Marvel Snap delivers new cards to its players at random most of the time. So it’s common to receive a card that you didn’t expect while waiting for the desired card in the Token Shop. Along with effects that have downsides, you may need some help putting together the best Crossbones decks.
Despite not appearing in many competitive decks in the Marvel Snap meta, Crossbones has solid base power and could find a place in some decks.
Crossbones card abilities in Marvel Snap, explained
Crossbones is a four-cost card with eight power. Its effect is as follows: “You can only play this at locations where you are winning.” It is available in series three, accessed from collection level 486 or above. It can also be found in the Marvel Snap Token Shop, as long as the player does not have it in their collection.
Crossbones has one of the highest base power of any four-cost card, second only to Attuma and Typhoid Mary and alongside Sentry. But each of these has strong restrictions or negative effects, such as being the only card in the location, or lowering the power of your other cards, among others.
Other four-cost cards can also use their effects to surpass or equal eight in power, like Jessica Jones, Namor, and Rescue, but each of these has certain conditions to trigger effects.
The best way to use Crossbones is to maintain priority after turn four or in conjunction with effects that multiply its base power. In order to be able to use Crossbones, it will be necessary to have cards that create the opportunity to get ahead of the opponent in terms of power.
Strategy for Crossbones decks in Marvel Snap
The main strategies for using Crossbones involve building initiative priority from the first few turns to unlock a potential combo in the final turns, using the raw power of Crossbones to reach large numbers with effects that can boost it, or winning a location where the opponent cannot play in the final turns.
In addition, he is part of the four-cost group of cards that can be played in sequence with the effect of the Savage Land season’s highlight card, Zabu.
Best combos with Crossbones in Marvel Snap
Cards that have the best synergy with Crossbones include:
- Lizard
- Maximus
- Mister Fantastic
- Storm
- Zabu
- Shuri
When it comes to maintaining initiative priority in the early turns to ensure you can play Crossbones in turn four, the standouts are Lizard, Maximus, and Mister Fantastic. Lizard’s effect can make him weaker, but usually, this happens in the final turns. Maximus increases the enemy’s chance of drawing the cards he needs, but can also make it difficult for Dracula and other discard decks to synergize. Mister Fantastic manages to secure investment in all locations on turn three.
Another opportunity to successfully use Crossbones is to include it in a combo with Storm. If Storm is used in a location where the opponent is not investing Crossbones, it can be used in the next turn to ensure the same amount of points that Jessica Jones would have in two rounds. Here, Crossbones works as a second condition to activate the combo, being able to be present in the deck along with Jessica Jones.
When present in a Zabu deck, it’s a great combo to play after Shuri. Play both on turn four, which will cost two energy each (post-Zabu). It shouldn’t be hard to be winning at least one location on turn four to be able to play Crossbones.
The best Crossbones decks in Marvel Snap
All players who get Crossbones as one of the first cards in series three may want a deck to use it, so we have a deck suggestion using cards only until series two. All decks are guides and may suit different players’ collections and play styles.
Crossbones series two deck
Using cards from series two simplifies the strategies usually involved, as most of the effects are simple but no less impactful. This deck wants to win a location with the combo of Storm and Crossbones or Jessica Jones while securing a second location with The Infinaut.
This strategy is especially useful in the presence of locations with negative effects, as most decks do not want to play their cards in locations of this type. Thus, Storm may already be enough to ensure Crossbones can be played in sequence. Usually, the first few turns can distract the opponent from where you want to play Storm. Sunspot is a good drop one that can be followed by Storm.
Since there are no five-cost cards in the deck, it has Sunspot, possibly protected by Armor, that’s one more reason to skip turn five and play The Infinaut on turn six.
Fewer cards are needed to win an ideal match, which gives the deck space to include counter cards like Cosmo and Shang-Chi. Scarlet Witch is yet another option for dealing with locations that might disrupt the strategy.
Crossbones and Kingpin combo
This deck has a powerful combo in the final turns and using it is one of the main objectives. In order for it to be effective against as many opponents as possible, especially an opposing Leader, it is necessary for the player to have the initiative advantage.
Kingpin destroys all cards that move to his location on turn six. Aero moves the cards the opponent played that turn to the location where it was played. The simple idea is to play Aero where Kingpin is on turn six, but you can surprise your opponent even more by playing Sera on turn five, then Kingpin followed by Aero on turn six. Juggernaut and Polaris are an alternative way to move opposing cards on the final turn.
Some important combos that can be used are Mister Fantastic on turn three, followed by Crossbones to secure the advantage. Rescue and sera on the next turn also form a large amount of power, important in calculating initiative. The other cards are present to accumulate the maximum points in different locations. If there is no initiative priority, a Leader can destroy Kingpin’s strategy.
Crossbones and Zabu double lock combo
Yet another deck with a powerful endgame combo. The goal is to play more than one Spider-Man in turn five at different locations. This is only possible thanks to Zabu, which cuts the cost of four-cost cards in half. It is possible to use Moon Girl or Absorbing Man to achieve this goal. That way the opponent will only have one location to use his cards.
To use Moon Girl successfully it is necessary to manage the cards in hand so Spider-Man can be multiplied.
Psylocke allows you to play Zabu a turn early, but it can also help play Sera a turn early, which is also very useful.
The deck is also equipped with a good choice of four-cost tech cards, including big-card destroyer Shang-Chi and anti-Ongoing pick Enchantress. Crossbones and the other four-cost cards are solid options to play with Zabu.
How to counter Crossbones decks in Marvel Snap
Having Crossbones in the deck means competing for priority or at least the advantage in a location and scoring a lot of points.
When facing a deck that wants to use some combo at the end of the game, Sandman can be a great card reducing the enemy’s options to just one card per round. It nullifies strategies that use Zabu and Sera, for example. But keep in mind to use it in a deck that also doesn’t want to play multiple cards in later rounds. Devil Dinosaur is great for this.
The best way to prevent Crossbones is to try to split points across locations whenever possible, like using Mister Fantastic and choosing where to place your other cards.
