Thaddeus Ross: A Mighty Force in Marvel Snap

Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross has joined the Marvel Snap roster. This card, portrayed by Harrison Ford in Captain America: Brave New World, might not be a game-changer on its own, but let's examine its potential.

How Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross Works

Ross is a 2-cost, 2-power card with the ability: "When your opponent ends a turn with unspent Energy, draw a card with 10 or more Power." This mechanic, similar to Red Hulk and High Evolutionary effects, focuses on card draw, a powerful aspect of Marvel Snap.

However, the limitation to drawing only 10+ power cards significantly restricts its use. Currently, this includes cards like Attuma, Black Cat, Crossbones, Cull Obsidian, Typhoid Mary, Aero, Heimdall, Helicarrier, Red Hulk, Sasquatch, She-Hulk, Skaar, Thanos (if generated), Orka, Emperor Hulkling, Hulk, Magneto, Death, Red Skull, Agatha Harkness (if generated), Giganto, Destroyer, and The Infinaut. Most decks only include a few, if any, of these high-cost cards. Therefore, Ross's effectiveness is highly dependent on deck composition. Deck thinning is a key advantage, though.

Red Guardian is a direct counter to Ross's effect.

Best Decks for Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross

Ross synergizes well with Surtur decks. A sample Surtur deck might include: Zabu, Hydra Bob, Thunderbolt Ross, Armor, Cosmo, Juggernaut, Surtur, Ares, Attuma, Crossbones, Cull Obsidian, and Skaar. Note that this list contains several Series 5 cards (Hydra Bob, Surtur, Ares, Cull Obsidian, Skaar), which can be substituted with more readily available cards like Iceman or Nico Minoru for Hydra Bob. The core strategy involves playing Surtur on turn 3, boosting its power with 10+ power cards, and utilizing cards like Juggernaut and Cosmo for end-game control. Ross increases consistency by drawing crucial high-cost cards.

A Hela deck is another option, potentially including: Black Knight, Blade, Thunderbolt Ross, Lady Sif, Ghost Rider, War Machine, Hell Cow, Black Cat, Aero, Hela, The Infinaut, and Death. The Series 5 cards here are Black Knight and War Machine, which can be replaced with alternatives like Ares or Swordmaster. The goal is discarding high-power cards to resurrect with Hela. Ross enhances consistency by drawing these high-power cards for discarding.

Is Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross Worth the Investment?

Currently, unless you're a dedicated Surtur/Ares player, Ross might not be worth the investment if resources are limited. His value will increase with the addition of more 10+ power cards to the game, but his niche application and the prevalence of Wiccan decks (where opponents rarely leave unspent energy) limit his overall impact.