Marvel Snap Plans to Nerf Its Most Annoying Card

Marvel Snap is doing something about its most annoying card. A leaked balance patch for Marvel Snap revealed that The Leader will be getting a slight power nerf, with more changes potentially coming to the card soon. The Leader is one of the most controversial cards in the popular free-to-play card game, as its ability copies all cards played by an opponent on that turn. The Leader is most effective when used against decks that use high Power cards designed to swing a location in a player's favor. Because The Leader copies that card, it in essence cancels out that high Power play, which makes cards like The Infinaut or America Chavez risky to use.

For now, The Leader's Power is dropping by 1 (making it a 6 Cost, 3 Power card), but Marvel Snap developer Ben Brode noted that additional changes could be coming soon.  "We are taking a bit of power away from him for now, and exploring further changes to the card in the future," Brode said, while acknowledging how frustrating the card can be to players. 

There's some discussion about a card nerf leak where Leader gets a 1 Power reduction. There might be some context missing that I wanted to clear up. Here's the note that was intended to accompany that change: 👇

— Ben Brode (@bbrode) January 4, 2023

"Leader’s effect is proving to be very frustrating to many players, and polarizing in its ability to lock down games and discourage playing some other 6-Cost cards. We are taking a bit of power away from him for now, and exploring further changes to the card in the future."

— Ben Brode (@bbrode) January 4, 2023

Other upcoming balance patches include buffs to Groot and Drax to help incentivize their use in middle rounds. Hazmat, Black Cat, and Nakia were also buffed, while Galactus, Nova, and Aero were all nerfed. Also, Orca will finally be added as a Pool 4 card, after it was delayed due to some sort of glitch. No word on when the patch will officially go live, but it should occur sometime in the next week.