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 disrupt the meta and reignite forgotten archetypes. But how does this iconic figure of conflict find himself among the Avengers, aiding the villainous Norman Osborn after the Secret Invasion? His allegiance, it seems, lies not with good or evil, but with the thrill of war itself. This perfectly encapsulates his essence in Marvel Snap – a card that thrives in large-scale conflicts and demands a specific strategic approach.

Unlike cards with readily apparent synergies, Ares requires a more nuanced approach. His strength lies in high-power cards, making him a compelling addition to decks featuring powerful on-reveal effects, such as those that synergize with Grandmaster or Odin. While a 4-cost, 12-power card is decent, a 6-cost, 21-power Ares is far more impactful. The key is leveraging his ability repeatedly.

Despite his disdain for weaker opponents, consider protecting Ares with cards like Cosmo or Armor to mitigate threats like Shang-Chi or Shadow King.

Ares: Not Your Typical Big Bad

While a raw 4/12 card is absent from the current card pool, analogues exist that approach Ares' power level. The rise of control decks, however, presents a challenge. Ares demands a highly specific deck construction, unlike the more flexible decks currently dominating the meta. Relying solely on raw power is often insufficient, especially against opponents with superior wagering strategies. Even Move decks, focusing on accumulating power, often incorporate disruption for an advantage. Ares needs to surpass the performance of even Surtur decks to be truly competitive.

The Surtur 10-power archetype, for example, boasts a win rate around 51.5% at high levels of play, highlighting the difficulty in achieving consistent success with high-power strategies. The matchup against Rock decks also presents a challenge. Mill decks can significantly boost Ares' effectiveness, but this relies on a specific game state.

Compared to cards like Death (12 power, often lower cost), Ares might seem outdated. However, his value extends beyond raw power; he offers valuable information regarding the opponent's power curve.

Ares' strength lies in calculated risk. Winning the wager and utilizing disruptive strategies with cards like Alioth, Cosmo, Man-Thing, and Red Guardian can lead to victory.

Conclusion

Ultimately, Ares might be considered a skip for many players. His susceptibility to counters, compared to energy-cheating cards like Wiccan and widespread power-granting cards like Galactus, limits his appeal. His success heavily relies on specific deck construction and a favorable wager outcome. While a 4/12 is powerful, a 4/6 is significantly weaker, emphasizing the importance of strategic deck building around Ares' unique strengths and weaknesses.