The Marvel universe is no stranger to powerful, muscle-bound characters, and the latest addition to *Marvel Snap* is no exception with the release of Starbrand. Here, we'll explore the best Starbrand decks to elevate your gameplay in *Marvel Snap*.
Jump To:
- How Starbrand Works in Marvel Snap
- Best Day One Starbrand Decks in Marvel Snap
- Should You Use Spotlight Cache Keys or Collector’s Tokens on Starbrand?
How Starbrand Works in Marvel Snap
Starbrand is a 3-cost, 10-power card with an ability that states: “Ongoing: Your opponent has +3 Power at each other location.” Unlike Mister Fantastic, whose effect is limited to adjacent locations, Starbrand's power boost affects every location except where it is played. As an Ongoing card, Starbrand decks often utilize cards like Zero, Sauron, and Enchantress to counteract this effect.
Starbrand is notably vulnerable to Shang-Chi and synergizes well with Surtur. However, its 3-cost makes it challenging to incorporate into many decks, especially when competing with cards like Surtur or Sauron.
Best Day One Starbrand Decks in Marvel Snap
Starbrand fits seamlessly into a couple of established deck archetypes: Shuri Sauron and Surtur. Here are two decks tailored for Starbrand:
Shuri Sauron Deck:
- Zabu
- Zero
- Armor
- Lizard
- Sauron
- Starbrand
- Shuri
- Ares
- Enchantress
- Typhoid Mary
- Red Skull
- Taskmaster
Click here to copy this list from Untapped.
This budget-friendly deck features only Ares as a Series 5 card, which can be substituted with Vision if needed. The strategy is straightforward: neutralize the negative effects of your Ongoing cards with Zero, Sauron, and Enchantress, amplify a lane with Shuri into a card like Red Skull, and secure another location by duplicating that power with Taskmaster. The deck traditionally used Ebony Maw instead of Zabu, but with Taskmaster's cost increase to 6, Zabu enables you to pair Shuri with Starbrand or Ares for unexpected power surges. Starbrand's drawback of boosting your opponent's locations is less impactful in this tall deck, and can be negated with Enchantress.
Surtur Deck:
- Zabu
- Zero
- Armor
- Sam Wilson
- Captain America
- Cosmo
- Surtur
- Starbrand
- Ares
- Attuma
- Crossbones
- Cull Obsidian
- Skaar
Click here to copy this list from Untapped.
This deck is more costly, boasting four Series 5 cards. The synergy between Sam Wilson and Cull Obsidian, combined with the power of Surtur and Ares, makes this deck formidable. Starbrand enables you to play Skaar at a reduced cost by pairing it with two of Ares, Attuma, and Crossbones on turns 4 and 5. Zero helps mitigate the downsides of Starbrand and Attuma, though it's not crucial for every play. The challenge lies in timing Starbrand's deployment, ideally after Surtur and perhaps on the final turn alongside Zero and Skaar.
Should You Use Spotlight Cache Keys or Collector’s Tokens on Starbrand?
Starbrand is a "wait and see" card, especially with recent meta shifts brought by Agamotto and Eson. The viability of Shuri Sauron and Surtur decks in the current meta is uncertain, and it's best to observe how Starbrand performs over a few days before investing your resources.
And those are the best Starbrand decks in Marvel Snap.
Marvel Snap is available to play now.
