Thanos Death Detailed Deck Guide: A Titan That Adapts and Prevails

Since the most recent change to Spider-Man, Thanos Control has noticeably gone down in popularity. This is certainly not to say that it has become a bad deck; on the contrary, many Thanos players have already started working with the archetype, and the new adaptations I’ve seen hold promise.

This is relevant since this adaptation phase that Thanos Control is going through has made other archetypes with Thanos begin to stand out as they have not done for a long time. Taking the lead in this section is Thanos Death, an iteration of Thanos that has been quite popular in recent days, and that certainly has the full capacity to compete.

Decklist and Stats

Thanos Death

Created by Bohe

, updated 9 months ago

0

5x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

3x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

3.4

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.7

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Concept and Strategy

Thanos Death has two big advantages. Thanks to the proactivity of the destruction core and the Infinity Stones, we tend to have priority during the first half of the game, which ensures that our On Reveal effects work as expected. Second, by destroying the Infinity Stones and our other cards, we’re giving that priority back in the mid- to late-game transition.

This game plan focuses on losing priority for the final moments of the game. That’s vastly effective for protecting Death, Knull, and Thanos, while making Shang-Chi more efficient.

Thanos is a great addition to archetypes that often lack flexibility. Thanks to the Infinity Stones, we can make efficient use of energy in turns where the destruction curve does not favor us. This is in addition to the fact that the effects of the Stones open up lines of play that a Pure Destruction deck could not present regularly.

Knull should be able to win a lane by himself, and our early game with the destruction core should be able to contend for another. On top of that. we’re always left with the possibility of playing Death, Thanos, or Shang-Chi in the late-game.

Fodder Core Cards

Variants

Nova

When this is destroyed, give your cards +1 Power.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Nova

Variants

Yondu

On Reveal: Destroy the lowest-Cost card in your opponent’s deck.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Yondu

Variants

Bucky Barnes

When this is destroyed, replace it with the Winter Soldier.

Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Bucky Barnes

Variants

Wolverine

When this is discarded or destroyed, regenerate it with +2 Power at a random location.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Wolverine

These are the cards that we seek to put on the table during the first three turns of the game in addition to some combination of the Infinity Stones. The most important thing to note is that the best combinations depend on the play sequences we can achieve.

Try to destroy Nova when you can get the most out of him; you don’t have to rush the destruction plan. The card that Yondu destroys from the top of the opponent’s deck counts towards Death‘s cost reduction and Knull‘s power. And always keep in mind that Winter Soldier + whatever destroyed Bucky Barnes is often enough to contend for a lane.

When it comes to Wolverine, it’s sometimes relevant to choose to make him a main part of our plan. Playing him on Turn 2 and destroying him twice (along with some Infinity Stones) usually leaves us in a good position for the final turn.

Destroyers Core Cards

Variants

Carnage

On Reveal: Destroy your other cards here. +2 Power for each destroyed.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Carnage

Variants

Venom

On Reveal: Destroy your other cards here. Add their Power to this card.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Venom

Variants

Deathlok

On Reveal: Destroy your other cards here.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Deathlok

It requires taking a moment before each play to recognize when each of these cards will be the best choice.

Sometimes it might seem like a pretty linear thing, but that’s not always the case. It’s enough to have some clear concepts:

• Carnage is usually better early game.
• Venom is usually better in the late game but not 100% of the time. In this archetype, Carnage can get more power than Venom depending on the state of the lanes thanks to the Infinity Stones.
• Deathlok is Bucky Barnes‘s best friend.

All three share an ability that not many of us properly value, and that’s freeing up space in the lanes. Yes, it’s important to destroy what we can for Death and Knull, but at the same time, it’s the space management in the locations that makes the difference between a good player of destruction archetypes and an average one.

Disruption and Reactive Core Cards

Variants

Killmonger

On Reveal: Destroy ALL 1-Cost cards.

Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Killmonger

Variants

Shang-Chi

On Reveal: Destroy all enemy cards here that have 10 or more Power.

Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Shang-Chi

It wouldn’t be unreasonable to place Killmonger in the aforementioned core. Nevertheless, I think that while his task of destroying Nova, Yondu, and the Infinity Stones is clear, in the current state of the meta the correct timing to play him is very relevant.

