Marvel Snap’s Activate Mechanic Explained

Marvel Snap's Activate Mechanic Explained

As an avid gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the latest addition to Marvel Snap, The Amazing Spider-Season, has caught my attention like a certain wall-crawler catching his next foe. The introduction of the Activate ability is undoubtedly the most exciting update since the game’s launch, and it promises to redefine the strategic landscape of this deck-based card game.


The newest installment of Marvel Snap, titled “The Amazing Spider-Season,” has commenced, wrapping up the Young Avengers Season. As with other Marvel Snap seasons, this one starts and finishes on the first Monday of every month, with this season due to conclude on October 1. This Spiderman-focused event brings forth new cards, unique cosmetics, and novel locations. Alongside a Ranked mode reset, Second Dinner is also debuting the Activate ability.

Activate is the seventh ability in the deck-based card game, joining the existing six: On Reveal, Ongoing, No Ability, Discard, Move, and Destroy. As the first new ability introduced to Marvel Snap since its launch, Activate has the potential to be a game-changer. While its uniqueness might initially confuse some players, understanding how it works will be essential for climbing the Ranked ladder.

How The Activate Ability Works in Marvel Snap

Marvel Snap’s New Activate Mechanic Has the Potential to Redefine Gameplay

According to Nicki Broderick, the Senior Marketing Manager at Second Dinner, Activate aims to introduce an additional layer of strategic depth to the game. While some gamers are excited about the prospect of new cards that provide intentional strategic options, others value the unpredictability offered by Marvel Snap, arguing that it prevents powerful decks from taking over the game completely. Surprisingly, despite being a novel mechanic, Activate does not significantly change how current cards operate.

In the Amazing Spider-Man Season, Activate allows you to decide when a card’s impact occurs. Yet, it cannot be activated during the same round a card is played and can only be used from the second round up to the fifth. To use this ability, simply right-click on your PC or press and hold on mobile devices until the “Activated!” notification appears.

The following cards with this keyword include, but are not necessarily limited to:

Card Name Cost-Power Activation Effect
Arana 1-1 Give the next card you play +2 Power and move it to the right.
Scarlet Spider 4-5 Add an exact clone of this to another location.
Symbiote Spider-Man 4-6 Merge your lowest-Cost card here with this. Copy its text like it just revealed.

Key Rules for Using Activate in Marvel Snap

Marvel Snap's Activate Mechanic Explained

Similar to On Reveal’s instant activation, Activate enables players to turn on desired effects at their own discretion when suitable conditions arise. When an Activate card is set on the game board, its characteristics become visible, but its effect only materializes once it’s triggered. Here are the key guidelines for using Activate:

  1. Activation cards must be revealed before they can be activated.
  2. After a card is played, initially nothing will happen because cards must be in play for at least one round.
  3. In later turns, players can press and hold the card to trigger its effect.
  4. Activate cards’ effects can only be triggered once per game.
  5. Activation follows the same reveal pattern as other cards.
  6. To deactivate the ability, players must press and hold the card again. Alternatively, click the Energy icon and select “Undo All Actions” to reset moves.
  7. Activation can be canceled before a turn ends by right-clicking or long-pressing the activated card.

“Activate cards’ effects can only be triggered once per game.”

Interestingly enough, Second Dinner has unveiled plans to revamp current cards like Black Swan and Hellcow by incorporating new Activate abilities. They might also be making further changes in the future. Furthermore, the gaming community has proposed ideas for Activate overhauls on cards such as Zabu, Nico Minoru, and War Machine. With Movement decks noticeably affected by this fresh mechanic, it seems that Activate is poised to leave a lasting mark.

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2024-09-10 02:06