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Welcome back to our new weekly series Cache-ing In! Each week, we break down what cards will be available in the new Spotlight Caches, as well as the Spotlight Variants! The goal is to help you determine if you should “Cache in” for the content, or hoard for a better week.
Spotlight Cache Week of September 24, 2024
This week, we get the newest Series 5 card Scarlet Spider! Joining him will be the return of the Series 5 cards Skaar and White Widow!
Scarlet Spider
Decks with Scarlet Spider
As this Amazing Spider-Season wraps up, we get our final card Scarlet Spider! He is a 4-Cost, 5-Power card with the ability “Activate: Add an exact clone of this to another location.” For additional clarity, the clone does not get the Activate ability. So you only get 1 chance to activate, and it will create 1 clone.
Scarlet Spider looks like a solid 4-Cost at base level, and an interesting combo piece when you try to buff him. At base, he offers a [4/10] stat line that can’t be Shang-Chi‘d and can access restricted locations. He has synergy with buff options like Gwenpool, Namora, Forge, and Ironheart to maximize the clone’s value. For a more niche usage, the clone has no text and will get buffed by Patriot! His biggest drawbacks are being required to be played by turn 5 to get value and needing space for a clone to get value. The space requirement will typically only be an issue versus clog decks though.
Possible Meta Deck
CanadianAlfredo
Despite being popularity associated with more combo/synergy based decks, I feel like Scarlet Spider‘s best usage is simply with a good cards style deck. This list is simply a copy of an existing deck, but it swaps Captain Marvel for Scarlet Spider. This feels like a strong upgrade, as you can essentially get double the Power output and still access restricted locations. Elsa Bloodstone and Gwenpool‘s buffs also give a much higher benefit than Captain Marvel would get.
Low Collection Level Deck
CanadianAlfredo
This deck focuses on buffing cards and spreading Power. You have buff options like Forge, Nakia, Hulkbuster, America Chavez, Ironheart, and Blue Marvel that can increase your effectiveness with Scarlet Spider. You have Squirrel Girl, Nightcrawler, and Scarlet Spider to reach tough locations, as well as support Ebony Maw with some extra Power. Iron Man can help you scale up a key location, especially when buffed.
Fun Scarlet Spider Deck
CanadianAlfredo
Everyone loves a good Cerebro deck, and Scarlet Spider works great with Cerebro 5! Alongside Doctor Doom, you can quickly spread five 5-Power cards at the end of the game. This can help ensure you activate Ant Man, or prevent Silk or Hydra Bob from moving as easily. Cerebro simply offers a new way to buff Scarlet Spider and improve an already fun deck.
Scarlet Spider Prediction
Despite popular belief, I don’t see Scarlet Spider being used in combo or buff decks long term. He simply is too clunky and doesn’t have enough synergy as an Activate. Combo buff decks typically want lots of On Reveals to pop off with high Power options. Buff decks would rather use Black Panther and Arnim Zola for a higher potential with 2 cards than Scarlet Spider. Your best combo option is Psylocke, Wong, Scarlet Spider, Namora, Odin + Activate for a 35 Power Scarlet Spider. If you don’t draw perfectly though, Scarlet Spider falls flat and doesn’t have any flexibility for backup plans.
With that said, I see Scarlet Spider as a solid good card option that will often replace a card like Captain Marvel. While it has the downside of losing the extra value if played on turn 6, he simply offers a solid stat line that moves to a great stat line with a quick buff. Essentially, you don’t need to make big combos to make this card good. Instead, just slot him into decks that can sometimes get great value with minimal effort. Overall, I think Scarlet Spider is worth owning and can offer a lot of potential.
Skaar
Decks with Skaar
Joining Scarlet Spider this week is the return of Skaar! Like many cards this season, Skaar has been a roller coaster of viability since his launch. Before Mockingbird‘s latest nerf, he was actually seeing a resurgence with Attuma‘s buff. After Mockingbird was reduced to 9 Power, his play rate has dipped yet again. With that said, Skaar is still viable and has proven he can be a strong asset in the right metas.
Bohe
Despite Mockingbird‘s nerf, Skaar‘s most consistent usage is in this same style of deck as before her nerf. This deck replaces Mockingbird with Aero to help enable Skaar‘s discount. The idea of the deck is to simply play your 10 Power cards as early as possible to snowball Power and set up for a turn 6 big play with Skaar + your highest Power cards.
One interesting perspective of Skaar‘s return to the Spotlight Cache this week is his synergy with an upcoming datamined card. If Surtur remains the same as datamines, he could very easily bring Skaar back to strong meta relevance again. Since cards stay out of Spotlights for such long stretches of time, this might be a good week to get ahead of the curve and pick him up ahead of Surtur‘s release.
White Widow
Decks with White Widow
Wrapping up as the final card of this Cache and season is the return of White Widow! She is one of Snap’s best cards in the game, offering a great stat line and disruption for a low cost. She is used in a wide range of decks, with clog decks being her most popular. While the Widow's Kiss can be disabled, the ability to block a space for your opponent can frequently limit your opponent’s options.
FaThorNewman
Speaking of clog, this is an updated list that is popular in the meta. It brings back the classic Annihilus package, and throws in Selene for some extra potency. With fortunate draw, White Widow can be targeted by Selene, which can let you send over a -1 Power Widow as extra clog.
White Widow doesn’t need much explanation. She has been an incredible card since her release, and continues to be now. She is definitely worth owning if you have held off on picking her up.
Spotlight Variants
If you already own the cards the Spotlight Cache offers, one of these variants will take its place! If you own none of the cards, the variants will appear after you open all four caches. Spotlight variants are time exclusive to their release week, and will only be available after 1 full year of time has passed.
After the year, they will be available for purchase from the Daily Offer. They will cost 2,400 Gold per variant. So if any of these Spotlight variants feel like a must have for you, make sure to Cache In if you have enough caches saved to guarantee the pull.
InHyuk Lee is our featured artist for this season! This week, we get their variant for Scarlet Spider!
Artist Ron Garney launches his second take on Skaar this week, with his first variant for Skaar debuting in Skaar‘s last Spotlight.
This Venomized White Widow variant comes from artist Miguel Mercado, who also has a matching Venomized Black Widow available!
Should I Cache In?
This week picks back up the new standard of 3 Series-5 cards. Skaar has seen a resurgence in play, but lacks enough support (currently) to be a meta contender. White Widow is arguably one of the best cards in the game. Scarlet Spider looks like a solid card for good card decks, and a fun (but likely inconsistent) combo piece.
This week, my recommendation is to Cache In! You get a solid value this week across the board. Skaar is a good investment now with Surtur on the horizon, and even has some playability now. White Widow is simply a good card and worth the cache. Any reservations you could have about Scarlet Spider can be removed with the support he gets in this Cache. Overall, no misses in this Cache and a great value across the board.
Wrap Up
Do you think Scarlet Spider will be a good card? Will you be Cache-ing In this week? Let us know in the comments! For the full schedule, check out our guide below:
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