If you weren't part of MARVEL SNAP's beta, chances are you're fairly new to the game. That's OK, a lot of players are and there's nothing wrong with not knowing all the hidden details of a game that looks simple at first, but hides complexity beneath.
In order to help out new players, we've compiled some good tips for those just starting out, which were either too complex to cover in our Beginner's Guides, or that we felt got buried under all the other information.
In addition to those tasty tips, we've gathered a few decks for beginning players that are heavy on Starter cards, with a smattering of decent Pool 1 improvements for those who are advancing on the Collection Level (CL).
Five MARVEL SNAP Beginner Tips
- Claim the Daily Credits Deal in the Shop
We mentioned this in our Progression guide, but given how thick that thing is, we felt it warranted re-mentioning here. Every day (at 8 PM PDT), the Shop resets and you can claim 50 Credits for free - if you have to, make it the first thing you do when logging into MARVEL SNAP for the day. The Shop button is located at the lower left corner of the screen (it's the thing that looks like a stack of gold bricks).
- Grab Those Launch Week Freebies
Speaking of free stuff: Make sure you're claiming the Launch Week freebies every day, as they only last for a couple of days. The Freebies are located in your Inbox, and unfortunately the Inbox feature is not enabled on the Early Access PC build. If you want that free stuff, you'll have to get it on your phone. To get to your Inbox, you'll need to go to the News page (bottom right button), then tap the Inbox bar on the upper left. Then, you can get to claimin'!
- Quickly Undo Your Mistakes
Because play order matters so much in MARVEL SNAP, the game won't let you take back your plays unless you do them in reverse of the order in which you made them. This can be a pain, but fortunately there's a fast way to undo. Simply tap the glowing blue Energy ball on the bottom of the screen, then hit "Undo All Actions." All cards played that turn will go back to your hand, and you'll have more time to rethink your play.
- Bots Can See the Future
At the lowest ranks, it is very likely that you will face a high percentage of bots. Why is this? Because matchmaking takes into account both your rank and the level of your Collection, and in order to keep queue times down the team added in bots to match with players. While it is sometimes difficult to differentiate a bot from a real human being (thanks, Turing), we've noticed a couple of tells: namely, that bots usually have a basic first name like Derrick and play decks that share too many of the same Pool 1 cards. If you're seeing a lot of the same turn 1 and 2 plays (Rocket Raccoon into Domino, perhaps), you might be playing some bots. This isn't an exact science, unfortunately - it's not like we can ask them which pictures contain crosswalks.
Why does it matter, to be able to tell a bot from a human? Well, for this particular reason: bots know the future. It isn't incredibly unfair, but the one distinct advantage that bots have over humans is that they know the outcomes of random events. Does it seem like your opponent is dodging the destroy effect of Danger Room a little too well? That's because the bot knows the card won't be destroyed - otherwise, they wouldn't have played it there. If you suspect your opponent is a prescient bot, play (and Snap) accordingly.
- Remember: Stage, Reveal, Play
Our final tip is a bit more advanced, but has to do with the order in which card triggers resolve in MARVEL SNAP. You've probably noticed that many cards in MARVEL SNAP have the "On Reveal" keyword, and you may have wondered what triggers first: play, or Reveal? The easy answer is that On Reveal effects trigger prior to play effects - so don't worry about playing Scarlet Witch on Danger Room because her On Reveal will change it to another Location before Danger Room's effect checks for cards being played.
The more complex answer is that there are actually three triggers, the first one being Stage - which is the point before a card is flipped. Currently, very few cards have Stage triggers (Mysterio being one of them), but it's important to remember that triggers resolve in this order: Stage, Reveal, Play.
Early Decks for MARVEL SNAP Beginners
We get it: it's still early in your MARVEL SNAP journey. You've hardly got any Pool 1 cards, let alone the good ones! How are you supposed to compete with the players who get Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur before CL 80?
Not to worry. We've gathered decks of all shapes and sizes, that can fit with any collection - decks that are built to win with the Starter cards the game gives you first. If there are Pool 1 cards, they're few and far-between, and mostly there so you can see ways to improve your decks with what cards the Good Brode hath bestowed upon you.
Starters Only On Reveal
Odin is likely the most powerful 6-Drop you'll have for a while (at least until you unpack either Onslaught or America Chavez), so you might as well take advantage of his On Reveal repeating ways with this Starter deck packed with On Reveal abilities.
The idea is to play smartly across the board, so you have the freedom to choose your best target for a game-ending Odin - we like to pick the location with White Tiger.
Starters Only Blue Kazoo
Like the Schwartz, there are two sides to every SNAP player's early collection, and the other side involves Ongoing effects like Ka-Zar's buff to 1-Cost cards and Blue Marvel's buff to all cards. Spectrum can provide a big power boost on turn 6 by giving all your Ongoing cards +2 Power, or you can just slam down a Hulk.
Flux's First Deck
Our own Fluxflashor has graciously shared the first deck he built in the beta, a Starter deck with a flexible early game that pushes for a similar Spectrum-led finish to an Ongoing theme.
Tian Ding's Pool 1 Zoo
If you're starting to get into the thick of Pool 1, you could try out this deck shared by Second Dinner's Tian Ding - powering up the Starter Blue Kazoo deck with solid Pool 1 cards like Squirrel Girl, Angela, and Captain America, as well as Onslaught to double the Ongoing effects of the cards at whichever Location you choose.
Kibler's Odin Reveal
Brian Kibler, taking a brief break from Hearthstone, came up with this list that exclusively runs cards with On Reveal effects for maximum Odinage. The Pool 1 cameos here are Rocket Raccoon and Elektra, who are pretty good with Odin, but not entirely necessary if you lack either.
