The Best Cards in Marvel Snap’s ‘Marvel Rivals’ Season

Key Takeaways

  • Marvel Snap introduces themed cards for Marvel Rivals launch in December season.
  • Players criticize the card acquisition system, but Second Dinner remains silent.
  • Be selective with spending on new cards in Marvel Rivals season to understand strengths and weaknesses.

As a long-time enthusiast of the Marvel universe and a dedicated player of Marvel Snap, I can confidently say that the latest additions to the game from the Marvel Rivals season have not only brought excitement but also shifted the metagame significantly. Among these newcomers, there’s one duo that truly stands out – Rocket Raccoon & Groot.

Prior to the debut of Marvel Rivals, Marvel Snap rolled out a season focusing on this upcoming squad-based hero shooter with a collection of themed cards. The December season encompasses six cards: Galacta (the season pass card), Luna Snow, Doom 2099, Bruce Banner, Peni Parker, and the first double-hero card in Marvel Snap, featuring Rocket Raccoon & Groot.

As a long-time Marvel fan and avid card game player, I can’t help but feel frustrated with the recent developments surrounding “Marvel Snap” and its acquisition mechanics. Being a part of the gaming community for years now, I’ve witnessed countless games release updates or new content without properly addressing existing issues, and it seems that Second Dinner is following in their footsteps.

It appears that Second Dinner hasn’t responded to the player’s demands regarding in-game adjustments, and it seems plausible they won’t. This is because the method for acquiring cards in the game is closely linked to its business model and microtransactions, a factor that many developers find challenging to modify.

Currently, it’s wiser for fans to be cautious with their investments, choosing cards they are confident about based on their comprehension of how each card functions, as well as its advantages and disadvantages. The ensuing ranking assesses the new cards in the Marvel Rivals season, arranging them from least to most effective, aiming to assist players in determining where they should allocate their resources.

Marvel Snap December Spotlight Cache Dates & Details

Card Release Date Accompanying Cards
Luna Snow December 3, 2024 X-23, Lady Deathstrike
Peni Parker December 10, 2024 Sasquatch, Gladiator
Doom 2099 December 17, 2024 Daken, Miek
Bruce Banner December 24, 2024 High Evolutionary, Ravonna Renslayer
Rocket Raccoon & Groot December 31, 2024 Selena, Blob
Galacta Season Pass N/A

6. Luna Snow

Luna’s Booster Comes at a Cost

  • Cost: 3
  • Power: 5
  • Text: On Reveal, add an Ice Cube to each side of this location.

Luna Snow is the initial card added to Marvel Snap during the Marvel Rivals season. Her unique feature places an Ice Cube on both sides of her position, increasing one additional Energy each turn until there are four other cards in the same location. Once that happens, the Ice Cube explodes and no longer contributes to Energy production.

From her skills, Luna Snow appears to be an excellent choice for ramp decks in Marvel Snap, and she’s also a strong pick for clog setups. Yet, there are two potential drawbacks that might make her less essential:

5. Peni Parker

Peni’s Synergies Can Be Clunky

  • Cost: 2
  • Power: 3
  • Text: On Reveal, add SP//dr to your hand. When this merges, you get +1 Energy next turn.

In a simpler and more conversational style,

Despite her intriguing abilities and potential synergies, Peni Parker appears to be less significant in the current META (Meta-game). Her primary strength is tied to the “merge” archetype, which has not been a prominent part of the competitive scene. Although merge saw some popularity following the release of Symbiote Spider-Man, it soon lost ground as the META evolved, favoring Arishem, Hela and later Surtur for a brief time.

4. Bruce Banner

Bruce Is a Low-Risk, High-Reward Play

  • Cost: 2
  • Power: 1
  • Text: When you end a turn with unspent Energy, 25% chance to HULK OUT!

In terms of initial stats, Bruce Banner might not seem like a powerhouse card. But his real value lies in the risk versus reward aspect. Essentially, he’s a two-cost version of the Hulk, and when he transforms, the payoff can be substantial. There’s always the possibility that he won’t turn into the Hulk and will remain a one-Power card. However, spending two Energy and using just one board space for the potential of a Hulk makes it a risk worth taking.

Bruce also demonstrates significant compatibility with High-Evo decks. His affordable Cost allows for easy deployment early in the game, enabling two Hulks as main victory targets. However, his weak point and the reason he ranks lower than other cards is his random ability mechanism. Every turn, there’s merely a 25% chance that he transforms into Hulk – while this isn’t bad, it’s not dependable enough for cautious gamers.

3. Doom 2099

Playing the New Doom Is Almost Intuitive

  • Cost: 4
  • Power: 2
  • Text: After each turn, add a DoomBot 2099 to a random location if you played (exactly) 1 card.

Since the early days of Marvel Snap, the classic Doctor Doom has been a cornerstone in the game’s metagame. Now, his updated version, Doom 2099, seems poised not only to redefine the current META but also boost the original Doom’s rank on the leaderboards. With each turn, Doom 2099 deploys a DoomBot 2099 at a random location. These Bots possess an Ongoing ability that boosts the Power of all other Bots and Dooms present on the battlefield by +1.

In summary, Doom 2099 is a valuable enhancement to Marvel Snap for two key factors:

2. Galacta

Galacta’s Generous Buffs Fit Most Archetypes

  • Cost: 4
  • Power: 6
  • Text: Each turn, the first card you play at another location reveals with +3 Power.

The December Season Pass character in Marvel Snap is Galacta, who is known as the daughter of Galactus. She enters the game as a character that passively boosts other cards’ power by 3 units, regardless of the lane they are played in. Her unique attribute lies in applying this buff before any On Reveal abilities activate. This makes her particularly useful with characters like Black Panther, Human Torch, and Brood, who benefit from buffs. Additionally, Galacta could potentially revive the Galactus gameplay strategy (or META), as her synergy with her father seems promising.

Regarding their skill set, Galacta and Gwenpool share some similarities, but Galacta lacks the random element found in Gwenpool, making her a top-tier card during the Marvel Rivals season. However, her main disadvantage lies in her high Cost of 4 Energy, which may hinder her activation on earlier turns, potentially necessitating the use of discount cards like Zabu. This reliance can restrict the variety of cards and strategies players can include in their decks.

1. Rocket Raccoon & Groot

This Duo Is Unlikely to Fade Away

  • Cost: 3
  • Power: 3
  • Text: You can move this once. After your opponent plays a card here, steal 1 Power from it.

In the Marvel Snap’s Marvel Rivals season, the team of Rocket Raccoon and Groot stands out as the top choice among cards. Although its ability may not be as showy as some other fresh cards, it is reliable. The duo of Rocket Raccoon and Groot enables the player to seize one Power from enemy cards once they’ve been placed in their lane. Furthermore, it is a move card, granting the player the opportunity to adjust its position within the game only once.

The unique blend of disruption potential and unpredictability at an affordable price makes Rocket Raccoon & Groot an ideal choice for a card. It’s unlikely that the Marvel Snap metagame will forget it any time soon, and it seems destined to become a standard inclusion in many elite decks.

For those eager to learn about Marvel Snap’s December roster, check out Cozy Snap and Alex Coccia’s chat, where they break down the powers and collaborative aspects of each new card and rate them accordingly.

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2024-12-03 17:34