Ares, the God of War, descends upon the mortal realm of Marvel Snap, aiming to disrupt 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, Osborn takes the reins of the Avengers, leaving only Ares and the unstable Sentry by his side. Sentry's allegiance is a product of his fractured mind, but Ares's support for the clearly evil Osborn seems contradictory. After all, isn't he supposed to be fighting *against* villains?
The answer lies in Ares's true loyalty: not to any particular side, but to war itself. This inherent nature perfectly aligns with his Marvel Snap card, capturing his essence as a lover of large-scale conflict, a preference for powerful allies, and a generally gruff personality.
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. His strength lies in decks packed with high-power cards. Cards with "on reveal" abilities, such as Grandmaster or Odin, offer cunning combinations. While a 12-power card costing 4 energy is decent, a 21-power card for 6 energy is significantly more impactful. Repeating his ability through deck manipulation is key to maximizing his potential outside of Surtur decks.
Despite his disdain for weaker opponents, consider shielding Ares with protective cards like Cosmo or Armor to mitigate threats like Shang-Chi or Shadow King.
Ares: Not the Big Bad (Sadly)
While a raw 4/12 card doesn't exist in Marvel Snap, analogues like Gwenpool and Galactus can reach comparable power levels. The rise of control decks like Mill and Wiccan Control highlights the need for defensive strategies against Shang-Chi. This necessitates a highly specific deck build for Ares, unlike the more flexible decks currently dominating the meta.
Relying solely on power isn't viable unless your wager consistently outperforms Mister Negative's (which it usually won't). Even high-power decks often incorporate disruption for an edge. Ares needs to significantly outperform the currently underperforming Surtur decks to be truly competitive.
The Surtur 10-Power archetype (which dreams of a functional Cerebro-10) currently boasts a mediocre win rate of around 51.5% at Infinity level play, dropping to 48% below. A matchup against a deck with only one Rock in its top three cards gives you a slight advantage (3 vs. 2), but Darkhawk lacks strong synergies in this context. Mill decks can make Ares incredibly powerful when the opponent is low on cards.
Compared to Death (a 12-power card often costing less than 4 energy), Ares feels slightly outdated. His true value lies not just in raw power, but as a source of information about the opponent's hand and strategy. His unpredictable nature makes each game a gamble, requiring adaptability and strategic play.
Ares's current weakness stems from his susceptibility to counters. His reliance on a high-power wager necessitates a carefully constructed deck, unlike energy-cheating cards (Wiccan) or widespread power boosts (Galactus).
Concluding Thoughts
In conclusion, Ares is arguably the weakest card of the season. His vulnerability to counters, coupled with the recent decline in popularity of the 10-power archetype, makes him a risky inclusion. His high-risk, high-reward nature demands a specific deck build and strategic understanding to consistently achieve victory. While a 4/12 card is excellent, a 4/6 card is simply underwhelming without a powerful attached ability.