It’s appropriate that you evaluate this since, while it’s not wrong to play him on Turn 3 to destroy two of our cards (and possibly one of the opponent’s), the best moment will undoubtedly be when you can hit the most cards in the same turn.

A good example of this would be to destroy three or four of our cards between Infinity Stones and 1-drops + one of the opponent’s cards like Sunspot, Nebula, or Evolved Misty Knight. Playing Killmonger accompanied by an Infinity Stone on Turn 4 is usually a great turn.

As for Shang-Chi, there’s little to say. It is the most played card in Marvel Snap, and it has an astonishing WR of 59.3% as of this writing. I think Shang-Chi should always be in any deck, and if it isn’t then there should be a strong reason for leaving him out (which I find difficult to come up with in the vast majority of archetypes).

I don’t know if Second Dinner will eventually make any changes to Shang-Chi, but I don’t see it as something impossible in the medium-term future.

Trucks Core Cards

Variants

Knull

Ongoing: Has the combined Power of all cards destroyed this game.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Knull

Variants

Thanos

Starts in your opening hand and shuffles the six Infinity Stones into your deck.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Thanos

Variants

Death

Costs 1 less for each card destroyed this game.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Death

After talking about it with other content creators and viewers of my stream, I think it’s clear that one of the best ways to take on the majority of decks at the top of the Tier List is with high-powered cards. This could be one of the main reasons Thanos Death is on the rise.

Archetypes like Good Cards Stature and Legion Move (for which we also have guides) shine for their adaptability and low need to commit to the board until the very last turn of the game. This great advantage comes in exchange for playing a moderate power card that usually falls around five to eight power.

Putting cards into play that often exceed 12 power makes the game difficult for them. This is the reason why Shuri Sauron could be the best anti-meta deck right now (or some Sandman/Wave brew…), but when Thanos Death has three options – including one that could be free for the last turn – the game is reduced to “You have Shang-Chi or you lose”.

With this in mind, we have a proactive deck that puts pressure during the early game, is capable of losing priority in the mid-game, and competes with powerful cards during the last turn. All of this together makes Thanos Death a fairly well-placed archetype in today’s varied meta.

Card Substitutions

Variants

Galactus

On Reveal: If you’re winning this location and this is your only card here, destroy all other locations.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Galactus

The most popular variation of this archetype is the one that plays double Big Bads by including Galactus in the equation. It has a good numbers and it’s interesting, so I will include it a little later in this article.

Variants

Nimrod

When this is destroyed, add a copy to each other location.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Nimrod

Variants

Professor X

Ongoing: Lock down this location. (Cards can’t be added, removed, etc.)

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Professor X

Variants

Devil Dinosaur

Ongoing: +2 Power for each card in your hand.

Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Devil Dinosaur

Nimrod is a great idea when we already include Carnage, Venom, and Deathlok in the deck. All of those cheap destroy effects enable us to ping pong Nimrod on Turn 6.

Professor X and Devil Dinosaur are Thanos Control’s flagship cards. However, having the Time Stone and being able to speed up 5-Cost cards (whether or not we have Psylocke) is always an option to consider.

Variants

Daken

On Reveal: Add the Muramasa Shard to your hand.

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

view card details Start a deck Decks with Daken

Variants

Spider-Man

On Reveal: Move to another location and pull an enemy card from here to there.

Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

view card details Start a deck Decks with Spider-Man

Daken comes in handy, as it’s easy to destroy the Muramasa Shard and bring his power to eight while lowering the cost of Death.

As for Spider-Man, I have seen him hanging around lists of this archetype as well as others that are not specifically Move-based decks. I think people are simply considering him a “Good Card” like Polaris back in the day. And just like Polaris, lots of players are adding him to many of their decks for the simple fact that he is a consistently good card.

Other Ways to Build the Archetype

KaptKerr Galactus Thanos

Created by Bohe

, updated 9 months ago

0

3x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

4x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

4.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.7

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

This version of Thanos Death from KaptKerr certainly strays away from the idea of playing a destruction-based early game. I’m putting it here because the numbers on the Marvel Snap Zone Tracker are clear, and it has slightly higher stats than the one that plays Galactus.

