Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross has arrived in Marvel Snap, joining the roster as the character portrayed by Harrison Ford in Captain America: Brave New World. While his in-game presence might not be as immediately game-changing as one might expect given Ford's casting, let's delve into his mechanics and strategic applications.
Thunderbolt Ross's Mechanics and Limitations
Ross is a 2-cost, 2-power card with a unique ability: When your opponent ends a turn with unspent energy, you draw a card with 10 or more power. This mechanic, similar to Red Hulk and High Evolutionary effects, hinges on card draw, a powerful element in Marvel Snap. However, the restriction to cards with 10+ power significantly limits its versatility. Currently, this includes cards like Attuma, Black Cat, and several others (a full list is too extensive to reproduce here). The effectiveness of Ross is directly tied to the number of these high-power cards in your deck. Deck thinning, a powerful strategy in its own right, also benefits from Ross's inclusion. His primary counter is Red Guardian.
Optimal Deck Synergies
Ross finds a natural home in Surtur decks. A sample Surtur deck featuring Ross might include cards like Zabu, Hydra Bob, Armor, Cosmo, Juggernaut, Surtur, Ares, Attuma, Crossbones, Cull Obsidian, and Skaar. Note that this deck is heavy on Series 5 cards. The strategy revolves around playing Surtur on turn 3 and boosting his power with other high-cost cards, making Skaar free to play. Ross significantly enhances this strategy by potentially drawing a crucial high-cost card like Skaar, often securing victory.
Another viable deck incorporating Ross is a Hela deck, which might include cards like Black Knight, Blade, Lady Sif, Ghost Rider, War Machine, Hell Cow, Black Cat, Aero, Hela, The Infinaut, and Death. The goal here is to discard high-power cards of varying costs to be revived by Hela on the final turn. Ross improves consistency by drawing those high-power cards for discarding.
Is Thunderbolt Ross Worth the Investment?
Currently, unless you're a dedicated Surtur or Hela deck player, Thunderbolt Ross may not be a high-priority acquisition if you're conserving resources. His effectiveness is directly linked to the number of high-power cards in your deck and the opponent's energy management. The prevalence of Wiccan decks, where opponents are likely to spend all their energy each turn, further diminishes his value. His potential will increase as more 10-power cards are added to the game.
