Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross: A Marvel Snap Card Analysis

Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, the Captain America: Brave New World character portrayed by Harrison Ford, is the newest addition to Marvel Snap. While his casting suggests a potentially impactful card, let's examine his actual in-game utility.

How 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, hinges on card draw – a powerful element in Marvel Snap. However, the restriction to cards with 10+ power significantly limits his applicability.

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 contain only a few, if any, of these high-cost cards. Therefore, Ross's effectiveness is directly tied to deck composition. Deck thinning becomes a significant factor; if you include several high-power cards, Ross becomes a valuable addition. His primary counter is Red Guardian.

Optimal Deck Synergies

Thunderbolt Ross synergizes best with Surtur decks:

• Surtur Deck Example: Zabu, Hydra Bob, Thunderbolt Ross, Armor, Cosmo, Juggernaut, Surtur, Ares, Attuma, Crossbones, Cull Obsidian, Skaar. This deck, while featuring several Series 5 cards (Hydra Bob, Surtur, Ares, Cull Obsidian, Skaar), aims to play Surtur on turn 3, boosting its power with 10+ power cards, and making Skaar free. Juggernaut and Cosmo provide end-game counters, and Armor protects against Shang-Chi. Ross significantly enhances this deck by drawing crucial high-cost cards. Hydra Bob can be substituted with Iceman, Nico Minoru, or Spider-Ham; Cull Obsidian can be replaced with Aero.

Ross also finds a place in Hela decks:

• Hela Deck Example: Black Knight, Blade, Thunderbolt Ross, Lady Sif, Ghost Rider, War Machine, Hell Cow, Black Cat, Aero, Hela, The Infinaut, Death. This deck (containing Series 5 cards Black Knight and War Machine) focuses on discarding high-power cards of varying costs to revive with Hela. Ross improves consistency by drawing these high-power cards for discarding. War Machine can be substituted with Ares or Swordmaster.

Is Thunderbolt Ross Worth the Investment?

Currently, unless you actively utilize Surtur/Ares decks, Thunderbolt Ross might not justify the cost of Spotlight Cache Keys or Collector's Tokens. His value will increase with the addition of more 10+ power cards to the game, but his limited current synergy restricts his overall effectiveness. The prevalence of Wiccan decks, where opponents consistently spend their energy, further diminishes his impact.