Alright, so I decided to finally give US Agent a proper go in Marvel Snap. Heard some chatter, saw him pop up now and then, figured it was time to get my hands dirty and see what this card is all about in practice.
First Impressions and Deck Tinkering
Got the card, looked at that ability: Ongoing: 4-Cost cards here have -3 Power. Simple enough, right? Seemed like a decent tech card, maybe mess up some Zabu plays or just general 4-cost bombs people like dropping. My first thought was just jamming him into a deck I already run, maybe something with control elements.
So, I did just that. Took my basic Sera Control shell, pulled out something else around the 2-cost spot, and slotted US Agent in. Didn’t really think too hard about synergy yet, just wanted to see him on the board.
Early Games: The Awkward Phase
Played a few matches. Dropped him on turn 3 with Zabu out, or just raw on turn 4. Okay, the effect triggers, I see the numbers go down on their cards… and sometimes my cards too if I wasn’t careful. That was the first lesson. You gotta watch where you put him if you’re also running key 4-cost cards like Darkhawk or Ms. Marvel yourself. Had one game where I played him, then played my own Shang-Chi next turn into the same lane, forgetting US Agent would nerf Shang too. Oops.
He felt… okay? Sometimes he hit something important, like their Iron Lad or Typhoid Mary. Other times, he just sat there, maybe slightly inconveniencing one card while the opponent won the other two lanes easily. He wasn’t exactly winning games on his own.
Finding a Groove: Working WITH the Effect
Then I started thinking differently. Instead of just hoping he randomly disrupts the opponent, how can I use that effect? What if I lean into it?
- Pairing with Luke Cage: This was the obvious first step. Played Luke Cage, then US Agent could go down without hurting my own 4-drops in that lane. Much better. Suddenly felt less risky.
- Targeting Specific Decks: Started actively playing him into lanes where I suspected zabu/sera shenanigans or saw things like Jessica Jones. It felt more targeted, less random.
- Location Synergies?: Tried to see if locations mattered. Maybe drop him on a location that already buffs cards, so the -3 isn’t as bad for me? Or a location the opponent stacked 4-costs on? Felt a bit situational.
The ‘Aha!’ Moment (Sort Of)
The best results came when I stopped thinking of him as just a general tech card and started treating him more like a specific counter or a synergy piece. Put him in a deck that wasn’t running many crucial 4-cost cards itself, or one where Luke Cage was already a natural fit. I tried a variation of a junk/clog deck for a bit. Fill their lanes, then maybe drop US Agent to reduce the power of whatever 4-cost they managed to squeeze in. That had some limited success.
Played one game where the opponent dropped Attuma on Fisk Tower. On turn 4, I dropped US Agent there. Took Attuma down to 4 power. He survived the turn! Didn’t win me the game, but it was a neat interaction I hadn’t predicted.
Where I’m At Now
So, after spending a decent chunk of time playing with US Agent, here’s my take based purely on my own runs:
He’s not a staple you just throw anywhere. He needs thought. You absolutely need to consider your own deck construction – running him alongside critical 4-cost cards without Luke Cage is asking for trouble. He shines most when you can anticipate your opponent playing specific 4-cost threats, or when you have Luke Cage out to protect your own stuff.
Is he good? Eh, he’s alright. Situational. Can be quite impactful in the right matchup and with the right support (Luke Cage feels almost mandatory sometimes). Is he fun? Yeah, figuring out the puzzle of when and where to play him, and how to build around him, was pretty engaging. He makes you think, which I appreciate.
Still needs more testing, maybe in different deck archetypes I haven’t tried yet. But that’s the process, right? Try, fail, learn, adjust. On to the next experiment.
