Discard has never reached the oppressive heights of other archetypes in Marvel Snap. However, Second Dinner is dedicated to making Discard work, so expect it to see a resurgence. This list details the best Discard cards in the game, ranked primarily by how integral they are to multiple competitive decks.
10. Swarm – When you discard this, add two copies that cost 0 to your hand.
Swarm, in combination with Apocalypse and Dracula, is part of a final turn combo that was hard to beat for the first few months after Marvel Snap’s release, and it still packs a consistent punch for players that aren’t Series 3 complete. The problem for Swarm in the current meta is space, both on the board and in decks, is at more of a premium than ever. With Annihilus out there and more consistent Discard strategies available in Marvel Snap, plopping down a handful of 3 power Swarms along with an Apocalypse will likely lose you the game against a Blob or a massive Darkhawk. Still, the power of 0 cost cards, especially with the likes of Lockjaw in the game, means Swarm has the potential to both rise up this list or fall off it completely.
9. Apocalypse – When you discard this, put it back with +4 Power
Much like Swarm, Apocalypse dominates in early ranks or against players with lower collection levels. His problem is that, other than Lady Sif and MODOK, it’s difficult to hit him consistently to make him more than a 12 or 16 power card. That’s nothing compared to the massive Blobs dominating the meta currently, or even a Devil Dinosaur supported by a turn 6 Agent Coulson. Furthering his fall of dominating grace was America Chavez’s rework. No longer is she guaranteed to be drawn on turn 6, meaning you can’t play her, dump your handful of swarms, and guarantee Dracula grabs your massive Apocalypse. Still, his effect has power to it, and given more Discard synergy cards, don’t expect this arch-nemesis of the X-Men to disappear from the meta permanently.
8. Hela – On Reveal: Resurrect all cards you discarded to random locations.
Yes, you’re more likely to see Hela in a Living Tribunal deck than you are in an actual Discard deck in Marvel Snap. She’s pretty good when placed behind an Invisible Woman after a MODOK in order to discard and resummon your entire hand, though the Fantastic Four member has seen less play with the prevalence of Alioth in the meta. Outside of that list, however, quite ironically, Hela suffers in a typical Discard deck: if you don’t draw her exactly when you need her – typically right on turn 6 – she’s effectively useless because you’ve likely discarded her before then. That said, Hela being resummoned with Ghost Rider is a pretty powerful play, but until Discard gets more consistency, expect Hela to remain only in Living Tribunal decks.
7. Dracula – At the end of the game, discard a card from your hand. This has its Power.
Like Apocalypse and Swarm earlier on this list, Dracula suffers from the rise of consistent, high-powered cards like Blob. For a while, Dracula was celebrated for being able to dodge the ever-present Alioth and other counter cards; however, for him to win you a lane, vampiric stars have to align. For starters, you need to have a powerful card in hand, such as Apocalypse or The Infinaut. Then, you need to pray Dracula grabs that card instead of something lower-powered like a Hellcow. Even then, his mere presence on the board will make your opponent think twice about playing there, and with more Discard-themed cards released, buffed, and reworked, Dracula will always be in consideration.
6. Ghost Rider – On Reveal: Bring back one of your discarded cards to this location.
While not often played, the sheer high-roll ability of Ghost Rider makes him a consideration for any deck with cards that Discard in them – not only decks that are all-in on Discard mechanics. A turn 1 Blade into a revived The Infinaut with Ghost Rider will trigger quite a lot of early exits from your opponents. More importantly, Ghost Rider provides a secondary win condition in rising Black Knight decks if you don’t manage to draw Black Knight early enough. While dependent on randomness like the rest of Discard, this fiery motorcycle enthusiast has a lot of promise to rise up this list and to make it into decks with as little as a single Blade, a handful of powerful cards like The Infinaut and Giganto, and Black Knight.
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5. Black Knight – After you discard a card, add the Ebony Blade to your hand with that card’s Power. (once per game)
With his recent buff that made the Ebony Blade near invulnerable, Black Knight suddenly became a meta-worthy card. Before the release of Blob, he saw a rise in play rate in a handful of different decks, the most effective of which played only a couple of cards that could discard and looked to double up the Ebony Blade with Moon Girl. The playline of this deck is simple: play Black Knight, Discard a high-power card with Blade or Lady Sif, and then double up with Moon Girl to play the massive Ebony Blades on turns 5 and 6, or both on turn 6 with Zabu. While this deck still needs some workshopping, expect Black Knight’s stocks to continue to rise.
4. MODOK – On Reveal: Discard your hand.
While much more frightening in Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania, MODOK still poses a threat in Marvel Snap. The ability to discard your entire hand means he’s absolutely essential in any Discard-themed Marvel Snap deck; furthermore, he can hit the likes of Wolverine and X-23 – though he isn’t often played in that way. Much like Hela, you’re most likely to find MODOK in a Living Tribunal deck that attempts to discard and resummon your entire hand. While he’s currently not a meta staple, MODOK’s ability is simply too powerful to leave him out of any future Discard decks, and he’s tied himself tightly to the likes of Invisible Woman and Hela. As Discard gets more powerful, so will MODOK.
3. Morbius – Ongoing: +2 Power for each time you discarded a card this game.
Every archetype in Marvel Snap needs some good early plays, and cards that scale, such as pre-nerf Kitty Pryde and Angela, are by far the most powerful of them. While only applicable to Discard-centered decks that aren’t all that powerful at the moment, Morbius is absolutely crucial to them and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. Every single card on this list has direct or indirect synergy with Morbius, making him one of the most essential Discard cards. Morbius even has synergy with Ongoing effects – a Mystique played to copy his effect will work wonders, and a late-game MODOK remains a powerful, if rather specific, play. If Discard ever rises to the top of the meta, so will Morbus.
2. Blade – On Reveal: Discard the rightmost card from your hand.
Cards that discard specific targets are key to Discard’s success. Second Dinner must find a balance between randomness and player agency, as Discard effects would be meta-breaking if they always hit what you wanted to Discard. Vampire hunter Blade is a great example of this after a buff that saw him target the rightmost card instead of a completely random card. Now, both within Discard-themed decks and, more importantly, hybrid Discard decks, Blade has become a staple. You always know what he’ll discard; therefore, you know what you’ll be able to do later in the game to win. For example, hitting The Infinaut in order to pull back later with Ghost Rider. Blade allows you to snap and retreat without gambling previous cubes, and that makes him one of the best Discard cards.
1. Lady Sif – On Reveal: Discard the highest-cost card from your hand.
In the past, present, and future of Marvel Snap, Lady Sif is the best Discard-themed card. Thor’s best gal pal’s ability to target the highest-cost card in your hand means that she is also the most consistent driver of Discard decks and synergies. She’ll be a staple you always want to see by turn 3 in Discard-focused decks, and you’ll want to include her in hybrid decks that make use of Black Knight and Ghost Rider for high-powered – though often difficult to pull off – plays. There’s no doubt that moving forward, Lady Sif will remain the most prominent Discard card whether the archetype is at the top, bottom, or middle of the meta, and any additional cards added to the archetype will be immediately compared to her. Having 5 power for only 3 energy and some of the best variant art in the game doesn’t hurt, either.
