While it might seem limited early on, Pool 1 in Marvel Snap contains a handful of fantastic cards that are quite useful even once players reach higher pools. This pool contains a number of versatile cards meant to help players get a feel for the game in the early levels. Some of these cards combo better with others, so it can be difficult to discern which ones are worth using in your deck.
That’s why today we are breaking down the best Pool 1 cards in Marvel Snap, and giving you some tips on how to most effectively use them in your deck. Afterwards, you can use them to build some of the best Pool 1 Decks in Marvel Snap!
The Top 10 Best Pool 1 Cards in Marvel Snap
Let’s get right into our list of the best Pool 1 cards in Marvel Snap, ranked from least to most useful.
10/10
Ka-Zar
While not the greatest card on his own, Ka-Zar is crucial for a popular Pool 1 deck type. He’s a 4-Cost/4-Power card with the ability to give all friendly 1-Cost cards +1 Power. This is a great way to make weaker cards much more viable and is the basis for the Kazoo deck archetype.
This type of deck focuses on trying to play as many of the most powerful 1-Cost cards as possible before playing Ka-Zar and giving them all an additional boost. This strategy ends up working very well in Pool 1 thanks to all of the 1-Cost cards available alongside Ka-Zar.
9/10
Ant-Man
Ant-Man can be quite the versatile card in Pool 1 and beyond. He’s a 1-Cost/1-Power card, but don’t let his looks fool you. His ability gives him a +3 Power boost if there are three other friendly cards at the same location. This can make him a hidden threat for a variety of decks, including the Kazoo archetype.
Decks that focus on filling the field like Kazoos deck are where Ant-Man thrives, but he can be a solid staple in others as well. With +3 Power from his own ability and another +1 from Ka-Zar’s, Ant-Man can end up giving players some real bang for their buck.
8/10
Iron Man
One of Marvel’s most iconic heroes is also one of Marvel Snap’s best Pool 1 cards. Iron Man is a 5-Cost card with 0-Power, but has the fantastic ability to double the power of the location where he is played. He makes the perfect compliment to ramp decks that focus on powering up cards each turn.
Saving Iron Man to play at location with an already solid Power level in the final turns can often put the match out of reach for opponents. Despite Pool 1 lacking some of the heavy-hitting combos of higher pools, Iron Man stands out as a card with the potential to devastate opponents if played strategically.
7/10
Odin
Despite being a Pool 1 card, Odin has become a staple card for On Reveal decks in every pool in Marvel Snap. This is because of his excellent On Reveal ability that activates the On Reveal abilities of other friendly cards at the same location.
As a 6-Cost/8-Power card, Odin is perfect to play on turn six to give one location a power boost, while also potentially giving other locations a hand when combined with cards like White Tiger. While Odin really shines in higher pools when cards like Wong and Black Panther become available, he still stands out as one of the best Pool 1 cards in Marvel Snap.
6/10
Mister Fantastic
Mister Fantastic is another card that finds utility in pools beyond just Pool 1. He is a 3-Cost/2-Power card with the Ongoing ability to grant adjacent locations +2 Power. While this may seem like only a small boost, it can end up making quite the difference.
Playing Mister Fantastic at the center location is ideal since his ability will grant +2 Power to both the left and right locations this way. This extra Power can be helpful if one of those locations prevents cards from being played there like Sanctum Sanctorum or Luke’s Bar. With a relatively low Cost, Mister Fantastic makes for a great staple in a variety of deck types.
5/10
Nightcrawler
While he thrives in movement decks, Nightcrawler can be one of Marvel Snap’s most versatile cards. He is a 1-Cost/2-Power card with the ability to move locations once during a match. This ability makes Nightcrawler perfect for getting a card on the field early in the game without having to commit to playing him at a specific location.
If a better location or more favorable position appears later in the match, Nightcrawler can simply move to that spot. As such, Nightcrawler will be found in a variety of Pool 1 and higher decks.
4/10
America Chavez
A common theme among this list is cards that can shine outside of Pool 1 alone. America Chavez continues this trend as her unique ability is perfect for controlling what cards you’ll draw on which turn. Her ability guarantees that she’ll be drawn on turn six.
Very few other cards have an ability that dictates which turn they’ll be drawn on. Only Quicksilver, who is a first turn guaranteed draw, and Domino, who is a turn two guaranteed draw, have such ability outside of America Chavez. As a 6-Cost/9-Power card, drawing her on turn six guarantees you can finish off the match with a powerful card.
3/10
Cosmo
Cosmo is one of the best options for control decks in Pool 1 and beyond. This is thanks to his ability to shut down On Reveal abilities at his location. As such, he’s perfect for an Ongoing deck as you can freely play him to sabotage an opponent’s strategy while walking away unaffected yourself. He is a 3-Cost/3-Power card, so he can be played fairly early in the game.
Ideally, you will need to try and predict when and where an opponent will play an important On Reveal card and use Cosmo to completely shut down their strategy. Just be careful of which location you play him as he could end up unintentionally disrupting your own strategy.
2/10
Wolverine
Thanks to a recent buff, Wolverine went from seeing minimal usage to being one of the most versatile cards in the game. He is a 2-Cost/2-Power card with the fantastic ability to return to the field with +2 Power each time he is discarded or destroyed. This makes him a must-use card in both discard and destroy decks. He can synergize really well with cards that focus on discarding or destroying others.
Not only is Wolverine perfect to combo with other discard and destroy cards, but he can be used to take advantage of locations with typically adverse effects. Locations like Death’s Domain or Altar of Death that destroy a card after it’s played there can be used to automatically power up Wolverine. With how many situations Wolverine has become useful in, he’s easily one of the best Pool 1 cards in Marvel Snap.
1/10
Devil Dinosaur
Devil Dinosaur is such a powerful card that it has entire decks themed around it. As a 5-Cost/3-Power card, it may not seem that powerful. However, its ability gives it +2 Power for every card in your hand. There are tons of possibilities with this ability and it can easily lead to a snowball effect and put the match out of reach for opponents.
It synergizes really well with cards that add to your hand like Moon Girl and Sentinel. Devil Dinosaur can even get around popular strategies using Sandman to limit cards played per turn. With the power potential and great flexibility, Devil Dinosaur is a force to be reckoned with both within Pool 1 and in higher pools.
Join the High Ground
Do you agree with our list of the best Pool 1 cards in Marvel Snap? Which cards do you think are the best in Pool 1? Let us know in the comments down below! And while you’re down there, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss out on any upcoming guides for Marvel Snap.
Happy gaming!
