Card Preview - Iron Patriot

Marvel Snap is getting another powerful season pass card and it's got an incredibly fun mechanic that will lead to early battles for control!

Iron Patriot

On Reveal: Add a random {card.TokenEnergyCost_1}-Cost or more card to your hand. If you’re winning here after next turn, give it -{card.ReducedCost} Cost.

When Skrulls infiltrated Earth, including replacing some of our most powerful heroes, one man heroically stepped in to stop things once and for all, Norman Osborne!

With the help of his assistant, Victoria Hand, he's now going to fill the void left by Tony Stark's negligence as the head of a new group of Avengers featuring Moonstone as Ms. Marvel, Bullseye as Hawkeye, Daken as Wolverine, and Max Gargan as Spider-Man.

Osborne will lead them into battle as he takes up the mantle of the Iron Patriot! Don't worry America, you're in safe hands! We promise!

In Marvel Snap, Iron Patriot places a lot of pressure on your opponent to contest a lane early. When you maintain a lead in his location you get a massive discount that could end up swinging a match. His condition will prove easy to achieve because there are a variety of ways to defend Iron Patriot’s position.

Advance Guard

Hydra Bob

End of Turn: This moves if a player Snapped.

Martyr

At the end of the game, move to a location that LOSES you the game. (if possible)

High-cost 1 drops are a good way to get out ahead on a location. Bob is going to lead to some interesting psychological battles on early turns. Will your opponent risk snapping to move your Bob? Martyr’s downside may come at the end of the game, but if she ensures the extra discount for your generated card, that may not matter. Be wary of Killmonger who can come in and blow up your well laid plan.

Squirrel Girl

On Reveal: Add a 1-Power Squirrel to each other location.

Nightcrawler

Moveable once.

These 1 drops don't quite have the power of those above, but they give you some extra choice on where to place your Iron Patriot in response to what your opponent does and can provide that extra touch of unpredictability.

Wasp

My secret power is that I get things done.

Yellowjacket

On Reveal: Afflict your other cards here with -1 Power.

Yellowjacket is intriguing with Iron Patriot because he can be played on the same turn to put 5 power into a lane straight away.

Powerful Reinforcements

Speed

Ongoing: +1 Power for each turn in which you spent all your Energy.

Gladiator

On Reveal: Add a card from your opponent's deck to their side of this location. If it has less Power, destroy it.

Baron Zemo

On Reveal: Recruit a card that costs the least from your opponent's deck to your side of this location.

Cassandra Nova

On Reveal: Steal 1 Power from each card in your opponent's deck.

Copycat

When you draw this, copy the text from the bottom card of your opponent's deck.

The most direct way to defend your Iron Patriot lane is to follow him up with a powerful 3-Cost card. Gladiator comes with a degree of risk, but if the meta is friendly he's the most raw power we can get on turn 3.

Juggernaut

On Reveal: Move away all enemy cards played here this turn. (including unrevealed cards)

Negasonic Teenage Warhead

After an enemy character is played here, destroy it. (once per game)

Rocket and Groot

Moveable once. After your opponent plays a card here, steal 1 Power from it.

Instead of power, you can lay a trap for your opponent with these 3-Cost cards, especially if you're built to fight for priority.

Grand Master

On Reveal: Move one of your other On Reveal cards here to the middle location. Its ability happens again.

Grandmaster could be a really sneaky way to get Iron Patriot to a winning lane and even potentially end up with a second cheap card.

Rocket Raccoon

On Reveal: If your opponent played a card here this turn, +4 Power.

Groot

On Reveal: If your opponent played a card here this turn, +4 Power.

Of course we have to mention the Guardians. Your opponent is more likely to play into your Iron Patriot lane so you could end up with a cheap card as well as extra power on your Guardian.

Crossbones

You can only play this at locations where you are winning.

Galacta

Each turn, the first card you play at another location reveals with +2 Power.

Drax

On Reveal: If your opponent played a card here this turn, +4 Power.

Gamora

On Reveal: If your opponent played a card here this turn, +4 Power.

Of course, you won't always be able to play your Iron Patriot on turn 2. This will give you more options to defend the lane, but your opponent will have more options as well.

Shared Synergy

Nebula

Each turn your opponent doesn't play a card here, +2 Power. (except the turn you play this)

Echo

After your opponent plays an Ongoing card here, remove its abilities.

Cosmo

Ongoing: On Reveal abilities won't happen here.

Nebula makes an excellent partner for Iron Patriot. You can play them in different lanes to give yourself a situation where you'll get guaranteed upside from at least one of them. If you have priority, Cosmo and Echo can punish particular decks for trying to contest Iron Patriot.

Devil Dinosaur

Ongoing: +2 Power for each card in your hand.

Victoria Hand

Ongoing: Your cards that were created in your hand have +2 Power.

The Collector

When a card enters your hand from anywhere (except your deck), +1 Power.

Quinjet

Ongoing: Your created cards cost 1 less. (minimum 1)

Devil Dinosaur and Collector haven’t been meta-relevant for a while, but they've gotten quite a few helpful pieces recently. True to the comics, Victoria Hand makes a helpful partner to Norman Osborne. I recommend picking her up this week as well if you can afford to.

Wiccan

On Reveal: If you've spent all your Energy on previous turns, +2 Max Energy.

Arishem

Game Start: Shuffle 12 new cards into your deck. On turn 3, get +1 Max Energy.

Mockingbird

Costs 1 less for each of your created cards in play.

Hit-Monkey

On Reveal: Gain +2 Power for each other card you played this turn.

Here are a handful of cards that reward the play patterns that Iron Patriot engenders and can make profitable use of a cheap, generated card.

Scosco’s Day One Iron Patriot Decks

Here are the decks I'm planning to start with and they showcase the breadth of building potential Iron Patriot provides. Included are two takes on a Wiccan deck, a power-focused bounce deck, Alioth (where Iron Patriot has significant upside), a lockdown deck, and two decks that leverage Victoria Hand. If you're not also picking up Victoria, you can replace her with any synergistic card like Mystique in the first list, Shanna in the second list, or you could try Frigga in either.

IP Wicc

IP Wicc 2

IP Power Bounce

IP Alio

IP LD

IP Dino

IP Squatch

Conclusion

The season pass is always solid value and that's especially true when the season pass card is a strong one. I expect Iron Patriot to be a format staple for the foreseeable future and I recommend picking him up on day one if you are able. His condition seems easy to meet, the discount he provides is sizeable, there is cube equity baked into his ability to surprise, and he has a variety of synergistic packages he will fit into.