Have your own MARVEL SNAP decks to share? Post them to our site using our new MARVEL SNAP deckbuilder! Don't forget the guide!
Any tips you think we missed, or didn't mention? Drop some wisdom in the comments below!
Comments
Tried it recently, might have a bigger addiction to this game than Hearthstone honestly. I knew I was going to enjoy it after watching a couple of gameplay footage but man this game is real bussin. It's pretty f2p friendly too and the cards are pretty balanced. I've only experienced pool 1 though.
It also has a very nice matchmaking system, which is based on your rank and your collection level. This means you won't be playing against people who have unlocked cards that you get way later. Excited to play more in the future.
I NEVER COMMENT BUT THIS TIME I NEED TO. PLS, KEEP AWAY OFF THIS GAME.
HEARTHSTONE BECAME TOXIC AND DULL AFTER UR SAME ADMINS STARTED TO "CREATIVE" STINK IDEAS AND THEN HIGHROLLED THE COMMUNITY INTO SOME TRASH SHITBALL.
STAY AWAY FROM MARVEL SNAP, MOST OF YOUR IDEAS ARE BAD, MOST OF U ARE BAD CG PLAYERS TRYING TO BE RECKONIZED BY SOMETHING IN UR LIFE THAT ISN'T A JOB.
SINCERELY A RESENTFUL HEARTHSTONE PLAYER THAT DOESN'T WANT TO SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL GAME STAINED BY YOU GUYS!
pEACE
The Hearthstone community contains more people than just you you know? I'm a part of it, and I think that you stink.
go lick some balls loser
Technically it would seem you did comment a few times in the past (then went dormant for a couple of years), just to similar head-scratching effects. I can see the Caps Lock button wasn't at least permanently stuck on your keyboard yet.
Trying to make sense of whatever "creative stink ideas by admins" and "trash highrolling the community" could ever mean is best left for brains far greater than mine.
So I suppose we shall await your hopeful recognition in our lives once we manage to snap some truly bad ideas into this stained existence.
Do you seriously and unironically think that this small fan forum has any impact at all on the development of a game?
You're very dumb.
Go find a job loser (and losers). You and ur stink friends think u are some shit cause u are admins from a website of CG for childrens.
Just a bunch of losers with some land to farm retards. U even created another website to gather all the remaining trash here.
at least u guys did something worth for community gathering trash in one place. Thanks for that.
I wonder sometimes whats the age of u losers, specially this Fluxflashor dude. Looks like a fat white divorced loser or worse.
In the past I felt sad for people like you, but nowadays nomore. Losers should die.
Then again, stay away from Snap. it's a beautiful game and doesn't need all this trash that followed you here into that.
Also, most of these "admin" decks are empty of QI or Intelligence, I wonder what kind of worm would use something from here.
Bye losers. Hope u die.
I'm out! Just came here to see the same losers together in the same can.
Don't even bother to reply
People like you who claim you aren't coming back NEVER have the courage of your convictions. You can't be honest, not even with yourself. It's genuinely pretty sad.
Bye, thanks for the views. Since you're "out," you won't mind that you've been permanently banned, because our community (which is filled with great people) has no space for childish performance artists such as yourself. We hope, in time, that you find a healthy outlet for your anger but we don't fancy being the place where you come to lash out at others due to your inadequacies.
Good Riddance.
I was binging Odin decks up to gold, but the trouble I’ve ran into is your plays are super telegraphed (from row stacking iron heart, wolfsbane, white tiger) from turns 4-6. Sometimes that means you can snap on turn 6 without an Odin, and cause your opponent to retreat in fear, but other times it means the opponent knows exactly how many points you’re about to deliver.
The Snap subreddit had this guide pinned for a while. Everyone should read it. I’m surprised by how much I learned even after I thought I’d looked up everything I needed to know: https://reddit.com/r/MarvelSnap/comments/y377gu/a_beginners_guide_to_marvel_snap/
Thanks for letting me know about this coz damn it's hidden and there's no notification to claim, thanks for the heads up!
There is a notification actually, at least on mobile. You will see "1" appearing on your shop icon in the bottom left corner. Similar to when you have collection cards ready for upgrades or other things to claim, with the rest of the icons. Of course then it requires figuring out what the hell they mean by showing such number(-s) that just won't go away until resolved.
Pretty addictive, already poured 15 hours into it. 1 drop deck is pretty sick. There are some mentions/tips I want to make:
1. Snapping mechanic works better on a higher rank (opponents know how to retreat)
2. When one location is tie, the victory is based upon the player with the most power. (Greatest difference between other location).
3. All cards are in a pool. Update your collection to rank up. Till lvl 216 is pool
4. During leveling you will unlock pool 1 cards at random order.
5. Some weeknquest requires updating cards, use framebreaks to do this. (Dont spent everthing on paying 300 credits if you can buy 12 frame breaks)
Have fun and lets discuss! It is truely a game during travels or taking a number 2 due to the fast pace.
Just count the total sum of power across the three locations, that's the same thing than calculating differences, just easier.
Upgrading base (Common) cards to Uncommon is definitely the most credit-efficient way to level up your Collection Level, even if it's not immediately obvious or feels slower. 25 credits for 1 level is twice as good as making an Uncommon a Rare via 100 credits for 2 levels (50 credits per level).
This! I made a "trash" deck that I cycle new cards into to maximize my chance of upgrading every Common to Uncommon super quickly. Gotta make those early credits last!