Marvel Snap Introduces Kratos, the Demi-God

Ares, the God of War, descends upon the mortal realm of Marvel Snap, aiming to conquer and resurrect underperforming archetypes. But how did this deity find himself amidst the Avengers, and what's his role in the game?

Following the Secret Invasion, Norman Osborn assumes leadership of the Avengers, leaving Ares and Sentry as his only companions. Sentry's allegiance stems from his intentional insanity, but Ares' support for the clearly villainous Osborn is perplexing. The answer lies in Ares' devotion not to a specific side, but to war itself. This perfectly aligns with his Marvel Comics portrayal and his Marvel Snap card. Ares thrives in large-scale conflict, preferring powerful allies and disdaining weaker opponents.

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Table of Contents

• Best Cards to Team Up With Ares
• Ares: Not a Big Bad (Sadly)
• Conclusion

Best Cards to Team Up With Ares

Unlike cards with readily apparent synergies, Ares demands a unique approach. His strength lies in high-power cards. Pairing him with on-reveal cards like Grandmaster or Odin can create potent combos. While a 12-power, 4-energy card is decent, a 21-power, 6-energy card is significantly more desirable. Repeating his ability is key to maximizing his effectiveness outside of Surtur decks.

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Despite his arrogance towards weaker opponents, consider shielding Ares with protective cards like Cosmo or Armor.

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Ares: Not a Big Bad (Sadly)

While a pure 4/12 card isn't available, comparable power levels can be achieved. However, the rise of control decks like Mill and Wiccan Control highlights Ares' vulnerability to disruption. This necessitates a highly specific deck build, unlike more flexible meta decks.

Reliance on sheer power isn't viable without a significant wager advantage. Even Move decks, which accumulate power, utilize disruption for an edge. Ares needs to outperform the currently underperforming Surtur deck to be competitive. Surtur decks currently boast a mediocre win rate (around 51.5% at high levels of play).

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The matchup against Rock decks is a close call (3 vs. 2 if the opponent's top three cards contain only one Rock), but Darkhawk lacks strong synergies in this context. Mill decks can drastically enhance Ares' effectiveness against opponents running out of cards. However, Death, a 12-power card with lower energy cost, often outperforms Ares.

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Ares' apparent weakness makes him a risky play. His effectiveness hinges on a successful wager and favorable power curve.

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Strategic use of cards like Alioth, Cosmo, Man-Thing, and Red Guardian can enhance Ares' disruptive potential.

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 demands a highly specific deck build. A 4/6 card is generally weak, even if a 4/12 is strong, unless paired with a powerful ability.