By this, I do not mean that it’s better or worse; instead, by adding Galactus, the idea of Thanos Death is shifted more towards the Thanos Control play style of efficiency over the proactivity of the destruction archetype.

Good Cards Thanos

Created by Bohe

, updated 9 months ago

0

1x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

2x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

3.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

4.9

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Taking up the idea of destruction, this iteration of the deck also called my attention. It has a very good WR and AVG cube ratio, but only a few games in total, so it’s hard to say that it’s popular enough.

It keeps the destruction core, but adds cards that are good per se and solid enough regardless of the circumstance.

I’ve already mentioned that Daken is a logical addition to the deck if you want to strengthen the curve at the 3-Cost slot. Jeff the Baby Land Shark and Spider-Ham, as well as Legion and Iron Lad, are just plain good by any measure.

Probably the most flashy element is The Phoenix Force. However, having this card in the deck means that we are not afraid of destroying any of our cards since we can recover their value by reviving them.

ThanoZ Death

Created by Bohe

, updated 9 months ago

0

4x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

3x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

3x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

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

3.8

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.6

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

A version that is much more conventional is one that adds Arnim Zola to the list. Thanks to the Time Stone, we can play Knull on Turn 5, which enables the combo with Arnim Zola. This play is usually enough to win many games without major complications.

Snap and Retreat

Thanks to the flexibility that Thanos gives to any deck, we get good moments to Snap throughout the game.

Early Game

Snapping on Turn 1 is not something for all decks. In this case, you would probably always prefer to wait for a little more information. If the opponent Snaps, though, I probably wouldn’t Retreat unless I’m playing Conquest, the first location didn’t favor me, and I had four high-cost cards.

You can Snap and play aggressively on Turn 2. This can pay off against certain archetypes or opponents. You can do it if you have played any 1-Cost card, you have Bucky Barnes on Turn 2, and you have Deathlok + Death / Thanos / Knull in your hand.

Snapping on Turn 3 is a good idea if the card you drew on Turn 3 enabled the Bucky Barnes line of play just mentioned. Likewise, you can Snap if playing Killmonger will destroy three or more cards.

Mid to Late Game

The reasons for Snapping on Turns 4 and 5 tend to be quite varied. The way to sum it up would be to point out that you can Snap if you’re fighting a lane thanks to Winter Soldier + another card and you have a way to fight for another in later turns (i.e. Shang-Chi, Knull, or Death, although Thanos still counts). You are also considered to be contending for a lane if you have a Wolverine that you already destroyed twice, or a Venom / Carnage with six to eight power.

The field might still be somewhat empty thanks to our destruction effects. In this case, Snapping is also valid if Death‘s estimated cost for Turn 6 will be three or less. This allows us to play without priority in order to protect Death from Shang-Chi and enable our own Shang-Chi to destroy a powerful card.

Likewise, Knull should be able to win a lane on its own. Keep in mind that it’s extremely rare for an opponent to have an exact count of this card’s power.

We can add to these scenarios by playing the Time Stone on Turn 4 with Knull or Thanos in our hands. This can expose us to a Shang-Chi, but it can also allow us to force our opponents to play in a way that is convenient for us during the last turn. Besides that, sometimes a location or card can protect these cards from time to time.

Playing a 1-Cost card + Killmonger on Turn 4, or two 1-Cost cards + Killmonger on Turn 5, with Death in hand can also be a great reason to Snap beforehand.

Retreat

Retreating while playing Thanos is usually not very common thanks to the fact that the Infinity Stones tend to give us many lines of play throughout all turns. Either way, you can think about doing so if your opponent Snaps and you’re not gaining a lane. or your chances of fighting for another one are slim to none.

If you haven’t Snapped and you’re in one of the scenarios mentioned above, you can counter Snap with confidence.

