God of War's Kratos Joins Marvel Snap

Ares, the God of War, descends upon the mortal realm of Marvel Snap, aiming to shake up the meta and revive forgotten archetypes. But how does this deity of conflict find himself amongst the ranks of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, even serving under the villainous Norman Osborn after Secret Invasion? It seems counterintuitive, doesn't it? After all, Avengers are supposed to fight bad guys, not side with them.

The answer lies in Ares' unwavering loyalty: not to a specific side, but to war itself. This inherent characteristic perfectly encapsulates his Marvel Snap card and its in-game flavor. Ares thrives in large-scale conflicts, preferring the company of powerful individuals—a blunt, powerful force of nature, if you will.

Best Cards to Team Up With Ares

Unlike some cards with readily apparent synergies (think Bullseye, Swarm, and Scorn), Ares demands a different approach. He excels in decks packed with high-power cards. One exciting pairing is with on-reveal cards, allowing for strategic plays with Grandmaster or Odin. While a 4-energy, 12-power card is decent, a 6-energy, 21-power card is significantly more impactful. The key to maximizing Ares outside of Surtur decks is leveraging his ability repeatedly.

Despite his disdain for weaker opponents like Shang-Chi and Shadow King, consider protecting him with cards like Cosmo or Armor—though Ares would likely scoff at the idea.

Ares: Not Your Typical Big Bad

While a raw 4/12 card isn't currently in the game, we have analogues that approach Ares' power level (Gwenpool and Galactus come to mind). The rise of control decks like Mill and Wiccan Control, designed to counter Shang-Chi, highlights the need for a specific deck build to support Ares. A power-focused deck alone won't suffice; you'll need a strategy that outperforms current top-tier decks like Surtur, which currently boasts a win rate around 51.5% at high levels of play.

The matchup against a Rock-heavy opponent presents a unique scenario. However, Darkhawk's lack of strong archetypes in this context limits his effectiveness. Mill decks, on the other hand, can dramatically enhance Ares' value, especially when the opponent runs out of card counters. But even then, Ares might fall short compared to other high-power options like Death.

Ares' current status as a potentially weak card necessitates a creative approach. Winning the wager and strategically playing around power curves are crucial for success. Consider incorporating cards like Alioth, Cosmo, Man-Thing, and Red Guardian for a disruptive strategy.

Concluding Thoughts

In my estimation, Ares is a skippable card this season. His vulnerability to counter-strategies, compared to cards that offer energy manipulation (like Wiccan) or widespread power boosts (like Galactus), significantly diminishes his appeal. His consistent success hinges on a highly specific deck construction, making him less versatile than many other options. Ultimately, a 4/6 card is generally weak, even if a 4/12 is powerful. The value proposition just isn't there unless paired with a powerful ability.