It hasn’t been that long since the last batch of balance tweaks for Marvel Snap (Free) arrived, but it seems as though developer Second Dinner is picking up the pace on these again because here we are with another over-the-air update to look at. It should be fun to see how the developer approaches updates now that a lot of the big bugbears have been dealt with! There are some interesting changes this time around, and for the first time in a while the buffs far outweigh the nerfs. Let’s break them down as usual.
It has to be said that the last few updates have really made a big difference in the game’s overall meta. We’re seeing deck types that couldn’t even hope to scratch their way to the top breaking through, and that’s without having to kill too many other decks in the process. At some point some of these now-competitive decks will have to be reeled in a bit, but for now it’s nice to see some variety up at the top. You can almost feel that relief coming off of this OTA update, as it comes off less as damage control and more as trying to boost some cards that could use a little help. That said, there is one big red elephant in the room, so let’s get to him first.
Red Hulk is a very new card to the game, and even before he launched I could tell he was going to be trouble. He arrived as a 6-Cost 11-Power card with an ability that gave him +4 Power in any turn where your opponent had unspent Energy so long as he was in play or in your hand. That’s a very useful ability paired with some already beefy stats, and it didn’t take long for people to figure out how to exploit him. To that end, he’s gotten a little Power carved off from his stats, now coming in at 6-Cost 9-Power. That’s probably going to do the trick as far as mellowing him a bit without ruining him. Not great to see changes to a new card so quickly, but I’m sure Red Hulk players will live.
Okay, it’s all buffs from here, and the first is to yet another new card. U.S. Agent’s ability is, true to his nature, something of an inverse to Captain America’s. Instead of boosting his buds, he brings everyone down with an Ongoing ability that afflicts all 4-/5-/6-Cost cards at the location with a hit to their Power. Before this update, that damage was -3 Power. Now, he hits them for -4 Power. That’s substantial, to say the least. Perhaps that will help him see more use, since he seems to have come and gone almost immediately.
Three of Marvel’s popular heroines are getting a little boost to their Power, and as usual the hope is that the bump will encourage people to give them a try and maybe like them enough to keep them in the rotation. Jean Grey goes from 3-Cost 3-Power to 3-Cost 4-Power, Stature goes from 5-Cost 6-Power to 5-Cost 7-Power, and Jane Foster Thor goes from 5-Cost 8-Power to 5-Cost 9-Power. The last tweak is to good ol’ Mantis, who had her ability changed in a recent update and saw her stats adjusted a bit to compensate. Apparently it was a little too much of an over-correction, so her 2-Cost 2-Power is now 1-Cost 2-Power. Her ability is probably best used on a later turn, but being 1-Cost makes her easier to fit into any given point in a game.
That does it for this round of balance changes in Marvel Snap. The Red Hulk nerf should take a little wind out of the sails of nuisance decks, but only time will tell if all of those other buffs will have the desired effect. We often see Second Dinner offer up a single point of power to try to boost cards, but it’s rare to see it work for cards that just get no play at all. Fingers crossed, though. As someone who enjoys a good hammer-slinging deck now and then, I’m at least hoping this makes a difference for Jane. How about you? Do you use any of these cards, or will you use them now that their stats have been adjusted? Let us know in the comments!
