Marvel Snap opens the gates to two mystical new locations filled with ancient power and legendary creatures. This time around, we have a real coin flip of a location and a nice hand buffer. Let's explore the dragon lands!
Cave of the Dragon - January 15th
After turn 4, the Cave of the Dragon adds a random 5-Cost or higher card to each side. This is pure chaos! Both players get a dragon hoard worth of power, and neither knows exactly what it will be. Cave of the Dragon is like a slightly less random but delayed X-Mansion; take that as you will.
Your best strategy is to hope that you don't get one of those stinkers that will absolutely take you out of the game, like M.O.D.O.K or Destroyer.
There is only one single card in the entire game to get some advantage from this location somewhat reliably. Our newcomer Chamber truly has what it takes to tame the dragon. Plop him on the Cave and he will do some nice spelunking.
This is the only real counsel I can give you towards this location. Trying to come up with a deck for this location is like trying to make a deck for X-Mansion. It can't be done. Since we have Chamber, I'll sort you with my favorite deck featuring him. It even has the bonus of legioning the Cave of the Dragon into a pure chaos match.
Cave of the Dragon's Deck
Chamber Machine
Ta Lo - January 28th
At the end of each turn, Ta Lo grants +1 Power to a character in each player's hand. This effect might look subtle at first glance, but do not underestimate it. Power added to cards before they are played is some of the safest power you can get in Marvel Snap. It cannot be Shang-Chi'd, it cannot be Shadow King'd, and it scales quietly.
The key to Ta Lo is simple. Cards that like to get buffed get scarier.
You do not need to rush cards to this location. In fact, you are often rewarded for doing the opposite. Holding cards for a few turns turns Ta Lo into a slow incremental boost that sharpens your entire hand. It's like a cheap copy of Fantastic Pedro's effect.
Hand-Forged Heroes
Cards that naturally want to sit in your hand shine here. Surfer and friends is my deck of choice for such a trial. Even a single extra point of power into Sebastian Shaw, Brood, or Captain Carter goes a long way to improve your chances of winning.
Discard in general is a winner in Ta Lo. Even though we would discard most of our cards, there are some that refuse to leave. Get some extra power on your Apocalypse, Weapon H, and even Scorn. Don't forget your Dracula to double dip on the extra power.
When in doubt, get your Nimrod game on. Every extra point on your Nimrod can be considered double value every time you manage to destroy it or any of its copies. In case he doesn't show up, the deck also features Black Panther as backup, who also loves to hog all that extra power.
Ta Lo's Decks
New Discard
Maverick Surfer
Nimrod 2026
Afterthoughts
For the Dragons season, there is a good and bad location. I'll be so depressed after losing a crucial game because my opponent got an Infinaut from the Cave while I'm crying over Professor X. Still, variance is the name of the game, and the reverse scenario is bound to happen to my opponent as well. I don't enjoy locations like the Cave, but some people love randomness like this. Where do you stand on this? In your opinion, are coin flips good additions to the game?
Giveaway!
Oh, hey there, can I interest you in some more – FREE DRAGON? That's right! I have another code to give away for a free Premium Season Pass. If you're interested, write down in the comments your favorite location, the one that always brings a smile to your face whenever it shows up! Don't forget to post your Discord Username and be a part of our server so I can contact you to send the code your way! Good luck!