Marvel Snap balance update (December 12, 2024): All nerfs and buffs explored

The new Marvel Snap balance update was announced on December 12, 2024, with many changes being made to cards by nerfing and buffing them. With the holiday season arriving, the developers have decided to announce the newest Marvel Snap Dark Avengers patch notes. This balance change will be the last major update for the year. The update aims to rework Arishem while buffing and nerfing other cards like Cerebro and Alioth to balance the current state of the meta.

This article will explain which cards have been affected by the new Marvel Snap balance update of December 12, 2024.

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Marvel Snap balance update (December 12, 2024): All changes explained

1) Arishem (Rework/Nerf)

Arishem is getting reworked and nerfed (Image via Nuverse)

• Cost 7/Power 7 - At the start of the game, +1 Max Energy. Shuffle 15 random cards into your deck. (Old)
• Cost 7/Power 7 - Game Start: Shuffle 12 new cards into your deck. On turn 3, get +1 Max Energy. (New)

Arishem is one of the most popular cards in the title. Since this card lets you add random cards to your deck at the start of the game, it’s a fun deck to play with. In addition, getting extra energy per turn from the start of the game lets you play aggressively as well.

However, this additional one energy per turn has proven to be a bit too powerful for counterplays, which is why this Marvel Snap balance update aims to nerf it by letting you gain extra energy on turn three. This makes the best Marvel Snap Arishem decks play less aggressively from turn one.

Additionally, Marvel Snap finally adds the new “Game Start” keyword for effects that occur when the game starts.

On top of this, instead of shuffling 15 cards in your deck, it will now shuffle 12 instead, which will all be new cards that weren't present in your deck before. This is a good rework since it allows you to not have copies of cards, while also letting you consistently draw your core cards more often.

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2) Typhoid Mary (Nerf)

• Cost 4/Power 10 - Ongoing: Your other cards here have -1 Power. (Old)
• Cost 4/Power 10 - Ongoing: Your other cards here have -2 Power. (New)

Typhoid Mary is getting a significant nerf with this Marvel Snap balance update as the devs aim to curb the growing power of the best Marvel Snap Surtur decks dominating the meta this season.

This update makes all other cards you play in her location have -2 power instead of the earlier -1. The primary aim of this change is to have a more balanced trade-off for playing a powerful 10-power Typhoid Mary as early as the fourth turn.

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3) Alioth (Nerf)

Alioth is getting nerfed in Marvel Snap (Image via Nuverse)

• Cost 6/Power 10 - On Reveal: Remove the text from all unrevealed enemy cards here. (Old)
• Cost 6/Power 10 -> Cost 6/Power 9 (New)

Alioth is a strong card to consider adding to the growing legion of powerful Surtur decks. Therefore, the devs have decided to curb his use in such decks, lowering his power by one.

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4) Enchantress (Buff)

• Cost 4/Power 5 - On Reveal: Remove the abilities from all Ongoing cards here. (Old)
• Cost 4/Power 5 - Cost 4/Power 6 (New)

The December 12, 2024, Marvel Snap balance update aims to buff Enchantress by increasing her power by one. It’s clear that the devs want to increase her usage in more “On-reveal” decks and counter the rising power of “Ongoing” decks that are at the top of the Marvel Snap tier list.

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5) Black Widow (Nerf)

• Cost 3/Power 4 - Activate: Add a Widow's Bite to your opponent's hand. (Old)
• Cost 3/Power 4 -> Cost 3/Power 3 (New)

Black Widow got a slight rework with the Marvel Snap November 12 balance changes last month. While it changed her "On-reveal" ability to an Activate ability and increased her power by one, the devs have now decided to revert her power buff since the changes didn’t reduce much of her efficacy.

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6) Frigga (Buff)

• Cost 3/Power 3 - On Reveal: Add a copy of the last card you played to your hand (if able). (Old)
• Cost 3/Power 3 -> Cost 3/Power 4 (New)

December's Marvel Snap balance update aims to buff Frigga by increasing her power by one since her use rate in meta decks is lower than what the devs intended.

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7) Shuri (Buff)

Shuri is getting buffed (Image via Marvel)

• Cost 4/Power 1 - On Reveal: If you play your next card at this location, double its Power. (Old)
• Cost 4/Power 1 -> Cost 4/Power 3 (New)

Shuri was once a mainstay in the Marvel Snap cards tier list. However, after being nerfed several times, the devs now feel that she has fallen from grace. Since she has a powerful ability to double the power of the next card you play (possibly a Black Panther on the fifth turn), the new Marvel Snap balance update aims to make her viable once again by significantly increasing her power by two.

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8) Lockjaw (Buff)

• Cost 4/Power 4 - After you play a card here, swap it with a card in your deck. (Old)
• Cost 4/Power 4 -> Cost 4/Power 5 (New)

Powerful decks like the best Marvel Snap Darkhawk decks can completely overpower Lockjaw decks that have more cards in their decks. This was evident after the Marvel Snap balance update (July 18, 2024) that reworked Lockjaw’s swap ability. Therefore, this Marvel Snap balance update aims to help Lockjaw decks have more power on the field with it getting increased by one.

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9) Stormbreaker/Beta Ray Bill (Buff)

• Cost 0/Power 1 - On Reveal: Double Beta Ray Bill's Power. (Old)
• Cost 0/Power 1 -> Cost 0/Power 3 (New)

With the release of more “Asgardian” cards with the Marvel Snap War of the Nine Realms season, Beta Ray Bill’s use rate has skyrocketed after its true potential was unleashed with the use of Jane Foster to buff it. Therefore, this Marvel Snap balance update will make his Stormbreaker more powerful as a standalone card.

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10) Cerebro (Buff)

• Cost 3/Power 0 - Ongoing: Your highest-Power cards have +2 Power.
• Cost 3/Power 0 -> Cost 2/Power 0

Cerebro is getting a major buff with this Marvel Snap update, with its cost getting reduced by one. The devs made this change to make it more viable in the current rise of “Ongoing” decks.

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11) Elsa Bloodstone (Buff)

• Cost 3/Power 3 - Each card you play to fill your side of a location gains +2 Power.
• Cost 3/Power 3 -> Cost 3/Power 4

The December 2024 Marvel Snap balance update aims to make Elsa Bloodstone one of the best three-cost cards in Marvel Snap. This buff was planned to increase her use rate in more competitive decks as it had dropped significantly over time despite her stats being buffed previously.