Good Locations

• Altar of Death, Death's Domain, Vormir: Free destruction.
• Asgard, TVA: Our destruction core and the Infinity Stones are very good for early-game locations.
• Atlantis, The Space Throne: We can fight for one-card locations with Knull or Death (and even Thanos).
• Bar Sinister, Cloning Vats: Venom is a beast in these locations!
• Collapsed Mine: Free Death.
• Elysium: It’s a good location for any deck, but having free Infinity Stones is amazing.
• Gamma Lab, The Raft, The Sacred Timeline, White Hot Room: We can fill up locations very fast. Even if we play Carnage, Venom, or Deathlok as the last card, they will trigger before we destroy the other three cards.
• Hell's Kitchen: We have a lot of 1-Cost cards in our deck.
• Kamar-Taj: Drawing multiple cards with the Infinity Stones helps us a lot.
• Morag: A Jean Grey effect is something we can play around with without many troubles.
• Onslaught's Citadel: Knull is huge here.
• Quantum Realm: Knull has a continuous effect and zero base power. This location will work just as it does with Darkhawk et al.
• Rickety Bridge: Bucky Barnes wins here 90% of the time. Only Captain Marvel can contest Bucky.

Bad Locations

• Crimson Cosmos: This location will block two thirds of our deck + the Infinity Stones.
• Hellfire Club: Same situation. We can’t play two of our cards here or the Infinity Stones.
• Wakanda: We don’t like Armor effects (but we can use them to play Knull, Death, or Thanos without worrying about Shang-Chi).

Versus Move Legion

Move Legion

Created by den

, updated 9 months ago

2

1x Collection Level 1-14

3x 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)

2.6

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

3.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

This archetype is, without a doubt, the opponent to beat. One of your biggest advantages when playing against them is that you can give up priority when you destroy your cards. This gives you a chance to consistently pick off Kitty Pryde with Killmonger.

Play around with it, and try waiting for a moment when you can also take out Nightcrawler. Saving Killmonger for Turn 4 or Turn 5 is usually a good idea.

Try to play Bucky Barnes + Deathlok in the lane where you expect Angela or Kraven will be. Winter Soldier can compete against both cards without much trouble.

Play around Spider-Man, Shang-Chi, and Legion. Always keep these cards in mind so you can maneuver properly. For this reason, the Space Stone is often essential because it will allow you to make a move that the opponent may not expect.

These flexible and adaptable decks often have problems with high-powered cards. Try to reduce the cost of Death as much as possible. Playing Death + Thanos / Knull on Turn 6 is almost impossible to beat, even with Shang-Chi. It’s not easy, but even a 1- to 3-Cost Death + one or two more cards is usually enough to face the last turn on equal terms.

Versus Sera Control

Sera Control

Created by den

, updated 9 months ago

0

4x 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)

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

2.6

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

2.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

Few decks continue to play Enchantress or Rogue, as fewer cards with Ongoing effects are at the top of the meta. However, Sera Control is an archetype that I think will never give up a tool like this.

For this reason, you must be very careful when playing Knull against this archetype. One way to bait Rogue would be to play the Soul Stone as quickly as possible.

They also play Kitty Pryde and Angela, so the same tips described against Move Legion apply. Bucky Barnes + Deathlok to tackle Angela‘s lane, and Killmonger at the right time against Kitty Pryde. Sera Control gives up the priority a lot, though, so it won’t be easy. However, play with this in mind and you’ll be able to take out Kitty Pryde more times than you think.

You can change locations with the Reality Stone just like they can with Scarlet Witch, and their Killmonger helps you more than harms you. Play around Hit Monkey, Rogue, and Shang-Chi.

Versus InSheNaut

InSheNaut

Created by den

, updated 9 months ago

1

2x Collection Level 18-214 (Pool 1)

3x Collection Level 222-474 (Pool 2)

2x Collection Level 486+ (Pool 3)

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

3x Starter Card

3.3

Cost

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

5.3

Power

0-
1
2
3
4
5+

I think out of all the Tier 1 decks, InSheNaut is the one I would prefer to constantly face when playing Thanos Death.

Killmonger is partying against this archetype. In addition to destroying two or three Infinity Stones, you can hit their Sunspot, Nebula, and/or Evolved Misty Knight. This usually turns into a free Death and allows you to compete against their super-powerful last turn without too much trouble.

