What to do with Anti-Polar Magneto
We all know what Magneto does in Snap. He moves around 3 and 4-Cost cards. Anti-Polar does the same, but he moves your own cards from your hand to the board! Here is everything I want to try with the new Magneto!
Value or Combo?
Magneto pulls up to two cards from your hand, just for his cost of 6. The best comparisons for this card are Doctor Doom and Hela. Both provide a lot of extra Power value for 6-Energy. With Magneto, are we satisfied with him as a souped up Doctor Doom who provides 20+ Power for 6 Energy? Or are we trying to set up some specific combo of 3 or 4-Cost cards to further leverage Magneto's ability. Part of the reason I am high on APM is that his floor is as a reliable value play, but there is the chance some high-roll combos could be discovered.
Magnetic Synergies
Basically any powerful 3 or 4-Cost card has synergy with Anti-Polar Magneto, but I want to highlight cards that have synergy beyond just being decent targets.
Caliban is a powerful card, especially in decks for which fulfilling his condition is trivial. I'll be playing this in almost any APM deck, even though there is generally more value in the 4-Cost slot.
Pre-season OTAs often bring buffs to cards that are synergistic with upcoming cards. Between Klaw and Strong Guy, the more exciting option is Guido. He could be a relatively free and reliable 3/10. Or 0/10!
Doom already loves cards like Dragon Lord that can get extra bodies onto the board, while technically still satisfying Doom's 1 card per turn requirement. Doom decks often struggle when they draw Doom 2099 late, but I can envision this deck winning some games With just cards like Moondragon and Caliban out before a final turn APM that pulls Doom 2099. Anti-Polar Magneto gives Doom an excellent plan A, but a great plan B too.
The targeting that Anti-Polar Magneto provides is an underrated aspect. It can help us control where our power goes far more precisely than Hela. We can aim a Klaw at the left or middle and by playing APM into a now-filled right lane, we can get Sentry's 9 Power on board safely.
But there are far bigger fish to reel in than a 9-Power Sentry. other cards with restrictions like Cull Obsidian, Crossbones, and Ikari can be placed onto the board without having to jump through a hoop.
The release of Anti-Polar Magneto could revitalize the once-dominant En Sabah Nur. We can go from just a single card in each lane to a full front row with a low-Power card being swapped out for something better. He fits what a value Magneto deck is trying to do in cheating out valuable cards at the end of the game.
Anti-Polar Magneto's text may specify 3 and 4-Cost cards, but thanks to these two, we can use him to pull any card in the game. These two will be incredibly powerful with APM, whether in a value build or for facilitating some super greedy combo.
Value Targets
These are generic high-value hits that you're happy to see Magneto bring down on the last turn.
3-Cost
4-Cost
Scosco's Day One Anti-Polar Magneto Decks
Magnetic Pop
This deck has definite last turn explosion potential and can easily overcome unfortunate draws and dig into the deck. Quicksilver and Domino ensure Jubilee and Lad can only hit bangers.
Skaari
I think the majority of APM decks are going to want to play him on Turn 6, but this one is happy to play him a turn early.
Ongo-Boingo
Either we draw well and finish with Spectrum or we use APM to pull off an upset.
Anti-Polar Doom
The main question when a new card slots into an existing deck is whether or not it's an actual upgrade or people are just excited by a new synergy. I think Magneto makes this deck more unpredictable. Plopping down an Isca and a Drax on the last turn with APM after Activating IWFS will catch people off guard.
Is He Worth It?
He's a big, high-Cost build-around, and those always come with some level of flop potential, because they don't just easily slot into proven decks. However, he's a 6-Cost that can affect multiple lanes, a critical ability for final turn plays, and he doesn't present a lot of hoops to jump through. While he can be countered by Stardust, I think he is flexible enough that there will be decks that don't just live or die with him. Anti-Polar Magneto has a high-floor and a sky-high ceiling while presenting an interesting deck-building puzzle. That kind of card is absolutely worth acquiring.
Below, subscribers will find even more novel ideas with this cool new card. Whether you're just a huge Magneto fan or a true believer in this card, you're going to want to check them out! Special thanks to SnapComplete and Snap.Fan for card and deck art featured in this article.
