Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross, portrayed by the legendary Harrison Ford in *Captain America: Brave New World*, is set to make a splash in *Marvel Snap*. Let's dive into what this card brings to the game and how it can impact your decks.
How Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross Works in Marvel Snap
Thunderbolt Ross is a 2-cost, 2-power card with an intriguing ability: "When your opponent ends a turn with unspent Energy, draw a card with 10 or more Power." This effect is similar to what we've seen with Red Hulk and cards influenced by High Evolutionary, but with a unique twist.
Card draw is a powerful mechanic in *Marvel Snap*, and a card that draws another card for just 2 energy would typically be a staple in many decks. However, Thunderbolt Ross's limitation to drawing only cards with 10 or more Power narrows its utility. Currently, he can draw high-impact cards like Attuma, Black Cat, Crossbones, Cull Obsidian, Typhoid Mary, Aero, Heimdall, Helicarrier, Red Hulk, Sasquatch, She-Hulk, Skaar, Thanos, Orka, Emperor Hulkling, Hulk, Magneto, Death, Red Skull, Agatha Harkness, Giganto, Destroyer, and The Infinaut. Most decks may not include many of these high-power cards, but if yours does, Thunderbolt Ross becomes a valuable addition, especially for deck thinning.
As for counters, Thunderbolt Ross is primarily countered by Red Guardian, making it crucial to keep this in mind when building your strategy.
Best Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross Decks in Marvel Snap
Thunderbolt Ross naturally fits into Surtur decks, which are currently meta-relevant. Here's a recommended Surtur deck:
Zabu Hydra Bob Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross Armor Cosmo Juggernaut Surtur Ares Attuma Crossbones Cull Obsidian Skaar
Click here to copy this list from Untapped. Note that this deck contains several Series 5 cards like Hydra Bob, Surtur, Ares, Cull Obsidian, and Skaar. You can replace Hydra Bob with another 1-drop like Iceman, Nico Minoru, or Spider-Ham, but the rest are essential. In a pinch, you can swap Cull Obsidian for Aero.
The strategy is straightforward: play Surtur on turn 3, then follow up with 10-power cards to boost Surtur to 10 power, making Skaar free. Juggernaut and Cosmo serve as great final-turn counters, while Armor protects against Shang-Chi. Thunderbolt Ross significantly enhances this deck by potentially drawing a game-winning 10-cost card like Skaar.
Alternatively, Thunderbolt Ross can be integrated into a Hela deck:
Black Knight Blade Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross Lady Sif Ghost Rider War Machine Hell Cow Black Cat Aero Hela The Infinaut Death
Click here to copy this list from Untapped. This deck includes Series 5 cards like Black Knight and War Machine, though War Machine can be replaced with Ares or another discard activator like Swordmaster.
The goal is to discard high-power cards of varying costs to revive with Hela on the final turn, ideally including Black Cat, Aero, The Infinaut, and Death. Thunderbolt Ross helps draw these high-power cards, adding consistency to your strategy. Black Knight and Ghost Rider provide steady power output before the final turn.
Is Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross Worth Spotlight Cache Keys or Collector's Tokens?
Currently, unless you're heavily invested in Surtur/Ares decks, Thunderbolt Ross might not be worth spending your Spotlight Cache Keys or Collector's Tokens on, especially if you're limited on resources. While he could become more valuable with the addition of more 10-cost cards to the game, his utility is limited in the current meta, especially with Wiccan decks dominating and opponents likely to spend their energy each turn.
