Marvel Snap, like other card games, has clearly defined archetypes with synergies between different cards and their effects. Marvel Snap Destroy decks are oriented around one of those synergies, but it’s not as apparent to players with low collection levels because there aren’t many early Destroy cards to work with.
In addition to the unique playstyle of Destroy decks that many players find engaging, sometimes quests require you to destroy cards as well. Since all matches count towards your Ranked Season Rewards, you won’t want to use random cards to complete your quests while losing cubes—so here are the best Destroy decks to use in Marvel Snap.
Marvel Snap Destroy strategy overview
The Destroy strategy in Marvel Snap is pretty straightforward. Here, your goal is to destroy your cards as much as possible to gain certain advantages for your side. This includes gaining more Power for your units, gaining additional energy, lowering the cost of your cards, and more.
You should remember, however, that you must strategize on when you should destroy your cards. Your cards that enable the destroy mechanic have On Reveal effects, meaning that their destruction abilities only work once they are revealed and played.
Placing your destroy targets before using your destroy enablers should be your main objective to pave the way for the possible advantages that you can have in the different stages of the game.
Best destroy decks in Marvel Snap for each pool
Standard Destroy
The Standard Destroy deck is already a steady pick for the meta. The cards in this deck have the potential to gain huge amounts of Power by taking advantage of Marvel Snap’s Destroy mechanic, as well as triggering a handful of effects that you can use to your advantage.
With new Destroy support additions like X-23 and Nico Minoru, this deck has become more able to consistently generate extra Energy, as well as a potential additional destroy enabler with other possible toolbox effects.
Cards that gain Power when destroyed include Deadpool and Wolverine Your Destroy enablers, which gain Power when they destroy cards, include Carnage and Venom, as well as Deathlok—a three-cost, five-Power card, and Killmonger, which can destroy all one-cost cards in the game. As for Forge and Hulk Buster, they can make your Destroy targets stronger.
For the late game, you can include Death, an eight-cost, 12-Power card that costs one less for each card destroyed in the game (from both sides), and Knull, which is a massive Power source that gains the total Power of all cards destroyed in the game.
Destroy Move
The Destroy mechanic combined with the Move engine became possible because of the arrival of the Phoenix Force. It can revive and merge with a destroyed card, giving the merged card plus five Power and the ability to move once per turn. With this, a ton of possibilities opened up that center around Phoenix Force, especially in creating some potential massive Power sources in the late game.
The best targets for Phoenix Force’s ability are Human Torch and Multiple Man. The former doubles his current Power every time he moves to another location. The latter, on the other hand, leaves a copy of himself in the location where he is originally placed when he is being moved to a location.
Venom and Carnage are your destroy enablers for this deck. As for Shuri, she can spice things up by possibly doubling the revived and merged card with Phoenix Force if you play it in the Shuri location. Taskmaster can be included to potentially copy the massive Power of the last card you played. Red Skull and She-Hulk are there in case you need to resort to the classic Shuri play if you won’t be able to use Phoenix Force’s ability in time.
Nimrod is there as a backup strategy as well. You can also put Iron Fist, who can move the next card you will play. Cap off the deck with Forge, who gives a plus two Power boost to the next card that you will play, making Phoenix Force and Nimrod the best targets for this buff.
Galactus
Of course, we wouldn’t cap off a Destroy deck guide without the devourer of worlds, Galactus. A deck’s main offensive engine may revolve around its effect, making it one of the most destructive forces in all of Marvel Snap, especially if you are successful in pulling it off.
Galactus is one of the big bad cards in the game, making it a permanent series five card that costs 6,000 tokens. It has the ability to destroy the other two locations as long as it is the lone card on the location where you play it, and you are winning on that location. By destroying the locations, the cards that are played there will also be destroyed.
Hobgoblin is there to help you trigger Galactus’ effect. It is a negative eight-Power card that can transfer itself to your opponent’s side of the location. As for Psylocke, Electro, and Wave, they all allow you to play Galactus as early as possible.
In case you won’t draw Galactus in time, the other win condition cards in this deck are Professor X (for lockdown), and Orka (for massive Power potential). Alioth, on the other hand, almost ensures you win the match since it can destroy your opponent’s unrevealed cards on the same location and turn you play it.
Nebula is there to build up your early game, while the literally unstoppable Jeff the Baby Land Shark can be added to possibly win unplayable locations. Cap off the deck with Caiera, which can prevent your one and six-cost cards from being destroyed, and Shang-Chi, which can destroy all of your opponent’s cards with ten or more Power in the same location where you play it.
How to counter Destroy decks in Marvel Snap
Destroy decks have specific play patterns in most cases. If you can guess your opponent’s deck type quickly, you’ll be faster to respond accordingly. If the opponent plays cards like Nova, Bucky Barnes, The Hood, or Wolverine in the first few rounds, chances are the opponent is using a Destroy deck.
Preventing the destruction of the opponent’s cards is the best way to counter their strategy. Cards like Armor and Cosmo are perfect for playing in the same location as a Nova or Bucky Barnes. If you manage to stop them from destroying their Deadpool, your opponent might just retreat on the spot. Bear in mind that you’ll need initiative priority for this to work to ensure that Armor or Cosmo triggers before the opponent’s cards.
Final turns for Destroy decks are often geared towards playing powerful cards like Death or Destroyer. The best way to fight them is to destroy them with Shang-Chi. Remember that to be able to destroy a Destroyer on turn six, you should be the second one to reveal your cards. Finally, Leech is a great card to counter the Death strategy but ends up helping the Destroyer by removing its effect.
