Sanctum Showdown Guide & Decks!

Marvel Snap's super sweaty LTGM Sanctum Showdown returns for a week from November 5-12. We had a short weekend run back in August, but the last full run of this mode was all the way back in February! Because it's been so long since we've had classic Sanctum, I'll refresh you on how the mode works, tell you which new cards might make an impact, and remind you what the best strategies and decks are so you can get the most out of this mode!

Those who are planning to stay "storybook variant" complete are going to be excited to grab Mordred and his variant from the rewards track!

Crash Course Refresher

Sanctum Showdown is a game mode where you win bonus points for winning whichever location is randomly denoted as the Sanctum. Starting on turn 3 both players can Snap to up the stakes at the Sanctum location. The winner is the first to 16 points. Win and you get your entry ticket (Scroll) back – winning is important in this LTGM.

The Scoring

• Turns 1 and 2, one Location is worth 1 point.
• From turn 3 on, the Sanctum is worth 4 points per turn, while the other Locations are worth 1 point each.
• Each Player can Snap to add 1 point to the Sanctum.
• First to 16 or more wins, ties are possible but rare.

General Tips

• Moving, dodging, reading, skipping, and scamming are the name of the game in Sanctum Showdown.
• The most important single skill in classic Sanctum Showdown is to know when to take a turn off of going after the Sanctum to set up for bigger turns and a better chance to keep your ticket.
• Most opponents will telegraph their plays via Snaps or net-decking. Learn to sit out one turn and fight for the next one.
• I hear people lament the lack of comeback potential in this mode, but come from behind wins represent a healthy chunk of my Sanctum wins each time.
• Movement is key. Key movers that can go in almost any deck, not just decks with move payoffs are Ghost Spider, Doctor Strange, Miles Morales, and Stegron.
• There are always players who arrive in Sanctum with just the largest cards available. It can be a legitimately hard strategy to beat if you're unprepared.
• Set-up 1 and 2-Cost cards are good; 3, 4, and 5-Cost lane-winners are necessary.

What Has Changed

All-New Banlist!

Several cards have been moved on or off the banlist this time. You won't see nearly as many Guardians this time as Groot, Drax, and Mantis (yes, really – she was one of the better cards last run) have been banned! They join Rocket Raccoon, leaving only Star-Lord and Gamora available in the mode. Wiccan and Hellcow Fractured Frontier have also been added, while Mysterio has been removed from the banlist.

Added: Drax, Groot, Mantis, Hellcow FF, Wiccan
Removed: Mysterio

Best Returning Cards

These are the very best cards in the mode. Consider them for your own decks, but also expect to see them a lot and know how to beat them.

Impactful New Cards

We've had a lot of new cards since the last run, but surprisingly few of them seem to have the particular set of skills required to be Sanctum all-stars.

I'm skeptical if the current crop of Skills superstars are fast enough for this mode, but Vampire Killmonger, Queen of Chaos, and the Zombies decks they go into certainly do have major Power-output potential. Anti-Polar Magneto may allow you to sidestep a Gamora and slam Power, while the new Captain Britain Card may be better in this mode than on ladder.

Underrated Cards

If you're looking for something a little different to escape the same-iness of the mode, consider these cards.

Scosco's Best Sanctum Showdown Decks

All-New Sanctum

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This deck employs all of the tools Sanctum has to offer and charges them up with Venus. We can win early turns and really start rolling from Turn 4.

All-Big Sanctum

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It's simple. Just slam big cards, make them bigger with ToV, counter shenanigans with Shadow King.

Marvelous 1s

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Staying cheap is important for maximum flexibility. Kitty can become a real lane winner as the game progresses and you'll pick up plenty of wing points with this deck.

Just Ramp

Final Thoughts

With the new banlist, this mode should feel quite a bit different. I do expect quite a lot of Thanos FF and Techno-Organic Virus, but I am looking forward to solving a brand new Sanctum puzzle.

I've got oodles more Sanctum decks to add variety to your experience below the paywall. These are decks that can crush the players that just opt for the more obvious choices (including my personal favorite SS deck) and reward careful planning and comeback efforts. To help us continue to provide high-quality LTGM content, consider joining today!