Marvel Snap: What Are Card Pools?

The new mobile card game Marvel Snap comes with a unique way of collecting cards. Developed by Nuverse and new game studio Second Dinner Studios, Marvel Snap is a fast-paced card game in which games are resolved in only 6 turns. Players build streamlined decks of 12 cards, each of which have an energy cost and a power level, the latter of which is used to determine who controls a match's three different areas. Players win if they control the most number of locations (or in the event of a tie, have the greatest overall power), so strategic placement and synergies are the key to victory. 

One major difference between Marvel Snap and other mobile card games is how players collect cards. Every player has a "Collection Level" that players advance by upgrading the rarity of their cards. As a player's Collection Level rises, they'll add random new cards to their collection. However, there is one additional caveat designed to keep players on a relatively even playing field – the use of Card Pools.

What Are Card Pools in Marvel Snap?

Marvel Snap currently has three distinct Card Pools to draw from. Pool 1 contains 46 cards, Pool 2 contains 25 cards, and Pool 3 contains all of the other cards in the game. One could consider Pool 1 and Pool 2 to be Starter cards for players, as they provide players with a basis around which to build their decks. While players can build a lot of different decks with the 71 cards in the first two pools, they won't really start experiencing a ton of variation until they reach the third pool. 

Marvel Snap also has a soft restriction on how quick a player can advance through a pool via the use of Collection Levels. Each Level costs 25 credits to obtain and players can only obtain a certain amount of credits per day, even if they spend money. Completing Daily Missions and Season Pass missions can help players collect credits more quickly, but ultimately Marvel Snap seems to prefer a more steady pace of progress rather than encourage players to spend a lot of money to pay to win. 

What Are The Best Pool 1 Cards in Marvel Snap? 

Of the 46 cards in Marvel Snap, there are a few stand-out cards that players can reliably build a deck around. Ant-Man is one of the strongest 1 Energy cost cards thanks to its ability to increase in power once a location is full. Similarly, Angela receives a +1 to power for every card her player plays at her location. Kazar provides a buff to all 1 Energy cards, while Blue Marvel provides all cards with a +1 power buff. Iron Man is a game-changer in that he doubles the power on the location he's played at, which can provide a huge swing in power. Finally, Odin triggers a second "On Reveal" action for every card at his location, which can synergize with a lot of cards. 

Of course, players can choose to build their own strategies in Marvel Snap, thanks to a variety of different card combinations. Marvel Snap is available to play on mobile devices now.