Mortals, the OG God of War is in Marvel Snap

Ares, God of War, descends upon the mortal realm of Marvel Snap, aiming to conquer and revitalize underperforming archetypes. But how does this deity of conflict find himself amidst the superhero ranks of the Avengers?

Following the Secret Invasion, Norman Osborn assumes leadership of the Avengers, leaving Ares and Sentry as his sole companions. While Sentry's allegiance stems from his intentional instability, Ares's loyalty to Osborn, an undeniably villainous figure, is perplexing. The answer lies in Ares's true devotion: not to any specific faction, but to the very essence of war itself. This perfectly mirrors his portrayal in Marvel Comics and his Marvel Snap card. Ares thrives in large-scale conflicts, preferring the company of powerful individuals – and exhibiting a generally apathetic demeanor.

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Table of Contents

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

Synergizing with Ares

Unlike cards with readily apparent synergies (e.g., Bullseye/Swarm/Scorn), Ares demands a unique approach. His strength lies in high-power cards. Cards like Grandmaster or Odin, with their on-reveal effects, offer intriguing combinations. While a 4-energy, 12-power card is decent, a 6-energy, 21-power card is significantly more impactful. Replicating his ability is key to maximizing his effectiveness outside of Surtur-centric decks.

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

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Ares: A Surprisingly Underwhelming Villain

While a raw 4/12 card is absent from the current card pool, comparable options exist (Gwenpool, Galactus). The recent rise of control decks (Mill, Wiccan Control) highlights a need for defensive strategies against Shang-Chi. This necessitates a highly specific deck build, unlike the flexible decks currently trending.

Reliance solely on power is unsustainable unless your wager significantly surpasses Mister Negative's (which it typically doesn't). Even Move decks, known for accumulating power, incorporate disruption for an advantage. Ares needs to outperform the currently underperforming Surtur deck to prove competitive.

The Surtur 10-Power archetype boasts a mediocre 51.5% win rate at Infinity level, dropping to 48% below.

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Against a three-card opponent hand with only one Rock, the matchup becomes 3 vs. 2, however, Darkhawk lacks strong synergies in this scenario. Mill decks can significantly enhance Ares's value, turning him into a formidable force when the opponent runs out of cards.

However, the 12-power Death card, often cheaper than Ares, presents a superior alternative. Ares's utility extends beyond raw power; his information value is considerable.

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Ares's weakness is evident in his often easily countered nature. His reliance on a successful wager and a specific power curve makes him a risky play.

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

Conclusion

Overall, Ares is arguably the least desirable card this season. His susceptibility to counterplay, compared to energy-cheating (Wiccan) and field-wide power-granting cards (Galactus), diminishes his appeal. His consistent success hinges on a highly specialized deck build. A 4/6 card is generally weak, even if a 4/12 card is powerful. Ares's value is highly contextual and requires careful deck construction to be effective.