-Cost cards. Patriot and Mystique both cost 3. Additionally, Cyclops and Brood can be good no ability bodies to take Surfer buffs as well as Patriot Buffs. Supporting cards such as Debrii can also take Surfer buffs as well. We do this at the expense of being really good at one thing, but we have an X Factor your opponent won’t expect and can be used to your advantage to win more games.

For example, a deck revolving only around Patriot will prioritise cheaper no ability cards such as Shocker and Mister Sinister. A deck revolving around Silver Surfer will use different 3 cost cards, with higher statlines, to ensure the buffs push their power over the top for the lanes.

The Core

Patriot and Mystique

Variants

Patriot

Ongoing: Your cards with no abilities have +2 Power.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Patriot

Variants

Mystique

On Reveal: If the last card you played has an Ongoing, copy its text. (if it’s in play)

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Mystique

These two cards are your core. You may also consider Onslaught or Ultron part of the combos but I would argue that they are not core. Your core cards are the cards which the deck will not operate without and in this hybrid case, it is these two cards. Patriot into Mystique is plan 1. This is +4 power to all No Ability cards. The majority of your other cards only become valuable due to this combo.

The X Factor

Variants

Silver Surfer

On Reveal: Give your other 3-Cost cards +2 Power.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Silver Surfer

As mentioned in the overview, adding something a little different is your X Factor. In this case it’s the Silver Surfer addition. It is not quite Core as your main plan remains to play the Patriot and Mystique combo, but we have made our supporting cast choices based on this card being here. For example, instead of Shocker or Mister Sinister we now have the higher cost Brood to take advantage of this alternate play line.

The Support Combo

Variants

Wave

On Reveal: All cards cost a maximum of 4 until the end of next turn.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Wave

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

Variants

Ultron

On Reveal: Deploy four 1-Power Drones to each other location.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Ultron

Variants

Onslaught

Ongoing: Double your other Ongoing effects here.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Onslaught

Wave allows you to play Onslaught on Turn 4 and follow up with Mystique. Magik allows you to play Magik on Turn 5 and then Onslaught into Mystique. If you pull this off on a Patriot lane, you can then play Ultron on Turn 7. The traditional problem with Patriot and Ultron players though is playing only to this combo.

You may consider Ultron and Onslaught core cards usually but I don’t believe they fit the category as Patriot decks can be built without these cards. Yes, they can be made better by these if we can pull off the Combo but the majority of games you will be missing one to two of these cards making the full combo less reliable. Seeing these as supporting cards which can be used to help facilitate your Patriot or Silver Surfer lines, allowing you to play more flexibly.

The Power

Variants

Wasp

“My secret power is that I get things done.”

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Wasp

Variants

Misty Knight

“We’ve got to save this city.”

Starter Card

view card details Start a deck Decks with Misty Knight

Variants

Brood

On Reveal: Add 2 Broodlings here with the same Power.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Brood

Variants

Debrii

On Reveal: Add a Rock to each other location, for both players.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Debrii

Variants

Cyclops

“Let’s move, X-Men.”

Starter Card

view card details Start a deck Decks with Cyclops

We have selected these cards to take buffs from our Patriot and Surfer combos.

Brood, Debrii and Cyclops as 3 cost cards all synergize with Surfer whilst also having benefit for Patriot. Wasp and Misty Knight only benefit from Patriot but are very easy to fit into your curve. Misty Knight being 1 cost allows her to be played at multiple times through the game and Wasp is  cost and can even be played on 7 alongside Ultron and Misty Knight.

Ideal Turns and Lines

Turn 1 and 2

Play Misty Knight if we can, and resist the urge to emote your opponent unless we need to find out if they are a bot.

Turn 3

Make your best 3-Cost play. This is usually not Patriot. You want to play Brood, Cyclops, or Debrii. If we can lock out a lane for the opponent, Debrii comes first. If we can confidently play Brood and leave a spot open for later, then it’s Brood. If none of the above apply, play Cyclops.

If we have Wave, we need to evaluate if we can Wave into Onslaught. If we can get Onslaught down on Turn 4 we always go for it, regardless of Mystique in hand. This opens up better final turns and flexibility. If Mystique is in hand its an easier decision.

There are times getting Magik down early may also be beneficial, such as Crimson Cosmos or a location such as Jotunheim limiting your plays.

Turn 4

If you went with Wave – Onslaught time baby! If not, here is when we want to start thinking about where to play Patriot if we have him. If Patriot and Mystique are in hand you would normally want them on the same location, but if you’re up against an opponent who may be able to counter you, consider splitting them over two locations.

Place Patriot where you can at least get Onslaught on top later though. If not Patriot, make your best 3-Cost play as above.

Turn 5

Playing Magik if you have her in hand is almost always the right play. If you’re playing against DeathWave, it ruins them as they think it’s over. Having an extra turn is always better for this deck as you have two combos you may want to finish on, so even if you’re not going to be able to play Onslaught, Patriot and Mystique, taking the extra turn often helps. If not, it might be finally Surfer time. If you know your turn 6 is Onslaught or Ultron, playing Silver Surfer or your best 3-Cost play is the right plan.

Turn 6

If Patriot is on board and you can play Onslaught, play Onslaught. Consider Ultron if enough buff is down and it’s the last turn. If it is not the last turn, playing Patriot and Mystique on this turn is also a good play. Additional 3-Cost for Silver Surfer is another good finish. If none of these lines are available we should be starting to look bottom right if there is no Turn 7.

Turn 7

Finish them! Ultron, Onslaught and Surfer Combos are all great, it also could just be Patriot and Mystique on Turn 7.

Wasp

We should always think about whether to play her every single turn. If you get Wave‘d on 5 and you haven’t played Wasp for example, she is useless. If you do get Ultron, Patriot and Mystique on a lane, finishing the lane with Wasp as the last card is great.

She is also not just a body, as she can be used to manipulate spaces for other cards. She can block Green Goblin and Hobgoblin and ensure Sinister London procs on particular lanes for example.

Conclusion

The basic Patriot decks are simple to pick up as the plan is always the same. It’s the same core idea – Play Patriot and Mystique and profit, with some flair for the occasion. Making the changes in this article though, shows how a simple deck can be made into a more flexible and complex tool to surprise your opponents.

It also benefits more from experience playing the deck and seeing when to pivot and make different choices. This can be the difference between climbing and stagnating in Marvel Snap. I encourage everyone to take their favourite archetype or deck and see if they can sprinkle in a X Factor plan.

Good Luck Have Fun and Stay Safe!