Days of Future Past Season in MARVEL SNAP is only a few days old, but already the meta is very familiar. Whether it's a handful of same-y decks that are dominating most other competitors, or a card that can singlehandedly ruin the opponent's plan, things just aren't quite right in the current meta.
We've pinpointed six SNAP cards that we'd like Second Dinner to change, explained why change is needed, and suggested what we'd do if we were in charge of nerfing them.
Iceman
On Reveal: Give a random card in your opponent’s hand +1 Cost. (Maximum 6).
Iceman is not the true problem in the current meta, but he is a little too good: paying 1 to increase the cost of a card in your opponent's deck by 1 is the very definition of efficiency in a card game, not to mention that his effect is not the most fun thing to go up against. Where other hand-attack cards like Scorpion serve to slightly decrease a card's effectiveness, Iceman literally makes a card unplayable for an extra turn.
Suggested Change: New stats - [2/3].
This fix is easy, and obvious. Bump Iceman's cost up (while giving him an extra point of Power) - he still does the same thing, except now it's just slightly less of a no-brainer to jam him into any deck and say go; he'll make the cut in heavy Control lists but won't show up in random decks that wanted a 1-Drop.
Quinjet
Ongoing: Cards that didn’t start in your deck cost 1 less. (minimum 1)
Quinjet is a pretty cool 1-Drop and, for the most part, doesn't require a huge nerf. The change we're suggesting is almost entirely based upon its interaction with Thanos and his Infinity Stones.
Suggested Change: New text - "Ongoing: Cards that didn't start in your deck cost 1 less. (minimum 1)"
This is a pretty simple change that really only impacts Thanos decks - no more 0 Cost Stones! Considering that every other cost reduction effect on a card in MARVEL SNAP contains the "minimum 1" clause, our change is consistent and makes Quinjet fun, but fair, while not hurting the non-Thanos decks already running it.
Lockjaw
After you play a card here, swap it with a card in your deck. (once per turn)
While we're on the subject of Thanos decks, let's also try to fix Lockjaw, who's a little too good with all those Stones cheaply pulling large bodies into the game.
Suggested Change: New text - "After you play your first card here each turn, swap it with a card in your deck."
We considered a simple uptick in cost for Lockjaw, but felt that (since this is an opinion article and we're not actually in charge of balancing MARVEL SNAP) we'd rather get a little weird with it. Our change keeps the fun of Lockjaw and Wasp, while reducing the uninteractive swing of multiple cheap cards played there in one turn.
Shuri
On Reveal: If you play your next card here, double its Power.
Outside of Thanos decks, the main meta monster is Shuri, who pairs a little too well with a number of 5- and 6-Cost cards to create decks that easily overwhelm their opponents with massive stats (while using Armor and Cosmo to protect their plays from Shang-Chi). Fortunately, we've got an easy fix for her.
Suggested Change: New stats - [5/4].
We like big stats, so our change to Shuri serves only to reduce the overwhelming nature of her decks that can either follow up with Red Skull into Taskmaster or Arnim Zola, or skip turn 5 to play She-Hulk and Taskmaster on 6. This change could give life to Shuri Ramp decks featuring Electro, but we think that's a fine home for her, especially since this change should reduce the total number of decks that will want to run her.
Aero
On Reveal: Move the last enemy card played this turn to this location.
Aero is one of the strongest cards in the game right now, giving her player (especially if they have priority) too much control over their opponent's final turn. The way it stands now is that if your opponent leads in two of the locations, you have to expect them to Aero you on the final turn - and there aren't that many ways to play around that.
Suggested Change: New text - "On Reveal: Move the last card your opponent played to this location."
Aero is a tricky card to balance - if you want to maintain the flavor, she has to move cards (and simply reducing her Power won't change the impact she can have on games). It's possible Second Dinner finds a more elegant solution, but for now we're changing how she works with priority and limiting the number of cards she can move. Not every deck will have the ability to play around her and still win, but we think that we've increased the chances of most decks playing into an opposing Aero.
Leech
At the start of turn 6, remove all abilities from cards in your opponent's hand.
While Shuri, Thanos, and Aero are strong, we don't think there's a card in MARVEL SNAP that ignites the rancor of players quite like Leech. The problem with Leech is that he takes away the fun of playing the game by removing the text on a hand full of cards, and there's no real way to stop him from doing that. While the idea of taking away a card's text is a useful counterplay to synergistic decks, the fact remains that Leech is far too good at ruining everything to remain the same.
Suggested Change: Delete it from the game. New text - "On Reveal: Remove the abilities from the next card your opponent plays." New stats - [4/2].
Think of him as a reverse Zero who can mess with the opponent in a way that doesn't stop them from playing the game (MARVEL SNAP). We considered reducing his ability to target only one card in hand, but the randomness (and potential combos with Wong) made us feel that this change was much healthier and more interesting.
Do you disagree with our suggestions, or think we've overlooked the actual meta boogeyman? Share your (obviously correct) opinions in the comments!
Comments
I'm in the camp that cards like these can't really be fixed. Nothing like them should ever have been printed in the first place.
This is why I uninstalled the game. They have shown that they will just keep making cards that ruin the opponent's fun, and I'm not into a game where the players are constantly, incessantly, looking for the best way to ruin their opponents' fun.
You are not wrong. My main deck is just heavy disruption and I just rely on screwing with whatever my opponent wants to do.
I tried to play decks with a plan, but I have been screwed over too many times, so I just decided to join the other side to not lose constantly. Maybe at higher ranks it is different, but I usually hover around 40 with the amount of time I tend to spend on the game.
We need something that stops "always active" effects.
Also the first player advantage needs to go. Cards that remove stuff need to affect unrevealed cards also.
Most of these seem like a reasonable suggestions. I play Iceman and Aero myself, and I think I still would play Iceman, not sure about Aero, she would need a stat increase.
Leech is just annoying when they can get him out early and basically screw your entire strategy.
Shuri is just broken beyond any means at 4-power, too much possibilities she opens.
Lockjaw and Quinjet are fair suggestions, tho im not sure if ppl would still play Lockjaw afterwards, but i wouldnt mind, it creates really annoying games where it either works well, or it doesnt. I know that is the kinda of situations Snap, and other games like it, do on purpose to create high highs and lows so it is a conscious design choice.