Just Another Meta Monday
Welcome back to Meta Monday! Two new cards were released this last week (though one was slightly more difficult to get than the other). And while neither has shaken up the meta too much, they have rearranged the pillars that we discussed in the second issue of Meta Monday. In this issue, we will discuss those 3 fundamental pillars and then go over the meta shifts, the cards behind them, and how they all interact with the main decks in the format.
Pillar One: Thena
The core Thena package of Thena, Kitty Pryde, and Angela is a potent combination that enables many strategies. Currently, strategies utilizing this core comprise around 20% of the metagame. Because of the way tracking software works for deck labels and card clusters, this number may be even higher! Either way, several decks combine these three cards with other packages to win games and produce a lot of power. Here are three such decks:
Thena Move
Thena Hawk
Sasbird Thena
All three of these lists are maybe 4 cards apart from each other. They all have similar play patterns and output ranges, making the Thena package the clear powerhouse behind some of the best decks in the game.
Pillar Two: Arishem
With the release of Cassandra Nova, Arishem decks took a slight hit. A card that produces massive amounts of power against Arishem was essentially released to anyone playing Deadpool’s Diner for free! But while this hurt a little, Arishem is still currently one of the best lists to play in Marvel Snap. Regardless of the big stats that cards like Cassandra and Darkhawk can produce, the advantage of one extra energy per turn still often gives Arishem the upper hand. Even with two very pointed direct counter cards, Arishem accounts for around 20% of the metagame by himself, meaning any competitive player must play with him in mind.
Arishem 1
Arishem 2
While both decks are pretty similar, Arishem’s effect means it can be built successfully in many different ways, and savvy players have the freedom to include whatever card they want. Arishem succeeds because it can deploy myriad threats earlier than they were designed to. Doctor Octopus on turn 4 or Loki on turn 3 remain backbreaking plays that often shut a game out when played on Arishem’s curve.
Pillar Three: Clog/ Clog Bounce
While the two decks included in this section differ vastly from each other, they share similarities and variations that all fit within the Clog pillar. Both use cards that are trying to clog the opponent's board early and then win with big threats on other lanes. Both of the lists below include the card Ajax and the requisite synergies.
Ajax bounce
Junk clog
The first deck is slightly more complicated than the second due to both Werewolf By Night and the bounce package, but the same concept applies. The main objective is to clog the opponent's board while bouncing your cards to keep your lanes free, letting you distribute power in the lanes that you want. The second list is a more straightforward Clog list looking to lock down the opponent’s board, extend the game, and then use your big threats to overpower the remaining limited board space your opponent has to work with.
Meta Cards
Three cards in this current metagame are making a bigger splash than maybe players want— at least, some of them! Let's talk about what these cards do for the meta and whether or not they might be problematic.
Everyone's favorite tech card— no, seriously, he is currently in over 50% of the decks in the metagame. If you’re not running Shang-Chi, you're either a combo deck or probably going to lose. Shang-Chi has been around for a long time, and he benefits hugely from the current format, rolling out so many cards at 10 or more power so easily. It isn’t hard to guess why he’s popular; however, does that make him problematic? It’s tough to say. The subject is divisive enough that I could write a whole article myself on the topic, and in the end, people will still disagree. Regardless, he is here, and he’s something that needs to be thought of in every match. With so many decks running Darkhawk, Mockingbird, Thena, and the like, the board is rife with targets; when battling for priority, pay special attention to which targets of yours are vulnerable to the Master of Kung Fu and which cards need to be held till later.
Doctor Octopus has taken the role that Professor X occupied before his nerf. Typically run in Arishem, he is a great early threat on turn 4 that pretty much disrupts any possible play your opponent is trying to accomplish. It’s a frustrating play for the opponent; luckily, he isn't at as high a play rate as Shang-Chi (at about 25%), though decks that run one typically run both. This card is more clearly problematic because it takes the agency of interaction from the opponent, and the risk to the Doc Ock player is significantly lower when he comes down a turn earlier. However, players have begun to adjust as the “top” deck of the format begins to include more move cards like Nocturne and Jeff. Time will tell whether it’s enough to halt Octavius’ reign or if Second Dinner will need to step in.
On a personal note, Juggernaut is one of my favorite cards. However, he’s started to gain popularity dangerously, giving Thena decks both a way around Shang-Chi and a lane-winning card outright if you have priority going into the last turn. While this card might not be considered as problematic by the general player base, it is a game-winner and a cheap threat that can lock out a lane regardless of the opponent's play. Juggernaut is well-positioned because Shang-Chi is so prevalent in the metagame, making him a good defensive tool to push tech cards like him or Shadow King away from your massive threats. Currently, he sits at a 10% play rate, but I expect this to rise as the meta settles down over this next week without a new card.
Meta Health
A healthy metagame is one where various strategies, tactics, or card choices are viable and competitive, allowing for diverse gameplay and preventing any single approach from dominating. Under those parameters, I can’t endorse this as the healthiest meta; while there are a lot of different decks running around, the majority run pretty much the same eight or nine cards from the above big three pillars. Personally, that’s a lot less variety than I would like. But what do you think of the current meta? Let me know in the comments below.