Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross has arrived in Marvel Snap, the character portrayed by Harrison Ford in Captain America: Brave New World. While his in-game presence might not be as earth-shattering as his actor's reputation suggests, let's examine his potential.
How Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross Functions in Marvel Snap
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 10+ power cards significantly limits his utility. Currently, this includes cards like Attuma, Black Cat, and many others (a full list is too extensive to reproduce here). Most decks only include one or two of these high-cost cards, if any. Therefore, Ross's effectiveness is directly tied to the number of high-power cards in your deck. Deck thinning is a beneficial side effect. Red Guardian is his primary counter.
Optimal Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross Deck Strategies
Ross synergizes well with Surtur decks. A sample Surtur deck might include: Zabu, Hydra Bob, Ross, Armor, Cosmo, Juggernaut, Surtur, Ares, Attuma, Crossbones, Cull Obsidian, and Skaar. Note that this deck is heavy on Series 5 cards. The strategy revolves around playing Surtur on turn 3, then deploying 10-power cards to boost Surtur's power to 10, making Skaar free. Ross aids in drawing these high-cost cards.
Alternatively, Ross can be incorporated into Hela decks. A sample Hela deck might include: Black Knight, Blade, Ross, Lady Sif, Ghost Rider, War Machine, Hell Cow, Black Cat, Aero, Hela, The Infinaut, and Death. This deck aims to discard high-power cards of varying costs to be revived by Hela on the final turn. Ross enhances consistency by drawing these high-power cards.
Is Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross Worth the Investment?
Currently, unless you're a dedicated Surtur/Ares player, Ross isn't a priority acquisition if resources are limited. His value increases with the addition of more 10-power cards to the game, but his niche application and the current meta dominance of Wiccan decks (where opponents rarely leave unspent energy) temper his overall impact.
