Mortals, the OG God of War is in Marvel Snap

Ares descends to Earth, aiming to reignite forgotten archetypes and climb the win-rate charts in Marvel Snap. But how does the God of War find himself amidst the comic book chaos?

Norman Osborn's unexpected Avengers leadership, following the Secret Invasion, leaves him with a peculiar team: Ares and Sentry. Sentry's involvement stems from his intentional instability, but Ares' allegiance to the clearly villainous Osborn is puzzling. Shouldn't an Avenger oppose evil?

Image: ensigame.com

Ares' loyalty lies not with any specific faction, but with war itself. This perfectly aligns his Marvel Comics persona with his Marvel Snap card. He thrives in large-scale conflicts, preferring powerful company and exhibiting a somewhat apathetic demeanor.

Table of Contents

• Best Cards to Team Up With Ares
• Ares: Not So Big Bad After All
• Conclusion

Best Cards to Team Up With Ares

Unlike cards with readily apparent synergies (e.g., Bullseye/Swarm/Scorn), Ares requires a unique approach. His strength lies in high-power cards. Cards with "on reveal" abilities, combined with Grandmaster or Odin, offer strategic possibilities. While a 12-power, 4-energy card is decent, a 21-power, 6-energy card is more desirable. Repeating his ability is key to maximizing his effectiveness outside of Surtur decks.

Image: ensigame.com

Despite his disdain for weaker opponents, consider protecting Ares with cards like Cosmo or Armor.

Image: ensigame.com

Ares: Not So Big Bad After All

While a direct [4/12] equivalent isn't available, cards like Gwenpool and Galactus offer comparable power. The rise of control decks (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 meta decks.

Reliance solely on power is unsustainable unless your wager significantly surpasses Mister Negative's (which it usually doesn't). Even Move decks, known for high power accumulation, incorporate disruption. Ares needs to outperform Surtur decks, which currently struggle to maintain competitiveness, with an average win rate around 51.5% at Infinity level.

Image: ensigame.com

The matchup against a Rock-heavy opponent's top three cards presents a 3 vs. 2 scenario, highlighting Darkhawk's lack of strong archetypes in this context. Mill decks can significantly boost Ares' effectiveness against opponents depleted of cards. However, Death, a [4/12] card with lower energy cost, proves a superior alternative.

Image: ensigame.com

Ares' perceived weakness stems from his susceptibility to counter-strategies. His use often boils down to a gamble, relying on winning the wager and favorable power curves.

Image: ensigame.com

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

Conclusion

Ares is arguably the least impactful card this season. His vulnerability to counter-play, compared to energy-cheating (Wiccan) and field-wide power boosts (Galactus), diminishes his appeal. His effectiveness hinges on a meticulously crafted deck, making a [4/6] card suboptimal despite the desirability of a [4/12].