Mortals, the OG God of War is in Marvel Snap

Ares, the God of War, descends upon the mortal realm of Marvel Snap, aiming to shake up the meta and revive forgotten archetypes. But how does this iconic figure end up aligning with Norman Osborn, the unlikely leader of the Avengers post-Secret Invasion? With most Avengers abandoning Osborn, only Ares and the mentally unstable Sentry remain. This begs the question: how can a supposed Avenger, a champion of good, support such an obviously villainous leader?

The answer lies in Ares' unwavering loyalty to war itself, not to any particular side. This inherent nature perfectly mirrors his depiction in Marvel Comics and his Marvel Snap card. Ares thrives in large-scale conflicts, preferring the company of powerful individuals—a stark contrast to his portrayal as a simple, albeit powerful, brute.

Table of Contents

• Best Cards to Team Up With Ares
• Ares Isn't a Big Bad, Sadly
• Concluding Thoughts

Best Cards to Team Up With Ares

Unlike some cards with readily apparent synergies, Ares lacks an immediate, obvious pairing. He doesn't have the instant connection of, say, Bullseye and Swarm. Instead, his effectiveness hinges on a different approach. Ares excels in decks packed with high-power cards. One particularly effective pairing is with cards featuring "on reveal" abilities, creating opportunities for strategic plays with Grandmaster or Odin. While a 12-power card costing 4 energy is decent, a 21-power card for 6 energy is significantly more desirable. The key to maximizing Ares outside of Surtur decks is to leverage his ability repeatedly.

Despite his disdain for weaker opponents, consider protecting Ares with cards like Cosmo or Armor. These provide a defensive layer against threats like Shang-Chi and Shadow King.

Ares Isn't a Big Bad, Sadly

While a pure 4/12 card isn't currently in the Marvel Snap card pool, there are analogues that approach Ares' power level (Gwenpool and Galactus, for example). The rise of control decks like Mill and Wiccan Control highlights the need for protective strategies against cards like Shang-Chi. This contrasts with the prevailing trend of flexible decks, suggesting that Ares requires a highly specific deck build to be effective.

Relying solely on power isn't viable unless your wager consistently surpasses Mister Negative's (which it likely won't). Even move-based strategies that accumulate power often incorporate disruption for an advantage. Ares needs to outperform Surtur decks, which currently aren't performing at a competitive level. Surtur 10-power archetypes have an average win rate around 51.5% at high levels of play, dropping to 48% below.

The matchup against a Rock-heavy opponent favors Ares (3 vs. 2), but Darkhawk lacks strong archetypal support. Mill decks can significantly enhance Ares' effectiveness (10000% improvement!), particularly when the opponent is low on cards. However, the current meta favors cards like Death (12 power, typically lower energy cost), making Ares somewhat outdated.

Ares' inherent weakness is his reliance on a coin flip when played on curve. Success hinges on winning the wager and understanding the power curve. However, his value extends beyond raw power; he provides valuable information for strategic decision-making.

Cards like Alioth, Cosmo, Man-Thing, and Red Guardian can complement Ares in disruptive strategies.

Concluding Thoughts

In conclusion, Ares is arguably the weakest card of the season. His susceptibility to counters, compared to energy-cheating cards (like Wiccan) and widespread power-granting cards (like Galactus), diminishes his appeal. His consistent success relies on a very specific deck build and wager victory. A 4/6 card is generally poor, even if a 4/12 is excellent, unless paired with a powerful ability.