Summary
There are many cards inMarvel Snapasking to be buffed for some sort of pay-off, the most common card used for this being Shuri. But something like Sebastian Shaw shouldn’t be buffed by a single card. Instead, you need to build a deck around him to keep the buffs coming.
And, of course, he can’t be the only card you buff, since, at most, he canwin you a single location. Fortunately, there are plenty of cards that work in tandem with Shaw, especially considering that he costs three power — the prime cost for a buffing deck.
10Forge
The Targeted Buff
Forge’s role is simple, giving power to the next card you play, and having such a low cost that he can be combined with nearly anything. His role is not only as a buffing card, but as a complement for turn four, since with so many three costs that turn tends to be slightly awkward.
As far as what you’re buffing, the clear targets are Shaw, Werewolf or Brood, but don’t be afraid to give the buff to something else if they aren’t in your hand. It’s best to have Forge’s power be used rather than wait too long and be unable to play him.
9Nova
Often Destroyed By Your Opponent
Nova offers a simple yet effective buff to all your played cards, but before you can benefit from that you’ll have to destroy him first. This deck has only one card that does that, but you rarely need more than one; the card itself is Killmonger, and it’s often used by opponents as well.
Adding more destroying options beyond Killmonger would weigh down the deck, since, besides Nova, there’s nothing else you need to destroy. Other decks do have plenty of useful one drops, so Killmonger is a perfect fit for the deck as a counter to all of those.
8Okoye
The Deck Buffer
Okoye is one of the many buff options available in Marvel Snap, but she lacked the complementing cards to be of any real use until now. The small buff she gives grows triple with Sebastian Shaw, and cards that were already in the game before, like Brood, for example, are made better by her.
The deck also lacks low-energy cards, or rather lower than three. Having some two-cost options can make turns two and five fit better, since you have something to complement your plethora of three drops.
7America Chavez
No Longer The Last Card Of The Deck
After her dramatic change, America Chavez is no longer a six drop. She now costs only two, and her effect is to give two power to the next card you draw, making her have less impact than Okoye early in the game, but bigger by the final turns.
Still, that doesn’t mean you should wait too much to play her, since she still fits nicely for turn two. If, however, you have both Okoye and America in hand, Okoye is best played on turn two, while America fits perfectly on five alongside a three drop.
6Nakia
A Buffer That Gets Buffed
Nakia is the bridge between the cards that buff other cards, and the ones that get buffed. For one, her effect gives all cards in hand plus one power, so the bigger the hand the better, but to make the most of her, you still need to play those cards.
This makes her an ideal turn three play, since you want her on the board before the final play of the deck, which usually involves Silver Surfer. Since he buffs all three cost cards, she’s eligible for the buff, adding more power than what she already brings to the table.
5Polaris
A Disruptive Movement
With just a glance, you can see what Polaris is adding to your game plan, since five power is not common for only three energy. With all the buffing you’ll be doing on your cards, her five power will grow exponentially, making her one of the biggest plays of the deck.
Then there’s her ability to move one of the opponent’s one or two cost cards to her location. How useful this is depends on what your opponent’s game plan is, but moving something like Invisible Woman on the right turn can win you the game on its own.
4Brood
The Three In One Package
Brood’s ability allows you to summon two copies of the main card at the location, without any abilities but the same power. This makes Brood combine well with Nakia and all the other buffing cards, since it essentially counts threefold on Brood.
You do need to worry about space with this card, since it will nearly fill up one of the locations. The main card on the deck that interacts with free spaces is Werewolf by Night, so if you’re planning on bouncing Werewolf around, remember that Brood’s ability happens first.
3Silver Surfer
The Core Of The Deck
Whenever a new three-cost card is introduced, players will immediately think how it fits with Silver Surfer. The difference with Sebastian Shaw is that, since his ability asks for him to get buffed, he seems to have been made to go in tandem with the Surfer.
You’re aiming to play Silver Surfer as late as possible, so enough cards get the buff. A Surfer plus Brood play is perfect for when you fail to fill one of the locations, doing an explosive final play that, other than adding power to the other locations, puts a minimum of 11 power on the empty one.
2Werewolf By Night
The Expert Jumper
The one thing all the buff cards in the deck have in common is that their effects are On Reveal. This fits perfectly with how Werewolf works, since he jumps around buffing himself whenever you play an On Reveal card, getting even bigger with each card you play.
Considering all the buffing you’re already doing with the deck, cards like Werewolf and Shaw are the main powerhouses you’re able to play. That means that you’re more often than not aiming for each of them to end in different locations because it’s usually overcommitting to have them both in the same place.
1Sera
She Lets You Finish With Style
Sera’s role is clear, since her ability makes cards in your hand cost one less. In a deck filled with three-cost cards, she lets you play three of them on turn six, making the amount of power output you’re capable of at that final turn great.
This all also means that your buffing cards, like Okoye or America Chavez, should’ve been played by now; they offer little at the final turn. If you’re playing Sera on turn five, make sure that you have enough combo pieces to finish big, otherwise playing other things might be best.