They certainly play Armor, but with so many targets it’s hard for them to protect everything at once. Also, by playing Armor so they can protect their trucks, they give you a safe place to play Knull, Thanos, and Death.

You don’t dislike going to Turn 7 due to Magik, either. Although this enables powerful plays, the turn they skip usually gets benefits from Sunspot, Evolved Misty Knight, and Nebula, which won’t always pay off if Killmonger has already eliminated those cards.

You have Shang-Chi for their powerful cards. While they can play the priority game to dodge Shang-Chi, you can do the same by destroying your cards, if necessary.

Leech could be annoying, as it can remove the abilities of Shang-Chi, Knull, and Death for the final turn. However, you can avoid this by playing the Time Stone on Turn 4, which allows you to play your trucks one turn before Leech hits you.

Finally, the Reality Stone can remove Limbo. This move is just the nail in the coffin against this archetype – especially now that they don’t always play Legion.

Turn by Turn Breakdown

Turn 1

Deciding between Nova, Yondu, and any of the Infinity Stones is your first step. Normally, I prefer playing an Infinity Stone that allows me to draw a card, but if I don’t have one then Yondu is the better choice. You can consider Nova when Wolverine is in your hand.

Turn 2

Bucky Barnes must be your priority. If your hand isn’t very promising and you have a couple of gems, drawing cards is a good idea. Carnage is something I prefer to save for later. Wolverine is fine if you don’t have anything else.

Turn 3

If Killmonger is going to destroy three or more cards, playing him this turn is often correct. Your best play will usually be Deathlok in the same lane as Bucky Barnes. Similar to Carnage, I prefer playing the symbiotes on Turn 4 and Turn 5 in the company of some Infinity Stones to maximize my energy efficiency.

Turns 4 and 5

It’s in these turns that you must maneuver in the most efficient way possible. You must decide whether to retain priority by keeping your cards or generating as much power as possible by destroying them, or if you want to drop priority by destroying your cards to create either a low powered board or a single strong location. The choice is yours, but you want to enter the last turn with the most optimal conditions possible.

Remember, Thanos brings efficiency to any deck. Here you can play Carnage and Venom in combination with the Infinity Stones for card draw, power, and beneficial effects depending on the Stones you use. Doing this with Bucky Barnes, Wolverine, and other cards already in play translates into some pretty hefty value generation.

Sometimes playing the Time Stone on Turn 4 is convenient for you to speed up Knull or Thanos. Likewise, playing Death before Turn 6 is not an error when the game calls for it.

Turn 6

The best possible Turn 6 includes playing Death for free. When this is not possible, the best options are usually playing Knull (or Thanos) or playing Death for a cost of three or less + a few additional cards. These will not be the only alternatives, as each game is a different world. However, think calmly about your plays and remember that the opponent often does not keep track of the cost of Death or the power of Knull properly.

This does not mean that you should undervalue your opponents. Although it may seem like a simple play, playing a 6-Cost card like Knull in search of winning a single lane during Turn 6 is usually enough.

Closing Words

Thank you for joining me and reading this article to the end, dear readers. I hope this work has been to your liking. Statistically, this iteration is currently the most dominant Thanos deck. Although, den has rightly pointed out that Thanos Zoo is dangerously close (and a guide on the matter is probably coming soon).

What is remarkable is that an archetype based on the destruction core has finally managed to reach the necessary statistics to be placed in Tier 2 after many weeks of trying.

Starting to play these types of decks now will pay off in a few days when X-23 is in the game. A deck capable of competing for points or giving priority is undoubtedly something that does not leave the opponent any easy games.

I hope it helps you achieve your goals in the game, and if you want to let us know how it has worked for you, feel free to visit the Marvel Snap Community Discord, my Twitter, my Stream, and the comment section of this article where we will always gladly await your responses.

Don’t forget that I have started providing personal coaching services for Marvel Snap. If you want to contact me, you can look for me on Discord as bohettv, on my Twitter, or via email at [email protected]

Thanks for reading, and as I always say, dear readers, don’t forget to smile; I assure you that it makes a difference.