God of War's Kratos Joins Marvel Snap

Ares, the God of War, descends upon the mortal realm of Marvel Snap, ready to shake up the meta and revive forgotten archetypes. But how does this powerful deity find himself among the ranks of the Avengers, serving under the villainous Norman Osborn after the events of Secret Invasion? With most Avengers abandoning Osborn, only Ares and the mentally unstable Sentry remain. Ares, an Avenger? It seems contradictory, given his penchant for chaos and war. The answer lies in his unwavering loyalty: Ares serves not a side, but the very essence of war itself.

This inherent nature perfectly mirrors his Marvel Snap card, making it a flavorful addition to the game. Ares thrives in large-scale conflicts, preferring the company of powerful beings. He's a blunt instrument, a force of nature, and frankly, a bit of a jerk.

Best Cards to Team Up With Ares

Unlike some cards with readily apparent synergies (think Bullseye, Swarm, and Scorn), Ares requires a more strategic approach. He excels in decks packed with high-power cards. Cards with "on reveal" abilities, such as Grandmaster or Odin, can be cleverly combined with Ares to maximize his potential. While a 4-energy, 12-power card is decent, a 6-energy, 21-power Ares is significantly more impactful. Repeating his ability is key to unlocking his full potential outside of Surtur-centric decks.

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

Ares: Not the Big Bad, Sadly

While a true 4/12 card is absent from the current card pool, analogues like Gwenpool and Galactus can reach comparable power levels. The rise of control decks, such as Mill and Wiccan Control, highlights the need for protective strategies against Shang-Chi. This necessitates a highly specific deck build for Ares, unlike the more flexible decks currently dominating the meta. A power-focused deck alone won't suffice, especially without a wager exceeding Mister Negative's (which is unlikely). Even move-based strategies often incorporate disruption for an advantage. Ares needs to outperform the currently underperforming Surtur deck to be truly competitive.

The Surtur 10-power archetype (dreaming of a functional Cerebro-10) currently boasts a mediocre win rate of around 51.5% at Infinity level, dropping to 48% below. A matchup against an opponent with only one Rock in their top three cards results in a 3-2 advantage for Ares, but Darkhawk lacks strong synergies in this context. Mill decks can drastically enhance Ares' effectiveness (transforming him into a 10000% 4/12) when the opponent is out of cards. However, the God of War is slightly outdated; Death, a 12-power card with lower energy cost, proves a more effective option.

Ares currently appears to be the weakest card of the season. Playing him often involves a gamble, relying on winning the wager and assessing the power curve. Strategic play is essential.

Employing disruptive strategies with cards like Alioth, Cosmo, Man-Thing, and Red Guardian can lead to victory.

Concluding Thoughts

In conclusion, Ares is arguably the least desirable card this season. His susceptibility to counters, compared to energy-cheating cards like Wiccan and field-wide power boosts like Galactus, diminishes his appeal. His consistent success hinges on a very specific deck construction. A 4/6 card is generally poor, even if a 4/12 is excellent, unless it possesses exceptional abilities.